VANDY ON THE ROAD...

Line is settling with Vandy six-point favorite...
No word on Kessens...
Hale likely gone for the year...

   

Grant says Hale won't play

 A game but out manned Alabama is ready to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville. That city has never been kind to Alabama, except for one SEC Tournament when Gary Waites and Hollywood Robinson putting quite a show. Robinson was named to the All Tournament team and the crowd starting the chant of Gary Waites-Gary Waites - Gary Waites. James walked up to his teammate hand gave Gary is Award. After that, not a lot of good moments come to mind. 

         I have no respect for Vanderbilt. Too many seasons of hearing the student body saying "that's alright, that's okay, you'll all work for us one day" and pointing to Alabama's black players. That is beyond classless. Ultimately, the SEC made Vanderbilt quit using that racial cheer. That was it with the Vanderbilt Commodores. Next to Auburn, they are second on my hit list. I am probably the only Alabama fan who hates Vandy that much. I'll bet my last dollar the same thing will be vocalized again. I hope we pull off the upset on Saturday. I hope the fates will let Shannon and Michael play. I hope that Retin plays some gnarly defense. I hope that Justin starts dropping in threes like rain. Please let Riley Norris have a day that a freshman can only dream of having. I hope the Captain and Coop have the best games of my life. Lets hope the Jimmie Taylor stays in the game and blocks ten shots.  

 

  Bama can still put a good team on the floor. Obasahan has been playing well. Riley Norris is starting to show what he can do. Levi and Coop are old hands. Jimmie Taylor has been on the for almost two season. Honestly, it is highly improbable that Alabama wins at Vandy. Lack of numbers and the most biased officiating in the SEC will put Vandy at the line, and the Tide in trouble. Justin Coleman will get a lot of minutes. It will not be surprising if you see the Tide go small early in the game. I'd expect the Tide to play the modern version of the old four corners. The only way this game gets out of hands is if the Tide picks up a lot of fouls. I think that Bama is going play more man than a lot of us think. If Kessens can go a near 100% we have a chance. I'd have to pick Vandy. 

TIDE LOSES TARRANT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR...

Grant makes a selfless decision ...
Hale out for Vandy game
Kessens might play
The Captain is now an All-American


     

 I'm not sure exactly 'Bama basketball are given at the start of season to put in their lockers. I hoped someone had the foresight to give the players a snake bite kite. Today the Tide was rocked with more bad news. Ricky Tarrant the gifted guard is finished for this season. His injury would allow him to play but pain would be insufferable; the chance of permanent injury would be just to great. A great young man could have seen his playing career ruined. Sound familiar? His coach told him to sit down and get ready for surgery. We need you for next season. With his job on the line, Anthony Grant showed every coach in America what true character really should be. He's the kind of man that if you praised him for doing so he'd probably respond,  I was just doing the thing, and that doesn't deserve praise. We've seen the opposite of that. Where a coach runs a player into the ground, and ruining an NBA career. It's happened before and we will see it again, but it won't be under Anthony Grant's watch.

   

Ricky is done for this season

   Shannon Hale is unlikely to play. Same with Michael Kessens, although there is a better chance he can play. Alabama will need him to help absorb some of the fouls inside to help Jimmie Taylor stay on the floor. Bama is going to need all the help they can find. Hale is playing his best game right now. Kessen's injury was slowing him down. But it didn't shut him down. He keeps plugging away, learning the game, and trying to get better. He's a finesse player right now. Look for him to get more physical when he's well and hits the weight room over the summer. Unfortunately, the game is Saturday. 

     I have no idea what the Coach Grant is planning except burn some time. The Tide knows how to do that. Depth was already a problem. The lack of depth is going to be a nightmare for the coaches. Common sense says that you've got to play zone against the 'dores. That can help cut down on fouls. But it is almost impossible to zone Vandy. They have deadly shooters. The can get the ball down low and try to get Taylor in foul trouble. They can also pitch it out when Tide guards come in to help, or rip it over to the weakside if the Tide sends help. Did we talk about the fact that Alabama rarely plays well in Nashville? 

Alabama's first academic All American

    Let's give some well earned attention to the Captain. He just made a Academic All-American. He's Bama's first. This team is just for Mensa society members. You also have to be a good player. Honestly, this group of young men exemplify what college sports used to be. These are not your one and done group. We should be proud of Levi on so many levels. We should also recognize we have a coach who has his priorities in order. How many games would I be willing to see us lose for that character? I don't have an exact number. I guess it would be around a bunch. More about the game later this week, but thought it important to get the important stuff up first. Thank you Coach, Rickey, Levi, and we'll be pulling for Shannon and Michael to have miracle recoveries.

CRIMSON HOOPS - What a day for Tide

Tarrant is finished for the year...
Kessens might play
Hale is not likely
Randolph is a named Academic All-American
Some men have their priorities in place

 

TIDE REFUSES TO QUIT ...

BAMA WINS WITHOUT KEY PLAYERS...


Kessens and Tarrant didn't play. Hale injured.
Rag Tag bunch refused to give up

   

Grant coaches a gem

 In the history of basketball games played in Coleman Coliseum. the South Carolina isn’t going to rank as an all time classic. But, if you are wondering whether or not Grant can coach go back and watch the game again. In the second half with Hale, Kessens, and Tarrant sitting on the pine the Tide won a close one. I don’t know any coach who has a handy little game plan in the hip pocket when you lose 60% of your starting lineup. Grant’s coaching in this game was as inspirational as the kids who pulled it off.

