On the job training Holder could be in for a rough ride during his first major coaching search Holder could be in for a rough ride during his first major coaching search
If Oklahoma State were looking for a golf coach, there would be no greater expert than athletic director Mike Holder.
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But the Cowboys are looking for a revenue-producing coach, someone to win games and fill seats.
This is the first significant coaching search in Holder's 2½ years in office.
He's on a virgin voyage, and finding Sean Sutton's successor figures to be anything but smooth sailing.
Luckily, Holder acknowledges his shortcomings.
"I'm in a new territory,” said Holder, who took over as AD on Sept, 16, 2005. "I wasn't trained to be an athletic director, but I know a lot about people.
"I know a lot about young people and I have opinions about what it takes to cajole or do whatever you have to do to have them achieve at a high level.”
Holder has a massive network of golf coaches, but he has no network of athletic directors.
He doesn't make friends quickly. He isn't the most approachable man on earth.
These character traits could hamper his search considerably.
Holder said he has yet to talk to any coaches, athletic directors, agents or search firms.
"I haven't done this before,” Holder said. "I'm probably going to get a lot of lessons.”
No doubt.
Adding to the problem, OSU isn't the only school looking for a basketball coach.
The Cowboys also have a new president in Burns Hargis.
"I'm inclined to let my athletic director do his job,” Hargis said. "If he thinks we need a search committee, we can do that.”
As for the timetable, Hargis said, "Mike will conduct his search and make a recommendation pretty rapidly," which might be news to Holder.
"I would rather get it right than get in a hurry, just like the decision to make a change,” Holder said. "I'd just as soon not hire a coach out there in the press.
"I don't think that's the way to do it.”
In case Holder changes his mind, we'll share our list of candidates.
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I like sean the person, sean the coach looked half dead on the sidelines, very nervous at games, showed inability to control his players (ie arrests and dui's) etc etc. I am an OSU graduate and wanted to see sean succeed as much as anyone, but the bottom line is he wasnt getting it done. We all were thinking the same things as fans, its not getting better and it doesnt look to be improving. He wasnt a fit for the head coaching job just yet. Maybe in a few years, but not now. Ticket sales are gone and empty seats everywhere. Even when Eddie's teams werent doing so well he still sold the place out. No one was showing because we knew what to expect...a Loss. Face it he wasnt ready. Holder is not to blame, Sean is.
As reported in today's Oklahoman by Berry Tramel (direct quote): "
"Sean's work ethic also has been a concern, as a variety of sources have questioned his frequent absences from Gallagher-Iba Arena. Of course, win enough games, and no one cares about any of that. But lose enough, and your boss will wonder how things will get better."
Once again Tramel nails it.
"Frequent absences" from work--how many of you manager/boss types out there keep employees on your payroll who frequently miss work--especially if the? Holder did what he had to do--what any boss has to do--when an employee habitually fails to show up for work: termination.
Get over it folks, nobody can keep their job if they don't show up for work. Holder didn't have any other choice. Case closed.
I want to thank Sean for his contributions to OSU. I am a proud third generation OSU grad, and I back Holder on this decision. A change was needed. Whether this back fires or not I agree with the decision.
As an OSU season ticket holder in basketball (20 years) and football (40 years)I was saddened to see that Sean Sutton was fired. I think all OSU fans wanted Sean to succeed. But, I was not surprised that it happened. Quite honestly, I'm tired of the NIT and think a good coach should win more than 2 confernece road games in 2 seasons. Many OSU fans want to hang Holder over this dismissal but I think this decision shows that Holder has high standards and I appreciate that. I'm paying a lot of money for tickets and I want to see a good product. And, unlike a lot of you, I don't think Sean's firing will keep us from getting a good coach. Any coach good enough to compete in the Big 12 will already have enormous expectations for himshelf. He won't be scared that Sean only had 2 years. I think many OSU fans are living in the past when college athletics really was amateur athletics. Today, college athletics is BIG BUSINESS. Look around, loyalty is a thing of the past. All Holder can do is hire the best available coach. To think that he will still be here 7 (or even 4 years from now) is lunacy. Corporate CEOs move all the time -- so do coaches. And college sports has been big business for a lot longer than most OSU fans and past administrations have acknowledged. That's why our buget and facilities were at the bottom of the conference. And I know many of you resent Boone Pickens money and power. Sometimes I do, too. But then I think to myself: What do I want OSU athletics to look like in 10 years, Texas or Baylor? I think I could put up with a lot to look like Texas.
Dave Odem, former U of S. Carolina coach is free. So is Eddie Fogler, also a former U of SC coach. Eddie helped get SC's new coach from W Kentucky to replace his replacement.
