Not only was Alabama ready to play they were ready to dominate. Bama held high scoring Coastal Carolina to 44 points. That is essentially 1 point a minute. In modern basketball that is almost impossible. Bama scored 68 but could have had much more. On a night where all Tide fans were wondering how the team would respond to the NCAA snub. Alabama showed themselves, their fans, and the nation just how foolish the NCAA Selection Committee has become.
I have to feel a little for my old friend Cliff Ellis. The talent margin was just to great to overcome. And with no offense to Carolina fans that is why the big boys are the big boys. Ask the CC inside players what happened when they dared to actually venture into the paint. Ask the guards who tried to penetrate. The only term that comes to my mind is "in your face". I like the Cinderella story in the Big Dance as much as anyone. I'd vote to continue to let those teams play. But the NCAA needs to understand that you cannot keep better teams from playing without some rational basis. If Alabama is indeed only the 38th best at large team what does make the Coastal Carolinas of the world? They are not second rate teams. That are among the top rated programs that lives in a different world than SEC teams.
Programs like Coastal Carolina live in a different world...
Granted an occasional team rises up from the pack and turns into a big time program. Gonzaga, George Mason, and Jacksonville are prime examples. Butler is up there as well. But where is Jacksonsville now? But those programs tend to succeed only when they have a great coach moving on up. This is not a slap at any of those schools. There is room for both schools. The boys who want to big should have a chance to play the big boys if they wish. You and I could probably arrange a fight with Mike Tyson for that matter. But to what end?
So how good is this Alabama team?
Tonight Alabama played one of the teams who would dream of being a top program. It ended about where most thought it would. Perhaps the gap was a little worse. Grant took it easy on a peer. It was embarrassing to Cliff Ellis to watch his team toyed with. It could have been so much worse. The only question left in my mind is exactly how good has the Alabama Crimson Tide become. Whether they play Texas El Paso or New Mexico they are in for a good old fashioned fight. The next game with be high octane vs. life time break pads. If Alabama can play the offense they played the first half in the next game it could be pretty bad for the visitor.
RETURN TO TIDERINSIDER BY CLICKING HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment