Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
We Need to Keep Landon Collins in our hearts tonight...
His mother's behavior is very sad....
So the mother of Landon Collins says that Nick Saban offered a job to the sweetheart of Louisiana’s best player in order to secure his name on a grant in aid. I want all of you to mark this down in your daily planner. This Friday, at around noonish, I’m going to be crowned the King of Moldavia and it is my sincerest desire for ya’ll to come over for the coronation, and of course, the traditional Moldavian kegger which follows. I realize that Moldavia is a bit out of the way and the for those that attend you will be offered a job. It might the guardian of crown jewels, the prime minister, or the all important keeper of the keg.
Don’t you just hate it when all your efforts to manipulate your son into staying in state so you yourself can reap the benefits of his birth? I don’t know what LSU or some corn dog baron might have promised the mother of young Landon to get him to stay, but a position of fashion consultant and how to dress for success is out of the question. The darn problem with children is they grow up. They didn’t ask to be born, and essentially all they owe any of us parents is some love and respect. Seriously, what type of mother would try to coerce her son into staying in Louisiana to play football at LSU and try to implicate her future daughter in law in some nefarious scheme to lure her son to Alabama based on a job offer? What kind of job would that be? How about Dean of Women? Or perhaps a loan officer at the Bryant Bank? I don’t know this young women but if she is like most incoming freshman she needs to concentrate on her school work, and work study jobs abound. Mama, don’t let you your son grow up to be a Tider. Let him be a Tiger, or corndogs, and grifters and such.
If my mama, God rest her soul, did something like this women is trying to do I’d would have dropped dead. The real question is why would this young man want to stay around such a person who apparently is confused about the role of mother? Oh wait, he doesn’t. I’m not saying in any form or fashion that this women doesn’t love her son. I am saying that if you asked her to draw a picture of the solar system she’d have to paste her photo where the sun would be. It seems that Mama who isn’t even raising son has the young man confused with a lotto ticket.
This might be her chance to cash in, and she is going to strike out. I tip my hat to the young man for even allowing her mother to be present at his announcement. This isn’t about her. It is about Landon. What she did then, and is doing now is sad. I think of any recruit that Nick Saban has recruited this is the one young man who needs him most of all. There is being selfish,and then there is being insane. What kind of person would second guess her son’s decision in public? Manipulative, selfish, but most of all misguided and sad. I can’t be mad at his mother. She is the type of person that Buddha would say the wheel of her life is wobbling. More than anything all of us need to keep Landon Collins in our hearts, in our minds, and in our prayers that his mother express her love and not her own wishes. You think that the Landon’s girlfriend is getting something out of this? I don’t. Nick Saban is beyond reproach. The only thing he needs to offer Collins is his skill in developing players to become multi-millionaires if they have the talent. By all accounts this young man might well do that. You know what? Even after all of this embarrassing behavior by his mother he’ll still take care of her. That’s because this kid has class. He and Alabama are good fits. We are gaining much more than just a player.
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| A good kid in a tough position... |
So the mother of Landon Collins says that Nick Saban offered a job to the sweetheart of Louisiana’s best player in order to secure his name on a grant in aid. I want all of you to mark this down in your daily planner. This Friday, at around noonish, I’m going to be crowned the King of Moldavia and it is my sincerest desire for ya’ll to come over for the coronation, and of course, the traditional Moldavian kegger which follows. I realize that Moldavia is a bit out of the way and the for those that attend you will be offered a job. It might the guardian of crown jewels, the prime minister, or the all important keeper of the keg.
Don’t you just hate it when all your efforts to manipulate your son into staying in state so you yourself can reap the benefits of his birth? I don’t know what LSU or some corn dog baron might have promised the mother of young Landon to get him to stay, but a position of fashion consultant and how to dress for success is out of the question. The darn problem with children is they grow up. They didn’t ask to be born, and essentially all they owe any of us parents is some love and respect. Seriously, what type of mother would try to coerce her son into staying in Louisiana to play football at LSU and try to implicate her future daughter in law in some nefarious scheme to lure her son to Alabama based on a job offer? What kind of job would that be? How about Dean of Women? Or perhaps a loan officer at the Bryant Bank? I don’t know this young women but if she is like most incoming freshman she needs to concentrate on her school work, and work study jobs abound. Mama, don’t let you your son grow up to be a Tider. Let him be a Tiger, or corndogs, and grifters and such.
If my mama, God rest her soul, did something like this women is trying to do I’d would have dropped dead. The real question is why would this young man want to stay around such a person who apparently is confused about the role of mother? Oh wait, he doesn’t. I’m not saying in any form or fashion that this women doesn’t love her son. I am saying that if you asked her to draw a picture of the solar system she’d have to paste her photo where the sun would be. It seems that Mama who isn’t even raising son has the young man confused with a lotto ticket.
This might be her chance to cash in, and she is going to strike out. I tip my hat to the young man for even allowing her mother to be present at his announcement. This isn’t about her. It is about Landon. What she did then, and is doing now is sad. I think of any recruit that Nick Saban has recruited this is the one young man who needs him most of all. There is being selfish,and then there is being insane. What kind of person would second guess her son’s decision in public? Manipulative, selfish, but most of all misguided and sad. I can’t be mad at his mother. She is the type of person that Buddha would say the wheel of her life is wobbling. More than anything all of us need to keep Landon Collins in our hearts, in our minds, and in our prayers that his mother express her love and not her own wishes. You think that the Landon’s girlfriend is getting something out of this? I don’t. Nick Saban is beyond reproach. The only thing he needs to offer Collins is his skill in developing players to become multi-millionaires if they have the talent. By all accounts this young man might well do that. You know what? Even after all of this embarrassing behavior by his mother he’ll still take care of her. That’s because this kid has class. He and Alabama are good fits. We are gaining much more than just a player.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
A lot of good from a badly needed win...
Tide shows they can contend...
Steele, Green, Mitchell, and Releford set the tone for big win...
The term "must win game" is pretty much a misnomer in my opinion. Still, I'm glad the Crimson Tide seemed to play like they had to win or else. The or else would have been 5 losses in a row, and 2-5 in the Conference. Those are numbers from which you won't return. So when Alabama beat Arkansas on Saturday it stopped the bleeding, but we are yet to learn if the patient will live to the ripe of age of post season play. It also gives Alabama one week to rest and get ready for another "must win game". This one features the Ole Miss Rebels. A win would even the Conference record at 4-4 and overall to 15-7. Those are not glorious numbers but they could be worse. The Crimson Tide is a beat up bunch right now and some time off is just what they need.
Grant shook up the lineup as we predicted. He didn't start Green. Alabama started three freshmen. Nick Jacobs whose game is improving consistently, Trevor Lacey, whose three point game has left him, and Levi Randolph whose overall play has been a consistent for Grant and the Tide. Randolph has a lot of untapped offensive wealth he needs to show the SEC. Levi is old school. He'll pass up a shot if he thinks someone has a better one. For a superstar high school player that isn't always easy to do. Both Randolph and Lacey have become real team players. Jacobs gets on the blocks and does one thing. He becomes physical. Whether its a drop step or that little hook he's going toward the baseline. One of the highlights of this season has been to watch the unselfish play of all four of our first year players. While the freshmen got a lot of hype on TV for starting, it was the the old hands who steadied the ship. Releford,Green,Steele, and Mitchell each played different roles in the win but their performances were invaluable. Releford led the scorers with 18. Green had 14 with 10 rebounds, and Mitchell had 11. Andrew Steele came off the bench to score 11 points but his major contribution was his ball handling and free throw shooting when the game was on the line. His pass to Mitchell and then back cutting his defender for a big layup was a thing of beauty.
