Releford to planet earth...

TR lets one fly into orbit...
An end to a wonderful day in Tuscaloosa



Tuscaloosa (Al) ... 

     It was a perfect day in Tuscaloosa. Before the day was over the sell out crowd watched hundreds of Ex-Alabama basketball players, staff, and coaches were honored as the University celebrated its 100th year of roundball history. Alabama would honor two seniors who will not return, and won an exciting game over Georgia 61-58. That win helped Alabama  finish second in the SEC, keep their NCAA hopes alive, and put them in the double bye round of next weeks SEC Tournament in Nashville. How much better could it get? The answer was a whole lot more. After Georgia had reduced a 17 point Tide lead to even, and was ready to shoot the final shot of the game, history broke out in Coleman Coliseum. Nick Jacobs and Rodney Cooper spoiled the final Georiga shot to win and overtime was just around the corner. Only it never happened. Instead, Trevor Releford picked up a tipped ball from Cooper and took a couple of dribbles and let a shot fly from 50 feet. 



     The shot seemed to be launched from a Saturn Rocket. Takeoff was perfect, the in-flight trajectory was A-OK, and the landing was beyond description. Releford's desperation shot with time expiring was nothing but "string music". With the basket the Tide broke Georgia's heart  61-58, and landed the Crimson into a second bye round in the SEC. Oh yeah, it was also the finish of one of the greatest days that Coleman Coliseum will ever see. Hundreds of ex-Tide players, coaches, managers, and support staff were there to honor 100 years of Alabama basketball history. And were they ever treated to a special ending.

 

        I think that Trevor Releford stepped up on a platform with Glenn Garrett, Elliott Washington, and George Linn. They now have company. Four players in four different eras created basketball magic. George Linn made a shot from 84 feet 11 inches against North Carolina in 1955. It was a last moment shot before halftime. It stood as the longest shot in college basketball for decades. Glenn Garrett was an inside banger. His designed shooting range was always around the basket. But in Alabama's first trip to the NIT Garrett found himself in the unfortunate position of having to make a 15ft jump shot to beat Manhattan. He made it as the Tide beat the Jaspers 87-86.  Elliott Washington made a 12 foot jump shot to beat Arkansas in one of the biggest wins in Alabama history. I suspect Trevor Releford made what will hereafter be known as "the shot". It couldn't have happened to better player. Releford played an astounding game even had he not make the that last shot. It was a marvelous moment. It gave Alabama its third straight 20 win season. That hasn't happened since 1991. All in all it took a 100 to 1 shot to formally crown Alabama's 100th Basketball Anniversary.

 

It's Georgia at Alabama...
Bama's last gasp at NCAA ...

      The Crimson Tide is fighting for its NCAA Tournament life, and today at 3PM in Coleman Coliseum we'll find out if they are still alive. Alabama is also fighting to retain its second place standing in the SEC Official Standings. There's a wreck at the top for second place with four teams tied. Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, and Ole Miss are fight to stay second and fighting to get the second seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament in Nashville. The trournament starts next week. Let's take a look at the possibilities. Right now a four way tie for second would give Tide a most unwanted 5th seed. Big games to watch today or Florida at Kentucky, Ole Miss at LSU, and MIssouri travels to Knoxville, and Georgia come to Coleman. What a great final weekend for the SEC. Florida has nailed down the top spot. The Gators have seemed to be head and shoulders above the remainder of the SEC. Can they knock of Kentucky at Rupp? If so, the Wildcats are likely NIT bound. LSU is hosting hated Ole Miss. That is a rivalry that has some bitter blood. An LSU win over the Rebels would be great for Bama. And then there is that little matchup in Knoxville. Missouri is fighting to retain its second place standing in the SEC and Tennessee might very well nail down an NCAA berth. What happens to Bama this weekend is a wild and mentally confusing formula of what ifs. Take two aspirins and read this:

Alabama is the No. 2 seed, if:

• 1) It defeats Georgia; 2) Ole Miss loses at LSU; 3) Missouri loses at Tennessee.

