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re: Oats has a dud
Posted on 12/14/25 at 8:04 pm to Bama Bird
Posted on 12/14/25 at 8:04 pm to Bama Bird
quote:
Oats will never be Wooden, Bill Self, Coach K, etc. but he absolutely can win a championship should all the right pieces fall into place at the right time and honestly, just being able to say that about Alabama basketball is enough for me
I don't disagree. I think he is really about as ideal as it gets for a job like Alabama. The 23 team was capable of winning a national championship.
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Posted on 12/14/25 at 8:39 pm to GoodTalkRuss
quote:
I think people are throwing dirt on Florida's grave way to fast. They have been kryptonite for our style and Golden seems to have a pretty good formula against Oats strategy. Still think we have to prove it, before calling ourselves the front runner. Xavian Lee isn't Walter Clayton by any stretch, but they have been ultra competitive with the absolute elite in spite of him. They have a 6 point loss to Arizona, 4 point loss to UConn, 1 point loss to Duke, 4 point loss to TCU. I have my doubts we can stay within a point of Duke at Cameron. I have pretty serious reservations that we stay within 4 of UConn and we know what happened against Arizona. Tcu, I think we are a better team.
This is the correct perspective. FL in basketball and UGA in football are tops in the SEC until someone takes it from them.
This post was edited on 12/14/25 at 8:40 pm
Posted on 12/14/25 at 8:44 pm to BamaBravesPackers
I definitely agree. However, Florida isn't the other 15 teams in the conference. I think we're going to pile up a lot of wins in conference play tbh.
Posted on 12/15/25 at 9:42 am to chefrossi
While I agree it seems this team has a ceiling that is not NC caliber for sure, this team could still be Sweet 16 caliber. That is not “a dud.”
Posted on 12/15/25 at 10:15 am to stewieie
quote:
It is hard for me to get excited about Oats' teams.
If you can't get excited about Alabama most successful run in school history, then why would you bother watching any basketball at all? You tume into 3-4 games a year, against only our toughest opponents, and then shite on a roster you know zero about. You probably don't even realize how injured we are right now. We probably have 3-4 guys sitting Saturday night if it was anyone but the #1 team in the country.
Just say your a foggy bitch that doesn't care about basketball. That's fine. Nobody's forcing you.
I bet you're a lot of fun at parties.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 1:31 am to CCTider
I usually don't go back and forth on a subject like this, but observing how Arizona plays basketball compared to Alabama may give people a clue as to the kind of basketball teams I prefer. I will take Arizona's approach and style over Alabama's. I guess it could be in the talent level, but I don't think so. You could have knocked me over with a feather when Alabama made the final four. Pearl should have won it all the year Auburn lost to Virginia. His style coaching also appealed to me. My last comment concerning Alabama basketball.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 6:51 am to stewieie
I don't think we really have to worry about losing Oats. No Tier 1 team is going to settle for Elite 8s, or better if the pieces happen to fall in the right order. But, we are thrilled with it.
At some point though, Oats might success himself out of favour. Which is really irrational, but people are not rational. Oats has taken a program that was a "has been" and turned it into a power to be reckoned with. For that I am grateful.
At some point though, Oats might success himself out of favour. Which is really irrational, but people are not rational. Oats has taken a program that was a "has been" and turned it into a power to be reckoned with. For that I am grateful.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:41 am to LovetheLord
quote:
I don't think we really have to worry about losing Oats. No Tier 1 team is going to settle for Elite 8s, or better if the pieces happen to fall in the right order
Kentucky literally tried to hire him less than 2 years ago. We’re the only program in the country to go to a final 4 and 2 elite 8s in the last 3 years. Not Kentucky, Michigan St, UCLA, Kansas. Us
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:48 am to Sandkhan
There have been some all-time great college basketball coaches who struggled to cut down the nets at the end of the season. It took Lute Olson a decade and a half to get Arizona to the promise land. Lute is arguably the best comp for Oats too. An offensive innovator winning at a place that has a modest basketball history prior to his arrival. Granted, I think Alabama pre-Oats had more accomplishments than Arizona pre-Olson.
Nate just needs the right kind of roster mix and some good fortune in the bracket to win a national title. Same thing is true of any team. Duke was probably the most talented team in America by a good margin last season but they got big-dog'd by a team full of upperclassmen in the Final Four. Similar story to what we experienced in 2023 v. SDSU.
Nate just needs the right kind of roster mix and some good fortune in the bracket to win a national title. Same thing is true of any team. Duke was probably the most talented team in America by a good margin last season but they got big-dog'd by a team full of upperclassmen in the Final Four. Similar story to what we experienced in 2023 v. SDSU.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 8:49 am to Sandkhan
I love this board 
Posted on 12/16/25 at 9:09 am to Bryant91092
The juxtaposition of basketball fans and people who are vaguely aware that basketball is a sport, both of whom offer strong opinions about the team, is often hilarious. The FOG takes are just...I don't even know. Are all the new lifelong passionate Indiana football fans this informed?
Posted on 12/16/25 at 9:40 am to Robot Santa
Maybe Oats spends some time w/ Michigan State in the off season to learn some tips on how to teach rebounding better. It's really our only problem now. Turnovers have been better, but allowing offensive rebounds has cost us multiple games this year. Gotta get that fixed.