The Tide started slowly in both halves. They finished on a nice run to take a 37-30 half time lead. That lead evaporated when Arkansas took a 47-45 lead in the second half. Just when it looked Mr. Hyde was back, the team kept their cool, shot the ball well, and nailed free throws that sealed the fate of Arkansas. Releford, Green, Mitchell, and Steele all knocked down big free throws. All totaled the Tide made 80% of their freebies. The defense was swarming. If a Razorback got close to the sideline he was double teamed time and time again. The Arkansas team, under Anderson has revived Nolen Richardson's 40 minutes of hell. On Saturday, it was the 'hogs who got burned by their own medicine. The Arkansas team had 16 turnovers. That was one less than Alabama. The visitors also scored 24 points off turnovers compared by the 16 by Bama. But it was when the turnovers occurred. When the game was on the line it was the Crimson Tide that played better ball security and Arkansas made some mistakes. All in all it was a good day for the Tide.
The Good:
Andrew Steele had a career high 11 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, and only 1 turnover in 29 minutes of play.
Trevor Releford had a game high 18 points. He had 2 assists, 4 boards, and 2 steals. He was the Man.
JayMychal drive you crazy and then he has a game like Saturday. 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocked shots, and 1 big steal. His 4 turnovers were a team high.
Nick Jacobs had a great game. 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots
Tony Mitchell had 11 points, 6 boards, 2 blocks ,and 3 steals. He shows signs of life.
Bama shot 50% from the field on 25-50, and 20-25 from the line for 80%. Tide won the battle of the boards by 5 and in the last 10 minutes it seemed that Green got everything missed.
The Bad:
Never turn your back to the ball. Right guys? A free basket when Steele turned his back and felt his rear end throw a perfect pass to the Arkansas inbound passer.
Too Many Turnovers: Green needs to cut down on his errors.
Outside shooting: I have no idea why good shooters go 2-15. Losses loom with this type shooting.
The Ugly:
These flagrant fouls have got to stop. They are childish and set a bad example for the younger players. Leadership is a lot of things and behavior on the floor is one of those things. Green is not a thug and he is fast building a reputation as one, and a whiner to the officials. Not good.
Unforced errors: No reason for them to continue.
Steele, Green, Mitchell, and Releford set the tone for big win...
The Tide started slowly in both halves. They finished on a nice run to take a 37-30 half time lead. That lead evaporated when Arkansas took a 47-45 lead in the second half. Just when it looked Mr. Hyde was back, the team kept their cool, shot the ball well, and nailed free throws that sealed the fate of Arkansas. Releford, Green, Mitchell, and Steele all knocked down big free throws. All totaled the Tide made 80% of their freebies. The defense was swarming. If a Razorback got close to the sideline he was double teamed time and time again. The Arkansas team, under Anderson has revived Nolen Richardson's 40 minutes of hell. On Saturday, it was the 'hogs who got burned by their own medicine. The Arkansas team had 16 turnovers. That was one less than Alabama. The visitors also scored 24 points off turnovers compared by the 16 by Bama. But it was when the turnovers occurred. When the game was on the line it was the Crimson Tide that played better ball security and Arkansas made some mistakes. All in all it was a good day for the Tide.
The Good:
Andrew Steele had a career high 11 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, and only 1 turnover in 29 minutes of play.
Trevor Releford had a game high 18 points. He had 2 assists, 4 boards, and 2 steals. He was the Man.
JayMychal drive you crazy and then he has a game like Saturday. 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocked shots, and 1 big steal. His 4 turnovers were a team high.
Nick Jacobs had a great game. 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots
Tony Mitchell had 11 points, 6 boards, 2 blocks ,and 3 steals. He shows signs of life.
Bama shot 50% from the field on 25-50, and 20-25 from the line for 80%. Tide won the battle of the boards by 5 and in the last 10 minutes it seemed that Green got everything missed.
The fans are a great sixth man. Attendance: sellout at 12:30 on Saturday is classy
The Bad:
Never turn your back to the ball. Right guys? A free basket when Steele turned his back and felt his rear end throw a perfect pass to the Arkansas inbound passer.
Too Many Turnovers: Green needs to cut down on his errors.
Outside shooting: I have no idea why good shooters go 2-15. Losses loom with this type shooting.
The Ugly:
These flagrant fouls have got to stop. They are childish and set a bad example for the younger players. Leadership is a lot of things and behavior on the floor is one of those things. Green is not a thug and he is fast building a reputation as one, and a whiner to the officials. Not good.
Unforced errors: No reason for them to continue.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Alabama beats Arkansas 72-66
Tide Plays Better and didn't fold...
Tide's big three led the way
Alabama could have folded in the second half. The Razorbacks had just taken a 47-45 lead and the Tide was starting to resemble those guys who had lost their previous four games. Instead, JayMychal Green became the Chairman of the Boards. Tony Mitchell showed some flashes of his old self, and Trevor Releford controlled the offense. It was just what the coach drew up on the "how to win a game board." More than anything else the Tide must have leadership from Releford and Green. Green got another one of those unnecessary purposeful fouls early on and had to sit.
The Arkansas lead was five points on five occasions in the first half but Alabama battled back to take a37 - 30 lead. Even though the Tide was rocked to its foundation in the second half they stuck to their game plan and pulled out the win. I would like to say it was a rock solid finish but when Bama was up by seven the Razorbacks knocked down a three and scored on a stolen in bound pass. Bingo. The lead was 2. To the Tide's credit they went down the floor and scored and put the finishing touches on a really good basketball game. Releford led the Crimson and White with 18 points. Green had a double-double and started pulling down rebounds when things that got tight in the second half.
We'll have a full report tomorrow.
Tide's big three led the way
Alabama could have folded in the second half. The Razorbacks had just taken a 47-45 lead and the Tide was starting to resemble those guys who had lost their previous four games. Instead, JayMychal Green became the Chairman of the Boards. Tony Mitchell showed some flashes of his old self, and Trevor Releford controlled the offense. It was just what the coach drew up on the "how to win a game board." More than anything else the Tide must have leadership from Releford and Green. Green got another one of those unnecessary purposeful fouls early on and had to sit.
The Arkansas lead was five points on five occasions in the first half but Alabama battled back to take a37 - 30 lead. Even though the Tide was rocked to its foundation in the second half they stuck to their game plan and pulled out the win. I would like to say it was a rock solid finish but when Bama was up by seven the Razorbacks knocked down a three and scored on a stolen in bound pass. Bingo. The lead was 2. To the Tide's credit they went down the floor and scored and put the finishing touches on a really good basketball game. Releford led the Crimson and White with 18 points. Green had a double-double and started pulling down rebounds when things that got tight in the second half.
We'll have a full report tomorrow.
Friday, January 27, 2012
THE ARKANSAS GAME - SOME THINGS TO KNOW
CAN ALABAMA STOP THE SKID?
Will 'Bama recapture the magic on Saturday?
Has Grant shaken up the rotation?
Alabama returns to Coleman Coliseum for just the third time in January. Will the home-court advantage be enough to raise 'Bama' SEC record to 3-4? It better be enough because in all honesty a 5th loss will just about kill any chance Alabama has to make the NCAA Field of 64 with a miracle. Many are already suggesting the Crimson Tide must win 8 of their 11 remaining SEC games, plus a win or two in New Orleans. My personal opinion is that if Tide can get 20 or 21 wins their RPI plus their Strength of Schedule will be enough to land them a decent seed in the field. A decent seed is not 8 or 9. Bama needs a strong finish to get down to a 5 or 6 seed with a strong run down the stretch. Bama is a team that will be hard to put out of the tournament because of their reaching the finals in the NIT last season and because they have received so much pre-season hype. Those things matter. In addition, that NIT final last season makes the Selection Committee look pretty stupid by taking Georgia over the Tide.
