TIDE FACES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE BATTLE FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT...
Is the NIT slipping away as well?
Tide may be without Tarrant, Obasahan, and Kessens at Miss.State...
I remember just a few years ago when Alabama fans were excited about having Anthony Grant as our new head coach. Those were exuberant times. Most fans, me included, thought that he would usher in a new era in Tide basketball. How did this go so wrong? How could a young coach who was an absolute success at VCU fail so miserably? Grant's record until last season isn't that bad. This season the Tide is 14-9 and that's not terrible. Why have fans turned on Grant with such vehemence?
The deal about coaching at Alabama is really pretty simple. You have to win, and win big. All the lip service we pay to graduation rates, character, and all those intangibles people like to babble on about really don't matter. I guess in some hypothetical world they could. That would be the day that the NCAA crowns a national champion based on academics and performance on the field. You know the day that Harvard beats Texas. Texas won the actual game 66-21, but because of the graduation success rate of Harvard they were awarded enough academic points to make the final score 68-66. Like that will ever happen, right? So I don't care how many Alabama players make academic All-America, we aren't really concerned. A coach can receive all the civic accolades possible, but if can't win and win big, no one really cares. So that is not only the first criteria, it is the only thing that matters in the end. Everything else is just window dressing to the masses of fans who demand winning.
The remaining schedule doesn't convince me that even if we won all of the remaining games we could make the NCAA. It might be enough if Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and Georgia keep winning. This would boost our RPI enough to avoid an RIP for the season. I personally believe that anything short of a season's sweep will not make a difference at this point. If we won our last 8 games that would make us 22-9. That's hardly stellar. But it could be enough. Winning your last 8 games means you finish well and that is supposed to make a difference. Anthony Grant is well thought of in the coaching community. That would help. Don't be surprised if you see opposing SEC coaches make a comment or two about Alabama being in the field. Those guys would like nothing else more than Grant to keep his job.
We can't lose a game to Vandy, Mississippi State, or Auburn. That will be the kiss of death. Seriously, without a healthy Ricky Tarrant does anyone think we can win 8 games in a row? With a healthy Ricky Tarrant does anyone think we can win 8 games in a row? I don't. If we finish at 4-4 in the regular season I'd be satisfied. That would give us 18 wins going into the SEC season. Hope springs eternal in the hearts of Bama fans, me included. Every time I watch the Tide play that excitement is still felt. I know it's a fools paradise, but as Alabama fans it's all we have left.
Unfortunately, Shannon Hale has been slow getting out of the gate. He's done better lately and his hard play helps. Justine Coleman has been a disappointment in the minds of many. He has one explosive game under this belt to tease us with his potential. He has far too many turnovers with sloppy passes, and gets himself trapped at bad times. He really hasn't gotten the playing time he needs to get better. Obasahan has been as good as his health has allowed him. I noticed in our win over Missouri he had double figures, several rebounds, a couple of steals, and assists. If he could get well it would make a huge difference in the way our team looks.
We all have our opinions on Grant. Let me say this - he has conducted his affairs with class, dignity, and without scandal. He re-instated proper conduct among the players. If you didn't go to class you didn't play. If you showed a poor attitude you were asked to leave the team. Those things should matter in a perfect world. We don't live in a perfect world, so while I applaud Grant for his behavior as a coach and as a person it simply isn't enough.
Is the NIT slipping away as well?
Tide may be without Tarrant, Obasahan, and Kessens at Miss.State...
The deal about coaching at Alabama is really pretty simple. You have to win, and win big. All the lip service we pay to graduation rates, character, and all those intangibles people like to babble on about really don't matter. I guess in some hypothetical world they could. That would be the day that the NCAA crowns a national champion based on academics and performance on the field. You know the day that Harvard beats Texas. Texas won the actual game 66-21, but because of the graduation success rate of Harvard they were awarded enough academic points to make the final score 68-66. Like that will ever happen, right? So I don't care how many Alabama players make academic All-America, we aren't really concerned. A coach can receive all the civic accolades possible, but if can't win and win big, no one really cares. So that is not only the first criteria, it is the only thing that matters in the end. Everything else is just window dressing to the masses of fans who demand winning.
Can't lose a remaining game...
We can't lose a game to Vandy, Mississippi State, or Auburn. That will be the kiss of death. Seriously, without a healthy Ricky Tarrant does anyone think we can win 8 games in a row? With a healthy Ricky Tarrant does anyone think we can win 8 games in a row? I don't. If we finish at 4-4 in the regular season I'd be satisfied. That would give us 18 wins going into the SEC season. Hope springs eternal in the hearts of Bama fans, me included. Every time I watch the Tide play that excitement is still felt. I know it's a fools paradise, but as Alabama fans it's all we have left.
The Good, the bad, and the ugly, and then some...
Levi Randolph, Rodney Cooper, Jimmie Taylor, and Ricky Tarrant have proven themselves. Each has done it in their own way. Taylor has some real offensive limitations but he is getting better. His defense is solid. Randolph is one of a kind. Rodney has very quietly had a good senior season. Ricky Tarrant is a great player. Riley Norris has been our best freshman. He shows a lot of court sense, and man does he play hard.
Unfortunately, Shannon Hale has been slow getting out of the gate. He's done better lately and his hard play helps. Justine Coleman has been a disappointment in the minds of many. He has one explosive game under this belt to tease us with his potential. He has far too many turnovers with sloppy passes, and gets himself trapped at bad times. He really hasn't gotten the playing time he needs to get better. Obasahan has been as good as his health has allowed him. I noticed in our win over Missouri he had double figures, several rebounds, a couple of steals, and assists. If he could get well it would make a huge difference in the way our team looks.
Michael Kessens has been out a season and it shows. He is slow, and appears to play very soft. He has trouble hanging on to the ball as well. He is a fair defender who is getting better.
I really don't think improved play by any player at this point will turn the Tide around. It might make us avoid a few bad games, and might change the outcome of a close game. The unavoidable truth is that Grant simply has not recruited enough talent to compete. We could all discuss a hundred reasons of why he hasn't done a good job. In a kind of irony, he really has done a decent job of coaching his very limited talent.
I think that Grant's support team was horrible. Lack of recognition for long time supporters, unreturned telephone calls were the norm, lack of assistance in getting tickets for road games. No one was ugly, but you get the feeling that a lot of those support staff people were just going to work, and had no real dedication for their work. Some staff was great and I give them props. I hope I'm wrong, and I am not going to mention names other than the head coach. He is aloof, cold, and impersonal. His demeanor is exactly the opposite of what basketball needs at Alabama. If Grant returns, and I've been told by enough people around the program to believe he is, I'll support the team next season like the 50 something seasons I've supported past teams. If Bill Battle gives him another year so be it. I don't believe that Battle was ever more than a temporary fix in the first place.
If Grant comes back it will not be pretty. Attendance will be dismal. A facility that is more no more than an over-sized Quonset hut will have no home court advantage. Alabama fans will not give anything to Grant until he shows that he is willing to give something back. Most fans I know say they think Grant is simply not involved with the fans. The Steely Dan approach has turned off a lot of fans. I'm not saying we go the Kiss route. But could you give us a little Bruce, you know, a man of the people?
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