STILLWATER — In recent years the college basketball coaching carousel has been turning faster than ever, and the price of the ride continues to rise.
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Last year, 62 Division I schools had basketball coaching changes, and according to the Cincinnati Enquirer the new coaches made an average of $93,625 more than their predecessors. At major programs, that number rose to $270,000 more per year.
With one of this year's carousel stops occurring in Stillwater, a number of questions arise. How much will Oklahoma State pay its new basketball coach? With the possibility that billionaire donor T. Boone Pickens could make this job exceptionally lucrative, could it be well above the current market price? If so, how many coaches will use the opening as leverage to get raises at their current institutions?
Although many consider it a foregone conclusion, it's not a certainty that Pickens will open his checkbook to pay for a basketball coach. Pickens could not be reached for comment on the issue this week and when asked on Tuesday if OSU would be able to afford any coach it wanted, university president Burns Hargis replied, "If we're not, we won't do it.”
OSU athletic director Mike Holder has not commented on details of his search. He has not laid out any specific criteria or commented on a price range. In San Antonio for the Final Four since Thursday, Holder said Sunday that he has not spoken to any coaches about the job.
"I have not talked to any coaches about our job since I have been here, and I have no plans to talk to any coaches about our job before I leave,” Holder said in an e-mail.
Earlier in the week, Hargis said: "We have to decide whether you want to do that (pay big) or find somebody nobody's found yet. It's a very small market and appears to be a very expensive market.”
The name mentioned most frequently in conjunction with the opening is Kansas' Bill Self. The Jayhawks' coach currently makes $1.3 million, putting him in the top tier of college basketball coaches. Former OSU coach Sean Sutton made $750,000, and in his final season at OSU, Eddie Sutton made $916,325.
Self said Friday that as soon as the OSU job came open he went to his athletic director to discuss how the two would handle the situation.
"Part of the conversation we've had is when the season is over, we're going to sit down and talk and get everything ironed out so hopefully (I) can be here for a whole,” Self said. Asked if he was looking for a big-money contract, Self said he was just looking for his team to play well.
Coaches receiving raises and extensions because of other openings is standard operating practice just as it is in any industry.
"Happens every year,” ESPN's Doug Gottlieb said. "One or two jobs get big guys more money.”
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at first i thought he would be crazy to leave for ku, and im an ostate alum. its starting to make more sense with time, ok state gave him the opportunity to be so successful. why not come back home? why not? money, your alma mater. family, friends. why not?
Tim in Kingston- u r being ridiculous. Prostitute? Anyon, in any business, would do the same thing. He is at one of the top 5 programs in the country and will stay there. That's what coaches do; they start at a Tulsa, go to a Illinois, then try to get into a national power, Kansas. Don't be absurd. Leaving KU for O-State would go down as one of the dumbest coaching moves EVER. Self is smarter than that and ain't gonna happen. Money is not the issue here; winning nat'l championships is.
If Bill Self leaves for OSU, there are some things he may want to consider. KU is one of those jobs in which the name makes the program, not the coach. With him leaving, that position becomes open. Since KU is a big name program, they have the opportunity to attract a big name coach. How would Self fair if he were recruiting against the possible likes of Pitino, Calipari, or others, armed with the traditions of KU basketball?
Wow, itsuckstobeinbred, ardmore, that's so clever. My fourth grader told me that one -- two years ago. At least now we all know your level of intelligence. For the rest of the folks on here, why is it getting so nasty about whether or not Bill Self actually materializes in Stillwater? Facts are, 1) no one here knows whether he is even considering it or not, 2) he is not going to say or do anything until after tomorrow's game, and 3) regardless of the tripe printed here (unless all of you actually think that, off chance, Self is reading this) he will make up his own mind. Tim, Kingston, I'm sure you would readily maintain your salary if a competitor came along and offered you two or three times what you make. Please, we all know better. Like it or not, Sooner fans, we now have a benefactor dumping money on our programs JUST LIKE OU has had with the Gaylords for eons. It was okay for OU then but now that OSU is benefitting from a like situation, its tainted? Does it appear to you (as it appears to everyone else) that you are talking out of both sides of your collective mouths? Actually, I think you are setting yourselves up for comments on future boards -- if Self makes the move to Stillwater, he's something that's "synonymous with prostitute," and if he doesn't make the move to O-State, then we OSU fans are ridiculed for thinking that he would. Truth be known, we're waiting just like everyone else to see. Would we like to see him here? You bet! Will he ever be here? Time will tell. And if its TBP's money that gets him here, great. If you want to cry foul, then have the Gaylord family pull their support for OU football and see how long Stoops stick around. If you're going to live in a glass house....