   For the majority of the game Alabama had two players playing very well. That would be Levi Randolph and Riley Norris. After that Retin Obasahan joined in. Coop caught fire. Taylor rebounded like a madman. He also threw down at least two monster dunks All of sudden the Alabama had a patch-work team that played like veterans. I think there are only two other coaches in the SEC who can do that – Calipari and Donovan. For the second half of the game the Grant had the most unlikely concoction of players to take the floor and to win a close game. The Tide got slaughtered on the boards for most of the game. When it came time to see who would get the big boards, and the 50/50 balls the team wearing white came up the winner. When it was time to play in your face defense, Alabama stepped up a notch. If you were on offense and from South Carolina you were covered, contested, and ultimately killed by a stifling defense. In the second half Grant wisely sat Taylor on the bench and waited for the right time to put him back on the floor. The five on the floor gave the Tide the lead, and then Taylor came back in to control the glass. Not only was that great coaching it was gutsy coaching. Frank Martin admitted as much in his post game comments. Pure class from a classy coach . -

Alabama has lost 8 games by two points or less. You do the math. They were so close it hurts. As much as everyone wants Grant to leave, you can’t ignore the truth about this year’s team. They are better, the coaching is better, and team concept to there. I know that watching Bama play offense is like sitting down for root canal. The defense has been there in almost every game. This was the year the Tide might have opened it up a little. First the deadly shooter kid Hawaii never played. Second, Kessens was not a far along as we hoped, and those two things really hurt. Kessens was limited by an injury. The Tide simply didn’t have a team that could dominate the boards. When you can’t rebound well, you cannot run. End of discussion. Levi Randolph is our go to guy on offense. He’s great kid with a huge heart. He’s not going to be drafted in the NBA. When your go to guy has that talent level it says a lot about the overall talent level. That is up to you coach and staff to reel them in. We have finished second on some great players which is lot like always having the second best hand on poker night. I think he has done quite well with the talent he has recruited. I'm not satisfied with the recruiting. That would make me second in line behind Anthony Grant on that issue.

     Some kids have transferred for all the wrong reasons. Some kids transferred because of parental pressure. Mama is going to win out over the coach almost 100%. One kid got arrested for a serious crime. He was a good kid trying to mind his mother. If you want to get rid of the coach let’s at least acknowledge the good as well as bad. As you know I was pretty verbal about getting rid of our coach. Like any fan I thought like a fan. A college coach called me one night. He gave me a list of things that are important in coaching.  I think there were 10 things. Grant rang the bell on 8 of them. One of the things on that list was “is the winning equal to the status of the program”. Most of us would jump and say no. On closer analysis I’m not so sure. The program was fading. I felt like Anthony had killed it. I was wrong. This program was killed the day Hootie Ingram fired Sanderson. Things have never been the same. We came to take for granted what Newton and Sanderson did. If we are talking short term, as few of us do, it would be easy to fire the coach. The problem at Bama is much deeper than that. 


Coach Grant cannot build a new facility. He cannot make the Athletic Department give basketball its due. Coach Grant cannot drag the sports media department into the 21^st century. If we were doing all those things and he was losing we might be justified in firing him. The problems are systemic. It isn’t all about the coaching.  One other thing we need to admit. Overall, our basketball fans don’t measure up to other schools. I’m saying that everyone fits that shoe. Far too many do of us just like complain and act like they may know all about the sport of basketball. Hardly any of us really do. I always get the feeling that the main complainers are not supporters. I might be wrong. I frequently am, but the personal attacks on Grant are simply without class. I apprecitate the fans who acknowledge the character of the man. It's a separate issue. The players love him. They know who he is, and what he can do. We should listen to what they say. It matters. 

I have no problem giving him more time to right the ship. The question in mind is always – is he the coach he was a VCU? I new coach doesn’t have enough scholarships available to make any huge changes. Perhaps the Tide is close to getting a quality big man a little older than your usual player. We’ll see. We will know that pretty soon. It’s one of those deals that makes the review of eligibility important, and doesn’t lend itself to an easy yes or no. That is all I know. I do know this. If Florida signed the three players we recruited for next  they would be four star players due to the halo effect. The kids we signed are better than we believe, and certainly better that a lot of fans want to believe. I’ve given a lot of time thinking about the Grant situation.  I’ve called life-long friends that coached and two who still coach NCAA teams.   They know more than me. They know more than all of us. They have no dog in the fight regarding Alabama. I think he’s coming back next year regardless of what fans might want. I’m going to sit back and watch the end of season. Many think Grant should be fired. That’s not my call. It’s not as easy to fire him  as everyone thinks. Money is not an issue. watching the coaching against South Carolina opened my eyes in a lot of way. Bama may still be without three key players for the next three or four games.  
That is formula for losing. It those three kids can’t play the remaining games, then you’ll know whether the man can coach. It will have nothing to do with winning games. It’s far more complicated than “off with his head”. Let’s let it play out. I for one am pulling for the man. I keep having this sense he can succeed. The last time I had similar feelings we hired a guy named Sanderson

“Our guys stayed together, never wavered, and found a way to come out with the win. Great effort.”

TIDE NOW FIGHTING FOR NIT BID

NCAA IS GONE, AND NIT IS ALL THAT
REMAINS FOR THE TIDE...
Obasahan is playing well for Tide
Norris off a career high game
Levi needs to come back from poor game...