Alabama is the No. 3 seed, if:

• 1) It defeats Georgia; 2) Ole Miss loses at LSU; 3) Missouri loses at Tennessee
• OR 1) It defeats Georgia; 2) Ole Miss wins at LSU; 3) Missouri loses at Tennessee; and 4) Kentucky loses and Florida.
• OR 1) It defeats Georgia; 2) Ole Miss loses at LSU; 3) Missouri wins at Tennessee; and 4) Kentucky loses to Florida.

Alabama is the No. 4 seed, if:

• 1) It defeats Georgia; 2) Ole Miss wins at LSU; 3) Missouri wins at Tennessee; and 4) Kentucky loses to Florida.
• OR 1) It defeats Georgia; 2) Ole Miss loses at LSU; 3) Missouri wins at Tennessee; and 4) Kentucky defeats Florida.
• OR 1) It defeats Georgia; 2) Ole Miss wins at LSU; 3) Missouri loses at Tennessee; and 4) Kentucky defeats Florida.

Alabama is the No. 5 seed, if:

• 1) It loses to Georgia; and 2) Kentucky defeats Florida.
• OR 1) It defeats Georgia; 2) Ole Miss wins at LSU; 3) Missouri wins at Tennessee; and 4) Kentucky defeats Florida.

Alabama is the No. 6 seed, if:

• 1) It loses to Georgia; and 2) Missouri loses at Tennessee.

When would Alabama play?

• The No. 2 seed will play at 6:30 p.m. CST Friday against the No. 7-10 winner (going into Saturday, that would be Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt).
• The No. 3 seed will play at 9 p.m. CST Friday against the No. 6 seed or the No. 11-14 winner (going into Saturday, that would be Texas A&M vs. Auburn).
• The No. 4 seed will play at 2:30 p.m. CST Friday against the No. 5 seed or the No. 12-13 winner (going into Saturday, that would be South Carolina vs. Mississippi State).
• The No. 5 seed will play at 2:30 p.m. CST Thursday against the No. 12-13 winner.
• The No. 6 seed will play at 9 p.m. CST Thursday against the No. 11-14 winner.

(from Al.com)

    Most Bama fans believe it would be best for the Tide to get the number four seed. How in the world is it better to finish with the 4 seed than the 2 seed. That seems illogical. In the world where the NCAA touches anything isn't logical. The prevailing thought is that Bama would be forced to play teams with higher seeds, namely Kentucky, Ole Miss or Missouri. I dont' adhere to that belief. It is important to lower the RPI, but just keep winning Bama and the RPI takes care of itself. So much of the RPI is effected outside of the conference trying to use RPI as the sole selection criteria is foolish. My personal belief is that if Alabama wins today and then makes it to the finals of the SEC we are in the NCAA and may get a decent seed. I'd hazard a 12 seed.

    Don't make the mistake of believing because we beat Georgia on the road this home game is a cinch. Georgia is coming off an uplifting win over an average Kentucky team without Noel. But it was Kentucky, and for once the Dawgs didn't crash and burn late with the lead. Kentucky looked lost. If an eye test is required for Kentucky they just flunked out.


According to Coach Grant:

    
    














“"The game against Georgia is a huge game for us,” UA head coach Anthony Grant said. “It’s our last home game. We get an opportunity to close out our SEC season at home undefeated with a very talented Georgia team coming in. They’re playing great basketball right now. They had a huge win last night against Kentucky. In my opinion, they’ve got a guy that’s probably a candidate for SEC Player of the Year in the league in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. I think he’s had an outstanding year and has really led their team. It will be a great challenge. We had a great game against them in Athens. The last time we played it came down to the wire, which most of the games in our league have, so we expect a very highly contested game. Both teams are going to be fighting a good battle. It should be a lot of fun to watch.”

      Not only does Bama have the pressure of the game itself, but over a 100 Alabama basketball legends will be on hand to be honored as part of the first century of Alabama hoops glory,. The Tide has the second most success of any team in the SEC, and that tradition sometimes gets lost because of football. I am looking forward to seeing Wimp Sanderson walk on the floor and I hope he has on a plaid coat. All this might inspire the team to a higher level. Throw in Senior Day two Bama players and the atmosphere is set for an exciting afternoon. The game is now a sell out.

