Bama #1 in AP and Coach’s Poll - First time in 20 years

[CajunCrimson]

That 2002-03 ranking was such a farce. That Bama team didn't even finish the year ranked and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. That team came into the season ranked #8 coming off a 27-8 season the year before. They beat a pretty solid Oklahoma team to open the season and moved up to #4 and stayed highly ranked until finally getting to #1 after teams ahead of them lost. After Oklahoma Bama played NOBODY. No team Bama played between the opener and getting ranked #1 made the tournament that year. Here's how those teams finished the 2002-03 season:

Alabama State - 14-15
Middle Tennessee - 16-14
Ohio State - 17-15
UNC Greensboro - 7-22
St. Bonaventure - 13-14
Bowling Green - 13-16
Providence - 18-14
Morehead State - 20-9

When Bama finally played a decent team again (Utah) they lost. They started 9-0 and finished 8-12 after being ranked #1.

That's the only time Bama has been ranked #1 in basketball before this week. That ranking lasted a week.

It's kind of annoying that of all the good Bama teams that 2002-03 team was the first to get a #1 ranking.

Hind-site is always clearer -- that team had a 1st Team Preseason AA in Erwin Dudley -- plus Mo, Shelton, Pettway, Grizzard, Kenny Walker, and T Meade.... that team had the talent -- and who knew Providence, The Bonnies, Ohio State would end up with mediocre records.

I remember that week they were #1 -- and at the time, it felt warranted

 

[CoachJeff]

Hind-site is always clearer -- that team had a 1st Team Preseason AA in Erwin Dudley -- plus Mo, Shelton, Pettway, Grizzard, Kenny Walker, and T Meade.... that team had the talent -- and who knew Providence, The Bonnies, Ohio State would end up with mediocre records.

I remember that week they were #1 -- and at the time, it felt warranted

That 2002-03 team felt like the 2000 Alabama football team. Coming off a great year, looked good for a bit, then the wheels fell off. The difference is that for the football team the looking good/falling apart lasted less than a quarter. I remember when Bama forced UCLA to go 3 and out to start the first game of 2000 and then Freddie Milons returned the punt for a TD everyone around us thought Alabama was going to win the national title. That lasted about 10 minutes.

 

[Viper652]

Congrats on your number 1 ranking.

Is it because you guys beat Houston? I expected Houston at 1

 

[dayhiker]

Congrats on your number 1 ranking.

Is it because you guys beat Houston? I expected Houston at 1

KenPom shows our strength of schedule at #8. It shows Houston's at #96. I suspect that helped us along with the head to head.

 

[mdb-tpet]

The #1 ranking is very much rat poison. But, all the ranking is, is a recognition of how you have played up to now, not how you will play or what the team is capable of. The ranking is all about the past.

I'm very interested to see if the team can keep it's head on, continue to play aggressively to win and bury the competition, and NOT play with a fear of losing.

As it has been said, "heavy is the head that wears the crown".

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Here's a good AL.com article on Jack Kubizyn. He made all American in '58, his last year. I got to see him his last two years, since I started in '57. To tell the truth, he was about all we had...

AL.com