   

The captain can't be MIA in this one

    Alabama was riding high with quick 2-0 start in the SEC. Their third game was against South Carolina. Alabama lost a close game which started a pattern for Alabama that has continued through the loss to Georgia.  It’s always, close but no cigar. Alabama is 16-11 and could easily have 23 wins right now if they won the close ones. That would be NCAA time for the Tide. Instead, here we are once again chained to the floor with a so-so season. Give credit to Grant and Alabama. They are better than last season, and they were very close to winning big. Now, I’m not sure 20 wins is in reach. To do that they need to win their last four regular season games. Two of those are on the road at Vanderbilt and Texas A&M. There is also a home game with Ole Miss.

  

Retin Obasahan has eased the loss of Tarrant

     If Bama could win two of the last three that would probably get us in the NIT. Whether we would be a host team isn’t so clear. Poor attendance will hurt the Tide for that bid.  Once again the Tide will without Ricky Tarrant, whose injury will not be revealed to the public. A lower leg injury could mean a lot of things. He reportedly is out of a walking boot. Grant must expect him back at some point because he hasn’t said he’s finished for the year.  Retin Obasahan has stepped in his place and done extremely well. His play as a junior makes me feel a little bit easier about next season. Same thing with Riley Cooper. Obasahan is one of those players who defy the idiotic notion that Grant cannot develop players.  Take a look at Norris from day one until the present. Expect them to be key players next season.

 

Head Coach Frank Martin

     South Carolina is 13-13 and isn’t going anywhere but home unless they win the SEC Tournament it appears. Frank Martin, coach of USC has seen his team make steady progress through the year. If you have played basketball in the past you know that playing for a .500 team is hard to do. The coach is constantly putting in players trying to find his best lineup. Carolina is not without talent. They are a better team than the one we played in Columbia.  Alabama opened at -4.5 and the line stayed right there. I think Alabama will win this game by more than 5, they can make their free throws.  As most of you know, Martin and Grant are close friends, and played high school ball together at Miami Senior High School. So this a game that Grant would like to win. Tip-Off at Coleman tonight at 6:00 PM. Joe Dean, the son of string music and my long time friend, is doing the game. He's the best in the business.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE TIDE?

SEASON IS NOT OVER AND TEAM NEEDS REAL FANS...

     The loss to Georgia was a death blow for the Tide's hopes for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. No one in the 'Bama Nation likes that fact. We have a bunch of players who are giving it 100% every time the whistle blows. We can't give up on these kids. They deserve more. You may not like Anthony Grant, but he is the head coach. If we give up on our team they may give up on themselves. I want no part of that. If you want to speculate on whether Grant is going to be our coach next season, have at it. But do not wish him bad luck at the expense of the players or the embarrassment of our University. 

         I read that when Paul Bryant was asked why he was returning to Alabama he is said to have replied, "Mama called". I'd like to think our fans can still understand that she is still calling. You don't stop loving your mother because she makes a mistake. You don't stop loving your University in tough times.I'm not suggesting that you can't speculate about a better basketball future, but I'd like to think our fans can used that much overused term "class". I hear the word a lot, but honestly I'm not sure I can always find it. We can do one of two things in our situation - First, we can just give up and defame the coach and the team. Second, we can rally around the team and coach for rest of the season and see what happens. One thing we all know for sure. To support and not to condemn is the best path to a better result. Who are we? Are we the Alabama Crimson Tide or do we behave the way that other school over in east Alabama acts from time to time? 

What our basketball team has been through since the departure of Wimp Sanderson is not all the fault of Coach Grant. I think sometimes fans lose sight of that fact. Every coach since Coach Sanderson has taken a team to the NCAA Tournament. Not every school in the SEC can say that. If we get another coach next season there is no doubt he will take us to the NCAA again. If Anthony Grant stays he will take us back to the NCAA. I can absolutely tell you that is the truth. I cannot tell you when. I couldn't tell you when if Coach K decided to come to Alabama, no one can.  One thing we can do is to unify behind our program.  Our players deserve nothing less. March is almost here. We will know one way or the other about our Coach. The man can be frustrating at times. I know that. The players love him. A lot of us have personal respect for him. 

We can speculate about the coach and our players. But we all have to understand that maybe there is a better way to protest. Send a letter, send an email, send something to Mr. Battle and Coach Grant by FedEx. And it wouldn't hurt to hope we get a couple of insider bangers. 

MISSED FREE THROWS DOOM THE TIDE IN ONE POINT LOSS

Another close loss for the Tide

Break out game for Riley Norris 

No way Tide makes NCAA except through SEC Tourney

       How many ways can a team lose close games? This team could be a poster child for how to do everything possibly wrong to lose a game. One game it is turnovers. The next is missed free throws. Bad rebounding has been problem. You name a way, and I’d bet this team has done it. One thing they haven’t done is quit. I cannot imagine how much it hurts to lose these games. On top of that, the team then has to listen and read about what a horrible coach they have, and how they are losers. These kids are not losers even though they are losing close games. One thing that I can’t forget about the team is how they continue to find ways to crawl back into games despite the errors. It is almost like this team’s mental character is being tested, and I’ll give them an A for character. I haven’t read any of the posts on the about last night’s game. I can imagine the heat that Grant is catching.

I understand why Grant can say this team is close. They are. He may not be around to prove it however. Georgia is a fine little basketball team, but they are not better than Alabama. They can do the little things that convert potential losses to actual wins, at least they did last night. They got lucky in a lot of ways, and we got unlucky in even more ways. Georgia won and I give them credit for that. But please to not dismember the coach and players over last night.

