A few years back, some fans of the school across the state began lovingly referring to Alabama’s Coleman Coliseum as “Coleman Mausoleum.” And, while you want to shake your fists in their general direction, they are on to something. Our general annoyance likely comes from the fact that they’re right, more than the fact that it’s just Barner agitprop.
The SEC has its share of big gyms: Rupp seats over 23,000; Thompson-Boling in Knoxville nears 22,000; South Carolina’s new multipurpose facility is close to 18,000; and 19,000 hoops-crazed Hogs fans can pack into Bud Walton; while the perennial “wait till basketball season” Missouri Tigers take the hardwood in a gym that seats close to 15,000.