If you're not from Alabama, you probably haven't thought twice about Bama Basketball this year. Sure, if you know a little about basketball, you figured that they would be down this year because Ronald Steele would be taking a medical redshirt this year. Maybe you even picked up on the story about coach Mark Gottfried's wife confronting a local talk radio show host at a home basketball game.

While everyone else has been busy making a run in the NCAA tournament, Alabama has been busy making headlines off the field. For those of you that don't follow the program, let's run them down.

Richard Hendrix, an undersized All-SEC Big Man, decides he going to test the draft waters without hiring an agent. Nothing unexpected here. Without an outside shot, he's not likely to be selected in the first round. Unfortunately for Alabama fans, we've been down this road before. Remember Kennedy Winston and Rod Grizzard? They passed up on their senior year and haven't been heard from since.

Justin Tubbs announced he was transferring. Nothing surprising here, he hasn't been playing much and most college programs have at least one guy leave a year. Although it is strange that Tubbs was a "lock-down" defensive guy last year and he hardly got a shot this year.

Rico Pickett is either suspended or he's leaving the team. It just depends on who you believe. Either way he won't be back. There has been a war of words between Pickett, his father and the Alabama coaching staff. Pickett's father claims the coaches suspended him after he announced he wanted to transfer. The coaching staff says otherwise.

University of Alabama freshman guard Rico Pickett has been suspended indefinitely from all basketball-related activities for failure to comply with team rules, according to Crimson Tide head coach Mark Gottfried in a statement issued Sunday night.

It is interesting that a press release was issued on a Sunday night in the off season. Is Gottfried trying to spin the situation as Pickett suggests? Or is Pickett another, in what is increasingly becoming a long line at Alabama, basketball player that has attitude issues and can't handle the program? Either way it doesn't look good for Gottfried and his staff.

Also, Ron Steele will also test the waters of the NBA draft. On paper, nothing is crazy about this. He's suffered from injuries the last two years and he has completed his degree. He won't hire an agent, so worst case scenario he'll come back to Alabama and play out his senior season. However, when you take a look at the whole picture, you have to ask is there something else to the story?

Has Gottfried lost his team? If Steele and Hendrix go pro, Alabama will be in a world of hurt. In all likelihood, Steele and Hendrix will be back. This will be a "hot seat" year for Gottfried. He desperately needs them to come back. However, if Steele and Hendrix decide to stay in the draft without a guarantee that they'll go in the first round, it's definitely a sign that ship is sinking fast.

What does Gottfried have to say about all of this?

“Before we get started with Ron, I want to make a comment about our team,” Gottfried said before Steele’s press conference began. “I’m really excited about how hard our team is currently working."

He goes on to talk about some other things, but most Alabama fans go numb once they hear that first statement. So the team is working hard. Most Alabama fans can tell you, we've been down that road before.