That hard run at the end of last season included a memorable trip from the dead against Georgia in the last couple of minutes. At the end of the year the Tide had won 25 games and were fast becoming a team to fear this season. It seemed like it would be true. A red hot 13-3 start with two close losses in the mix made it appear the Tide would get even stronger as the four freshmen earned their spurs. And then the bottom dropped out. Then a couple of unexpected losses to Dayton and and Kansas State took the shine off a great beginning. Dayton and Kansas State will be in the NCAA so it wasn't that either loss was stunning since they were road games. In hindsight the Tide's offensive let downs in both those games were harbingers of things to come. In the second half of the KSU game the Tide just shut down on defense and then the offense fell apart. It hasn't been the same since. Wins over Oklahoma State in Birmingham and ACC Georgia Tech looked good. The three point baskets fell against the Cowboys and Georgia Tech probably left that game thinking the ACC was an easier league than the SEC. Significantly, the Tide showed they could win with JayMychal Green on the bench. Things were falling in to place, and then they fell apart. What happened? Coach Grant feels like some individuals or the team is playing as if they were "entitled". Now, I'm not sure exactly what that means. I suppose it means because you are Alabama and you wear Crimson/White you walk on the floor and win. Other teams are supposed to just roll over in the presence of your full court pressure. Not only did Grant believe that he made a public statement he believed that was the problem, but admitted he needed to re-evaluate what he and his staff were doing. I doubt they did anything to contribute to such an attitude.
I wanted to take a look back at the last four SEC losses and offer some opinions. First, Mississippi State might win the SEC. Arnette Moultrie is the best player in the SEC right now. If he played at Kentucky his name would be espn-god. Bama almost won that game. Perhaps they should have won except that Dee Bost hit three big baskets in a row. He wasn't open and he wasn't near the three point line. That is just great play. Then came Vanderbilt. The Tide had already lost once at home this season to Georgetown. Vanderbilt played the best game they played all year long. By the time that Bama understood they were going to lose they had already lost. The 10 point margin was deceptive. 'Bama seemed to get shell-shocked after those two losses. 'Bama picked themselves off the mat and pushed Kentucky to the limit in a 67-61 game that was lost on free throws missed by Bama and made by Kentucky. A lot of free throws made to Kentucky. It wasn't surprising that Bama lost in Rupp and at the Hump in retrospect. The loss to Vanderbilt really wasn't that surprising because the Commodores had been picked as a top 10 team by many. And then...
Came South Carolina. Carolina hadn't won a game. They are a terrible team with only two decent players. Bama needed to make sure that neither beat them. They couldn't do it. The entire world knew that Ellington was going to take a buzzer shot. He got past Releford and Green just couldn't elevate due to his bad ankle. South Carolina was 5-31 from behind the arch. Bama chose not to double team the Carolina guard and make him dish it off to a cold shooting Gamecock team. That's a coaching decision. Ellington who also is a great wideout in football used his power to push pass Trevor and avoid JayMychal. Bama looked lost. The looked confused the entire game. The defense was horrible. Most of those 31 missed threes were wide open attempts. Bama could have been beat by 20 if a few of those shot fell. And now, here comes the electrifying Arksansas Razorbacks in a nationally televised game.
Mike Anderson is a heck of a coach. He built on the foundation of Stormin' Norman in Missouri and was the right hand man of Nolan Richardson for 16 years. The man rescued the UAB program. Now he returns home to Fayetteville and has won 15 of his 20 games this season. Like Alabama (and a lot of SEC teams) the road has been rough on the Razorbacks. Arkansas, like Alabama, has a lot of gifted freshmen. Alabama has been installed as a 9.5 point favorite. That says more about road games in the SEC than present play by the teams.
The Starting Lineups (projected) for Alabama
Trevor Releford:
Nick Jacobs
JayMychal Green
Trevor Lacey
Toney Mitchell ***
First off the bench: Levi Randolph
Look for: Expanded playing time for Steele, and a start would not be surprising.
*** There is a lot of talk about Mitchell not starting.
Will 'Bama recapture the magic on Saturday?
Has Grant shaken up the rotation?
The Starting Lineups (projected) for Alabama
Trevor Releford:
Nick Jacobs
JayMychal Green
Trevor Lacey
Toney Mitchell ***
First off the bench: Levi Randolph
Look for: Expanded playing time for Steele, and a start would not be surprising.
*** There is a lot of talk about Mitchell not starting.
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| Mike Anderson is a much respected Coach |
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'Bama's Last Stand?
Alabama needs a win against Arkansas in worst way...
Alabama needs a win against Arkansas in worst way...
I guess its a little too late to say now or never; however, at 12:30 Saturday afternoon it is literally now or forget it this season for the Crimson Tide. The Tide has lost four games in succession, which at one point in this season would have seemed impossible. Now five in a row doesn't seem unlikely. Anthony Grant made a rare, and refreshing admission that he was going back to square one to find out what he was doing wrong as the head coach, We can only hope the players do the same.
Expect the team to play better on Saturday. Can they play any worse? There is no more bottom to flush out for 'Bama. The Tide has become a bottom feed, a spoiler, an under-achiever . Whether they continue to be the butt of jokes is up to the players. Regardless of how much the coach or some writers warn people about being over charged with expectations, it is hard for fans to lower those hopes. Enter four freshman and exit two serious seniors who had a lot to do with last years success even though credit eluded them, and here's what you get.
This team has lost its chemistry. Expect some changes in the rotation this weekend. Expect one starter to not hear his named announced as one of the five. That is punishment to a player. I'd love to see Green, Releford, Randolph, Mitchell, and Jacobs start one game, or get some meaningful minutes as a group. 'Bama has good outside shooters. Cooper has been building a wall with the bricks he's put up. He didn't do that in high school. Lacey has missed some shots so badly I bet Jack Doss can't believe it. In my opinion, only Randolph has played up to expectations. The point of Lacey is to score from the outside. If he isn't making threes what's his role? Eblen is a much more steady back up point when Releford rests.
Sooner or later Coach Grant is going to have to come to the conclusion that he's got to let the shooters shoot a lot more. Regardless, of how good your defense might be you still have to score. When you have averaged giving up under 58 points on the season and have lost your last four in row, a light needs to go off in your head somewhere. This team will always be a defensive team, but I believe Coach is going to have to find some balance regardless of his comfort level. We all know that shooters have to shoot.
Alabama can still get to the NCAA. They can still finish hot at the end which is the best thing you can do. Or, they can roll over and die. I still don't think an Anthony Grant team can do that. Bama by 11.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
SEC OPINIONS - South Carolina next day observations
Bama needs to take stock of their character...
I have to admit to a love of poetry. In 1920, Robert Frost wrote a most meaningful poem that still guides me in making decisions. The words are simple, but their meaning is profound. They are words which offer guidance and perhaps how to live your life. I'd like to offer the poem found in Frost's book Mountain Interval.
The Road less taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay.
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I took the one less traveled by and
that has made all the difference.
Now, the old dog here is not trying to wax poetic so to speak. But this is where the Alabama Men's basketball team now stands. They have two roads. One of those roads would be to give up, mail in the season, or try to pad individual statistics. That would be the easy way. I've never known Anthony Grant to take the easy way in anything. I bet if there was an easy button like on TV he would turn it down as a matter of principle.
