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Ultimate Nate Oats Thread - Future/Staying/Growth/Articles


Kevin

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It feels like we don't know everything right now, but as far as I can tell so far:

Oats publicly stated he planned to stay (at least for another year), and made general positive statements about building a program here long-term.

Oats signed an improved contract extension on the eve of the NCAA tournament.

A few days after they were eliminated, he resigned from the job and took an offer from Alabama.

Oats didn't fully inform the team of this decision before going public with it.

 

Correct me if any of that is inaccurate or incorrect.  I'm angry about how this has progressed, and I feel like we have good reasons to be.  It's not always what you do, it's how you do it.  I can't help but look at this so far and feel like we (everyone else in and around this program - fans, alums, players, administration) have been treated disrespectfully.  Especially considering the support and commitments put forth.  Honor and respect are earned, and a man is as good as his word, and it sure feels like these things were broken.  Again, if there's more to this I don't understand, I'm listening.  I'm not naïve, I understand how college sports works, but don't tell me there was much honor and respect in the way this went down.  It's tarnishing what should be a stellar reputation built over the past couple years.

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17 minutes ago, enrique14150 said:

It feels like we don't know everything right now, but as far as I can tell so far:

Oats publicly stated he planned to stay (at least for another year), and made general positive statements about building a program here long-term.

Oats signed an improved contract extension on the eve of the NCAA tournament.

A few days after they were eliminated, he resigned from the job and took an offer from Alabama.

Oats didn't fully inform the team of this decision before going public with it.

 

Correct me if any of that is inaccurate or incorrect.  I'm angry about how this has progressed, and I feel like we have good reasons to be.  It's not always what you do, it's how you do it.  I can't help but look at this so far and feel like we (everyone else in and around this program - fans, alums, players, administration) have been treated disrespectfully.  Especially considering the support and commitments put forth.  Honor and respect are earned, and a man is as good as his word, and it sure feels like these things were broken.  Again, if there's more to this I don't understand, I'm listening.  I'm not naïve, I understand how college sports works, but don't tell me there was much honor and respect in the way this went down.  It's tarnishing what should be a stellar reputation built over the past couple years.

Exactly, and I still think this "dream" job rhetoric was a lie. He shopped himself around after his new deal. Many links to UNLV and UCLA according to people inside Alabama.

He got to handpick his open job, and selected Alabama, seems to be because of his strong ties to Saban and their football team.

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22 minutes ago, enrique14150 said:

Correct me if any of that is inaccurate or incorrect.  I'm angry about how this has progressed, and I feel like we have good reasons to be.  It's not always what you do, it's how you do it.  I can't help but look at this so far and feel like we (everyone else in and around this program - fans, alums, players, administration) have been treated disrespectfully.  Especially considering the support and commitments put forth.  Honor and respect are earned, and a man is as good as his word, and it sure feels like these things were broken.  Again, if there's more to this I don't understand, I'm listening.  I'm not naïve, I understand how college sports works, but don't tell me there was much honor and respect in the way this went down.  It's tarnishing what should be a stellar reputation built over the past couple years.

I dont think you do...

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If he knew his worth (of course he did), in the sense of being able to have his choice of UCLA, Bama and other P5 schools, then I don't know how I blame the guy for leaving. Who turns either of those down? 

Id honestly think he was an idiot not to take that level, heck Id have said UCLA would be a bigger spot regardless of where they sit now.

But how he went about it? Im not sure how you'd want your Coach to act if he knew he was leaving for one of these jobs already while he was still coaching here. Its what makes college football awkward, coaches leave before their teams last game if it happens to be a bowl.

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29 minutes ago, xDerekRx said:

If he knew his worth (of course he did), in the sense of being able to have his choice of UCLA, Bama and other P5 schools, then I don't know how I blame the guy for leaving. Who turns either of those down? 

Id honestly think he was an idiot not to take that level, heck Id have said UCLA would be a bigger spot regardless of where they sit now.

But how he went about it? Im not sure how you'd want your Coach to act if he knew he was leaving for one of these jobs already while he was still coaching here. Its what makes college football awkward, coaches leave before their teams last game if it happens to be a bowl.