The Players:

     Alabama is going with their regular starting five. There has been some speculation that Jacobs might start in place of Moussa Gueya. Releford, Lacey, Randolph, and Cooper round out the Tide's starting five. Bama will also get some key minutes from the suddenly improved Retin Obasahan. If Retin was a little taller he would probably start in place of Randolph, who has seen a last season slump. Randolph is Bama's key defensive stopper and he'll likely draw the KCP when in a man. But look for the Tide to play a lot of 2/3 zone. Another key match up will involve Georgia's Namanjic Durisic. The 6 8, 230 pound power forward has an arsenal of unconventional moves around the basket. That's not good news for Jacobs, Cooper, and Gueye. Djurisic is much stronger than Cooper and quicker than the twin towers.

     With Georgia, the team rises and falls with the play of Kentvious Caldwell-Pope. He is the Dawg's leading scorer and rebounder. He quick jump shot has proven almost impossible to stop, but Levi Randolph will try. Neither team has an impressive inside game, although the Bulldogs do have some depth in numbers. Alabama should have a decided advantage with Releford at the point, and due to the lack of quickness in Georgia big men he could have a nice day driving the paint. His Georgia counter part, Vincent Williams is shooting 40% from downtown, and had a great game against Kentucky. Georgia is going to start back court players going  6-7,6-9, and 6-11. It is going to be a guard oriented game vs. the inside game of Georgia in many ways. Alabama has some real match up problem size wise in the game. Throw KCP in the mix and you wonder how the Dogs have lost 15 games. Look for Trevor Lacey to get his moments on Caldwell-Pope because the Tide is going to need Randolph to get 7 or so boards. Bama is a surprising 8.5 point favorite.

     For the Tide it is yet another do or die day. Being in the ICU is getting old. Maybe today will be the start of something good.
 

Andrew Steele has been a winner...

A man of Steele plays his last regular season game...

     First things first. Andrew Steele - thank you for your profile in courage as an Alabama basketball player. You came to Bama as a heralded recruit and you didn't disappoint. You gave us a lot of great minutes on the floor. Your comeback is the stuff of legends. You've made your mark in the annals of Alabama basketball. How fitting that our lone senior will be honored on the 100th Anniversary of Alabama basketball. Our tradition and history is a one success and quality. Andrew fits in with that honored group nicely. We have the second most successful basketball program in the SEC. Andrew helped solidify that remarkable level.

    I can't help but to compare you with Marshall Henderson. Andrew is the perfect example of everything good and noble about college sports. He is a fine player, a team leader, a great student, a stand-up guy, and one of the nicest young men you will ever meet. I wasn't blessed in having a son. If I had, it would be my fondest hope that he could have turned out exactly like Andrew Steele. Our State and Nation is in good hands as long as we have young adults with the courage and integrity of Andrew Steele.

We haven't heard the last of number 22 this season. In seasons to come you may be a leader of a different sort. I am proud to know you. May God bless you and keep you close to his heart. I think I speak for a lot of Bama fans who say "we love you". Tomorrow will be bittersweet. How lucky we are to have seen you play. For me, it will always be your body up move against Nerlens Noel of Kentucky.  You are not a big man, but you are big enough to get the job done. Someone may take your number one day, but you will not be replaced.


More later on the game...

Bama was way too tight...
14 first half turnovers kills the Tide

     Alabama was ready. They were so wound up they couldn't relax, and the nerves led to too many mistakes. Many of those turnovers were unforced. All proved deadly. Who knew the best defensive back on the Ole Miss campus plays basketball, and if someone can tell me why his punk butt wasn't kicked out please explain. I'm old school and of the opinion that slapping a player across the forehead and then wrapping him up was over the top. How the officials didn't see that was amazing. Other than that call I thought that the officials were pretty even handed. They didn't cost us anything except perhaps a new basketball stat for tackling. It was a good solid hit. I think Retin could run over him in the open court but he had avoid the sideline on the tackle.

       Of course, it is disheartning to lose the game. Perhaps for Georgia and then the SEC,the team learned something. If you shoot the ball you can score. If you just let them fly like Rodney Cooper does, you'll make a few. Shooters have to shoot. Shooters will occassionally take ridiculous shots. That's okay. I remember Pete Maravich letting fly shots that could  only be labeled "what the hell was that" just to see the the net ripple.

