During my time as a student at the University of Alabama, I had the distinct honor of working closely with and being mentored by the legendary Alabama broadcaster Doug Layton. As the play-by-play voice of Alabama basketball in 1976, Doug had the unfortunate task of calling one of the most heartbreaking losses in program history.
Back in ’76, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament was a smaller affair, with just 32 teams competing. That year’s team led by legendary coach CM Newton had the talent to potentially head to the Final Four. But unfortunately, their draw for the tournament turned out to be particularly nasty.
In the first round, Bama drew North Carolina. Granted, in 1976, North Carolina wasn’t yet the UNC they are today, but they were still a serious problem. Bama took care of business 79–64.
In the Sweet Sixteen round, they drew a team that was an absolute terror — Bob Knight and his undefeated Indiana Hoosiers. Bama played the game of their year but fell by five — 74–69. Coach Newton went to his grave believing that was the best team he ever coached.
I remember asking Doug on the air one time about that Indiana game. Doug had a larger-than-life personality. But when I asked him about that game (which happened before I was born by the way) his entire demeanor changed.
“That was the longest bus ride of my life. It was like we were headed to a damn funeral.”
In 1987, Bama basketball was an absolute terror. They were the number 2 seed in the South region with many predicting a Final Four run. The number of players from that team who played professionally both in the NBA and overseas is a testament to how gifted that team was.
That year — in Birmingham, maybe an hour from campus — Bama played Providence in the Sweet Sixteen. I was so sheltered at that time in my life, I had no idea where Providence College was.
Providence was coached by an ambitious young coach named Rick Pitino. And the Friars carved up the Tide in the second half usin a new addition to the college basketball game called the 3-point shot. And Providence had a guard named Billy Donavan who simply couldn’t miss from deep.
Yes…that Billy Donavan.
That f***ing guy!
I recall Alabama leading at halftime. They got completely smoked in the second half and ended up getting bodied 103–82.
Just last year, Bama was the number one overall seed with many — including this humble blogger — predicting a Bama Final Four run.
But the Tide lost a heartbreaker to San Diego State in the…wait for it…the Sweet Sixteen…and I don’t want to talk about it.
My point is the Tide has been close to the promised land so many times, only to fall achingly close.
When I was studying at the University of Alabama, the basketball team was, let’s just say, not the greatest. Those teams ranged from painfully mediocre to downright bad. Coleman Coliseum was usually half-empty. The people who did show up didn’t seem too interested in the game, they were just there to pass the time.
I would go to many of the games during that time since I could get in for free with my student ID card. But even then, I’d wonder why.
Yeah, it was free entertainment on a Tuesday night. But damned if I wondered why I’d go.
The games were awful!
I remember when I’d be excited to go to the NIT!
They had an NCAA tournament drought from 1995–2002. That was my entire time at Bama with three more years added for good measure.
Some electric players have worn the Crimson and White. Men like James Robinson, Derrick McKey, Antonio McDyess, and Robert Horry are among the many I’ve had the privilege to watch.
When Wimp Sanderson was in his prime, Memorial Coliseum was an absolute death trap for opposing teams and a hell of a lot of fun to watch a game at.
Hollywood, Derrick, Big Mac, Herb Jones, Brandon Miller, among many others — none of them will get to do what the current year’s Men in Crimson will do this Saturday evening.
When Bama Athletic Director Greg Byrne hired head coach Nate Oats in 2019, I think I got the same text message from five different people as soon as the press release hit.
“Who TF is Nate Oats?”
Looking into him and his career, we saw a talented young coach from the University of Buffalo by way of a suburban Detroit high school.
In the past few years, Bama has cast a global recruiting net and has landed players from NYC, Canada, France, and all over the Nation. And he coaches a style that reminds many of some of those classic Pitino-coached Kentucky teams of the early 90s.
As disappointed and heartbroken as I was after the Aztecs upset Bama last year, I believed even stronger that a season will end with Oats on top of a ladder with scissors in his hands, players making confetti angels on the floor, and Chris Stewart screaming his head off on press row.
And this year’s team is two wins away from this scenario happening.
All this success this season was after Oats lost all but 3 of his players from las year’s team to attrition, the NBA draft, and transfers, to say nothing of having to hire all new assistant coaches.
Speaking of Bama radio announcer Chris Stewart, TBS put together a beautiful profile piece on him and health journey. If you don’t know, in 2018 when he was still in his 40s, Stewart suffered a significant stroke. And considering his line of work, not losing any speech functionality is a miracle in and of itself.
In 2019, Stewart went in for heart bypass surgery with a significant blockage. And he ended up developing severe infections, losing 50 pounds, being put into a medically induced coma for two weeks, and doctors telling his family they needed to call people to come say goodbye because he probably wasn’t going to make it.
God wasn’t done with him. And he’ll be courtside Saturday night for the Final Four game against UConn.
And he made one hell of an epic call of the final play against Clemson to clinch the Final Four…
This UConn team is a machine. They ran over Illinois in the Elite 8 like they were standing still.
But all the pressure is going to be on their backs. The Tide hopefully can play loose, aggressively, and our shots can fall.
I don’t believe I’ve ever watched my Alma Mater play a basketball game in April.
No matter what happens Saturday night, this has been one hell of a ride.
Bama’s iconic win took place in the former Staples Center — also known as “The House That Kobe Built” in Los Angeles. And I’ll never forget this one press conference Kobe Bryant gave after the Lakers went up 2–0 in the 2009 NBA Finals. Reporters kept asking him how excited he was to be up 2–0 in the NBA Finals and Kobe had the same three-word answer every time a reporter asked him that question.
“Job’s not finished.”
While we’re making history, why not go out and win the whole thing?