I have to say I've never seen our coach look like he looked during or after the game. In speaking with the media he said, “From my vantage point tonight – you had a team, in South Carolina, that played inspired basketball,” UA head coach Anthony Grant said. “They played as a team. We didn’t. It’s been an issue for us and it continues to plague us.” There is one word in any sport that won't work - selfish. I'm not sure which player(s) that was meant to cover. I'd suspect Mitchell. I think Green and Mitchell are bumping heads on who needs to do what.
I continue to be more and more impressed with Levi Randolph. He didn't start on Wednesday and that surprised me. He is the ultimate team player, and as you each know I rated him above Lacey. So far that seems the true. Bama has lost some cohesiveness according to some since Steele has returned. Now Gueye is back. That isn't what Grant is talking about though. I don't know who is going to be in the doghouse but a coach can't make a public statement and it not cost someone minutes on the floor. Last night was as bad as it can get. I thought Vandy was that game. Wrong. Seriously, have you have ever seen a team in such a state on offense. Whoever is the yard dog here its an offensive problem because the defense has been pretty steady. Last night our defense was playing as bad as I've seen them. South Carolina shot 31 threes and made only 5. They shot 33% for the game and win. If you picked up the box score from any game as saw those stats you'd wonder just how bad that team got beat. That is how bad we played. I think the Arkansas game is going to be very, very interesting. At least we may find out whose wearing the dog collar.
I have to admit to a love of poetry. In 1920, Robert Frost wrote a most meaningful poem that still guides me in making decisions. The words are simple, but their meaning is profound. They are words which offer guidance and perhaps how to live your life. I'd like to offer the poem found in Frost's book Mountain Interval.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay.
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I took the one less traveled by and
that has made all the difference.
Now, the old dog here is not trying to wax poetic so to speak. But this is where the Alabama Men's basketball team now stands. They have two roads. One of those roads would be to give up, mail in the season, or try to pad individual statistics. That would be the easy way. I've never known Anthony Grant to take the easy way in anything. I bet if there was an easy button like on TV he would turn it down as a matter of principle.
I have to say I've never seen our coach look like he looked during or after the game. In speaking with the media he said, “From my vantage point tonight – you had a team, in South Carolina, that played inspired basketball,” UA head coach Anthony Grant said. “They played as a team. We didn’t. It’s been an issue for us and it continues to plague us.” There is one word in any sport that won't work - selfish. I'm not sure which player(s) that was meant to cover. I'd suspect Mitchell. I think Green and Mitchell are bumping heads on who needs to do what.
I continue to be more and more impressed with Levi Randolph. He didn't start on Wednesday and that surprised me. He is the ultimate team player, and as you each know I rated him above Lacey. So far that seems the true. Bama has lost some cohesiveness according to some since Steele has returned. Now Gueye is back. That isn't what Grant is talking about though. I don't know who is going to be in the doghouse but a coach can't make a public statement and it not cost someone minutes on the floor. Last night was as bad as it can get. I thought Vandy was that game. Wrong. Seriously, have you have ever seen a team in such a state on offense. Whoever is the yard dog here its an offensive problem because the defense has been pretty steady. Last night our defense was playing as bad as I've seen them. South Carolina shot 31 threes and made only 5. They shot 33% for the game and win. If you picked up the box score from any game as saw those stats you'd wonder just how bad that team got beat. That is how bad we played. I think the Arkansas game is going to be very, very interesting. At least we may find out whose wearing the dog collar.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Say goodnight Bama your season is over...
Beyond horrible, beyond laughable, Bama chokes...
Going in to the Alabama game, South Carolina Coach, Darrin Horn, told the media. "we are out of excuses". I have to say that in talking with the Carolina semi-faithful in Columbia it was hard to find anyone who wanted him to have more time to get the job done.
"He came in a red hot coach, and has done flippin' nothing," Said Randall Samford, a long time Carolina supporter. "If he can't beat a mediocre Alabama basketball team at home he should just resign". So much for giving the coach a chance.
"If Steve Spurrier can win here, then Horn can too," said a woman who didn't want to be named because she worked on campus at USC. "We have a better basketball tradition that football. We can finish third each season and still go to the NCAA in my opinion. When I asked her the problem she said, "bad recruiting. We have no great players. We have one good point guard and one decent inside player, and after that I could play." If nothing else it seemed the night would be interesting. Little did I know that I was going to a preview of hell...
NO MORE EXCUSES. It is plastered every where I went. Great, just what the Tide needs - a three game skid and a team with a gun to its head. Remember -"Never Again"? It was against this background that I settled in to watch the worst basketball game played in the history of the SEC. There were no first half highlights unless you count turnovers, wide open three points shot they didn't go in. That was how South Carolina played. Alabama looked like they never played the game before in their lives. One brief highlight for Bama in the first half was JayMychal Green getting three clean blocks on one possession. What is that Chris Berman likes to say, "stumbling, bumbling," And somehow Alabama had a 2 point lead which precarious at best. You know that South Carolina as getting so many offensive rebounds it was scary. A lot of those were on bizarre bounces but most were just watching the Tide standing around and not boxing out anyone. This is hard to believe that such a good defensive team could allow this to happen. At the ten minute mark Green got a turned ankle. He returned with the Tide was down 41-39. Green was hobbling. The Tide was not rebounding under their own basket. It was a scary situation. In the arena you kept thinking one of these two teams were going to set an NCAA record for poor play. The only question was which team. Bama was the visiting team and I guess you might say they were keeping it close. I think at the ten minute mark the Tide had given up 18 rebounds. The Gamecocks had scored 12 points on second half chances. At the 11:15 minute mark the Tide switched to a zone. Carolina immediately drilled a triple to take a 44-42 lead. My thoughts were drifting to thinking about a ten hour drive home, and why did I come up here to watch a bunch of Keystone Kops trying to play basketball. At the 9:10 mark the Tide missed an uncontested layup and the Gamecocks score to go ahead by a score of 46-42 and Bama was falling apart. Green could barely walk and the Tide was trying to learn to dribble and chew gum at the same time. I have no idea how any of this looked on television but in person it was like watching a root canal. I'll tell you the feeling was that there was no way Bama was going to win this game. Carolina was playing better and Alabama couldn't stay out of the way of their own "play". Green was on the bench. Releford had become a ghost. It was a bad moment and frankly, this made the Vandy game look like we were kings of the world.
I kept thinking this is the entire season. With 5:45 Green was finished. Mitchell was showing some life. Releford was part of the walking dead. Here's the way our offense was playing the Carolina Zone. We put an offensive player directly in front of defender and passed the ball around the edge of the zone. Carolina just stood still and waited for the clock to wind down and the upcoming horrible shot. With 5:00 minutes Alabama's only offense threat, Mitchell decided that running over a screen was a short cut to his man, and he picked up number four and went to the bench. On Bama's next "offensive" possession Lacey jacked up an airball from the corner. I have no idea what Carolina was shooting at this point but I doubt it was 30%. How can I put this kindly - we were choking. Luckily for the Tide Levi Randolph was hustling and rebounding. With the game tied at 52 Releford missed a three. Bama was in the bonus and were not taking the ball inside at all.
