🏀 Avery has long way to go

[EasyTider]

I know it's Charleston Southern, but tonight's crowd on SEC Network is pitiful.

 

[JoshB]

I know people dont want to hear it, but Bama B-Ball will never be what some want it to be. It just wont. Its the same reason Kentucky football will never be what their BBall program is.

 

[TUSKtimes]

I know people dont want to hear it, but Bama B-Ball will never be what some want it to be. It just wont. Its the same reason Kentucky football will never be what their BBall program is.

How about Wimp Sanderson good? How about CM Newton good? We have 2, 5* and some 4 star* coming next season. That alone decides the future and Kentucky should teach us that.

 

[EasyTider]

I get that, but I've seen more people at Walmart. Didn't Florida win football and basketball championship in same calendar year (including back to back basketball championships) and 2/3 football titles.

 

[TerryP]

I know it's Charleston Southern, but tonight's crowd on SEC Network is pitiful.

Never mind the fact there was a tornado watch out, right?

 

[rammerjammer]

I agree that Bama Basketball will probably not be on par with what Florida did a few years back and win both BB and Football NC's. That is not what is required at Bama. Make the NCAA tournament every year and make it deep into it every 2-3 years. Be competitive in the SEC and finish behind UK fairly consistently and you are the mack daddy in Basketball at UA.

I would think those could/should be realistic expectations at UA. If Avery is able to do that, then he should win an SEC regular season and/or tournament crown and could make it to the elite 8 or final 4. He will be the UA basketball demigod.

 

[JoshB]

How about Wimp Sanderson good? How about CM Newton good? We have 2, 5* and some 4 star* coming next season. That alone decides the future and Kentucky should teach us that.

I think Avery will be CM Newton good, but how good is that? Ask a random basketball fan from Jersey or Cali or Florida or even Tennessee who CM Newton is and they'll be like :headscratch: Ask a random football fan in freaking Alaska who Bear Bryant is and they'll be like :bman: :bamadance:That's what I mean.

 

[TUSKtimes]

I think Avery will be CM Newton good, but how good is that? Ask a random basketball fan from Jersey or Cali or Florida or even Tennessee who CM Newton is and they'll be like :headscratch: Ask a random football fan in freaking Alaska who Bear Bryant is and they'll be like :bman: :bamadance:That's what I mean.

Bama we'll always be known for what they do best and that will always be football. It's our DNA. But to have a championship basketball team and a team good enough to win the SEC is doable, sooner or later. Just recruit the players and nothing would suggest it can't be done and frankly, it's a lot more fun trying when Bama puts a competitive product on the court.


Just a basketball note for the late arrivals:

In 1975-76 #6 Bama was SEC champs and blew out #5 North Carolina to get the chance to play Indiana in the regionals. Bama basketball under CM Newton was good enough to be within a crappy charging call late of taking down the eventual 1976, undefeated NC. Bobby Knight self-proclaimed this team his best and it was a star-studded cast with the likes of Scott May, Quinn Buckner, Kent Benson, Tom Abernethy, Bob Wilkerson and Bama countering with Anthony Murray, TR Dunn, Leon Douglas, Keith McCord, Ricky Brown and Reggie Mule King. Knight called Bama the best team they played in the tourney. Again if that charging call that fouled out Leon Douglas had been correctly called with Bama leading by 2, instead went on Benson, he was gone instead of Leon. That's how close. Here's hoping AJ gets us to that good.

 

[TheChief]

I can't hide my disappointment in what is now a 4-2 start. It's evident Avery's not happy. I'll hold judgment on this team for a while. After all, they went what equaled an entire half of basketball not scoring and managed to score 72 anyway in the Dayton loss. Dammit, this team has got to be better than this.

If anyone can do the impossible it's AJ. If I could tell him one thing though, it would be this: play your son. Start him. Let him run the team. You're not being fair to him or the team making him win the job with some impossible standard. I think that's the missing piece and AJ is trying to balance feelings with team chemistry and fairness. Play your son, AJ. If someone on the team doesn't like it, send them packing because they aren't what this TEAM needs. Alabama is a different team with Junior in the lineup.

The Tide may not be big winners this season. They may be yet. Avery will win in a big way at Alabama, and by golly you can say the Chief said it over and over.

Bet you another thing. @psychojoe won't give up on them.

 

[#80]

He gets a pass in my book this year. Great class coming.

