Agreed. Not the decision I would have made but regardless he is our coach and we need to support the program regardless of who the coach is. I hope CAG culls some of the dead wood, both players and assistant coaches, and does what is best for the program by bringing in some JuCo talent and someone to install a new offensive scheme. I really don't think we are that far away from being a good basketball team but we do need some no-so-minor tweaks.
The Future of Alabama Basketball and Anthony Grant
- Thread starter RTR91
- Start date
If there are not substantive changes in our program as far as asst coaches, I think Grant will do the same thing he has always done, play defense to the exclusion of offense. The nightmare scenario for me is that he schedules down and we make the 1st round to the NCAA tourney and lose. But that is regarded as progress and success which means we will be saddled with him indefinitely. At that point, they will lose me, I will give up my tix I have had for almost 2 decades. Frankly, I feel like I have wasted my money for the last 6 years or so. The product on the floor has not been good going back to CMG's last year.
I think we need to stop being over dramatic with this situation. As a former player, I don't think everything should be blamed on coach and his staff. I just think they didn't anticpate on losing Lacey and Pollard, because I think his system does work, but it needs talent players to execute properly. I"m glad he's coming back for one more year, because I want to see what he can do with those players he has been trying to get for five years... so, cut him a slack and wait and see what happens next year.
In has been mentioned how difficult it may be to bring in a quality offense-minded assistant with the risk of a one-year job. I guess money and a decent contract could help. Or, is there a retired coach available who is a little bored and would be interested in trying to make something happen?
I don't have any idea on a person that fits. Something like this could booger up recruiting if the coach was not interested in hitting the recruiting trail but wold offset this if the offense realy picked up along with he wins.
I don't have any idea on a person that fits. Something like this could booger up recruiting if the coach was not interested in hitting the recruiting trail but wold offset this if the offense realy picked up along with he wins.
So losing Pollard was not his fault by any means. Losing Lacey was. Period. He has had 5 years to get the players he wants so he has to live with what he has brought in or hasn't brought in -in this case. Every team needs talented players to run their system. Any system will work if you have enough talented players( See Kentucky). Wichita State is successful not because they are loaded with talent, it is because the player beleive in the completely in their coach. We clearly do not. We've lost recruiting battles this past year to Wichita State which should never happen.
I have seen CAG IMHO misuse players, make them hesitant about shooting, ruin their offensive confidence( I can't count how many times we turned down open shots this year). His substitution pattern baffles me. Cooper has played out of position since he has been a Bama. I've seen very little improvement in the skill level of the players that will make up the nucleus of our team next year. I'll give him next year, but if we do not make at least the 2nd round of the NCAA's , I'm done.
I think we should give this team credit for never quitting.
Anyone who has ever played competitive sports knows how difficult it is to give a maximum effort every game, when, more often than not, the end results are a defeat.
I see a lot of posts about Coach Grant, "not developing players", and on some fundamental issues, I'd agree with that.
But he should also be given a little credit for developing determination and a never say die attitude, because these kids displayed great character in their continued effort level despite disappointing results.
I still think the key to Coach Grant's future will be if he can recruit an inside big guy who can score and dish.
Without one, there's just too much pressure on our guards and relatively small forwards.
You put the O'Bryant kid from LSU on this Bama team and we're a five seed or better in the NCAA tournament in my opinion.
We triple teamed him every time he touched the ball last night, because we had no choice. He dished it out to the three guys, and they lit it up.
Our two remaining defenders couldn't guard all four of their shooters.
That's what it's all about. Basketball is a game of inside and outside.
One without the other rarely transcends into greatness.
We'll see what happens, and I wish Coach Grant and our players the best, and hope for a big improvement next season.
That's really all I can do, so that's the path I'll take.
Roll Tide!
sip
Anyone who has ever played competitive sports knows how difficult it is to give a maximum effort every game, when, more often than not, the end results are a defeat.
I see a lot of posts about Coach Grant, "not developing players", and on some fundamental issues, I'd agree with that.
But he should also be given a little credit for developing determination and a never say die attitude, because these kids displayed great character in their continued effort level despite disappointing results.
I still think the key to Coach Grant's future will be if he can recruit an inside big guy who can score and dish.
Without one, there's just too much pressure on our guards and relatively small forwards.
