Final Four has some good, bad, and ugly

The Louisville vs. Kentucky game ...



  I have a great deal of respect for Rick Pitino. He should be the National Coach of the Year for getting that rag-tag bunch in the Final Four. I have no respect for John Calipari who has seen every stop he's coached find their way to probation. I have the greatest admiration for Joe Dean, Jr. What's he done at my alma mater is magnificent. But if he really doesn't think that Calipari is cheating he's just doing fellow coach speak to protect the coach. It something stinks just follow the odor. UMass -Memphis-Kentucky. Maybe I'm wrong.Perhaps Calipari has been misunderstood. He's just a lamb in a pack of wolves.

    Now, it should be said that he had assistant coaches fall on their swords when things started to get heated, and then he just left the school that was going to the NCAA dunking pool.Example?  Not only was Memphis superstar Jalen Rose not eligible to play at Memphis he didn't even take the SAT or ACT. Seriously, do you think that the head coach had no idea. The whole Calipari situation is a black eye on a sport that already is so full of cheats I bet most coaches don't take their billfolds to national meetings. Tomorrow do I pull for the SEC or a man I really think is one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history?  I might pull for the SEC but it is so hard to pull for Calipari or even for Kentucky who sold their soul to the devil to win. If you want to know about the integrity of the Kentucky Atheletic program you don't have to go past Calipari. Calipari is a great coach. It's a shame he doesn't have enough faith in himself to play by the rules. Once at UMass was bad. Then came proud Memphis State. It was at that point the NCAA should have kicked him out of the profession for couple of years. Instead, one of the greatest basketball programs hired him, and at least to me anything they do with Calipari just doesn't count. If you are a UK fan I'm sorry. I think you stooped beneath your proud tradition in basketball. If you think that I'm being harsh on Kentucky they deserve it. Alabama  hired Nick Saban and he doesn't cheat. He goes by the book.

    Kentucky should win the game tomorrow by double digits. The Cardinals just can't match up with the Wildcats, and must have solid gold performances from their guards, and play mean on the inside. I think that the phyisical nature of Louisville gives them a chance. It seems that Kentucky gets a little intimidated at times. You can count on Pitino to eliminate the effectiveness of Kidd-Gilchrist, Teague, or Davis.

   On the other side of the bracket is Ohio State and Kansas. Who cares? State is favored but Kansas is playing well. The JayHawks have some surprising losses this season. Not exactly the  type of performances that you expect from a final four team. Ohio State is a better team if they quit shooting so many three point shots and take it insider. 

     If Kentucky  can shake off the jitters that their freshman will feel they should win it all. Freshman have a strange way of doing stupid things in the final four - such  as calling time out when you don't have  one. Truthfully, after Alabama got beat my attention started drifting toward spring football and the Masters. I've rarely miss any Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, or Final Four games. This year has been different. I truly believe that Kentucky is just a bunch of under the table professionals, and school means nothing to them. If winning is everything then Kentucky is your team. If you like to root for the underdog they Louisville has some bite. If you believe in solid play and perhaps the greatest tradition in college hoops go rock chalk. If none of those mean anything to you, go play golf, or watch if you like. As far as I am concerned a Calipari coached team is just not relevant.

State of Tide Basketball...

More Good than Bad this Year...

     Alabama fans are pretty much drama queens. They also demand perfection and will not settle for less than the very best. When things don't go our way we whine, carry on, blame the refs, and curse the fates. I think there are two ways you can look at this year. One, it was disappointing to most Tide fans. Second, the coach lost two key players he could not replace and then got rid of a third.  It just never does any good to say that losing Hillman and Hines were a big, big deal. Hillman was your drop dead defender, and Hines was the man who did all the little dirty things around the basket which allowed other Tide players to excel. I think we might have endured the loss of Hillman because Grant has a penchant for teaching defense. You can't coach what Hines brought to the floor. Leadership, hardwork, the knack of getting not just rebounds but important rebounds. He also made his share of baskets when Green was shackled.

        I felt that Bama would be hard pressed to win 25 games and match last year's number. Here's a few things that happened.

• No Kentucky studs in the bunch. Solid play from Randolph was consistent. Cooper and Lacey had their moments but were really disappointing in a lot of ways. Jacobs stepped up and showed he is going to be the man one day. All in all the talented freshmen didn't shine.
• Tony Mitchell. What do you say. This man started off like a fighter pilot. He ended up being ground for crimes against the good of the program. How a kid can have this amount of talent and end up as he did is horrible. The team never recovered the level of play that opened the season. I'm not sure I've ever seen a player argue with a coach the way Mitchell did over a three game stretch.
• In the long run (which Alabama fans refuse to acknowledge) all the minutes that the four freshman logged in will be a big deal next season.
• Moussa Gueye returned from a knee injury but he never got in any type of flow that  showed his potential. He will be the most 'surprising' player on the Tide roster next season. Carl has a chance to be like Hines if he continues to work. He did a lot better than most thought.
• Andrew Steele returned from his head injury. I often wonder what would have happened to the Tide if he never returned. He was a leader despite being benched for one game. He got the ball to people who scored, and was fearless driving to the basket. I love the guy
• Releford had another good season. His shooting seemed better but I'm not sure the numbers backed that up. He still isn't spreading the ball around like he can. Next year the assists go up because the shooters will have more confidence. At least I hope they do. I sometimes wonder if some dark shadow covers Coleman in regards to our shooting.
• Green was up and down. The Tide star didn't live up to his billing due to his behavior on and off the floor.

     All the crap this team went through, endured, caused, and had to live with ended up with a bid the NCAA. Some questionable calls (blame the ref, right?) hurt down the stretch of the Creighton game, but I don't seriously think we could have competed UNC. But it would have been neat to see them held to a season low in shooting and scoring. Alabama lost its season when they lost Mitchell and Green. Grant made a tough decision. He stuck with it and still got team in the NCAA. People want to fire him? Last year I thought we deserved the NCAA. This season we got the dance but I wonder if the NIT might have served us better. I think you go with the NCAA bid in the long run.

    Many fans are concerned with the lack of recruits. Good point and you can't ignore it. Pollard has become the roundball version of Tim Tebow. We've worked hard, we've done the right things, we could have signed another player for Pollard's natural position, but didn't. For a long time it was Bama, State, and Kentucky. We are at certain recruiting disadvantages with John Calipari that has nothing to do with hoops. I'm not sure you can teach an old state bulldogs new tricks. It could be business as usual in the Magnoliaville. I think that Pollard loves Grant, but the kid is a MSU fan, and it's the economy stupid. He might win the lottery and go to Kentucky. A couple of Kentucky kids say they are not leaving after their freshman year. Would you turn down millions to got to chemistry class another year?

