Paul Finebaum on death of Phyllis from Mulga: ‘We are all heartbroken’
Phyllis from Mulga, the feisty Alabama fan who staunchly defended her beloved Crimson Tide on “The Paul Finebaum Show” to all who dared cross her, died Wednesday, her son confirmed on social media.
Phyllis Chapple-Perkins died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to her son Christopher.
“She passed away this morning peacefully at 9:46am as I held her hand,” he posted on her Facebook page.
“My mother was an inspiration to anyone fighting for their lives. She beat lung cancer, years later she beat breast cancer. And for the last few years battled COPD until her fight finally ended this morning.”
RELATED: Phyllis fought the good fight for family, underdogs and her Tide
Known for her unrelenting rants directed at anyone – Finebaum included – who questioned her, or the Tide, were legendary, must-listen radio.
“We are all heartbroken to learn the news,” Finebaum told AL.com on Thursday morning.
“In the history of our show, she is easily a Mount Rushmore caller – one of the greatest of all time. Underneath the bravado, she was a lovely and dear friend who meant so much to so many.”
That abrasive on-air personality was what hooked people, but there was so much more. Still, it was that strength she carried with her in her personal health wars.
She beat lung cancer in 1996 after doctors removed half of her left lung.
Her daughter Tina lost her own battle with breast cancer in 2010.
The following month, Perkins found out she also had breast cancer.
“Those of you who knew her radio personality Phyllis Of Mulga may be under the wrong impression of her character, allow me to correct that,” her son explained.
“The fire in her calls was always to pull for an underdog or to defend someone being unjustly attacked. She was the kind of woman instead of being buried in her breast cancer wig she adored, she asked me to donate it to a cancer patient in need. Her faith in God was stalwart and absolutely unshakable even in the face of disease and losing both of her daughters and her husband, my Father. She would rather give you something than keep it herself. She never greeted anyone with anything but a smile and a hug. The world lost a good woman today, but Heaven now has a warrior angel the devil himself doesn’t want to cross.”
Phyllis’ rants were legendary.
Perhaps none were more epic than one in 2014, after the Tide lost to Ole Miss, when she called “The Paul Finebaum Show” to go after Colin Cowherd, a radio personality who had proclaimed the Alabama dynasty dead as a result of the defeat.
The rant included statements like:
“You’re outta ya freakin’ mind Cowturd!”
“Nick Saban is a better man than you are. You could never coach, because you don’t have a bit of coaching in your body.”
“The dynasty is not over. Do you hear me, Cowturd?”
“Kiss my butt. Roll Tide.”
Her impact on Finebaum callers was well documented in 2016, however, when The SEC Network produced a feature on her and her husband’s fight against terminal cancer.
The effort among Finebaum callers to help Phyllis raise money for medical costs was heart-warming to say the least.
A GoFundMe was set to help raise money.
“It has renewed my faith in humanity. I can’t believe that many people care about me,” Phyllis told AL.com at the time. “It has touched me more than anything in this world.”
Finebaum plans to pay tribute to Phyllis from Mulga during Thursday’s show.
The reaction to her death was immediate Thursday.
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Music App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.