The Future of Alabama Basketball and Anthony Grant

[RTR91]

Flipped over to Bill King's radio show on Sirius this morning. Rick Stansbury was sick and unable to be on the show for his weekly appearance. I heard one caller. His comment about Stansbury's absence: "He isn't sick. He's just in Northport looking for land near Nick."

Sounded like the guy was joking, but I would hope Bill Battle isn't that dumb. Then again, he may show the emotion some want Grant to show. Never would expect CAG to get ejected from a game and do a neck choke towards someone.

 

[BAMARICH]

Bama hosts Mizzou this Saturday. There's a promotion similar to what Rich suggests. For $25, fans get a ticket, hot dog, and t-shirt. Link This is the type stuff SEC schools need to do to get more fans at games.

Here's the issue... I haven't heard or seen it anywhere except on that website. IF you're going to do promotions, do it so your message gets out to people. Outside of one promotion, a Saturday game in December of last year, I haven't heard anything pertaining to any promotions. I'm not saying you need to advertise in B'ham, Huntsville, Montgomery, etc., but you better start getting people in Tuscaloosa and a 20 mile radius to start supporting the team. JMO.

 

[JDCrimson]

Here's the issue... I haven't heard or seen it anywhere except on that website. IF you're going to do promotions, do it so your message gets out to people. Outside of one promotion, a Saturday game in December of last year, I haven't heard anything pertaining to any promotions. I'm not saying you need to advertise in B'ham, Huntsville, Montgomery, etc., but you better start getting people in Tuscaloosa and a 20 mile radius to start supporting the team. JMO.

Fact is with all the resources in the AD building, he shouldnt have to spearhead marketing of his program - that should be done for him and all he has to do is be the face of it and publicly endorse it. I dont think we can pin lack of promotion all on CAG unless someone with more knowledge knows otherwise. The lack of promotion of mens basketball appears to be a systemic problem within the AD. Could be though that CAG is not asking for the promotion, i dont know. Whatever the plan is - it has been resoundingly ineffective.

 

[Rama Jama]

Fact is with all the resources in the AD building, he shouldnt have to spearhead marketing of his program - that should be done for him and all he has to do is be the face of it and publicly endorse it. I dont think we can pin lack of promotion all on CAG unless someone with more knowledge knows otherwise. The lack of promotion of mens basketball appears to be a systemic problem within the AD. Could be though that CAG is not asking for the promotion, i dont know. Whatever the plan is - it has been resoundingly ineffective.

Totally disagree. Basketball at Bama has to marketed by the most visible face of the program which is the coach. CMG gave free pizza to students and would regularly make appearances to the Mark's Madness group to spike interest. Grant has missed "hey coach" on a consistent basis. He has blown off the after game interviews sending one his assistants instead. He finally sent a video email a couple of weeks ago asking the students to show up for the Florida game. These are really simple things to do that he has made little or no effort to rectify.

I've said this before but the coach at Alabama has to market the program to generate excitement at the games. That effort needs to start with the students. The last home game had less than 1000 students. They get free tix. If you can't get kids there for free, how are you going to get adults to spend 20 for a ticket.

 

[JoeWilly12]

You think we could get Jack Doss to leave Johnson?

 

[TheAccountant]

Fact is with all the resources in the AD building, he shouldnt have to spearhead marketing of his program - that should be done for him and all he has to do is be the face of it and publicly endorse it. I dont think we can pin lack of promotion all on CAG unless someone with more knowledge knows otherwise. The lack of promotion of mens basketball appears to be a systemic problem within the AD. Could be though that CAG is not asking for the promotion, i dont know. Whatever the plan is - it has been resoundingly ineffective.

There's a difference in "spearheading the marketing" and simply selling the program to the fans/public. As has been mentioned, he doesn't even do the smallest things to drum up interest or support.

 

[JDCrimson]

Totally disagree. Basketball at Bama has to marketed by the most visible face of the program which is the coach. CMG gave free pizza to students and would regularly make appearances to the Mark's Madness group to spike interest. Grant has missed "hey coach" on a consistent basis. He has blown off the after game interviews sending one his assistants instead. He finally sent a video email a couple of weeks ago asking the students to show up for the Florida game. These are really simple things to do that he has made little or no effort to rectify.

I've said this before but the coach at Alabama has to market the program to generate excitement at the games. That effort needs to start with the students. The last home game had less than 1000 students. They get free tix. If you can't get kids there for free, how are you going to get adults to spend 20 for a ticket.

Maybe you should read my post again. My point is the same as yours but the reality is there are folks over there to help him brainstorm ideas for promoting the program and implement those ideas. Even if this is a weakness of his he has no reason to object or impede ideas of others for promoting the program. All he has to do is do as you and suggest - to publicly own the promotion which he hasn't done. There is no question he is not doing his part with absences from Hey Coach et al but promotion outside of this is severely lacking. Now he is either not giving his blessing to those promotions or the resources with AD are being entirely consumed by football. If its the former then this is a serious issue to be addressed.

