Bama's New Coach - Surprise! (...maybe)

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Interesting? This happens every year, Sam. Same shit, different team. Nothing to see here.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

The Saban connection doesn't make it more interesting, it makes it more laughable. I'm sure this is big news down there, but trust me, up here people can't stop laughing. Like I said, same shit, different team.

Izzo was born in Michigan. He's raised a family there. He's been a coach at MSU for 26 years. He's won one national championship and been to multiple final fours. He's got a lifetime contract at one of the country's elite programs in the game today. He is an institution to his program and is loved and respected by every last member of MSU's alumni, fanbase, and athletic department.

The idea that he would leave all that for a bottom feeding SEC team with little to no tradition simply because he's got a buddy coaching there is straight up hilarious.

[Screw_Michigan]

RACK M_Blow. What else would you believe from Slobbering Sam? If Saban told him the world was flat, he'd believe it.

[SunCoastSooner]

The Saban connection doesn't make it more interesting, it makes it more laughable. I'm sure this is big news down there, but trust me, up here people can't stop laughing.

Hell I'm down here and I can't stop laughing!

Why the hell would anyone in their right mind leave a recruiting hot bed with basketball resources, tradition, and heritage to go to the basketball wasteland where college baseball garners nearly as much fan support and the basketball teams?

[SEC GlassHouseHomer]

It's probably far fetched but Michigan St. is not a N.C., Indiana, UCLA or Duke. Money talks .

->You tell'em, brutha.<-

Pissigin State plays in that easy ass Big 10 while we're busy grinding it all season long in the Southern heat, baby.

[Screw_Michigan]

It's probably far fetched but Michigan St. is not a N.C., Indiana, UCLA or Duke. Money talks .

So, what's your fucking point? And you're correct with one of those: MSU is NOT an Indiana, thankfully. Despite what Shine will tell you, IU's got a long way to rise before they even come close to touching MSU's stature right now.

[Shine]

When IU finally got rid of Mike Davis there were folks around these parts that swore up and down that Izzo wanted to come to IU and would take the job if offered. I laughed.

When Kelvin Sampson couldn't put his phone down there were folks around these parts that swore up and down that Izzo was still pining for the IU gig he wasn't offered last time and would come if offered. I laughed harder.

Hearing that someone thinks Izzo would leave MSU for Ala-freaking-bama. Tears Jerry, tears.


As for the IU/MSU thing, clearly in their current state MSU is the superior program. Have been since shortly after Izzo took over. Historically IU still ranks ahead but as discussed earlier the clock is ticking for IU to remain at their lofty perch.

As for the state of Alabama hoops and story lines, I think watching Mike Davis implode a program that Mike Anderson had built up is rather interesting.

[SunCoastSooner]

I'm talking established acknowledgement as one of the traditional powers in CB. Izzo has had MSU there for quite a while and Jud Heathcote did it before him, but MSU doesn't reside in the Kentucky, Indiana, UCLA realm.

Hey, I'd be shocked if Izzo came to Alabama. The story isn't getting any run down here. Just tossed it out there after the 2nd round of hearing something about it.

There's not much interesting about Alabama, Auburn, UAB, South Alabama basketball these days. If Izzo were signed, it still wouldn't merit a headline down here!

Michigan State is that tier 2 type of power... Bama might be categorized as a tier 3 type basketball school and I stress the word might.

And there is something interesting about UAB. They are well coached (sorry shine) do more with less talent than virtually any southern basketball squad in the country and pretty much own the state of Alabama in basketball currently.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

It's probably far fetched but Michigan St. is not a N.C., Indiana, UCLA or Duke. Money talks .

Lifetime contract, Sam. That's more valuable than what Bama's offering. Plus he's almost guaranteed to get his bonuses at MSU. At Alabammy, his chances of reaching the success necessary to earn his bonuses are not nearly as good.

And you're right. MSU is not Duke, UNC, or IU from a historical perspective. But I don't think Izzo has any interest in coaching at those schools. MSU is his home. It's his identity. Plus his goal is to get them at the level of those schools. He's been coaching there for 26 freaking years and has received numerous offers from other schools. Why would he leave now when he's working and getting closer to that goal, only to start over from scratch at Bama? Over what, a buddy there and a little bit of money - none of which he actually needs?

Makes no sense.

I'm not naive enough to think it's impossible that Izzo would leave at some point. But if he does, it certainly won't be for that job. If anything, it would be to the NBA, but even that's a slim chance.

If Izzo were signed, it still wouldn't merit a headline down here!

Please. You brought it up on a CBB board that gets two posts a week. I've read Bama fan blogs about it, and Bama residents said this was discussed on local radio the day the story broke.

It's a story right now, though nothing has actually happened, yet it wouldn't merit a headline if he actually got hired? Get real.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Another thing, about the Saban connection. Who in their right mind would leave a sure thing to coach at a school simply because his friend is the football coach WHEN JOB SECURITY FOR FOOTBALL COACHES HANGS BY A THREAD? What happens when Izzo gets down there, and Nicky pulls a few 7-5 type seasons and is on the chopping block. Alabama won't stand for anything less than greatness, and when Saban gets the plug pulled what's Izzo to do now?

