Started By
Message
How Poorly Managed is Alabama Basketball?
Posted on 1/28/15 at 8:03 am
Posted on 1/28/15 at 8:03 am
This isn't really an anti-Grant post. Its more about how UA has completely mismanaged the basketball program over the last 10 years. Just a constant set of "safe" decisions that don't set our program up for success.
- Sinking $25 Million into Coleman was huge mistake. It was lipstick on a pig and all it did was prevent us from getting a new arena anytime soon. Despite all of that, the arena has to be in the bottom of the SEC. That $25 million is an albatross hanging around our neck. Because of that, we can't use the prospect of building a new arena as a lure to get a top notch coach.
- The placement of our student section has got to be the worst in the SEC. The two bleacher setup under one baseline looks like something you'd find at a small college. Its sad when you see Kentucky fans sit courtside while our students sit in the rafters. It gives us zero home court advantage and you can see it in games like last night's Florida game. Its sad how we haven't tried to find a good way to get our students involved in the game.
- Anthony Grant's Buyout is still at $4 Million. Why it is at that figure is beyond me. The buyout is literally the reason why we've kept him around and wasted the last two seasons. If Grant somehow gets us to the bubble, it could be the reason he is retained for another year.
- The failure to fire Grant and then hire Pearl. I know many will disagree, but to me that was a defining moment. Grant was coming off the worst season in modern UA basketball history and a top tier coach was sitting there for the taking. Instead, we sat on our hands and allowed him to go to our rival. Pearl would've brought life to our basketball program and he was the kind of coach who wouldn't have a problem sitting in Saban's shadow.
- Do we do anything to market the program within the state? There are four metro areas in Alabama that are bigger than Tuscaloosa, yet we never play or market the program in them. Instead, we're content to play many pre-conference games in an empty Coleman. Ironically, this is something Pearl has said he wants to do with Auburn.
I'm sure there are plenty more that I'm not thinking of but its clear that the mentality in Tuscaloosa is to take zero risks when it comes to basketball and that "safe" mentality has resulted in our basketball program dying a slow death. They are content to not let basketball interfere with football. That's what worries me about life after Grant. I have no hope that our AD would actually do what it takes to fundamentally change the culture of our basketball program.
- Sinking $25 Million into Coleman was huge mistake. It was lipstick on a pig and all it did was prevent us from getting a new arena anytime soon. Despite all of that, the arena has to be in the bottom of the SEC. That $25 million is an albatross hanging around our neck. Because of that, we can't use the prospect of building a new arena as a lure to get a top notch coach.
- The placement of our student section has got to be the worst in the SEC. The two bleacher setup under one baseline looks like something you'd find at a small college. Its sad when you see Kentucky fans sit courtside while our students sit in the rafters. It gives us zero home court advantage and you can see it in games like last night's Florida game. Its sad how we haven't tried to find a good way to get our students involved in the game.
- Anthony Grant's Buyout is still at $4 Million. Why it is at that figure is beyond me. The buyout is literally the reason why we've kept him around and wasted the last two seasons. If Grant somehow gets us to the bubble, it could be the reason he is retained for another year.
- The failure to fire Grant and then hire Pearl. I know many will disagree, but to me that was a defining moment. Grant was coming off the worst season in modern UA basketball history and a top tier coach was sitting there for the taking. Instead, we sat on our hands and allowed him to go to our rival. Pearl would've brought life to our basketball program and he was the kind of coach who wouldn't have a problem sitting in Saban's shadow.
- Do we do anything to market the program within the state? There are four metro areas in Alabama that are bigger than Tuscaloosa, yet we never play or market the program in them. Instead, we're content to play many pre-conference games in an empty Coleman. Ironically, this is something Pearl has said he wants to do with Auburn.
I'm sure there are plenty more that I'm not thinking of but its clear that the mentality in Tuscaloosa is to take zero risks when it comes to basketball and that "safe" mentality has resulted in our basketball program dying a slow death. They are content to not let basketball interfere with football. That's what worries me about life after Grant. I have no hope that our AD would actually do what it takes to fundamentally change the culture of our basketball program.
