Last look at the Tulane game

tide has some real problems going into the SEC
offense is almost an embarrassment

      We are about to find out just how good a coach Anthony Grant really is. I'm not talking about wins and loses. A few more wins would be great. I'd just don't see them coming. Our offense is a joke. It is a bad joke but a joke just the same.Grant has just become the Captain of the Titanic. Alabama fans will not react very well to a losing season. I know they don't react well to blowing leads. I think most real basketball fans understand where we are and what it is going to take to get better. Like most of you, I am stunned at the rapid implosion of this team. I've seen thousands of basketball games, and teams do literally fall apart. Coaches don't lose teams generally. The players like and respect Grant. If anything I suspect they are embarrassed at how they are playing, and the heat Grant is now getting.

      I think we should brace ourselves for some very lopsided losses on the road. I'm talking about Mark Gottfried numbers. There is no more down for this team. Grant has been given a golden opportunity to prove he can coach. If he can coach up this team I'd be surprised, but impressed if it happens. You've often seen me write about chemistry and what it means in basketball. It is everything in basketball. It is more important than great players in most cases. Look at Mercer. No great players on that team, but boy do they play as a unit. We are a young team and chemistry takes a while. But these guys have played enough this season and last to be a lot more cohesive. For Alabama to win they have to do everything well. They can't stand around and watch someone save a ball that appears on its way out of bounds turn into a non-contested lay-up. Releford just stood there like a rock while Tulane scored a great hustle basket. It might not seem like much but when you get beat by three it hurts. Stupid turnovers, and there have been so many stupid turnovers you can't count them, and make at least 10 a game. I'm not talking about your hustle turnovers. I'm talking about stepping out of bounds, lazy passes, and allowing balls to be stolen. We simply cannot do that.

      We can't afford to miss free throws. We can't always run the clock to zero and then take a bad shot. This team can't be lackadaisical. At times they seem almost dazed and confused to steal a movie title. We make so many mental errors it is sickening. Case in point - you can't throw a skip pass across the floor against any decent team. How many times have you seen a player fire a pass across the court and hit the backboard. That is lack of foresight. High School teams don't throw skip passes cross court. They never work. So what was  Rodney Cooper thinking? He's not thinking. He's lost in some pick up game down at Foster. The good thing for Bama is that almost all these problems can be fixed. We can't fix injuries, we can't help a short bench, and the fact our big men aren't that big.

      We can fix bad passes, most stupid turnovers, and our lack of agression on offense. I'm always ready to give a coach a bad season.That happens. What I want to see improvement. I want to see smart basketball. I want to see bodies flying after balls on the floor.  I don't want to see Coach Grant fired. That isn't going to happen anyway. He has my full support. I also believe in his ability to get the job done.

Tide loses at home to Tulane 53-50

tide loses another second half lead
jacobs makes a statement in losing effort...

Cooper throws up a wild three point shot over Davis
at the end

     It looks like Alabama is running its offense in a rice paddy. We can't score enough to matter. And once again we lost a decent second half lead in the last  5 minutes. How do you give up only 53 points and lose? I don't know about you but it never seemed like we would win. It was kinda like being in a car  that was going to run out of gas before you get home and you knew it was going to happen.  In summary, we were horrible. Watching Alabama play offense is like watching paint dry -There ain't nothing going on that demands your attention.  A few times we got into some type of rhythm and got the ball underneath to Nick Jacobs. Jacobs let Alabama fans know he hasn't quit. In fact, he seemed to be the only spark plug we had tonight. As you know, Grant had called Jacobs out for his lack of productivity so far this season. The Sophomore picked up his game, and you would have thought his inside play would have led to a win.

       We had no defensive answer to Josh Davis, but we knew that going into the game.  Lacey played hard but out of control, Releford was almost invisible, Randolph is always steady, and Cooper looked completely uninvolved. I'll give our team credit on defense. The 2-3 zone worked as well as it could. For a man to man defensive team we really ran that zone like we'd played it forever. In an earlier post I wondered if maybe he would try a zone because of of Davis. Davis got his average but man did he have to play hard to get it. Once again a couple of late three point baskets killed the Tide.  Bama had one last chance to tie the game, but Coopers three point shot was hotly contested by Josh Davis (who else?) and only hit the backboard. Once again he lost a lead and the game. A lot of posters got mad at me for making such a big deal out of our second half play in Texas. I am afraid that second half might be the turning point of the season. It seems to me that Alabama lost a lot of confidence in that win. That is not to say all is lost. Next season we have some inside help on the way in the form of Jimmy Ellis on the inside, and I know we are looking at a big junior college inside player. We are not far from being a really good team. But I doubt it happens this season. This might well be our winter of discontent in men's basketball.  We play Oakland I'm concerned about that one as well. Then we travel to Columbia to play Missouri. At least we can get it out of the way early. If Missouri beat us by 30 points I would not be surprised.

         Grant's job is not in danger. Let's be fair and say a contract extention isn't be negotiated either. There are some really bad teams in the SEC that might help our record before the year is over. Of course, we are a really bad team as well. We just don't have the talent to be an SEC contender. In trying to be objective we need to do some things.

• Pollard needs to start being a part of the offense.
• Cooper needs to settle down and play like we know he can
• Releford needs to show some leadership
• Lacey is a better shooter than he is now shooting. He pressing.
• Randolph always holds his own but he is killing himself on defense. On the two 3 point baskets that Callahan made Levi was so fatigued he just couldn't get to the shooter
• Jacobs showed some hope in the middle and needs to continue.

