Richard Hyatt: Pat Sullivan returns to the sidelines

Blair Brown heads the A-List, a digital clearinghouse for Alabama lettermen, but he saw nothing unusual about former Auburn tailback Terry Henley calling Bama last summer with a request for prayers. Henley wasn't calling for himself. He said cancer had returned to Pat Sullivan's body and that the 1971 Heisman Trophy winner was in need of prayer.

Without hesitation, Brown let the Crimson Tide faithful know a former foe was in need.

Prayers went up and Sullivan was overwhelmed with well wishes. This time he called Brown. "Blair, you will not believe the number of calls and emails I've received. Tell folks I cherish their prayers but I am doing much better."

We can learn from that unpublished incident. While fans call each other names, players form bonds that are blind to school colors, one that doesn't stop when the game ends.

Those prayers also remind us of the love people in the inner circle had for Pat Sullivan when he was zipping the ball to a reckless Terry Beasley across the middle of the field.

Those feelings have grown now that his health is wavering and his coaching career is ending.

We got a glimpse inside that closed fraternity last weekend when Sullivan brought his Samford University team to Jordan-Hare Stadium. Health prevented him from making every road trip this season but he did come home to Auburn.

For followers of his era, it was a time of reflection. We remember Coach Shug Jordan softening his stance against married players before Sullivan arrived, knowing Pat and Jean were already a couple.

As the Auburn beat writer for the Atlanta Constitution, I watched him become an icon on the field, and in a time before branding I saw kids in the stands sporting No. 7 replica jerseys.

I wrote about his Heisman Trophy, culminating a campaign engineered by Sports Information Director Buddy Davidson, who sent out an unobtrusive mailer and never considered a billboard in Times Square.

Sullivan wore the Heisman like a gentleman, without the swagger of Johnny Football or the law-skirting antics of Jameis Winston. He has shown that same demeanor as a journeyman football coach.

This may be his last season on the sidelines so it is fitting to pause and remember a simple time when the coach wore saddle oxfords and the quarterback wore No. 7.

-- Richard Hyatt is an independent correspondent. Reach him at hyatt31906@knology.net

This story was originally published November 29, 2014 at 9:22 PM with the headline "Richard Hyatt: Pat Sullivan returns to the sidelines."