Gottfried could have changed some minds
Mark Gottfried missed out this week on a golden opportunity to improve his precarious standing with Alabama basketball fans.
Gottfried’s team had a very disappointing season last year. It’s safe to say Crimson Tide fans have never been known for their passion for the sport of basketball, but these fans sure seem to care when the Tide is playing poorly.
Some were able to blame the results on the injured knee and ankle that star point guard Ronald Steele was having to play through, but the vast majority put the blame squarely on Gottfried’s shoulders.
It’s easy to see why: the perception persists that Gott-fried’s teams play inconsistently, without a clear sense of what they are trying to do and are never the squad doing the hustling.
Despite the perception, Gottfried has added several accomplishments to his resume while in Tuscaloosa, and that probably added a few links to the short leash given to, for example, Mike Shula. Alabama’s run to the Elite 8 in the 2003-04 season was probably the high point of Gottfried’s career with the Tide, but his tenure might have reached a new low after last year’s 7-9 conference mark.
The most common strategy for a coach on the “hot seat” is to bring someone else into the discussion about responsibility. Usually, this means the firing of one or more assistant coaches.
Gottfried caught a break when longtime assistant Tom Asbury retired - by his own decision I assume. Gottfried had a chance to bring in a top-notch assistant coach that could help turn around his program without being seen as less than loyal to his assistants.
Alas, Gottfried blew it.
He instead promoted former director of operations Kobie Baker.
I’ll be honest and say I know absolutely nothing about Baker. He might end up being the best assistant and/or head basketball coach in the history of the sport, and he might have been the most deserving person of this position.
But, right now, Alabama basketball fans don’t know anything more about Baker than I do. Instead of being seen as coach who will do whatever it takes to improve his program, Gottfried will now be seen as someone stubborn enough to believe that, if he keeps doing what he’s been doing, it will work sooner or later.
Gottfried better hope it’s sooner.
Note: Stephen Dawkins is the sports editor for The Clanton Advertiser. His column appears on Sundays and Wednesdays.
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