I will say again no one in their right mind can begrudge a person for taking a job with more money. Did everyone hear his interview after he signed his extension?? He thanked Alnutt, the president and the supporters. He talked about his kids loving school here and his wife etc. He said wee want to build this thing into a powerhouse . We have a great recruiting class coming in.Blah! Blah! Blah! He should of shut his mouth and said thank you instead of building everyone’s hopes up and especially if he knew at that time that he would take the next big offer he got. Sports in general are not about honesty, integrity,or humility. The sports culture is only about the money and I along with many in our family are done with it. 

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2 hours ago, bull_trojan said:

 

I dont think you do...

In a purely cynical sense, everyone is trying to get as much money, at the highest level, as they can.  I understand that's ultimately what will drive things for most guys.  I want to believe there's more to it, but sometimes there isn't.  And sometimes it isn't spiteful, it's that an opportunity came up and they went for it. And in this world of college sports they're going to act on these motivations, and in the process burn some things. So yeah, I think I do.

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19 hours ago, UB92 said:

 

When Hurley left, it hurt.  He was our first real girlfriend...we had a good time...made the tourney.  He was loud and others didn't like him, though.  Arrogant as well.  It made the separation easier when he skipped town.

Then we found our true love -- Nate Oats.  He said all the right things.  We thought we would have a long term relationship (like the one with Mark Few + Gonzaga).  But then, after committing to us, he was seduced away by $$$.  And now we are sad, mad, confused, hurt, etc.  He broke our collective hearts.  We need the good ice cream to get over this one.

The thing is...this is new to UB and the UB fan base.   We have only had to start worrying about this sort of thing during the last five years.  Before that?  Nope.  So as a fan base, we have to learn how to deal with this.  We will, but it still hurts.  It is a sad day for UB sports.  But we will get over it.  I still bleed blue and always will.  Go Bulls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Who'll Be The Next In Line" KINKS
 

Who'll be the next in line?
Who'll be the next in line for heartache?
Who'll make the same mistakes I made over you?

Who'll be the next in line?
Who'll be the next in line?
For you?

Who'll be the next in line?
Who'll be the next to watch your love fade?
All your affections finally fade away.

There'll be no use in sighing.
Who'll be the next in line?
For you?

One day you'll find out when I'm gone,
I was the best one you had,
I was the one who gave you love.
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6 hours ago, enrique14150 said:

In a purely cynical sense, everyone is trying to get as much money, at the highest level, as they can.  I understand that's ultimately what will drive things for most guys.  I want to believe there's more to it, but sometimes there isn't.  And sometimes it isn't spiteful, it's that an opportunity came up and they went for it. And in this world of college sports they're going to act on these motivations, and in the process burn some things. So yeah, I think I do.

I think the more to it exists in: hometowns and alma maters.

Lot of coaches go to coach at home and at their school and stay a long time. 

I'm on school #5 but I have a special place in my heart for UB, both my hometown and my first alma mater. All the others...cash and circumstance.

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I’m over Nate to be honest. The guy pretended this was a place he can stay. That was utter bull crap. I’m fine with him leaving, but he did not have to go above and beyond on the fake Gonzaga talk and how is family wants to stay etc.. Especially if he wasn’t even willing to give us the decency to wait until after we were bounced from tourney to interview, and even worse skip town mysteriously, change Twitter, poach recruits all before addressing the school/city/students who gave him the ability to be this successful. Very disheartening and frankly disturbing. Thanks for all that you did with us but enjoy losing in bama Nate! 

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For what it is worth in all likelihood UB was well aware of the talks with Bama and any other school that approached Oats.  In order to talk to a coach under contract you need permission form the place they are under contract with.  If you do not get permission it could be considered to be tampering or tortious interference with contract. The first could be sanctionable by the NCAA while the second could open a school up to civil liabilities.

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1 hour ago, BrooklynBull said:

For what it is worth in all likelihood UB was well aware of the talks with Bama and any other school that approached Oats.  In order to talk to a coach under contract you need permission form the place they are under contract with.  If you do not get permission it could be considered to be tampering or tortious interference with contract. The first could be sanctionable by the NCAA while the second could open a school up to civil liabilities.