Cooper shows his feelings after loss

      The Tide has been playing without their star point guard. Retin Obasahan has earned the respect of Tide fans for his hard-nosed play. His defensive ability, including blocking shots is remarkable. Last night the Captain finally had a poor shooting night. We had a chance to win without our go to player hitting shots. That says a lot about the team whether a lot of fans will admit it as truth. I’m not going to knock our inside play. These guys are trying and playing hard to improve. They simply are not SEC caliber inside players, yet. Let me add that Taylor is that player on defense. He’s improved so much from last season. Kessens has a long way to go. He is physically weak and gets shoved around like a rag doll. He can get stronger, and he will get better. The potential is there, but the experience is lacking. It is so hard to win in the SEC without a good big man. 

 

Norris announces his value to the Tide
and there is more to come

    Even though this team isn’t winning like we’d all like to see them do, they have been bunch of never say die kids. Even though my heart can’t take many more of these close games, they have been an interesting team to watch. The history of this team is going to be the inability of Alabama to recruit a very good inside player. How we can’t find one is illogical to me. If you are a real good high school player you’ll have to play immediately.

Let’s look at some good things. Let me give my official and long overdue “I told you so” on Riley Norris. Some of you still think the kid can’t play. I’ll tell you this – given the right opportunity he’ll lead the SEC in scoring one day. He plays well under pressure, and he is admired by his teammates. He is the consummate gym rat with real basketball skills. He understands the game. When he gets stronger, and he will get much stronger given his work ethic, he will become one of the great swing players in the SEC. Justin Coleman is needs to get stronger as well. He is learning when to go inside and when he can’t. He’s smart and dedicated. Devon Mitchell was in spot where he just can get a lot of minutes. This kid is a deadly outside shooter. His small school upbringing was apparent. This guy is going to give Alabama some great play when he gets more experience.  We have three guys coming in. One is a very intriguing 6-10 and still growing post player. He has thrown up a lot of double-double games, and even a few triple-triple games. I’ve met him. He is looking forward to the chance to play. The other two are more than just good. They are loaded with some real potential in my opinion. I believe two of the three are underrated. Maybe all four are. 

       

Next year’s team is going to be better than this season’s. We lose Randolph and Cooper but we have kids who are going to show they belong. The future isn’t dead. The question of coaching is not up to us. I think that Anthony is coming back if he wants to do so. That may create a firestorm of controversy among Tide fans. We’ll get over it. If we have a have a new coach he’ll have a good foundation. If he can get a really good JUCO inside player, maybe a pair, next year could turn around those losses and replace them with wins. 

Here we go again, another must win game...
Tarrant to sit out the game...
Grant reports his team better

   

Bama hopes Randolph has good game

 Once upon a time, if Georgia came to Tuscaloosa to play basketball, it was going the start of a long weekend for the 'Dawgs. Things have changed. Georgia has been very solid team until their last two games. Those two games may have knocked the Bulldogs out of the NCAA Tournament. Seeing the Dawgs lose each of those games was unexpected. Loss number one was to Auburn 69-68. Georgia and Auburn don't like each very much, but no one thought that Georgia would lose the Tigers on their home floors. Next, the Bulldogs got beat in South Carolina. Carolina has been playing much better, and winning on the road anywhere in the SEC is tough. The Dawgs lost against two of the worst teams in the SEC.  

How do those two losses effect the Tide? Georgia will be coming into Tuscaloosa knowing that an additional loss means the end of their NCAA Tournament dreams. For Alabama it's about the same. The Bulldogs record is now 16-9 and 7-6. Alabama is now 16-10 and 6-7. Georgia fans are not happy. Alabama fans haven't been happy for at last two years. Ironically, a win over Auburn gives Tide fans hope of a late season run. There is a cadre of Alabama fans who hope the Tide loses in hopes it will get Grant fired at the end of the season. However; the win over Auburn has re-ignited some support. The game this weekend is big for both schools for a lot of reasons. In a season that has so many ups and downs, the importance of yet another must win game is almost commonplace.

Alabama is going to have some match-ups problems once again. The Bulldogs have five player averaging in double figures. Highly unusual, it will give Alabama problems because the Georgia scoring is so balanced. Georgia is mobile and loves to take it inside. They have shot 642 free throws. Thee opposition have shot only 469. Alabama has shot 542. The reason I mention this is because Bama gave up 35 free throws last weekend to Vanderbilt.  Georgia is going take the ball inside. Taylor and Kessens will be busy. The two Georgia big men who could cause the most trouble are Marcus Thornton and Nemanja Djurisca. Both are 6-8 and weigh around 230. Thornton is muscle. Djurisca is more nimble. Some of his inside moves seem like a contortionist having a bad day. But he is also a good outside shooter. Georgia is shooting 34.5% from downtown and 44% overall. They shoot 68% from the line.

Today's game feature two teams trying to keep their heads above the water. One team leaves the floor going in a downward direction. The winner may not be going up much, but they keeps their hopes alive. Can Georgia snap a two game streak where they have played poorly against two bad team. Can Alabame keep some momentum  from beating on poor team, albeit on the road? The Tide opens up a three point favorite. Ricky Tarrant will not play.JJ Frazier, the guard, is a game day decision. Alabama seemed to have learned to play without Ricky Tarrant. I'm not sure what Ricky's problem is but it seems his return this season may be questionable.

Tonight is momentum vs. lost opportunities. I have a feeling this is going to one heck of a game. I'm taking Bama by 3 IF we keep our inside players our of foul trouble

Grant has a chance to save his job... 

