Bill Battle Explains Process of Firing Anthony Grant

RedStar

Hall of Fame
Jan 28, 2005
9,628
0
0
39
The Shoals, AL
I truly think Grant is a good coach. I just think the fit at Alabama was poor from the beginning and it took a long time for any of us to see it.

Grant isn't a program seller, he's a lot like Saban, but Saban stepped into a program that could sell itself. Saban doesn't have to waste time making appearances at public functions to gain fan support, and that's exactly why he's so successful. It's a perfect marriage.

Alabama basketball needs a coach like Avery Johnson. A cheerleader who's going to spend as much time on fan & program building as he will coaching, at least until the program gets a solid foundation. I think if Grant stepped in at a program that was already established he'd have no trouble finding success. We needed things from him he couldn't give and he needed things from us we couldn't give. It was never going to work.[/QUOTE

NO! NO! NO! While I hate to pile on, there are no similarities to Saban. Saban is a dynamic leader who outworks his opponents. CAG was collecting a paycheck.
I never said Grant was a Saban clone. I said he's a lot like Saban. If you're not willing to look for the similarities, I'm not going to help you.
 

Catfish

Hall of Fame
Oct 11, 2005
6,566
2
45
60
Birmingham
I've heard similar things about him shutting it down and wanting out. Since I don't know from him I won't say it was exactly what happened. That said, I'd never do someone like that. Any time I've had a disagreement with an employer I expressed it or resigned. What I never did was give anything less than my best even when I knew I was done. I'd never walk off. Never.


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I'd never phone it in, but with a big severance package on the line, I sure wouldn't resign. They'd have to fire me.
 

bamacon

Hall of Fame
Apr 11, 2008
17,179
4,352
187
College Football's Mecca, Tuscaloosa
I truly think Grant is a good coach. I just think the fit at Alabama was poor from the beginning and it took a long time for any of us to see it.

Grant isn't a program seller, he's a lot like Saban, but Saban stepped into a program that could sell itself. Saban doesn't have to waste time making appearances at public functions to gain fan support, and that's exactly why he's so successful. It's a perfect marriage.

Alabama basketball needs a coach like Avery Johnson. A cheerleader who's going to spend as much time on fan & program building as he will coaching, at least until the program gets a solid foundation. I think if Grant stepped in at a program that was already established he'd have no trouble finding success. We needed things from him he couldn't give and he needed things from us we couldn't give. It was never going to work.[/QUOTE

NO! NO! NO! While I hate to pile on, there are no similarities to Saban. Saban is a dynamic leader who outworks his opponents. CAG was collecting a paycheck.
He may be a good coach but he is a horrible head coach.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

TheAccountant

All-SEC
Mar 22, 2011
1,399
0
0
Birmingham
We needed things from him he couldn't give and he needed things from us we couldn't give. It was never going to work.
Grant enjoyed tremendous fan support his first 3 years. Unfortunately, he didn't reciprocate in either advancing the program or engaging the fan base on any level. There's not a program in the country, no matter how established, that would continue to support an absentee coach giving mediocre results.
 

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
3,303
240
82
Tuscaloosa
I guess I should believe a random anonymous internet poster instead of the players themselves. Sorry, I'll do better next time.
You have to remember the players are not yet adults. He was their surrogate father away from home. It is natural for them to have a deep attachment to him. That still doesn't mean he didn't bail. If they meant so much to him he would have coached the NIT games.
 

Skeeterpop

Hall of Fame
Jul 18, 2008
5,651
27
67
You have to remember the players are not yet adults. He was their surrogate father away from home. It is natural for them to have a deep attachment to him. That still doesn't mean he didn't bail. If they meant so much to him he would have coached the NIT games.
Agreed!!

RedSTAR feels differently and he is entitled to his opinion. I look at what I could see with my eyes not what someone is telling me. They can say the sky is green and believe it but when we look up and its blue it doesnt matter what they say. Players protect their coaches all the time even when the coach is draggng them down.

The dude packed it in. I think that is plainly obvious to anyone who is not biased or have some personal feelings for CAG.
 

wsims74

3rd Team
Apr 30, 2013
278
0
0
In the world college basketball, foward momentum is king. CAG took a couple of risks by reserving spots for players who never showed up on the capstone. Then Trevor lacey and devonta pollard leaving the program, and a few injuries really stopped the momentum. I honestly thought he would be able to regain the momentum but that never happened.