       One of the great things about writing a blog is you get to second guess everyone.As most of you probably know I am not really big into second guessing our coach. Tonight I'll take an exception. When Jacobs was playing well Grant set him down for too long long. That's when we lost our lead. Gueye couldn't strike fear into a minature poodle with his offensive game. Tulane ignored him and overplayed the passing lanes and shut us down. No doubt we are going to have to try some things in the future. You can't ask for better defense. Let's not forget that. But  a great defense is not going to win games when you score 50 points. 

• I've often wondered why we don't play Cooper on the elbow and let him use his long arms and ability to hit short jumpers. That would at least move some people out of the passing lanes to pay some attention to his shooting.
• It is just me, or is the team the slowest team to pass the ball in the history of basketball.
• We don't get to the foul line enough. You get to the line when you penetrate the lane and crash the boards. There is no excuse for a team that plays four guards not to dribble drive, and go to the line. Of course, when we get there it helps to make the free throws we do make. Tonight was better with 9-12. We shot only 12 free throws on our home floor

        When you look at the stats some thing stick out. Tulane barely outrebounded us, they barely had more turnovers, they barely made more free throws, and they barely beat us. We had a six point lead with 4 minutes left and had the ball. And then we lost. We folded our tents and walked away. It would unfair to say we didn't play hard. Giving up only 53 shows we did play very hard. Maybe we can get that guy who talks to the football players to come in and help us out. The truth is obvious and painful. We don't have enough talent to win. Worse than that is the clear lack of chemistry and leadership. Someone asked me earlier tonight if the team was having any discipline problems or problems. I am not aware of any. We just don't have enough big bodies on the team.

         Hope that each of you have the best year of your life starting January 1. Despite all this,  it is better to be an Alabama than anything else that comes to mind. Roll Tide and get ready Irish, the Big Crimson Crushing machine is getting ready to process ya'll to death. That's what my cousin said.

Grant admonished Jacobs to play better...

grant challanges Jacobs to improve...
tide coach is concerned about his team's mental approach

         Rarely does Anthony Grant publically call out a player.  It is something that most coaches hate to do. The last time Grant did call out a player it became the Tony Mitchell Saga. We all know how that worked out. This time Grant did it a little different. He issued a public challenge.  He appealed to Jacob’s manhood. Everything that Grant said about Jacobs’s numbers being down is true.  Grant also talked about the practice habits of Jacobs as an individual. That’s a hard thing for a coach to do, and it says a lot about Grant’s state of mind for his team this season.  Desperation? Maybe it‘s not quite that bad but to shows the frustration Grant is feeling with this team.   He has every reason to be frustrated. This year’s edition of the Crimson Tide is going to take the Court with less talent and numbers than a lot of teams left on the schedule. Grant understands his team is not going to win all their remaining games. What he does understand is that players who don't put in the effort won't be hearing warm and fuzzy anymore this season. Grant expects this team to reflect his pesonality which is mental toughness, being unflappable, and giving your absolute best 100% of the game. Anything less than that is going to mean some pine time for his players.

         It would be easy to say this public admonition will make or break Jacobs.  A person’s psyche is a lot more complicated than that.  Nick Jacobs is a soft spoken young man. Sensitivity is not one of those observations you often see in a sports article.  Jacobs appears sensitive in a lot of ways off the court. That's fine with Grant as long as he's a beast on the floor. Jacobs is 6-8 and weighs 270 pounds. The coach expects him to play like the giant he appears to be.   Grant knows his players and what will motivate them. Some players can handle the pressure of knowing a lot rides on their individual play. Some players thrive on such pressure. I’m not sure about Jacobs. I suspect that Jacobs will come out and play with a lot of toughness and hustle.  That is Grant’s plan and probably his hope as well. It’s always a dangerous thing for a coach to issue such a challenge or however you choose to frame Grant’s words. Grant is clearly saying that without an improved Jacobs this team is going to be average at best. That's a lot of weight for one player to carry. I bet he responds with a good game.

     Alabama is long way from being a good team right now, but they are so close to being a great team next season.   You can only expect so much from any coach. Regardless of how Alabama got in this situation it is the situation we now find ourselves. Whether it was recruiting errors, injuries, or just a slump really doesn’t matter. We are where we are.  What Grant is trying to help his team do is recognize where they are but more importantly exactly who they are.  If Alabama can find their identity things will be better. This team may or may not end up in the NCAA. That’s not the problem at this time. They need to play as well as they can give considering their limitations.  That’s all any team can do. For this team it starts with hustle, defense, and pride.  Under Grant anything less is worthless.

 green wave and the crimson tide on sunday
tulane green wave is 10-3

           This probably means nothing. Comparing scores is fun though. Tomorrow we play Tulane. Tulane just hammered Hofstra 83-62. The Green Wave broke open a close game with a 20-0 run. Hofstra beat South Dakota State 66-63 on a long three pointer in the last couple of secons. Let's see - we beat South Dakota State on a long three pointer win 70-67. Tulane beats Hofstra like a drum. That was on a neutral floor in Brooklyn, sorta. The Hofstra team is from Hempstead, NY, on Long Island. Hop a train to Brooklyn for $2.50 and you're in Brooklyn.  So, it might be that it was closer to a road game for Tulane.  The Green Wave is 10-3 but are 0-3 on the road. Road losses came were against Georgia Tech, Nebraska, and University of San Diego.

