The Future of Alabama Basketball and Anthony Grant
- Thread starter RTR91
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Whether CM Newton was just trying to be nice/politically correct when asked the question or not, I believe Dunaway used a comment that isn't really recent. I've seen it throughout this season; I know CM didn't say that last night. I doubt many of Grant's supporters felt great after that game.
I've supported him and wanted him to do well. Heck, I was even defending him during the game some last night. I couldn't do it after about the first 5 minutes of the second half. Some of you know Hunter Johnson from other message boards, Bama games, or Twitter. He is one of Grant's biggest supporters. His tweets last night indicated one thing - he's getting fed up.
Grant has a pretty dang good home record at Alabama. His road record isn't so great. Bama's style of play doesn't work well with the new rules in the college game. Looking back, it's not worked well with the "old" rules, either. In basketball, home teams tend to get the calls. That should explain why Bama's defense performs about 10 times better than it does on the road. I'm not putting blame on the officials, either. That's just the way of basketball, and we've never adapted when on the road.
Last week, someone asked about Algie Key's jump shot, and I commented how his highlight tape primarily consisted of dunks and/or drives to the goal. Rodney passed up a few jump shots last night to only get to the goal and take a wild shot. Levi did the same. Retin did the same. Trevor didn't do it as much but did it, too. Is that what Grant wants? It goes against his preferred offensive philosophy of working inside-out. Guys drive and kick the ball out to a shooter with an open jump shot for that guy to only repeat the drive to the goal.
Some of you saw this long ago. I always see the best in someone and hope for the best in every situation (unless, I completely despise you). Therefore, I've supported Anthony Grant and defended him. I've got a my hand hanging onto the ship only because I want to support Alabama. My hand is quickly slipping, though. The Grant Ship is emptying faster with every game no matter the outcome.
I even sent my brother a text message last night thanking him for never agreeing to getting a mini-package of tickets with me for this season because we would have wasted our money.
I've supported him and wanted him to do well. Heck, I was even defending him during the game some last night. I couldn't do it after about the first 5 minutes of the second half. Some of you know Hunter Johnson from other message boards, Bama games, or Twitter. He is one of Grant's biggest supporters. His tweets last night indicated one thing - he's getting fed up.
Grant has a pretty dang good home record at Alabama. His road record isn't so great. Bama's style of play doesn't work well with the new rules in the college game. Looking back, it's not worked well with the "old" rules, either. In basketball, home teams tend to get the calls. That should explain why Bama's defense performs about 10 times better than it does on the road. I'm not putting blame on the officials, either. That's just the way of basketball, and we've never adapted when on the road.
Last week, someone asked about Algie Key's jump shot, and I commented how his highlight tape primarily consisted of dunks and/or drives to the goal. Rodney passed up a few jump shots last night to only get to the goal and take a wild shot. Levi did the same. Retin did the same. Trevor didn't do it as much but did it, too. Is that what Grant wants? It goes against his preferred offensive philosophy of working inside-out. Guys drive and kick the ball out to a shooter with an open jump shot for that guy to only repeat the drive to the goal.
Some of you saw this long ago. I always see the best in someone and hope for the best in every situation (unless, I completely despise you). Therefore, I've supported Anthony Grant and defended him. I've got a my hand hanging onto the ship only because I want to support Alabama. My hand is quickly slipping, though. The Grant Ship is emptying faster with every game no matter the outcome.
I even sent my brother a text message last night thanking him for never agreeing to getting a mini-package of tickets with me for this season because we would have wasted our money.
He will get another year if for no other reason than financial. How much will giving him another year really damage the program even if endure another similar season? Not much imo. If you are going to pay a new coach north of $2M plus his buyout plus a $6M buyout on CAG's contract not to mention possible buyouts on his staff at smaller amounts, your looking at an $8M-$10M decision at the end of the season whereas waiting another year makes the transition about half that. If I am Coach Battle, its a no brainer to wait a year if for nothing more than you have more available to offer an incoming coach rather than investing all those funds in one you want to get rid of.
Besides, I think I recall that Coach Pearl still has another year on his show cause if he is indeed a potential candidate. If he is the guy we want then we might as well wait for him to be available.
When CMG was here his last 5 years, we were a terribly undisciplined team that could score but wouldnt play any defense and absolutely got trucked on the road because of the lack of discipline and mental toughness. Even now, CAG's road record is way better than CMG's. Dont forget why we made a change to begin with - it was awful.
CAG comes in and restores the discipline and for the first 3 years the road performance improves. However, in the process he has strangled the life out of his team offensively to the point these kids have no confidence they can win. I am not sure what happened but the turning point occurred last year and I believe it centered around about the time that Releford and some other teammates were suspended for the LSU game in BR. The mentality just hasnt been there since then.
Besides, I think I recall that Coach Pearl still has another year on his show cause if he is indeed a potential candidate. If he is the guy we want then we might as well wait for him to be available.
When CMG was here his last 5 years, we were a terribly undisciplined team that could score but wouldnt play any defense and absolutely got trucked on the road because of the lack of discipline and mental toughness. Even now, CAG's road record is way better than CMG's. Dont forget why we made a change to begin with - it was awful.
CAG comes in and restores the discipline and for the first 3 years the road performance improves. However, in the process he has strangled the life out of his team offensively to the point these kids have no confidence they can win. I am not sure what happened but the turning point occurred last year and I believe it centered around about the time that Releford and some other teammates were suspended for the LSU game in BR. The mentality just hasnt been there since then.
