Ad Disclosure
Nate Oats receives backlash from fans and media after shove of Missouri player
By Keith Farner
Published:
Nate Oats was the center of a growing storm of backlash Tuesday night into Wednesday morning after he pushed Missouri’s Aidan Shaw during a skirmish in Alabama’s win over Missouri.
Missouri coach Dennis Gates appeared to have an icy reception for Oats in the post-game handshake.
Some fans and media agreed with Oats for defusing the situation, but he crossed a line when he put his hand on an opposing player, they said. Others suggested the SEC should fine Oats.
One fan recalled being a coach himself and wrote that if an opposing coach put his hands on a player, “he was gonna feel my hands on his noggin’.
Oats himself has been at the center of multiple irritations from opponents already this season. Last week, he threw shade at South Carolina for trash talking about its place in the SEC.
All this has overshadowed plenty of great news for Alabama, including Tuesday being Oats’ 200th win as a college coach. The Crimson Tide have won 6 in a row and are 12-5 overall, including 4-0 in the SEC.
Here’s a sample of the reaction:
This is an absolute no-no. The SEC should fine Nate Oats. You can NOT put your hands on another team’s player. https://t.co/nWNxvl4W60
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) January 17, 2024
Nate Oats was right to try to defuse the situation, but however good his intentions, he was wrong to put a hand on the Mizzou player, no matter how light the shove. Gotta redirect your own player there. He was right to apologize after the game. https://t.co/2exSfB6U4j
— Kevin Scarbinsky (@KevinScarbinsky) January 17, 2024
MORNING THOUGHTS: How did Nate Oats not get a tech?
— Lynden Blake (No Bluecheck Version) (@LyndenBlake) January 17, 2024
Nate Oats and Dennis Gates handshake following the Alabama win over Missouri pic.twitter.com/QrG12KJAZ6
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) January 17, 2024
Nate Oats should not touch an opposing player but I don’t see anything crazy egregious here. Looks like the Missouri player was trying to escalate. https://t.co/XrMCegpwXT
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) January 17, 2024
Didn’t know I could detest a coach more than Bill Musselman, but hey, you whine all game AND push opposing players…Nate Oats you are now clearly the most dislikable. POS. pic.twitter.com/37JiZ4KUIW
— Mizzou For The Win (@MizzouForTheWin) January 17, 2024
What I see here is Nate Oats preventing a fight and sticking up for his players. Some won’t see it that way. IDC. https://t.co/HxJrdpurCy
— The Alabama Nation #GumpCertified ? (@AlabamaNati0n) January 17, 2024
Nate Oats put both Alabama and Missouri players in a spot no coach should. He’s lucky this didn’t escalate and should be suspended.
Pure stupidity and arrogance to touch another teams player pic.twitter.com/WGsMi1WsMX
— Josh Hatch (@jhatchlife) January 17, 2024
When I coached ball, if an opposing coach ever put his hands on one of my players, he was gonna feel my hands on his noggin’.
Head coach’s job is to get their own players back. Not push opposing players.
Bad form by Nate Oats. pic.twitter.com/NH7cDG0ihM
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) January 17, 2024
People arguing about Nate Oats on social media: pic.twitter.com/A0kPVGGsPb
— Erik Haslam (@haslametrics) January 17, 2024
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