       Some good generally comes with the bad. It did last night. Retin Obasahan is ready for prime time and ton  of more minutes. Moussa Gueye didn't commit a foul 30 feet from the basket. This time it was more like 75 feet. Let me say this about incoming  Jimmie Taylor. He is no offensive machine, but he won't do things like Gueye. Hats off to Jacobs who scored 18 with an aching back. I mean a seriously aching back. He'll spend a lot of time in ice before the Georgia game tips off.

      On further reflection this game did not knock us out of the NCAA regardless of what most people believe. I dont' think Bama's position would have been drastically improved even had they won. Winning games is only part of the Selection Committee's partial reliance on the RPI. I think the most important thing for Bama to do is when three more games. That might do it. Here's one thing in our favor - we have beaten Kentucky and Tennessee. If it comes down to one of those three teams making the tournament I think Bama should get the bid. Should as in fair and not as in Kentucky is in the hunt. I'd almost bet my last dollar that Ole Miss will lose the weekend in LSU. I hope they do. Not only would it help but it would mean fewer games seeing Marshall "I'm seriously in love with LSD" Henderson play.

      In all fairness to this team and Grant I need to remember a few things- Gueye just didn't seem to ever get over the hump, Engstrong was injured, and he had played very well up until that time, and the mysterious disappearance of Pollard. The effect of those three games might be the differnce in winning 20 games vs. 26 or 27 games. Patience is a virtue when it comes Tide basketball. Patience is good sometimes. Ask Coach K.

Bama faces absolute must win...

Bama and Ole Miss is an elimination game...
Tide opens a 6 point underdog...



Look at me, I'm a neo-nazi rap star 

     TTuesday night is the opening round of the NCAA Tournament for these two old rivals. It will be the size and bulk of Ole Miss vs. the speed and quickness of Alabama. So far this season this hasn't been particularly good for Alabama. Take into account that Ole Miss has an absolute deadly shooter in Marshall Henderson. Henderson is the most despised player in the SEC. His talent is tremendous. His actions are atrocious. Henderson lives at the corner of redneck and hip hop. Henderson manages to merge the worst of both cultures. He has managed to take each to a new low. There is no disputing his ability to score baskets in buckets. Not only is he a deadly three-point shooter, but he gets a large percentage of his points at the foul line. He is one of those rare players who draws fouls like flies on roadkill. Henderson may well beat Alabama with his skills. Give him that. But he is also the poster boy for all that's wrong with college sports.

Andy Kennedy - looks like mug shot
Oh yeah, it is a mug shot

     If you choose to allow one of your players to taunt crowds, shot the old one finger salute to the other team, and use language that would embarrass a sailor you've lost prospective on who your employer is.  The young man is a representative of the University of Mississippi. Andy Kennedy allows  Henderson to act this way. In my opinion that makes Kennedy lower than dirt because he knows better, and the SEC should put an end to such behavior. Why not? Money and television ratings. Some Universities talk the talk but can't make the walk. I'm surprised that a educational institution would let this happen. Oh well, no accounting for taste. I think a month with Grant might help both of them. None of that means Ole Miss won't win. There will be no guardian angel of truth and virtue on the Court. Even thugs and the mentally deranged can have talent. The good guys don't always win. A person who acts like Henderson causes us to remember why they should, perhaps.

     Alabama just couldn't get to the foul line enough to beat Florida. I'm not sure a single Alabama player could even identify the lane in the O Dome. I have a good friend who is affiliated with the SEC home office. Grant had his say in this officiating matter. Whether it does any good remains to be seen. I kinda wonder if the SEC wants to nationally showcase a thug vs. someone like Trevor Releford?  All I can say if my youngest daughter brought this kid home I would break down and beseech God for an explanation for what did we do to get this punishment. 

