This commissioned bronze sculpture monument that sits outside the Alabama Sport Hall was completed by my father, Mark Hopkins, around 1997. I helped sculpt it, which consisted mostly of spearing and smoothing clay, but I also became a huge part of it. I was used as the model for the kneeling football player between Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan, two of the states famous coaches. Does he look like me? Yes. Is it a portrait? No. There are facial features, the build, and other elements that are distinctly "Eli" according to my dad. Being immortalized in a bronze monument isn't something everyone can check off their bucket list. It wasn't actually on mine, but it's checked now either way.