This post was edited on 1/28/15 at 12:42 pm
10
Posted on 1/28/15 at 8:31 am to FairhopeTider
I agree with everything you've said. The student section seating has been awful forever but it used to be fun when we were doing well.
Coleman just isn't a fun place. It's a dump. Nobody wants to play there. Our program isn't "hip" and doesn't have any "swag". Recruits don't want to come here.
I love Bama basketball but for a kid that didn't grow up going and had season tickets for years, I can't imagine why any recruit would want to come here at all.
Our administration is really screwing up something that could be a really good thing.
Coleman just isn't a fun place. It's a dump. Nobody wants to play there. Our program isn't "hip" and doesn't have any "swag". Recruits don't want to come here.
I love Bama basketball but for a kid that didn't grow up going and had season tickets for years, I can't imagine why any recruit would want to come here at all.
Our administration is really screwing up something that could be a really good thing.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 8:50 am to RedElephants
The problem isn't a new arena (see the Barn). The problem is that our team can't play basketball very well.
If they were kicking everyone's arse like they should be with this kind of investment the place would be packed every night, period.
If they were kicking everyone's arse like they should be with this kind of investment the place would be packed every night, period.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 8:55 am to RedElephants
quote:
Coleman just isn't a fun place. It's a dump. Nobody wants to play there.
It isn't. For the life of me I don't know what the reasoning was behind the renovation in 2005. It was a paint job and did nothing to make it a better home court advantage. Coleman has to be one of the few venues where there are seats facing other seats. Its a shame Gottfreid couldn't parlay the Elite 8 run into a new arena. Nobody likes to place the blame on Coleman but its embarassing for an athletic program like the University of Alabama to have such an awful facility.
The thing is, nobody is asking for a Final Four caliber program. Its not like anyone is being unreasonable with their expectations for what Alabama basketball should be.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 9:03 am to bamarep
quote:
The problem isn't a new arena (see the Barn).
This isn't a chicken & egg deal. We're not playing poor basketball just because of Coleman. I don't think anyone is saying that and of course if we were kicking everyone's arse it would be packed. I'm sure the same could be said for Legion Field if UAB suddenly became a Top 5 team.
Coleman isn't conducive to a great atmosphere and it doesn't prove energy that can help our team have an advantage....and that is only part of the problem.
This post was edited on 1/28/15 at 9:20 am
Posted on 1/28/15 at 9:14 am to RedElephants
Mal Moore did a lot of great things at Alabama but sinking that much into Coleman was not smart. I always felt the best method was a joint effort with the city to build an arena/convention center. Keep Coleman updated enough for gymnastics and offices for other sports.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 9:26 am to FairhopeTider
Agree with every point, except one, and I'd add one. Regardless of if we had fired Grant, Pearl would not have even been a candidate since we just came off probation. We did not want to go back down that road, and hiring him with all of his baggage would have been a crapshoot.
I'd add how stupid it is to tie Tide Pride for football and basketball together. So many people simply buy basketball season tickets for the points towards football tickets. They need to either separate the two, or only reward points for attendance like they do the students. I'm sick of turning on the TV to watch a home game and seeing the first 20 or so rows virtually empty.
I'd add how stupid it is to tie Tide Pride for football and basketball together. So many people simply buy basketball season tickets for the points towards football tickets. They need to either separate the two, or only reward points for attendance like they do the students. I'm sick of turning on the TV to watch a home game and seeing the first 20 or so rows virtually empty.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 9:36 am to The Spleen
quote:
Regardless of if we had fired Grant, Pearl would not have even been a candidate since we just came off probation. We did not want to go back down that road, and hiring him with all of his baggage would have been a crapshoot.
I get that. Its certainly a debatable issue. My biggest fear is that the Tyrone Beamen incident that ultimately hurt football left a mentality within our AD that we'd never again allow basketball to put football at risk....therefore we'll always take the path of least resistance when it comes to choices concerning the basketball team.
quote:
I'm sick of turning on the TV to watch a home game and seeing the first 20 or so rows virtually empty.
Yep. Its terrible. They could rework things where the students sit there but that obviously isn't a priority. They'd rather sell those seats to boosters who won't show up. Your idea about Tide Pride is dead on. It also speaks to my point about playing some games in Birmingham.
