Standards. Or lack of same.

 OK, so maybe Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats is in a heap o' trouble now. Maybe.

But he's turned a football school into a basketball school, bringing the Crimson Tide to full flood just a couple of weeks ago, when the Tide went to No. 1 in the polls.

And a good chunk of the reason is standout freshman Brandon Miller, a 6-9 forward who's averaging 18.7 points and 8.0 rebounds for 'Bama.

And, hey, it's not like the police actually charged Miller with a crime, you know. Even if he did deliver a gun to one-time 'Bama hooper Darius Miles, who  gave it to his buddy, who then shot 23-year-old Jamea Harris to death with it.

But no harm, no foul for Miller. Something like that.

Which is what Oats said, and then "clarified" by essentially saying it again in a makeup statement, as Miller continued to be a member in good standing on Oats' roster.

I mean, come on. It's almost March, and the Tide has a shot at the Big Pulled Pork Sandwich. So I'm sure Miller will only get a stern talking-to, because no one wants to overreact at this crucial time, right?

Riiiiight?

Uh ... no. 

No, right would have been someone asking Oats what the hell his star player was doing fooling around with guns, even if it is Alabama. And Oats asking the same question of Miller just before either booting him off the team outright or suspending him indefinitely.

Of course, that might lead Miller to transfer-portaling to some other school with even fewer standards than 'Bama.

And that might hurt the continued progress of the program.

And also March ... Big Pulled Pork Sandwich ... all that.

Which is why Oats doesn't seem inclined as yet to punish Miller (except perhaps for that venerable dodge, "we're handling this internally"). And why he doesn't seem to be in a heap o' trouble yet, seeing how Alabama hasn't said a peep about suspending Oats, or, I don't know, maybe even firing him.

I mean, this isn't about taking Delta Chi's whole effing bar or getting arrested for drunk and disorderly or even stealing a sausage-with-extra-cheese from the pizza guy. This is about one of your players getting mixed up in a homicide, even if only peripherally.

You'd think someone in Tuscaloosa might take that seriously.

But, nah. One Shining Moment ain't down with that.