Steve in Tulsa is "right on"!! All one has to do is watch HBO's "Real Sports" segment on T. Boone and you will see what he expects from the Athletic Director and President at Pickens U, "The T. Boone State University"! OSU fans wakeup!! This old man has you by the _____s!!
Well the good thing about all of this is that Boone and Holder are two lovers tied at the hip (pocket). So that means that Holder patiently waits til Boone will throw him some cash. Meanwhile time marches on, and Boone gets just a little older. Eventually, like all good things, time runs out. All I am saying is that Boone is like 80 something, so his tyrannical era surely has its days numbered. Right? I am not posting any threats here, its merely nature.
As for Holder... well I am willing to bet that if he doesn't find a good replacement for Sean, he will have to hit Oklahoma Highway 51 for someplace else. Cowboy Basketball and Cowboy Football are entirely different things, and the fans won't stand for someone insufficient, like Gundy, at the helm for the basketball squad. Such a move would likely constitute a swift and disparately needed firing of Mr. Holder.
Wow, an AD at a Big 12 school who has "never done" a coach search and who is "not approachable" or "doesn't make new friends easily." He is obviously only an AD because of Pickens. OSU has a tiger by the tail with Pickens - yeah you want his money but then you get this rich sleazeball's incompetent sycophants like Holder in positions of power. It's funny that some OSU people think Pickens isn't calling the shots. Guys like him have a pathological need to be considered kings of the world and brook no dissent. Pickens has shown through his business dealings and financing of sleazy politics he is as slimy as they come. Wonder if Eddie's politics had something to do with Pickens' hatred of him? He is low enough to do that.
I feel perhaps that all the fans complaining about Holder being a "jerk" for firing/resigning Sutton, should know that if they had season tickets and stopped going to gameS, helped Holder make his decision.
From the outside, it appears this is not a very good working enviornment. A lot of drama and politics. I know Boone has deep pockets, but this might be a tough sell to a good, proven coach. Budke might be on my list. Why not?
I firmly believe that Holder is over his head as OSU's AD. They should have given Sean another yr. I would bet that Eddie will sever his ties with OSU. That will not be good for Holder or OSU. I would guess that Pickens has is finger on the button.
Tom
Charisma and the inability to motivate the team was Sean's biggest downfall. I also don't think recruiting has been a strong point. Look at last years class!
Holder is saying what he has to say to the press. He could have said a few things differently, but he's pulling the wool over your eyes people if you think he doesn't have a plan.
"Holder said he has yet to talk to any coaches, athletic directors, agents or search firms" He might should have done that before he made this move for some advice?
The incompetent one isn't Holder - it's the genius individuals who decided to "designate" a head coach before the position became open. This is why you want your boss to be the person who hired you...
This guy is an incompetent boob. The whole package- his attitude, his credentials, his approach- that would fly at a NAIA or a Division 2 school, but this is major college athletics. OSU, you don't need this guy.
Son goes down on Sutton era Surname is Sean's... 04/02/2008 STILLWATER — Eddie Sutton thought he did the right thing five years ago when he insisted — rather vehemently to Oklahoma State officials — that his son...
Dumping Sutton so soon sets a dangerous precedent in... 04/02/2008 Sean Sutton came as close to being a head coach as any assistant could when he worked for his father. He still didn't know everything about being the main...
Who's not coming 04/02/2008 Oklahoma State is a good basketball job with a nice following. But it's not in the same stratosphere as Kansas or Kentucky. This is why KU's Bill Self won't...
The candidates 04/02/2008 SCIENCE FICTION 1. Bill Self (Kansas): Why would he leave? He's at Kansas, fercryinoutloud. 2. Billy Gillispie (Kentucky): Why would he leave? He's at...
For OSU, Sutton 'wasn't working' 04/02/2008 STILLWATER — Lack of victories didn't cost Sean Sutton his job. Lack of leadership did. That's what can be culled from a strange but predictable Tuesday...
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"Sean's work ethic also has been a concern, as a variety of sources have questioned his frequent absences from Gallagher-Iba Arena. Of course, win enough games, and no one cares about any of that. But lose enough, and your boss will wonder how things will get better."
Once again Tramel nails it.
"Frequent absences" from work--how many of you manager/boss types out there keep employees on your payroll who frequently miss work--especially if the? Holder did what he had to do--what any boss has to do--when an employee habitually fails to show up for work: termination.
Get over it folks, nobody can keep their job if they don't show up for work. Holder didn't have any other choice. Case closed.
As for Holder... well I am willing to bet that if he doesn't find a good replacement for Sean, he will have to hit Oklahoma Highway 51 for someplace else. Cowboy Basketball and Cowboy Football are entirely different things, and the fans won't stand for someone insufficient, like Gundy, at the helm for the basketball squad. Such a move would likely constitute a swift and disparately needed firing of Mr. Holder.
Tom