I don't understand Alabama's decision to change coaching? I didn't think Avery Johnson was that bad. Watching the Alabama-UNC game (I know it's only one game) but I don't see anything that leads me to believe that this is an improvement getting rid of Johnson.
Alabama Basketball
- Thread starter Shlomo
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I bet Saban takes it easy on the foosball team
Buffalo is my adopted team, hated seeing Oates leave but knew it was a matter of time. Hope he does well there though.
Johnson seemed like a good coach but they weren't really doing much.. This new guy Oats looks like a real good hire. He can coach but can he recruit?
They had good success with Gottfried and seem to be trying to find that type of guy again and didnt feel Johnson was going to get them there I guess.
They had good success with Gottfried and seem to be trying to find that type of guy again and didnt feel Johnson was going to get them there I guess.
I agree with the OP. Kind of like Georgia replacing Fox with Crean. Both situations that seem like lateral moves at best and potentially slight downgrades IMO.
Another ex Alabama coach has his team playing well and that's Anthony Grant. Maybe it's just Alabama?
Hard to believe with all of the great talent that's ever been at Bama that they haven't lucked into a FF bid, same with UTenn.
Gottfried cheated at every school he Coached at. Avery was a class act. Bama should have kept him.
One of my colleagues is from Alabama and a huge Tide fan. Last year after they beat us I texted her and said “good game.” She texted back with a question mark and I told her that Alabama just beat Kentucky in basketball. She said “oh, I had no idea they were even playing.” I think that about sums up Alabama Basketball and how their fans feel about the sport.
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anon_q409idbs5m40a
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He did, as well as C.M. Newton. Leon Douglas was dominant against us each time we played.
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anon_q409idbs5m40a
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Alabama basketball reminds me of the University of Texas basketball program. No matter how well they do, no one really cares. I watched UT play the other night at the Erwin Center and there could not have been more than 1500 people there even though attendance was announced at something around 5000.
IU may go after Grant. They like Dayton Coaches and they seem to get an upgrade with each new coach they hire. Of course when you are working from the bottom it is not hard to upgrade.
I lived in Bama for four years. They don’t even know they have a basketball team. Seriously, they follow basketball about as much as we follow UKs Olympic sports.
It’s still football season, so Bama couldn’t care less about b-ball. Of course they only care when UK comes to town.
Cream won’t do much better than Fox!
Ha! Isn't that the truth? If you think players improve and win because coaches are nice, you're not too bright. Passionate coaches are tough on their players (not abusive, like Bob Knight, but tough) but the smart players know that a coach like that is trying to help you. Most players that are good enough to be recruited to a high major school have rarely had anyone to really challenge them and be tough on them, because they've got so much natural ability (and natural size, athleticism) that they've been able to get away with not becoming the best version of themselves. Coaches are afraid of angering them because they need them to stay. So, they handle them with kid gloves.
So, IF the reason for getting rid of Avery Johnson is because he was tough on these players, then they're dumber than I thought.
Most likely is that they weren't satisfied with his winning percentage and started looking for reasons to get rid of him, and then suddenly the players' complaints were taken more seriously. The real problem Alabama has is that they are not and likely never will be a basketball school, so to get a guy like Johnson (a basketball name) is a steal. His teams played hard for him and I always found him to be a classy guy. Last season was tough on many teams. The SEC was loaded. I bet his team would win 10+ games in the league this season. Oh well.
No, it was reported to the SEC office in Bham but it is my understanding they never reported it to NCAA because of implications to the Conference. Gottfried was hated by Alabama fans. Anyway, the rumors around him at Bama were the same he was caught doing at NC State. He basically cheated to try and keep his job at both schools.
But that's not an excuse to keep Fox. He was there for 9 years. Only made two tournaments. Never won a game in them. What's the point of having a program if you're ok with that. He gets paid a million dollars a year. Even if the next guy sucks too, at least you're trying.
This isn't like Vandy in football. Not a fan of sec basketball teams accepting mediocrity. The league is too weak for not trying.
I've always admired Avery J .. Bama screwed up .. and I lived in Alabama for 3 years . They couldn't care less abut hoops .
Gottfried was OK. Nice 5 year run of tournament appearances, one flukey Elite 8. But he was slipping when he was replaced, and really, they've been treading water for 25 years now, never really as good as they were under CM Newton and Wimp Sanderson. Gottfried always gave off a slick salesman vibe, and I never thought there was much substance there.
Not sure about the Oats hire. He did a superb job at Buffalo, and was a great HS coach, but handling HS players and the type of recruits who end up at Buffalo is very different than handling SEC-caliber recruits. And if you don't get SEC-caliber recruits, you're going to lose no matter how solid the effort and scheme.
It's not easy for power conference schools to significantly change their place in the pecking order. Over the last 25 years, I'd say the only real successes at that have been Calhoun at UConn, Izzo at Michigan St., Dick Bennett/Bo Ryan at Wisconsin, Billy Donovan at Florida, Jay Wright at Villanova, and Tony Bennett at Virginia. There have been a lot of other flash in the pans at other places, but those guys were able to raise the level of their programs and maintain it for an extended period. And it often won't last after the guy responsible for it leaves.
Leon Mudbone Douglas... dude was a beast. I'd add Reginald King to that list also.
Shakapathy. Of course the Horns had issues with attendance even during the glory days of Lemons/Pender and Barnes.
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anon_q409idbs5m40a
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I dated a girl from Alabama that was a huge football fan. She did not even know that Alabama had a basketball team.
Alabama bbal is like UK football.. hard to win at both sports.. Stoops is going to get it done by judicious recruiting and tenacity through the highs and lows. Quick turnarounds should be easier in Basketball because you need two good recruits and a couple projects a year not a dozen to fifteen.. still the quick risers in basketball often are not sustained like crash diets. Programs rise fast and fade. UK is building from the core and the fans had painful years during this. Alabama basketball never built a sustainable core.
UK fans still seem interested in Indiana.. just saying. Not as much great hoops history for Bama but Alabama had a great chance to beat IU and Bobby Knight in Bloomington in 1976 round 2 of the NCAA tournament. They let the game slip away late and Scott May who got hurt the year before when UK went to the Final scored late to beat Alabama. Had Alabama won as they should off.. the whole Bob Knight saga might have been much diminished. Knight said Bama had the best team IU faced in the 32 0 season. IU fans would not be able to moan about the May injury for 40 years.. BAMA lost a historic opportunity that the school is still seeking 43 years later.. Calipari creates these types of opportunities every year for the Cat fan base. Love seeing UK football rise.
As with many poor decision makers, many of these ADs get the mindset where they must "do something" just to shake up things. It's beyond stupid.
Watching the way some of these ADs handle coaching situations (hiring, firing, searching, etc) is mind blowing. Hard to fathom how many in such positions make such poor decisions
Watching the way some of these ADs handle coaching situations (hiring, firing, searching, etc) is mind blowing. Hard to fathom how many in such positions make such poor decisions
Wasn't there a questionable call late in the game that went IU's way? Could have been quite the run to the FF for Bama had they beat IU, beat UNC in 1st Rd and possibly could beat Marquette in Regional Finals.
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anon_q409idbs5m40a
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Alabama did have solid basketball programs when C.M. Newton and Sanderson were coaching. After that, they pretty much fell off and have been up and down. Just like typical SEC Basketball venues, they don't sell out unless Kentucky is playing.