You put the O'Bryant kid from LSU on this Bama team and we're a five seed or better in the NCAA tournament in my opinion.
We triple teamed him every time he touched the ball last night, because we had no choice. He dished it out to the three guys, and they lit it up.
Our two remaining defenders couldn't guard all four of their shooters.
That's what it's all about. Basketball is a game of inside and outside.
One without the other rarely transcends into greatness.
We'll see what happens, and I wish Coach Grant and our players the best, and hope for a big improvement next season.
That's really all I can do, so that's the path I'll take.
Roll Tide!
sip
please tell me how you think that coach grant or anybody on the staff made the players hesitant and ruin their confidence.........in my opinion confidence is a player thing and you can't coach that.....the players were hesitant to take shots because their confidence not because grant told them to....thats just common sense
losing lacey was not grant's fault.....lacey didn't like the way coach was using him and thats his opinion...players transfer, it happens.....grant or let alone any coach will not cater their system to make one player happy....besides, lacey wasn't that great of a player anyway...he was an average guard....not better than releford
cooper has played out of position due to lack of depth in the front court not by scheme
Last edited:
i agree....his system does work....the year we made it to the nit finals and the year we made it to the tournament is plenty proof of that....nobody was complaining then
the schedule next year should be pretty demanding and similar to this year....for one, we are guaranteed a game AT wichita st and a game hosting ucla as part of the home and home series we had with those teams this year...also we will be participating in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic that will include arizona st, maryland, and iowa st
It's amazing we fired a coach who took us to multiple NCAA tournaments and made a few runs and replaced him with a guy who brought the program to the point that just getting to the tournament is out of reach. and if we do get there we expect to be bounced in the first round.
With the decision coming down today this is going to be my last post in this thread unless I have to moderate in someway.
1st - I think everyone deserves the chance to fix the flaws they have in their performance. There are those that will say he's had plenty of time, but sometimes you don't know what the flaws are until your boss or the person that evaluates you gives you feedback that you can use to correct those errors. We don't know if CMM communicated that with CAG on a professional level in a way in which CAG could make corrections.
2nd - Character will take you long way in life. I think it's obvious from what CBB stated today that "character" is something that he values when considering who gets a "second chance" in working with the student athletes at the university. CAG is certainly not a skirt chaser or a "raving lunatic" on the sideline which might embarrass the University and place our student athletes in a negative light. If he were, I think there wouldn't be a question that he would be dropped like a "bad habit" by the PTB.
3rd - I'll continue to support Crimson Tide basketball because I love athletics at the Univ. of Alabama. Many of you don't know, but I'm from Mobile and grew up in Selma, Al. until my teen years. I was never able to attend the University, but I have always been a Bama fan from the time I could understand what was going on! Whether it was sitting in a Dove field listening to John Forney and Doug Layton or watching on TV at home. There are those that will say if you "care" about Alabama Athletics, then you should want CAG gone. I say that I care about things that I can control. I can control whether or not I listen to or watch (Actually, I can't! If it's a game I can pick-up over here, it's on!) I can't control the hiring and firing process, so I will let it be and continue to cheer for Alabama and Coach Anthony Grant.
RTR!
1st - I think everyone deserves the chance to fix the flaws they have in their performance. There are those that will say he's had plenty of time, but sometimes you don't know what the flaws are until your boss or the person that evaluates you gives you feedback that you can use to correct those errors. We don't know if CMM communicated that with CAG on a professional level in a way in which CAG could make corrections.
2nd - Character will take you long way in life. I think it's obvious from what CBB stated today that "character" is something that he values when considering who gets a "second chance" in working with the student athletes at the university. CAG is certainly not a skirt chaser or a "raving lunatic" on the sideline which might embarrass the University and place our student athletes in a negative light. If he were, I think there wouldn't be a question that he would be dropped like a "bad habit" by the PTB.
3rd - I'll continue to support Crimson Tide basketball because I love athletics at the Univ. of Alabama. Many of you don't know, but I'm from Mobile and grew up in Selma, Al. until my teen years. I was never able to attend the University, but I have always been a Bama fan from the time I could understand what was going on! Whether it was sitting in a Dove field listening to John Forney and Doug Layton or watching on TV at home. There are those that will say if you "care" about Alabama Athletics, then you should want CAG gone. I say that I care about things that I can control. I can control whether or not I listen to or watch (Actually, I can't! If it's a game I can pick-up over here, it's on!) I can't control the hiring and firing process, so I will let it be and continue to cheer for Alabama and Coach Anthony Grant.
RTR!
Just to speak to a couple of themes, I never really thought I'd see CMG advanced as someone we should have kept, given his performance the last several years of his tenure. However, his personal behavior got so bad he couldn't be retained. That was what a lot of CBB was talking about with "character." CMG's never quite rose to Petrinoesque proportions, but it was approaching it. I applaud our PTB for getting rid of him before it all became public. We don't need any more public disgraces. As for Pearl, anyone remember what CBB said about character? This is a man Who has a "show cause" on him from the NCAA until August of this year for lying under oath to the NCAA. Character? A school with as checkered a past as we've had over the last few years would hire a ticking time bomb like that? The only way you'll see Pearl on our campus is as a visitor. (And I personally approve of that.) That is all...
You being a former player, I truly appreciate your comments. Thank you. And I agree.
sip
I'm not going back and forth on this. Lacey attended Butler High and came to Alabama to play ball. Again, Lacey's decision to play in uptempo offense was something that came unexpected and from what I've heard, and by no means I am saying this is true, but it has been said that his parent played a role in this and " encouraged" him to transfer. You can install a game offense plan in place, but it is up to players to execute the game plans. This year, we just had talented players, but they were entering into the season, not used to playing the roles that Pollard or Lacey would normally would do and that hurt them mentally. I definitely believe that next year it will be much better with several high ranked players coming in and we'll see much better offense. I don't think we need to throw " He had five years" out there anymore, because that has nothing to do with it. I've seen coaches taking 10 years to finally win games. It's part of growth and learning. Be patient and stop complaining!
I'm just being honest. It kills me sometime to hear people complaining and not experiencing it before. You just have to be part of the game just to understand how the coach and the players felt this season.
And I know it doesn't mean a ton but Lacey even tweeted to someone today that CAG is a good coach
I didn't attend the University either, but that doesn't stop me from loving it and supporting it all I can. That includes all coaches hired in all sports programs, regardless of whether I "approve" of them. Like most everyone else here, I have no say in who is hired or fired, so I know to keep most of my opinions to myself. CBB has chosen to retain CAG for another year, so that's good enough for me.
I strongly agree with both Lance and Earle when they speak about character. Either you have it or you don't. I'd much rather have a coach who had a bad year but has character than one who takes us to the NCAA but who skirts or breaks the rules at every opportunity.
At the University of Alabama, we can't afford to associate ourselves with any coach who himself is under the NCAA's microscope.
Here's hoping for better years ahead. RTR
:biga:
I strongly agree with both Lance and Earle when they speak about character. Either you have it or you don't. I'd much rather have a coach who had a bad year but has character than one who takes us to the NCAA but who skirts or breaks the rules at every opportunity.
At the University of Alabama, we can't afford to associate ourselves with any coach who himself is under the NCAA's microscope.
Here's hoping for better years ahead. RTR
:biga:
Last edited:
Count me as one who never went to the University only because they do not have my choice in majors. I have been a fan as far as I can remember. I have many great memories of watch football and basketball with my dad (who is now deceased). I took a 4 year break from watching games regularly (98-2002) because my dad died that year and I threw myself into school work. Once I started my watching again I remembered just how much I missed it. While my basketball interest has diminished over the last few years (I now only really start watching games after football ends), I still do have the passion for it and will defend the Tide when they are insulted. I have had to deal with a lot of crap this year from coworkers. Most of these guys were under the impression that Alabama was only a football school, I had to set them straight. The optimist in me is hoping things will get turned around and our Tide will be back to competing regularly for conference championships and regularly in the tourney. The pessimist in me has his doubts. Let's just hope the Tide will comeback next year and I will continue to watch and cheer for my Tide no matter what. Roll Tide!
I'm back to the level of interest I had the last few years of Gottfried's tenure.
And yeah, I attended UA. Makes no difference. Love the school, but don't like mediocrity.
And yeah, I attended UA. Makes no difference. Love the school, but don't like mediocrity.
