He seems to be a very good, possibly even great coach. As I said in another thread though, there’s a good chance he’s not available for any price. He’s spent most of his professional life at Iowa State, including when he started out as an assistant, and is married to one of the greatest players in the history of their women’s program. If he can build a championship contender there, which he clearly has this year, why would he leave all that for more pressure and less security?
Again, why does this happen all the time? This is Kentucky. Coaches want the top jobs as does everyone else in every profession. They’re also competitors, winning at UK and taming the best means you are in history as the best. Also you’re famous for life here, you’re bigger than the governor. People in Iowa barely know who he is. It’s a huge perk for most of them. Everyone wants to be famous for the most part.
Average people have got to stop casting their psychology around to psychopathic competitors. This same stuff was said about Calipari. I remember when it was said by some about Pope becoming the coach at UK. “He’s Mormon, BYU loves him, it’s a dream for Mormons to coach there”. With Calipari “he’s got an NBA arena and no pressure. He’s already recruiting elite talent there. There’s no reason to come to Kentucky”.
Many more examples. And every time this line of thinking is wrong it just cranks back up the next hire. The way you avoid pressure is not how competitors do. They love pressure. We’re hearing this same crap about Oats right now. What did he say? He would love the pressure. That’s why these guys are where they are.
So non offense but we’ve got to stop doing this. Now some of them sure a few of them, but even with a guy like Scott Drew who was engrained and already won title who had zero pressure was on a plane to come here. TJ might love it there and still come or it might be a special case where he wants to stay put sure. But most of them will take that call. This is the Yankees or college basketball. This is the only state in the country where the basketball coach is more important than the governor. Yes they like that. It’s fame forever.
So just let this go. Kentucky is Kentucky, they want this job. I’d imagine Oats said what he said recently to let UK know to call. When he found out he wasn’t going to be offered jumped up to say he’s staying at Bama. He wasn’t offered. He’s been linking his name here for a while in interviews in one way or another.