     If Frank Martin thought playing in the shadow of Kansas was bad try Kentucky. Martin is a great coach, but Columbia? It had to be the money because the challange of overtaking Kentucky, Vandy, Florida, and perhaps Tennessee is a load.


    

Scarbinsky only has one agenda and we make it possible...

     I have to admit to personally liking Kevin. He know gives everyone a hard time. That is what "sportswriters" now do. They are no more sportswriters. The sports page has become like live studio wrestling in my opinion. There are a few people I will read. Cecil Hurt comes to mind. As great a writer as Cecil is I'd love to see him write for another publication other than The Tuscaloosa Times from time to time. My love for Alabama and my like for Cecil get convoluted because they are essentially one in the same in my mind. I can't think about Alabama Sports and not think about Cecil. I believe Cecil is a excellent writer. When I hear the name Cecil Hurt I think Alabama. I don't think SEC football, NCAA football, all my thoughts are crimson in nature. None of this is negative toward Cecil. As great a writer as the man is he is just writer for a small town paper where the pre-eminent football program in the NCAA plays.

     Kevin Scarbinsky is an opinion writer for a small city newspaper which is on life support. It's not just the Birmingham-News, but every other small town newspaper. I'd submit this for your consideration - if it were not for college sports the Birmingham-News would have gone the way of dinosaur before today.  The same might be true in Jackson, Knoxville, and a host of other markets. So I always cut guys like Kevin some slack. He isn't writing to win awards. He's writing controversy to keep his newspaper alive. I don't mean to keep his job. I literally mean that without sports, and a writer who will follow the company line he'd be out of a job because the News would would vanish like fog on a warming California morning. Most people will do just about anything to get that paycheck.

     Reading the Birmingham-News for the editorials? Maybe the comics and certainly the sports. If I want to read serious journalism I can read the New York Times, The Washington Post, and the LA Times. There are no more Benny Marshall type writers in Alabama sports. Back then it was about the sport. Today it is about survival and improving the brand. The brand isn't excellence in journalism. The brand is cheap controversy, and hope such controversy can pump larger numbers to increase advertising sales. Years ago I sat in a meeting with management at WJOX. Herb Winches was pitching the idea of talk sports radio. One management person kept saying that's why there are newspapers were for. My thought was simply this - newspapers are dead already. They just haven't realized it. People would rather talk about what they know, or believer they know than what anyone writes. When we first started doing basketball and football recruiting shows on the radio sportswriters looked down on us. They knew what we already had learned. It isn't always the writer the ability to reach an audience.

    The other day I actually stopped to buy a Birmingham-News. I hadn't bought one in years, instead, relying on leftovers at Hardee's and such places. It cost 75 cents. I was blown away and didn't buy one. I just walked back to my office and picked up my Kindle. That's where you find real newspapers.  When Ben Cook and I did the Sports Ticket we had unbelievable numbers. Of course, we didn't know they were that high because we had nothing to compare with except newspapers.I would pound the pavement trying to sell ads. I could show buyers the exact number of readers we had each day, where they were from, what they read exactly, and how long they stayed on line. No takers were found. We were ahead of our time.

    I'm going to cut Kevin some slack. He's wrong about a lot of things he writes about. He knows he is wrong. He doesn't care. But what he does understand is that most of his readers still believe that he is a reporter and that he believes what he writes. He counts on anger. We give it to him in huge portions. Every time I see writers like Kevin I wonder if he will be the last man to actually hold down the job he now fills? He just might be.

Fire Grant? Are you serious?

TIDE COACH DID A OUTSTANDING JOB...

         Some people think Alabama should have kept Mark Gottfried.  Their story line is that Anthony Grant is half the coach that Gottfried was when he was Alabama. I'm happy for Mark and his run of success at NCST.  Who isn't happy to see a 'Bama man succeed?  I think the reason that Mark is a better coach now than before is pretty simple.

• He got big time wake up call about how not to run a program when he was fired by Alabama
• His television gig gave him access to the best coaching and coaching techniques that not everyone has access. I never said that MG wasn't smart.  How can you not improve when you go from coach to coach and learn how they coach? Seriously, if any of us did the same thing for three years we'd have picked up a lot of things as well.

          What I noticed in watching State play the other night was how improved his players are with fundamentals. You might win a lot of games in the SEC on talent,  but everyone in the ACC has good players.  So you better have good athletes and they better be fundamentally sound. And it seems he's got that throwing the ball inbounds figured out now.  I pulled for State because Mark Gottfried is a good guy who lost his way, and it appears he's found his stuff. That is a great story.

    But anyone who thinks that Mark Gottfreid is a better coach than Anthony Grant just doesn't get what happened to Alabama this season. Why didn't Alabama beat the BlueJays?  We didn't have Tony Mitchell on the team. You don't lose your most explosive and talented player and expect good things to happen  That's it. That's all it is.  When you lose 20% of your starting lineup things aren't going to be perfect.  If you talking about football that would 4.4 players. That might be Trent, AJ, Barrett, Hightower, and throw in Mark Barron for a second half.  What Grant did with this team after the suspension of four starters for various lengths of time is nothing short of miraculous. So all you guys out there who want Grants head use your own. 

BAMA SHOULD BE ON THE FLOOR TODAY - EXHIBIT 2

BUT I'M PULLING FOR THE BLUEJAYS...

     If Alabama had "beaten" Creighton the way they won the game against us I would have taken it in a heartbeat. Let me tell you right of the bat I am not whining. I have a legitimate belief (at least to me) that television is making the calls on who they would prefer to win. That doesn't mean the CBS giant eye's preferences could be pulled off in every game. No one 'preferred' Lehigh or Norfolk State to win because no one ever thought it could happen. Next season 1-16 games and 2-15 games will be talked about and television will tell the NCAA who they would 'prefer' for the Lehigh and Northfolk states not bump off the big boys,  because how the heck cares about watching Norfolk State?  I'll tell you this if the TV would stay away from the who they want to win and let the games just play out this would be an even greater event. The gap between the big guys and the little guys is just about gone. If I were CBS I'd be thinking about how you incorporate Lehigh and their "little" buddies in their chosen teams. I'm not saying that Cinderella is dead, but she's off public assistance and is starting in to interview with the fortune 500 employers.

