TIDE'S CHANCES FOR BUTLER RISE...

JARED BUTLER IS A KEEPER FOR SURE...

AAU SOURCES TELLS ME THAT BAMA LEADS

       Jared Butler has moved the University into the 'here's who you gotta beat' category. It's early, but I'd rather see Alabama named the top school of choice. Here's what is going happen next. Butler is going to see his stock rise. Right now he like Alabama, Texas, and Virgina. Those are top programs. Well, Alabama will be by season's end. It will be catch up for other schools, and those who will try to sign him because top programs want him.



        Wimp Sanderson said the best way to determine how good a recruit might be is to see who wants to him to sign. Not a bad way to get a feel for who's good. Everyone wants five-star recruits. We all have to keep in mind that those stars don't spell success. Trevor Releford was three-star recruit when colleges started recruiting him. He had a great senior season. The more schools that recruited him the higher his point-value became. He ended up as a four-star recruit. That's a big deal to fans. It probably was a big deal for Trevor. He ended up as a five-star player on the court. He carried Alabama a long way for a little point guard. When I say little, I mean size. If you measured his heart you couldn't fit him in the Coliseum. I will never forget the standing ovation he got from UCLA in Pauley Pavilion. Why am I talking about Releford? I think Butler may be a very similar player in terms of heart. 

   

    He finishes plays. He makes plays. He has court sense. He knows where he is and he knows where all the other players are as well. He understands without thinking where and what things will happen. It is a real gift. You develop it with practice, but it is an inherent thing. That is the reason why some players can make great plays. That is why Collin Sexton is so good. He knows where he is going and you don't. If something happens to deflect plan A he goes with plan B. He doesn't have to have a plan B in mind. Some players have that gift. Most don't. Riley Norris has it. That is why he makes so many hustle plays. I wonder whether Dazon Ingram does or not. His offense is so restricted because of the game plans he had to run. I'm betting he does and we'll see it very soon.

        . I like Butler a lot. We need him to continue this upward climb. One thing in the Tide's favor is he loves Coach Avery Johnson. He sees him as a path to NBA. They are both point guards. Birds of a feather?

WHERE IS ALL THE MEDIA COVERAGE FOR HOOPS?

NEWSPAPERS AND TELEVISION NEED TO STEP IT UP AS ALWAYS...


    I noticed this morning that my "dangerous site" protector or whatever it is called warned me that the entire Al.Com website contains things which might damage my computer. How funny is that? Can you remember when the Birmingham News and Birmingham Post-Herald actually had content worth reading? Years ago, on a radio show with Ron Ingram, I asked him how it felt to be in a dying industry? My speculation was that the internet was going to kill daily papers. The Post-Herald was the first to go. Now the Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times and the Mobile Press-Register are all the same publication with a front page designed for each city. (No opinion on the  Montgomery Press-Register. I don't read it)

    A lot of us can remember waking up and going outside to get the morning news. At first, it was wrapped with a rubber band and then it gave way to the ubiquitous plastic wrapper. Hey, if you live in the Deep South the morning dew is a like a rainstorm. At least the wrapper kept the sports section dry. You pick up your paper and head back to the kitchen to read and drink coffee. My first act was to find the sports page and throw the rest of the paper in my trash. 

    None of the paper's in the state were exactly bastions for good reading. The sports sections were excellent. Football was covered 12 months out of the year. Basketball was the red-headed step-child of the newspapers in those days. 
Basketball is still second fiddle to football. In Alabama, that will never change. What always upset me about reading the limited basketball coverage of the day was they had no idea what they were talking about. Someone told me my basketball blogs were the first attempt to cover hoops only. I don't doubt that for a moment even though "attempt" might be the operative words. At least someone was trying to write about basketball. It was wearisome to try to dig information out of the SID office. The Alabama SID does a much better job in providing information and I think RollTide.com is a great site. 

   While it was difficult getting information about basketball at first, a few coaches were very helpful. Wimp Sanderson and Dale Brown were great. Both appreciated my efforts to cover basketball. There were other coaches who were helpful as the years rolled by. I count dozens of assistant coaches as friends. They still give me information and insight to this very day. I got an email from an ex-Alabama assistant telling me how much he liked the story about Alabama's greatest player. He agreed with my choice from a historical precedent but said you would have gone with Leon. No argument on my part about that at all. 

