CRIMSON HOOPS - Tide takes on the 'Shockers...

Tough road game for Tide ...

Tide needs to win against a good opponent -

   

   Just when I think the Tide might have turned a corner, or at least peeked around one, Xavier scores 97 points and the Tide looks like Moses wandering in the desert without the pillar of fire for guidance. The tough play the Tide had shown against a much superior Iowa State team was nowhere to be found. If we thought that Iowa State and Xavier were good teams then you better buckle up for Wichita State on their home floor.

      WSU is a basketball program which is simply better than Alabama’s right now. Last season they lost no regular season games, and have lost only one this year. ‘Bama played the ‘Shockers a close game in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson even led the game with six minutes left. Then the depth and great defense of WSU turned the tide so to speak. Get ready to greet the usual suspects from last season. Last winter, the ‘Shockers abused Alabama inside. Alabama had managed to put All-Conference guard Ron Baker on the bench with early foul trouble. Instead, the Missouri Valley team turned to Cleanthony Earl who knocked down 26 for the game. ‘Bama had no one who could match up wirh the forward. The Tide even slowed down Fred Van Fleet who had only 11. The boards killed the Tide. WSU got 12 additional boards than the home team, which included 12 offensive boards. None of the missed shots hurt the Tide more than two offensive rebounds in the last two minutes.

      I’m not sure exactly what it is about WSU that is so impressive. It starts with coaching. Greg Marshall can flat out coach, and he is seems to have a knack of finding a way to win even when the stats say otherwise. One thing the ‘Shockers do is take care of the ball.  Marshall’s teams don’t waste shots either. They are not the most prolific shooting team you will ever see but they take a lot of good shots. Both team have similar stats except for two areas. First, the ‘Shockers are tough under the boards, and second, they are a much better defensive team than Bama. I thought that Bama played great defense against Tennessee Tech in the second half. Holding any team to only 17 points in a half is phenomenal. The Tennessee team had only 53 for the night. That is hopeful if the offense returns this week. As of Monday, no line had been posted for the game, but I’d guess it would fall around 12. That seems about right to me. One thing that should keep Alabama competitive in every game is their potential at guard. If the Tide can eliminate a few turnovers they can win some games. Interior play has been turnover city so far. I look for MK to get better. He has good hands. Taylor is better but, it is still an adventure when he catches the ball. 

     If the Tide can hold Van Fleet and Baker below their season averages and break even or close to even inside we might win. The Tide is still figuring out their lineup and there is a lot of youth and new on the team. Randolph and Tarrant are a strong backcourt. Throw Coleman in the mix and you slide Randolph down to the baseline, which causes a lot of matchup problems. Hale is pressing and he’ll be okay in the long run. I’m not sold on this team yet, but I’m not writing them off either. Alabama needs to beat WSU or UCLA. I went to the UCLA – Gonzaga game and the Bruins have some problems at the guard position. They are also big and explosive inside. If Bama loses both those games they need to win 15 or so league games to go dancing. 20+ is no cinch for the tournament any longer. The Tide may have a lot of good loses, but you still have to win some big ones. I like State by 10. If Tarrant can’t go it might be worse. It will take one heck of a game for Bama to win. My heart says yes, but my common sense says no. Hope I’m wrong. Roll Tide.

SEC OPINIONS - What a great pair...

Saban and Kiffin set a new bar...

It turned out to be a marriage made in heaven. For all of those (me included) who thought that hiring Lane Kiffin was a mistake, maybe an insanity, please accept my humble apology. Call them what you will – the odd couple, Mutt and Jeff, or even Batman and Robin. Call it the long and tall of it all. Alpha and Omega. Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin did some remarkable coaching this season. Saban, a man who constantly amazes me, looked at Lane Kiffin and saw the future and not the past. When Saban announced the hiring of Kiffin a kind of stunned silence began which soon gave way to downright anger in the Tide Nation. How could Nick Saban hire the much hated and extremely arrogant Lane Kiffin? Kiffin left UT in the lurch, and got fired by the Southern Cal AD at LAX. He was damaged goods to most anyone who wondered about his future. Many wondered if he might ever coach in the college ranks again. Enter Nick Saban.