How do we know it didn’t/won’t?

Nate referenced having a voicemail on his phone when he was on the flight home from Tulsa and returned it right when they touched down. 

Who gave them permission while they were in air and/or on the tarmac? 

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3 hours ago, UBminicre said:

I’m over Nate to be honest. The guy pretended this was a place he can stay. That was utter bull crap. I’m fine with him leaving, but he did not have to go above and beyond on the fake Gonzaga talk and how is family wants to stay etc.. Especially if he wasn’t even willing to give us the decency to wait until after we were bounced from tourney to interview, and even worse skip town mysteriously, change Twitter, poach recruits all before addressing the school/city/students who gave him the ability to be this successful. Very disheartening and frankly disturbing. Thanks for all that you did with us but enjoy losing in bama Nate! 

As another fan on this site said: This is business and you can not or do not want to understand!!!! I do understand and will refuse to be part of it. Honesty, accountability and responsibility are what was instilled in my family from early age and believe it to this day. For many the motto is: the ends justify the means???????

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13 hours ago, John said:

As another fan on this site said: This is business and you can not or do not want to understand!!!! I do understand and will refuse to be part of it. Honesty, accountability and responsibility are what was instilled in my family from early age and believe it to this day. For many the motto is: the ends justify the means???????

By posting on this board, you are a part of it.  Reality bites.

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21 hours ago, John said:

As another fan on this site said: This is business and you can not or do not want to understand!!!! I do understand and will refuse to be part of it. Honesty, accountability and responsibility are what was instilled in my family from early age and believe it to this day. For many the motto is: the ends justify the means???????

Don't get your response to be honest. I am not saying he shouldn’t go to Alabama. I’m saying that he didn’t have to be so vivid with his buffalo sob story and change his twitter profile before addressing us. You don’t have to lead and entire city and team on to something that was not likely through your picture perfect storytelling and constant push as to why not buffalo...

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On 3/28/2019 at 4:25 PM, xDerekRx said:

If he knew his worth (of course he did), in the sense of being able to have his choice of UCLA, Bama and other P5 schools, then I don't know how I blame the guy for leaving. Who turns either of those down? 

Id honestly think he was an idiot not to take that level, heck Id have said UCLA would be a bigger spot regardless of where they sit now.

But how he went about it? Im not sure how you'd want your Coach to act if he knew he was leaving for one of these jobs already while he was still coaching here. Its what makes college football awkward, coaches leave before their teams last game if it happens to be a bowl.

I am from Buffalo.  I went to UB.  If I were were coach of UB and had Oats success and the choice to try and maybe build long term success at UB, knowing the institutions' issues and making 2 million + at Bama, UCLA, etc.  I would also have left UB.  Despite all my ties to the school.  Loyalty, stability, etc is absolutely worth something.  But the gulf between Bama and UCLA and UB in athletics so mind-bendingly massive that I wouldn't be able to ignore it.

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2 hours ago, BrooklynBull said:

There were earlier posts about whether or not Oats was getting $2,4000,000.00.  The answer is yes and a bunch of other perks and bonuses, including a perk for his boat.

https://www.al.com/alabamabasketball/2019/03/alabama-coach-nate-oats-salary-contact-information.html

 

Sweet! Repeating myself here: Only a fool or a saint would walk away from that!

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1 hour ago, squire17 said:

Sweet! Repeating myself here: Only a fool or a saint would walk away from that!

nate oats said in his press conference down there that it wasn't about the money... the money was nice, but he was a math teacher 6 years ago - and that he decided to come here bc he thought he could compete for a national title.

can't have it both ways - he can't publically say the money wasn't the motivating factor and then also explain the move as "how possibly could he turn down the money"

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3 hours ago, UBigbobby said:

I am from Buffalo.  I went to UB.  If I were were coach of UB and had Oats success and the choice to try and maybe build long term success at UB, knowing the institutions' issues and making 2 million + at Bama, UCLA, etc.  I would also have left UB.  Despite all my ties to the school.  Loyalty, stability, etc is absolutely worth something.  But the gulf between Bama and UCLA and UB in athletics so mind-bendingly massive that I wouldn't be able to ignore it.