This post was edited on 1/28/15 at 9:38 am
Posted on 1/28/15 at 10:07 am to FairhopeTider
I was captaing of the hire Bruce Pearl bandwagon but I still have Battle a bit of a pass b/c I didn't feel like Grant truly had his team until this season. Now we know the results. 
Posted on 1/28/15 at 12:17 pm to FairhopeTider
quote:
How Poorly Mismanaged is Alabama Basketball?
Very, very, poorly.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 12:28 pm to FairhopeTider
If baseball starts winning and drawing well at the new Sewell Thomas, basketball will get a new arena. Doesn't seem the demand is there, but it's all about the $.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 12:41 pm to RollTide4Ever
I only remember you saying stuff about Masiello
Posted on 1/28/15 at 12:42 pm to FairhopeTider
quote:
- Sinking $25 Million into Coleman was huge mistake. It was lipstick on a pig and all it did was prevent us from getting a new arena anytime soon
This is a cold hard fact. The money that has been spent means that Coleman Coliseum is here to stay for the next decade or so, like it or not. But that does not stop us from changing our student layout.
Who's idea was it to DIVIDE our already small basketball crazies to opposite ends of the court, it must have been a Mark's Madness decision at the heights of the Gottfried era. Right now, they're too small to be split up and it looks sad.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 12:44 pm to CapstoneGrad06
quote:
Mal Moore did a lot of great things at Alabama but sinking that much into Coleman was not smart. I always felt the best method was a joint effort with the city to build an arena/convention center. Keep Coleman updated enough for gymnastics and offices for other sports.
That would be cool, because otherwise there's no way Alabama would have THREE varsity sports arenas on campus. Though Bama Gymnastics being the main tennant of the Coliseum would be bleeping HUGE for our gym team. No other gymnastics team, not even Utah, Georgia or Florida could even touch the clout that would bring. We'd also have to re-name it Coleman-Patterson Coliseum.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 12:49 pm to Lordofwrath88
We upgraded Sewell Thomas around the same time. It's all about demand. If Battle realizes how far behind the rest of the league we are, he'll do something. That's what happened with baseball. We reacted because we were so far behind.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 1:55 pm to Lordofwrath88
I agree that renovating Coleman was a poor decision, but we also have the benefit of hindsight. At the time, BDS was undergoing an expansion and Mike Shula was our head football coach. There was only so much money to throw around, and there wasn't the assurance the revenue stream would improve. Obviously, we hired Saban a couple of years later, and things changed drastically financially.
That's not to say there weren't those against the renovation as I remember a lot of people upset over it that wanted a new arena. I just think the AD with the more financially prudent option at the time.
That's not to say there weren't those against the renovation as I remember a lot of people upset over it that wanted a new arena. I just think the AD with the more financially prudent option at the time.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 3:04 pm to FairhopeTider
Ok, if they do end up doing something to Coleman, I want my brick in front of the dang place that I bought with my kids name on it.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 7:30 pm to FairhopeTider
This was at the UK game this year. The student section is waaaaaaay at the top. What is UA athletics thinking when they decided to put the students so far away from the court. Are they ashamed of us or something?
This post was edited on 1/28/15 at 11:36 pm
Posted on 1/28/15 at 10:32 pm to Carolina Tide
That photo is a joke and its exactly what I'm referring to. Its embarrassing and exemplifies the total lack of commitment that the AD has for the basketball program. Its the complete opposite of what most schools do.
Again, nobody is asking for Coleman to be the next Cameron indoor and nobody is expecting us to make multiple Final Fours. Just start acting like we care and that means doing more than just signing a check.
Again, nobody is asking for Coleman to be the next Cameron indoor and nobody is expecting us to make multiple Final Fours. Just start acting like we care and that means doing more than just signing a check.
Posted on 1/28/15 at 10:37 pm to FairhopeTider
Coleman is Alamo-dome bad. Grant just hasn't been able to keep together a core group yet. I've yet to see him bring back four guys that held the team together in a "hopeful" year. Alabama basketball in 2015 is reminding me of Alabama football in 2006 if that counts for much. Btw, Gottfried = Fran.
Page 1 of 2
Latest Alabama News
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News