Bama needs to win a couple of games in the SEC

Let's find the magic...

To escape the 8/9 bracket...
     Alabama has fought their way back into playing in the NCAA Tournament. That's the good news. The bad news is that most "experts" see the Tide playing as an 8 or 9 seed. It's tough to win a game like that. Supposedly, those are the two closet matched teams in the bracket. If you win your reward is to play the # 1 seed. That's the difference between getting a bid and making a run. 'Bama will get the bid, but they are unlikely to survive more than one game. The story here might just be that Alabama finally made it back to the Tournament and let it go at that. That is not really acceptable to most Bama fans. 


        I was talking to an old friend who was a college basketball coach. "Freshman, are the quickest way to lose in a tournament." This guy is now a college color analyst and he went on to say that Alabama's freshmen are not at the same level as Kentucky's 1st year players. He also added that an often over-looked fact about Kentucky is the sprinkling of upperclassmen to add some stability on the floor and in the locker-room.  I don't think there has ever been a team a loaded with freshmen that has won a national championship. Michigan's Fab Four came close. Kentucky has come close. Alabama has five first year players in their rotation and they just aren't going to come close.  That just isn't conducive for long runs or consistent play. That's the cross we all have to bear with this team. Sometimes I forget that. It's something to keep in mind. 

We need TR back at full speed and
his infectious play...

     I read the other day that expanding the Tournament to 128 teams has been considered by the NCAA. That is one great idea. We need to do one of two things in my opinion with the NCAA.  Basketball is quintessential tournament sport. The more teams in a field makes it less likely for someone to win the NCAA on a two week hot streak. That would be one approach. The other would be to eliminate at large-bids. If you are in a major conference and you finish in the top half of your league you get in the field. Lump all the independents in another "conference" and do the same thing. Eliminate any wins against Division II teams. A few other rules need to be applied. One - if you don't have a winning league record you can't go. If you don't have an overall winning record you can't go. I know that there would still be teams that argue that they should have been picked and got left out. Eliminating bottom feeders is easier. Why not do that and expand the NIT to allow teams beat in the first round of the NCAA to play over in the NIT after they lose. Some good teams will lose in the 1st round of the NCAA. Why not elevate the play of the NIT and allow them to move if they lose. We need to keep the small school in some fashion, however.

Bill Russell and USF won two...

     Most of us love Cinderella stories such as VCU. In American we do believe in miracles don't we.  We need to keep those unlikely dreams alive.  Not only do Amercians believe in miracles, but we love underdogs. The Loyola Rattlers won an NCAA. That means other teams like team can win. San Francisco won two behind Bill Russell. Some schools poise as mid majors but clearly are big time - Gonzaga and Butler come to mind right away. They can win the NCAA. And of course, the the most inclusive thought is allow all teams play in the post season championship tournament. The Real Big Dance so to speak. If you love basketball this is your time of the year. And if someone has an extra ticket to Thursday's 1st session I need one. Seriously.    Roll Tide Roll to all Crimson Tide hoop fans everywhere.