Crimson Red Sports

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Dear Anniston Star:  I'd thank a lot of people long before I'd thank Title IX.

That's a pretty lame article on Title IX and it's success at Bama. Without the success of the football program, I doubt any of the recent success would have happened except for Sara Patterson and the gymnastics program and possibly the softball program. There's no doubt that any secondary sport, we are using football and men's basketball in this case as the major sports at Bama, has to have funding to be successful and the intial funding to get Bama's programs on an upper level tier didn't come from paid tickets from the fans or television revenue, it all came from the success of the football program in past years.

I will say though, that the coaches of these successful programs have done an outstanding job in escalating their programs to the top. As I stated in another thread, Coach Saban has been very instumental in some the success that these programs have enjoyed. Dr Witt and CNS have teamed up and have done an excellent job in recognizing the need for the success of these programs because it helps the university grow in size but most of all in recognition among the most elite universities around the country. Dr Witt told us in a previous meeting, that when he decided to take the chancellorship job for the state schools of Alabama recently, that CNS and CAG were the first two people that he called into his office to break to them the news that he was changing jobs. He said this was done to assure them he wasn't bailing out on them and said he would always be there to give them support with the athletic program. He assured us that the athletic program was huge to the university as they recruited stedents to attend Bama. Since Dr. Witt came to the University of Alabama nine years ago, he has turned the university from being an average school to being one of the most elite in the country.

That being said and the women winning three national championships this year to the mens winning one, I think there will be some big changes in the near future to get a couple of the men's major sports to the level of contending for those elusive championships. The two sports in mind are basketball and baseball.

CAG is off to a good start since taking the job at Bama and his future looks bright, but his future will depend on his abilities to recruit the top players in the country and then coach them up to the top level of players. To recruit the top players in the country, there has to be something to lure these players to Bama and this is where I believe that the success of Bama's athletic program and the top notch quality of the University of Alabama as a whole plays such an important role of recruiting success. Football is a huge magnet to attract the better players in all of the sports due to the history of Bama football and the recent success of CNS as head coach.

Baseball is in another situation though, it has regressed since the hiring of new head coach Mitch Gaspard. CMG can use excuses of youth, bad luck, or whatever, but any successful head coach in any sport will tell you that excuses are for losers. I agree totally with some of the posters on the CRS forum, that the availability of better scholarships and facilities could do wonders for this team but the lack of good coaching will make all of that unnoticeable if the coach can't get the players to perform to their highest ability to play well. On the other hand though, If CMG had the availability of more scholarship money and a better facility he might could do a better job, but that is a big question mark though in most of the baseall fans minds.

Title IX could work great wonders for the athletic program at Bama in that it can and is creating a good competiton between the men's and women's programs and we all know what good competition can do for athletes. It only makes all of them better to win those elusive national championships on an annual basis and that is what Bama sports is all about. Roll Tide!!

 #+ Jamos!

Well said, J!  #+

 #+ for Jamos.

So I take it you're not a big CMG fan, Jamos. Great write up. I appreciate a guy who isn't afraid to take a stand and voice his opinion. With the competition of professional baseball, the collegiate recruiting is much more difficult. Strong leadership is necessary to overcome the draw that MLB $$$ has on impressionable young men.

I don't dislike CMG but I am very disappointed in the direction that baseball is going. I truly can't say that he's the fault but he's the head coach and that is where the buck stops. If I were CMG, I would make a call to CNS and request a meeting with him and ask him for guidance in turning the program around.

Everyone needs to remember that these kids didn't get selected to play basball at Bama by not having the skills to do the job. Sometimes it takes someone with a firm hand to get the players to execute their skills to the fullest as is the case with CNS and the football team. Has the baseball team played up to the potential, I would say definitly not and that is where the head coach is responsible. I'm not so sure the assistants are worth a flip, but there again it is the head coaches job to know this and either get them to do a better job or replace them.

CMG may be a good coach, but he hasn't shown it since his first season here. Again, if I were him I would adopt CNS as a mentor and if that doesn't help, I would find me a new profession.