Unemployed Hinson sees OSU as 'top-10' job

By John Rohde

Published: April 6, 2008

SAN ANTONIO — Barry Hinson admits he's biased when it comes to Oklahoma State.

This helps explain why he confidently ranks OSU men's basketball among the top 10 coaching jobs in America.

"When you have an athletic director with the drive of Mike Holder, who strives to be the best in everything you're doing, then you've got a chance to be a top-10 program in all aspects,” Hinson said Saturday at the Final Four. "Just pick a sport up there and look at the facilities they either have, or are working to have.

"In my opinion, with what they're doing up there, I think they're a top-10 program in all aspects. No question.”

Feel free to argue. Hinson fully expects it.

"If it's not a top-10 program in other people's eyes because of my bias, that's fine,” Hinson said. "Let's go minus-5 with how I feel. OK, so now it's still in the top 15.”

Hinson attended OSU, graduating in 1983 with a degree in secondary social sciences.

It also should be mentioned Hinson currently is unemployed.

Could this column be viewed as a sales pitch to anyone willing to listen?

Absolutely.

Would he love to coach the Cowboys?

Yippie-kay-yay.

Just because Hinson is between jobs, it doesn't mean he's lying.

"I don't care where I settle down. I don't care where I end up,” Hinson said. "I've got facts to back up my stance.”

Keep in mind, Hinson might be the most reliable source on this matter.

I asked several college coaches to share their thoughts on the OSU job. Each refused comment on the grounds of self-incrimination.

Speaking publicly could constitute a breech of their contract.

Athletic directors don't want their head coach talking about other job openings.

Even if a coach has no interest in that job, words of praise or criticism could constitute a conflict of interest.

Hinson is unattached, so he's free to speak.

"While I was there (OSU), I fell in love with college basketball. I wanted to be a coach and it turned out pretty doggone good for me,” said Hinson, who just finished a nine-year stint at Missouri State.

Before that, Hinson coached six seasons at Oral Roberts, the final two as head coach.

For 11 years before that came positions as coach at Stillwater Junior High, assistant coach at Stillwater High and Edmond Memorial, and head coach at Tulsa Bishop Kelley.

Exactly what Hinson did while at OSU has become somewhat of an urban legend.

More than a few Cowboys fans have walked up to Hinson and said, "Man, I remember when you played at OSU.”

Others have recalled Hinson's days as an assistant coach under Paul Hansen.

What Hinson actually did was facility maintenance work for assistant athletic director and former basketball coach Sam Aubrey.

Hinson cleaned bathrooms and the weight room. He would use a putty knife to scrape gum off the floor and bleachers, sometimes with the help of Freon.

"I was a janitor is what I was. I'm serious,” Hinson said. "When people come up to me they remember when I was a coach, I just go with it.”

Hinson would hurry up and finish his chores so he could become mesmerized while listening to legendary coach Henry Iba, Aubrey and others tell stories.

"Eventually, every day they'd end up talking about horse racing,” Hinson said. "No joke.

"The biggest butt-chewing I ever got was from (football coach) Jimmy Johnson. My job was to water the Astroturf to bring down the heat. He'd put me on a fire hose and I would go out there and water the Astroturf.

"One time Jimmy comes out as they're getting ready for practice. Half of the field has already evaporated and he thinks I'm only half-way done and he just chews me out. It was the funniest thing, although it wasn't then.”

Hinson certainly knows from whence he came.

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