Paul William "Bear" Bryant (September 11, 1913 – January 26, 1983) was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships. Upon his retirement in 1982, he held the record for most wins as head coach in collegiate football history with 323 wins, a record broken by John Gagliardi in 1996. Bryant's mark has since also been surpassed by his longtime friend Joe Paterno, by Eddie Robinson, and by Bobby Bowden. At the University of Alabama, the Paul W. Bryant Museum, Paul W. Bryant Hall, Paul W. Bryant Drive and Bryant–Denny Stadium are all named in his honor. He was also known for his trademark black and white houndstooth or gingham hat, deep voice, casually leaning up against the goal post during pre-game warmups, and frequently holding his rolled-up game plan while on the sidelines.

A sideline Reporter is someone, typically a professional journalist, who is a member of a broadcast crew for an event, who assists with additional coverage on the field, rink, pit, court or anywhere else. Often the sideline reporter makes special updates on injuries, breaking news and conducts interviews, since the play-by-play broadcaster and color commentator must remain in their main broadcast position.

Jim Lampley is largely considered, by most, to be the first sideline reporter.^[who?] In Lampley's telling, the job grew out of the wreckage of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where new wireless technology was put to such vital use in ABC's quicksilver coverage of the Israeli hostage crisis and the subsequent massacre. Says Lampley: "Months later, they asked, 'What else could we do? Would it work in a football stadium? Could we put someone on the sidelines?'" The first broadcast with a sideline reporter was the UCLA vs. Tennessee football game in 1974.

Most people^[who?] believe that sideline reporters are nothing more than a pretty face. After controversies with multiple sideline reporters such as Jenn Sterger, or Ines Sainz, that sterotype has been furthered. Sideline reporters are actually very hard working and knowledgable parts of a broadcast team. Lots of preparation and research is needed to be on the top of your game. Lampley's replacement in 1977 was Anne Simon. Many sideline reporters have moved on to have great success in the broadcast booth, studio jobs, commercials, acting roles.

Joseph William "Joe" Namath (/ˈneɪmɨθ/; born May 31, 1943), nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) during the 1960s and 1970s. Namath was an American Football League icon and played for that league's New York Jets for most of his professional career but finished his career with the NFL's Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1985.

Namath retired after playing in 143 career games (including play off games) with 68 wins, 71 losses and 4 ties, in his 132 career starts he was 64-64-4, and he was 4-7 coming off the bench in relief. In his career he threw 173 touchdowns, 220 interceptions, and completed 1,886 passes for 27,663 yards. During his thirteen years in the AFL and NFL he played for three division champions (the 1968 and 1969 AFL East Champion Jets and the 1977 NFC West Champion Rams), earned one league championship (1968 AFL Championship), and one Super Bowl victory (Super Bowl III).