TIDE FANS STAND TALL...

MOST BAMA FANS STAND TALL FOR AMERICAN VALUES...
Thank each of you so much for the message you spread ...

     

  Earlier one of our posters poised this question - Alabama is recruiting a Muslim, your thoughts? My answer is I sure hope he can shoot and rebound. My second thought was how sad someone has to take personal prejudice to a sports forum. I was so proud that almost everyone who replied to the question didn't take the bait. The last time I looked at the post I didn't see anyone who said we should not recruit him. Personally, I have several Muslim friends, one of whom saw his son give the ultimate sacrifice to the cause of freedom. 
      
     We've had several Muslim players in other sports here at the Capstone. We'll have many more as the Muslim population continues to grow.Remember the old story about Sam Cunningham doing more to integrate Alabama colleges than anything or anyone else could. Whether that's true or not I don't know. But I want to tell our posters how very proud I am to those who took the higher ground. It's hard to be open minded and have a big heart. Hatred is so easy. I will say this to all my Crimson brothers and sisters. The road to heaven isn't paved with hatred but is covered with love and understanding. I don't care if you are a Democrat, a Republican, or an Independent. Be whatever you want to be but don't spread your racial bigotry in the area of sports. And I might add anywhere else, but I know that is not possible. Haters have to hate. It's what they do. I know this is not a typical Crimson Hoops post. But the post to which I write about is not typical either. My faith requires me to answer. 

   When I told all of you guys that I was taking a coaching job, and you replied, I almost cried with your wishes of support. My beautiful wife, my anchor, said that it meant that the hundreds of posts I wrote meant something. I've paid for an expensive grammar program to help me with my shortcomings and my dyslexia. The program can help me with grammar. The dyslexia is here to stay. LOL. More than anything except my family, my faith, and my nation, I love Crimson Tide basketball. But all of those loves momentarily took a back seat to the response of my brothers in Crimson to that post which was nothing more than racism. You made me so proud to be a 'Bama fan. Some of us are misguided. Some of us understand.

      I have to admit that I am a bigot toward racial bigots. It is a weakness I fight daily to overcome. It is a hard to beat that feeling. But I try. I don't believe that Christ would support hatred toward any group or any race. Nor would the Buddha, who would tell us to find the Middle Way in such situation. And after long studies of Islam neither would the God of all Muslims support those feelings. By the way, the God of Abraham and God of Allah are the same God. Thank each and every one of you for making this a week of celebration and not of anger on my part. In love for our program, we will find unity. In unity, we will find success, and with the success, we can spread the message God wishes. Thank you for allowing me a departure from what I usually write. 

TIDE COMEBACK STUNS TENNESSEE

JOHNSON TO EDWARDS - I BROUGHT YOU HERE TO SHOOT THE BALL. "SHOOT THE BALL."

RILEY HAS 13 BOARDS
OBASAHAN RIPS 'VOLS DEFENSE 
HALE BREAKS SHOOTING SLUMP
 

   For over thirty minutes we looked like some junior varsity team with a losing record. When you get down thirteen points on your home floor it has been a miserable night. This wasn't like Kansas was playing in Coleman. Tennessee is a team that has a lot more questions than answer to their team. We didn't play defense, we couldn't drop a ball in the ocean standing on the beach, and the only thing missing were buzzards flying slow circles in the rafters of Coleman. 
 

   Then a complete reversal, the Tide ran off 14 straight points, and even when the Vols reclaimed a five point lead, the Tide found a little more energy to win 63-57. This was one ugly game for Bama until they their press dismantled the 'Volunteers. The Tiders, Retin Obasahan, Shanon Hale, and Riley Norris led the comeback. Obasahan looked like the Flash on steroids. He completely broke down the Vol Defense. Hale finally broke out of his shooting slump, and Riley, well, Riley pulled down thirteen rebounds and did all the gritty little dirty things a real baskeball player does to win. When the matter was at hand, Obasahan  caught Edwards on the line for a long distance basket. The Vols converged on Retin, and rather than force the issue,  he threw a pass to Edwards outside the arc. The senior dropped in a bomb. 


      The comeback was complete and the Tide stopped their losing streak. The Tide now stands at 11-8 and 2-5 in conference. Hopes of an NIT bid remain alive. I think the NCAA, as much as I'd like it to happen, is just to much a reach this season. Was isn't beyond the reach of this team is to help decide who goes dancing and who doesn't. Tip of the Hat to Donta Hall who showed Tide fans why he was recruited. Let's hope the big man goes from here to bigger and better things.