Anthony Grant gets ready for Georgia

     I agree with Cecil Hurt, sportswriter for the Tuscaloosa News,  one win doesn't fix the Alabama basketball program. Everyone surely agrees with this. I think because of the relationship Mr. Hurt enjoys with the University of Alabama he is likely given information most of us can't secure. I'm not calling Cecil "deep throat" but when he starts writing about the future of Alabama basketball we all need to listen carefully. If something happened that caused the Tide to make the NCAA there is no way he'd be fired. What if Grant's team won the NIT? What happens then? What happens if the Tide wins more than 20 games. This drama isn't over by a long shot. 

      Alabama basketball fans are not few and far between, but it is a pretty tight bunch of people who know one another in one way or the other. I think it's safe to say that many of these people have had enough of Coach Grant; but I also think that his fiery attitude in the Auburn earned him a few points. Grant's record against Auburn is now 9-3 if memory serves me. Fans just can't ignore his record against the Tigers. I can't ignore that fact. First and foremost it is important that you dominate your in state rival because you can use it for in state recruiting. The things that give me grief about Grant are mainly not coaching things. Truthfully, things get pretty confusing to me when it regards Grant. What I don't want to happen is the drip-drip-drip of a program declining. Now, with a highly charged emotional win over rival Auburn, the Tide has a chance to show the world they can beat a good Georgia team. Grant has a chance to turn things around. One other thing I know is that a lot of the naysayers are hardly die hard fans.

    What I want most of all is to get this Grant's future saga ended one way or the other. I don't think it is a foregone conclusion that Grant is finished at Alabama. We are better this season. That cannot be denied. I have to admit watching Tide players rally around their coach is compelling. Watching the chant and celebrate of Tide players as they hugged the Coach was pretty warm and fuzzy. Most of all the actions tell us a lot how the players feel about the coaching they are receiving. If Grant could keep up the vehemence he showed in the Auburn game, and the same great coaching in that game, we can all feel better. I think we should kick back and enjoy a great win. I've watched the game three times.  I see more and more that's good with each viewing. Georgia is a far better team than Auburn, and they will come into to Coleman Coliseum knowing another loss would be fatal to their dwindling NCAA hopes. How good is Georgia? They are much, much better than Auburn. The Tide will have their hands full this weekend. But the game itself is a  stepping stone for the Tide. That means it means the same for Coach Grant. I've flip flopped many times about Grant. Here is one thing I truly believe - at the end of this season the soap opera that has captured so much attention will be over one way or the other. I'm willing to open minded about the remainder of the season. I told Battle the same thing in a letter today. I've been told that Battle also understands the gap between facilities with Auburn in hoops. We are losing that war every year Coleman remains our home court. 

   I've said before that I've had enough of Grant. I think it is better to clarify exactly what was said. I've had enough of the Grecian Tragedy that his six years have brought us. Everyone is worthy of redemption, but the window is closing. 

GRANT GETS A TECHNICAL FOUL AND BAMA GETS A WIN

Tide makes it a sweep for the season

Bama dominates the boards...

Randolph puts on a second half show

Hale keeps Bama close in first half

Coach Grant's technical lights a fire

Grant is about to get his technical foul

       When Coach Grant got his technical foul I thought we might beat Auburn after all. Thank you Coach for finally letting all of us know you care.  The foul on Kessens was a joke. It occurred in board daylight with no one within 10 feet of the players. It was so obviously wrong the entire world knew that the guy who blew the whistle was intimidated by the crowd reaction. My personal feeling was you should always look where you are going on the hardwood, and obviously Auburn isn’t teaching about communications.   When the foul was called my anger was spontaneous and loud. That soon gave way to a feeling of jubilation when Coach Grant got the T. He worked hard for it if you watched the replay. He had a few choice words for the official who made the call, and then had  to stand by the Alabama bench and listen to Grant’s rant.  I think a couple words he said are banned on TV. Good for the Coach and better for the team. Most of all, in my opinion, it was good for Alabama fans. It was also the turning point in the game.

The turning point wasn't on the floor

      

Coach is on fire

There was a ton of time to play but in one verbal outburst the Crimson Tide went into a bunker mentality and walled out the crowd. From that moment on, a team that was already steady out of gate had, pardon the pun, the eye of the Tiger. They also had the entire body as well. At the end, we got another walk by handshake without words from Coach Grant. The coach was in his business mode even after the game. The video of the players in the hallway after the game showed a bunch of kids surrounding their leader with admiration and affection.  Grant was smiling. Yes, we had a smile alert. That’s the guy I want coaching the Crimson Tide. Where has all that emotion been?  For the first time in two years I was honestly excited about our basketball team. I have no idea if that win will have any bearing on a decision to keep him or not. I do believe that a strong finish might save his job. If the man coached every game the way he coached last night it would make such a difference, and he’d gain a lot of support from the fans.