        But it is Marshall's outside skills that make an already strong Ole Miss inside game even stronger. You clog up the inside and Marshall kills you outside.  You shut down Marshall and the Rebels inside game kills you. Actually Andy Kennedy has done one of the worst jobs in the SEC given the tools he has to use in Oxford. The Rebels had a fantastic start with an 18-2 record. Since sitting in the rafters they been 4-6. It seems that each time Ole Miss needs to win a game to become a lock  in the NCAA they've come up short. Alabama has lost their last two games but have played very in the losses. Free throws aside the Tide won almost every aspect of the games except the scoreboard. But they are playing better. Once more the Tide has to go on the road. The Tide has blown two big second half leads against the Rebels under Grant. That has an ominous ring to me. Winning on the road is tough. Tuesday night may be the hardest of all the road trips. Let's say this - if Alabama plays as well as they did in Florida I think we win.

       One real concern for Bama is always the front court. Grant has minimized Jacob' back injury. He is at a point where bending over is becoming a real problem. I doubt he'll be anywhere near 100% against Ole Miss. I give the kid credit for the game he had in Florida. We need a better on in Oxford. Muessa Gueye needs to stick around for the entire game. He needs to learn to defend, contest, but not foul. Basically, all needs to do is hang around the basket  and rebound and block shots. He really doesn't need to actually block shots. Disrupting a shooter is almost as good and you are more likely to pick up a defensive rebound.

        It's also senior night in Oxford. I just don't think the Tide is going to go into Oxford, where we rarely play well, and steal on from the Rebs.They are 15-1 at home. If the 18-2  Rebels show up we don't win. If the 4-6 Rebels take the floor we have a chance.

What it will take:

• Keep Marshall under his average. Put someone in his face the moment the Rebels throw the ball inbounds. I'd go with Levi due to his length.
• Try to minimize what Reginald Buckner does on the offensive boards. Block out and try to make him work hard for baskets.
• Keep turnovers under 10
• Cause more than 15 turnovers
• break close to even on the boars,
• Shoot 45% from the floor and try to shoot 15-18 free throws. Make 80% of 'em
• Knock down some three balls, and finally
• Pray for fairness from the officiating crew.

Prediction : Ole Miss by 7
 

Wild weekend in SEC

How did the weekend effect Alabama?
Tide is not dead for NCAA...

      If you watched the game on Saturday you can see just how close we are to being real contenders in the SEC and NCAA. Say what you will about Anthony Grant but twice in the last three years he has take a team down to the last week in a quest to win the SEC. You can whine about not all the scholarships  being given. I don't care. You can say that Grant can't coach. You would be wrong. You can say its time to find a new head coach. And if you believe Grant needs to go, you fall into the idiot category. Some fans clearly don't understand basketball. If you did you could point to many indications of a program on rise. We are one injury away from a fantastic season. When Engstom went down the team stumbled but didn't fall. It took a while to get adjusted to a new lineup. Once we adjusted,  we've done well.

        I don't know about the rest of you but I'm sick and tired of having our team demeaned and our coach demonized by a bunch of that couldn't pick a basketball out of a police lineup. It's almost as if they want Grant to fail. Check out Coach K's first three years as a head coach. He had two losing seasons and the fans wanted him fired. Bobby Knight talked with AD at Duke and told him to be patient. The rest is history. Alabama is on the cusp of another twenty win season. How long has it been since that happened? 15 years or so? I'm writing down names of the naysayers and when we explode I want to tell each of you I told you so.LOL  Some of you might remember that when Mal Moore decided to let Gottfried have one more season I predicted 5 years to get things corrected. We are right on track. I still stand by that assumption. Our basketball program doesn't have the same brand name to cash in like football. We should try to understand that. The name Alabama doesn't guarantee success. Ask Wendall Hudson

     What a crazy weekend. We lost. No major surprise. That we had a chance to win was. Kentucky got beat by Arkansas. No surprise there. The Big Blue are officially the Big Through. I'm almost positive that the NCAA will slit another teams rightful berth to get them in the Tournament. Mississippi State, who played well against us recently,  beat Ole Miss. That is a rivalry game and strange thing happen. Just to set the record straight the Tide is still in second place, and I don't think there were any real changes of making the NCAA field for a couple of SEC teams We were not dealt a fatal blow upon further reflection. One thing Bama did was pass the eye test in front of a national audience. Don't think for one moment that real basketball followers failed to understand the free throw difference. Georgia beats Tennessee and a couple of "bracket experts" say the Vols will make the Tournament. Are they serious? Kentucky has Georgia and Florida left. Say goodnight Johnny boy. Missouri is in the tournament unless something horrible happens such as losing to Arkansas at home and then losing to Tennessee at home. 

