LEE CHOOSES UAB OVER ALABAMA...

YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER WHAT IT MEANS...

Fans are getting anxious about our program

     I thought that William Lee might go to SMU. Never in a million years did I think he would choose UAB over Alabama.  When a player of his calibre chooses a program like UAB over the Crimson Tide you have to give some serious thought about what it means to the long term success of our program. If you can't recruit the William Lee's in our state you are in trouble. If Lee was from Georgia I wouldn't give it a second thought. If you can't outrecruit you instate rivals that's bad.

      As you know, I've been a Grant man before we even hired him. The story of my radio shows and blogs supporting Grant to replace Gottfried started before there was any real talk about MG leaving. I was convinced that Grant was the man to run our program. Overall, I think our Coach has done a good job, but like many of you, I'm not satisfied with where we are. The question of where we are is not relevant in my mind.at this time.  It is what it is. For better or worse we find ourselves in a tough league with a lack of talent in the paint to make it to the NCAA. Geez, I hope we do make it there. The real question is whether we are going to be better in the future. I'm going to give that some real thought in the next few weeks. I've chosen at every turn to give the head man the benefit of the doubt. He's had more bad luck than any man deserves. He runs a clean program. He is a strict disciplinarian. And I've always thought he was a good coach and human being. We'll do okay by seasons end. Is okay enough? No, I don't think okay will cut it anymore. A lot  of Alabama fas wanted Grant pack and leave after last season. I wasn't in that  group.

When we hired the coach...

     When we hired our coach I sincerely believed that he was the man to get us back to the CM and Wimp days - those were the salad days of Alabama basketball. I wish to make one thing clear. My loyalty is to the program and not to the man. Am I ready to give up on Grant? Not yet, But I'm ready enough for some real concern about the program's future. Let's be clear - losing Lee is not the end of the world, but there is something very unsettling about a kid choosing another in state program like UAB. Nothing against UAB. I go to some UAB games. I support them as an occasional fan. Never in my lifetime could I think that any player would pick  UAB over Alabama in any sport.

Five seasons is enough to make a decision about what is going on in the program in my opinion...

     I said that it would take Coach Grant five seasons to put the pieces back together. Here we are. This was the season that I thought we'd have some real progress. And I'm not saying it's impossible to have a fine year. Grant is certainly capable of putting together a good season with his coaching. Something is missing with what is going on or perhaps not going on in our program. We are a fine University with a proud basketball tradition even if most don't know or care. I'm really addressing this to our fan base. The ones who support Alabama live or die. I would like to see some real progress this season. We have a good bunch coming in next season even without Lee. The sun doesn't rise or fall with William Lee. Consider this  though - why would Lee, a good inside player, pass up a better program that needs big men? The answer may well be that he knows how good Kessons and Taylor are going to be by next season.  Kessons is going to be a prayer answered in my opinion. But I don't think that's the reason he chose UAB. Our fans owe the coach a great deal in terms of supporting his effort. But let me tell you this and I'm not beating around the baseline when I say it - the coach owes the fans even more. He owes us his effort, his recognition of our support, and he should always remember that. He works for us. We pay taxes for his pay check. I'm more than satisfied with the effort. I'd be lying if I said that where we headed in the future is not a worry.

Program needs our help...

      Let's give the program  our full support this season. Perhaps the next as well. If things aren't getting better next season Bill Battle could be forced to make a change. He didn't hire Grant and it's hard to judge how much loyalty he has. I'd cry like a baby if Grant doesn't succeed at Alabama.  But I'll be first in line to suggest we replace him when I believe the day comes to find another coach. I'm making a list and checking it twice with the names of basketball coaches. The name at the top is Anthony Grant right now. However; coach as had long enough to get his house in order. It is time for some real results. Tomorrow night

we play Texas Tech. Let' pack the house. This team really needs a home court advantage. I hope we can bring out of what a friend of mine calls .sustained mediocrity.' So to all our readers who think I blindly support Anthony Grant you are wrong. I do blindly support Alabama. All this has been difficult for me to acknowledge. Fans vote with their feet. The vote with their opinion and their postings. This morning I posted a queston on TiderInsider. "Assume Alabama does not make the NCAA the season should Grant be given another year?" I'd say 75% said no. That's not good.Several fans laid out reasons why Grant is where he is. None as what I'd call wholehearted support. One fan said it depended on who was available. I took that one as saying if we can find a better coach he should go. If not, let him stay. What we witnessed in the Oklahoma game was scary. I know we'll do better if we can find a way to keepTrevor in the lineup, and Levi gets back in shape. Perhpas our players can adapt to this new rule and at least stay on the floor. I do think that our primary offensive weapon which is our defense is gone. Those days are over. It may be the wussifiction of basketball but it's here.  I'm going to very interesting to see what Grant can do about this. One thing is for sure -  we better make 75% of our free throws and find an inside game where apparently the officials haven't figured out to implement the new rule. We better have multidimensional players but some people are going foul out. Now Grant can lay to rest all the people who say he can't coach. He better coach his butt off or we are in for one horrible season. I was watching LSU and couldn't help but think just how much they might beat us. Grant seems to fnd a way to get the most out of his players at the worst times. Let's hope that trend continues.

Good signing class will help next season since these kids can play offense...

   On the positive side we did have another top 25 signing class (Lee would have moved us into a top 10 class).  If you look at the best ratings for Coleman, Norris, and Mitchell all are ranked as four stars in at least one publication. All three can shoot the lights out from the outside. Coleman is going to be a great college point guard. Norris was down to 'Bama and Florida. That's pretty high cotton. Mitchell is a deadly shooter and turned down several SEC schools, a couple of ACC schools, and Wichita State if reports are correct. Great players bring high expectations. The potential is there this season and could be better next year.  I believe a lot better next season, in fact.  Remember what Charlie Brown said about potential? Grant has a lot to live up to at the Capstone. Expectations are always in the clouds if you follow the Crimson and White. I do know one thing - there are reasons that Alabama hasn't been able to improve much under Grant. Reasons should never be confused with excuses. I wonder if I personally have taken excuses and turned  them into reasons why Coach Grant hasn't done what he said when he took the job. Perhaps all the hard work I did to push Grant in the media and on the radio caused caused me to become nonobjective.  That won't happen in the future. Things happen to cause you reevaluate. It did to me recently. It was almost like a slap in the face so to speak.

       Bama plays Texas Tech on Thursday night. They are once again heavy favorites. Tech is coached by Tubby Smith now. He is a veteren of many SEC wars. He'll be ready. The line is 10.5. I hope Bama can find some inside game to compliment Releford. A loss would be really bad for the team. A bad start can deny the Tide a berth to the NCAA like last season.





Incidently, our LA apartment has two bedrooms. We'll be there for the UCLA game. And we'll be there in case Bama plays in Pasadena. If you are interested in a place to stay let me know.