With 1:26 Gill tipped in an offensive rebound to go up 54-52. Senior JayMchal threw a beauty of a pass to Randolph off a double team and the game was knotted up at 54. With 55.4 the game was tied when DarrIin Horn called a time-out. I remembered what CM Newton used to say - its not % that counts its the number of shots you get. I don't know the number but I'd be Carolina must have had at least 15-20 more shots than the Tide, and all of them were offensive. Releford threw the ball away with the scored and Carolina was holding for one shot. Bama had two to give and cut the Carolina possession clock to 5.4 seconds. Carlolina's Ellington made a lay-up with 1.0 second left. It was his only basket in the second half. Let me say this - Bama could have been beaten by thirty. This was the most horrible game I have ever seen an Alabama team play. This was like the Vandy game only it was a high school team that beat us. Frankly, this was an embarrassment to the Basketball Program. Here's a good question. How do give up only 56 points and lose? I'm sorry for the nature of this report. Honestly, I have no heart to write this one up. With the season on the line we choked. The only reason that Carolina didn't beat us by 30 is they missed so many wide open threes. The fat lady may not be singing for this season but I heard her warming up. I hope Green is going to be okay, or this team might struggle to win a game. Yesterday, we said that Bama would win behind Green and Releford. I'll cut Green some slack. He was hurt. Credit to Carolina. They cut off the head and heart of Alabama's team. I think rather than driving west I'll drive east into the Atlantic and put myself out of own misery. Over 1,000 games seen in person and this was the worse. At least now I can start working on my golf game. Tonight the Tide lost their poise, lost the game, and probably lost the season. Hope I'm wrong. The best thing a team can have is chemistry. It is more important than talent some times. This team couldn't meet to go the cafeteria together. It was actually worse than I've written. It was one of those games where you'd like to slink in the restroom and wait for everyone to leave so you don't have to talk to anyone. You pray you don't see a coach. So Bama is at a crossroad. They can roll over and die, or try to pick themselves up and find some respectability. In the past I'd always say they'd get on track. I honestly can't say that.
I have no stats. I was afraid to look. My only opinion would be suicidal. This team is a horse with a broken leg. They shoot horses. Where do you go from nowhere? Green came back to lead this team as a senior. Sometimes you can add up the talent level and play better than the sum. Sometimes it is the other way around. It's pretty clear which one we are. This team is broken. I honestly thought we were going to get it going. Tonight this team played without heart and didn't play hard on defense. That is being kind. I love Alabama. This is not Alabama. This is a bunch of clowns who have gotten out of a volkswagen at the circus. I'll pull for 'em until I die, but good grief guys stop playing like this you're killing me. The most important question for the Alabama players right now is how far can you sit away from Grant and not fall out of the airplane?
 |
| Playing like a bunch of clowns |
"He came in a red hot coach, and has done flippin' nothing," Said Randall Samford, a long time Carolina supporter. "If he can't beat a mediocre Alabama basketball team at home he should just resign". So much for giving the coach a chance.
"If Steve Spurrier can win here, then Horn can too," said a woman who didn't want to be named because she worked on campus at USC. "We have a better basketball tradition that football. We can finish third each season and still go to the NCAA in my opinion. When I asked her the problem she said, "bad recruiting. We have no great players. We have one good point guard and one decent inside player, and after that I could play." If nothing else it seemed the night would be interesting. Little did I know that I was going to a preview of hell...
NO MORE EXCUSES. It is plastered every where I went. Great, just what the Tide needs - a three game skid and a team with a gun to its head. Remember -"Never Again"? It was against this background that I settled in to watch the worst basketball game played in the history of the SEC. There were no first half highlights unless you count turnovers, wide open three points shot they didn't go in. That was how South Carolina played. Alabama looked like they never played the game before in their lives. One brief highlight for Bama in the first half was JayMychal Green getting three clean blocks on one possession. What is that Chris Berman likes to say, "stumbling, bumbling," And somehow Alabama had a 2 point lead which precarious at best. You know that South Carolina as getting so many offensive rebounds it was scary. A lot of those were on bizarre bounces but most were just watching the Tide standing around and not boxing out anyone. This is hard to believe that such a good defensive team could allow this to happen. At the ten minute mark Green got a turned ankle. He returned with the Tide was down 41-39. Green was hobbling. The Tide was not rebounding under their own basket. It was a scary situation. In the arena you kept thinking one of these two teams were going to set an NCAA record for poor play. The only question was which team. Bama was the visiting team and I guess you might say they were keeping it close. I think at the ten minute mark the Tide had given up 18 rebounds. The Gamecocks had scored 12 points on second half chances. At the 11:15 minute mark the Tide switched to a zone. Carolina immediately drilled a triple to take a 44-42 lead. My thoughts were drifting to thinking about a ten hour drive home, and why did I come up here to watch a bunch of Keystone Kops trying to play basketball. At the 9:10 mark the Tide missed an uncontested layup and the Gamecocks score to go ahead by a score of 46-42 and Bama was falling apart. Green could barely walk and the Tide was trying to learn to dribble and chew gum at the same time. I have no idea how any of this looked on television but in person it was like watching a root canal. I'll tell you the feeling was that there was no way Bama was going to win this game. Carolina was playing better and Alabama couldn't stay out of the way of their own "play". Green was on the bench. Releford had become a ghost. It was a bad moment and frankly, this made the Vandy game look like we were kings of the world.
I kept thinking this is the entire season. With 5:45 Green was finished. Mitchell was showing some life. Releford was part of the walking dead. Here's the way our offense was playing the Carolina Zone. We put an offensive player directly in front of defender and passed the ball around the edge of the zone. Carolina just stood still and waited for the clock to wind down and the upcoming horrible shot. With 5:00 minutes Alabama's only offense threat, Mitchell decided that running over a screen was a short cut to his man, and he picked up number four and went to the bench. On Bama's next "offensive" possession Lacey jacked up an airball from the corner. I have no idea what Carolina was shooting at this point but I doubt it was 30%. How can I put this kindly - we were choking. Luckily for the Tide Levi Randolph was hustling and rebounding. With the game tied at 52 Releford missed a three. Bama was in the bonus and were not taking the ball inside at all.
With 1:26 Gill tipped in an offensive rebound to go up 54-52. Senior JayMchal threw a beauty of a pass to Randolph off a double team and the game was knotted up at 54. With 55.4 the game was tied when DarrIin Horn called a time-out. I remembered what CM Newton used to say - its not % that counts its the number of shots you get. I don't know the number but I'd be Carolina must have had at least 15-20 more shots than the Tide, and all of them were offensive. Releford threw the ball away with the scored and Carolina was holding for one shot. Bama had two to give and cut the Carolina possession clock to 5.4 seconds. Carlolina's Ellington made a lay-up with 1.0 second left. It was his only basket in the second half. Let me say this - Bama could have been beaten by thirty. This was the most horrible game I have ever seen an Alabama team play. This was like the Vandy game only it was a high school team that beat us. Frankly, this was an embarrassment to the Basketball Program. Here's a good question. How do give up only 56 points and lose? I'm sorry for the nature of this report. Honestly, I have no heart to write this one up. With the season on the line we choked. The only reason that Carolina didn't beat us by 30 is they missed so many wide open threes. The fat lady may not be singing for this season but I heard her warming up. I hope Green is going to be okay, or this team might struggle to win a game. Yesterday, we said that Bama would win behind Green and Releford. I'll cut Green some slack. He was hurt. Credit to Carolina. They cut off the head and heart of Alabama's team. I think rather than driving west I'll drive east into the Atlantic and put myself out of own misery. Over 1,000 games seen in person and this was the worse. At least now I can start working on my golf game. Tonight the Tide lost their poise, lost the game, and probably lost the season. Hope I'm wrong. The best thing a team can have is chemistry. It is more important than talent some times. This team couldn't meet to go the cafeteria together. It was actually worse than I've written. It was one of those games where you'd like to slink in the restroom and wait for everyone to leave so you don't have to talk to anyone. You pray you don't see a coach. So Bama is at a crossroad. They can roll over and die, or try to pick themselves up and find some respectability. In the past I'd always say they'd get on track. I honestly can't say that.
