Following reports of Kentucky, Nate Oats’ dedication to Alabama is more evident than ever Kelly
PHOENIX, Arizona: Speech is cheap. Money is needed to purchase whiskey.
Although he didn’t coin the expression, my dad Chuck, likes to use it. Even though dad is not a big whiskey drinker, he has given my sisters and I a lot of advice over the years. He reasoned that we may take a lesson from it.
What’s the lesson learned? Words don’t need a lot. Take action. It’s easier to promise to do something than to follow through on your commitment.
Throughout the process that culminated with him reiterating his commitment to Alabama basketball this week, Nate Oats has exemplified both the easy and difficult aspects of that statement. Oats was nearly instantly linked to the Kentucky opening due to coaching search speculations, given that John Calipari was supposedly likely to leave for Arkansas, given his success in the SEC and NCAA Tournament.
Then Oats made a statement on Monday night.He sent a statement on social media reiterating his decision to stick with the Crimson Tide.
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Oats wrote, “I am totally devoted to this squad and to this university.” Nothing would please me more than for the University of Alabama men’s basketball team to win its first national championship. We have already accomplished a lot here. You may be sure that, as your head coach, I will pursue that goal in spite of any rumors to the contrary. “Roll Tide!”
The simple part was making that assertion. It makes sense in light of what he has said thus far. Those were the exact words. However, Oats had already mastered the challenging portion of my dad’s common expression before he spoke those words. Oats has shown his commitment to the Crimson Tide in private by choosing to remain in Tuscaloosa with the Kentucky opportunity approaching, prior to declaring to the public that he is.
By doing this, Oats made his most blatant display of allegiance to Alabama to date.
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Saying you don’t want to leave and that you love where you are when signing a contract extension is one thing. It’s quite another way to demonstrate that by passing up the opportunity to coach a prestigious basketball team that may provide you with a large salary and resources. The worry regarding Oats’ long-term and, to be honest, short-term future with the Crimson Tide has always been that, given the opportunity, he would bolt for blue blood in college basketball.
However, Oats stays in Alabama while Kentucky becomes available.
He didn’t even employ it as a contract leverage move. According to what I gather, Oats’ contract remained unchanged when he released the statement on Monday. He desired to remain in Alabama. It’s as easy as that.
“My family and I have always loved this community, Tuscaloosa, and the University,” Oats stated in a statement that he signed in March, making him one of the four highest-paid men’s basketball coaches in the nation for public schools.
Given the terms of his contract renewal, he had previously demonstrated a strong commitment before this week. Alabama was willing to commit to him with a fully guaranteed agreement and a raise, so he was willing to accept an outrageous $18 million buyout through March 31, 2026. That proved he already intended to stay in Tuscaloosa for the foreseeable future, and Alabama had the same intention.
