JimBob
04-06-2008, 07:46 AM
Q&A: OSU Basketball Opening
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
4/6/2008
Following are questions and answers regarding the coaching change at Oklahoma State:
Q: Why did athletic director Mike Holder begin Tuesday's press conference by making mention of Eddie Sutton and Sean Sutton's contributions to the university?
A: The Suttons put OSU basketball back on the national map. Take away Eddie Sutton and Gallagher-Iba Arena likely would not be the 13,000-seat facility that it is today. It's tough to cut ties with family, especially when the family has been successful, and Holder was smart to acknowledge the Suttons.
Q: Holder denied there were any kind of issues between himself and the Suttons. True?
A: Rumors have been floating out there for quite some time that the relationship between Holder and Eddie Sutton was less than ideal. And, regardless of whether there is a rift, Holder and Sean Sutton apparently did not see eye-to-eye on things. It is certainly fair to say there was a lack of mutual trust.
Q: Will a coaching change cause division in the OSU fan base?
A: That potential exists. A faction of fans believed a favorite son deserved more time. A faction of fans was ready for new blood. Those in the anti-Sutton camp and those in the pro-Sutton camp seemed eager to leak information (or misinformation, depending on who you want to believe) in order to further their causes. Now that the ship has sailed in regard to a coaching change, will Cowboy Nation unite? For an answer, check attendance next season.
Q: Did behind-the-scenes changes impact the length of Sean Sutton's stay?
A: In the end, coaches have to be responsible for their own fate. But there is a saying in the coaching profession that three things can get you fired the fastest -- an athletic director change, a presidential change and a new arena. People noticed when Gallagher-Iba Arena, renovated before the 2000-01 season, was less than full. David Schmidly and Harry Birdwell were the president and athletic director when Sean Sutton agreed to become a head coach designate. Schmidly and Birdwell are gone. Holder said it was his preference that Sean Sutton succeed.
Q: Can OSU get back on track as early as next season?
A: Sean Sutton inherited an NIT team from his father late in the 2005-06 season and the program stayed at an NIT level the next two seasons. A program that used to reload has been stuck in rebuilding mode. Some blame the person in charge of the program. Some cite defections and the fact that a highly regarded recruiting class went kaput. Barring additional defections, a new coach may be in position for instant success. Marcus Dove and Tyler Hatch were OSU's only seniors last season.
Q: What will OSU have to pay to hit a home run in the coaching search?
A: Many coaches would accept a pedestrian paycheck at OSU just because it is a good job, with the asterisk that recruiting to Stillwater can be difficult. But, to make a superstar hire, consider that Florida's Billy Donovan is the highest paid coach in college basketball at $3.5 million per year. Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie made $2.3 million last season. Texas coach Rick Barnes makes a Big 12-best $2 million per year. Is OSU, even with Boone Pickens' checkbook available, willing to leap into that stratosphere? Stuart Campbell, the attorney for Gillispie and Kansas coach Bill Self, said, "I think the bar is raised every year. Certainly it was last year with Billy Donovan." All sorts of dollar figures are being thrown around as to what OSU might pay, but a good guess is that $25 million over six or seven years would give Self something to think about. Don't expect that same figure to be thrown at a down-the-line candidate, and insiders suggest Gillispie is not a candidate.
Q: Will running off a coach after only two seasons -- a move that seems unprecedented for a school in a major conference -- scare away people who might want the job?
A: Holder doesn't think so. He believes it is a good job that will attract good candidates. He didn't say this, but the smell of money will likely lessen the fear.
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
4/6/2008
Following are questions and answers regarding the coaching change at Oklahoma State:
Q: Why did athletic director Mike Holder begin Tuesday's press conference by making mention of Eddie Sutton and Sean Sutton's contributions to the university?
A: The Suttons put OSU basketball back on the national map. Take away Eddie Sutton and Gallagher-Iba Arena likely would not be the 13,000-seat facility that it is today. It's tough to cut ties with family, especially when the family has been successful, and Holder was smart to acknowledge the Suttons.
Q: Holder denied there were any kind of issues between himself and the Suttons. True?
A: Rumors have been floating out there for quite some time that the relationship between Holder and Eddie Sutton was less than ideal. And, regardless of whether there is a rift, Holder and Sean Sutton apparently did not see eye-to-eye on things. It is certainly fair to say there was a lack of mutual trust.
Q: Will a coaching change cause division in the OSU fan base?
A: That potential exists. A faction of fans believed a favorite son deserved more time. A faction of fans was ready for new blood. Those in the anti-Sutton camp and those in the pro-Sutton camp seemed eager to leak information (or misinformation, depending on who you want to believe) in order to further their causes. Now that the ship has sailed in regard to a coaching change, will Cowboy Nation unite? For an answer, check attendance next season.
Q: Did behind-the-scenes changes impact the length of Sean Sutton's stay?
A: In the end, coaches have to be responsible for their own fate. But there is a saying in the coaching profession that three things can get you fired the fastest -- an athletic director change, a presidential change and a new arena. People noticed when Gallagher-Iba Arena, renovated before the 2000-01 season, was less than full. David Schmidly and Harry Birdwell were the president and athletic director when Sean Sutton agreed to become a head coach designate. Schmidly and Birdwell are gone. Holder said it was his preference that Sean Sutton succeed.
Q: Can OSU get back on track as early as next season?
A: Sean Sutton inherited an NIT team from his father late in the 2005-06 season and the program stayed at an NIT level the next two seasons. A program that used to reload has been stuck in rebuilding mode. Some blame the person in charge of the program. Some cite defections and the fact that a highly regarded recruiting class went kaput. Barring additional defections, a new coach may be in position for instant success. Marcus Dove and Tyler Hatch were OSU's only seniors last season.
Q: What will OSU have to pay to hit a home run in the coaching search?
A: Many coaches would accept a pedestrian paycheck at OSU just because it is a good job, with the asterisk that recruiting to Stillwater can be difficult. But, to make a superstar hire, consider that Florida's Billy Donovan is the highest paid coach in college basketball at $3.5 million per year. Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie made $2.3 million last season. Texas coach Rick Barnes makes a Big 12-best $2 million per year. Is OSU, even with Boone Pickens' checkbook available, willing to leap into that stratosphere? Stuart Campbell, the attorney for Gillispie and Kansas coach Bill Self, said, "I think the bar is raised every year. Certainly it was last year with Billy Donovan." All sorts of dollar figures are being thrown around as to what OSU might pay, but a good guess is that $25 million over six or seven years would give Self something to think about. Don't expect that same figure to be thrown at a down-the-line candidate, and insiders suggest Gillispie is not a candidate.
Q: Will running off a coach after only two seasons -- a move that seems unprecedented for a school in a major conference -- scare away people who might want the job?
A: Holder doesn't think so. He believes it is a good job that will attract good candidates. He didn't say this, but the smell of money will likely lessen the fear.