CAN TIDE GET OVER THE HUMP AGAINST TENNESSEEt

TIDE NEEDS A WIN AGAINST 'VOLS

TENNESSEE COMES TO TUSCALOOSA

   Alabama has lost two home games. Another home loss against a team they can beat will be a heavy blow for the season. You'd like to see this hard working team win some games. Surely, all this sweat will lead to a couple of nice wins before the season is over. Tennessee is one game the Tide cannot let slip away. If you have ever played on a team that loses a lot, it can be hard to break that cycle. The Crimson has now lost five of their last six games. The 'Vols are not a great team. They have played well and frankly have stunk the gym up on a few occasions. Like Alabama, the 'Vols are rebuilding. Under ex-Texas coach Rick Barnes, the 'Vols have made a significant monetary investment to bring them back to the glory years.

  I hate to use the overused cliche "make or break" a season, but this may be the case for Bama. Alabama fans have shown the good sense and loyalty on the Tide's road back to being a factor in SEC and NCAA basketball. A loss to Tennessee will virtually end any hope of the Tide making the NIT. Teams can get on a run and fool a lot of people, but I don't see the Tide getting a postseason bid.

   Under Grant, it seemed like we were always holding on.  We watched players leave the program like it was a bus stop. I think all that is over with Johnson. He is building a solid foundation for the future. Year three for Johnson will give us a more realistic view of where he can take this team.  I've seen a lot of games and have written hundreds of blogs about Alabama basketball. I'm tired of being average. It gets tiring to continue to pour your heart into average at a school where the average has never been acceptable. The other day I talked with a man wearing an Alabama tee shirt. He got around to telling me he didn't keep up our basketball program. He was a  football man. I told him he was a football fan but not an Alabama fan.  Alabama fans care about all their teams. He got pretty upset with me. 
Alabama fans demand a lot from our teams. We should all demand as much from ourselves. I've ridden this limp horse for ten years as a basketball fan. I am impressed with our loyal fans. I believe in the next three years we are going to rewarded for our loyalty. What do you think?

    

TIDE GIVES UP OFFENSIVE BOARD TO LOSE

TIDE COMES UP SHORT AGAIN....
Someone failed to block the shooter
Poor free throws hurt again




   

 Alabama is not a bad basketball team. It may very well be that Avery Johnson is getting all out of his talent he can. When a highly talented team such as LSU has to fight back to take a 72-70 win, you have to think you that Johnson is one heck of a coach. He is a great defensive coach. I know he wanted everyone to #buckleup for his offense, but it has been his defense that is winning games. The second thing you notice is that Alabama plays hard. They leave it on the floor. It breaks your heart to see kids with everything they have and still come up short. Like last season, the Tide is losing a lot of close games. The Tide ended that season with an 18-14 and 8-10 in the SEC. I'm looking at the remaining games, and it's difficult to find 18 wins. If anyone can do it, it will be Avery Johnson. One thing about this rendition of the Tide is they don't quit. Building for the future in basketball isn't about winning the first season. It's more about getting your players to build a foundation for the future. I have no doubt this is what Johnson is doing. 

      Tide needs some inside muscle and scoring. Jimmie Taylor can block shots. He can score a little, but he can't score enough to convince anyone he is going to beat you. Same with Michael Kessens. If you are a JUCO center, you can come to Alabama and play. If you are highly rated high school post player, you will play next season all you want. I don't knock Taylor. He is doing all he can do. Limited talent is what it is. I have to admit to being disappoint in MK. He still looks weak and is very unaggressive.  Neither of the two is precisely a rebounding monster. Taylor is disruptive inside. But he can't dominate the boards. Once again, Riley Norris was the Tide's leading rebounder. He had 10. Taylor and Kessens had a total of 3 each. Alabama won't and can't win with those numbers. 

     Retin Obasahan is doing all he can do. He has limits. LSU knew who the go-to guy was in the last minute on Saturday. The Tide needs to trust Norris or Edwards to do what they do best. That is shoot jump shots. I understand that Johnson wanted Retin to either score or go to the line. Alabama needs to find the necessary second alternative. To my way of thinking, it seems like we have two great outside shooters. I know that Coach Johnson is thinking about who that needs to.  Edwards seems cool and collected. Riley can get on a roll. Obasahan is also a good outside shooter. No fault in going with the collective wisdom of Bama's last two attempts. One thing that did concern me that Retin is not a great free throw shooter. He's around 66 percent. Given the same option, it might be acceptable to try Coleman on the floor at the same time.

       Tennessee comes to Coleman Coliseum on Tuesday night.  If Bama has any chances at a post season, we need to win the remaining home games. To to do that we need to rebound better. Kessens and Taylor need to have a talk with themselves about what they want to do with the rest of their careers. Better efforts from both would mean so much to the Tide.
   

