Coach K on COVID-19

[MU82]

Nate Oats off the top rope with the flying elbow to Coach K!

"Nate Oats on Coach K wanting to delay play due to COVID-19: "Let me ask you a question. Do you think Coach K would be saying that if he hadn't lost those two non-conference games at home?"

Oats backed down shortly thereafter, and toed the line after talking with daddy.

Oats said he reached out to Krzyzewski immediately following the press conference. After a talk with the legendary coach, Oats's thoughts on the situation changed.

"It was unnecessary, it was wrong and I apologized to him," Oats said. "We had a good talk, I understand a lot more now where he's coming from. What's best for one program is not necessarily what's best for another program."

To end his apology on Saturday night, Oats finished up with a reminder that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is something that everyone should continue to take seriously.

"I'm definitely wasn't trying to say 'COVID's not serious'," Oats said. "Some people might have taken that. I know the numbers aren't great right now. We need to take all the precautions we can."

Lots of folks here are Oats slurpers even though he has accomplished nothing at the P6 level. He might indeed be a wonderful coach, multiple times better than Wojo or K or Cal or Roy or Shaka, but he came out of this looking like a dope.

His knee-jerk reaction was to publicly go after a coaching icon, and then he backed down like an admonished little kid.

[The Sultan]

I think this is a very much a generational thing.

To an older lot, he is indeed a "coaching icon" to whom deference should be given.

To those younger, he is preachy and borderline dirty, and Oats was 100% right.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think this is a very much a generational thing.

To an older lot, he is indeed a "coaching icon" to whom deference should be given.

To those younger, he is preachy and borderline dirty, and Oats was 100% right.

Honestly, my experience is that you have those reversed.

[The Sultan]

Yeah, I probably shouldn't have said generational.  It probably isn't limited to generation. 

I think it is more two camps of people.  People who like Coach K and people who think he's become a fraud.

[Shooter McGavin]

I think Coach K out of principle should shut down Duke basketball for the season and stop blaming the NCAA administrators who work for his University and Conference.

He won't though because his kids want to play and some need to play to market themselves.  He also likes the paycheck. 

This whole situation is terrible.  Right now everyone in every walk of life is walking a tightrope.  There are no blatantly obvious right answers.  People need to do their best to take precautions and try to live life during this time.  Many players will get Covid regardless if they are playing basketball or not. It is too prevalent.  In some ways it's better they will not go home for Christmas and infect their families.  Just no right answers now.   

[MU82]

I think Coach K out of principle should shut down Duke basketball for the season and stop blaming the NCAA administrators who work for his University and Conference.

He won't though because his kids want to play and some need to play to market themselves.  He also likes the paycheck. 

This whole situation is terrible.  Right now everyone in every walk of life is walking a tightrope.  There are no blatantly obvious right answers.  People need to do their best to take precautions and try to live life during this time.  Many players will get Covid regardless if they are playing basketball or not. It is too prevalent.  In some ways it's better they will not go home for Christmas and infect their families.  Just no right answers now.

We certainly shouldn't be saying, "Don't do typical family gatherings at Xmas," while also saying, "The college kids should be allowed to go home to be with their families."

[Silent Verbal]

For about two days, Nate Oats was my freaking hero for saying what pretty much everyone in the sports world was thinking about K's statements on Covid and the CBB season.  And now he's lost all those cool points he gained.  If anything, I think less of him than I did before.

As for him "immediately reaching out" to K, I'm sure he was not pressured at all into making that phone call.  And during the conversation between the two, K definitely did not make any threats or use foul language.  Just a nice, civilized conversation between two gentlemen.

[The Big East]

Willard gives the New Jersey Salute to Coach K
https://www.nj.com/setonhall/2020/12/seton-halls-kevin-willard-on-dukes-coach-k-just-because-someone-thinks-something-doesnt-mean-theyre-right.html