I’m not sure that any man with less stature than Nick Saban had the ability to pull off one of the greatest coaching hires ever made. Today, we celebrate Kiffin for all he has done with the Alabama offense. That is what Nick Saban saw in Lane Kiffin. Kiffin wasn’t damaged goods, maybe just a little bruised, and suffering from a deflated ego. I first wondered about his hiring Kiffin when the ex-Southern California coach visited the Capstone for that week or so before the last bowl game. Was it possible that Saban was considering hiring him? I didn’t think so. Southern California is exactly Southern Mississippi either. It’s a long fall from one of the top programs in college football history to being an assistant. Yes, even at Alabama.

No doubt, the man has coaching skills. Big doubt, the man had people skills to match. Saban offered and Kiffin accepted. That says a lot about both men. Kiffin was too proud to beg for a job anywhere. Saban made it possible for Kiffin to install Kiffin 2.0 and get his life back on track. Saban, ever the wiley fox, understood the quid pro quo.

Saban understood the upside of hiring the offensive genius. He also understood the downside as well. While most people dwelled on the negative, Saban and Kiffin signed on for a lot more than a contract offering employment. Each man was giving up a lot of control. Somewhere in all the thought processes that each had to go through to reach decision to come to Alabama, there must have been a high level of trust established. I’m talking about serious out on a limb type trust. If Kiffin failed Saban would catch a lot of flack. It wasn’t as if the Tide hadn’t experienced success under past OC’s.

Here’s what I think happened. Saban knew that he had to drag his offense into a new era whether he liked it or not. Saban know what a wonderful OC Kiffin would make. Kiffen understood that this wasn’t just a change to redeem himself, this was a chance to redeem himself with the greatest coach in America. Alabama had no experienced quarterbacks waiting in the wing. Saban know that Lane Kiffin could help remedy that problem. Saban kept the media off Kiffin’s back by not allowing him to speak.. I bet Kiffin both liked and wanted that to happen. He needed to be judged on his ability to coach and not on non-football matters. Saban had the clout and the power to let Kiffin succeed while not allowing Alabama football to turn into Entertainment Tonight. Oprah and Dr. Phil couldn’t have created a better ending. Do you know what kind of leadership that hire took? Can we really appreciate exactly what Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin did this season for Alabama? I just beginning to appreciate this myself. Can you imagine the guts it took for Kiffin to tell Saban that Blake Sims was going to be his starting quarterback? We all knew how unpopular that choice was. What was going on in Tuscaloosa?

   What was going on was the start of a remarkable season. It will remarkable whether it is for one more game or two. It seems to me that if Blake is able to lead ‘Bama to national championship #16 it will seem like a fairy tale ending. Upon further reflection, I think it would be a lot of trust and ability that gets the job done. It doesn’t hurt that Blake Sims found some superpowers as well. Here's a final little teaser - who called the "we keep Blake in the game" decision vs. Auburn.

 

SEC OPINIONS - Time to heal our wounds with UAB

     I know several current and past UAB football players. My heart goes out of each of them. Jerking a football program around like a bulldog does with a new toy isn’t funny. Alabama should not gloat over the death of UAB football. I’m been stunned at the number of posters who hate UAB and Gene Bartow. The only sin that UAB committed was the dislike between Gene Bartow and certain people on the Board of Trustees, and dare to try something new.  Keep in mind this sin was committed in 1991. That’s a long time to be mad at anyone. You’d think that grown men could set aside personal differences and learn to live with the fact that UAB had football team. Gene Bartow may not have been the most likeable man in America. He isn’t the devil some make him out to be. Coach Bartow is dead. Let him rest in peace and wait for history to make a final judgment on his accomplishments. He was hired to do a job and he did that. He brought some competition to Alabama and Auburn. It certainly wasn’t on the field competition, but college football was a way help out the image of Birmingham. When Alabama left Birmingham it left a hole in the image of that fine City.