It's all hypothetical as I don't think Saban would be gone that quickly, if at all, but it's something to consider.

[indyfrisco]

Saban won't be pulling 7-5 seasons at Bama, but a 13-0 and/or 12-1 with a NC and he's outa there for the next gig.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Saban won't be pulling 7-5 seasons at Bama, but a 13-0 and/or 12-1 with a NC and he's outa there for the next gig.

You're right on both accounts. 7-5 seasons, with his recruits, and Bama's guaranteed OOC and SEC cupcake wins, it'll be damn near impossible to go worse than 8-4. If he's not competing for MNCs on a yearly basis though, record notwithstanding, he'll be outta there. This is the SEC. This is Alabama. His past successes will mean nothing if he doesn't turn them back into a national power.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I knew you'd get your panties in a wad over that one. That wasn't intended to be a knock against Bama - that's just the way it is. Most schools will get most of their wins vs OOC cupcakes and in-conference bottom feeders. Do you not agree? That's just the way it is. Hence the reason I said, with his talent, he won't go worse than 8-4 because he will/should win all of the games he's supposed to.

vs Va Tech
Florida International W
North Texas W
Arkansas W
at Kentucky W
at Ole Miss
South Carolina W
Tennessee W
LSU
at Mississippi State W
Tennessee-Chattanooga W
at Auburn

See? There's your guaranteed 8 wins, barring any huge any-given-saturday type upsets. The rest of those teams have a more realistic chance of beating Bama, so I left those ones up for grabs. Although you have to admit, just based on last year and how bad they were, LSU and Auburn could arguably be chalked up as auto wins, as well. The fact LSU is, well, LSU, and the fact Auburn is a rival keeps them off the automatic win list.

[Shine]

And there is something interesting about UAB.

If by interesting you mean the fact that after this year when they lose the starters from the Mike Anderson era and the IU transfer they have NOTHING coming in to replace them, and despite having talent that outshines every other team in their conference that doesn't have MEMPHIS across the front of their jerseys they can't make the NCAA's, and that the UAB administration won't even support Davis then yeah, I agree.

Keep believing Davis can coach, I'm confident the results will be on my side when it's all said and done.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Since we're posting blogs and all, here's another Alabama blogger commenting on this idiot's articles. Pretty funny stuff.

Since the "resignation" of Mark Gottfried as Alabama's head basketball coach, the typical rumor mill of possible replacements has achieved high RPM. It seems there are two camps in which the names of possible candidates fall: the legitimate and the hopelessly impossible.

Bobby Knight, Mike Anderson, Anthony Grant and others are some serious contenders for the position.

In the hopelessly unrealistic category fall the likes of John Calipari, Rick Barnes, Jim Boehiem, Roy Williams or any other top shelf coach currently working at a "basketball" school.

Another in the unrealistic category was thrown into the fray last week by Nick Taylor of the Tide Times blog last week: Tom Izzo of Michigan State.

Nick opined on his blog last week that Alabama athletic director Mal Moore had tendered an offer to Izzo to become Alabama's next basketball coach.

In the blind-squirrel-stumbles-on-a-relevant-opinion category, a February 15th column by Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News addresses the severe breach of protocol such an action by Moore would be.

Now, if there's a bigger dolt than Kevin Scarbinsky, it has to be Nick Taylor of the Tide Times.

During a recent call to Paul Finebaum's radio show, Nick was pushing his incredibly STUPID (and despite Nick's claims of "journalistic integrity and ethics") and UN-SOURCED (of course, that would probably be a selling point should Nick apply for a job at the New York Times!) story, he also claimed that the current coach at Oregon State is the brother-in-law of Michelle Obama and due to Nick's perceived "red state" mentality of the fan base he might not be looked on favorably by the search team.

And this idiot claims to be alum. (and that wouldn't surprise me)

Never mind the fact that the athletic dept. at the University has never given one whit what the rank-and-file Alabama basketball fan thinks or feels.

Nor did he give any statistical evidence of a majority political bent in the Alabama basketball fan base one way or another. Or that if there was, it would matter at all.

Since George Wallace's "stand at the schoolhouse door", (for which I will never forgive him) the University has bent over backwards to and made tremendous strides in improving minority participation.

Currently the minority makeup in the student body at the Capstone runs at around 25%.

Compare that to "that-school-down-the-road" (if there's anything good that came out of the Franchione regime, wasn't it that phrase??) where minorities are about 2% of the student body.

Recently at the university, a big-to-do was made over apologizing and recognizing the mistreatment and efforts of two slaves who worked at the school in the 1800's. Their graves were marked and a day was dedicated to the remembrance of their service. (and rightfully so)

Contrast that to Auburn, where in this century, this decade, on campus, frats posted pictures of themselves partying like it's 1899.

Pictures of some in black face, others with guns and ropes, pretending (or was it practicing?) to lynch blacks, were posted on the Internet.

When it went public, the school moved to expel the frats from the campus grounds by taking them to court. (as they should have) Feeling they were being singled out for special treatment, the frats hired attorneys to defend themselves.