Who's better at coaching? Is it Grant or Pearl

  

Coleman is getting better

   Just in passing, and I think I’m pointing out the obvious, Grant coached the socks and sweat off Bruce Pearl. Pearl had this smug look on his face before tip-off.  Why not, they had just knocked off Georgia on the road, and were in their home place.  He had taken his Tigers to the edge of a win in Tuscaloosa. He had every reason to be smug. A funny thing happened to his smugness on the road to victory – Anthony Grant kicked his butt with better coaching.  It wasn’t easy. His leading scoring wasn’t shooting. But Shannon Hale was. Hale came to play. He played with a confidence that has been lacking. He also played like a fully grown man. He nailed a couple of three pointers in the first half that shut up the crowd. Bama changed defenses depending on who was in the Tigers line up. Jimmy Taylor and Michael Kaessens outplayed Cimneon Bowers. Bowers gave us all a Charles Atlas poise, just to show a lack of sportsmanship. Kessens and Taylor provoked Bowers with bumps, nudges, and a few well-placed elbows. That got the  giant of a man upset. He thought he was Michael Jordon. He wasn’t even Michael Myers. His selfish play and lack of judgment offset brilliant performance by Antoine Mason and K.T. Harrell. Those guys have my admiration. They both played well, and played with class. I was particularly impressed with the calmness that Harrell showed. Mason was on fire. It was easy to understand why he was the nation’s leading scorer last year. He is a shooter and scorer. Same for his backcourt running mate. I said it yesterday, and I’ll say it again – they are the best pair of guards in the SEC. Bama knew who was going to shoot and still couldn’t effectively shut either down. What surprised me was that they didn’t always play on the floor at the same time. I guess the ball is only big enough for one man.

   

The Captain knocked down 19

       

Bowers poor play hurt the Tigers

       There was a ton of time to play but in one verbal outburst the Crimson Tide went into a bunker mentality and walled out the crowd. From that moment on, a team that was already steady out of gate had, pardon the pun, the eye of the Tiger. They also had the entire body as well. At the end, we got another walk by handshake without words from Coach Grant. The coach was in his business mode even after the game. The video of the players in the hallway after the game showed a bunch of kids surrounding their leader with admiration and affection.  Grant was smiling. Yes, we had a smile alert. That’s the guy I want coaching the Crimson Tide. Where has all that emotion been?  For the first time in two years I was honestly excited about our basketball team. I have no idea if that win will have any bearing on a decision to keep him or not. I do believe that a strong finish might save his job. If the man coached every game the way he coached last night it would make such a difference, and he’d gain a lot of support from the fans.

Grant hands Pearl his head on a platter

   

Retin steals one from Bowers

  Just in passing, and I think I’m pointing out the obvious, Grant coached the socks and sweat off Bruce Pearl. Pearl had this smug look on his face before tip-off.  Why not, they had just knocked off Georgia on the road, and were in their home place.  He had taken his Tigers to the edge of a win in Tuscaloosa. He had every reason to be smug. A funny thing happened to his smugness on the road to victory – Anthony Grant kicked his butt with better coaching.  It wasn’t easy. His leading scoring wasn’t shooting. But Shannon Hale was. Hale came to play. He played with a confidence that has been lacking. He also played like a fully grown man. He nailed a couple of three pointers in the first half that shut up the crowd. Bama changed defenses depending on who was in the Tigers line up. Jimmy Taylor and Michael Kaessens outplayed Cimneon Bowers. Bowers gave us all a Charles Atlas poise, just to show a lack of sportsmanship. Kessens and Taylor provoked Bowers with bumps, nudges, and a few well-placed elbows. That got the  giant of a man upset. He thought he was Michael Jordon. He wasn’t even Michael Myers. His selfish play and lack of judgment offset brilliant performances by Antoine Mason and K.T. Harrell. Those guys have my admiration. They both played well, and played with class. I was particularly impressed with the calmness that Harrell showed. Mason was on fire. It was easy to understand why he was the nation’s leading scorer last year. He is a shooter and scorer. Same for his backcourt running mate. I said it yesterday, and I’ll say it again – they are the best pair of guards in the SEC. Bama knew who was going to shoot and still couldn’t effectively shut either down. What surprised me was that they didn’t always play on the floor at the same time. I guess the ball is only big enough for one man.

Great play from the entire team

 

Taylor cut off Harrell on the baseline

   Alabama had a lot of stars in the game. Hale played his best half. Kessens got 7 big rebounds. Obasahan nailed that three at the 3:23 mark to stretch the lead back to 5, and Auburn never got closer. Riley Norris played a great game. He got 5 rebounds. They were all key rebounds that gave the Tide another possession. I thought that Cooper played extremely well. He had two super inside moves when Auburn overplayed the outside screen. He made a couple of nice 3 balls as well. Taylor had a couple of blocks, but it was clear that when any Tiger go close to the basket that road was likely shut down at the end. He altered at least 6 shots by my count. What about Justin Coleman? He came in and played one heck of a game. Sure, he shot a three that got him yanked, but his other play far outweighed a common freshman mistake.

       I’d have to go with Randolph in a tough nod of Retin for player of the game. Randolph finished with 19 for the game, and once again had a second half explosion. The thing that made Levi’s play on offense so important was not just scoring, it was when he scored. He scored when we needed it most. He also rebounded well, deflected passes, and got a couple steals. He got the big rebounds late. He played like an All-American. If anyone says that no one improves under Grant you are forgetting Randolph. I think we also forget a lot of other things as well. All is not good, but all is not bad either.

         When you look at the little things the Tide has done this season it is impressive. They’ve lost some close games, they took a killing loss to Vanderbilt, but overall this team has made progress. You cannot deny Anthony Grant that. He may do a lot of things we don’t like but we need to be fair.

Just to be Fair...

1. Taylor has improved a great deal. He's getting better on offense

2.   Tarrant, despite his injuries, was on the verge of a breakout.

3.   Grant’s handling of Hale was key in his early season slump. Look how much he has improved in the second half of the season. His improved play was key to the Tide.