Bill Self(ish) will go where the money is. He coaches Tulsa to the Elite Eight in 2000, and the school asks him what he wants to make a long-term committment to stay there. He tells them what he wants, and they give it to him. Three weeks later,(Yes 3!!!) he leaves for Illinois. He pulls pretty much the same stunt 3 years later when he goes to Kansas. There is a word for that, and it is synonymous with prostitute.
Yes Andrea, there really is a Santa Claus. His name is T.Boone Pickins. You're right, filling the vacant OSU basketball job won't come cheap and the Cowboys have plenty of dough. so we expect a superstar coach. The Sooners can't stand it can they? Does Gaylord Family Stadium in Norman still have a dirt floor? Go Pokes!!!
Look at the bottom of that last post, it came from the dictionary. That being said, spending a boat load of money on a high profile coach might not be in the best interest of osu, "a reckless person such as a driver pilot or manager who ignores potential risks"
Come on Holder "dont be a cowboy!
itmustsucktobeosu, ardmore - Apr 6, 2008 at 6:24 pm
cow·boy Audio Help (kou'boi') Pronunciation Key
n.
A hired man, especially in the western United States, who tends cattle and performs many of his duties on horseback. Also called cowman, cowpoke, cowpuncher; also called regionally buckaroo, vaquero, waddy2. See Regional Note at vaquero.
Slang A reckless person, such as a driver, pilot, or manager, who ignores potential risks.
itmustsucktobeosu, ardmore - Apr 6, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Look what coach Fran accomplished at his prior jobs! then look what happened to him at the real A&M. That was a great post Gerald from Duncan. Tell T. Boone to put that vast amount of money into education, hire an up and coming coach, and if it works out then give him the raise he deserves. When I was a young lad, my grandpa told me about this great university that was on the rise! I have told my children the same story, we sit and wait, we sit and wait.
itmustsucktobeosu, ardmore - Apr 6, 2008 at 6:14 pm
As an OSU alum, I have to congratulate ou on their decision to hire and stick with jeff capel...at the time an unknown commodity. The pokes need to find a jeff capel type commodity of their own, not throw tons of money at someone who is supposed to already be great....remember someone named Schnelenburger?
Mary, I totally disagree that "the fans want to see offense". One of the things OSU is known for is defense and there is nothing that gets GIA riled up like swarming, stifling, suffocating defense that leads to a turnover, be it a 5-second count, a forced time out, or a steal and THEN a dunk. That's what we all have been missing these last two years (that five-game streak at the end of this year being an exception). We have never really had hot-shot offense NBA style like other college teams, but we've had success because of GREAT defense combined with capable, blue-collar, hard-work offense.
At 63, KU AD Lew Perkins either retires in four or five years or he moves on. He did it at UConn in 2003. My guess, Perkins goes for more money at a higher profile school. And then where is Self in Lawrence? And my opinion on KU basketball future, it is that of Nebraska football over the last ten years. Too great a distance from the basketball recruiting grounds.
I would be less than proud to take the Boone Pickens blood money. Ask the thousands of Cities Service employees in Tulsa about the great benefactor T. Boone. T. Boone gave Chavez his power base.
yea, your right greg...i'm sure Roy Williams regrets his decision. He has only won a national championship, been to final fours, and won a couple of conference championships. I'm sure he is regretting that. So just keep on believing its bad karma, that or you can't win every game you play, you moron.
Mary, I disagree that a guy like reeves only comes around once every hundred years. Oklahoma porduces quite a bit more talent than that. Heck didn't Ryan Minor come out of Hammond the same year Reeves came out of Gans? Then there's guys like Tisdale, Humphrey, Eton Thomas, Sheldon Williams, Ebi Ere, Blake Griffin and the list goes on & on. Even the star Shooting Guard at Drake is from OK. These are all guys that can make up national contenders. The trick is keeping them here, in-state, while supplimenting Oklahoma talent with recruiting in Texas.
NO WAY SELF GOES TO OSU; HERE'S THE TOP REASONS;
#1. Bill Self loves KU A.D Lew Perkins.