    I have no beef with Creighton who  won the game unfair and unsquare, and under  any circumstance you can't expect the BlueJays to just walk away. But lets look at a couple of other instances of that final play just to reassure me, and perhaps you that we got a shaft job. Was Releford fouled? Sure and the NCAA has even started hinting that some games are going to be reviewed and some "penalties" will be handed down "if appropriate" regarding officiasl  Look at the photo to your left. The Creighton defender has his entire palm on Releford's forearm. There is no doubt that's true. But doesn't it burn you that the official was in the perfect angle to make the call. Perfect position because he is  trained to stand even with three point arc to establish he was outside the three point shot. But that is merely to establish angle, and watch the actual shot. And he saw it and we saw it. The entire nation has now seen it, and it's like ho-hum nothing happened. Every sportswriter (with some exceptions) said it was a blocked shot.  I applaud Al.COM Matt Scalici for bringing up the possibility of their being a foul. He uses the term "appeared show" a foul. Matt, thanks for going to the question, but shame on your for not reporting that the officials miss the foul and could have changed the game. I understand that the Tide "blew" an 11 point point lead. But Creighton wasn't just giving up. Bama's death nail was not giving up the lead but not having the firepower to score some points. Credit to Alabama for still being in the position to win. Just as an aside I don't think the jump shot would have gone in. TR has his legs crossed (due to lack of time and pressure). Shots taken from that form rarely go in. Credit to TR for getting his shoulders square to the hoop. So it 'could' have gone in. We will never know. What we do know is that he was positively fouled. It makes no difference that the Creighton offender might have grazed the ball. It was the inability have enough leverage and arm speed to shoot get the ball to the rim. As one of the TBS announcers correctly pointed out - shots just don't fall that short unless the shooter was fouled. That could have been the argument that announcers love to make. Instead, preference gave way to truth. I have known far to many television people to believe otherwise. 


       The back court call earlier. Read the rule, it says both feet in the front court. So what constitutes front court. It isn't over the line it is on the line if you read the definition what a line is i constituted to be, and their purpose. Here's a general rule that applies: There is no circumstance  But the over and back rule must be read in conjunction lines definition.   it is very clear that on the line regarding out of bounds and touching a line is out of bounds. The rule further says that touching the line rule is written to make touching a line the worst of things and not the best. Shoot a three point shot and have a foot on the line? It is a 2 and not a 3. The same applies to midcourt lines. On is over, pure and simple. Now the real question is what happens if the man is across midcourt and the ball  isn't. Because the man clearly had possession of the ball it crossed midcourt it was in the front court. Try standing on an out of bounds line and arguing the ball wasn't across the line. Same official. He was looking down at the line. I understand he said the man never had control of the ball, after he said being on the line didn't matter. I'm not suggesting the official be taken out behind the arena and shot. I'm not even saying he should be publicly called out. He should just quietly be given a ticket for the next plane trip home, along with a copy of the rule book for the test he has take to get back into high level officiating. This tendency to not call fouls late in the game  in key moments is just a cop out. We have the rules in place and we should require they be used. Years ago a football  team won a game because they were inadvertently given a fifth down. The scored and won the game. Only the integrity of the College president who turned down the win corrected the obvious mistake. Those things will never happen in today's sports world. Money calls the shots. Television has the money, and college sports have become no more than pigs at the trough getting fat. That's why I get so upset about anything that reeks of unfair play. Alabama and Lehigh and anyone else that plays in the NCAA should be afforded a chance to win between the lines and not in the backroom of the NCAA and CBS. I have some other photos to show you about other things, and if I get them cleared up enough I'll print them. One in particular is interesting. 

•  kevin Scarbinsky took free shot at Grant and Alabama? I expected it. It is a shame that a nice has a shill for a dying newspaper.
• VCU over Wichita State? I like the Shockers, but this wasn't like a take your breath away upset.
• UNC-Ashville hanging with Syracuse? Big surprise. Sorry officiating when the Orange needed it? Nope
• Gonzago over West Virginia? The Mountaineers are proof too many Big East teams play
• South Dakota State hanging around with Baylor? Big surprise
• Iowa State over Uconn? Please reload the West Virginia notes. ISU is good. Uconn isn't
• Colorado over UNLV? Maybe the PAC 10 is better than we thought? Ask Northwestern and the red faced Selection Committee.
• Cincy over Texas? Only surprise here was the margin was much larger. Texas instead of Washington? The Selection committee should have no alcohol rule.
• St. Bonnie almost beating ACC – Florida State? No, FSU is overrated.
• Lehigh over Duke? Sure, but we said it would be close.
• Norfolk State beats Mizzou? Norfolk trumps Lehigh in the biggest upset of the day...
• Ohio over Michigan? Too a lot of people but it was my upset special of the day.
• South Florida over Temple? Surprised me by beating them soundly.
• Xavier over Notre Dame? See the WSU and UCONN statements above. Will the Scommitte ever catch on?
• Purdue beats St. Mary's? I have to say this was a real surprise to me.
• Ohio State over Gonzaga? No, but my god, the calls for State in the second half.
• Syracuse over Kansas State? Nope, the Orange ball thing learned its lesson the other day.
• NC State over over Georgetown? See my previous remarks about the Big East
• Alabama getting beat by Creighton? DON'T YOU JUST LOVE CORPORATE ENDNGS?

Bamabasketball.net - Gentlemen I give you Exhibit A

Exhibit A from on a shot taken from the baseline...

I'm told that Doctors believe he will
eventually recover.

       Members of Rules Committe, as counsel for the Plaintiff, I now ask you to look at Exhibit # 1. This is a true and accurate photograph of the issue before you today which taken by the the AP which clearly shows the Creighton defender's hand on the elbow and forearm of Alabama's Trevor Releford. As previous shown he was behind the 3 point arc. This is clearly shows contact which altered the shot, and the rules of basketball call for free throws to be taken by the individual who was in the act of attempting the score with his shot. In this case, Mr. Releford would have been given three foul shots. We submit that because this foul occurred on the final play of the game, and before time expired the NCAA should allow the victim, the University of Alabama, through  Mr. Releford to return to the Court on Saturday and be allowed to shoot three free throws, we further suggest that the respective teams be allowed to dress out for the resumption of the game should Mr. Releford make only one of three free throws which is a unlikely as my dead Aunt Gertrude returning from the cemetery where she was buried in 1952.