       

Tide loses the free throw contest
Obasahan plays his heart out


 
     

Retin Obasahan was the man.
compl of RollTide.com

  Excuse me when I admit that basketball just isn't what it used to be?  At times, I hardly recognize the game I have followed for seven decades. Watching the never-ending free throw shooting exhibitions, just isn't basketball to me. I'm not trying to take anything away from Auburn. They won. They played hard. Last night had to be the worst officiating I've ever seen. It was horrible. The refs took the game out of the hands of the players. More often than not, basketball continues its long descent into whatever the NCAA wants it to be. When you can't touch a player with the ball, it isn't basketball. It would be like calling flag football real football. It's kind of like football. But it is not football. Basketball is not what it used to be.

      There is something inherently wrong whe68 free throws are attempted in a game. The number could have been higher if each team had made the first of one and one attempts. That means that almost two foul shots were shot per minute in the game. It also means that more than two fouls were called per minute.  There is something wrong when a touch is a foul. Just a touch, and I'm not talking about an obstruction. How can any game have any flow when the whistle blows twice a minute? One additional thing this new rule has done is allow much rougher play inside. For a short-handed lineup such as Alabama and Auburn, it can mean you lose before you even walk on the floor. Last night each team got the benefit from poor calls, or, even more, worse, the lack of calls. How can you call a foul for the defensive player touching an offensive player and then allow the offensive player to push off a defender?


      I thought there were three crucial plays in last nights game. First, was Jimmie Taylor getting a fifth foul 25 feet from the goal. Second, was the push off by Canty on Obasahan late. Canty hit a three when he should have been called for the push off. Third, was when Bowers clearly fouled a Bama shooter and then he literally shoves a Bama defender out of the way to get a rebound. Then the Bama player was called for the foul. That was just referee incompetence. I applaud Avery Johnson for not going ballistic at a key time of the game. I really wanted Avery to get a technical early in the second half when the officiating got out of hand. Perhaps, that might have given the officials a time to consider exactly what they were causing.


      Auburn played hard and won. I'm not taking anything away from the Tigers. Bruce Pearl did the best job of roster management. His substitution pattern killed the Tide. Fresh legs versus tired legs hurt. Nolan Richardson once said, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all." Johnson had his team ready. What Bama needs more than anything is on more go to man. Obasahan cannot do it all. He sure gave it a heck of an effort. If his work ethic spread to some other players, we might have a pretty good team. Watching Retin plays should inspire his teammates to step it up. I was proud of his effort. When Grant signed Obasahan people scoffed. They aren't doing that now.

       Bama was dealt a harsh hand with four of their first five games were on the road. I believe that the schedule might favor Alabama from this point. I believe any team in the SEC can beat the Tide, but Bama can beat anyone League as well.  I look for some big wins and some surprising losses. This season mirrors last season in the number of close games Alabama lost. Three of the four SEC losses were nail-biters.  Those lost games could have been wins, and the Tide would be 4-1 in league play.

     I thought Alabama did a decent job on Canty. He is a great talent. I also thought Retin played him as well as possible. He hit a few shots I'd let him shoot all night long. Last night they went in. The inside guys did a horrible job on Bowers. That was the difference. Letting Bowers get 18 rebounds was just too much to overcome.  Riley and Edwards were nonfactors in the game.  I thought our guard play was exceptional  and kept us in the game.  Alabama did a lot of good things. I thought that the Wimp Sanderson coaching style was key in this game. Let Canty have his points and try to shut everyone else down. We didn't do that. Now the Tide faces perhaps the most improved team of late, and arguably the best player in the NCAA.

Alabama heads to Auburn

Tide needs to play its best game

Smart guard play is big tonight

    I've had a lot of fun trips to Auburn in the winter. Alabama has had much success against Auburn over the years playing at Auburn. I have to admit to being somewhat surprised that a lot of Las Vegas betting houses have the Tide a 2.5 favorite over the Tigers tonight. Let's take a wild guess that tonight might be the most hostile place the Tide will play this season. Like it or not, the Tiger win over Kentucky was impressive. Kentucky is not anywhere near being a great team the season. Still, how do you just ignore the fact that the Tigers beat the Cats. Kentucky beat Alabama so hard it made ears ring. We beat them in football; they beat Kentucky, and now we get to play them. I'm not saying that Alabama can't beat Auburn. I am saying this is going to be tough. 
 

      To beat the Tigers, the Tide must control the backboards. The Tide needs to make their free throws. I bet Avery Johnson has stressed those two areas since the minute the game with Vanderbilt was over. I'm sure the Crimson has spent a lot of time practicing free throws. I don't know that. Two schools of thought exist about the terrible free throw shooting. One school says you practice your way out of the problem or the second school says to ignore it and don't make the problem become a psychological issue. If you play golf, and your putting goes south you understand what I mean. Which method that Avery Johnson chooses is up to him. It's not like he has to tell his team what the problem was in Nashville. It was a problem that had been sneaking up on the Tide already.

