Let's talk about what @BernieSanders intentionally left out. These companies paid billions in payroll taxes, state taxes, property taxes, and excise taxes. Federal income tax is one tax, not the total tax bill. You know this. But because you are a corrupt looter, you pretend as if they pay no taxes at all so you can generate outrage, so you can loot even more.
You have been in Congress for 35 years. Every single tax provision that allowed these companies to pay zero federal income tax was written, passed, and signed into law by the institution you have been a part of since 1991.
You also left out that 40% of American households paid zero federal income tax in 2025. By your logic, they are not paying their "fair share" either. But you will never say that because your entire political career depends on pretending that only corporations benefit from the tax code you helped write, even though in reality no one benefits from them.
These companies employ hundreds of thousands of Americans whose wages generate billions in individual income taxes. They produce the products and services your supporters use every single day. The car your followers want to drive was built by one of these companies. The flights they take are operated by another. The electricity powering their homes comes from another.
You do not want tax reform. You want a shakedown. And you have been running it for 35 years.
Texas Tech HC Grant McCasland on Nate Oats:
“How he believes in people is real… he didn’t shy away from a tough conversation but he did it with belief and he did it with purpose.. that’s rare these days.”
Oats and McCasland worked together for USA Basketball last summer.
I enjoy the fact that Oats drives sports journalists crazy by his refusal to moralize, but there really are very few people for whom the narrative is more different re: reality vs which really is than Oats.
Alabama’s Aden Holloway has been arrested with a pound of weed in his apartment. Holloway is the second leading scorer on the team. I’m sure noted disciplinarian Nate Oats will levy a severe punishment.
@TheBracketLife @GoodmanHoops You spelled his name wrong Mr. TheBracketLife.
Also, I don’t think his nickname is Scumbag. I have never heard anyone call him by that since he’s been our coach.
While Coach Oats provided his perspective earlier today on Charles Bediako and the process of him becoming eligible to compete for the Crimson Tide, I wanted to follow up with some additional thoughts. I think it’s safe to say the majority of us have concerns about the state of college athletics and are all for uniformity versus inconsistencies.
There are many programs across the country with former G League and EuroLeague players on their rosters who have been deemed eligible. At the end of the day, these are men with professional basketball experience that are now playing in college. The distinctions between those cases and Charles’ situation are without real differences. A professional contract should be a professional contract. Why should a student-athlete who earned millions competing professionally overseas be eligible to return to college, while someone earning $50,000 annually in the NBA G League is not? Similarly, an athlete who leaves high school for professional basketball returning to college later is okay, while a student who entered the draft during college, perhaps based on incomplete or poor advice, may be barred. These distinctions are impossible to explain, undermine confidence in the system and do not meaningfully advance the educational mission of college athletics.
That said, we must remain competitive and act in the best interest of our teams. As Coach Oats stated, Charles is still within his five-year window, is 23 years old and started classes again this semester to work towards degree completion. He’s also not taking away any opportunities from a high school prospect or anyone else with there being a vacant roster spot.
If this particular case can help shape the future of the sport, and better regulation of college athletics as a whole, we welcome that.