I am happy with how Sherrell has improved defensively. He's legit a force down there. He's 2nd in the country in blocks per game right now. Gotta have other guys want to rebound defensively though.
I am happy with how Sherrell has improved defensively. He's legit a force down there. He's 2nd in the country in blocks per game right now. Gotta have other guys want to rebound defensively though.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 9:45 am to JIB
Oats openly admits rebounds are a problem. He also thinks it’s an effort issue and not a coaching or personnel issue. He’s been pretty adamant about that.
He brought in a 7’ guy who can’t rebound and a 6’10” guy who won’t. I think that’s why he’s harder on TBB in the press conferences because he was who we were counting on to be that guy this year and he hasn’t been.
He brought in a 7’ guy who can’t rebound and a 6’10” guy who won’t. I think that’s why he’s harder on TBB in the press conferences because he was who we were counting on to be that guy this year and he hasn’t been.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 9:51 am to Robot Santa
quote:
The juxtaposition of basketball fans and people who are vaguely aware that basketball is a sport, both of whom offer strong opinions about the team, is often hilarious. The FOG takes are just...I don't even know
Yeah I’m torn between not wanting to gatekeep because I know we need to keep growing as a program but also like…damn.
Sometimes I think it’s FOG’s but a lot of the football takes on here are also dunce capped, and that’s a sport they’ve been watching for 50 years. Someone called in to DeBoers show last night and told him to let Mack and Russell try running the ball
Posted on 12/16/25 at 9:59 am to Sandkhan
Yeah Williamson was obviously a really bad miseval, but that happens. TBB has the skills and athleticism to excel at this level and possibly beyond, so there's really no excuse for him being a total non-factor on the glass like he has a tendency to be. When you're 6'10" with leaping ability and just barely doing more than a couple of guards it's a question of whether you want to instead of whether you can.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 10:33 am to Robot Santa
Teams have muscled us but I think Oats tried to remedy that with Sherrell Williamson and bringing in Onyejiaka late as a project he's huge.
Williamson so far has been a bust and who could have guessed big Collins would have serious med issues? This team has been a MASH unit.
Sherrell on the other hand has been a pleasure to watch. He had those big boys from Arizona reeling sending their shots flying out of there and if we could somehow find him a little help we'd be good I think.
I think we have to play Bethea more. The man can score and sky for boards sit some folks and turn this man loose.
Williamson so far has been a bust and who could have guessed big Collins would have serious med issues? This team has been a MASH unit.
Sherrell on the other hand has been a pleasure to watch. He had those big boys from Arizona reeling sending their shots flying out of there and if we could somehow find him a little help we'd be good I think.
I think we have to play Bethea more. The man can score and sky for boards sit some folks and turn this man loose.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:06 am to antibarner
Oats has been a great coach for Alabama. I absolutely love where he has taken Alabama basketball.
But, he did a really poor job constructing this roster. They need athletic bigs that can rebound and they don't have any. Williamson is not SEC material and Onyejiaka was a late addition project.
Losing Dioubate to the portal hurt since he brought so much energy and could rebound but Oats should have focused more on bringing in quality and athletic bigs.
He needs to find another guy like Charles Bediako. Best center we have had for Oats system.
But, he did a really poor job constructing this roster. They need athletic bigs that can rebound and they don't have any. Williamson is not SEC material and Onyejiaka was a late addition project.
Losing Dioubate to the portal hurt since he brought so much energy and could rebound but Oats should have focused more on bringing in quality and athletic bigs.
He needs to find another guy like Charles Bediako. Best center we have had for Oats system.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:15 am to LovetheLord
quote:
I don't think we really have to worry about losing Oats. No Tier 1 team is going to settle for Elite 8s, or better if the pieces happen to fall in the right order. But, we are thrilled with it.
Holy hell. The NCAA tourney is the toughest title to win in sports. We are competing consistently at the absolute highest level. Any program would be lucky to have Nate. Basketball threads on here always bring out some wild takes.
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:19 am to jjv0004
quote:
Losing Dioubate to the portal hurt since he brought so much energy and could rebound but Oats should have focused more on bringing in quality and athletic bigs.
I’m with you until this part. We have energy/effort guys. Bristow can do everything Mo D did except Bristow can’t shoot, and we honestly don’t need Bristow or Mo D shooting on this team. He’s taller and longer and fits this roster a lot better. We just haven’t gotten to see him enough.
The tough part about getting a big that fits that mold is that you can’t just conjure one. If you look at the portal last year, Yaxel was really the prized big but was going to the highest bidder. Aside from him there just wasn’t anyone that was an easy fit with how we play.
So you go get TBB who is tall, long, and athletic and Williamson who was a Patriot League player of the year and you hope one of them pop
Posted on 12/16/25 at 11:46 am to Sandkhan
Williamson has been a gigantic bust. I was excited about getting him. Looked like a guy who could really help the team. The Patriot League must be really, really bad if he was the best guy in the league. I don't know how they evaluate players but they whiffed on him. I would think, though, that if you just said, "Hey, we will take a 7' conference player of the year" you probably just say yes. The Patriot League isn't a horrible league, they've had some decent guys come through.
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