     The UAB program never threatened Alabama football. Since the start of UAB football I believe that Alabama has won 4 national championships, came close a couple seasons, and may win another one this season. Can someone explain to me exactly how UAB football was hurting Alabama. Alabama’s wins and income have soared to historical records. Can anyone tell me a single football player who chose to sign with UAB and not the Crimson Tide? Not a single one comes to my mind. UAB has had several great players, and some who went on to play in the NFL. None of those were 4 or 5 star recruits. Richard Nixon once said that no one could kick him around any longer after he resigned the Presidency in wake of the Watergate cover up. As far as I know, UAB committed no felonies in their program. What UAB did was to dare to offer an alternative to Alabama football. It’s time to stop the kicking now.

      You know, Alabama basketball is rarely mentioned in this decades old conversation. UAB did cause Alabama basketball a lot of problems. The made it to the Elite Eight and 12 other trips including a couple of 16 appearances. The played in 11 NIT tournaments. If anyone should have a beef with UAB it was the Alabama coaches. But, it was, of course, only basketball. That has never counted except to a few fans. UAB has been pretty darn good in basketball. Along the way from Bartow to the present the Blazers beat Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Louisville, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Virginia, Villanova, Cincinnati, Connecticut and Memphis. They beat Memphis 10 times. They were no push overs.

I remember the year that UAB beat LSU in football in Baton Rouge. Seems to me there were some pretty happy Bama fans on that band wagon. The Blaxers struggled most of the time, however. They made it to only one bowl game in Hawaii. That’s not a bad place to spend the holidays. Here is what I want to say to Alabama fans and UAB fans. First, to the UAB followers. Your football program ultimately bite the astroturf because not enough of you cared. The last UAB game I attended the announced crowd was 16,000+. Probably only 4,000-6,000 were actually in attendance. UAB owns that sad fact. That’s on you. Don’t even try to forget that fact.

 I know that there is conspiracy theory that has been in place for years – The Alabama BOT wanted to get rid of your program. That may or may not be the truth. The real truth is if UAB had been able to put 25,000 fans in Legion Field on a regular basi,s we wouldn’t be here today. Perhaps some Board members wanted UAB to fold. I have no idea if that is true or not. I do know that know of the board members could make anyone stop buying tickets. Let’s assume all the conspiracy theories are true. This is still America and the last time I checked Alabama was still a part of the Union. Talking about problems is not the same as addressing them. It is not the same as getting people into seats.

     Bama fans, inow is time to let this go. The loss of any football team in Alabama doesn’t speak well about anyone in our fair State.  UAB is part of the University of Alabama. That means in some way they are family to all Tide fans. Really, some of us may be stupid, but we don’t have to be hateful under any circumstance. We always talk about class. It’s time to show some. Maybe one or two of those kids end up at Alabama. You can never tell. In all seriousness, it is time to close this verbal rivalry. Time to move on. And, it is also a time to help these players find another place to compete if they desire. So many negative comments are posted on boards about UAB survived on handouts. I hope those same people are willing extend a hand up for those kids now. Hate builds nothing more than more hate. 

SEC OPINIONS - Two quarterbacks

Sims inspires and delights Alabama fans

Indulge me just a bit. Yesterday was Thanksgiving. It’s the time of year that we are supposed to think about exactly what we are thankful for. I have a wonderful family. I have the greatest wife in the world and two superstar daughters. One of my daughters should work on Wall Street. The other is the last remaining flower child in America. Gosh, I have so much to be thankful for it’s hard to know where to even start naming my other blessings. Today, I wanted to tell you how thankful I am to one certain young man on the Crimson Tide football team.