 

          Tulane is set to move to the Big East.  Or maybe it will be called the Big LEast. Regardless, this is probably a step up for the ex-sec member. All the non-football playing teams are leaving. By the way, the chief reason for the move (according to Tulane) is a to attract high quality academic students on the East Coast. I remember watching Tulane and Bama in the SuperDome which is worst venue for college basketball possible. This Sunday the Tide will be on their home floor in a very important game. When the season started I doubt anyone gave a second thought to this game. Now we've reached a point where we even wonder if the Tide can win. I think they will but don't be surprised if its dog fight. Bama is 1-4 in their last five games. The Green wave is 4-1. No pun intended but the Tide is not on a Roll. Tulane is playing good basketball.

I think that one of the most interesting angles in this game  is whether Jacobs or Gueye is going to start in the post. Gueye is going to start, but at the end of this game I bet on of the two gets a lost less playing time. Coaches hate using that as a motivator, but someone is going to step up or sit down.

 

five guards in the future?

 

       One of the most interesting things I've heard out of Tuscaloosa is Grant is thinking about playing five guards, or four guards plus Pollard. That would make the starting lineup Pollard, Lacey, Releford, Cooper, and Randolph. We'd have one junior, three sophomores, and a freshman starting. I bet we see that lineup a lot on Sunday. The upside is that gives the Tide their best chance at applying more defensive pressure. The downside is the boards. Grant really doesn't have a lot of options after losing Steele and Engstrom. Having a shortage of grant in aid players is hurting us as well. Grant better start hitting the Junior College ranks for some size, and I've been told he has been doing so. I know we are also looking a big kid in Europe. As soon as I get all these names I'll pass them a long to the posters.

 

tulane starters...

 

 

 

 

 

 #2 Ricky Tarrant 6-2 190 So. 15.1 ppg 3.7 rpg 2.7 apg Pleasant Grove, Ala.

• 2012-13 Preseason first-team All-Conference USA selection.

For those of you who told us to sign this kid you were correct. Hey, you can write letters to the coaches and say I told you so.

#5 Jordan Callahan 6-0 190 Sr. 12.7 ppg 2.4 rpg 1.5 apg Marietta, Ga.

• Started all 31 games last season.

#22 Kendall Timmons 6-5 215 Sr. 6.8 ppg 4.8 rpg 2.1 apg Ft. Worth, Texas

• Timmons started for the GreenWave last season before an injury. He is still

rounding into playing shape

#00 Josh Davis 6-8 215 Jr. 18.4 ppg 9.9 rpg 2.2 apg Raleigh, N.C.

• Started all 31 games last season. Frankly, we have no one who can match up with Davis. He is the leading scorer and rebounder for Tulane. North Carolina transfer

#34 Trey Dre 6-6 218 So. 5.0 ppg 6.6 rpg 0.6 spg Baton Rouge, La.

• Has broken into the starting line up for the last three games. Bama looked at him put passed.

     Tulane starts three guards and two forwards, although they list Tre as a center. Bama is going to have a tough time with Davis down low. He can jump, is strong for his slim frame, and very quick. I wonder if we might zone the Green Wave and double team him down low. One thing in Bama's favor - our guards match up very well with Tulane. Entry passes won't be easy. The game comes down to three things in my mind. Has Bama decided to play or jsut show up? Our guards must beat their guards. Can we break even insider?

I still like Bama.

 

 

Does Grant have them ready?

has bama made some changes?
grant facing big test as coach

     The schedule says the Tide plays Tulane on the 30th. A more important opponent will be the game Alabama plays against itself on Sunday. I'm curious to see exactly which of those two teams prevails. Will Alabama come out ready to play the hard nosed defense we all love to see, or will they have another game where we fall apart? Alabama fans have been upset and surprised in Alabama's three losses.. We have not seen Bama play their familiar brand of basketball. Alabama has enough talent to win a bunch of games despite their shortcomings. If the team doesn't decide to play hard this is going to be a long season.

        Tulane plays in Conference USA and have compiled a pretty impressive 10-3 record. Granted, the opposition has not been as tough as Alabama has played. Winning is infectious. Losing can be just as infectious. Tulane thinks they can win. I honestly don't know what the Tide is thinking about themselves right now. Alabama needs a more than solid performance to snap out of their malaise. I don't know about you, but most Alabama fans don't like to lose. They particularly don't like to lose from lack of effort or from what appears to be  choking. Alabama has only two more games to get ready for the SEC season. Based on what we've seen so far it is obvious some work needs to be done. In all fairness to the Tide, losing Engstrom has hurt more than anyone believed possible. Whatever it was that was unique with Carl's game has not translated over to Moussa Gueye or Nick Jacobs. I've been told that Gueye is getting the start and Alabama is going inside come hell or high water. What choice do they have? Either Moussa or Nick will step up or slide will likely continue.

        Frankly, the Tide can still win a lot of games if they just go back to playing rock hard defense and cut down on the turnovers. Against Mercer, the Tide only committed 9 turnovers.  That is a winning number. Some things are lacking.  Alabama can't win with Lacey not scoring. They need more out of Randolph on the offensive end. The also need to make free throws. Once again the Tide had a cold night from the line against Mercer. They can't go 13-20 and miss the front end of 2 one and ones and win. Those stats show us a couple of things - poor shooting and not getting to the line enough. Free throw shooting needs to be a bigger part of our game. You get to the line by driving to the basket. We have 5 players who can do that. We just can't stand around the perimeter and look for three point shots. Alabama's identity needs to be hard as nails. It seems we have lost that edge.

 

keys to a tide win...

1. The Tide needs to get 15 or more from Lacey and Releford
2. Step up the defense and cause 15 turnovers.
3. Keep our turnovers to 10 at a maximum
4. Levi Randolph and Devonta Pollard need to be taking more shots
5. Hope we get a little something positive out of the post
6. make 75% of our free throws

Bama by 10...


