Nate Oats and Alabama became college basketball's villain when they circumvented NCAA eligibility rules by adding Charles Bediako to the roster and allowing him to play under a temporary restraining order.
The pearl-clutching was immediate, and hypocritical, considering how other programs had done similar things that flew under the radar.
But when Alabama does it, it's a problem.
And that's part of what Greg Byrne was counting on.
In speaking at an on-campus event on Wednesday, Byrne shared an ulterior motive for the Bediako addition.
“We were actually very hopeful that, because it's Alabama doing it, that it would create some pearls being clutched," Byrne said, via Alabama beat writer Theodore Fernandez. "We were also hoping that it would create an opportunity to get a discussion going in the national level.”
Fernandez noted that Byrne went on to say that he completely supported Bediako and that the former Alabama center was still currently working on finishing his degree.
Greg Byrne sends a warning about NIL enforcement
Byrne also had some illuminating thoughts on the current landscape of college sports. Alabama fans have often been frustrated, with both football and basketball, seeming reluctant to get into bidding wars against other schools for top prospects.
Other programs are outspending Alabama. It's not necessarily that the Crimson Tide couldn't be more competitive in the NIL space; it's that they are trying to stay within NCAA policy because they know the current model isn't sustainable, and it's only a matter of time before the dam breaks and someone gets hammered.
Byrne's not going to let it be Alabama.
“Nothing works long-term without some type of regulation. Anarchy doesn’t work… Until somebody gets their teeth kicked in, it probably won’t get everybody’s attention," Byrne said.
“We will not be the school that gets their teeth kicked in. Okay? If the speed limit is 75, we need to be going 75."
Byrne and Alabama are banking on this temporary spending spree being just that: temporary. Everyone across college sports is in agreement that this current model isn't sustainable, and as frustrating as it is to see Alabama consistently lose bidding wars for players, Byrne and the Athletic Department are comfortable with sitting back for now and waiting for things to change.
Whether that's the right strategy or not remains to be seen. But it's the one Byrne has chosen, and the one Alabama fans will have to accept.
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