In court, the lawyers for the frats in question appeared with 202 pictures of other frats and sororities (at least they're not sexist in their racism!) engaged in similar activities.

Auburn's legal representation immediately moved to settle the case and negotiate to seal away the pictures from the exposure of public disclosure.

Of course, what would you expect from the grounds of an old Confederate hospital???

Over in Oxford, Mississippi, one can still go to a football game on a fall afternoon and see a Confederate battle flag proudly waving in the stands.

But of course these comparisons are lost on Alabama graduate Nick Taylor.

He claimed to speak to Nick Saban regularly. But he can't figure out by listening to ole Saint Nick's public statements and sentiments he's a loyal Democrat who likely voted for Obama for president. (I say "likely" because I don't know that for a fact...... but considering his public comments on his time at Kent State, Martin Luther King, Jr. and his snubbing of a Republican president, I'd bet the house he did. )

He can't look around his alma mater and figure out it's now one of the biggest bastions of liberal thinking and philosophy in the South.

He can't see that every Democrat politician in this state of any consequence has a Capstone pedigree.

No, it's not enough for Nick Taylor to post outright fabrications about Mal Moore and Tom Izzo on his blog, he's got to call Paul's show and opine through the fine linen of his Klan hood.

While those who read this blog likely know my politics are a little to the right of Attila the Hun, I believe one thing Alabama basketball Democrats and Republicans can come together on is we need, no, we DESERVE a competent basketball coach regardless of his politics or connections. It's a "don't ask, don't tell" thing, I think most fans understand.

But truly, with friends of the Alabama basketball program like Nick Taylor, who needs enemies.

(and we wonder why bloggers have such a bad reputation)

http://finebammer.blogspot.com/2009/02/ ... coach.html

[Terry in Crapchester]

A few points on the blog Mgo posted from . . .

Since the "resignation" of Mark Gottfried as Alabama's head basketball coach, the typical rumor mill of possible replacements has achieved high RPM. It seems there are two camps in which the names of possible candidates fall: the legitimate and the hopelessly impossible.

Bobby Knight, Mike Anderson, Anthony Grant and others are some serious contenders for the position.

In the hopelessly unrealistic category fall the likes of John Calipari, Rick Barnes, Jim Boehiem, Roy Williams or any other top shelf coach currently working at a "basketball" school.

Coupla points here . . .

1. No knock on Bama's program, Sam, but I can't see Knight being interested. He's pushing 70, if not there already. And he has a cushier job right now, one that doesn't require him to deal with teenagers on a daily basis. I suppose stranger things have happened, but I can't see him getting back into coaching.

2. I'm not disputing that Rick Barnes falls into the "unrealistic" category, but since when was Texas considered a "basketball" school? Matter of fact, for all the shit I take here about ND's basketball team, from an historical standpoint I'll take ND's program over Texas' in a heartbeat, although the past two decades have been a bit of a different story.

[Screw_Michigan]

Knight has already said he'd be interested in the GA job.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

That blog post is a month old, Mgo. That was after Taylor's first shot at this Izzo thing.

What difference does it make? He's calling this guy out as a lying jackass, and he's most certainly that - a lying jackass trying to make a name for himself. In that regard, he's done pretty well. He can't write beyond a 5th grade level, but I'm supposed to believe he's got this wealth of information?

I think it's funny how Taylor leaves out all the quotes about Izzo scoffing at the notion, and the fact that after his bonus at MSU, Bama's "offer" will actually be a pay cut.

Anyway, Izzo has already signed with Arizona. Just ask Wildcat fans. They'll tell you his contract is signed, sealed, and delivered.

Same shit, different team.

[Shine]

If Tom Izzo leaves for the Alabama job I will wear a Purdue jersey while sucking Coach K's dick at center court in Cameron Indoor.

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

Well shit... if no one else is going to claim it, I will.

Thanks for the new Sig, Shine. Well done.

[King Crimson]

if i had to bet, i'd bet Grant to UVA.

[SunCoastSooner]

if i had to bet, i'd bet Grant to UVA.

We can only hope KC. I'm afraid of the Wahoos going after Capel.

OU has a beautiful campus and I challenge anyone who has actually been on it to state otherwise! The architecture, lay out, and design is very well thought through and appealing. It has its own style of the Cherokee Gothic that is truly unique. I've been on a lot of campuses throughout my short life and I am rather proud of OU's. Having said such...

UVa. is by far and away the most beautiful campus I have ever set foot on; especially in the fall. UVa and the area in general are a lot more supportive of basketball than Oklahoma. They are the kind of school that will throw money after basketball which OU seems reluctant to do and always has been despite a tremendous amount of success over the years.

I hope Joe C. has the checkbook ready after whatever happens in the tounry because Capel is a keeper unless Duke comes calling. He's young, energetic, intelligent, well spoken, and has charisma. I really think with the recruiting class he has coming in and some of the players in the future that we are in on heavily now that Capel and OU are starting to build something special in Norman.

[King Crimson]

exactly, SCS. it's more of a concern than the S. Carolina job and UGA.

we'll see. the Wahoos should go after Grant IMO. :)