       In response to the Defendants acknowledgement that it was indeed a foul we submit the only issue is that of equity. We have previously asked that you take judicial notice, that even if the defender touched the ball initially, the rule states both with precision and with clarity that any touching to the shooter, whether at the time the player is touched, or if further contact alters the shot it shall be deemed a foul. Is this a  case of cowardly behavior or worse on the part of three men in whose hands the integrity of the sport is entrusted , or rather plain incompetence. We aver this goes beyond whether or not a foul was made, but rather does this Committee value the reputation of the NCAA and their officials. The rule of equity and fair play for  institutions and the future of the sport are stake here today, and the outcome of this hearing extends. beyond the exact event. Today we are asking you to interpret the rule regarding other times and plays which might be reviewed if they effect the outcome of the game, as  found in 2012 Rules of NCAA Basketball, Amended.  The learned counsel for the NCAA and for the University of Creighton, a fine institution of higher learning and a school which is known to believe that integrity is essential in college sports has offered to the body, a different rule written before the rule I have submitted,  saying that it is within the judgement and discretion  of the officials and is not eligible for review. We strongly disagree. The Rules Committee made this Amended Rule for situations where an inappropriate, or incorrect decision might effect the outcome of the game. We believe we are absolutely correct with the citing of the newer amended rule and its' intent. We would submit that failure to apply this rule will lead  the public and the member institutions, as well as coaches and players to lose faith in the very system itself. Today you have a the opportunity and challenge  to correct an obvious error that effected the outcome of the contest.  Further, this body can make clear that the rule cited is precisely for situations such as the one being discussed today, and can insure all those involved in either the participation or viewing of such events is assured that fundamental fairness is in play just like the basketball is in play after tip off. Moreover, we believe the NCAA is an arm of their member institutions who teach every student that honesty and fair play are essential in out education systems to insure a viable education. To rule against my client is ruling against the very foundation of one of the expectations, no against the sacred belief that honesty and fair play are essential in the great educational centers of the very system you represent. It would be the same as ruling against the fiber and founding principles of these United States and what our founding fathers believed. 

As my cousin. Leroy, a common man, but a man with great honesty and fairness, said to me before this hearing, "man, them sons of bitches know got screwed - now go in there and fix this or you can forget gittin' any venison this year, cousin bill." I rest my argument. 

Bama got screwed and the NCAA world is talking about it...

Bama could handle the talented Jays but not the refs...
      The entire world of NCAA basketball is talking about the hose job given  to our beloved Tide. One of the great things about a blog is that the pretension of impartialilty is not in play. Although, I think most of you know I do try to do that. Hence, the Saban story which he has recevied my formal apology, and I was not taken behind that stadium and shot. I take that as a good sign. But what happened today was beyond explanation. There were five calls that should have been made, or not made in the last two minutes. Even my new Creighton friends acknowlege that fact.  The Jays had nothing to with the TV mandated screw job on the Tide and let's advance the Jays saga. Bama could have put the game away and didn't. Take nothing away from the Jays. God help me I love 'em and I am going to give them my full support from this day on. My two favorite teams are Alabama and anyone that can shut Dick Vitale up. I would say that Vitale is sleeping  with Williams and Coach K except they have more class. I have always love DV. This year he has become the official pimp of the ACC. Clark Kelloge filled that roll for the MVC today. Finally, under a deluge of criticism from his own sports team he acquised and admitted, "it was a foul". No Joke, the x-rays are in, the DA has returned the indictment, and whoever that defender was he cleary and digitally fouled the little man who runs our offense.

There is no doubt that there were times in the game where it seemed that the MVC team was victimized. But in the last two minutes, when good officiating means the most, these three jerks decided to turn a blind eye and go with CBS. I am formally and offically accusing these guys of biased cheating to make sure that Alabama would not winThey are public figures and deserve the criticism. I am checking those three official's  day calenders to see if they have been in AU lately. As Gomer whould say, Shame, shame, shame on them and the entire NCAA. This game should be restarted  again with Trevor Releford standing on the free throw line shooting three to make two so to speak. If we are using instant replay to review games why not take the next logical step and say," hey, we sure screwed the heck out of Bama in thal last two minutes. An independent crew of REAL OFFICIALS have reviewed  the digital whatever and Bama gets to shoot free throws.

I want to be quick to add this is nothing more than a continued homer job on Alabama for Nick Saban and our great football team for winning the National championship. I'm serious. I have never written anything like this in forty years, look it up. This was game fixing pure and simple. I'm not saying that money crossed hands but this cost our Tide the game. Our great coach, and dedicated kids learned that life isn't fair.  In fact, life might be more fair than the NCAA and their clear pandering to TV. What bullcrap. One reason why my wife and I are democrats (sorry my friends) is that we have this stupid belief that all people are equal, poor and rich, red and blue because the bottom line is that fair is fair and unfair is the NCAA and CBS. So who will win the NCAA. I don't know ask CBS it has already been decided.

T0MMOROW THE PHOTOS THAT PROVE MY ALLEGATIONS. Annie, update, she wagged her tail today and "kissed us". She has been given a death sentence but she's a fighter, and we are hoping for one good month to spoil her rotten. She can now have ice cream, gravy and biscuits, and all the sweets she can tolerate. I asked her today if she wanted to knock back a six pack with her Pop, and she looked me and said, "Maybe tomorrow" Thank you for your support. We are not expecting a miracle from our Heavenly Father, but I wish I could trade places with my little girl

BAMA GOT SCREWED AND PROOF TO FOLLOW

Guest Article - The Creighton Side of the Story...

A GUEST ARTICLE FROM A CLASSY CREIGHTON JAY -
Try to behave as Southern gentleman in your comments, please

Guest writer - Jacob Padilla
Creighton University
A great guy 

       Hello Tide fans. My name is Jacob Padilla. I am a freshman at Creighton and a student sports reporter for the Creightonian (www.creightonian.com), our school newspaper. I’ve been covering the Jays all season, and per Jim’s request, I’ve dropped by to offer you some insight from the other side regarding our teams’ second round NCAA Tournament game on Friday. 

MVC


First, let me give you a little background information about my beloved Bluejays. 


As you’re probably aware of, Creighton belongs to the Missouri Valley Conference. Back in the days of Kyle Korver, the MVC was the premier mid-major conference, routinely sending multiple teams to the Big Dance. 


Unfortunately, the conference has been down in recent years and has been a one or two bid league each of the last several seasons. That is changing, however, as the MVC had a solid year and appears to be on the upswing. 

Fear the Jay

 The MVC sent two teams dancing this year, the No. 5 seed Wichita State Shockers and of course they No. 8 seed Jays. Those two dominated the conference. However, teams three through seven in the final standings finished league play with 9-9 records, which shows the depth and parity of the league behind the top two. It is not an easy conference to navigate, even for really good teams like the Shockers and Jays.


Top to bottom, the MVC is not close to being as good as a major conference such as the SEC. But Valley teams are by no means pushovers (except for Bradley and Southern Illinois that is).


Fan support for the Jays is crazy. Creighton plays their home games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, a great arena capable of holding over 17,000 fans. The Jays have been in the top 25 for attendance each of the previous five seasons, and rank seventh nationally this year with an average of 16,664 fans per game. The crowd has been louder this year than I’ve ever witnessed personally, and it has definitely helped tip the momentum the Jays’ way on more than one occasion. But Creighton can win away from the C-Link as well, as they are one of only two teams this season to earn ten true road wins and they also went 4-0 in neutral site games. Expect plenty of Bluejays fans to show up in Greensboro on Friday, and expect them to be loud.