#2. Bill Self wins a Championship at KU, he won't be a God, he'll be treated as if he were God.
#3. Kansas has more banners, final fours, titles and money than OSU thinks about.
#4. Mike Holder is a boorish, irrepresible tyrant who couldn't sell ice in an Arizona heat wave.
#5. Kansas is the Monarch of the Midway.
#6. You can NEVER GO HOME. Ask Roy Williams who just got has butt handed to him by the school he left. There was bad karma in that decision 5 years ago and Roy had it comin.
#7. Pickens and Holder may have a lot of money, but money never buys class and that is sorely lacking right now considering the latest slap in the face to the Sutton family.
#8. Bill Self realizes his own legacy, and stepping down to his alma mater would almost insure that he WON'T win another championship again,... ever.
Sorry Pokes, you can't buy your way out of this one.
I'm sure Boone has given Holder orders to flash some "big bucks" Bill Self's way at the Final Four, but it's just wishful thinking to believe Bill Self will come home to his alma mater where he would be endeared by the OSU faithful. I think winning national championships is more important to Bill than money at this stage of his career. The thing about Kansas is the name is it's own recruiting tool. Year after year you can recruit nationally the best players to come to Kansas with it's namesake first and foremost. They always go ten deep which enables them to play their "helter skelter" style of basketball for forty minutes. I almost have to laugh at what Eddie Sutton was able to accomplish with so little. A guy like "Big Country" Bryant Reeves only comes along once every hundred years in a state like Oklahoma, and at that he was a project, having played at an unheralded high school where not even the fundamentals were taught. Kansas always has two or three "Big Country's" year in and year out who come in as freshmen ready to contribute. Unfortunately, the players don't follow the coaches, they follow the history of the school's program. Eddie did a lot to bring OSU's program back to prominence, it would be ashame to see it fetter away, but there's only one Eddie. I'm certain that OSU will get a competent replacement for Sean but he'll really have to work to recruit nationally. There just isn't enough in-state talent to build a final four program. Even at that you see how Eddie did it with defense and unfortunately the fans want to see offense. Kansas is exciting to watch. They drive to the basket, they play the passing lanes on defense and get a lot of steels, they aren't a particularly great outside shooting team but they can jump on you in a hurry with their style of basketball. One thing Bill Self should remember though, his days are numbered at Kansas. This might be an opportunity of a life-time to become a favorite son of T. Boone Pickens and ensure his financial security for the rest of his natural life. They'll throw the red carpet out for Bill Self in Stillwater. They'll never do that for him at Kansas. They still have visions of Mark Turgeon taking over the program at Kansas. Bill would have his personal bungo at Karsten Creek with all the amenities. He's be back home where his family could be a part of his fortune and he could build a bigger house in Stillwater than Bob Stoops has in Norman. Come to think of it! Bill had better not mess this one up! This is the opportunity of a life-time. There's wealthy, then there's wealthy! Bill should think long and hard about this opportunity, because it may never present itself again.
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Come on Holder "dont be a cowboy!
n.
A hired man, especially in the western United States, who tends cattle and performs many of his duties on horseback. Also called cowman, cowpoke, cowpuncher; also called regionally buckaroo, vaquero, waddy2. See Regional Note at vaquero.
Slang A reckless person, such as a driver, pilot, or manager, who ignores potential risks.
#1. Bill Self loves KU A.D Lew Perkins.
#2. Bill Self wins a Championship at KU, he won't be a God, he'll be treated as if he were God.
#3. Kansas has more banners, final fours, titles and money than OSU thinks about.
#4. Mike Holder is a boorish, irrepresible tyrant who couldn't sell ice in an Arizona heat wave.
#5. Kansas is the Monarch of the Midway.
#6. You can NEVER GO HOME. Ask Roy Williams who just got has butt handed to him by the school he left. There was bad karma in that decision 5 years ago and Roy had it comin.
#7. Pickens and Holder may have a lot of money, but money never buys class and that is sorely lacking right now considering the latest slap in the face to the Sutton family.
#8. Bill Self realizes his own legacy, and stepping down to his alma mater would almost insure that he WON'T win another championship again,... ever.
Sorry Pokes, you can't buy your way out of this one.
On this topic, it will be interesting to see if OSU can't get Self, if they'll offer a $4 million/year type deal to someone else.