Does that say something about the Tide's talent level...
JaMychal Green and Trevor Releford were named to the All-SEC 2nd team last night. Those are probably good picks, although I wouldn't trade Releford for any point guard in the SEC. Green's late season suspension might have kept him off of the first team. Given he is a senior there is always some bias to name upperclassmen. Just another domino that fell after the suspensions that racked the Tide this season. I might not disagree with those selections but some other exclusions of Tide players have me scratching my head.
What was surprising to me is that none of the four freshman made the All-Freshman team. I can understand why Lacey, Jacobs, and Cooper might not have been named, but the exclusion of Levi Randolph is a joke. I'm not sure that overall Randolph wasn't as good as any freshman in the SEC with the exception of Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist he wasn't the next best freshman in the league. He has been the rock for Alabama in a lot of ways. I'm not suggesting that none of the other players are not deserving. I'm saying that Levi was as well. How you can have one of the top defensive teams, not just in the SEC, but the nation and not have all conference defensive player is pretty ridiculous.
More surprising to me was the exclusion of any Alabama basketball players on the All-Defensive Team. We are now entering "the laugh zone" when none of our kids make that team. Releford and Randolph were very deserving. I can count me as a true believer regarding Anthony Davis as the best defensive player and offensive player in the SEC. That makes his selection as the Player of the Year pretty easy. To omit anyone from Alabama on that team is simply preposterous. How Rich Stansbury didn't vote for Randolph is sour grapes. I don't like coaches voting in the first place. They have a lot to gain by manipulating votes. Another example was finding out that our fine Coach didn't know that Kentucky was unbeaten in the SEC. So are you telling me that Coach Grant kept a close watch on who to vote for? That's not a knock on AG. The truth is he only cares about how his players are playing. John Wooden had a similar approach to coaching.
I have no knock on Calipari being named coach of the year minus a few lack of character issues. He has done a good job of recruiting (hmm...), coaching, and developing a team that makes the entire SEC proud to know they are in our league. At least we should be. I know I'll be pulling for them if Bama gets knocked out of the Tournament. If we get an 8/9 seed I'd love to see Kentucky in the number one seed above us. We played them to the wire in Lexington and almost beat them. We came close than anyone else in the SEC and that includes Vandy and Florida. The game was virtually tied at the two minute mark, and the our play in the second half was the best we've played all season given the opponent. I still think that Alabama has the game in them to beat someone they shouldn't. It might be Florida. It might be a number 1 seed. If the bracketologists are correct, the Tide will get that shot at a #1 seed in game two of the NCAA.
So I guess we have to ask ourselves as Bama fans - just how good are the freshman who ranked as high as #5 nationally last season. I have to admit they have been somewhat disappointing. They've had some good minutes and they'll be better next season. Do you think we overestimated their skill level?
JaMychal Green and Trevor Releford were named to the All-SEC 2nd team last night. Those are probably good picks, although I wouldn't trade Releford for any point guard in the SEC. Green's late season suspension might have kept him off of the first team. Given he is a senior there is always some bias to name upperclassmen. Just another domino that fell after the suspensions that racked the Tide this season. I might not disagree with those selections but some other exclusions of Tide players have me scratching my head.
What was surprising to me is that none of the four freshman made the All-Freshman team. I can understand why Lacey, Jacobs, and Cooper might not have been named, but the exclusion of Levi Randolph is a joke. I'm not sure that overall Randolph wasn't as good as any freshman in the SEC with the exception of Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist he wasn't the next best freshman in the league. He has been the rock for Alabama in a lot of ways. I'm not suggesting that none of the other players are not deserving. I'm saying that Levi was as well. How you can have one of the top defensive teams, not just in the SEC, but the nation and not have all conference defensive player is pretty ridiculous.
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| No Bama Freshmen made the All-Freshman team... |
More surprising to me was the exclusion of any Alabama basketball players on the All-Defensive Team. We are now entering "the laugh zone" when none of our kids make that team. Releford and Randolph were very deserving. I can count me as a true believer regarding Anthony Davis as the best defensive player and offensive player in the SEC. That makes his selection as the Player of the Year pretty easy. To omit anyone from Alabama on that team is simply preposterous. How Rich Stansbury didn't vote for Randolph is sour grapes. I don't like coaches voting in the first place. They have a lot to gain by manipulating votes. Another example was finding out that our fine Coach didn't know that Kentucky was unbeaten in the SEC. So are you telling me that Coach Grant kept a close watch on who to vote for? That's not a knock on AG. The truth is he only cares about how his players are playing. John Wooden had a similar approach to coaching.
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| Calipari was named Coach of the Year |
So I guess we have to ask ourselves as Bama fans - just how good are the freshman who ranked as high as #5 nationally last season. I have to admit they have been somewhat disappointing. They've had some good minutes and they'll be better next season. Do you think we overestimated their skill level?
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