It’s been a strange year for quarterbacks in our State. Jameis Winston won a national championship his freshman year as well as the Heisman Trophy. About the only thing that Blake Sims has won is the starting position at quarterback for Alabama. Winston was a five star prospect. He was the golden child of all recruiting his senior year at Hueytown High School.  Blake Sims, who is not even from Alabama, was a pretty good little athlete in Gainseville, Georgia. Winston fulfilled all the promises his ability had in store for him. He’s yet to take a snap in a losing game for his team. Winston spurned offers from both Alabama and Auburn. He turned his back on in state schools and decided his future was at Florida State. Blake Sims was offered a chance to play at Alabama and grabbed it in a heartbeat.

Winston walked on campus and was a star. Sims came to Alabama searching for a position to play. I’m not exactly certain what Alabama coaches had in mind for him, but I’d bet my last dollar it would never be a starting quarterback. Ironically, both quarterbacks had to beat out the same player to win the starting quarterback at their respective schools. Winston beat out Jacob Coker and the heavens opened up for the Hueytown native. Coker backed up Winston and then transferred to Alabama. He did so because he had always been an Alabama fan and, it appeared the starting position at Alabama was his for the taking.

Blake Sims and Jacob Coker entered into a fraternal war for the starting job after the former FSU quarterback transferred to Alabama. I think it would be fair to say that no one really expected Sims to win the job. After all, Coker was tall, strong, and had a big league arm. He was a cinch to play on Sundays when he finished at Alabama. Alabama fans gushed at his potential to replace star quarterback A.J. Carron who had 3 national championship rings on his hand, and had come to 4. Blake Sims wasn’t tall enough, fast enough, and didn’t have an arm strong enough to measure up to what Alabama fans had become accustomed. In fact, many thought the quarterback battle between the two was a paper tiger. The problem with that was the heart and the tenacity of Blake Sims. No one told him he couldn’t win the job, and even if they told him I doubt he’d have listened.

A funny thing happened on the way to the first game of the year. Sims got better. And then Sims got a lot better. After watching the two Alabama quarterbacks perform in real game action it became bedrock clear that Sims had won the job. Together with Lane Kiffin, the offensive coordinator, the pair decided to re-write the quarterback position. You can measure height, strength, speed, and distance. No one has found a way to measure heart and courage. Alabama had a quarterback named Pat Trammell. He had no discernable skills. He was an average passer, a mediocre runner, and not physically imposing. He had everything else, however. Somehow he found a way to take those intangibles and bacame a great quarterback. Blake Sims is the modern day version of Pat Trammell in many ways. Both had courage and leadership. Each loved the moment when the game was on the line. The both could look their offense in the eye and get them to understand how they were going to win. The other thing that stands out is that they both understood the value and the virtue of hard work and a never say quit attitude.

How strange it is to be able to compare Jameis Winston and Blake Sims. One has won the accolades of the football world for his ability. Black Sims has won accolades for his lack of ability, and for other things. I have no doubt that Jameis Winston will be a rich man very soon. He also will be a much hated person for his lack of virtue. Blake Sims won’t play in the NFL. But he can measure success in more meaningful ways. He can walk down the street, hold his head up high, maintain a steady look into other people’s eyes, and personify what it means to be a man. I’m very thankful for being able to share the football journey of Blake Sims. He has helped me regain some lost faith in younger Americans. I have the two best daughters in the world, but if I ever had a son I could do a lot worse than have one like Blake Sims.

 

Florida State should be more than ashamed...

It if walks like a thug, acts like a thug, and talks like a thug...