I have no inside information other than what his former players said. Andrew Steele and Levi Randolph both refer to CAG as a father to them. Made them be better people first, and better players (argue the second if you want). So let's not Down the man anymore please? He is gone. It is now the CAJ era of Alabama basketball and I am cautiously hopeful that it will be a good one! RTR
 
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RedStar

Hall of Fame
Jan 28, 2005
9,628
0
0
39
The Shoals, AL
In the world college basketball, foward momentum is king. CAG made a couple of risks by reserving spots for players who never showed up on the capstone. Then Trevor lacey and devonta pollard leabing the program, and a few injuries really stopped the momentum. I honestly thought he would be able to regain the momentum but that never happened.

I have no inside information other than what his former players said. Andrew Steele and Levi Randolph both refer to CAG as a father to them. Made them be better people first, and better players (argue the second if you want). So let's not Down the man anymore please? He is gone. It is now the CAJ era of Alabama basketball and I am cautiously hopeful that it will be a good one! RTR
Get out of here with your facts. We rely on anonymous internet gossip here.
 

imauafan

All-American
Mar 3, 2004
3,619
977
232
Huntsville, AL
In the world college basketball, foward momentum is king. CAG took a couple of risks by reserving spots for players who never showed up on the capstone. Then Trevor lacey and devonta pollard leaving the program, and a few injuries really stopped the momentum. I honestly thought he would be able to regain the momentum but that never happened.

I have no inside information other than what his former players said. Andrew Steele and Levi Randolph both refer to CAG as a father to them. Made them be better people first, and better players (argue the second if you want). So let's not Down the man anymore please? He is gone. It is now the CAJ era of Alabama basketball and I am cautiously hopeful that it will be a good one! RTR
The momentum had stopped well before Lacey and Pollard left the program. I would argue the momentum stopped not long after the Puerto Rico tourney in 2011. It really was downhill from that point on.
 

wsims74

3rd Team
Apr 30, 2013
278
0
0
really? they made the tourney in 2012

The momentum had stopped well before Lacey and Pollard left the program. I would argue the momentum stopped not long after the Puerto Rico tourney in 2011. It really was downhill from that point on.
 

imauafan

All-American
Mar 3, 2004
3,619
977
232
Huntsville, AL
really? they made the tourney in 2012
Yes we did but that doesn't mean that we were a good team at that point in the season and that things were going well. The wheels were already in the process of falling off. Green and Mitchell (especially Mitchell) were blamed for the problems during that time but after they left, things really did not improve.
 

wsims74

3rd Team
Apr 30, 2013
278
0
0
we must have different definitions of falling off. they finished the regular season of 2012 7-3, and things really fell off in 2013 where they went 23–13 overall (9–7 SEC), and finished in 5th place. (including reg season win over kentucky Tennessee and in the sec tourney against Tennessee..

sorry man things fell of the next year when they won 13 games.

Yes we did but that doesn't mean that we were a good team at that point in the season and that things were going well. The wheels were already in the process of falling off. Green and Mitchell (especially Mitchell) were blamed for the problems during that time but after they left, things really did not improve.
 

Ldlane

Hall of Fame
Nov 26, 2002
14,253
398
102
But what were the "reasons" for those players leaving? We have to ask ourselves. CAG isn't a saint and I'll second guess him any day of the week! In fact, if he was a "Saint" I'd still second guess!

In the world college basketball, foward momentum is king. CAG took a couple of risks by reserving spots for players who never showed up on the capstone. Then Trevor lacey and devonta pollard leaving the program, and a few injuries really stopped the momentum. I honestly thought he would be able to regain the momentum but that never happened.

I have no inside information other than what his former players said. Andrew Steele and Levi Randolph both refer to CAG as a father to them. Made them be better people first, and better players (argue the second if you want). So let's not Down the man anymore please? He is gone. It is now the CAJ era of Alabama basketball and I am cautiously hopeful that it will be a good one! RTR
 

wsims74

3rd Team
Apr 30, 2013
278
0
0
I have no problem with second guessing, I did it every game. Long way from that to calling him names or making up crap. He's gone, wish hime well and focus on us.
But what were the "reasons" for those players leaving? We have to ask ourselves. CAG isn't a saint and I'll second guess him any day of the week! In fact, if he was a "Saint" I'd still second guess!
 

Bama Reb

Suspended
Nov 2, 2005
14,446
0
0
On the lake and in the woods, AL
Frankly, I'm wondering why this thread is still up. We don't need to sit and denigrate a man who is no longer with the Tide or the University. The CAG era is over. This is now the CAJ era. Let's get over it and move on.
 

Ldlane

Hall of Fame
Nov 26, 2002
14,253
398
102
Frankly, I'm wondering why this thread is still up. We don't need to sit and denigrate a man who is no longer with the Tide or the University. The CAG era is over. This is now the CAJ era. Let's get over it and move on.
Non issue. He's a Gator now!
 

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