Alabama fans need to buckle-up for the end of the season...

     As Alabama prepares for the Vanderbilt Commodores, I can’t help wondering if Coach Johnson has reached a tipping point with the fan base? If he has it doesn’t matter what happens in the future. Mike Shula could tell us what that was like. Alabama fans are quick to anger but are also quick to forgive. What if Johnson runs the table with the games remaining, or at least the games that could get Alabama into the NCAAT?  Even if he wins enough of those games his problem doesn’t disappear. He is now known as a Coach cannot help his team when they are falling apart before his eyes. That has to be a touch position.

   Part of the problem is that Alabama has not had much success since Wimp Sanderson. Sure, Mark Gottfried has some. But even his Elite Eight team had a miserable record. They were 18-13. The Tide hit a red – hot shooting streak that got them to the Eight. In a sense, that was the high water mark for Alabama basketball. From that point, the Tide has suffered.

   Anthony Grant inherited a situation that had some talent but also had a lot of problems.  To his credit, he restored discipline even though it took some suspensions and eventually led to transfers. That hurt his plan in the short term, and honestly, things never got on the right track.  I always respected Coach Grant for restoring education and behavior in the basketball program. I’m not sure that the average fan ever understood exactly how serious some of the problems had become.

   Grants teams played hard. They were blessed to have gifted point guards. I’d like to remind fans that his team won the 2010-11 SEC Western Division and didn’t receive an NCAAT bid. It was a snub that I’ll never forget. Alabama finished as NIT runner-up. Grant wasn’t popular but he was exactly what Alabama needed when you consider what happened to Bama immediately before he arrived.  He as a warm, caring, and civically involved man. He had class, but at Alabama, the only thing that fans want is winning.  He also took Alabama to 2011-12 NCAAT.  He won 58% of his games at Alabama and 52% in the SEC.

   Johnson’s problem at Alabama is upfront and in your face. His teams have a tough time winning when it matters.  Each season, his teams experience at slump at the tail end of the season. It is more than that. I think there the recruiting problems have been severe.  Colin Sexton was a bona fide star. Other than Sexton you have to wonder about evaluation.  John Petty was a five-star recruit be he has not lived up to his high school hype. Dazon Ingram was Mr. Basketball – Alabama and has been solid but not a player how can lead a team.  Hall has improved each year.  But like most Alabama players he is up and down.  Mr. Double-Double has been missing in action in each of the last three games.  Ingram has been trying to take the ball inside. It has been a necessity to re-establish Hall’s inside game. This has led to some turnovers, but he is doing what his coach wants him to do.

  Just for the record – Johnson’s overall winning percentage is 56.3 at Alabama and his SEC record is only 48.5%. Neither of which is making ‘Bama fans happy. I think the most disturbing part of his tenure at Bama is that things appear to be going backward at this point. The Tide is 15-11 and 6-6. With road games with improving South Carolina and always dangerous Arkansas, things don’t look good for a win at either place.  LSU and Auburn are big home games.  Right now it would difficult to believe that Alabama and win either of those games. Alabama has five regular season games to make the NCAAT, and perhaps one or two in the SECT.  Things don’t look good right now. Alabama is a team in disarray. The talent level is far below what fans believe in reality. The inside game is not up to SEC standards and our outside shooting is bi-polar at best. This is a period where the Tide needs their head coach to step up and earn is money.  Johnson also needs to win some games to assure signed recruits and potential recruits he is a here to stay. This late season slump could not have happened at the worst time.

   Trendon Watford can cure a lot of ills at Alabama. Johnson still has an inside road to help players play professionally. It is now time to buckle-up in an entirely different manner. Tide players need a big crowd against Vandy. We need to support the players.