Way, way to early report on Nat Oats...

     Before a single game has been played, before a single basketball has been scored, and before we've seen Nat Oats coach a single game, I'm going to grade him on what we have seen so far.

1. Oates accepting the Alabama jobs convey s a message to Tide fans  he thinks the program can succeed, and

2.  He told us what caused him to leave his Buffalo program which was becoming highly successful, and

3. He brought a First-Team JUCO All-American with him from that program

4.  He signed a dynamic guard from West Virginia which will be a welcome addition to the team.

5.  His player from Buffalo waited until a player chose LSU and a highly controversial coach. That speaks highly of the loyalty of James Rojas. Don't think for a minute that Oates was going to sign that kid. Now he doesn't have to create a space.

6. He recruited Petty and Lewis and insured that they would play at Alabama. Those are two five star kids.

7. His staff has faith in the new Coach. That is important.

8. He is beating the recruiting bushes for five-star recruits and transfers. They all have national prominence.

9.  This man is fired up. He is ten-star fired up. 

10. His Buffalo teams hold themselves accountable for their effort on the floor. 

Those are 10 things I find significant before Coleman Coliseum is filled for game one. Now we will see how this hard work pays off. He has some talent. If a post player develops in this offensive sets the Tide will have a good team.  I think he'll have one, and don't be surprised if it is a Freshman.


The thing that excites me most is the concept of the team first. 

Mack is out. Opens a spot. Good luck to a well-traveled young man. 

Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn...

     Count me totally unimpressed with Trendon Watford and horse he rides out of town on. I am so glad to get rid of the punk. He transferred from his high school to Mountain Brook. I went hmm... Now he goes to LSU. Double hmm... He'd better to highly successful at LSU because he is finished in the State of Alabama. 

          His ego outweighs his common sense.  He selects a school the entire basketball world believes pays for players. Why would he do that? It is really simple. He doesn't give
a tinker's damn about what anyone else thinks or believes.  That might be good in some situations. Not this one. What was that old song? "Take the money and run?" And that is what makes him totally unsuitable to play for Nate Oats. Oats is about the team and hard work. Harsh words? Perhaps, they are. True words? History will tell. If Will Wade was able to keep working despite the leaked FBI wire, it says a lot about the SEC, NCAA, and the players LSU recruits. Time will tell. 

           Alabama just signed JUCO First-Team American, James Rojas. That is no small feat. He committed to Oats at Buffalo and now has a chance to play at Alabama him. The 6-8 forward is a gazelle on the fast break. He is exactly what Oats needs for his four out and one in style offense. Huge signing for the Tide. More to follow on James later.

Watford Alabama, Memphis, and LSU
     My old Memphis basketball buddy, the knower of all things Tiger, told me an interesting story. He said the info flying around Memphis is that Watford was waiting on Precious to decide where he would attend. Was Watford told he had an offer only if the latest Memphis commitment went elsewhere?  Princes Achiuwa picked Penny's number 1 recruiting class this season. I have no idea if this is true. But, it is interesting that it has gained traction with Tiger fans. By my count, Memphis has one spot left. I could be wrong. 

        I think LSU has him. If Watford picks LSU it will forever be tucked in the minds of basketball fans whether he has already turned pro. I'm not saying he has been paid, nor do I have any information to support that question. The LSU coach was caught on tape talking about making a big-time offer to an LSU player. Later, another LSU player is involved with some type of payment. LSU suspends Wade. Wade hires a lawyer who puts the stranglehold on LSU. Wade is reinstated with a couple of new provisions regarding LSU ability to fire him for "cause" if Wade is ever found in violation of level one and two offenses by the NCAA. 

     Perhaps Watford is waiting to see if Wade is found in violation. If he is a one and done player he would be long gone before the NCAA makes a ruling. Even an expedited hearing could be prolonged to allow Wade to have a fair hearing.  I'd repeat what I've written before. I am not sure he is a one and done. 

     Here is the problem with all one and done players. They are already pros. None are amateurs in a strict sense. They have been wined and dined in AAU basketball. AAU basketball is a cesspool of wrongdoing. If the NCAA  really wanted to clean up basketball they need to eliminate AAU involvement however possible. I don't think the elimination of AAU basketball is a constitution issue so to speak. The NCAA is a private club for members. Fortunately or unfortunately players fall into the same category as the schools. College basketball isn't about amateur sports.  It is about money, ego, and selfishness far too often. Not everyone should be painted with a broad brush, and I'm sure a lot of players are involved in pursuing an education. But it is not just the money paid under the table to players. Greed is widespread. 

    The truth is that NCAA football and basketball have gotten out of hand. High School players should be allowed to go straight to the pros if they are able. I see no reason to have colleges and universities be a developmental league. We all want to see our favorite teams win. Is there a point where all involved should take a more honest and moderate approach to NCAA sports? If we want non-professional sports we can have them. If colleges are driven by wanting to make money they need to form some kind of minor league system with the professional teams. Today's system is ripe with corruption and the NCAA seems to be okay with the fact. So do college administrators.  So do fans. We all have our fingers in the proverbial pie. 

Let's find good four year players...

    I love watching Sexton playing basketball. He was a wonder on the hardwood. He is one of a kind. Not only was he a great player he was an excellent student. He has been an ambassador for the Alabama basketball program. If you sign a player like Sexton it is a once in a lifetime event. Trendon Watford? Not so much in my opinion. 