Loyalty and stability are worth absolutely nothing people like Oats and the rest of the hypocrites of this world. Yes, this is a business like others have tried in other posts of making excuses for Oats. All our family and others have said is just be honest and have some integrity. We have said before he should not of signed that extension and told Alnutt that he would like to stay but if the”dream job” comes up he is out of here. Do not get the hopes up of all the fans who have started to see success like none other experienced in past years and of players and recruits that you want to stay. If this is business than lets call it that and lets not call it sports anymore. If this is how it is then our family and many others we have talked with want no part of it. The excuse makers and supporters can continue to go to games with 2,000 or less fans with no excitement and proclaim you are great fans. We will choose our venues like at the high school or lower levels where there is no politics and you sports fans can use  the main excuse of college sports now is just business and trample over anyone to make the almighty buck.

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27 minutes ago, 01bull said:

nate oats said in his press conference down there that it wasn't about the money... the money was nice, but he was a math teacher 6 years ago - and that he decided to come here bc he thought he could compete for a national title.

can't have it both ways - he can't publically say the money wasn't the motivating factor and then also explain the move as "how possibly could he turn down the money"

I don’t know exactly what Oats has said about money. I am saying that he would be a fool to walk away from what was offered. And so I must deduce that not only is he a great coach - he’s no fool either.

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12 minutes ago, John said:

Loyalty and stability are worth absolutely nothing people like Oats and the rest of the hypocrites of this world. Yes, this is a business like others have tried in other posts of making excuses for Oats. All our family and others have said is just be honest and have some integrity. We have said before he should not of signed that extension and told Alnutt that he would like to stay but if the”dream job” comes up he is out of here. Do not get the hopes up of all the fans who have started to see success like none other experienced in past years and of players and recruits that you want to stay. If this is business than lets call it that and lets not call it sports anymore. If this is how it is then our family and many others we have talked with want no part of it. The excuse makers and supporters can continue to go to games with 2,000 or less fans with no excitement and proclaim you are great fans. We will choose our venues like at the high school or lower levels where there is no politics and you sports fans can use  the main excuse of college sports now is just business and trample over anyone to make the almighty buck.

As long as there are bodies warming the bench there will be politics. Sorry, John, that you seem so bitter about the coaching development at UB. The Yankees are on TV now. 

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John, if you and your family got your hopes up after the extension was signed you have nobody to blame but yourself. Oats signed a well deserved contract extension with a pay upgrade. He acknowledged, as he did last year, that he would consider dream job offers. Apparently a $10 million guarantee over 5 years at a school with more money devoted to basketball than UB could dream of devoting, and playing in a conference where top schools DO compete for national championships fit the bill. 

Loyalty? Guess what. Schools aren't "loyal" to coaches, either. This is a two way transaction. Schools terminate contracts routinely before completion. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are for the coach- injuries, transfers, competing against schools paying for recruits, etc.

Lastly, John, please indulge me in an exercise. This week, please return home from work and announce to your wife and family that you have received a 25% raise. Happy days are here! You are understandably grateful to your employer, so much so that you make plans to further your career with this company. Wait two weeks. Return to your wife, and announce that you received an offer to perform the same job with the same title at another company which would pay you three times even your new salary! They would provide you with two company cars. Further, they have resources that would allow you to perform your duties to a higher level than  you ever imagined. 

Now, explain to your wife that you have declined the latest offer. You see, John, you possess loyalty and integrity. Not to your wife and children. Heavens, no. They will suffer for your public display of honor. You are the hero in your own Frank Capra movie. It seems that someone who contracts with your current employer really admires your work. You've never met him, but he has watched you from afar. He and his family have become enamored with you. You simply couldn't walk away and break his heart. Your wife will understand, as will your children. 

I'm sorry we won't be hearing from you for a while. It sounds as though you and your wife will be busy in counseling attempting to repair your marriage after your latest folly. Best of luck, John. No good deed goes unpunished. 

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