4.   Cooper has taken less bad shots, and it shows in his shooting percentage. He’s always done the down and dirty things well.

5.   The team has won 16 games already.

6.   I think the NIT, despite the disdain by many fans, is in the bag and that means a lot to the young players, and the seniors.  More time to practice.

7.   This team has bonded. Unlike many of Grant’s prior teams that were stuck in controversy, this bunch has hung tough.

8.   He has found a way to play with a lot of varied lineups. I thought it was interesting that Riley was on the floor in crunch time and not Hale. He also chose to play Taylor and Kessens together late in the game, and the Tide’s rebounding gave Auburn no second shots.

Final thoughts from midcourt

       

So here we are. Grant wins a big game, his team plays inspired basketball, Grants shows a lot of leadership and emotion, and then the video of how much his team respects him. My sources continue to tell me that Grant is coming back. I have never known them to mislead me. Last night we saw the man we thought we had hired over five years ago. Coach, gives us an encore performance. Twenty wins are within reach, and perhaps a lot more. I'd love the NCAA but that is out of reach right now. But being a host team in the NIT is within reach. Keep in mind that the Tide this on the road without their best point guard. What do you think is going to happen from here out to the end?

Tide sweeps the Tigers ...

Randolph, Cooper, and Obasahan lead Tide...

Shannon Hale has wicked first half...

Bama controls the boards...

  

That's a wing span

  I love eating crow. Thank you Crimson Tide for serving up this Edgar Allen Poe specialty. Even better was the turkey, named Aubie, roasted on the spit fire for the entire Bama nation. Final score was 79-68,  but the implications of the win may be far larger than the score. In all the hoopla of Bruce Pearl, Anthony Grant just won his 9th win in 12 games against the Tigers. Talk will spring up about keeping Grant vs. replacing him. That's normal fantalk for the forums. I loved the win. I loved watching Grant get that technical foul, and watching his team rally round him. Levi Randolph even applauded. It is that kind of emotion that reassures fans, gets the notice of recruits, and let's officials holding those whistles that they are under a watchful eye. Coach, you made me proud. Seriously proud. You know what? It worked.

    No doubt it helps when Bama shoots 60% in the second half with Randolph hitting 6-7 from the floor. Bama killed the Tigers on the boards 40-26. The Tide hit 16-21 from the free throw line, and dished out 13 assists for the game. The Tide also blocked 4 Tiger shots. Cinmeon Bowers, the Auburn center had 14 points and 7 boards. That's sounds pretty good, but if you watched the game it was his out of control play in the second half that destroyed the Tigers overall. He forced shots, showboated, gave the crowed a Charles Atlas poise, and ruined any chance his team had to win. Tip of the hat to the Auburn guards who were better than advertised. Harrell is a classy player. Mason was amazing. The team of Randolph, Coleman, and Obashan held their own however. The trio harassed Tiger ball handlers all night, forcing bad passing, and never allowing any continuity by the Auburn offense.  It was a thing of beauty. When Auburn stepped up the pace, the Tide simply stepped it up even more. Auburn shot on 39% from the floor, but that was misleading. Harrell and Mason had big nights, and everyone else on the Tiger team was shooting air balls. I don't think I have ever seen a game where as many bad shots were taken by any team.

The Tide's balanced attack forced the Tigers to defend everyone and gave little chance for double teams or weak side defense. More tomorrow.

Tide goes into Lee County a one-point favorite...

Tarrant highly unlikely

Grant says the Tide is ready after poor showing against Vandy

 

      I'm sure a lot of you have read my blog about the importance of tonight's game. I wake up this morning and see Alabama is a one point favorite. Maybe Ricky Tarrant is going to play after all, but that would contrary to what Grant said a couple of days ago. Maybe Leon Douglas has been through a time machine and got one year additional eligibility. Or maybe snowballs are not melting in hell today. That's about as much hope that the Tide beats AU without Tarrant. I will be yelling and screaming for the Tide to win. I will not be engaged in prolong breath holding however.

     Let me get this straight - Auburn just went on the road and beat a decent Georgia team, and we got beat a bunch of kids that don't even shave. It's not like the Crimson Tide is a road warrior. Perhaps Mel Gibson is coaching the defense now. That Vegas line means something I can't figure out. My honest opinion is we get beat by more than 10. I can see images of last years game dancing in my head, and Auburn is a lot better this season. So is the Tide, but our floor leader is hurt. Obasahan has done a credible job at the point. Justin Coleman is having a hard time. Both will need to do better tonight.

 

Tide must play as a team tonight

   Tonight the Tide will not face a more hostile crowd all season, and I'd throw Kentucky in that conversation without hesitation. This home crowd senses blood. Not just any blood however; it's Bama blood, and they are going to act like deranged passengers on the ship of fools. This is going to be something that Freddie Kruger might conjure up in his spare time.

