Tide Pride won't let Crimson quit...
Writers trip to hell in Baton Rouge (second page)
What do you have suspended 4 of your top 6 players, including your point guard, and the SEC's leading rebounder? You start 4 freshmen and Ben Eblen. A funny thing happened in the Maravich Center on Saturday night - the winners lost and the losers won in a funny kind of way. I know there are no moral victories. So let's call this one Tide Pride and glimpse of a very bright future in Tuscaloosa. If anyone doubts that Anthony Davis is a great coach, we just saw exhibit A and B today. Exhibit A is to suspend stars who don't want to follow the rules. Exhibit B is to play a rag tag bunch of kids and almost pull off a stunning upset cause they are so excellently coached.
I have no idea why LSU fans were applauding their team as the Tigers left the arena. I do understand and appreciate the LSU fans who applauded the Alabama when they left the Court. In a rivalry marked by increasing hostility that recognition was both gracious and well-deserved. I know that the game will go down as an Alabama loss, but I suspect that there might have been a great deal more won in the game Saturday night than lost. I don't think I've ever been more proud of any Crimson Tide team. That goes back 55 years for me. Things happen that are bad. Out of those bad things comes good things on occasion. Tonight was such an occasion. Tonight was very special to an older guy who has seen over a thousand Alabama games. It should be special to all Alabama fans who relish watching the Tide under adverse circumstances and equating themselves well.
Twice in the second half Alabama pulled to within 3 points. Each time the Bengals went inside to Justin Hamilton. Alabama had the speed, the heart, and the quickness. They just didn't have the athletic size needed inside. One other thing that Alabama had was Rodney Cooper. The 6-7 Cooper, who played small school ball, had a coming out party. It was Cooper who picked up the Tide on offense when he started knocking down everything he shot. Then Nick Jacobs joined in. I think at some point the Tide started to believe they could win. I know that LSU thought they might lose.
It was wonderful to watch. The Tide climbed the peak but couldn't reach the summit. When the contest ended Alabama had fought the hard fight but lost. I've heard men say there is no shame in losing. When you have left it all on the floor you have done all you can do. Bama did that. They missed some shots they could have made. All in all you can't ask for anything more out of a bunch of kids. If Bama could get this type of production from Cooper and Jacobs down the stretch...
For the night Rodney Cooper scored a career high 28 points and showed the promise he brought with him to Alabama. Full report tomorrow
Writers trip to hell in Baton Rouge (second page)
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| Cooper sparks Tide offense |
What do you have suspended 4 of your top 6 players, including your point guard, and the SEC's leading rebounder? You start 4 freshmen and Ben Eblen. A funny thing happened in the Maravich Center on Saturday night - the winners lost and the losers won in a funny kind of way. I know there are no moral victories. So let's call this one Tide Pride and glimpse of a very bright future in Tuscaloosa. If anyone doubts that Anthony Davis is a great coach, we just saw exhibit A and B today. Exhibit A is to suspend stars who don't want to follow the rules. Exhibit B is to play a rag tag bunch of kids and almost pull off a stunning upset cause they are so excellently coached.
I have no idea why LSU fans were applauding their team as the Tigers left the arena. I do understand and appreciate the LSU fans who applauded the Alabama when they left the Court. In a rivalry marked by increasing hostility that recognition was both gracious and well-deserved. I know that the game will go down as an Alabama loss, but I suspect that there might have been a great deal more won in the game Saturday night than lost. I don't think I've ever been more proud of any Crimson Tide team. That goes back 55 years for me. Things happen that are bad. Out of those bad things comes good things on occasion. Tonight was such an occasion. Tonight was very special to an older guy who has seen over a thousand Alabama games. It should be special to all Alabama fans who relish watching the Tide under adverse circumstances and equating themselves well.
Twice in the second half Alabama pulled to within 3 points. Each time the Bengals went inside to Justin Hamilton. Alabama had the speed, the heart, and the quickness. They just didn't have the athletic size needed inside. One other thing that Alabama had was Rodney Cooper. The 6-7 Cooper, who played small school ball, had a coming out party. It was Cooper who picked up the Tide on offense when he started knocking down everything he shot. Then Nick Jacobs joined in. I think at some point the Tide started to believe they could win. I know that LSU thought they might lose.
It was wonderful to watch. The Tide climbed the peak but couldn't reach the summit. When the contest ended Alabama had fought the hard fight but lost. I've heard men say there is no shame in losing. When you have left it all on the floor you have done all you can do. Bama did that. They missed some shots they could have made. All in all you can't ask for anything more out of a bunch of kids. If Bama could get this type of production from Cooper and Jacobs down the stretch...
For the night Rodney Cooper scored a career high 28 points and showed the promise he brought with him to Alabama. Full report tomorrow
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