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[RTR91]

Maybe you should read my post again. My point is the same as yours but the reality is there are folks over there to help him brainstorm ideas for promoting the program and implement those ideas. Even if this is a weakness of his he has no reason to object or impede ideas of others for promoting the program. All he has to do is do as you and suggest - to publicly own the promotion which he hasn't done. There is no question he is not doing his part with absences from Hey Coach et al but promotion outside of this is severely lacking. Now he is either not giving his blessing to those promotions or the resources with AD are being entirely consumed by football. If its the former then this is a serious issue to be addressed.

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He shouldn't need to AD's suggestion or grace to buy pizzas and have 3 assistants join him to stand on all 4 corners of the Quad to hand students pizza. Nor should he have some one suggest to him talk to the students in Crimson Chaos. He should have seen that first hand under Billy Donovan.

 

[BamaMoon]

You think we could get Jack Doss to leave Johnson?

I don't know if you meant to put some blue font in there on that or not?

In all seriousness, I've got a very good source (very well connected in high school basketball) in Huntsville who told me that Jack Doss thought Bama might offer him the job after Gottfriend left.

My friend thought it to be comical.

 

[JoeWilly12]

I don't know if you meant to put some blue font in there on that or not?

In all seriousness, I've got a very good source (very well connected in high school basketball) in Huntsville who told me that Jack Doss thought Bama might offer him the job after Gottfriend left.

My friend thought it to be comical.

I need a half blue and half black font for that post. I am sort of serious but I know it won't happen. I heard the same thing about Doss when Gottfried was canned as well.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I don't know if you meant to put some blue font in there on that or not?

In all seriousness, I've got a very good source (very well connected in high school basketball) in Huntsville who told me that Jack Doss thought Bama might offer him the job after Gottfriend left.

My friend thought it to be comical.

Wasn't Bruce, was it? Well, I'm beginning to wonder how Battle can retain Grant for another year, when Grant has so obviously given up. He sits on the bench, head in hands and barely reaches up to touch hands at the end of timeout. All I've heard is another year, but I'm beginning to wonder...

 

[rolltideface]

I just don't know how anyone with any kind of say-so can watch this team play and think Grant is the answer! I realize that the buyout is huge and blah blah blah but are you kidding me? 2 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR for this? Hire Pettway- pay him 500K and we'd at least have the same record. Inexcusable. Bad teams beat us and mediocre teams destroy us.....

 

[37bamagreats55]

Wasn't Bruce, was it? Well, I'm beginning to wonder how Battle can retain Grant for another year, when Grant has so obviously given up. He sits on the bench, head in hands and barely reaches up to touch hands at the end of timeout. All I've heard is another year, but I'm beginning to wonder...

HSV - I agree. He looks dis-interested like the bench is the last place he wants to be. How can you expect the team to show fire and play its guts out when he has that attitude? It's getting worse and worse.

I can take losing - especially when we're so hamstrung this year -- but exhibit fire and passion and don't give up.

 

[Bama Reb]

The game thread was closed before I could post my thoughts on the game this evening. Earle has referred us back to this thread, so here goes:

Pitiful. Absolutely pitiful performance this evening. This Tide team looked and played more like a bunch of guys playing a neighborhood pickup game than a college team playing a conference game. CAG looked less like a coach and more like someone who is waiting on a late bus. Stick a fork in this team. They're done.

 

[BamaMike05]

Wasn't Bruce, was it? Well, I'm beginning to wonder how Battle can retain Grant for another year, when Grant has so obviously given up. He sits on the bench, head in hands and barely reaches up to touch hands at the end of timeout. All I've heard is another year, but I'm beginning to wonder...

I think Saturday vs Mizzou should be his last! He obviously doesn't want to be there anymore. It looks like he just wants his buyout money now. Let Pettway finish out the year and maybe that will help him land a head coaching job in the future! JMO


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[bamacpa]

I cannot think of a single positive thing to say about the situation here. Not one.

 

[Rama Jama]

I was at the game a few weeks ago. Coach Grant looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. I suspect there will be a mutual parting of the ways at the end of the year. He is just not a good fit here. Good man, but I don't think he ever truly bought in to the Alabama program. If he doesn't believe why should his players or any one else for that matter. I hate it for him the kids mostly. They deserve better.
Bama needs a coach who will bring some energy and enthusiasm to the program.

 

[BigA]

I can assure you that Grant won't quit. You can only hope the "money people" are sick of being embarrassed and get Battle's ear. I believe much of the adversity Grant is facing is for the most part self induced. As the losses mount, I think he has finally lost the team. But, honestly who can blame the players...it's hard to stay engaged when staring at 20 losses for the second time in 101 years. A change needs to be made now...why wait?

 

[Crimson1967]

The $2 million buyout is pretty huge, but is it worth saving a few bucks to suffer through another season like this one? I doubt they'll fire him before the season is over, but I think he'll be gone as soon as the season is over so we can start searching at the Final Four.

A possible 22 loss season is looming, with a possibility of going 0-3 to the barn.

 

[RTR91]

The $2 million buyout is pretty huge, but is it worth saving a few bucks to suffer through another season like this one? I doubt they'll fire him before the season is over, but I think he'll be gone as soon as the season is over so we can start searching at the Final Four.

A possible 22 loss season is looming, with a possibility of going 0-3 to the barn.

The buyout is $5 million IIRC.


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