re: 2017-18 Alabama Basketball Season Thread: 20-16 (10-11)

quote:

---

quote:
Can we all just come to agreement this morning that everyone that is pissed off is primarily pissed off because of the way that we lost, to who we lost, and how vulnerable that particular team was from a roster depletion standpoint?



100% - though it really doesn't matter to me that it was Auburn.

quote:
If this game were against Florida, or even Tennessee, you wouldn't hear the outcry you do this morning. The facts are that most folks (myself included) are extremely pissed because Auburn has now won 4 out of the last 5 games against Alabama in men's bball. We're sick of this predictable bull shite when playing them.



My anger is much more on the way we lost. Honestly, their roster situation isn't even that big a deal to me. It's the way we lost and that it happened this deep into the season. I honestly thought we were over that.

---

Careful George, all that negativity breeds negativity. Bamainva will be here shortly to set you straight I'm sure

TideFans would be a great landing spot.

quote:

---

I don’t want to hear the young excuse anymore. It doesn’t wash anymore.

---

Auburn fans at this point last season were saying the young excuse doesn't fly anymore too.

quote:

---

Will Wade, Ben Howland, and Cuonzo Martin are all doing more with a lot less talent than Avery and it pains me to say that because I think Martin sucks.

---

Two of these coaches aren't making the tournament, so I don't think they're really doing more. Cuonzo's team will probably get in the tournament, but they're an experienced bunch. They just lost at home to Ole Miss and got bent over by this Auburn team at home too.

quote:

---

We’re going to make the tournament because of Collin Sexton and in spite of Avery Johnson.

---

I don't think we're going to the tournament (if we even do make it) because of Collin. Several of our best wins have come without him, and even when he is playing, we fair a lot better when he does less.

Overall, I agree there are disturbing trends though, so don't think I'm dismissing your post. I just disagree with some of it.

The more I think about it, the more I think someone needs to be fired.

We still have an 81% chance of making the tournament. Broad look at it: we lost on the road to the #1 team in the SEC. We have two winnable home games and a road game against tean who's imploding.

We can't make the tournament in that scenario, then I honestly can't see how anyone can still support Avery. We used the young and talentless excuse his first 2 years for blowing it and it was 100% reasonable. This year is completely different. We're 27 games into the season-these players aren't freshmen anymore.

quote:

---

If the tournament started tomorrow we'd be a 9 seed in the NCAAT, our 2nd tournament appearance since 2006.

I can easily spin that as a positive.

---

I’m sorry but the ceiling this year was way higher than just getting in.

We’re 17-11 with plenty of bad losses. I don’t know why some in this thread have issue with our fans expecting more out of a top ten class. I get youth being a factor but we haven’t grown at all in the last month.

quote:

---

My anger is much more on the way we lost

---

Nailed it. The way we lost is what kills me. That, and the Avery Johnson quote of "well shucks guys, its no big deal, we split with them. Be happy." That shite is unacceptable. The effort was pathetic for the majority of the game- especially the second half. They didn't look like they gave a flying frick that they were getting run out of the gym. No intensity, no urgency, no effort. I fully expected a loss, because we usually lose @AU, but the effort is what is most disheartening about the loss.

I understood to a certain extent the "young" excuse. But we had what? 10-20 extra practices before our Canada trip and now an entire season to work through that. That young excuse is out the window at this point in the season.

We very well *should* win the next two games with them being at home and make the tournament, which is all I wanted this year. If we somehow lose out or only win one and miss the tourney, Avery's seat needs to be hot as hell next year and we need to not only make the tourney, but make it as a higher seed and win a couple games for him to stay around.

quote:

---

I’m sorry but the ceiling this year was way higher than just getting in.

We’re 17-11 with plenty of bad losses. I don’t know why some in this thread have issue with our fans expecting more out of a top ten class. I get youth being a factor but we haven’t grown at all in the last month.

---

Thank you for stating this. The expectation for this year was more than just making the tournament, much less limping into it after being rated as high as a 7 seed at one point after blowing out Tennessee by 20 points.

There is just too much talent on this roster to spin the last 2 performances as "ok" or "normal" much less a positive.

If something doesn't change about our coaching effort, our players' effort, our playing style, our mental toughness, etc, we will limp into the NCAA tournament and lose in the 1st round.

quote:

---

We’re 17-11 with plenty of bad losses

---

Every team in the league has bad losses on their resume. It's basketball. It's rare for a team to play at its full potential every game. I do agree that when we play bad, it is really bad, and I that is absolutely where the frustration comes because when we are good, we can play with anyone in the country. And I agree it's time to stop using the young excuse. That was fine early in the season, but games like last night shouldn't happen this late in the season.

Anxious to see how they respond this weekend.