           A lot will be written about Alabama's second half demolition of Florida. I'll leave that sweet task to others today. This Sunday I want to write about the other team in Florida - FSU.  I wonder how long FSU is going to allow Jameis Winston to remain on their roster? How long will the administration of FSU prostitute themselves for all of America to see? How much longer will FSU allow Jameis Winston to teach young American males that being a thug is just fine and dandy? Most of us know what would have happened to Winston if he acted that way under Nick Saban. I know that winning football games is important in the South. Do you believe that the University of Alabama would bow in the presence of such tasteless behavior? People like to say that "he's young". Sorry, he's not that young. He may be that stupid or arrogant. Winston's behavior is a  result of being put in a situation that he isn't capable of things that require real character. There is such a difference between having character and being a character. 

     I personally find it amazing that despite being suspended he thought it necessary to suit up for a game in which he couldn't play. Of course, national TV played up his antics on the sideline. If Winston couldn't play he could still be the center of attention. I remember what a good friend told me when Alabama was recruiting him. "We don't want him, and we don't need him. The baggage is just not worth the trouble." I'm not sure what he knew about Winston and how he learned what he learned. "He's a great player," he said, "but that's all he is and he will ever be." Man, that's a tough critic. Winston's problems is that he no longer is a  child but is no where near being a man. 

     Blake Sims has no where near the talent of Winston. Sims has made the University of Alabama proud of how he has persevered. He has made himself a starter and star to the fans despite  a long and ragged journey. I don't personally know Blake Sims. I doubt I'd see him shoplifting down at the Piggly Wiggly. I see Sims cheering on Jake Coker from the sidelines. There is nothing fake or contrived about his actions. He's not panning for the camera. He's supporting his friend and his team. There is nothing shallow about Blake Sims. He's not some sort of thin veneer covering something that needs hiding. For all his talent, Jameis Winston seems incapable of hiding what he is. At least that's all he's shown me so for. Everyone is capable of change, even Jameis Winston. One thing seems certain, Jimbo Fisher, the FSU nation, and University won't have much to do with it if he does change. 

     

    

Tide has miles to go...

       No disrespect to Tide fans.  I see talent, speed, effort, and potential. Alabama hasn't become a good team. At least not yet. The number two team in the NCAA? I sure don't see that. The battle at quarterback continues. Both Sims and Coker have their strengths. Each have their weakness'  as well. In watching the Southern Mississippi game it doesn't appear to me that either man has won the job. I think that both are good and will get any better. It seems to me that the real problem the Tide faces in the future isn't at quarterback. The real problem with this 'Bama team lies on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

    The defense has a long way to go to be dominating. The defensive backs have a long way to go to even being adequate.

Why the NCAA needs a new rule regarding substitutions...

Balance is the key to college football...

     It seems to me that the offenses in college football pretty much have an edge over most defenses even before all this HUNH sense. Every play was a conspiracy about how to beat the defense and gain an edge. I mean, the defense quite literally had no idea what was coming their way most of the time.  For those of you who are not old enough to remember the wishbone in its being, there were those who thought no defense could ever stop the formation. HUNH might have its day in the sunshine but like the wishbone.

     I listened to Hugh Freeze on Paul's show the other day and he admitted it was a way to try to beat teams with better talent. For all of those who love the HUNH its pretty much an admission that your team can't play on a level playing field. You need an edge. It's not exactly like cheating but it's close. For those who say that defenses need to be in better shape you could just as easily say "recruit better" you losers. If it takes trickery and chicanery to win you must be pretty desperate. That's precisely what this is all about. It's about schools who can't cut the mustard on the recruiting trail, merely wanting a shortcut. I'm sorry that Auburn believes there program is inferior to Alabama. The historical truth is that most programs, if not all, are inferior to Alabama. Alabama didn't get to the place they earned by taking shortcuts. They earned it by going to places and beating teams when the nation believed that  Southern football was second rate. The Tide went up on the East Coast and played Penn who was the undisputed powerhouse in college football. They beat 'em. Then the Tide and other Southern teams beat West Coast teams so often the PAC Conference wouldn't allow those rednecks to play. Whether Auburn likes it or not, the Alabama Crimson Tide gave Auburn as chance to have a decent football program. That's not speculation. It's a historical fact.

