Search continues at the Final Four...

NOTHING PUBLIC AT THIS POINT

PITINO SAYS NO

AVERY  JOHNSON
NBA STAR AND COACH

     The Alabama coaching search continues. Richard Pitino let the Tide know he had no interest in the Alabama coaching position. I was of the opinion that he wouldn't have been a good fit for Alabama. So the search continues. My bet is that Battle goes to Final Four and takes his most trusted advisors and shake a lot of fans and rattles every bush he can find. My only other advice to Mr. Battle is to go down to the Piggly-Wiggly and get two large shopping bags. He then fills them up with 4-5 million dollars in cash while he talks with potential candidates. It's his best shot. I know that he has opened some of conversations with several individuals. The first two he contacted, Marshall and Pitino said no. Marshall wanted to stay home, and Pitinio was not willing to trade in the Big Ten for a middling SEC team. That's the national perception right now. That may be unfair. It might not be true. But it's who we are today. 

      I'm sure we'll have a new head coach by next week. National signing date is approaching, and Alabama's Mr. Basketball, Dazon Ingram is waiting to find out who the next coach in Tuscaloosa is going to be, if he honors his non-binding grant in aid to Alabama. That tells me the young man wants to come to Alabama. We wrote earlier this year that he wanted to play for Anthony Grant, and knew the coach was on the hot seat. Who can blame him for that?

     Of all the years to need a coach this is not the year to go look. So far there has been very limited turnover, and young up and comers have started to realize they make the Tournament in lesser conferences. It's pretty obvious that the upper tier schools in mid-majors can play against anyone. Gonzaga and Butler has proven that. I've seen San Diego State University play a few times this season and they are a good team. Better than Alabama for sure. The names of Prohm and White are good coaches. So is Archie Miller. There are a lot of good coaches out there. There just aren't many great ones.  To jump-start a program you need a great coach or one who becomes great, in a short period of time.  Maybe these guys can do it. I don't think Miller is interested and despite the close ties to Alabama, Prohm doesn't seem chomping at the bit to go Crimson.

     Maybe Battle and company have an ace up their sleeve we don't know about. Or maybe he's going on a big shopping spree this weekend. No one seems to know what plan C is. Plan B appeared to be Pitino. It seems that plan A and B didn't work.  I'd like to point out that almost all of coaches whose names have been mentioned in the print media are good ones. In the normal course of business they would be just fine. I just think we are not in the normal course right now. We have very little talent and the barbarians are literally at the gate. UAB and Auburn are about to make some big improvements. Today, it doesn't look like we have grand slam choice. Regardless of who ends up being coach he is looking at tough road next season. Maybe the new coach can bring in someone he's already recruiting or hit the JUCO ranks. The Tide is returning some solid players. A few key players can make Alabama a pretty good team.

     Let's assume that Battle is not dealing with a huge name. That seems to be the case. What are the options at that point. We could try a up and coming coach like we did with Grant There are several of those type guys. It's a tough league to break in a rookie coach, but not impossible. Battle could really blow off the doors with a choice like Avery Johnson. He was an NBA Coach of Year once. He's dynamic. He isn't dull in the least. He would not be intimidated sharing the stage with football. He has great NBA contacts. That can help sell the program to recruits exactly in the same manner as Saban. It doesn't concern me that he hasn't recruited for an NCAA team. He had to deal with pampered and spoiled brats in the NBA. I bet he'd do just fine. This is a tough decision for Battle. It seems his options are dropping out one by one. If we pick the old tried method of taking a young coach it might work. That wasn't Battle wanted to do. It goes against his own statement of what he desired in a way. If we want to draw attention to our program and make a statement I'd go with Avery Johnson. Anyone that is picked will have one thing in common - they were not Gregg Marshall. Johnson  would be stunning choice. It would be controversial pick. Could it be any worse than lately?