STRENGTHS


First and foremost, Creighton’s biggest strength is of course their offense. The Jays rank among the top ten in the nation in many offensive categories including leading the NCAA in field goal percentage. 


The offense starts with our All-American forward, Doug McDermott. Doug is an incredible player, an regardless of how the game turns out on Friday any true basketball fan can’t help but admire how he plays the game. He is ambidextrous in the post, able to finish with either hand equally well. He gets the ball out of his hands and into the basket faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. He has a wide array of shots he uses down low, and is terrific at getting his man sealed. He can also step out and hit the 3-pointer with the best of them, and has shown improvement in his mid-range and off the dribble game as well. I’m not sure you can really understand what he does or how good he is until you’ve played against him, which explains why he dominated non-conference foes and looked slightly more mortal in the Valley.


But Doug isn’t our only post presence. We also have a 6’9” 270 behemoth at center named Gregory Echenique. Gregory is a real load down low, and although he isn’t the greatest finisher he has improved with every game and has been a monster down the stretch. While his offensive contributions have been great recently Echenique’s true value lies at the other end. He was named the MVC Defensive Player of the Year this season, and with good reason. He straight up locks down opposing big men. He is so big and strong, it is tough for anyone to get position on him or back him down. But he also moves really well for a man his size and is great at getting out and hedging screens. The match-up between Gregory and JaMychal Green is going to be a big one, and is fun to watch.


Creighton complements the inside presence with a host of 3-point shooters. Starting guard Jahenns Manigat, reserve wings Josh Jones and Avery Dingman, and back-up big man Ethan Wragge all shoot over 40% from deep, and each one of them is very capable of going off. 


Finally, we have our two leaders, senior point guard Antoine Young and junior guard Grant Gibbs. Before Gibbs’ arrival, Creighton was a horrible passing team. They couldn’t feed the post to save their lives. Now, they are second in the nation in team assists per game, and it all starts with Gibbs. He is a true point guard in a wing’s body, and always makes the extra pass. He gets the ball exactly where it needs to be, when it needs to be. He makes the game easier for everyone else on the court. 

Home Grown and recruited at home by Coach McD

    Young is capable of playing a distributors role, but he’s a scorer at heart. He is gifted with tremendous quickness and strength, and has a unique ability to get to the rim and finish through contact. Although he’s not a great outside shooter, his 17-foot jumper is wet and he seems to pull it out whenever he feels the team needs a bucket. And when the game is on the line in the closing seconds, the ball is going to be in his hands. He has numerous clutch plays on his resume, including a game-winner against Long Beach State.


When this team is in rhythm, it is pick your poison at its finest. It’s very difficult for even the best defenses to shut down the perimeter and clog the paint, especially when the players are as talented as the jays are.


WEAKNESSES


This team’s biggest weakness is its defense. At times they have been pretty bad and have let opposing scorers torch them. They struggle in particular with athletic perimeter players. This year’s team is not blessed with incredible speed or lateral quickness, and it has shown when they’ve gone up against dynamic wings. 


That being said, there are some good defensive players on the team and they’ve been getting stops when they need them recently. Gregory Echenique is a force down low, as I’ve already talked about, and Antoine Young, Josh Jones, and Grant Gibbs are all capable of holding their own defensively. Even a couple of freshmen, back-up point guard Austin Chatman and Dingman, have come in and given the team some excellent defense down the stretch. Gibbs is usually the one assigned to guarding the opponents best wing player, and although he’s somewhat lacking in athleticism since his knee injury a couple years ago, he makes up for it with his smarts and hustle. He has been getting in foul trouble recently, though, which puts Coach Mac in a tough situation. 

o

Antoine Young is good defender
and a GREAT point guard

     Creighton is not as bad defensively as their reputation suggests, but they are nowhere close to the Tide on that side of the court. The key will be consistently giving the effort and putting in the work necessary to get the job done. That hasn’t always been the case this year, and it must change if the Jays want to advance. Early foul trouble to Echenique and/or Gibbs could cause problems on both ends.


Creighton was flying high in early February with a record of 21-2, but then they began to struggle and dropped three straight games. From my perspective, two things were at the heart of their struggles. First, the 3-pointers stopped falling. Ethan Wragge and Jahenns Manigat in particular couldn’t buy a bucket from deep, but they were still getting up plenty of shots. Creighton’s offense is predicated on the inside-outside game, and when the 3s dried up teams were able to collapse in the paint and double and triple team the bigs. The second problem was Gibbs. The confident, savvy point guard that had been the catalyst for the extreme efficiency in the first half of the season was gone, and in his place was a player who struggled to find his shot and began making stupid passes that resulted in turnovers. Without Gibbs directing the offense like he had before, the team struggled to score. If either one or both of these problems rears their ugly heads, the Jays could be finding themselves on an early flight home. 


HOW WILL IT ALL PLAY OUT?


You won’t find many fan of the NCAA selection committee in Omaha, Neb. An 8 seed makes no sense considering the team’s resume and where other mid-majors comparable to the Jays ended up (Wichita State being a 5 seed for one, or San Diego State being a 6 seed for another; Creighton beat both teams and finished with a better overall record than both). 


But you have to play the hand that you are dealt. I’m not thrilled about playing Alabama in the first round. Your defense is smothering and might have just what it takes to knock Creighton’s offense out of sync. That being said, I still expect Creighton to emerge victorious.


As I said above, Doug McDermott has killed it against nonconference foes that aren’t familiar with what he does, and I don’t know if the Tide will be ready for him. If the Jays can knock down their 3-pointers, I don’t think the Crimson Tide will be able to hang with them. That’s just my opinion, of course, and I could be dead wrong. 


Regardless of who wins, I hope the two fan bases can come together to cheer on the victor in the third round against Midwest’s top seed, the North Carolina Tar Heels. Everybody loves an upset (unless it busts your bracket, that is). 


I'd like to think both the Author and his great publication for the contribution of this well written story. 

If you are in Greensboro, pull the Tide through...

Not attending the game...

I admit to to nothing....
You have the wrong dog

     Because our little girl boxer, Annie Ellis,  has little time to live my wife and I will be unable to attend the game on Thursday. I have to admit that not being there is going to seem strange. If you have a pet I'm sure you no why we aren't there regardless of how much we love the Tide. My dog is more important.


      Boxers are unique dogs, they are half canine and half clown. When our little girl dog dies she will be sorely missed. Thank each of you for the kind words and the postings. The emails have been remarkably full of love.  We are truly blessed to have Crimson brothers and sisters. I promise I will tape the game and get a  of report up for the board sometime by Friday if at all possible.