       

Charles Cleveland dies at age 61

the best athlete ever to play at bama
charles cleveland was one of a kind

       Three time All-SEC legend, Charles Cleveland, has passed away at 61 years of age.  In the early 1970's Alabama basketball ascended to the top of SEC basketball. A lot of that was due to Charles Cleveland. I have been attending Alabama basketball games since the Rocket Eight. Charles Cleveland was the best athlete I've ever seen.  You have to understand that when Charles Cleveland came to Alabama no one had ever seen anyone like him. He was 6-5 and weighed 215 lbs. of solid muscle. As an Alabama freshmen Charles could not play varisty basketball.  I was a graduate student at Alabama during this time and often played with Charles and his fellow freshmen. The freshmen could beat our varsity everytime they scrimmaged. I never heard anyone say exactly how high he could jump. I'd guess he had a 40 inch verticle. He was so strong you couldn't move him. He was so quick it was unreal. His whole body was quick, not just his hands and feet. He could jump higher from a standing start higher than anyone I've ever seen.

 

           He is one of the best basketball players to ever play at Alabama and in the SEC as well. He was a transitory player. He changed the way shooting guards played basketball in the NCAA. His three years as a starter saw his teams win 66 games. If teams in that era played 30 games per year as they do now that number would be closer to 80. Charles was from just up the road at Brent. The old joke about Charles was when he hit the Tuscaloosa  City Limits, he took his first shot and didn't stop until he graduated. I know how hard it is hard for young Alabama fans to understand about players from three decades ago. If Charles Cleveland walked on the floor today he would be the best player on Alabama's team and second place wouldn't be close.

 

         I've reached the age where I'm attending far too many funerals. Tomorrow Charles will go home to God. If there is any justice, heaven will take Charles in as a 21 year old. He could light up a room like he lit up the scoreboard. Tomorrow his funeral will be a who's who in Alabama basketball. The Church could fill up the first two rows with All-SEC and All-American players and great coaches.

 

        I'm not the least be embarrassed to say that when I heard the news of his death I pulled my car over on the side of the road and cried. In my mind I could see this amazing young man with so many skills they could not be fully defined. There has never been a better all around athlete at Alabama in any sport. Just for fun he pitched a one-hitter for the baseball team. If he had taken track seriously he would have been one of the greatest decathletes ever.  He is one of the top 10 players to play at the Capstone. If Charles played today he would still be our best player on the floor. It wouldn't be close. How good was he? Let's put it this way. If he played against Tulane we would have an inside game because of his power and jumping ability. He will be greatly missed. Thank you for the wonderful memories, the pick up games, and great times. I'll always have the instant replay in my mind of watching this kid from the country playing basketball like his feet were on fire.

Norris is big time recruit...

riley norris in albertville is a national recruit...
top 50 for 2014

       Anthony Grant has not asked me for any recruiting advice. Despite that, he's about to get some in the large dose size. If Alabama doesn't make Riley Norris their primary in state goal for 2014 he's missing the boat. After finally watching him play I'd say he is as good as any prospect to come out of our state in a long time. He looks like he is a solid 6-7 and maybe 185 lbs. He is projected by most as a small forward, but that would be an absolute waste. He is a deadly outside shooter with uncanny range. He is the best two guard prospect I've seen in a long time. He probably can put on another 20 pounds or so, and will need to do that to play big time basketball. That's just a weight room and calories/protein in large amounts. The kid is a player. The last time I was this excited about our signing someone who could swing between the small forward and shooting guard was Kennedy Winston. What makes this kid so special:

• He can shoot like no one we've had in a long time. When he gets on a roll he's like a machine.
• He can dribble and penetrate despite his size. He's a better than average dribbler with either hand.
• He is a great passer. Probably passes up too many good shots, but thats a sign of his leadership and not lack of confidence.
• He is an excellent rebounder. Despite his small frame he is quick off his feet. I have no idea of what his verticle is yet, but I'd guess 34 or so.
• He has great court sense. He understands the game. He quickly gets into the flow of a game with his great vision and feel for the game.

     He is just too quick for anyone near his size to guard him. You play off him he shoots from the outside. You chest him and he's around you. He has a long first step. Very explosive. Understands the fundmentals of good footwork, and knows how to use his hips in driving with the ball. He is strong inside for a high school kid and is a tenascious inside player. He can run like a deer. He played in a zone defense the night I watched him so it was a little hard to judge his defense. He is a smart defensive player, but he might have been a little slow on his verticle quickness. If that is true he can improve that with strength and drills. I know that Stanford, most SEC schools, UCLA, several ACC schools, are in contact with him. He grew up an Alabama fan. I don't guess that will not hurt us, but this kid is going to have his pick of schools. I have no idea how many stars he get on a recruiter's list, but if he were at Alabama right now he'd play big minutes. He will probably end up a five star and has shown well in AAU games. He plays for Southeast Elite Stars in the Summer AAU period.


I think this will come down to a Bama, Duke, Vandy, and Stanford fight. Without going into the things I have learned about his off court demeanor I'd just say he is the type of son any mother and father would love to raise. A great student in the classroom, as well as a great student of the game. Plays unlike most good players in Alabama. He is well ahead on the maturity curve of hoops knowledge. He has a hard work ethic and will to win. He would fit in well with the Tide.

Tide needs some time off...

stumbling tide needs to think about a few things...
how can tide turn things around?

