Grant expresses pride in his team...

Grant let's the Bama Nation know that things are better...

Grant shouts out instruction in Florida Game...

     At the press conference yesterday Coach Anthony Grant told the media a few things he shared with his team. It wasn't so much the words he shared but the tone of his voice that impressed me. "We had our opportunities, and like told the guys in the locker room after the game, as a coach that's all you can ask for."  I think as fans we all spend a lot of time thinking about how we feel when our teams does well, and even more time when they don't. Last night I was wondering about what this season must have been like for Coach Grant. In the few words we exchanged yesterday you could sense the disappointment, but you could also feel the pride he felt in this team.  The Alabama team, to a man expressed the disappointment of the loss. More than that I was really enthused with the way they talked about their team and their teammates. From Trevor Releford, "We definitely wanted to get the ball in Lacey's hands," the sophomore point guard said. "He's been big all week. ... And it was a good look. We'd give it to him again, too." That's from Alabama floor general talking about a freshman who has gotten a lot of criticism, but Releford knew he was the Tide's best chance to tie the game. "Coach drew up the play, he (Lacey) came of the pick and I knew he was doing to get a look." 

     This couldn't have been as easy loss for the players. They are well aware of the public scrutiny some placed on the coach and fan.  After three straight lackluster games the Tide appeared prepared to win and stayed focused. A few missed shots and a few made Florida outside shots were the difference. Particularly important to Tide fans was the fight the team showed. The team never quit. It seemed to me that they believed they were going to win the game in the end. They almost did. 

Green was a Warrior in the Paint against Florida

    Senior JaMychal Green told the media about his feelings. "We fought through a lot of adversity, I'm proud of the way our team stuck together." Later, the big Montgomery senior told a small group of fans, "we are not finished yet." It was that kind of talk that made me think that perhaps this team got the message Coach Grant had tried to get them to understand in February. I found myself thinking about Tony Mitchell back home in Tuscaloosa. He has to know that his absence made a lot of difference in the season. I wondered what kind of lesson he had learned, if any, about a sense of purpose and the responsibility you have to your team. Mitchell is still in school. He has told some privately that he will be back. If that's the case he's learned something. I never thought he'd  come back. What a difference a player like Mitchell might have made had he chose some different decisions during the season. 

     Alabama lost a level of play with the departure of Mitchell. Overall, I believe    the team found a lot more than they lost in my opinion, and I'm proud of the team for getting us in the NCAA. A lesser group of players would  have mailed it in and season would have been over. This bunch decided not to do that. These players, the young and old, went to one of those places inside themselves to find the character to endure. They will be better players and better men for doing so. Grant made a tough call and in retrospect the tough love he showed all these players will help them in life. It must be an embarrassing moment to walk back out of the court after being publicly singled out. Yet, each one of them did just that. That left Mitchell as the one player who wasn't reinstated. I have never understood the specifics of what he did or didn't do. In general terms it is pretty clear he wasn't playing at the top of his game, and has some personal problems with staff members. I'm sure that Mitchell never thougth that his behavior would be called out to the extent he wouldn't play. Bama needed him to fit. Mitchell chose is own path. 

Green has nothing to hang his head  about

     Green has caught a lot of criticism this season. He deserved some for sure. He didn't deserve anything but praise on Friday. In the second half of the Florida game he was 5-8 from the floor despite being double and sometimes triple teamed. Florida got nasty inside to cut off the Tide big man. Green not nastier. When he didn't make field goals he was making free frees. All but one. He could have missed one earlier and the outcome will be the same. Grant stood by his senior, "...if I had to go with him at the line for the rest of the season with a chance for us to win with him at the line, as a coach I can live with that." Grant also said the free throws that Green made before the miss got the Tide in a spot to win. Florida made ony 10 of 30 three point shots which was well below their 40% season average. It was when

