Barbee's last season????

Barbee nears the end...

         I was looking at the Auburn roster today and thought this might be the worst team in modern SEC basketball history. That takes in a lot of teams and a lot of years. The funny thing is that no one in AU will even care. After all in "Gus we Trust" is now in vogue. Tony Barbee is not in any real disfavor on the plains. I'm not sure that most people even care about basketball. Alabama isn't exactly setting the woods on fire but at least people are concerned about basketball and want to see success.  You go to an Auburn game and people talk about how certain basketball players would be great defensive backs or tight ends. No joke. So if you are an Alabama basketball fan and you think things are bad in Tuscaloosa,  you should go down to Lee County and have a good laugh. If nothing else you can see the modern version of a comb over to hide baldness. Barbee now sports the comb down. Appropriate because that is where the Tigers are headed this season. Seriously, they might be so bad they finish 5 games behind the second worst team.

            I truly like Tony Barbee. He is not a bad basketball coach. He is stuck in the most hopeless basketball job in the SEC. It might even be the worst job in the NCAA. He has given it his best. I don't think that Bobby Knight could win at Auburn. All of this is really pretty good news for the Tide. Many fans think that Anthony Grant can't get the job done.Really?  I disagree. He has assembled the 6th best recruiting class in nation and one more signee is very likely. When Lee signs with Bama it means that Bama will have signed a top 5 national class and will have covered the point guard, the two guard, a versatile forward, and an inside player. That goes along with two very, very talented transfers. Better days are ahead. You just can't say that about the Tigers.

         Alabama has a tough schedule. Auburn has a schedule that is tough mainly because they are so bad, but also because it is an embarrassment themselves and the SEC. Here are some of their games:




Look on Wiki to see if these teams really exists:

• Nicholls State
• Northwestern State
• Jacksonville State
• Murry State
• Murray State (not a bad team in truth)
• Tennessee State
• Arkansas Pine-Bluff
• Florida A&M
• Clemson (not bad either)

The Tough games?

• Iowa State
• Boston College
• Illinois - none of those teams will be bad but except for SEC that is the best non-conference teams the Tigers play. To be fair, you might throw Clemson and Murray State in the tough game category. It isn't a fearsome fivesome. It's a joke.

     Barbee has couple of top 100 players and plans to play an up tempo game. That's usually coach speak for we can't play defense so we'll try to just out score the other team. I will say this about Coach Barbee - his kids play hard and you can't take them lightly. Alabama did that on a road game and it cost them a trip to the NCAA. Auburn will not go down quietly. They will go down just the same and it will cost Barbee his job. I wonder how long it will take Auburn fans to notice.
 

Randolph set to return soon...

Levi is getting close to returning to the Court...

Deep knee bruise?

           Sooner or later. In this case it appears that for Levi Randolph the answer will be soon and not later. While the University of Alabama has not been very specific on his injury, I've learned he suffered a deep bone bruise in his knee. This is supposedly a very painful injury and the best rehabilitation is rest and anti-inflammatories.  That is as close as I can find out and at least it is from a person who should know because he sees Levi on a daily basis. I hope this is correct. This man has always given me great information and is rarely wrong     


           Step one in recovery is to wear a brace to keep flexing the knee to a minimum and for protection. Step two is a lighter weight knee brace that offers support and more flexing in the knee. Step three to to discard the brace, and begin to work out to see what pain level is for that  individual, and go from there until a player is ready for full speed. If the bruise was serious it 'normally' takes 6-8 weeks for a person to be at full speed. The less serious the bruise the shorter the rehabilitation process. The possibility of re-injury is very possible and often an athlete with still wear the brace until he find his comfort level. This is an injury that might put a football player on the bench for most of a season. I found out that the fear is another "impact" in the same place. The knee isn't likely to be hurt with anything but  a severe blow on the old injury spot. I hope my friend is correct but a quicker return to the court by Levi is essential for Tide future NCAA hopes

Can Alabama win without Randolph?

Levi Randolph is the glue...

                         Let me get straight to the point. Alabama isn't going to win many games against quality opponents without Levi Randolph on the floor. After having a tremendous summer and seeing his outside shooting soar the junior injured his knee. No one really knows how long Levi is going to be on the sideline. Alabama's official sports website state he would be out "several weeks" and didn't elaborate further.  It could very well be that Levi's season is over. Let's say several is 8 weeks. You then have to add some time to get back in shape and scrape off the rust.  There is a lot of soul searching going on about the potential of a red shirt season if this injury goes beyond a month.

        Randolph lives in the gym. What would Alabama lose if Levi can't play. 30 minutes a game, 8 points, over 4 rebounds, a world of experience, and the most dependable player that Grant can put on the floor. Trevor Releford is the heart and sould of the team, but Randolph is the glue that keeps the team together in my opinion. He reminds me of T.R. Dunn. Dunn  always made the big shot, got the traffic rebound, and seemingly found every loose ball. Who does that sound like? I've got a lot of inside sources about Alabama basketball and I can't get any information about the injury. Weeks sounds serious. But it could cautious as well.  When got a call from an ex-player telling me about the injury it made me sick. Such a great kid doesn't deserve this. Will Anthony ever catch a break? I had us at fourth in the SEC before the injury. That will be almost impossible without Levi. My main fear at this point is that we'll have such a miserable pre-SEC season we won't make the NCAA. Without Randolph and making the NCAA would be one great job. Obasahan and Algie Key will get a lot of increased time. Key is a great athlete. He has the hops to help around the basket. Retin is ready to show just ho good he has become. How bad is this for Bama? Worse than losing Tony Mitchell.

 

Releford named to 1st Team ALL-SEC

RELEFORD WILL LEAD THE TIDE... 

RANDOLPH HURT...




 

          I think that Trevor Releford might be my all time favorite Alabama player.  When I look at the list of Alabama point guards his name jumps to the forefront. Imagine what Releford might have done with other Bama teams. Unlike other Bama point guards, Releford  has been forced to take on the heavy burden of leadership and scoring. He does it all with an infectious grin and a grit common to players that are long on heart and short in height. He has almost magical moves around the lane, is a really good outside shooter, and will steal your jock strap if you look the wrong direction.

 

      He is Bama's heart and soul. No way that his teams would have won over 20 games per season without his play. It is heartwarming to this writer to see him getting just just due. Having Trevor  on the court and being a great point guard is the first thing any basketball team must have to be successful. The Kentucky talent show of last season is a perfect example. Average point guard play resulted in average team play. Just for the record how ridiculous is it to name a Player of the Year who has never stepped on a Division One floor. I'm not saying Julius Randall of Kentucky might not end up being the best player in the SEC in the end. Just saying how stupid sports writers are for naming someone most  have never seen play. 

 

     Levi Randolph, Mr.under appreciated, has been injured. He has an undisclosed knee injury and is expected to miss six weeks minimum. A redshirt has already been discussed. The loss of Randolph would be enough to keep Alabama from making the NCAA field and would continue the bad luck that has plagued Grant since coming to Bama. More on Levi later over the weekend.