   Dale Brown called me at work one day telling me how much he appreciated my defending him regarding Lester Earl. I took a hard line stance and publically called Earl a liar. The NCAA gave Earl immunity in their investigation and LSU got tapped by the infractions committee. Later, Earl publically apologized to LSU, Brown, and Johnny Jones for lying to the NCAA. It turned out that the NCAA told Lester Earl he would lose two years of eligibility if he didn't say what they wanted him to say about Brown. 

    It's no secret that I admired Wimp Sanderson. He was the greatest coach I've ever known. Had Sanderson coached at a big time program he would have been an all-timer. Let me correct that. He did coach at a big-time program. The Tide was not second rate to anyone during his tenure. C.M. made the Tide a great program, but Wimp kept it great. That is hard to do. I wish our younger fans could have known Johnny Dee, C.M. and Wimp. Those gentlemen gave Alabama its greatest period of glory. I believe Johnson might be added to that illustrious list in the future. 

WHO IS BAMA'S ALL TIME BEST PLAYER?

Impossible to decide, but some great memories in trying...



    Someone asked me the other day who was the best player I had seen at Alabama. That is an interesting question. How do you compare players in different eras? Perhaps the best way to select the 'best' is not to compare eras. I felt the best way to address the problem of eras was to compare each player with others he played against. In compiling this list I considered every Alabama player to make All-American. My focus was on career and not a single season. It is possible that many Alabama fans don't know my final choices. I'm sure that a lot of fans have never seen them play. That is a shame.  My final top three will say a lot about the history of Alabama basketball. There are a lot of really good players in all eras of 'Bama basketball, but the truly great players come from a different time. 

    To make my pick I considered several things. 1. How did he compare with other SEC players in his era? 2. What were his physical skills? 3. What about his stats? Were they significant to his era? 4. How much did he mean to his team? 5. What was his national reputation? Those were things I thought significant. There certainly may be other areas I should have considered. Here are some of the players considered:

1. Leon Douglas - (1972-76)The most significant recruit to ever sign with the University of Alabama. When 'Grandpa' picked the Tide it was the beginning of a new direction for Alabama and the next few years proved that true. The first time to I saw Douglas was his senior year in high school. A late friend of mine who coached at UCLA wanted to see him play.  I picked him up in Huntsville and we traveled Colbert County to watch him play. He didn't disappoint. When Douglas was introduced as a high school senior in Memorial Coliseum he received a five-minute ovation. The future was bright for 'Bama. Douglas was four-time All SEC player. Let that soak in for a minute. He wore #13. Unlucky for whoever he played. Douglas was three time All-American, including his Freshman year. 

2. Jerry Harper- was an All-American in 1955-56. Harper was one player who could play in any era and succeed. He was the best rebounder in Alabama history. The stats bear that out. If the opponent missed a shot, Harper got it. If Alabama missed a shot, Harper got it.

    Harper was a consummate competitor. They called him Moose. He was 6-8 in a time frame when that was big. He holds the record for most rebounds in a single game (33), the most rebounds in a season (517) and career rebounds (1688). If you want to talk about records that may never be broken you have exhibit one. It is difficult to understand just how dominate Harper was at Alabama. If you look closely at the photo to your left you can see that Harper is above the rim. You couldn't outwork him, you couldn't get around him when he blocked you out. If the ball was in the air then Harper was going to get it most of the time. He also was a dynamic offensive player. He got a lot of offensive rebounds and put backs.

3. Reggie King - Made All-American in 1976,77, and 78.  He is one of only two Alabama players who made All-America three times.  King was unstoppable once he got the ball in the low post. King was only 6-6 but he was a load. He may have been the strongest player ever to lace 'em up at the Capstone. I introduced my daughter to Reggie when she was two years old. I asked her who he was, she replied, "the mule." He had a kind disposition off the floor but was the enforcer on the floor. King played in an era where basketball was a rough game played by men. There was none of that outside shooting. The game was about one thing between 1976 to 1978. Get the ball to Reginald. King is the only Alabama player to score more than 2000 points and 1000 rebounds. King had a world class Afro which he loved to show off. He played for Kansas City and Seattle in the NBA. His inside power game was evident in the NBA just like it was at Alabama. I think it is fair to say that King was on the All-Time favorite list with Tide fans. He certainly is on mine. If you talk about all time greats King has to be in the conversation.