      Everybody has an opinion and here's mine after much deliberation: The winner of the Ole Miss/Bama game will go unless they each lose their last game of the season. I think LSU will beat Ole Miss in Tigertown. I think Bama will beat Georgia. So here is an interesting question. What happens if Ole Miss beats Bama and loses to LSU. Likewise, the Tide beats Ole Miss and gets beat by Georgia.  Barring some bizarre event, then I think only two SEC teams go: Florida and Missouri. The winner of Ole Miss/Bama game goes pending winning their final game of the season. It would not hurt if each team won another game in the SEC Tourney. The wild card would be what if the loser of the game in Oxford wins their last game and then makes a run in the SEC Tournament.

       I think the SEC is going to get three teams regardless of what experts think. If Kentucky or Tennessee is one of those teams someone is screwing the pooch as we say in North Alabama.  I think Kentucky or Tennessee will have to win the SEC to make the field. I talked with three people who were on past selection committees each agreed on one thing - to much basketball is left to say anything about bubble teams with clarity. 

      

OFFICIALS AND DEFENSE GET THE JOB DONE FOR FLORIDA ...

      I don't want to take anything away from Florida. They played well in spots, and great in others. They also had that hidden ace up their sleeve. One again the visiting team got jobbed by the officials. I'm not sure if this game or LSU was more blatant. Despite the many horrible calls against the Tide, it was 2 bad calls for charges that really killed the Crimson. Both would have been possible three point plays. I just got through watching replay of those 2 calls. They were beyond bad. Two clear blocks take away to made baskets.  I've said before and I'll say it again. College officials cheat. They know that a 26-10 free throw differential is impossible. Billy Donovan knows it, Grant knows it, and we all know it. The beat goes on. Will anyone ever have the guts to put it to an end. You can say I'll overly biased. That might be true. But none of what I said was a lie.

      In the last two games where the Tide was on the road the home team shot 63 free throws and Alabama shot 29. In the second half  of the  LSU game we shoot 3 and they shoot 21?Despite the inequity of these games had the Tide made the ones they got to shoot they might have won both games. No doubt the LSU game would have been different. I was thinking about Alabama missing 6 free throws in today's game and thought when the Florida led 56-50 how much those misses meant. I'm not saying Florida wasn't a better team. They clearly are better on the inside. All I'm saying is that two defensive minded teams cannot have a foul differential that far apart. It probably cost us a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Perhaps not, but the odd are getting slim. The shame of today's game and a lot of games is that the SEC allows it to happen. There should be not rule that will not allow a coach to say  "we got cheated by the refs today." That is freedom of speech. The reason that rule exists is because officials and conferences don't want any of this to change. It's all about revenue and television. It is about turning a blind eye to an open wound that hurts the integrity of the sport.

      I have to admire the way we played today. There is no better point guard in American than Trevor Releford. He is one of a kind. His body control around the baskets on contested shots around the hoop is the best I've ever seen at any level. He should be a First Team All-American. He might be lucky enough to make second team All-SEC. His late season surge might bump him to the top in the conference. I hope you all noticed what I saw today. As long as Alabama was able to cobble together an inside game we had a chance win, and were in fact winning. All of these droughts in scoring are caused by the defenses which can overplay the passing lanes. That's because the Tide's inside game can be  disregarded. Man, I love the heart and competitiveness of this team. People can criticise them and and the coach. They aren't beyond criticism, but if you sit in the O Dome and see the differnce in their bigs and our bigs you have to admire both the players and our coach. Next season, assuming we get a decent inside player, and this team wins over 25 games I won't be surprised. Not one small bit. Now let's go to Oxford and hope the third road game is a charm. I'll bet you my last dollar that Grant is all over Slive's office about the crap that has gone on in the last two games. My bet is we get a fairer shake in Oxford. Now we can all stand together in our desire to beat Johnny Reb, and keep Henderson's neo-nazi mouth shut. Roll Tide.