     Here we are nine decades later and Auburn is still trying to match the Tide. They can't do it for a lot of reasons. Finally it took a coach who understood that truth and bevies up this gimmick offense.  Programs like Auburn, Ole Miss, and Oregon who are not generally considered national powers want to use an offense that college football never envisioned. Now, let me say that they aren't cheating. There is no rule, at least not yet, that says you can't play an offense without a huddle. So to say that these schools cheat by violating the rules isn't true. What they are doing is far worse than that - they are violating the very essence of college football. The huddle and the anticipation of the next play are an inherent part of the college game.  I'm sure if more plays are run you can score more often. I'm also sure more players will be injured. That's just common sense. What are the chances of a player being hurt on one play? Not much. What are the chances of a player being hurt in a 75 plays? Certainly, its  more. But I do think that people who argue the injury factor are just blowing hot air to some degree.  That horse left the barn when 15 games are year could be played. Let's not be hypocritical and argue player safety as the main reason to make a rule. The main problems is competitive fairness.

    I'd think that what most fans want is for the best 22 players to be on the field at any given time to decide who has the better team. The HUNH bunch don't believe that however. I can't blame  them. Everyone wants to win.  It seems only fair that both teams have a chance to get their best players in any given situation on the field. But some teams know they can't win that way so they will naturally try other ways. I don't blame Gus in doing what he is doing. At least he is admitting he can't man up with Alabama year in and year out. I recognize that Alabama lost to Auburn. No sour grapes from me on that one. The reason Auburn beat Alabama is that the Alabama field goal kicker had a terrible night. That's it. It wasn't the AU offense that beat Alabama. It was Alabama's kicking game that beat Alabama. In general, I don't really like high scoring football games as much as I do a defensive last man standing affair. Auburn and the others will do what they think will benefit them. They are sort sighted however.

    When the three point shot in basketball started I was concerned. It was my belief it would hurt college basketball. Instead of fundamentals, teams could rely on shooting alone. The three opened up the inside which was what the rule intended. There were only so many great big men around, but a lot of shooters. We then entered an era of slam dunk heaven. ESPN focused on the dunks, and players got even weaker on fundamentals. Everyone wanted to flush one. If you couldn't be a member of fly slamma jamma, then you wanted to shoot the three. And that's where basketball is today. Dunking and bombing are skills, of course. But they are not fundamental skills in basketball.  They are the bastard children of a bad rule. I'm sure that the same will occur with the HUNH offense. Here's my hunch about what will happen.  Quarterbacks will not have NFL  skills like in the past decades. The hurry up offense doesn't produce the  type quarterback you need in the NFL. All the emphasis will switch to the offense  I mean, why play defense when you have a hard time stopping the scoring? Let's just score more. The game of football has always been about balance. Why shouldn't the defense be allowed to substitute unless the offense subs? That rule was made to keep a certain balance on the field. Why give the offense a further advantage? It doesn't make sense. Will this proposed rule happen? It in the near future. If not this season then the next. Why?  Who wants to see Baylor or Texas Tech win a national championship?  Certainly not the NCAA and ESPN.  ESPN probably loves all this scoring. But when second rate teams starting playing for and winning national championships things will change. When TV ratings hit the bottom of the barrel we'll see some balance restored. Would you rather see Alabama and Southern Cal play for a national championship or two teams that you can't remember the conference they are from?

    In the long run talent generally wins. Has a HUNH team ever won a national championship?  The reason that the hurry up is being used is to cover up inferior talent. Do you think players are not going to catch on that the NFL doesn't want to see people run for hundreds of yards against a dog tired defense? What Auburn did last season was remarkable. Take nothing away from the Tigers. I suspect that their second time  around the SEC might not be as much fun. Defenses adapt. But it may take some type of rule to allow the offenses not to overwhelm defenses, and change the essence of college football.