     Maybe some time off will help our basketball team. It can't hurt. Alabama jumped out to a quick 6-0 start.  I suggested that a lot of that success was done with smoke and mirrors. Smoke and mirrors is always good coaching. Grant was able to cobble together an inside game based on Carl Engstrom. When Carl went down with his knee injury the Tide went down with him. Engstrom offered some stability to the position that Alabama has yet to replace.  At the time not many of us really appreciated his role. Count me in that number as well. When Moussa Gueye came to Alabama, he came  with some some lofty credentials. He hasn't shown much of that. He gets a few rebounds, and can block an occasional shot. He is not the inside answer so far.Nick Jacobs came in with a little baby hook and a lot of desire. Where has that gone:? Everytime Jacobs touches the ball down low he gets overplayed to his shooting side. He needs to develop a second offensive move.The coaching staff has been working on a drop step move. He might try to use it this season but it isn't his go to move.  happen this season, however. For the present we are stuck with what we have.

            The Alabama coaching staff has two problems they need to address. First, whatever is causing this attitude of not being able to finish off games has to end. I strongly believe that a lot that has to do with a short lineup and fatigue. That might explain some of the poor play late. But it doesn't explain all of it. The players are going to have to look within themselves to find out the rest.  Secondly, the Tide must make a decision about how to play without a decent inside game. I also think that Grant is going to forced to give Dakota Slaughter some meaningfull minutes whether he is a walk on or not. The starters need rest. Slaughter can provide that in small stretches of time.

            I suspect the Tide is going to end up playing Pollard as their big man. The Tide has been able to rebound with almost everyone they play. In order to do that they have given up some offense. Really, this is a team between a rock and a hard place. One of Alabama's best hopes for this season is to give Pollard a lot of minutes. If Bama is going to score more points they need Pollard to score in double figures every game.

            They also need to get some consistency from Releford. You have to admire opposing coaches. They know the Tide has no inside game so they cut the head off the remainder of the offense. That is Releford. Bama might win some games without a strong inside game. Without Releford the Tide might not win a game. Teams have started cutting down on Releford's ability to penetrate by offering a lot of weak side help. So far Alabama has figured out a way to get the ball outside to Randolph, Cooper, and Lacey with enough consistency. I really like Cooper. He shoots the ball. He's fearless. Shooters need to shoot and shoot often. Lacey needs a little more of that. The idea of playing Cooper with his back to the basket is really a pretty good idea. He has the length and quickness to cause some problems inside for teams. He could also help Jacobs find a little more room.

           The main thing is that the Tide is going to double down on defense or things are going to get nasty. Winning that way may not get you any style points but it can add up a few more wins. You can't win your way into an NCAA berth in the SEC preseason. You might lose your chance however. Alabama may have already down that. Let's hope not.

It depends on how you look at the situation

there is good and bad in tide hoops...
both views are correct

       I've learned the hard way that you cannot please Alabama fans regardless of what you write. It's a lot harder to to find a concensus of opinion on this basketball team and both camps think they are correct. A good example is one fan who says I've drunk too much of the Grant Kool-Ade. Another says that he finds my negative articles annoying. The real problem is perfectly expemplified in the Texas Tech game. Both sides of the two opinions are correct, but both are wrong. For one half we looked like world beaters and the next half it looked we didn't know how to play. Between the two it seems to me that it okay  to celebrate a road win. But it is wrong to just ignore the second half. We didn't completey fold. We had enought good plays to hold on for the win.

          Take in account the Texas Tech home court advantage. The weather in Lubbock was horrible. A wind and dust storm started after noon. It continued all day. Turnout was low. Texas Tech had the home court advantage but it wasn't like 15,000 fans in Coleman Coliseum. I can honestly say that this is one of the few basketball games I've ever seen effected by the weather. How bad was it there? The airport was closed. There is nothing to serve as windbreaks in Lubbock which is as flat as a pancake. People just stayed home. Students stayed in their housing. We caught a break. Like I said yesterday the Tide showed what they can be in the first half, and what they seem to be right now. You are never as good as you look or as bad as you seem. The problem with what happened in Texas makes it clear our bad play will get usbeat more than our good play win. That is probably true for any team. It's like playing golf. The great players win when they aren;t playing well. I just don't think this team can do that. This team has a split personality. It doesn't show itself in a game to game siutation. It shows itself in long offensive dry spells and terrible halves. It might be the first or it might be the second half. When are we going to play a good game in both. I guarantee you that is a question that Coach Grant asks himself daily.

           Alabama fans seem to think we should either be a top 10 program and if we aren't then the players aren't worthy of attention. We have won 70% of our games so far. If we win 70% of all our rremaining games it will be a great season. When you look at the SEC it is easy to see that the SEC isn't going to win any awards for excellence. Kentucky has had its problems. Florida seems very good, perhaps the best team in the SEC. Missouri is going to be a really good team. Auburn has improved. Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Miss.State appear to be lost. Georgia and Vandy aren't very good now. Our version of good might be better than other SEC team's version of good. If that's true this is going to be a good season.

          I have great faith in Coach Grant despite the Kool - Ade. He's not perfect. He has some problems with exciting the fan base. I hear constant stories of people sending him emails and asking for his photo going unanswered. He's no Wimp Sanderson who loved the game of basketball with every drop of his blood. But don't think that Grant doesn't feel the same way despite his demeanor. Nick Saban is the best coach in America but I wouldn't call him overly friendly. Acutally, the two are very similiar in approach and expectation.

          Grant has attempted to expand the recruiting base. It might work. He finished 2d on 3 players who would have made this team special. If you play poker you understand what having the second best hand means. We have some very talented players. I'd also like to affirm they are young. This team will be twice as good next season if we don't get any help in the recruting wars.

