Chris Stewart Sports

5 pm CST - If you like excuses, Anthony Grant is NOT your man...

This week was a tough one for Alabama's Men's Basketball team. On Wednesday, the Crimson Tide dropped a 65-64 heartbreaker to Vanderbilt. In that game, the Commodores shot 20 more free-throws than Alabama at Coleman Coliseum. There was also a play in the final seconds in which the Tide's Anthony Brock made a drive to the basket for a potential game-winning shot, only to lose the ball on the way up. Most in the crowd - myself included - thought Brock had been fouled, but there was no whistle.

On Saturday in Fayetteville, with only one point separating the two teams, Alabama's Senario Hillman was ejected from the game for what was termed a flagrant foul on Arkansas guard Rotnei Clark. The Razorbacks would go on to defeat the Tide 71-59 in a game that was never really close after the Hogs rallied after the ejection.

The same official who did NOT call the foul when Brock drove to the bucket against Vandy, was the same one who determined Hillman's foul was worthy of throwing him out of the Arkansas game.

On Sunday, after plenty of time to contemplate both plays - and both games - what was the reaction of Alabama's new head coach?

 "We have met the enemy, and it is us."

If you are looking for an excuse, don't gaze in Anthony Grant's direction.

If you are looking at someone who will sugar-coat a situation, don't even count on a Splenda packet being heaved your way from him.

"No excuses. We didn't do the things necessary to win throughout either game."

I have learned in a short amount of time of working with him, that Anthony Grant is very pleasant, incredibly driven, and while he has a great smile and laugh - he is still very much a no-nonsense individual.

He knows what he wants done. He knows how he wants it done. And he knows when he wants it done.

Sound familiar?

Yep. I've learned pretty quickly that the guy who wants to build a champion at Alabama - the same guy who was part of building a champion somewhere else - is much like the guy who was the star of a championship celebration at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.