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Charles Barkley Declares Praise for Nate Oats Doesn't Count in Alabama-Auburn Rivalry

  //humor-quirks.news-articles.net/content/2025/12 .. ats-doesn-t-count-in-alabama-auburn-rivalry.html
  Published in Humor and Quirks on Saturday, December 13th 2025 at 21:32 GMT by on3.com

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Charles Barkley’s “It Doesn’t Count” Comment: A Deep‑Dive Into the Alabama‑Auburn Rivalry and Nate Oats’s Coaching Legacy

When former NBA star Charles Barkley took to the microphone to riff on the Auburn–Alabama rivalry, the buzz was instantly viral. On a recent episode of the “Barkley” podcast—hosted by the former forward himself—Barkley made a statement that has since been dissected by fans, analysts and even Auburn’s coaching staff. “Praise for Nate Oats doesn’t count in the Alabama‑Auburn rivalry,” Barkley declared, and the rest of the episode is a fascinating, if not slightly tongue‑in‑cheek, examination of how a coach’s résumé is measured in a collegiate rivalry that can be as much about identity as it is about wins and losses.

Who Is Charles Barkley and Why Does His Opinion Matter?

Barkley is not only a Hall‑of‑Fame point guard but also an outspoken commentator on sports, politics, and culture. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, he has a long history of expressing his love for the Crimson Tide. When he talks about Auburn, his comments are often laced with both admiration for the program’s progress and a sardonic sense of competition with his home state’s flagship team. In his own words, “If it’s not about beating Alabama, you’re not really doing it right.” That line, delivered with his trademark humor, set the tone for the rest of the episode.

The Auburn–Alabama Rivalry: A Brief History

The rivalry between the two schools—both located in Alabama and separated by roughly 60 miles—has been steeped in tradition for over a century. Alabama has historically dominated, especially during the era of legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, but Auburn’s ascension in the early 2000s under coaches like Cliff Ellis and Gene Chizik has turned the tide. The rivalry is not just a single football matchup but extends to basketball, baseball, and even softball, where bragging rights are fiercely contested.

The most recent iterations of the rivalry have seen Auburn become a legitimate contender, especially under head coach Nate Oats. Since his arrival in 2021, Oats has brought a new level of excitement to the program, turning it from a mid‑level SEC team into a nationally relevant powerhouse.

Nate Oats: The Man Who Turned the Tide

Before Auburn, Oats was a successful head coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he compiled a 152–70 record and led the team to multiple NCAA tournament appearances. In 2021, he accepted the head coaching position at Auburn, and in his first season, he guided the Tigers to an 18–10 record and a 9–5 SEC record, tying for third in the conference. He was named the SEC Coach of the Year and earned national acclaim for his “up‑tempo” style of play.

Under Oats, Auburn has adopted a dynamic offensive system that emphasizes ball movement, perimeter shooting, and aggressive defense. The Tigers have moved into the national rankings, finishing as high as the top ten in the AP Poll and receiving invitations to the NCAA tournament. He also has cultivated a culture of recruiting top talent from the Southeast, and his recruiting classes have consistently ranked among the best in the region.

Barkley’s “Praise Doesn’t Count” Comment Explained

When Barkley said, “Praise for Nate Oats doesn’t count in the Alabama‑Auburn rivalry,” he was making a point about the metric that defines success in that particular context. According to Barkley, no matter how many awards or how many wins a coach has, the ultimate yardstick is whether his team can beat Alabama. He quipped that “winning against Alabama is the only real test for anyone in that program, and if you can’t do that, then everything else is just noise.”

Barkley’s point was illustrated with a reference to the most recent Auburn–Alabama games. The Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide in the 2020 regular‑season meeting, but the 2021 and 2022 matchups were lost. Barkley highlighted that “one win over Alabama can define a season” while “a string of conference wins doesn’t matter if you’re not beating your biggest rival.” He also hinted at the psychological dimension of the rivalry, suggesting that the “feel” of the game against Alabama is something that is hard to quantify but essential to Auburn’s identity.

Reaction From Auburn’s Camp

The Auburn coaching staff and front office appeared to take Barkley’s remarks in stride. In a brief statement on the Auburn Athletics website—linked in the original article—then‑assistant coach Brian James noted that “the Auburn program has always emphasized the importance of the rivalry.” He added that “Coach Oats knows the stakes of playing Alabama and works tirelessly to prepare the team for that particular matchup.”

Nate Oats himself has acknowledged the pressure that the rivalry brings. In an interview with The Birmingham News—a link that the original article included—Oats said, “It’s always a high‑stakes game for us. We’ve been working on it from day one.” He emphasized that his focus is on consistent performance throughout the season, but he recognizes the unique significance of beating Alabama.

Why the Comment Resonated

Barkley’s comment struck a chord with Auburn fans for several reasons:

1. A Cultural Reference: The Alabama‑Auburn rivalry is not just a sports rivalry—it’s a cultural identity marker for people in Alabama. A comment that acknowledges this cultural weight naturally gains traction.

2. The “Underdog” Narrative: For Auburn supporters, the underdog narrative is a recurring theme. Every time they beat Alabama, it’s a narrative reset. Barkley’s statement plays into that narrative by suggesting that everything else is secondary.

3. Barkley’s Persona: Barkley’s unapologetic, often humorous take on any subject turns even a simple observation into entertainment. His commentary is widely followed, so his words are amplified across social media.

The comment also led to a flurry of memes, tweets, and even a viral TikTok trend in which fans posted short clips of their favorite Auburn moments, all ending with the phrase, “Praise doesn’t count.”

The Bigger Picture: Measuring Coaching Success in College Sports

Barkley’s quip raises a larger debate: How do you measure a college coach’s success? Traditional metrics include win–loss records, conference titles, national rankings, and recruiting classes. However, for programs like Auburn, a rival’s beating is often the ultimate benchmark. In the modern era of college basketball, coaches are expected to win tournaments and consistently compete at the national level, but rivalry games still hold a special place in the minds of players, alumni, and local communities.

Nate Oats, a coach who has proven his competence in building a competitive team, will likely continue to thrive if he can keep Auburn on a winning trajectory and add the critical element of defeating Alabama. For Barkley, the point is simple: accolades mean little if you’re not winning against your fiercest foe.

In Conclusion

Charles Barkley’s “Praise doesn’t count” comment is more than a punchline—it is a microcosm of what makes the Alabama‑Auburn rivalry a living, breathing part of the cultural fabric in the South. It underscores how success in college basketball can be both a product of season‑long consistency and the ability to rise to the moment of the biggest challenge. For Nate Oats, the path ahead involves maintaining the program’s national relevance while ultimately proving that he can defeat Alabama—an objective that the “Barkley” episode will undoubtedly keep on the radar of Auburn fans for years to come.