     I'm sure that each of you have your own idea of who the best really might be. I am sure that anyone mentioned is worthy of consideration. Remember that my list was weighed heavily on career and not a single season. 

     To name a best is very hard when you have watch Alabama basketball for over six decades. I started watching Alabama basketball in the 1950's. I still watch it in 2017. That is a considerable stretch of time. I've watched Alabama play in Tuscaloosa. I've watched them play in Japan. I hope to watch them in Canada very soon. To pick the best is impossible. Jerry Harper was my first basketball idol. He talked to me once when I was a kid. I was hooked on Alabama basketball forever after that conversation. Leon Douglas was the first big time recruit that Alabama signed. Everyone wanted Douglas. C.M. Newton convinced him to come to Alabama and create a program. He did. You cannot minimize the importance of Leon Douglas.  Reginald King was the toughest player I've ever seen. Reggie could bring a knife to a gun fight and win. He owned the paint like no player who has ever played at Alabama except one player. That man was Jerry Harper. If only one player could be the best it was Harper. He was the best player I've ever seen. 

   For everyone that didn't have a chance to see Jerry Harper you missed a great player. If you saw Douglas and King play it was a wonder to behold. Roll Tide and thank you for the memories.

Great food at fair prices.
Shades Crest Road
Hoover, Alabama 

WILL TIDE RECRUIT WKU MITCHELL ROBINSON

RICK STANSBURY LOSES HIS BIG PRIZE...

   

Rumors will fly over Robinson leaving

 Robinson was committed to Texas A&M. It was a huge get for the Aggies. The 6-11 center was a five-star high school prospect. The basketball world was surprised when Robinson changed his mind and decided that he'd attend Western Kentucky. Rick Stansbury had put his considerable recruiting skills to work to land the big man. 

   Now, the big man has changed his mind. He will ask WKU for a release to let him sign with another school. It is unknown whether the University will grant that release. Now speculation has started about where the highly coveted recruit might land.  The question in the mind of Alabama fans is whether or not the Avery Johnson and company will recruit the Robinson. Despite the fact that the Tide has two outstanding post players it is likely the Tide will give it a shot. 

   This is the provenance that Johnson brings with his own art of recruiting. I'll have more news soon. Four schools have been prominently mentioned already. Texa A&M is rumored to be involved again. LSU will try to persuade the young man to return to Louisiana. Big Ten Ohio State will try to woo the Robinson to Columbus. Florida has also been mentioned. If WKU doesn't grant a release several other schools will come calling. Alabama is in this group. Don't count Alabama out of the fray in the future.

NEED A COUPLE OF WRITERS FOR THE SITE...

     Hey Guys, I am seriously looking a couple of people to write basketball on Crimson Hoops. The pay is ZERO. Same as I am getting, although I am trying to do AdSense to take in a few bucks. You get a buy line, photo, and all you do is send it to me.

I put in the photos. I do the headline, although you can suggest one. I want to do this for a couple of more years and then stop. I've been doing this for almost 20 years and want to find someone to take up the site. Thanks, and Roll Tide. And for all my Auburn friends that say something should be said about AU hoops - find an honest coach.

HOW GOOD CAN IT BE FOR THE TIDE?

Robert Woodward update: Stay tuned...

 

63 years of watching
Tide Hoops

     One of the greatest things about an impending basketball season is the speculation of “just how good can we be.”  I love it.  It is fun to try to put together the known and the unknown. How are the freshmen going to meld with our veterans?  How much have the lettermen improved? Who is going to start and who is going ride the pine? In a week or so we will start to see the answers. Today, let’s just speculate guesstimate a few things.

Who is going to start?

     This is the one that inquiring minds want to know. First, Alabama has a lot of talent. Some of it is experienced and some are not. But even the freshmen have a lot of game experience because of the AAU summer circuits. When you have played 50 AAU games over a three-year period against other top recruits you have some idea of what it is like to play Division 1 competition. Here are the likely suspects:

Riley Norris – A true senior. A perfect number six man off the bench. He is a good all-around player. He can shoot, has learned to take it to the basket, and is a fierce rebounder. I think that Norris has been the best player on the floor in the Johnson era. He has contagious spirit and his teammates love him. He may start just to give the team some cohesion.

Don’ta Hall – The big boat inside. If you shoot it inside you must get around Hall. That is not an easy task. Not only does he block shots, he alters a lot more. A defensive force inside. He improved a lot on the offensive end last season, and word from the grapevine is he has improved even more. A better than an average player. The coaches have been trying to get him to block shots ala, Bill Russell. 

