Nate Oats is the guy

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

I can assure you I wasn’t mocking.

You stated that Oats insinuates he isn’t content at Alabama. Just interested in your thoughts as to why and how you came to that conclusion.

No need to actually answer. We can move on.

I will respond. You are misconstruing the post. Never said he wasn't happy in Alabama if that is what you are alluding when I say content. That statement got blown out of proportion. I would have hoped people could read between the lines and know what I was getting to. That would be my belief that Oats is the type of coach that would willing take on a challenge to win huge at a powerhouse basketball program. From all I can see has the drive to win at the biggest stage. That is the vibe I get from watching his teams play and listening to him after a big win. Seems to be a lot more energetic to take on a new challenge than a Drew or Few which are good basketball coaches but haven't messed with success.

 

[Wildcats1st]

I don't trust our AD to do the work required to vet potential up and comers to find the next Hurley at RI & Oats at Buffalo. A search committee of people who understand the Kentucky Basketball tradition need to be involved for the hiring process whenever the job comes up regardless if Mitch is still here or some other new AD that we know nothing about coming to stake their name to this coaching hire.

Barney needs to be fired. He’s fb first and has enabled a mediocre fb product at the expense of our massive bb tradition

 

[bnewt]

It's threads like this that just show people are full of shit. No legit option my ass. Oats is the man. People are just contrarians by nature and going to knock anybody you suggest to take the job as if they know better but fail to put up a list of worthy candidates themselves. Just want to talk down yours. No one here is on the inside. For those with memory loss, Mitch would have never hired Cal on his own accord without the committee. If the boosters think Oats is the guy and fork over the money for the buyout, they will get their guy.

But the only common sense guy on the committee, Mike Pratt, has passed. Who, at this stage cares enough to replace him? Maybe Dan Issel and Kyle Macy?

 

[Girthang]

Barney needs to be fired. He’s fb first and has enabled a mediocre fb product at the expense of our massive bb tradition

Fkn hilarious!

Not disputing his major fckup with Cal's contract and subsequent non-firing. He's really mailed it in with men's basketball since 2014. Should have let Cal go if he really wanted UCLA (because the Left coast would've chewed him up and spit him a mile, and FAST) as if they really wanted him....

But

FOOTBALL has nothing to do with basketball. He has done NOTHING with football that has cost basketball a SINGLE.FKN.THING. ANY NEGATIVE that has come to basketball has come from basketball and Cal himself.

Football has paid more than its fair share for a half century and always paid its own bills. It has never negatively affected basketball, while the same can not be said of basketball negatively affecting football.

AND UK football was a dumpster fire after 3 years of Philips at the helm. NO ONE wanted it except Stoops, and he and his staff have done wonders where anyone else would've struggled. Were it not for their ties in OH, we'd have two men's sports struggling instead of JUST THE ONE WITH PRO TALENT at 90% of its positions plus.

 

[bnewt]

Imagine making the Final Four without a 44% 3pt shooter playing a single game in the Sweet 16/Elite 8 and not making any excuses for missing him going into the games? Refreshing. I was told by some Cal nut hugger during the season that Wrightsell's absence didn't matter and Oats can't carry Cal's jock, etc....and I saw more coaching from Oats this NCAA run then Cal's had in a decade.

For instance--Grant Nelson didn't sit rest of 1st Half when he had 2 fouls at the under 16 mark --he knew he needed him to stay in the game--and not only did that happen-he had lead going into the Half. He also didn't panic when a bench guy missed a shot badly (Stevenson) on his first wide open attempt-he stuck with him and the guy banged 5 3pt makes and was X-factor in the game. He was a '24 class member Oats got to reclassify and he used him even when he had struggles throughout the year. Didn't bury him because he didn't come in at a pace he expected.

The same team UK put 117 on and Cal's openly mocked HOW they play in terms of style--Oats called his team out for their awful defense and how they were "cheating the game" and an "embarrassment to defensive integrity". Started 1st Rd running a train and humiliating Mr. "Revi-VILLE" at Charleston. Then they had to fight/grit their way over Grand Canyon when it was a road game atmosphere in Spokane, and we all saw the toughness/fight against UNC down 1 just over 30 secs and then tonight down 13 early with Nelson in foul trouble. He adjusted/coached.

Excuses were there to be made. They fought/dug in and competed and are in the school's 1st Final Four.

Meanwhile Cal's doing odd TV interviews with his "boss" in name--and telling everyone they don't need to change much--and everything this offseason is off to the same type of start. We're seeing this program fall further behind everyone right now it's sickening.

Could not agree more. Ccc couldn't make an adjustment if the road in front of him washed away. Mean while real coaches understand the flow of the game and make adjustments to get in the flow or stop it.

 

[UKBrassowTipIN]

No resume at that point

 

[Wildcats1st]

Fkn hilarious!

Not disputing his major fckup with Cal's contract and subsequent non-firing. He's really mailed it in with men's basketball since 2014. Should have let Cal go if he really wanted UCLA (because the Left coast would've chewed him up and spit him a mile, and FAST) as if they really wanted him....

But

FOOTBALL has nothing to do with basketball. He has done NOTHING with football that has cost basketball a SINGLE.FKN.THING. ANY NEGATIVE that has come to basketball has come from basketball and Cal himself.

Football has paid more than its fair share for a half century and always paid its own bills. It has never negatively affected basketball, while the same can not be said of basketball negatively affecting football.

AND UK football was a dumpster fire after 3 years of Philips at the helm. NO ONE wanted it except Stoops, and he and his staff have done wonders where anyone else would've struggled. Were it not for their ties in OH, we'd have two men's sports struggling instead of JUST THE ONE WITH PRO TALENT at 90% of its positions plus.

He’s involved with fb and has ignored uk bb. Laugh all you want but Barney created this calamity and uk fb is average at best with a top 10 paid coach and not much to show for it. Never a ny6. Why was it a dumpster for with joker? Barney. Every turn barney has made terrible decisions and right now the only thing keeping him around is our average fb program that has underachieved compared to expectations the last two years . So yes the two are connected. There is all this attention to uk bb all the sudden but fb is staring down a losing season.

 

[C5matt]

Oats has built his legacy at Alabama. He’s not coming here.

Agree!

 

[M4CAT]

But the only common sense guy on the committee, Mike Pratt, has passed. Who, at this stage cares enough to replace him? Maybe Dan Issel and Kyle Macy?

Are you under the assumption it will be hard to find former players that care about the university? What about someone like Derek Anderson in the 90s, Goose Givens, Kenny Walker, Mashburn, Jim Master, Kevin Grevey, Larry Steele, Rick Robey among many more. I don't understand why you think this would be the difficult part of the process assembling a committee that understands the tradition of Kentucky Basketball. You named two good ones yourself.

 

[M4CAT]

Agree!

It would not be the first time Kentucky has hired a coach with a previous Final 4 trip in the SEC at a non-traditional powerhouse basketball program.

 

[Girthang]

So? So is Florida but it didn’t stop Donovan from rejecting us, TWICE.

Donovan wasn't offered the job when BCG was hired. Ask him next time you see him