 

[BAMAneck]

Win and they will come , BAMA's passing is much crisper than any point in the last few years. We just need a couple of players be able to hit open shots , and have a player be able to come off the bench and contribute.

 

[bradenob]

I think Avery will be CM Newton good, but how good is that? Ask a random basketball fan from Jersey or Cali or Florida or even Tennessee who CM Newton is and they'll be like :headscratch: Ask a random football fan in freaking Alaska who Bear Bryant is and they'll be like :bman: :bamadance:That's what I mean.

I think Avery will be more like Mark Gottfried, W-L wise, but better with the players and the fans, and as good or better with recruiting.

The biggest challenge will be KEEPING Avery.

 

[EasyTider]

Normally I would cringe at such a story, but I have to admit this makes me grin devilishly.

 

[JoshB]

I have no issues with shit talking, as long as you back it up and it doesnt become a distraction.

 

[UAgrad93]

Bigger name opponents will help fill the seats along with winning games. Right now, I think CAJ is trying to find the right playing combination starting and coming off the bench. You can look at the box score each night and tell by the equal number of minutes everyone is getting, 12-16 each player. It is frustrating for us as fans, but I know for a fact that no one is more frustrated than CAJ. He is looking for some leadership and looking to get it from the right ones. I've been in similar shoes trying to put the right lineup out each game, searching and hoping it will click. :flaming:

 

[TheChief]

If it were me, I'd go young. Less of Jimmie "I Can't Make A Free Throw" Taylor, Shannon "Pouty" Hale, Riley "Knock the Backboard Down or Airmail It" Norris, and the old newcomer Collins. Play those guys when you get a lead or everyone else cannot possibly go. If you stayed up and watched the 12 point lead dissolve into a 7 point loss last night, you saw AJ Jr. do very well.

@psychojoe you know more than me, but I think while Bama has more players to play, it isn't quality depth. In fact, it seems almost a liability. What do you do?

 

[BAMAneck]

How can the passing look so crisp and the motion and spacing be spot on and then in the Texas game ( granted , I didn't see first half cause I had to work ) look so discombobulated. I mean even the inbounds looked like it was foreign to them . Is Texas just that good at this point or we just got some work to do ..... Seems like we are still in love with the three ball , even though we don't seem to shoot it very well ... that goes back too grants era as well .

 

[psychojoe]

It does seem to be more of an NBA style as far as using his whole roster. We are deeper this year than last. We still have a roster flaw in that neither of our bigs can set up in the low post on offense and demand extra attention from the defense. That is not a fatal flaw, as both are real rim protectors on defense and they are rebounding well.

I have been very impressed with Braxton Key thus far, and he should be getting better as he goes. He is a long, athletic wing player who definitely creates match up problems. Shannon Hale remains an enigma. One night he can't miss no matter where he takes the shot from, the next he has more bricks than a construction site. He is playing better defense though.

I think we will be a little better than year ago.

 

[bradenob]

How can the passing look so crisp and the motion and spacing be spot on and then in the Texas game ( granted , I didn't see first half cause I had to work ) look so discombobulated. I mean even the inbounds looked like it was foreign to them . Is Texas just that good at this point or we just got some work to do ..... Seems like we are still in love with the three ball , even though we don't seem to shoot it very well ... that goes back too grants era as well .

No Texas is not that good - we have a lot of work to do. The guards don't use the screens from the big men, and the passing to attack the press was atriocious - the spacing made NO sense at all. This may be coaching in preparing them, but basketball players in college DO understanding spacing and angles.

It is beyond me, except perhaps fears of nepotism accusations, why AJ doesn't play Junior more. He could have broken their zone after the inbound, because he dribbles GREAT. All they had to do was clear out. Collins is not impressing me.

I DO think they need to get on with the youth movement. Stick with Junior and Dazon at guards, Hall as a big 4, and Key as the other 4. Since we don't have a 5 it gets interesting, and I think AJ is still trying to figure it out. Does he go with Armond Davis, who doesn't seem to want to play D, but can get really hot as a 3 pt shooter? Does he see if Nick King will be more aggressive on O and on D? Otherwise he has his choice of Hale, who CAN be a lot like Key, were he to be consistent, or does he try Norris? Last night's game says Norris, who I believe had more minutes.

PS - we HAVE to get these guys to make their free throws!!!