Hunstville Times Sports Editor John Pruett’s prediction that Richard Sikes’s Laughing With the Bear could be a “big hit” was right on the mark. The collection of forty humorous “tales” about the colorful coaching legend has been warmly received since it was published in late 2003. Over 16,000 copies of the book have been sold since its issuance, and Sikes says demand for the self-published work remains strong. Harvey Webb of the North Jefferson News said that Laughing With the Bear provides a rare insight into the humorous side of Coach Bryant’s personality. Tanjie Nash of the Athens News-Courier says that Sikes has provided a great snapshot of Bryant’s “dry wit”. Charlee Marshall of the Greenwood, South Carolina Index-Journal notes that Sikes’s use of a rare picture of a laughing Coach Bryant on the cover was a great attention getter. Sikes explained that although the Paul W. Bryant Museum had thousands of pictures of Coach Bryant, he could only find two pictures of Coach Bryant laughing while researching the book. In addition to favorable newspaper publicity, Sikes said that sales of his colorful book have been aided by two very successful book signings at the Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, and speaking engagements to civic clubs and ‘Bama alumni groups.