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I was very critical last year and got lambasted for it. I do think he still gets another year. What idiot allowed there to be a 6 million buyout in a basketball coaches contract in the 1st place? We will likely stick with him simply for financial reasons, but there are 2 sides to that story. We may lose on the buyout, but on the other hand, we'll lose a lot in ticket sales as well. Ultimately the butts in the seats matter most to the PTB. CAG does have a very good class coming in, but if we are going to run the same old system, it won't matter.
I thought the buyout was only 2 million right now. 6 mil seems awfully high for a basketball coach at Bama.
If it's only 2 million now is that really that big of a deal for Bama athletics, especially considering that our Basketball attendance and interests is dying a real quick death!?
What would make Bama basketball exciting again???
1. It's all about the winning.
2. But, it is also about the product, even when you don't win and even good teams will lose a few games a year in basketball.
3. So it's really about putting an exciting product on the floor. In state players will be more likely to stay at home and play in an uptempo style of play where they can run the floor AND fans will enjoy that style so much more than what's happening now.
4. Not saying we can't have a top-notch program at Bama, but let's begin by having a program that is exciting, that wins a lot more than now, they gets folks in the stands, that gets into the Dance and occasionally breaks into the Sweet 16.
Coach Grant can coach until he's blue in the face, but until he recruits a couple of inside post guys who can actually score, we don't have a prayer, and that's regardless of how goods our guards may be.
It is time for Grant to go. I respect his discipline and think he is a great person but it is time for a change.
Sip, I've said similar things. However, that doesn't excuse how our offense consists of guys just driving to the basket to toss up a random shot rather than shoot the open jumper. A big man on the inside won't help there. Taking those shots will help the big men Bama has now. By not taking those shots, the defense pretty much puts a guy in the lane and a guy on each block to defend Bama. That's all they have to do.
I think we have to let the season play out. I am hoping he can rally the team. This is based on hope only....no evidence.
I would like to know for sure what CAG's buyout really is. If it is really $6 million then he will be back one more year no matter what.
I just don't understand it! We are competitive with Wichita State, Duke, UCLA, et al and stink up the place against other teams.
We beat LSU who beats UK?!?
And this loss before football signing day to the Barn of all teams and when their coach accepts the Iron Bowl Trophy.
This STINKS Big Time! Was Mr. R. Evans at the game?
We beat LSU who beats UK?!?
And this loss before football signing day to the Barn of all teams and when their coach accepts the Iron Bowl Trophy.
This STINKS Big Time! Was Mr. R. Evans at the game?
Bit of a confession here on my end, or an indictment of Grant, depending on how you want to look at it: I've probably watched a combined 45 game minutes of Alabama basketball this season, and off-hand probably couldn't name the starting five. Frankly, I don't think regular season college basketball is a particularly entertaining product these days even when played by the better programs, and honestly what I've seen out of Alabama is simply unwatchable.
Call me a bandwagon fan if you want, but honestly there are just better ways to spend time. Honestly, I spent last night re-watching some of The Wire and reading some M&A academic literature, and frankly I don't regret not spending 2.5 hours watching ESPN3 on the iPad.
Will add two points here, which you can take for what you want:
(1) Re: decreased fan interest: On-court struggles aside, I do think that the continued rise of college football is crowding out college basketball at Alabama, and by that I don't necessarily only mean our on-field success in the fall (though that is certainly a part of it). Recruiting and spring practice have always been pretty big deals, of course, but the way both have taken off so much in the past decade, those two just now consume so much time and energy that would have otherwise gone to basketball. January through mid-March used to generate a lot of attention in the 'Bama basketball program, but now football recruiting dominates the discussion until early February, and by the end of February all focus is turning spring practice. The ten week window basketball used to have has now been reduced to about three or four weeks.
(2) Don't have the slightest idea as to whether or not Grant will be fired at the end of the year, but frankly it's a moot point unless he really finds a way to improve overall team performance. Either he's fired in eight weeks or in thirteen months, does it really matter either way at the end of the day?
Call me a bandwagon fan if you want, but honestly there are just better ways to spend time. Honestly, I spent last night re-watching some of The Wire and reading some M&A academic literature, and frankly I don't regret not spending 2.5 hours watching ESPN3 on the iPad.
Will add two points here, which you can take for what you want:
(1) Re: decreased fan interest: On-court struggles aside, I do think that the continued rise of college football is crowding out college basketball at Alabama, and by that I don't necessarily only mean our on-field success in the fall (though that is certainly a part of it). Recruiting and spring practice have always been pretty big deals, of course, but the way both have taken off so much in the past decade, those two just now consume so much time and energy that would have otherwise gone to basketball. January through mid-March used to generate a lot of attention in the 'Bama basketball program, but now football recruiting dominates the discussion until early February, and by the end of February all focus is turning spring practice. The ten week window basketball used to have has now been reduced to about three or four weeks.
(2) Don't have the slightest idea as to whether or not Grant will be fired at the end of the year, but frankly it's a moot point unless he really finds a way to improve overall team performance. Either he's fired in eight weeks or in thirteen months, does it really matter either way at the end of the day?
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I wish Grant would get out and try and sell the program. He doesn't seem to care at all for the fans or interacting with them to drum up support. If you're not going to get out and sell the program than the wins best be selling it. Neither is certainly being done.
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