I have no stats. I was afraid to look. My only opinion would be suicidal. This team is a horse with a broken leg. They shoot horses. Where do you go from nowhere? Green came back to lead this team as a senior. Sometimes you can add up the talent level and play better than the sum. Sometimes it is the other way around. It's pretty clear which one we are. This team is broken. I honestly thought we were going to get it going. Tonight this team played without heart and didn't play hard on defense. That is being kind. I love Alabama. This is not Alabama. This is a bunch of clowns who have gotten out of a volkswagen at the circus. I'll pull for 'em until I die, but good grief guys stop playing like this you're killing me. The most important question for the Alabama players right now is how far can you sit away from Grant and not fall out of the airplane?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
All you doom and gloom guys I have a bet for you...
Game # 1 of big five game streak begins in Columbia...
Look for page two on SEC OPINIONS to the right of page
Tomorrow night our beloved Crimson Tide travels to Columbia, South Carolina. I'm glad we are wearing the red uniforms because we will fit right in. South Carolina is just to the right of the Flat Earth Society. The only flat surface the team will think about is one 94 feet long. But the Tide will not there to debate the merits of Carolina's political philosophy. They will be there to debate the relative merits of the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Crimson Tide. This is game # 1 in a five game swing that can get the Tide back in the four or five seed brackets. Here's my prediction for the next five games. Us 5 - them 0. I feel this is going to happen. The team regained some of its balance in the Kentucky game and even though they lost they fixed a few problems. If you missed last nights article you might want to go back and read it.
Alabama is likely a bit anxious after 3 straight losses, and now a road game. Carolina is simply desperate. Another home loss will see their coach hung in effigy, unless the unruly mob actually catches the man. The we may have a new definition of goal tending. Fans are angry at their coach. Not just a few call in fans to radio shows, but sending a moving van mad. Look, I don't mean to be vulgar but I have to wonder just how violate a school can be when their spirit chant is "Let's go Cocks". You can imagine what the reply is from the other school, and it isn't about the all day sucker variety. Ah, the joys of youth and all the lack of civility it brings. Bama is big favorite tomorrow. How rare is it to see a road team in the SEC favored? Last year many people thought that Auburn was the worst Major Division One program. I think that South Carolina edged them out, and this season has started off as dismal as a wet rat at a cat convention. In Tuscaloosa, expectations were high for a great season. In Columbia, expectations were more along the line of winning a few Pre-SEC games.
When Carolina hired Mark Fox away from Western Kentucky he was the official Dixie Dandy of college basketball. It started out with a trip to the NIT. The next year it plunged. I don't think that Carolina has one player who could crack the rotation expect their point guard. That is not the same thing in saying that Carolina can't win. I once saw a midway midget beat up a spectator at the Bount County Fair. The spectator was black and blue on every spot of his body below the belt line. So anything can happen. That's why I always feel a bit of trepidation when the Tide hits the road, I learned to fear road games from Wimp Sanderson and understood why under Mark Gottfried. When coach Grant can get this team on the level of Wimp Sanderson, greatest coach in Alabama history, he will have arrived. The Official Arrival, no the expectation arrival, No one else is in the same sentence with Wimp except C.M. Those two put Alabama basketball on the map. But I believe that Anthony Grant 'lis the same type guy.,
Now Anthony Grant has a five game streak that can restore a lot of faith in him and his team. If he can manage the five-fecta I will walk to Coleman Coliseum. I'll start McFarland Mall, of course, but given the fact I'm sixty-five and in not-robust shape that still that's a pretty good haul. You bet that the Tide wins five, but loses even one game, I'll start start walking, plus everyone else who bet we'd win five. We win 'em all you do the walking. I know there is a lot of fans out there that say "we can't win five in row". We'll I'm telling you to put your Nike's where your mouth has been. Game on. Lets do this for charity at 10 bucks a man. You have to pay win or lose. Helping the tornado victims in Clay makes everyone a winner.
Look for page two on SEC OPINIONS to the right of page
 |
| Best moves on the Carolina team, can't dribble with her left hand. (Sorry I lost a bet with a Carolina fan in football) |
Alabama is likely a bit anxious after 3 straight losses, and now a road game. Carolina is simply desperate. Another home loss will see their coach hung in effigy, unless the unruly mob actually catches the man. The we may have a new definition of goal tending. Fans are angry at their coach. Not just a few call in fans to radio shows, but sending a moving van mad. Look, I don't mean to be vulgar but I have to wonder just how violate a school can be when their spirit chant is "Let's go Cocks". You can imagine what the reply is from the other school, and it isn't about the all day sucker variety. Ah, the joys of youth and all the lack of civility it brings. Bama is big favorite tomorrow. How rare is it to see a road team in the SEC favored? Last year many people thought that Auburn was the worst Major Division One program. I think that South Carolina edged them out, and this season has started off as dismal as a wet rat at a cat convention. In Tuscaloosa, expectations were high for a great season. In Columbia, expectations were more along the line of winning a few Pre-SEC games.
When Carolina hired Mark Fox away from Western Kentucky he was the official Dixie Dandy of college basketball. It started out with a trip to the NIT. The next year it plunged. I don't think that Carolina has one player who could crack the rotation expect their point guard. That is not the same thing in saying that Carolina can't win. I once saw a midway midget beat up a spectator at the Bount County Fair. The spectator was black and blue on every spot of his body below the belt line. So anything can happen. That's why I always feel a bit of trepidation when the Tide hits the road, I learned to fear road games from Wimp Sanderson and understood why under Mark Gottfried. When coach Grant can get this team on the level of Wimp Sanderson, greatest coach in Alabama history, he will have arrived. The Official Arrival, no the expectation arrival, No one else is in the same sentence with Wimp except C.M. Those two put Alabama basketball on the map. But I believe that Anthony Grant 'lis the same type guy.,
Now Anthony Grant has a five game streak that can restore a lot of faith in him and his team. If he can manage the five-fecta I will walk to Coleman Coliseum. I'll start McFarland Mall, of course, but given the fact I'm sixty-five and in not-robust shape that still that's a pretty good haul. You bet that the Tide wins five, but loses even one game, I'll start start walking, plus everyone else who bet we'd win five. We win 'em all you do the walking. I know there is a lot of fans out there that say "we can't win five in row". We'll I'm telling you to put your Nike's where your mouth has been. Game on. Lets do this for charity at 10 bucks a man. You have to pay win or lose. Helping the tornado victims in Clay makes everyone a winner.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Five Big Games...
Alabama has a stretch where 13-6 could become 18-6...
It's possible in my opinion. Let's talk about why - While there are no easy road games the Tide has 3 trips where winning is possible. Start with South Carolina on Wednesday night. Then the Auburn Tigers after a couple of home games. That is always a tough game. But the Tide has a good chance. The final game in the next five games is LSU in Baton Rouge. The Tide has Ole Miss at home, and Arkansas comes calling this weekend. In the abstract, I'd pick the Crimson and White to win each of these games. If Coach Grant can get the team without a loss then Alabama will go to the NCAA. I also think that Bama has a better than average chance to win the final six games. We get Florida, the much improved Tennessee Vols, the Aubies, State, and finish up with Ole Miss in Oxford. The great thing about the last six games is that they will help our RPI rating and SOS. Remember that the Gators and Vols are at home.
What's wrong with Mitchell?