Alabama defense is tough every game

     I hope Alabama has  rediscovered their blue print to win a game or two in the NCAA. In the NCAA Tournament seeding is everything. 12 Automatic bids go out today. Bama is probably still and 9 or 8 seed. That might change. So far we have picked every SEC Tournament game correctly.  Today is day three for some teams. This is the day where your mind might tell your body to do something it just can't do.  The only game that gives me some extra thought is Ole Miss vs. Vandy. Vandy looked really sharp yesterday. Ole Miss knocked out Tennessee, ending their dream of an NCAA a berth. The Rebels are thinking they might get a bid if they make it to the SEC finals. There record would then give them a chance. I think that Kentucky is just too strong inside for the Gators. I see this a 10 point game. I guess I'll pick Vandy to win but really feel like Ole Miss has a chance. Ole Miss has the inside game to make a run at the Wildcats. I personally feel like Ole Miss should at least be one of the play-in games. If the Rebels made the Tournament,  some number one seed can't just take the night off. It continues to amaze that some experts have Mississippi State in the field. The way that the Bulldogs lost to Georgia ought to tell the Committee something. State fans are starting to send a lot of emails saying they are getting picked on unfairly by this site. Not in my opinion. Except for Kentucky they may have the best starting five in the SEC. 




COLLEGE BASKETBALL OFFICIATING IS BROKEN...

     This column is not meant to take anything away from Kentucky. Let me point out a statistic that defies logic. Kentucky shot 20 free throws and Florida shot 2. There has never been a game played in the history of college basketball where two teams this equal could have a free throw differential like this. Not only is this unfair to Florida, it gives the Wildcats some sense of false security the officials will take care of them. That is probably true in the SEC. I bet that's not the case in the NCAA Tournament.

       As I get older my cynicism becomes greater.I think the officials do help certain teams out in big games. It would be nice to think that was not conscious. I know longer think that is the case. Too much money is involved. Cinderella is a nice story but it won't pay the profits wanted by ADepartments  In the Kentucky – Florida game it was the Wildcats who very aggressive inside. They were over the backs on offensive rebounds on almost every inside possession I know a team will not shoot as many free throws if your game is an outside oriented game. But not at a ratio of 10-1. That wasn't the case in the Alabama game was it? The officiating was pretty even in fouls called. Television and the SEC Home Office have their heads so far up in the Wildcats trousers that you'd have to be the village idiot not to notice the edge the Wildcats are given.

You think that it is just Kentucky then think again. The homer job that North Carolina got against Mark Gottfried's team was embarrassing for the ACC. In the 15 seconds the Tarheels got away with an offensive foul with the score tied. Then on the inbound pass the North Carolina State player didn't get fouled, he got mauled. You could take that play to a Grand Jury and get an indictment. I'm so tired of hearing guys like Digger Phelps and his gang of four defending the officials. Protect the high and mighty. Make sure that television is protected. Make sure that Kentucky, Kansas, and the Big East / Big Ten teams are protected.

Officials work too many games, travel to far to call those games, and simply cannot keep up with players when they have flown four thousand miles, and are calling their fourth game of in a week. The time has arrived for conferences like the SEC have their own crews of professional officials in both football and basketball. Insure job security with tenure. Review every game. Give incentive for those officials who do better jobs than others. Eliminate those officials who aren't getting the job done.

One of the dirty secrets of NCAA sports is revenue sharing in the post season. You might get jobbed in the regular season by the refs and the leagues but the check is coming and it is going to be for millions of dollars. You cannot blame television for wanting Kentucky vs. North Carolina for a national championship game. That's where the money is to be made. Television needs to change the perception of how close teams are to each other in terms of equal talent. Sell the nation that Florida State can be just as good as Kansas some years. The NCAA could have done something similar with Butler. There was a chance to show the world that the Bulldogs were just as good as anyone who despite Dick Vitale  having a heart attack over in the ACC and whoever he is promoting. I no longer believe that their will ever be equality in the NCAA. Perhaps we might at least try for equity.