Holder on Sutton: 'I take no joy in this'

STILLWATER — Sean Sutton's two-year tenure as head coach at Oklahoma State ended on Tuesday.

"This is a tough day for us. I take no joy in this," OSU athletic director Mike Holder said during a press conference at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Holder explained that while Sean Sutton and his father Eddie, who proceeded him as Cowboys head coach, created high expectations for the Cowboys basketball program.

"Sean was a victim of those expectations," Holder said. "It's hard to follow a legend and when that legend is your father, that's tough to the third power."

"I'm trying to make the best of a bad situation," Holder said.

Sutton's departure was announced earlier in the day with a press release.

It was the end to a long and recently strange journey for Sutton and the Cowboys.

Sutton was 39-29 in two seasons as head coach, not counting a 4-6 record in February and March 2006 after Eddie Sutton took a leave of absence following a drunk-driving incident.

Sean Sutton came to OSU in 1990 as a transfer and spent two seasons as his father's point guard. OSU reached the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 both years.

After a year as an assistant coach at Mississippi, Sean Sutton returned to his father's staff and spent 12 1/2 seasons as an assistant before taking over for his father.

Holder dismissed the idea that there was some personal rift between him and the Sutton family.

"I like coach Sutton, both Sean and Eddie. This is my job as ad to make tough decisions, I did this because its in the best interest in our basketball program," Holder said.

Holder and Sutton met Monday to discuss the status of the program and OSU said another meeting was scheduled for Tuesday.

"We had a long conversation yesterday and we had had many in the past," Holder said. "He knew what the expectations were when he took the job. He thought he would be successful as did I. At the end of the day yesterday we mutually agreed that we had to have new leadership for the basketball program."

Holder said a national search for a new head coach would begin immediately.

"This was an extremely difficult decision, and this is a sad day for me personally and this university," Holder said. "We cannot overlook the contributions Sean has made to OSU as a player, assistant coach and head coach. OSU is deeply appreciative and grateful to Sean as well as his father Eddie, who together revived OSU basketball and made the program a consistent contender for conference, tournament and national championships."

"Sean played a major role in the ascension of OSU basketball into the top tier of the nation," said OSU president Burns Hargis. "While this was indeed a tough decision for everyone, we all agree that it is the right decision for the future of the program and for Sean.

"I appreciate the professional way in which Sean and Mike addressed the situation and I am pleased they arrived at a mutual decision on how we should move forward. We appreciate Sean's professionalism and I know everyone joins me in wishing him only the best in the future."

"I want the fans and my OSU family to know how much I have appreciated their support over the last 17 years," Sean Sutton said. "It has been a great experience and I have loved every minute of my time here at OSU. I also want to thank our players, coaches and entire staff for all their hard work and support.

"My family and I will always have fond memories of OSU and I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this great program and this great university."

Lou Watkins, chair of the OSU/A&M board of regents, said, "While we respect the decision, we nevertheless admire the work of Sean and Eddie to restore OSU basketball to national prominence. We know this is a difficult time for Sean and for OSU, but we are confident under the leadership of our president and VP of athletics (Holder), OSU will find the right person to lead our program. In the meantime, we wish Sean only the very best in the future."