     I've always thought the main way you beat a team on the road is to have great players. When you lack a lot of great players, the fundamentals become even more imperative. That starts with rebounding and defense. Those are two areas that a team can be fairly consistent in executing. You might get beaten on the boards, but a strong effort makes a huge difference.  The second area is to take good shots. The Tide also needs smart play from the point guards. By smart, I mean take care of the ball, and keep your team from standing around. It's not an easy thing to do with 10,000 fans screaming. It's an odd thing; some players let the noise distract them, and other feed off the frenzy. The top tier players can do that. That's why the home court advantage in the NBA is much less a factor than in college. In the NBA, all players are top tier. 

     The talent between the two teams is even in my opinion. Alabama has been 

more consistent than the Tigers overall. Auburn has explosive play from the guards. Alabama's forwards are better in my opinion. Does Alabama go big? Tough question to answer in this game. I think the need to rebound the ball makes it more likely than not Coach Johnson that the Tide will go big. But I can see the value in having an extra ball handler on the floor. Rebound, protect the ball and take good shots will maximize Tides chances. Pearl has had more time to get his players in the Tiger program. Johnson hasn't had that luxury. Beyond the things I've already said, we need some outside shots to fall. We need to keep Jimmie Taylor in the game. Canty is going to get his points. Let him. Just keep everyone else under control. Johnson is soon going to understand just what this rivalry is all about isn't he?



      

FREE THROW SHOOTING DOOMS THE TIDE IN NASHVILLE...

TIDE CAN'T HOLD IT TOGETHER IN SECOND HALF


    There are times when you just have to scratch your head and say "what the heck." After playing a fine first half, the Crimson Tide took it to the outhouse for half number two.  It was like shooting even-par on the front nine and all double bogies on the back.  Particularly disappointing was our staff's inability to get Jimmie Taylor off the defensive perimeter. With Taylor switching screen out top, the Commodores got their big man back in the game, and could penetrate and dish outside to wide open shooters. We got schooled in the second half on both ends of the floor on Saturday. 
   

      As predicted, the Commodores shot a lot of free throws in the game. It was the number they shot in the first half that upset me. The Tide was horrible from the line, so, in the end, we beat ourselves when we had a chance to score some points. Instead, we missed so many free throws that Vandy started building its lead. The real problem was missing all those free throws at a time when the Tide suffered a complete meltdown of their offense. The bottom line was the Vandy stayed in the game by shooting 15 free throws in the first half. Alabama missed their chances in the second half and couldn't compete.

       Stallings coached a marvelous second half. The Vandy spacing around the three-point line was a teaching clinic. We got schooled on defense in the second half. The Commodores changed their offense in the second half. The forced Jimmie Taylor to come outside the paint on high screens. Bama chose to switch rather than have the guard fight through the screen.  Jones then drifted back into the lane and had a better second half. Credit to Jimmie Taylor is well deserved. He outplayed one of the best big men in the SEC. He even put in a right-handed shot. Free throws continue to be a dangerous adventure for the center. However, the second half was a different story.

    The Tide played great defense in the first half, and it was a one bucket game. The second half Bama came flat and were frustrated that Vandy covered the shooters on the wings. Our point guards just dribbled around in frustration. Shannon Hale had a nice first half with 11 points, but became upset with questionable fouls in the second half and lost his focus. It's fine to have emotions, but it's something else to be emotional. I don't disagree with some of the fouls called on him were questionable. But, that is basketball.  But you have to make free throws. College players should be able to make their free throws.

      You miss free throws for a lot of reasons. The main reason is poor fundamentals. You can't make line drive attempts to be successful. (Retin) You don't make free throws shooting what I have always called global rotation. (Taylor) It's hard to make free throws when you release the ball too high above your shooting line. (Hale). All of those things can be fixed. Another reason that teams miss three throws is fatigue. And we can't discount the lack of confidence. In summary, you don't make shots thrown at the basket. You make free throws by the old theory of "soft and sweet". And you have to tell a player you can't make free throws until we repair some broken fundaments. I'm surprised that a team doesn't just run in someone off the bench and foul Taylor every time he touches the ball. He can't make enough to matter. My old buddy, Joe Dean, suggested he shoot them the old Rick Barry method. It couldn't hurt.

      There were a few things to applaud. Hale played hard and seemed to be getting back into the game. Jimmy Taylor is getting better each game. Obasahan is playing so hard. Today when the Tide couldn't find a decent shot, he took the ball to the basket. Too much standing around on offense was due to Bama to solve the Vandy defense in the second half. Anthony Edwards dropped in four three-pointers late in the game. We need to run some set plays for Edwards and Riley.

     I'm sure some lessons were learned or taught. It is going to take time. Early on we said the Tide would win a few they shouldn't have, and lose some they could have won. We lost a game to Vandy and Ole Miss that we could have won. Earlier in the year, we said that Bama would win a few they shouldn't have won, and lose a few they could have won. I'd say we are right on track. Next stop? You know.