   I have talked to a couple of coaches who are going call me tomorrow night and talk with me about the game to  give me a  little insight about what happened in Greensboro.  A moment of your indulgence about Annie. Here are a few reasons why you have to love dogs. Those of you who are pet owners will know exactly why we do. Those of you who  don't own a dog these are reasons why you should. These are quotes about dogs and who said them.

• Never ever trust a person who hates dogs - from me. 
• If dogs don't go to heaven, all things considered I'd like to go where ever they go-unknown
• You can say any fool thing to a dog, and the dog will give you this look that says, `My God, you're RIGHT!!!!!    I NEVER would've thought of that!'" Dave Barry
• If your dog doesn't like someone then you probably shouldn't either - unknown
• Dogs never change their bones. They have consistency that politicians lack - my wife
• The more people I meet the more I like my dog - unknown
• A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than himself - Josh Billings
• The average dog is much nicer than the average person - Andrew Anderson
• Dogs are humble. You've met underdogs, but have you ever met an over the top dog?
• I have found in my life that it is better to be part dog than all human - me 
• You may be broke and penniless, but as long as you own dog, you are rich. - Louis Sabin
• Dogs are not our whole lives but they make our lives whole - Roger Cavas
• History books are more full of the fidelity's of dogs than humans - Alexander Pope
• Dogs are spiritual beings, I have no doubt. They live only in the present moment - The Dalai Lama
• "I once decided not to date a guy because he wasn't excited to meet my dog. I mean, this was like not wanting to meet my mother." Bonnie Schacter
• Every dog will have his day - Jonathon Swift
• "If I have any beliefs about immortality it is that all dogs go to heaven but very, very few persons do." James Thurber
• In dog years, I am dead. - unknown.

     For me, the perfect day in life is to sit by a river with my dogs and no one else. The green grass is at your feet, and the blue sky is above. It is a reminder that Eden once existed, and is still possible.  Dogs are not jealous, they hold no grudges, they are simple and humble creatures. I think that dogs are God's reminder of the person we should aspire to be. I find it interesting that dog and god are one in content, if not spelled exactly same. If I could sit down and spend a day with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, or an hour with my dog, I'd have to spend my regrets to the pair. 

    

No one likes the Tide Thursday...

TIDE GETS NO RESPECT FROM EXPERT PICKERS...

     and I love it.  We should all love that fact. The only thing being better than being an underdog in a big game is being a very talented underdog in a big game.  I found 21 sites on the Web where 'experts' picked the winners. This was total of 83 individuals and Dick Vitale who falls into a somewhat un-classified species of hominoid.  Only 12 of those individuals picked Alabama to win. One fine sports expert from somewhere in Idaho (is that in the United States?) picked the Jays to beat us by 18 points. I emailed him. Told him I would beat him $10,000.00 (sorry to a certain political candidate) that Creighton wouldn't beat the Tide by 18. No response. I called him. Left him a nice message asking him to clarify whether Idaho is really in the USA, and repeated my bet. No answer. I called his "assistant" and asked her to tell him what I said. She asked if all this was in good fn. I said, absolutely not, I really need this issue on Statehood clarified, but the bet was just fun. I haven't heard back from him yet. I am not holding my breath

    I've come to a couple of conclusions about our game. First, Creighton is really a 4 or 5 seed. Second, we are really better than a 9 but we can't argue much because of our record. One quick observation - if the Tide makes a few three point shots we beat the Jays. If we make a lot of threes we beat them like an Indian drum at Wounded Knee. From watching four Creighton games that they won, and one where they lost, a couple of things are clear - Alabama is a lot more athletic than the Jays, and Creighton sometimes has trouble with pressing defenses. It isn't like they turn the ball over  (they start two point guards) against the press, but it seems to upset their rhythm on offense.

    The Jays haven't played anyone like Alabama on defense. In the game that Wichita State beat the Jays you could tell that good athletes will give them trouble when they get up in their faces. One other thing that is clear - McDermott is the real deal.  He will get his points in the end, but I think our strong perimeter defense is going to cut down on the other players scoring chances. I wonder if Grant would pull the old Wimp Sanderson trick - give the All American his points and give anyone else unmitigated hades. Not a bad plan.
Regardless of who wins I promise you that the Jays will have had all they can handle when the game ends.

    One thing all fans need to keep in mind. This is poor little mid-major Creighton playing the most hated sports program in America (at this time). The announcers are going to have "I have my head up Creighton's butt" pins on their lapels. Just get ready. Our kids will be compared to a combination of the village idiots and Jack-the-Ripper.  Grant the ripper might be appropriate. I think Alabama is going to go out on floor on Thursday and defend like there is no more tomorrows. Win and Advance. That is all our team is thinking about right now. This is going to be a battle between two very good teams, two great coaches, two different styles, and without being too dramatic, class warfare between the rich and poor.  Creighton will be revered more than Hickory High School in "Hoosiers". Don't be surprised if Gene Hackman is on the bench.  The only thing that matters to this writer is that Anthony Grant be on the bench along with five Crimson jerseys on the floor. I expect the Tide to win in a tough game.

Coach McDermott says Bama's perimeter shooting is inconsistent...

Bama's shooting is the Key...

Father and Son. Father thinks Creighton should
have a better seed. Son in First Team AA

     That might be the kindest statement made by any coach regarding the Tide's outside shooting. Inconsistent? The Tuscaloosa Brick Company could sponsor Alabama. Alabama fans, never known for their kindness or lack of criticism, chooses to use another description - bricks. I'm not sure that bricks is descriptive enough. How about concrete blocks. Alabama ranks 331st in the NCAA in made three point shots. Creighton ranks 3rd. Alabama ranks 83rd in defending the three. That breaks down to 25% Creighton ranks 173rd. 

     The Tide is giving up only 14 points per game from behind the arc. Creighton is giving up right at 20 points per game from behind the arc.  As a league, the MVC attempts 7% more shots from three pointer line than the SEC.  So why all this talk about three pointers? I believe there are two areas in basketball where you can make a legitimate comparison. Three point shooting and frees throws are the same distance from the goals in every arena in the NCAA.   

Releford will likely draw Senior Antoine Young
who runs the point for the Jays

     The Jays have great three point shooters. Bama has no three point shooters. Well, that isn't exactly correct. We have four shooters but no one that can consistently make them. I think Releford makes more when they seem to matter. Lately, Lacey has done that. Early on in games it appears that Randolph makes them. But there is no flow. We pass up open shots all the time. I liked what we did against Florida in the second half. We were going to get the ball inside to Green or Jacobs come hell or high water, and the three point shooters let a few fly. Just shooting them makes defenders instinctively step out. Just like a head fake.  A head fake will the  defender leave his feet most of the time.