Dazon Ingram – Last season was a good one after sitting out a year with a medical redshirt. The end of the season was a great one. Ingram rose to the top of his considerable game in the SEC Tournament and gave us all a glimpse of this future. So now we get to speculate about the point guard 'battle' with freshman Collin Sexton. Perhaps Johnson has a surprise for us. I'm betting he does.

Braxton Key - He is a lot like Riley Norris. Solid in fundaments and is poised to have a big sophomore year. A little unfair to the burden of the go to guy as a freshman. No way he doesn't start for the Tide. Key is an important player for the Tide. Word has it that Key has made some big strides over the summer.

Armond Davis toyed around with transferring last season. He decided to stay and don't think for a minute that Johnson didn't explain his role this season. Davis must have liked what he heard. If Davis can find his outside shot he will contribute. It will likely be off the bench. Davis had a couple of big games down the stretch for the Tide. 

John Petty is an odds-on favorite to start. The question is will Johnson play three guards? Petty is the poster-child for down town Freddie Brown shooting. He has the range to be a big time scorer. He can also take it inside for some slams. He needs a little weight and strength to become a one and done. I'd say he may stay for two before he is through.

Collin Sexton is the most dynamic player I've seen as a Tide player in the 63 years of watching the Tide play Basketball. He is faster than any player on the floor. He is quicker than any player on the floor. He is the best open court player on the floor. He is 6-3 and has length. He is the best assist man on the floor. Any weakness? His outside shot needs to get better. One and done. Watch him while you can. The team 'buckle up' was made for him. One more thing. He can bring the verbal heat and back it up. 

Daniel Giddens is going to play and play well. He is more rounded than Hall and I've love to see both big men at the same time. He was a top prospect in High School. He has seen the hoop-wars in the classy Big Ten.

Avery Johnson, Jr. has earned some time on the floor. Not because he is the coaches son but he is drop dead good. He is a good outside shooter and drives inside with surprising ease. He is also a good defensive player as well. 

    Those nine will see the bulk of playing time. This is about as good as you can get. Check this out - Everyone of those eight are four and five-star players. The future for Tide basketball has arrived. So who starts? It depends. The Tide can play big or small. They can dominate the glass and then run like the wind. They can play two point guards. You put two great ball handlers in the game and you are going to do some remarkable things. In my way of looking at things here are our starters.

Collin Sexton is a sure fire starter.
Dazon Ingram will start.
Don'ta Hall will be one of the first five
Braxton Key earns a starting role. 
I'm projecting John Petty as a starter, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is Riley Norris with Petty coming off the bench as a shooting guard or small forward.

These nine will be our rotation. How long has it been since the Tide had had this much talent on the floor and off the bench?  Perhaps never?

Would you like to write some articles for Crimson Hoops? Let me know on TiderInsider.
BREAKING NEWS: TIDE COACHES ARE EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH HERB JONES SO FAR...

Is Robert Woodward close to committing to 'Bama? More news coming later next week. The shooting guard is a five-star prospect and 'Bama is very high on his list...

HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE JULY REPORT

TIDE STALKING SOME GREAT PLAYERS...

Coach Pettway brings them in for Tide

      If recruiting is the lifeblood of college basketball then the Crimson Tide is on their way to the bloodbank once again. My sources (AAU coaches, NCAA coaches, high school coaches, and big time followers in the know) tell me that Alabama is on the cusp of signing another killer class. Who are these guys? Here are three of the players the Tide is targeting. We will have more later.
 

1. Javian Fleming from Clinton High School in Canton, Ms. is high on the Tide. He is a three or four star power forward, who can also post up like a center. He is 6-9 and weighs about 235 lbs. Fleming is Mississippi State's main target in state this season. Right now my sources tell me it is Alabama and Mississippi State who are likely to be down to the wire. LSU seems to have lost ground and at the moment Auburn has fallen off his radar. Fleming has reportedly received 38 offers from Division One Schools. How likely is he to get a fifth star? It is possible but I think it is probably he will solidify his four star ranking. Bama's interest is very high. Antoine Pettway is after him.

