Alabama Basketball: Greg Byrne has an Avery Johnson dilemma

With three losses in five February games, Alabama basketball is at a crossroads. How Avery Johnson and Greg Byrne respond will define the program.

Before any decisions are made about the future of Alabama basketball, a review of the program is in order. What are the goals of the program as established by Greg Byrne? What are the expectations of Alabama basketball fans?

When Mal Moore and Bill Battle announced the hirings of Anthony Grant and Avery Johnson, the word championship was never used. In retrospect, the omission is glaring.

When Paul Bryant hired C.M. Newton as Alabama basketball head coach, a clear goal was winning a championship. Bryant did not know much about basketball but he wanted the Tide’s basketball program to be a winner, a big winner. It took time, but C.M. delivered. Newton’s first three Alabama basketball teams won a total of only 22 games. Bryant awarded him with an extension.

Over the next nine seasons, Newton’s Alabama teams won 189 games and won or shared three SEC championships. Back when the NCAA Tournament field was only 32 teams, C.M. took the Tide to the Big Dance twice. His 1976 team that lost to eventual undefeated, national champion, Indiana is arguably the Tide’s best team ever.

Newton established a new Alabama basketball standard and Wimp Sanderson furthered it by going to the NCAA Tournament 10 times in 12 seasons. Wimp’s Alabama teams also won the SEC in 1987 and won the SEC Tournament in 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991.

Alabama basketball is playing in its 27th season following Wimp’s tenure. Only eight of the 26 completed seasons have ended with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Over the last 12 completed seasons, the Tide has ‘Danced’ twice.

That might explain no mentions of championships when Avery Johnson was hired.

"I am confident that Avery will provide our student-athletes with the best qualities of leadership: commitment, hard work, enthusiasm, poise, confidence, and pride. I am very excited about having Avery join the Crimson Tide family. Not only do I believe that he will be an excellent head coach, but I am also convinced that he will be a tremendous example to our student-athletes in all areas on and off the court."

If the public words of Bill Battle also defined the private expectations shared by the then, AD and Avery – Avery has delivered.

Alabama basketball fans want more. They want Alabama basketball to have at least the success it achieved under Wimp Sanderson. In Avery’s fourth season, there is considerable doubt he can deliver on those fan expectations.

Athletic Director, Greg Byrne has a dilemma. Moving on from Avery will be costly. The current buyout is believed to be $9 million. It is also believed that the number will go to $6 million sometime in April.

If the Bill Battle-defined expectations are also the Greg Byrne-defined expectations, retaining Avery for a fifth season makes some sense.

If the program goals include the word championship, Byrne should act accordingly. The standard of ‘championships’ defined by Bryant for C.M. Newton no longer applies today. Conference championships still mater. What matters more is making the NCAA Tournament field virtually every season – and winning in that setting.

Do Avery and the Alabama basketball program have in them being a consistent NCAA Tournament winner? The next several weeks will provide that answer.

Two of the next three Alabama basketball contests are road games. The first of the road games is Tuesday night at Texas A&M.