• I wouldn't trade Trevor Releford for any point guard in the SEC.
• Levi Randolph is a very special player. He is selfless, and does all the little things that help his team win. He is also shooting 40% of his 3 point attemps.
• I predicted that in the long run Rodney Cooper would be the best player in his class. I see no reason to change my view.
• Trevor Lacey is a great player who has yet to reach his potential. He may be the best player on the team after Releford.
• Nick Jacobs showed us last season what he can do. He just needs to show us that he can do it again this season.So far he hasn't.

      There you go. Four players who were bona fide five and four star recruits. In fact, with the exception of 4 star Jacobs all the other players were picked by at least one recruiting service as a 5 star player. The lack of an inside player was a tremendous mistake to some but just as many feel the Trio of big men would get the job done. I think that Grant hoped that one of them was. He took a gamble and it didn't work out. At least so far. So some of you think Grant is failing. I'm not in that crowd - yet. Some of you think I'm so negative about this team it is annoying. I think what I've written has been balanced. The win at Texas Tech was nice. As pointed out, any road win is nice. A solid second half would have me more positive for future games.  To blow a big league in the last 15 minutes was not so nice. Throw in 13 second have turnovers and I've got some real questions about what is going on. That is just a fact. It's one thing to turn the ball over that much against VCU. It is an entirely different matter against a team like Texas Tech. This is never going to be a great team. But they can be a good team, and if you measure success on getting 100% out of your team they may be great. You know, I do this for fun. I also do it because I am angry at the lip service given college basketball by our press.. If you don't like what I write you don't have to read anything. Don't hit the click here button and move on. If you are one of people who just like to say negative things go ahead. I don't care. What I always hope is that what is written will bring about some talk about hoops. I can promise you this. There is not a single fan who cares more about UA basketball than me.. I'm not sure that i've seen more games than any other fan in our arena. I bet I'm near the top.

       I hope all you guys have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Jan.7th. I think that Notre Dame is a great team. Not great like Alabama. No one is great like Alabama.




 

HIGH TIDE IN THE DUST BOWL

bama wins despite sloppy second half
late randolph jumper saves game
    

       I guess it would be appropriate to report Alabama won this game. Texas Tech should never be confused with a good basketball team. Alabama blew a 20 point second half lead and salvaged a win.Levi Randolph nailed an 8 foot jump shot, and  Moussa Gueye also had a big time traffic rebound very late to help the Tide hang on. Even though Alabama won I doubt the win is going to make Tide fans feel much better about their team. Alabama showed what kind of potential they had in the first half when they opened up a huge half time lead of 16 points at 35-23. The Tide would stretch the lead to 20 points in the second half.   The Tide also showed what kind of basketball team they currently are at this time by almost folding in the second half. The Tide roar out like the dust storm that hit Lubbock at lunchtime. They were focused and fierce. They execute plays. They dominated the boards. And then...

             Then the bottom literally fell out in the second half.Three quick Tide turnovers were converte into TT baskets.  Alabama starting running clock and Texas Tech figured out that if they put two big men inside they could score. Tech ripped the Bama interior wide open and cut the lead to 2 points on two occasions. Bama helped the Red Raiders with 20 turnovers. The Alabama team isn't going to beat many decent teams playing give away. What is really concerning about these turnovers is how sloppy and unmotivate  the team appears at times. When Alabama is holding on to a lead they play to protect that leadn and not to expand the marginll. The vast majority of these mistakes are simply lack of execution. One reason I'd pick the Tide to win a low scoring game was based on three things; 1 - turnovers. there is no excuse for the numbers of turnovers with our ball handlers. 2 - inability to stop other teams from scoring inside. Last night is a good example. Had Tech's coach done so        earlier  we'd have been toast. 3 - this team's tendancy to miss free throws in key

      moments. I guess you could say we made enough to win, but had we nailed all those missed second half freebies we would coasted home. In short, we have a very mediocre team right now. The only positive thing I can say is that we seem to understand we have to create Lacey some shots, Pollard was very instrumental in the first half with his amped up play. Randolph is consistent and you always get a good effort from the sophomore. Every game it seems that someone disappears from the face of the earth. Last night it was Cooper. Jacobs showed some spark and then parked. Gueye looks lost although he plays are. He and Jacobs both set great picks. Things like that somtimes gets lost in the shuffle of the game. The only positive thing I can say about the Tide is that they have won 7 of their first 10 games, and I haven't seen a good team in the SEC West emerege so far. The Tide should have 10 wins when the SEC season starts. None were against highly rated RPI teams (at present). I think that the Tide is going to have to win 12 or 13 more games to make the NCAA field. Grant's team is currently holding the 31st best RPI primarily on the two decent wins and two losses to toughs team.(the so-called good loss)  The saving grace may be a decent RPI but a top 20 SOS.

Can Bama get back on track in Lubbock?

road trip may be just the medicine for struggling tide...

