THE GEORGIA GAME...

FREE THROW HELL...

Cooper returns to life...

    I'm not sure I've ever seen a game where so many free throws were attempted. It beat Alabama. If someone said we held Georgia to only four field goals in the second half I'd wonder how bad we beat them. How bad was the officiating? The worst I've ever seen. It was the equivalent of touch football. The very essence of basketball is being washed away under a constant ringing of whistles. Alabama and Georgia combined for a total of 67 free throws. The Bulldogs shot 44. That was 21 more than Alabama. That is a joke. It's a really bad joke. It was also the longest basketball game I've ever watched. It is causing a exciting non-stop game to turn into who wins by making the most free throws.
  

     In the past I've argued that the SEC home office needs to step in and do something about the number of free throws a home team shoots. We hold Georgia to 32.6% shooting. If Alabama had made everyone of their missed free throws they would have lost. Officiating operates on the 'juice' theory. You have juice at home and you have juice reflective how big your name is as a coach. Officials can scream bloody murder that that's just the truth. What does that tell about our coach? Maybe he needs a few technicals thrown his way for throwing a few chairs the other way on bad calls. Something. Anything to let the officials know that he isn't bronze casting on the sidelines.  When I officiated there were a couple of coaches who asked me to throw them out. No problem.

     I guess the point I'm trying to make is that our coach needs to do something outside the box to excite his fan base and his team. The program under Grant has taken a huge step backwards. We don't even have a big man who can catch the ball half the time. I like Nick Jacobs when he catches the ball.  Do you realize how bad we'd be getting beat without Releford? I can't even imagine the level of bad we'd be. What a nifty little player. A point guard can't win games by himself. A point might lose a game  for you, but seldom can a pg do enough by himself to win. Against the Dawgs we played Jacobs and Taylor for a total of 21 minutes. The Swede had 12. Grant has given up using his big men because they aren't effective. It's not from lack  of effort. Those guys give it all they have. The heart is willing but the talent is so thin. I do strongly disagree with Grant for not letting Taylor get more minutes. At least let the kid get some experience. He might be the future of the Tide's inside game. Carl isn't. What Grant is doing is giving up on the interior game. (not to say I blame him in some ways) Instead he's putting ball handlers and defenders on the floor to keep the game close. It's really his only option in my opinion. We are likely to win that way than any other way. No one has beaten us more that 10. A good shooting night might win one of those close games.

     I really like Hale in the lineup. He has some massive upside.  He is going to make some freshman mistakes but what  does it matter. It was good to see Cooper play well. That will help in the future. Let's post Hale up high. Let's get Cooper somewhere he can swing inside and out. Let's let Releford and Obasahan play together. it would allow Trevor to play the two a little more. Let's just forgo Jacobs and Enstrom for a while. Let's send five players to the defensive glass. Or at least let's get four in the paint. Grant is trying to find a five that can play together.So far he's come up empty. Coach, let's get outside the box and see what happens.

Question of the Day - Assume that Alabama let's Grant go at the end of the season or next.  Will Bama pay 5 million a year to get a big name coach?

Question number two - Should Bama give Pollard another chance?