The March to Madness

Take Nothing for Grant-ed at Alabama

Alabama showcased a series of promotional commercials during Saturday's spring football game. Here is one highlighting Anthony Grant, the new basketball coach, who says, "This is my first choice. This is where I want to be."

Of course, Grant made the decision to accept the Alabama job after learning that Billy Donovan had told Kentucky that he wasn't interested in leaving Florida, which is where Grant served as an assistant before his three seasons at Virginia Commonwealth.

His annual salary of $1.83 million appears to place him among the 20 highest-paid men's basketball coaches in the country.

There's another video after the jump. Thanks to the Rap Sheet.

An Opportunity for Alabama

There are 66 universities with an automatic tie-in to the Bowl Championship Series. Seventeen have never had a black head coach in football or men's basketball.

Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News writes that the time has come for Alabama, which fired Mark Gottfried last week, to end this embarrassing coaching blemish:

"In the SEC, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, South Carolina and Vanderbilt have never had a black head coach in either sport. Basketball powers Duke and North Carolina have been all white in the ACC. Illinois and Purdue have never had a major black head coach in the Big Ten.

"Within Big East football, Connecticut, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia have had only whites coaching the big two. The same is true of Kansas, Texas, Nebraska and Texas Tech in the Big 12. Only the Pac-10 can claim at least one black head coach in a major sport for every school. (Throw in Notre Dame as an independent with a black head coach.)"

Mercer 72, Alabama 69

Alabama was picked by people who should know to win the Southeastern Conference West Division. Yes, this was a changed team that entered Sunday night's opener against Mercer.

Gone was the slow-it-down tempo of the past. This unit would shake back-to-back disappointing seasons by going with a fast-paced attack.

Enter tiny Mercer, which dropped exhibition games to the Southern Ontario Stars, 84-80, and Georgia College & State, 75-72. Granted, the Bears did defeat LCC International, 117-77, but we could pick five guys off the street and beat those clowns.

"First and foremost, this sits squarely on my shoulders," Alabama coach Mark Gottfried said. “It’s my responsibility to have our team playing better."