        Usually a team on a three game skid would love to play its next game at home. That's the prevailing wisdom. I have a different veiwpoint - win a road game to stop the bleeding and kill two birds with one stone. Alabama has that chance on Wednesday night in Lubbock, Texas when they take on a tradition rich Texas Tech program. The game will be televised on ESPN 3. Tip off in Lubbock is 7:00 CST. A sell out crowd of 15,000 is expected. The Red Raiders are 5-2 for the season. Alabama is 6-3 but has lost the last 3. Texas Tech is a member of the Big 12 and are coached by first year Coach Chris Walker. Alabama is 5-1 overall agaist Tech with the last game being played in Osaka, Japan in 1983. That trip brings back a lot of good memories and a lot of culture shock. Lubbock isn't at the end of the world but you have to exit there on your trip. I am very interested in this game primarily to see whether Grant has found anything to help our inside game. Translated: has he kick Gueye and Jacob's rear ends enough get their attention.  If Grant could get 15 minutes of productive play from each it will make a major difference in the season. Just get a few points, snare a few rebounds, and play some defense. Let the other team know that we do a have a big man you can't just ignore. On offense we'd look to Jacobs. On defense it is probably Gueye.


pollard steps up against vcu

        Lost in the A-Bomb blast that hit the Tide in Richmond was the good play of Devonta Pollard. The freshman had 13 points and 8 rebounds against VCU. He also got physical inside when he was getting shoved around. He got moved, but he didn't get intimidated. If we could get 13 points and 8 boards a game for Pollard what a difference that would make. Pollard had a few put backs, a short jumper, and was very active underneath. He also elevated. This kid can jump into the rafters. Break out games come in all shades and colors. The numbers were not overwhelming but compared to the carnage that was Alabama he held his own plus some. A Pollard who can be productive will make the Tide a much better team. I see a possibility of posting him high to allow his mid range game to be utilized. You know what that does to defenders around him.
 
     Tech will have a big home court advantage. Their have been a lot of upsets on their home floor. The Red Raiders have had big time coaches and a lot of good players. The real drawback for Tech is the lack of a recruiting base. Despite this, the University has a proud basketball tradition. One unique aspect of the Tech team is that their best player doesn't start. Jaye Crockett, ( 6-7 205 lb. Junior) is widely acclaimed to be the best 6th man in college basketball, at least by Red Raider fans. He is averaging 15.6 ppg and almost 9 boards. Crockett is tough, agile, and relentless. I watched him on television earlier in the year and he is ball player. I know that Pollard is the only player we have on the floor who is quick enough to keep him sight. Honestly, I see know none one our team to match up with Crockett. Jacobs and Gueye can help out against him inside. He is a load. But Gueye will have his hands full with Dejan Kravic, who is 6-11 and 240 lbs. His numbers are not impressive (11.3 ppg and 6 rpg)  but his presence cannot be ignored. He is one of two power forwards who play on the inside for the Red Raiders. Alabama cannot allow him to own the lane. The Kravich-Gueye match up will be one to watch closely. Texas Tech needs Kravich to be a big part of their offense. Of course, Gueye is just a passing thought in Bama's sluggish offense. 

defense, defense, and defense

   The Tide defense has played well so far. They didn't play bad against VCU. When the game got out of hand and the players tired the Rams shot and made a lot of threes. One good thing in my mind was the interior defense played very well in Richmond. It will take a similar effort against Texas Tech. A lot of that good defense came from the guards, who despite the offense woes, didn't allow a lot of easy entry passes. VCU created a few lanes for easy baskets, but all in all the defense was pretty solid. Part of the defensive effort in the Tech game is going to come on our offensive end of the floor. The Tide needs to let the Red Raiders know they can get to the basket down the paint. One thing the Tide must do is make some threes. We are shooting 37% for the season. That isn't great but it is 10% better than last year. Actually, the Tide is shooting threes above the NCAA average but they need to put that percentage because of poor inside scoring.

the guards and a prediction

         Tech plays three guards just like  need to be a lot better. Josh Gray, 6-1 is the main scoring threat. He is right at 12 per game. He is a true freshman with quick hands. He averages 3 steals per game. That is a great number for a guard, and it puts him in the top 10 of NCAA steals. He is a good dribble drive guard. I'd look for Releford to draw the assignment with help from Obahason of the bench.Gray is dishing out 3 assists per game. Trency Jackson is the shooting guard, although all three Tech guards play a lot of point because of the offensive set. Jackson is hitting almost 9 per game. The final part of the starting trio is 6-4 Jr. is Jamal Williams. He is a good shooter, but doesn't take a lot of shots. He is more the defensive go to guy on the Red Raider team. Levi Randolph will likely match up with him because of size, and the fact that Williams likes to post low at times due to his size. Two Big 12 assistants told me that he causes some match up problems due to his size.  I think Randolph can handle him.

You know I think  this is a game the Crimson Tide can win. Whether they will or not is a different question. As always we are at a disadvantage inside. I think we have more talent than Texas Tech. If Pollard plays well, if the guards shoot well, and if we can get anything inside we win. And of course we can't turn the ball over 25 times.

Keys to winning for Bama:

• Hold turnovers down to no more that 12
• 40% outside shooting
• Pollard needs to step up
• Big men must produce something
• Defense must continue to play with intensity.
• Make 80% of free throws

I'll take Bama by a paper thin 59-57 margin.


     




















 

Worst in history of Alabama basketball?

outhustled, outshot and outclassed
new low for tide hoops

       The only area where Alabama led the VCU Rams was the embarrassment factor. In over 55 years of watching the Tide play basketball this is the low point for an offensive performance.  How do you hold your opponent to only 33 first half points,  and be 15 points behind?  This is simply not acceptable for any team that wears Crimson and White. The team hustled their rear ends off on defense, and don't doubt for one second they didn't, but somebody needs to help Anthony Grant find an offense. How in the world do you sign such gifted players as we have at the ball handling positions and play this bad. The half time score was VCU 33 -18. I am very serious when I say that being down only 15 at the half was a gift from VCU's shot selection. The fact that Alabama shot 36% was because we only had 17 shots. VCU shot only 40%, and that was due to the Tide's relentless pressure. When you say the refs let them play you understand what that means. The only thing VCU did wrong on defense was they missed a few arm tackles.