2. Will Richardson is another one of those red-hot Georgia guard prospects. He is 6-4 and tips the scales at muscular 175. He is deadly from the arc. He has offers from over 20 schools including most of the SEC schools. If he could sign tomorrow I'd say he is Bama's to lose. Richardson can also take it to the rack to augment his outside shooting. He plays at Midway High School in Hinesville, Georgia. Here's the deal with Will. Georgia was a solid favorite a month ago. The Tide has evened the race and seems to have an inside track. I think he will go with Bama, but would not stunned if he chose to stay at home with the Dawgs. He is very impressed with the Alabama staff. What Mama says will go a long way. He is another of Pettway's finds. 

3. Kira Lewis is someone the Tide wants. Alabama is not at the top of his wish list right now, but it appears some progress is being made. Lewis is from Hazel Green High School in Alabama. He is 6-4 which is tall for a point. He weighs 175. If Alabama could sign Lewis and Richardson it would be a more than solid backcourt for the Tide over the next four season. Lewis has offers from Bama, Vandy, and Auburn confirmed. When asked about his talent level, the unabashed Lewis replied, "I'm sensational." Lewis is high on Avery Johnson and what he is doing to the Tide basketaball culture. "He backs up his statements with great recruits," is how Lewis described the Johnson's progress.


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TIDE MAY HAVE THE BEST BACK COURT IN SEC THIS SEASON

  Petty and Sexton put Tide in Rarefied Air...

    Is this really possible? John Calipari said that when you sign two legitimate five-star players at the one and two, you have a chance to win your league. He should know. The talent merry go round known as Kentucky basketball recruiting  shows that you can win with freshmen and you can think big while you do it. I remember listening to Dick Vitale holding Court at an NCAA Final Four. Vitale said, "If you have a great point guard,  a super shooter, an aircraft carrier in the paint, and two other solid players you can beat anyone." Alabama can serve that menu up. They have two good big men in Hall and Giddens. Braxton Key, Riley Norris, and Dazon Ingram are more than solid in my opinion. Then you have Petty and Sexton. Write this down - all that talent is going to be fatal to a lot of teams. 

HOW GOOD ARE THE NEW PLAYERS?

 

       They are good. They are very good. The Tide has six new players ready to play this season. Petty and Sexton get the bulk of attention, but you shouldn't ignore the others. 

• Daniel Giddens is is the 6-10 transfer from Ohio State. He was a four star high school star. Word is that he know weighs almost 250 pounds. It's muscle and not body fat. Giddens was thrown in a sinking Ohio State program before he transferred. He is a much better offensive player that Hall, but is more than solid on the glass. Alabama now has two battle worthy big men inside. This will allow each to be more aggressive on defense. Jimmy Taylor gave the Tide some inside scoring last season but look for more from the post this season. Pre-Season Grade: B
• Alex Reese is a 6-9 small forward.  He is a good ball handler but needs some additional strength.  A Top 100 high School prospect and is versatile. Johnson is going to find a position for him to play. He probably could use a red shirt year to get stronger. He has outstanding court sense is a good all around player. Reese will not start this season, but is a perfect player to come off the bench due to his versatility. Pre-Season Grade: B
• Herb Jones is from Greensboro, Alabama is one of those players who could turn into a star. He is 6-7 and weighs 205 lbs. Jones was a three time All State player and was the AAAA Player of the Years. He had a stellar AAU year which excelled him to #71 high school prospect in the nation. I think he has a high ceiling and is perhaps the most solid player in fundamentals I have seen in a decade. He will hopefully be red shirted, but he is too goo not play. Johnson as some tough decisions to make with Herb. Pre-Season Grade: B
• Galin Smith is a 6-9 225 pound center from Mississippi powerhouse Clinton High School in Clinton, Ms. He was the number two prospect in Mississippi accoriding to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.  Most people project him to be red shirted this season because Giddens and Hall are available. He could use a season to gain some power. A raw prospect with a big upside according to those in the know. 

Tide has some questions, but also some answers as well...

Alabama goes into the new season with more talent and a lot of expectations. Tide fans have reason to be full of hope and a realistic belief that an NCAA bid is at hand. It is always wise to temper expectations with patience, but it appears that all the pieces are there to have a big season. Can Tide coaches find exactly where those pieces fit? If they can there is good reason to think this will be a much better season than years one and two of the Johnson era. Year three of Avery Johnson’s “buckle-up” is upon us and the excitement level is growing. Ticket sales are soaring. 

WHO PLAYS THE POINT?

