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My question to the "we can't do better" bball crowd

  • The last couple weeks, I've heard a lot of people say "Alabama isn't a traditional basketball school" and use that as a reason for why we shouldn't expect to be consistently competitive in hoops. I'm talking on a level where we expect to make the tournament more than we miss it.

    One honest question.

    Do the following schools have any built in advantages that make them more attractive basketball programs than UA? If not, can you give one reason why we shouldn't aspire to their level on an annual basis?

    Kansas State
    Oklahoma State
    West Virginia
    Butler
    Baylor
    Gonzaga
    St Mary's
    San Diego State
    Wisconsin
    Miami
    VCU
    Florida

    These are programs that are currently (or consistently...or both) superior to ours. Yet best I can tell, none have historical/traditional built-in advantages compared to us. There are no Kentucky's, Duke's, UCLA's, etc on this list. Not even a Marquette or Syracuse.

    Shouldn't we expect excellence at their level for our own?

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    NashTide

  • I like your post even though I disagree with some of your criticism of Grant. I do agree we should aspire to be a legit top 15 program year in and year out. I think Miami is having a great year but their program is not superior to ours. Florida yes no doubt. I think the built in reason right now is that most of the programs you listed are in regions of the country where basketball matters to the fan base. They have interest in basketball the entire season not just in March. Have you ever noticed that none of the good mid major basketball programs are located in the deep south? I can't think of one basketball only school in the south east. Its because basketball is not that important here from the high school level on up. Most of the teams in the SEC have taken the same path as Alabama. Hire an up and coming coach from a mid major and hope for the best. At this point it has not worked for any of us. I know this is really not an answer to your question but it is the reality of basketball in the south.

    Hankvsjake

  • Hankvsjake said...

    I like your post even though I disagree with some of your criticism of Grant. I do agree we should aspire to be a legit top 15 program year in and year out. I think Miami is having a great year but their program is not superior to ours. Florida yes no doubt. I think the built in reason right now is that most of the programs you listed are in regions of the country where basketball matters to the fan base. They have interest in basketball the entire season not just in March. Have you ever noticed that none of the good mid major basketball programs are located in the deep south? I can't think of one basketball only school in the south east. Its because basketball is not that important here from the high school level on up. Most of the teams in the SEC have taken the same path as Alabama. Hire an up and coming coach from a mid major and hope for the best. At this point it has not worked for any of us. I know this is really not an answer to your question but it is the reality of basketball in the south.

    Do you really not think Miami's program is superior to ours right now? Not being a jerk, but they demolished Duke earlier, almost beat them in Durham 10 minutes ago, and are ranked in the top 5.

    I agree about some of those programs being in basketball states, but most of them aren't. Miami has no fan base to speak of. Florida's not a basketball state. Neither are West Virginia, Oklahoma, Washington, etc.

    Everybody loves a winner. People support programs that win and are committed to doing anything they can to win more often than they lose.

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    NashTide

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    bamabiscuit ●

  • No I agree Miami is great this year, but they were in the NIT with us 2 years ago. I just finished watching the Duke and Miami game so I am well aware of how good they are.
    I guess we can agree to disagree on Ok ST, K St and West Va having far better support than we do.
    I guess my point is Bama fans only care in March. I would guess 80% of the people on this board could name at least 10 players we signed in football, the position they play and high school they are from and what date signing day is every year. I would guess maybe 25% could name the two guys we have signed in basketball this year or when the regular singing period is. I get tired of people who love to run down the coach every chance they get but really have little interest in the program as a whole. Like some who have come on here after a road loss at Florida and decided that was the last straw for Grant. Unless we can hire Bruce Pearl or a legit top 10 coach ( which I don't think we can) I see no reason to take another chance on an up and coming mid major coach.

    Hankvsjake

  • Hankvsjake said...

    No I agree Miami is great this year, but they were in the NIT with us 2 years ago. I just finished watching the Duke and Miami game so I am well aware of how good they are.
    I guess we can agree to disagree on Ok ST, K St and West Va having far better support than we do.
    I guess my point is Bama fans only care in March. I would guess 80% of the people on this board could name at least 10 players we signed in football, the position they play and high school they are from and what date signing day is every year. I would guess maybe 25% could name the two guys we have signed in basketball this year or when the regular singing period is. I get tired of people who love to run down the coach every chance they get but really have little interest in the program as a whole. Like some who have come on here after a road loss at Florida and decided that was the last straw for Grant. Unless we can hire Bruce Pearl or a legit top 10 coach ( which I don't think we can) I see no reason to take another chance on an up and coming mid major coach.

    I don't disagree about some of our fans at all. I wish the ones that only half-care would really invest.

    But I can't imagine WVU, VCU, etc would fill their gyms if their teams stunk. Our fans turn up and bring it when we're good. I remember Coleman being a scary place with Wimp and CMG. And not scary in just a "the roof might collapse on us" sort of way.

    I think we support an interesting product. But people aren't going to turn out in droves to watch us lose to Mercer in December. The program has to generate some level of buzz on its own before we put 15,000 in the building. JMO.

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    NashTide

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    "Oh and Mac...the horse's name is Friday." - Jim Bowers

    ksredmill

  • NashTide said...

    I don't disagree about some of our fans at all. I wish the ones that only half-care would really invest.

    But I can't imagine WVU, VCU, etc would fill their gyms if their teams stunk. Our fans turn up and bring it when we're good. I remember Coleman being a scary place with Wimp and CMG. And not scary in just a "the roof might collapse on us" sort of way.

    I think we support an interesting product. But people aren't going to turn out in droves to watch us lose to Mercer in December. The program has to generate some level of buzz on its own before we put 15,000 in the building. JMO.

    Fair enough point. I really can't get exited to watch anybody play right now. College basketball is in a sad state.

    Hankvsjake

  • Florida started 2 juniors and 3 seniors. We started 2 juniors and 3 sophs and our first guy off the bench was a soph.

    Looking at the SEC I don't see any other program "turning it around" any faster than Grant is with Bama. Cal has run into a brick wall at Kentucky now that his only lottery pick is hurt. The league has one good team, Florida. Mizzou is pretty good.

    Scopher ●

  • There is absolutely no reason we shouldn't be in that group. None whatsoever

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