 

     The only question in my mind was whether we could make it to 30 turnovers. That would be commit not cause. In the second half you could sense the Tide was getting sloppy because they were tired. VCU just kept putting in fresh bodies, and we had no one to substitute who might help. The Tide cut it to 11 but in a heartbeat it was back to 19. Bama couldn't match up man with the Rams, and couldn't cover the three point shot in the zone. Time after time VCU players shot uncontested threes. I think it might be worth mentioning that even had Engstrom and Steele played it would have made no appreciable difference. This is the only game that I have ever considered walking out before it was over. Well, it was over, but I mean when time expired.

 

      The only reason worth hanging around for was to admire the movement on the VCU offense and their hard nosed play on defense. I thought that around the 14 minute mark of the second half the Tide was out of energy. If we ran any plays for Lacey I couldn't tell. If ran any plays at all you couldn't tell. VCU took away our offense, then took away our defense with outside shooting, and then took away our confidence. You have to wonder how a young team will respond to such a pounding.

 

       There is really nothing you can say about what happened today on national television. The highlight for the Tide had to be Obasahon blocking a 6-8 players dunk. From start to finish it was all Rams. Somebody on this team better figure something out soon. The Tide is 6-3 but are falling like a rock. This has to be the bottom. It is this kind of loss that will question the coaches future. I hate that because I think Grant is a good coach. Three games where we couldn't get out of the starting gate. Heck, we couldn't even find the starting gate. One thing I did like was the way that Pollard got physical. He might get beat by the Rams but he was not going to stand around and take a beating. So what we knew is even more clear. We have no inside game. We have no hope for an inside game. I'm afraid without some type of inside game we have no season. I hope Coach Grant will scour the JUCO ranks for two big men who can come in and help. They couldn't be worse than the one's we have right now. We have lost to three really good teams. Each will get a bid to the NCAA. I'm not sure what Grant can do with this team. I do want our fans know this wasn't a lack of effort type game. Dakota Slaughter should get some more playing time since our big mean can't play. I watched to the bitter end. It was a bitter beginning.  Final Score was VCU 73 - Alabama 54.

 

Stats say a close game on Saturday at VCU

7,500 screaming fans await Bama...
bama better be ready for an underrated vcu team

Alabama's methodical offensive setup

      Two seasons ago was a cinderalla run for VCU in the NCAA. The coach, Shaka Smart, could have named his job at any of a dozen openings. He carefully considered each opportunity and decided on VCU. The Rams started garnering national attention under Anthony Grant. Coach Grant used his success at VCU to parlay it into a job at Alabama. Grant had his choice of several high profile jobs. He chose the Tide. Smart couldn't have walked into a better position. Grant had left the Rams with a solid team and lots of talent. That is no way short changing Shaka. He took good and made it better. On the other hand, Grant was stepping into a tar pit. Mark Gottfried had a lot of success in Tuscaloosa but left the program in a free fall. Grant has righted the ship, unfurled a few sails, and has made steady, if slow progress. Grant has a process of selecting just the right players to fit his system. Imagine you were the new football coach at Kentucky. How long do you think it would take to fix the program. Okay, Alabama basketball is not as bad as Kentucky football, but Grant was dealt a bad hand and he's on the way up. I'm not sure that most Bama fans understand what was left after MG left. Being kind we could say "no much". He left some second hand players, a couple of disgruntled prime players, and no point guard. He took a two guard and made him into a point guard who dazzled Tide fans with his play. Play that Mark Gottfried never recognized I'd like to point out. He finally got Green on track. Mitchell was on the way to stardom until he a a three year olds tantrum. Mitchell got the boot. Green got the message and Alabama made it to the NCAA.

       This all goes to show just what a great coach we had in Wimp Sanderson. The worst mistake any Alabama AD ever made at Alabama was not having the guts to stand behind Sanderson. Luckily, the Tide had a few good years under MG before he lost his focus, and then we found Grant. If Tide fans will hang in there with him for two more seasons and stop the negativity he will deliver us to some places our basketball team has not visited heretofore. None of that may seem appararnt this Saturday. The Tide is short handed against a veteren team whose losses have come against national powerhouses. VCU is not exactly a pit, but it's not heaven for visiting teams either. The two teams mirror each other statistic wise. The problem in this game are two players named Juvonte Riddic (6-9) and Trevon Graham (6-5). Alabama has no one two match up with either. Levi Randolph will probably get Graham. Randolph has the quickness to stay with Graham but not the power. Alabama's best chance for a good matchup with Riddic is prayer. Riddic is a great player and he is going to slice and dice his way inside against the Tide unless Geuye and Jaccobs decide to man up a little. Riddic might foul both out of the with his interior play. 

        Alabama matches up relatively well against the VCU three guard offense. Briante Weber is a 6-2 guard who generally plays the point. He is averaging 8 ppg and 2.2 assists.Rob Brandenber is also 6-2. The junior, along with senior Troy Daniels are averaging 10 ppg. Riddic and Graham are the big dogs with 14.5 and 15.0 ppg. Four of the five starters average in double figures. The bench is deep and fast. The three point shot is a huge weapon for the Rams. VCU had 14 against ODU. On  the back of their warmups is the word HAVOC. These two teams closely match one another. Alabama's defensive idea is teh same as VCU. So the difference is one team has depth and an inside game. Playing at home doesn't hurt. This one might get to double digits in a loss. Hope not.