The most obvious question is who will play the point guard. Dazon Ingram finished last season with strong performances. He was a good as anyone in the SEC at the point by last season’s end. How does Johnson reconcile the need to keep his best backcourt play, and team leader, in the lineup with Colin Sexton on board? Johnson will need to find a way to keep both of these players in the lineup. Ingram’s outside shooting improved to a point that it isn’t inconceivable that Ingram slides over the two. What does ‘Bama do with John Petty if that occurs? Petty can play the small forward, but his outside shooting is what separates him from most other players his size.

TALENT ABOUNDS AT ALL POSITIONS…

In my mind, I think there is a lot of strength in a line up that starts Ingram, Sexton, Petty, Hall/Giddens, and Braxton Key. The would move Riley Norris to the number six man coming off the bench. That might be a perfect fit for Norris who could play that John Havelecek role perfectly. You can’t overlook the play of Norris, who might have been the Tide’s most valuable player last season. One thing that Norris brings to the game is an great understanding of the game of basketball. He is a good shooter, a better than average rebounder, and seems to have a nose for big plays. He is a fourth year senior. He brings big time leadership to the floor.

HOW DOES DAVIS FIT IN THE SCHEME…

Armond Davis is back

What does Johnson do with Armond Davis? Davis was not exactly what Tide fans had hoped to see last year. He got better. He started to take the ball to the paint with surprising success. His outside shooting was streaky. In all honesty, every outside shooter is streaky. But Davis didn’t quit. He could have transferred but he came back. That tells me that Johnson already has some defined role in mind for Davis. When the Tide needs an extra three point shooter on the floor Davis would be better than average. One thing I like about Davis is he wants the ball in his hands for the big shot. You always need someone who wants the ball in his hands when the game is on the line.

BRAXTON KEY IS INDEED KEY…

Key comes back for another season...

When Braxton Key announced his intent to enter the NBA draft most people scratched their heads. Key to the NBA? What is he thinking? Last season, Key became the go to guy for the Tide, and frankly, he wasn’t ready for the job. No doubt, he can become that guy with a season under his belt. More than anything Braxton Key shows the Tide has a bounty of talent. Alabama will have Key in the lineup and he will play a major role in the Tide’s plans this year. He was an All-Freshman selection in the SEC last year, and I’d think he might find himself on some All-SEC teams this season.

What I like about Key is he is a kind of throw back player. He is not always flashy. He just gets the job done. He is a better than expected perimeter shooter, and is competitive in the paint. He makes good passes, and he plays hard on defense. He had the most memorable shot last season. With time running out on the shot clock, Key jumped on the floor to gather up a loose ball. He then shot from his knees and made the basket. When Key and Riley are in the game the Tide seems to settle down and play better on offense. That’s a something that players who have great fundamentals brings to the game.

OPEN UP THE FLOOR…

     Alabama needs to open up the floor to score more. Whether that means running the break, (which will be a mainstay in the Tide offense this season) or finding some room in the in the half court offense. Expect that to happen with a player like Sexton. I wonder if he knows where he is headed sometimes. Add that mix Dazon Ingram who can simply overpower smaller guards and Bama should score often, very often. My expectations is the Tide will average 75 points plus per game.

DOUBLE DUTY AT THE POINT?

    Sexton and Ingram can both penetrate and dish out to the perimeter. When you have guards that can shoot it outside you are going to open a lot of doors to score. Keep in mind that when that penetration occurs the defense will collapse. When the pitch out occurs, defenders will turn their backs to the basket and try to get outside. Look for Hall and Giddens to get a lot of offensive rebounds. Avery Johnson has some formible players. There are some big-time opponents on the Tide schedule, and don't think for one moment that Alabama isn't a big time opponent for everyone they face. This could be a defining season for Johnson and his team. They have superstar freshmen. They have experience veterens. The coaching staff is steller. The table is set for an NCAA Tournament bid, and perhaps more. 

    The Tide as a favorable schedule in the SEC. I think it is possible, although not likely, the Tide could win each of their home SEC games. Look for this team to win some big ones on the road. If this teams wins 25 games I wouldn't be surprised. It all depends on chemistry. If Johnson and coaches can punch the right buttons to find some cohesiveness on offense the sky may be the limit. Alabama has proven they not only play defensve, they seem to enjoy it. My general rule is to take things in stride and not get ahead of yourself. This team is the exception that proves the general rule. I'm ready. Roll Tide Roll