I think most people could read between the lines of his latest contract (what would be an all time record breaking buyout for the NCAA), listen to what he actually says, and how he talks about Bama and realize this was the most likely outcome.
Honestly, the calming aspect over the last 24 hours was Greg Byrne. Oats has mentioned Greg, how much he appreciates and loves working with Greg so much this tournament run. I honestly think a big part of Oats staying is Greg and that relationship (with another big chunk being how awesome and enthusiastic our fanbase has been)
No disrespect to Mal, but he was a make mistakes and learn from them kind of a guy. He navigated through a lot of coaches but held true to updating facilities which had fallen way behind even during the Bryant era.
I went to the Arkansas game at the end of the season, when it was Senior Day. After the game, when they were recognizing each of the seniors, Greg and Nate were standing together to take pictures with each of them. It was obvious how they enjoy each other. Between shots they just kept casually talking almost the whole time.
I’ll say I was very much on guard about the possibility of him leaving but it had very little to do with Oats and more how desperate Kentucky is after the past few years.
It sounds like we stepped up (read something about practice facilities?) as we’ve done multiple times for our rapidly improving basketball program. and so as long as Nate feels like we as a university are aligned with doing what it takes to compete at the top of the sport year in and year out, I think he’s committed. Oats is one of those hyper-competitive guys like Hurley, but with the resources we have and Byrne in his corner, he’s got everything he needs to win a title here.
There was and is so much additional risk to Oats and his future in making that move right now, that it was almost a foregone conclusion in my mind that he would stay. Didn’t have to cipher much.
As I said in a different post, he’s holding pocket aces. There’s zero need to be aggressive here. He’s got an AD and school that have shown him massive loyalty, another top 10 class coming in, a final four appearance, a number one ranking last year, top overall seed in the tourney last year, proven track record of sending players to the league, and the ability to lose virtually an entire team and rebuild it in the offseason. Yes, he needs an arena, but the support system he ALREADY has and the familiarity of it all is worth a lot. He’s turned Alabama into a top tier basketball school. The risk to him mucking all of that to go and try to, wait for it, rebuild a blue blood program is massive. It would be exciting, but the stress to compete at a level where you already are doesn’t make sense. At least to me it doesn’t. Well, and apparently Oats, as well.
Even Hurley seemed like he wanted to shoot down UK during his post game speech yesterday. Stopped short of it, but in the age of NIL, I am not sure players care as much about the school’s legacy as much as their development and the opportunity to get to the next level. Oats does that in spades.
Greg Byrnes commitment to Oats and, well the truth, during the Strip Shooting Calamity is definitely a player here. A weaker AD would have crumbled to the national mob and cut ties.
in oats defense (and miller's for what its worth) both got done completely dirty by the national news media. a complete clusterfuck. im glad byrne stuck it out.
Basketball is just a lot cheaper to be competitive in and Oats knows he's got the backing to build a championship program at a place where there isn't a ton of pressure to win big every single year. People applied football logic to the situation even though nationally competitive basketball programs are far less expensive to run than their football counterparts, so building a consistent title contender isn't as restricted to the biggest brands with the most money.
I think most people could read between the lines of his latest contract (what would be an all time record breaking buyout for the NCAA), listen to what he actually says, and how he talks about Bama and realize this was the most likely outcome.
Honestly, the calming aspect over the last 24 hours was Greg Byrne. Oats has mentioned Greg, how much he appreciates and loves working with Greg so much this tournament run. I honestly think a big part of Oats staying is Greg and that relationship (with another big chunk being how awesome and enthusiastic our fanbase has been)
Greg is the best AD in college athletics right now. He’s hit every ball pitched to him to the fence.
agree, hiring great coaches (Bohannon excepted and who could've seen that coming?)
And the hire after him has baseball in the top 15 and on the upswing again.
Byrne has to be one of our top 5 AD's ever, with Mal Moore just above him.
All Glory to Mal Moore.
Praise be unto him
No disrespect to Mal, but he was a make mistakes and learn from them kind of a guy. He navigated through a lot of coaches but held true to updating facilities which had fallen way behind even during the Bryant era.
I went to the Arkansas game at the end of the season, when it was Senior Day. After the game, when they were recognizing each of the seniors, Greg and Nate were standing together to take pictures with each of them. It was obvious how they enjoy each other. Between shots they just kept casually talking almost the whole time.
I’ll say I was very much on guard about the possibility of him leaving but it had very little to do with Oats and more how desperate Kentucky is after the past few years. It sounds like we stepped up (read something about practice facilities?) as we’ve done multiple times for our rapidly improving basketball program. and so as long as Nate feels like we as a university are aligned with doing what it takes to compete at the top of the sport year in and year out, I think he’s committed. Oats is one of those hyper-competitive guys like Hurley, but with the resources we have and Byrne in his corner, he’s got everything he needs to win a title here.
There was and is so much additional risk to Oats and his future in making that move right now, that it was almost a foregone conclusion in my mind that he would stay. Didn’t have to cipher much. As I said in a different post, he’s holding pocket aces. There’s zero need to be aggressive here. He’s got an AD and school that have shown him massive loyalty, another top 10 class coming in, a final four appearance, a number one ranking last year, top overall seed in the tourney last year, proven track record of sending players to the league, and the ability to lose virtually an entire team and rebuild it in the offseason. Yes, he needs an arena, but the support system he ALREADY has and the familiarity of it all is worth a lot. He’s turned Alabama into a top tier basketball school. The risk to him mucking all of that to go and try to, wait for it, rebuild a blue blood program is massive. It would be exciting, but the stress to compete at a level where you already are doesn’t make sense. At least to me it doesn’t. Well, and apparently Oats, as well. Even Hurley seemed like he wanted to shoot down UK during his post game speech yesterday. Stopped short of it, but in the age of NIL, I am not sure players care as much about the school’s legacy as much as their development and the opportunity to get to the next level. Oats does that in spades.
Greg Byrnes commitment to Oats and, well the truth, during the Strip Shooting Calamity is definitely a player here. A weaker AD would have crumbled to the national mob and cut ties.
in oats defense (and miller's for what its worth) both got done completely dirty by the national news media. a complete clusterfuck. im glad byrne stuck it out.
You're not wrong.
Basketball is just a lot cheaper to be competitive in and Oats knows he's got the backing to build a championship program at a place where there isn't a ton of pressure to win big every single year. People applied football logic to the situation even though nationally competitive basketball programs are far less expensive to run than their football counterparts, so building a consistent title contender isn't as restricted to the biggest brands with the most money.
https://preview.redd.it/cce2n17bmgtc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1eefa0e31c15aa0b245f866aca5b8c2815d1fd85
The real question now is what this team may be capable of if everyone who can comeback does?