That is question number one among fans and I'd guess the coaches as well. My opinion is that Mitchell's overall lack of basketball skills is always subject to slumps. He could easily explode like an atomic bomb. People say he is bi-polar. Ha-Ha. Quit saying that because he's not bi-polar. He is a high energy player with higher expectations for himself. He's in a funk. South Carolina is exactly the type game where he can utilize his gazelle like speed. Mitchell is a good shooter. Not a great shooter, but he can get on some good streaks. He is a much underrated defender than you think. He's a decent ball handler. He is a time bomb ready to go off again. Ease up on the kid. He's a solid citizen, and a great young man.
What's wrong with Alabama?
Nothing. You might remember that very early on before the season began I said that replacing Chris Hines and Scenario Hillman would be tough to replace. It was true then and it is clear that regardless of how much talent our Freshman bring they cannot replace two seniors who were an invaluable part of last season's team. Hines was the junk yard dog of the team. He did the dirty little things a team needed. Hillman was the best defender we had. You cannot just throw in a couple of freshman in the mix and expect the same impact. I wrote that it would be very difficult for the Tide to repeat 25 wins. Expectations were so high such observation just were not believed. You ask Anthony Grant if he could have one more player on his team right now he'd say Chris Hines.You cannot underestimate the pump up the volume that Hillman brought to the floor.
This team isn't as good as last year's team - yet. It might end up as good. I just don't think it will really be much better though than last years team. They can be good. If the Tide catches fire and gets some breaks they might surprise in the NCAA Tournament. If Bama could show how good their three point shooters can be it would help. A lot of that poor shooting has to do with kamikaze defense. The players get a little leg weary and the shooting isn't as good. Here's how good they are right now. There isn't a team that will play in the Big Dance, regardless of seed who wants to play Alabama. So the obvious question is -
What does Alabama do to turn the season around?
First and foremost, they need to keep the in your face defensive mentality. That is character and identity of the team. They simply can't let up on the defensive intensity. I also believe that in the Vandy game they were getting tired prior to the game. Regardless of what Coach wants they are humans subject to all the physical struggles any team endures. Only the Tide goes harder than any team in the SEC. There is always going to be a game or two where fatigue comes into play. In the Vandy game once the adrenalin got flowing the team played hard.
Utilize the depth the team has built...
. I am surprised the Rodney Cooper has played in the last two games. I don't think there is an issue between the coach and player. Cooper has a tremendous upside. He was also Bama's best defender on the press. You probably notice our press is not quite as effective as earlier in the year. Some of that is quality of competition and some is not having the long reach of Cooper. Of all the freshman Cooper has found it tougher to find some steady ground.
Freshmen are freshmen for better or worse...
Fans simply have to acknowledge that when your main rotation includes four freshman things are going to haywire at times. Levi has been steady if not spectacular. He has a lot of spectacular in him and it shows his commitment to Coach Grant to back off his offensive game. He has very quietly put together an All Freshman SEC season in my opinion. Lacey is getting there. I think it is pretty obvious that Grant made a decision to play Lacey and Releford together and take his lumps for doing so. Allowing Lacey to play himself into SEC basketball shape has hurt a times, but his flashes of greatness show that Grant is thinking long term. That's fine with me. He needs five seasons in my opinion.
Surprise, surprise, surprise...
I think an article written earlier in the season recounted the story of going over to Atlanta with a coach to watch a player. On the other team was giant of kid. He kept dropping in jump hooks like they were coming out of a machine. First thing I did was call Alabama and tell them about him. They knew him already. I should have known but it never hurts... At any rate Jacobs as been a pleasant surprise. He had the potential from the day he hit campus but his progress has really helped the team. I guess if you go up against Green everyday you improve or die.
Moussa Gueye wasn't supposed to play this season. The 7 footer is back taking baby steps to get in shape and make sure his ACL will stand up to the rigors of SEC play. He got a couple of rebounds against Kentucky and was 3-4 from the line. If you watched him you had to notice that he has great basketball instincts. One illegal pick sent a Kentucky guard doing a land version of the back flip. That was pretty funny. Gueye was smiling. Grant wasn't.
Andrew Steele was finished. His career was over. He was essentially passing out water bottles and helping the freshman with some individual defensive drills. He kept himself in shape. Lo and behold he got the green light to play and his defensive intensity is a profile in courage considering where he was just a short time ago. He's getting more minutes. He could be a starter but he seems to relish being the 6th man. He is hard nosed and one great human being. I know that he is a favorite of Grant who espouses his virtues to the remainder of the team.
The team leaders...
Jaymychal Green is letting the game come to him. I think there was some friction (not personal) with Mitchell. They were each over stepping their assigned job descriptions so to speak. This is the senior's year to shine. Grant has given him the green light to do what he wants to do on offense, and JG has turned into the best interior defender in the SEC.
When we analyse the Tide you have to do it in a certain order. Fans complain that we aren't making enough three point baskets.Grant would say we lead the league in three point defense. Lacey isn't shooting enough. Grant would retort that as his defense improves he can shoot more often. Same with Levi and Nick. You have to recognize the same defensive intensity on the floor as the football team showed. The difference is talent and experience level. You have to start backwards in breaking down this team's abilities. Unlike football, you have to play two ways and you don't have a little get together between plays because hoops is one really long play. We are about where I thought we would be. We are on the edge of being very good. How good? How good can Releford be for the rest of the season. We will be as good as Releford becomes. He appears poised to soar. We will finish the season as good as we can be given the experience level. We could be very, very good.
 |
| The season rests with these two guys |
What's wrong with Mitchell?
That is question number one among fans and I'd guess the coaches as well. My opinion is that Mitchell's overall lack of basketball skills is always subject to slumps. He could easily explode like an atomic bomb. People say he is bi-polar. Ha-Ha. Quit saying that because he's not bi-polar. He is a high energy player with higher expectations for himself. He's in a funk. South Carolina is exactly the type game where he can utilize his gazelle like speed. Mitchell is a good shooter. Not a great shooter, but he can get on some good streaks. He is a much underrated defender than you think. He's a decent ball handler. He is a time bomb ready to go off again. Ease up on the kid. He's a solid citizen, and a great young man.
What's wrong with Alabama?
 |
| They will turn it around |
This team isn't as good as last year's team - yet. It might end up as good. I just don't think it will really be much better though than last years team. They can be good. If the Tide catches fire and gets some breaks they might surprise in the NCAA Tournament. If Bama could show how good their three point shooters can be it would help. A lot of that poor shooting has to do with kamikaze defense. The players get a little leg weary and the shooting isn't as good. Here's how good they are right now. There isn't a team that will play in the Big Dance, regardless of seed who wants to play Alabama. So the obvious question is -
What does Alabama do to turn the season around?
First and foremost, they need to keep the in your face defensive mentality. That is character and identity of the team. They simply can't let up on the defensive intensity. I also believe that in the Vandy game they were getting tired prior to the game. Regardless of what Coach wants they are humans subject to all the physical struggles any team endures. Only the Tide goes harder than any team in the SEC. There is always going to be a game or two where fatigue comes into play. In the Vandy game once the adrenalin got flowing the team played hard.
Utilize the depth the team has built...
. I am surprised the Rodney Cooper has played in the last two games. I don't think there is an issue between the coach and player. Cooper has a tremendous upside. He was also Bama's best defender on the press. You probably notice our press is not quite as effective as earlier in the year. Some of that is quality of competition and some is not having the long reach of Cooper. Of all the freshman Cooper has found it tougher to find some steady ground.
Freshmen are freshmen for better or worse...