Echenique is the enforcer inside and protects McDermott

     I think the closet opponent to Creighton that we've played is Florida. Creighton seems to have much better interior defense because the have 6-7 McDermott and 6-9 Gregory Echenique in the paint.  Florida has four shooting guards in the line up most of the time. Creighton plays three guards, two of them are natural point guards, and one other deadly shooter. McDermott swings inside and out. He appears to be equally effective  in either role. This first team All-American is someone who the Tide has no answer regarding a man defender. He's too quick for Jacobs to play outside. Green could, but that pulls him away from the basket. I'm not the coach but for my money I'd do everything I could to get Echenique in early foul trouble. He is the man who makes it possible for McDermott to roam around. 

MVC Coach of the Year?

     If you watched the MVC Tournament you had to notice Antoine Young. He's the Creighton point guard and he can penetrate like Releford. But another thing that makes the Jays so hard to defend is Grant Gibbs. He is a natural point guard plays on the wings. This gives the Jays two great ball handlers to shoot, penetrate, dish or just feed the ball inside. You look at the Jays on offense and wonder how close to perfect can a team be? 

    However, the Jays are not a great defensive team. Part of that might be because they have never had to rely on their defenders to win. The are not a bad defensive team though. Echenique is going to give Green fits inside with his size and weight. He goes about 6-9 and 270lbs. give or take a few milk shakes. The Jays are not as deep as the Tide. This is one of those bizarre games where two teams has   to exert their style of play on the other to win. There seems to be no in between for either team. This no mans land may may help the Tide in two ways - first if the Jays just sit back in a zone the Tide can run the clock and keep the score low.  Second, on offense it may cause the Jays to take some bad early shots in  an attempt to force the tempo.  The question is this - Will Coach McDermott play at a slower pace than he'd like? I think he may have to do that because Bama's going to slow it down. The Tide will run when they can, but when they can't they'll slow it down. 

The Tide is getting no respect ...

"Bama has no chance" - the national media...

Have you guys seen our defense? 

      You can finally count me in the “Tim Brando” is an idiot fan club. I was listening on the radio today when he said that Alabama would be no match for the MVC Creighton club. That wasn't enough to make me send in my application papers; however. It was that you could pencil the Jays into the Sweet Sixteen round no questions asked that caused me to go out and buy a stamp. Tim, I don't mean to sound impolite but have you just written North Carolina off as well? We like to say that in our home our mama didn't raise no idiots. What happened in yours? Or was it a fall on the delivery room floor when the doctor let a pass slip through his hands?

Every basketball web site and blog I read today all are looking at Alabama like some type of interloper who has walked into the Tournament by mistake. Both teams beat Wichita State this season. Wichita State returned the favor and beat the Jays. In the last two games the Jays played they have scored 182 points. That's 91 per game for the numbered impaired. Alabama gave up 189 points in their last three games. Creighton' last three games they scored 99, 83 (OT) and 68. Here's something to think about with the high flying Jays. In seven games this season they scored in the 60's. These weren't against national powerhouse teams – Drake, Indiana State, Evansville, Northern Iowa (twice), Missouri State, and Wichita State. They also beat UAB 70-60 in Birmingham which was a pretty solid, but not an overwhelming victory. The overall records of the teams that held them in the sixties was 17-15 (Drake), 19-14 (Northern Iowa – NIT), Missouri State 16-16, Evansville 16-15, 27-5 (Wichita State – NCAA). Two decent teams in that bunch and some ho-hum seasons for the others. Let's put this another way – in the last four games the Jays scored in the 60's twice. They won all four however.

     One thing that each of the teams that held them to lower scores had in common – each played a pressing man to man defense, with lots of pressing full court. I'm not saying that Creighton is a bad team. They score a lot of points in some games. In others, they don't. Wichita State was the best team they played. San Diego State is a quality team. They beat both. No way to underestimate how good those teams really are. If you watch late night basketball games on TV you have to like SDSU and the Beach. 

 

List of good teams that the Jays played:

• San Diego State University (w)
• Wichita State (split series)
• Iowa (major conference team from Big Ten 8-10 record)
• Nebraska (Big Ten team with 4-14 record)
• St. Joes (NIT team which beat the Jays)
• Illinois State (NIT 9-9 in MVC)
• Long Beach State (NCAA)

Creighton beat some good teams – I threw in Iowa and Nebraska because they were from the Big 10 Conference. San Diego State, Wichita State, and Long Beach State were all good wins. St. Joes is going to the NIT based primarily on their late season win over Temple.

Teams that beat the Jays

1. Wichita State
2. Missouri State
3. Northern Iowa
4. Evansville
5. St. Joe's

     One NCAA team beat them. Two NIT team's beat them – St. Joes and Northern Iowa. Evansville was 16-15 and is going to the CBI, Missouri State has gone home to watch the games on TV. So, the teams that beat Creighton were pretty good teams. I don't think any of those teams would be considered great although the three NCAA teams the played cannot be overlooked. Each is good and a lot of people think the can make some trouble in the NCAA. But the Jays have had a lot of close calls. The sign of a good team is they win close games. Invincible? No Tough? Yes. A lock to beat the Tide? Hardly.

       The Creighton Jays can shoot the ball as good as anyone I've seen on television all season. But the question in my mind is what was the quality of the competition who they beat up on? I honestly don't know other than to say the MVC have historically been a good little league. They take their basketball very seriously and draw huge crowds. The are are small university teams from small towns who have a loyal fan following. Never underestimate those type teams at home. But they aren't playing at home. I just don' t think that the Jays have played a defense with the grit and grind of Alabama. It is without a doubt one of the more intriguing games in round one, and although the Tide is a 1.5 favorite, the Jays are the darlings of the talking heads. Or the rasping heads as in the case of Dickie V. And of course, and this should never be underestimated – Tim Brando has them penciled in as a Sweet Sixteen team. As one Bama player told me today – no one thinks we can beat them, and we kinda like that.

Bama has been invited and where do they go next?

Grant has a plan and getting there wasn't it....

        Now that Alabama has been invited to the NCAA Tournament the question is what next? What would be realistic in terms of success for the Tide? I don't think any Alabama fan is unrealistically optimistic to believe the team will go to the Final Four. I have no idea what Coach Grant is telling his team, but you can be sure that it isn't that our team has achieved their goals, and now we can relax. Grant strikes me as a man who believes in taking one step at a time. The first step was making the field and now he begins the second step. It has nothing to do about North Carolina. It is about Creighton. The word North Carolina will never be spoken by the staff or the coach. If the players are smart they won't say those words either. If they are really, really smart they won't think about North Carolina.

