Who Will Be The New Head Men's Basketball Coach At Alabama?

You want to be a head basketball coach in the SEC? There's an opening at the University of Alabama. There are a few banners hanging from the creaky rafters of Coleman Coliseum so the Crimson Tide has had success. Yes there's talent there to be had.

Then again the fan base treats college basketball as something to do before spring football, Sarah Patterson's gymnastics program sells out Coleman and you probably won't and then there is the Nick-tator, who casts a menacing shadow on campus.

With that said, names are being thrown around and lists are being compiled. Here's a few names making the rounds and a few to think about.

Anthony Grant - VCU head coach: Grant should be coaching in the SEC anyway at Florida but Billy Donavan decided there was no Magic in Orlando and came crawling back to Gainesville. Grant might feel he has maxed out at VCU and ready to make the next step. He would be a great hire but VCU is not a bad mid-major job.

Sean Miller - Xavier head coach: Xavier is the gold standard of the mid-majors. A program willing to spend much of it's resources on it's basketball program and they do take care of Miller financially. He won't get kind of love at Alabama. Unless you are chomping at the bit to coach at a big boy school, stay with the Musketeers.

John Calipari - Memphis head coach: Yeah right, Calipari is the king of Memphis. He's got all that talent in the city to recruit and an NBA arena that draws big crowds. Heck, the Tigers outdraw the Grizzlies. Thanks but no thanks.

Mike Davis - UAB head coach: He is an Alabama native and played for the Crimson Tide under C. M. Newton for a year (don't be surprised if Newton assists in the search.) and then played for Wimp Sanderson. Davis did lead Indiana to the NCAA Title game in 2002 so he has proven to be a success at the elite level. The question with Davis is whether he is charismatic enough with the media to sell the program to recruits?

Mike Anderson - Missouri head coach: He's struggling at Mizzou, not likely.

Scott Drew - Baylor head coach: What Drew has accomplished with the Bears is simply remarkable. He took a program from the lowest of the lows to the upper division of the Big 12 conference. Drew should be at the top of Alabama's list but it will be a tough sell to lure him to Tuscaloosa.

Tubby Smith - Minnesota head coach: It's going to take a you know what load of money to lure Tubby from Minnesota, he's got something going on with the Golden Gophers. The SEC I'm sure is a been there done that deal for him. But hey the weather is warmer.

Frank Haith - Miami head coach: Haith knows what it's like to be a head basketball coach at a football school and in many ways upgraded the Hurricane men's basketball program. Under Haith Miami is always a factor in the ACC. In other words, playing a game at Miami has been a pain in the butt for the ACC elite. This is a guy that should be in Alabama's cross hairs.

All those names are head coaches already and might command a large paycheck to make the move. Alabama could go the cheap rout a find a hot shot assistant coach foaming at the mouth to be a big time college head basketball coach. Crimson Tide fans, play out the string and enjoy the silly season.