Fans simply have to acknowledge that when your main rotation includes four freshman things are going to haywire at times. Levi has been steady if not spectacular. He has a lot of spectacular in him and it shows his commitment to Coach Grant to back off his offensive game. He has very quietly put together an All Freshman SEC season in my opinion. Lacey is getting there. I think it is pretty obvious that Grant made a decision to play Lacey and Releford together and take his lumps for doing so. Allowing Lacey to play himself into SEC basketball shape has hurt a times, but his flashes of greatness show that Grant is thinking long term. That's fine with me. He needs five seasons in my opinion.
Surprise, surprise, surprise...
 |
| The Tide will sink or swim on defense That's fine with me... |
Moussa Gueye wasn't supposed to play this season. The 7 footer is back taking baby steps to get in shape and make sure his ACL will stand up to the rigors of SEC play. He got a couple of rebounds against Kentucky and was 3-4 from the line. If you watched him you had to notice that he has great basketball instincts. One illegal pick sent a Kentucky guard doing a land version of the back flip. That was pretty funny. Gueye was smiling. Grant wasn't.
Andrew Steele was finished. His career was over. He was essentially passing out water bottles and helping the freshman with some individual defensive drills. He kept himself in shape. Lo and behold he got the green light to play and his defensive intensity is a profile in courage considering where he was just a short time ago. He's getting more minutes. He could be a starter but he seems to relish being the 6th man. He is hard nosed and one great human being. I know that he is a favorite of Grant who espouses his virtues to the remainder of the team.
The team leaders...
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| You are only as good as the point |
When we analyse the Tide you have to do it in a certain order. Fans complain that we aren't making enough three point baskets.Grant would say we lead the league in three point defense. Lacey isn't shooting enough. Grant would retort that as his defense improves he can shoot more often. Same with Levi and Nick. You have to recognize the same defensive intensity on the floor as the football team showed. The difference is talent and experience level. You have to start backwards in breaking down this team's abilities. Unlike football, you have to play two ways and you don't have a little get together between plays because hoops is one really long play. We are about where I thought we would be. We are on the edge of being very good. How good? How good can Releford be for the rest of the season. We will be as good as Releford becomes. He appears poised to soar. We will finish the season as good as we can be given the experience level. We could be very, very good.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Kentucky game next day obseravtions...
More good than bad for the Tide...
I know that Anthony Grant is going to look at the game video and find a dozen ways the Tide could have won. That's a joke. Grant lives in the present moment which is one reason he is going to deliver some glory days for Alabama. I've never sat down with the Coach when he reviews a game tape. My bet is he has a list that essentially says, "this we need to correct" and another list "this was good let's keep that up." Alabama had one chance to win the game in Kentucky and that was to bang them all over the floor, and then bang some more. That's what I meant yesterday when we said the fouls called against Alabama were basically good calls. They just weren't called both ways.
Kentucky superstar freshman, Anthony Davis, said "they were bigger and more physical than us. We had to make up for that by making threes, and our free throws. They were, you know, more physical than anyone we had played and they just wouldn't quit. They have a good team." John Calipari said his team missed 14 one foot shots in the first half. I went back and watched the game again. Kentucky missed 7 shots that were point blank. They were point blank except for the fact that Green was all over them. Green deflected three of those shots. He also blocked a couple of others. Freshman Nick Jacobs had no back down in him either. He changed a lot of shots, and moved a lot of people around with his huge body frame. Moussa altered a couple of shots as well. Calipari just will not give credit to Bama. He knows that his team was lucky to have been playing at home and all that entails with the officiating.
I counted 16 fouls that could have been called against Kentucky but were not called. To be fair, Bama had five or six of those in their favor. The reason the Cats shot so poorly is that they is that they played a blue collar team (no pun) that wasn't afraid of them. If you want to know how you beat Kentucky Bama showed the world the game plan. Knock them silly, play them on the road, and hope for decent officiating. My prediction for the Cats is at least 3 SEC losses in the SEC. I thought that a couple of their freshman were clearly intimidated the first half. Credit to those kids for manning up the second half and playing rougher. The Wildcats are wildly talented but played soft at times. The Cats depend on skill and great coaching. A tough nosed team playing on their own home floor will beat 'em. Watch and see.
JayMychal Green has been up and down this season. His downs have been because he was trying to hard to carry his team. But on Saturday he was the man. He was clearly the best inside player on the floor and the Wildcats gave him wide berth inside. Young Nick Jacobs is going to be a player. I mean he is going to be one of those classic Bama players that drool at the thought of knocking people around insider. That little baby hook is going to get better and better. The Kentucky players blocked one from the backside. All the remainder of shots either went in or were close. One goal tend was missed on one of his shots but I think it might have been a Bama player who touched the ball close to the rim.
What can you say about Trevor Releford ? The guys comes to play. His second half performance was one of best I've seen by a Bama player in my 55 years of watching the Tide play. The sophomore mystified the Cats on their home floor. I cannot imagine what he will be like as a junior and senior. He had 3 assists to go along with his 2 steals and 3 rebounds. There isn't a stat to keep up with how many times he broke the press, and recovered loose balls. Trevor Lacey had 5 assists, 5 boards and 10 big points. The freshman is getting better as his knee improves. He seems to have caught up the speed of play as well. He has one three point play taken away on a clear block. Not even close. Kentucky hit a three point shot on the subsequent trip down the floor. Six point swing... hmmmm.
There is no way to easily explain the contribution of Andrew Steele. His stats are less than vanilla at times. He earns his living by defense and being a fearless player. The senior shut down whoever he guarded, that defense was as important as the red hot shooting of the Tide in half number two. I bet if Grant gave a defensive player of the game it would have gone to number 22. He has literally been knocked silly so many times you lose count. You know what? He always gonna be back for more. Mr. Courage. Mr. Class.
Next up: Alabama at South Carolina - coming on Mon.
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| Green blocks this Wildcat shot... |
Kentucky superstar freshman, Anthony Davis, said "they were bigger and more physical than us. We had to make up for that by making threes, and our free throws. They were, you know, more physical than anyone we had played and they just wouldn't quit. They have a good team." John Calipari said his team missed 14 one foot shots in the first half. I went back and watched the game again. Kentucky missed 7 shots that were point blank. They were point blank except for the fact that Green was all over them. Green deflected three of those shots. He also blocked a couple of others. Freshman Nick Jacobs had no back down in him either. He changed a lot of shots, and moved a lot of people around with his huge body frame. Moussa altered a couple of shots as well. Calipari just will not give credit to Bama. He knows that his team was lucky to have been playing at home and all that entails with the officiating.
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| Another No-Call |
JayMychal Green has been up and down this season. His downs have been because he was trying to hard to carry his team. But on Saturday he was the man. He was clearly the best inside player on the floor and the Wildcats gave him wide berth inside. Young Nick Jacobs is going to be a player. I mean he is going to be one of those classic Bama players that drool at the thought of knocking people around insider. That little baby hook is going to get better and better. The Kentucky players blocked one from the backside. All the remainder of shots either went in or were close. One goal tend was missed on one of his shots but I think it might have been a Bama player who touched the ball close to the rim.
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| Releford and Randolph double team to cause Kentucky turnover |
There is no way to easily explain the contribution of Andrew Steele. His stats are less than vanilla at times. He earns his living by defense and being a fearless player. The senior shut down whoever he guarded, that defense was as important as the red hot shooting of the Tide in half number two. I bet if Grant gave a defensive player of the game it would have gone to number 22. He has literally been knocked silly so many times you lose count. You know what? He always gonna be back for more. Mr. Courage. Mr. Class.
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| Defensive effort by Steele led to Tide turnaround |
Next up: Alabama at South Carolina - coming on Mon.
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| Three pretty good freshman |
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| Alabama Player of the Game - JayMychal Green |
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