| MBB/WBB ESPN's Jay Bilas "Oats is a top three basketball coach in the league now."

 

[Bammerboy321]

Byrne better be loading up the checkbook again.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

Byrne better be loading up the checkbook again.

Yep. That's the cost of talent & having a competitive leader.

Pay this man. A. LOT.

 

[Bammerboy321]

Yep. That's the cost of talent & having a competitive leader.

Pay this man. A. LOT.

Eventually he'll get through the S16. Fact is, we were begging for a coach that had an actual offensive system and could get us to the tournament regularly years ago. Now we have the best offense in the country, highly touted recruits are coming here, and are about to have our fourth straight tournament appearance.

We absolutely better throw the bank at him, because he's elevated the program.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

And he needs to get us to a final 4...then then pocket books will open....

If we dont.....but final 4 .... this team...maybe....

 

[It Takes Eleven]

And he needs to get us to a final 4...then then pocket books will open....

If we dont.....but final 4 .... this team...maybe....

The pocketbooks of others will take him before that.

 

[bamanc50]

Probably will not be much of a surprise if he’s a Buckeye next year!!!!

 

[mando]

Oats is good but just think what this team would be this year if he could developed the defense to be just solid. This team has a championship offense and a bottom feeder defense. It is ashame. Maybe if Bedioka would have come back that would have been the difference. Oh well it is what it is. Team can still do well. This weekend will be a precurser to the tournament.

With that said, seems like Oats is happy. Hope his family is happy in Tuscaloosa. In the end blue blood basketball programs can be hard to turn down when they come calling just like Bama football is hard to turn down for anyone.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Oats is good but just think what this team would be this year if he could developed the defense to be just solid. This team has a championship offense and a bottom feeder defense. It is ashame. Maybe if Bedioka would have come back that would have been the difference. Oh well it is what it is. Team can still do well. This weekend will be a precurser to the tournament.

With that said, seems like Oats is happy. Hope his family is happy in Tuscaloosa. In the end blue blood basketball programs can be hard to turn down when they come calling just like Bama football is hard to turn down for anyone.

I think it's maybe fair to say there's a couple of wild cards in the deck that could cause things to happen down the road, but the other 52 cards are solidly in Bama's favor... and nothing is imminent regardless.

 

[TerryP]

Probably will not be much of a surprise if he’s a Buckeye next year!!!!

Where does this thought process come from?

The pocketbooks of others will take him before that.

When I consider his history‒childhood through college years—and weigh that with his life decisions off the court, I don't see him as a guy that will chase money. The health crisis his wife endured, as did he and his daughters, is something that weighs more heavily than people give credit.

And, FWIW, there's only six coaches in college basketball that make more money than he does. Sampson, who pulls in just a little more than Oats, is getting 5 million per year. He's scheduled for a raise of 200K after this season. So is Oats.

 

[Justneedme81]

I'll say this. Enjoy Oats and his coaching.

 

[BamaFan334]

I think it's maybe fair to say there's a couple of wild cards in the deck that could cause things to happen down the road, but the other 52 cards are solidly in Bama's favor... and nothing is imminent regardless.

Would be pretty sweet if Oats wanted to build his own program here and bring Alabama basketball to the forefront instead of being like say a Roy Williams type that goes Blueblood to Blueblood or a Calipari that does well and then goes to a Blueblood. To me, the challenge, if you're that good of a coach, is to build your own "blueblood" program and win there. A lot like people building teams on Madden or NCAA games. Takes a special mind to want to do that, but it's a challenge those higher of the high end coaches want rather than status quo of winning somewhere and becoming a coach at the ten blueblood schools just to say you did and have an easier time winning.