     Auburn has two of the best guards in the SEC. They have the best two scoring guards I've ever seen at Auburn. Antoine Mason is the nation's highest scoring player who returned. H.T. Harrell is 6-4 inches of deadly shooting. Mason is both a shooter and a scorer. I'd give the edge to the AU guards even if Tarrant comes back 100%. Then there is Cinmeon Bowers, the dainty little 6-7 275 lb. post player, who is going to give Bama's inside game fits.  Bowers was the JUCO Player of the Year in a couple of polls. He can positive push Jimmie Taylor and Michael Kessens around. He is quick, mobile, strong, and is a good shooter. We didn't offer him. How could you not offer the JUCO PLAYER OF THE YEAR when you needed power forward, or post player. Harrell is 142-305 shot attempts. Levi Randolph has

Retin stopped Auburn's last shot in T-Town

 shot the ball an amazing (by Alabama offensive standards) 256 times and has made almost 50% of his shots. If Alabama is going to beat AU Levi needs to shoot the ball at least 20 times. Here's an odd stat. The has improved their rebound enough to break dead even with their opponents. The Tide needs to out board Auburn by at least 10 and give up so few offensive rebounds we can count them on one hand. You know all those free throws we missed in the Vandy game? A repeat will be fatal. Less than 10 turnovers would be nice. I think the first 10 minutes is going to let us know about the Tide in this game. Weather the emotional storm in Auburn and we have just enough talent to perhaps win. I wouldn't bet on it thought.

       This is Alabama at Auburn. This is the most hated rivalry in America in football. In basketball a win over Alabama is a big deal but webeat the Tigers so often you'd think the domestic abuse laws have been eliminated. Bruce Pearl is betting the shoe is on the other foot tonight. This game is going to tell us a lot about the near future of in state recruiting and who's the big dog.  Tonight a growl won't beat the Tigers. Bama needs a snarling defense and a biting to the bone offense. I hope we can do it, but I have this pending feeling of dread (aka the David Hobbs game) in my stomach. This is the biggest game Anthony Grant has ever coached whether he knows it or not. I hope our team makes we look so wrong it's embarrassing.

GAME DAY STORY LATER TODAY.

Tide faces the most important game in Grant's tenure on Tuesday in Auburn...   

Tarrant is reported "day to day" 

Can Bama pull of the upset?  

Grant needs this one in the worst way

  Tomorrow night, if all goes as it seems it should, there will be a new king of the hill in the Alabama/Auburn basketball rivalry. Auburn, under Bruce Pearl has shown that the Tigers are serious about turning around a very one side rivalry in roundball. Pearl has also proven to me he can do it. Grant has shown me he can’t stop it from happening. This will be the first game played in Auburn I have missed in years. I’ll be honest as possible. I just don’t want to be up close and personal when it happens. I’m not discounting a chance the Tide can win because Auburn doesn’t have a lot of talent, but I bet the Tigers will remove the last vestige of Bama’s basketball supremacy.

Like him or not, he's a good coach

Pearl and his Tigers almost beat Bama at home…

        ‘Bama edged out the Tigers in Tuscaloosa by a single bucket. Bruce Pearl slowed down the pace with a 7 point lead, and Grant somehow got Alabama’s defense to play even harder. Grant walked off the floor the winner. Pearl walked off the floor having given the Tide a warning of what was coming in the near future. The near future will likely start on Tuesday night. As long as Pearl coaches at Auburn, and as long as Grant remains at Alabama, a new state king will be crowned. When Pearl first arrived at Auburn I was concerned. My feeling was he would make a big splash, get a better offer, and move on. Gratitude can cause a lot of unique behavior. Pearl my just stay at Auburn for the rest of his career. That would be a marvelous thing for Auburn. I don’t have to tell you what it would do in Tuscaloosa. Pearl had a top 20 class without ever taking with a single recruit due to his show cause status. Grant has had six years to blanket the state and build a recruiting base that would have been bedrock sound. It didn’t happen. We lost the best player in the state to UAB. Then we lost the state’s best player to Auburn. That young man lived less than an hour to campus, and grew up an Alabama fan. Just for a little salt in the wound his final two choices were Kentucky and Auburn. He chose Auburn. I know a lot of Tide fans will say ‘you know how he did it’. You got any proof?

Three things could happen on Tuesday night…

Captain Levi Randolph needs to take charge

     Three things could happen in Auburn tomorrow night. First, Bama could upset the Tigers. Second, the Tide might play well and lose, and finally, it could be an old fashion whipping. It really doesn’t matter. Anthony Grant is about as relevant to Alabama now as an ant walking across an interstate highway. I suspect the vast number of Alabama fans look at this upcoming game as a win-win situation. If we beat AU it’s great. If we lose, then it is just more of a reason to get rid of his brand of coaching. I’ve even heard a number of Alabama fans badmouthing Pettway. That’s how bad things have become. I understand that the loss of Ricky Tarrant hurt in the Vandy game. It hurt in the State game also. What we witnessed in the Vandy game was a team that may have well have given up on their coach. You rarely hear booing in Coleman Coliseum. You did on Saturday night and it wasn’t directed at the players. At least I hope they understood that. Tide fans left that game disgusted, angry, and bewildered.

Now way to express the importance of Tuesday…

Rodney needs to shoot more 3's

   

   Tomorrow night is the single most important game in the recent history of Alabama basketball. It has nothing to do with Grant. He is just dusting off his Tomb for future use. This game is a possible long term changing of the guard. Basketball is a funny sport in that you can get a couple of great players and turn you program around. Look at the Final Four groups. You see a lot of teams that did that and never came back. What you also can see are teams that come back frequently because they haven’t tarnished their brand names. Let Auburn beat Alabama four or five times in succession and kiss the program goodnight for a decade. Or should we say another decade? Wlle all want our team to be archrival Auburn. I hope that our AD understands that the fans are finished withR Anthony Grant regardless. I asked someone the other day how supporters do you think Grant has left?  I’m pulling for the Tide 100% regardless of who coaches them. Not everyone feels that way. It is hard to write that you want a coach replaced. It is even harder when you thought he might bring back the magic of Alabama hoops. Instead, we got a curse put on us.