It's close to midnight on Sunday. Videos are being watched. Opinions are being gathered. The coaches are attempting to reach some consensus about what will give them the best chance to win. That means they are talking about defensive match-ups. How much zone do we play? How much man do we play? Who draws which defensive assignments? What do we do with McDermott? Do let Green guard him, and pull him away from the basket where we need him the most? Do we put Randolph on him on the perimeter and then give him some help from Jacobs or Green depending on how the Jays run their sets and out screens?

Do we put Releford on their outstanding point guard? Or do we let some else, like Steele, try him out first? Should we put Releford on him and see who wears down whom? This would have been so much easier if Mitchell was around. The match-ups would just kind of fall in place. Now the coaches have to put together a patchwork of a plan just like they have from the first game after the suspensions began. Coaching may not be rocket science, but that doesn't mean it an easy profession. All coaches have strong egos. All coaches want to win, yet they must be able to balance that with losing. Basketball is as much about losing as winning. Some might even say the ability to succeed through the loses is what makes Coaches winners. Some might argue that Alabama's just making it to the Tournament is enough for this season. After all this has been a season where the only consistent thing about the year was the inconsistency. I wouldn't suggest that you share that attitude with Coach Grant or any of the players about having reached a successful level. In an inconsistent year there was indeed one consistent – his name is Grant. The players knew the rules. They knew the penalties. The knew the drill.

Plan one for Grant is to beat the Jays. There is no plan two. If Bama beats Creighton then there will be a new plan one. Grant lives in the present moment. That is probably a good thing to have if you are a coach. That doesn't mean that Grant doesn't have a long term plan. The Creighton game is just the next step of the larger plan. Grant has his critics. Read the posts on TiderInsider and you can read them. “Good riddance” is one that I remember. A comment like that proves that even idiots have the freedom of speech in America. I don't think a lot of people understand how far our program had been hurt or had fallen.

Rebuilding a basketball program is probably harder than building one in the first place. I remember CM Newton telling me that one thing he had in his corner was there were no expectations from the public. He was quick to add that a man named Bryant did however. In the days that CM and Wimp were quietly turning the basketball program into a national power the internet either didn't exist or was of minor importance. The Internet is proof that any idiot with five hundred dollars can be part of the world wide web, and can further his idiocy regarding freedom of speech. Alabama is lucky to have Grant on several levels. First, he is a man of integrity and a faithful family man. Second, he is a great coach and motivator. You have to be a great motivator to convince young men of this generation to act selflessly toward a common goal. Some were convinced easier than others. I have personally talked with some recruits that just don't want to go through the hard work it takes to be an Alabama basketball player. Playing basketball at Alabama isn't any easier than playing football under Nick Saban. Both men are similar. Both are very complex men in my eyes. Grant doesn't have the luxury of having a huddle at the end of a play. He doesn't have coordinators in the press box sending down suggestions. That is one of the main differences between football and basketball coaches. Basketball coaches do what they do on the fly. Assistant coaches might suggest something, but they don't have the power to change a thing. One of the greatest gifts a coach can have is an assistant who will stand up to the head man and say 'you're wrong.' If David Hobbs had been able to find a David Hobbs he might still be at Alabama today. Grant demands loyalty to a degree that is hard to imagine. His idea of loyalty was born in a relationship of personal tragedy with John Pelphry and Billy Donovan, and not just recruiting and chalkboard stuff. Grant can recruit. Grant can coach offense and don't think he can't. But like Wooden, Calipari, and Richardson he understands that basketball games are won on defense. I can remember watching CM and Wimp practice and wonder if they ever worked on offense. They did work on offense of course. Sanderson would change complete philosophies on offense if he thought it would help him win. One thing that Wimp didn't change was his belief that you won with defense. Grant hasn't taken defense to a different level at Alabama, he is simply working with what he has on the bench. Next season, if Lacey, Randolph, and Releford start knocking down threes in bunches he will lighten up on the defense a little. He won't let his players slack off on the defensive end but the techniques might allow for less pressing to give his shooters better legs to shoot from.

As the hour approaches one o'clock in the morning the videos are still hitting pause and rewind. More conversation is taking place, more coffee is being consumed. The coaches will quit in an hour or so, because tonight is just a first blush about what to do. They will all take their notes home, and write up their reports and meet with the coach to tell them what they think. Grant will then consider what they say and tell them what he is going to do. Grant can be influenced to a point, but only too a point. There will be no gimmicks. There will be no tricks. There will be fundamental in your face basketball. Alabama may not beat Creighton but if they don't I'll promise you that the Jays will never want to hear the word Alabama or even read it on a map. One thing Grant believes in is never let an opponent walk off the floor and think that was easy. Make them believe that we never, ever, in our entire lives, want to play that team again. That's part of the long range plan by the way. Alabama plays with the idea of intimidating you on defense. That has a familiar ring doesn't it?

Creighton vs. Alabama is a great game for viewers - TNT is the station

The Ying and Yang of College basketball...

Selection day for the Jays

This game is like the unstoppable object vs. the immovable object. The Jays are all about offense. The Tide is all about defense. All things being equal I'll go with defense 99% of the Time. I see no reason not to think that the Tide won't figure out a way to slow down the Jays enough to win. The bigger question in my mind is how good can the Jays defense be against a mediocre offense? Upfront let me say that Bama is my pick to win. It should be very close however. 9/8 seeds are as close as the Selection Committee can find to pair. The line represents that. After opening at a pick up a lot of money went toward the Tide who is now a 1.5 favorite. A line number like that means pay your money and take your chances. This is going to be one of the most intriguing game in round one. If you like offense tune in to watch. If you like defense do the same. The only thing is that only one of those things are going to happen. The magic number for Alabama is 65. Can the Tide hold the high scoring Jays to 65 or under. If the Tide can't they probably can't win.

I have no doubt that Alabama has seen plenty of offenses as good as the Jays, but I wonder if the MVC team has seen a defense like Alabama? I doubt they have. If they had they would have remembered that game, and from listening to the Creighton players they don't see the Tide as being able to effect their offense much at all. Everyone that the Tide has played except Vanderbilt has struggled. I see no reason to believe the Jays will be different. For the Tide they are going to see one great player in 6-7 power forward Doug McDermott. He is the nation's 3rd leading scorer, and was just named to Second Team All-American. His father, Greg, coaches the Jays. McDermott narrowed his final two choices down to Creighton or North Carolina. Harrison Barnes and Doug were high school teammates. The fact the North Carolina wanted him tells me something. He is a very special player. He is athletic, but is real basketball player. He shoots almost 50% from the perimeter. He also pulls down 8 rebounds a game. Inside or outside he's a load and one of the best player that Alabama has played this year.


These two teams represent opposite sides of the coin. Only one will prevail and I'm going with defense.