    Watford is a very good basketball player. He will help any team he chooses. I hope Alabama lands him, but I doubt they will. And frankly, I don't care. He isn't a Sexton or a Zion. I doubt he is one and done. I strongly doubt he is a one and done player. Maybe he'll make me eat crow and I've dined on the black bird before. I wish him luck. Everyone that knows him says he is a wonderful person. If he stays in state he might become  a legend. if he goes out of state he is done in this state. I'm not saying that's fair, but it is true. If he goes to Memphis it will be interesting. If he goes to LSU he will be the most hated basketball player in Alabama. Antonio Lang left state  and virtually now one knows who is was, or is it better to say who he is?  That is sad for Lang, but there is only one team for Bama fans. Bama fans are not objective and not reasonable. They have no desire to be. 

   Gonzaga became a national power with a new coach and four year players.  I  think Bama might try that. Alabama shouldn't have to beg five star in state players  or hit the hardwood in Tuscaloosa. Rick Barnes did just fine in Knoxville with no five star players. Cole is going to UCONN. It was remarkable that Oats got him on campus. Rojas is a first team JUCO All American. Sign him if he is still interested. End the circus. Alabama can use him. I'd love to have him. I'd love Watford as well. 

    Today is the final day of basketball signing. Thank God.

U of A Athletics puzzles me...

     Do you ever wonder why the University of Alabama has the greatest football program in collegiate history and can't excel in any other sport? It is riddle wrapped up in a mystery in a puzzle. How can the baseball team and the basketball teams lag so far behind football? It is possible that the reason is because of the football program. Can an AD live off the laurels of football and not really worry about other sports? 

    It is true that other sports have had a day or two in the sunshine. They've had an occasional cup of coffee, but mainly it seems to be average at best. The women's basketball program is not improving. The baseball team has a new coach and things seem to be about the same. (perhaps more time will help the hardball), and men's basketball is ho-hum. I know. The new coach will be the salvation of all things round and we will be a top twenty program. We'll see about that. I almost hope that Trendon Watford goes elsewhere because the expectations would go through Crimson Vision which is always unrealistic.

    The question remains. Why can't the Tide be superior in other sports? :How long will Alabama let women's hoops languish? What happens if four years down the line the men's program is still stuck in the mud? I am pulling for Nat  Oats. I pulled for Avery, and Anthony Grant. For some reason, I don't think Mark Gottfried was fired to continue being average. I wonder if Alabama will ever hire a coach like Calipari and see what happens. It's not like the school doesn't have the money. No disrespect to Oats but he isn't proven yet. You can see the optimism  rise on the posting boards almost daily. This is old history and history has proven to a nightmare for hoops fans. So here we all are - stuck in the middle again. 

   

Real News on Watford...

     After speaking with several people about Watford, I feel confident disclosing some information. Watford has chosen LSU. The only thing keeping a public announcement is the need to have some reassurance that Wade will be back as coach.

    Many of you may be aware that Wade can be fired for cause if he is found in violation of a level One or level Two offense. Wade's contract was just amended to include that clause. LSU doesn't want to pay millions if Wade if found to be a NCAA major violator. I am not going into the pros and cons of whether he is or isn't walking the proverbial plank on some matters made public already.

    I've suspected this was Watford's school of choice for some time, but have hesitated to say so until I had spoken to three specific individuals. All feel this is the case. Watford is waiting. He can wait as long as he wants. And I believe he will do so until Wade's matter is concluded.

    Might he end up at Alabama? If Wade gets the axe he might. The question is whether Coach Oats is willing to wait. My personal opinion is that Alabama will be better off with other players like Rojas or Cole, or both. Coach could make room for him by non-renewal of someone's grant-in-aid. Would Bama like to have Watford? Of course, they would. Whether it is good for the overall brand of the school is beyond my pay grade. There are other players that Oats will find in the future. Perhaps some will be five stars.

    But wait... Is it possible that the two players mentioned above might find room on the roster even if Watford becomes a Tider? That is an interesting thought. Bottom line is that Watford doesn't want to attend Alabama. You might not like that, but I can't blame him. While I have good thoughts about Oats he hasn't had a chance to prove himself at Alabama. I am not going down the rabbit hole again. When he wins I'll hop down there with an ever growing number of Tider Insider posters.

The Saga continues...

     The recruitment of Trendon Watford is like the Star Wars movie franchise. It seemingly will never end. The only thing missing from his recruitment is R2D2. Where will Watford choose to play? Is he being thoughtful and introspective about his choices, or is he engaged in an analysis by paralysis? A Tide fan told me something yesterday that bears repeating. Is Trendon Watford worth the wait? 

           The Tide and Nate Oats is faced with some tough choices. A great transfer is leaning toward the Tide. A JUCO All-American wants to play for Coach Oats. And what if Watford decides to come to Alabama. Does he leave two great players behind? Alabama isn't obligated to renew any scholarship to a player. Cutting a player isn't very attractive in my opinion. Alabama has one spot left right now if my count is correct. Tough decision. 

            I don't think that Watford is a one and done after reading a lot of AAU observations about him. Not all five stars are one and done's.  Perhaps he is a two and through guy? Regardless, he would be a great addition to the Tide program, but I suspect Oats is thinking long term and who fits his style. Most Tide fans would like for this Watford deal to be over one way or the other. 

           I talked to an ex-coach and he told me that Watford is confused. Perhaps his family can help him make up his mind. To me, the entire recruiting saga is unsettling for some reason. I would rather have good players who want to play at Bama instead of players who settle for Alabama. Alabama is having a big visit today from a player who may transfer in from in. RJ Cole is a dynamic combo guard who fits the Oats profile according to some. His family is coming with him. That's a good sign.

            Oats is big on us as a team vs. me as a player.  You have to wonder if Watford wants to be a part of that.  I'm not saying he doesn't but the longer this drags out you have to wonder. Roll Tide.