Was the AD already in Nashville working on Plan B? What about a flight scheduled from Stillwater to Minneapolis?
In reality the AD was in his office, sitting at his desk, nursing a bit of a broken heart.
Holder flew to Kansas on Wednesday evening and met with Self in a hotel south of Kansas City for several hours. Holder and Self both said they did not discuss any dollar figures for the OSU men's basketball coaching job, but Holder left with the hope that Self was coming to Stillwater.
Self called Holder on Thursday afternoon, a couple of hours before his press conference in Lawrence, to tell him he wouldn't be coming.
"I told him he broke my heart, and I'm serious about that,” Holder said. "So I'm gonna have to kind of regroup and get over that, the loss, first. Then figure out where to go from here.”
"I think from my point of view I put a lot of energy and thought into the moment of truth with Bill Self when I sat down with him last night. I think at the end of the day I had myself sold on him coming to Oklahoma State but I couldn't sell Bill Self on coming to Oklahoma State.”
Holder said that because he firmly believes "you don't make any decisions over money,” he and Self discussed other things during the meeting, with Holder trying to appeal to Self to "come home.”
"I thought a lot about Bill Self before, but I think a lot more of him now,” Holder said. "I think he's a lot more than just a basketball coach. He's a leader of men and Kansas University is very lucky to have him and we're very proud he's a Cowboy. He just happens to be coaching at Kansas.”
As for what will come next in his search to replace Sean Sutton, Holder said he hasn't spoken to any other coaches, scheduled any meetings or made any moves.
"There are a lot of good coaches out there,” Holder said. "The real challenge is to pick the one that I think is for us. That's my mission. I failed on my first assignment, so I'm going to try someone else.
"But I think everybody and every Cowboy fan would have been very disappointed, as I would have been with myself, had we not given Bill Self an opportunity to come home. I think out of respect for him and the tradition of our basketball program, we should have done that. We have done that and he has spoken and now it is time to move on to someone else.”
Editor's Note: The story originally contained the sentence: "Holder flew to Kansas on Tuesday evening and met with Self in a hotel south of Kansas City for several hours." That was incorrect. Holder flew to Kansas on Wednesday evening.
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Jim you take things too hard. I've noted about too much sensitivity on the bahalf of many of you. How many sports do you play where you are not critiqued? That is all this is, some of us are more constructive than others. Feeling should not be hurt by ones opinion of a sports team. Learn to have a good time while you are here, you can't make any of us leave. Hell I think alot of it is pretty damn funny and informative at the same time. I'm glad we all have the chance and partake without being violent. If you cannot handle a cyber bully, better not use a computer. Maybe have your mother put you in a V-chip or whatever so you won't be offended. You might want to stay inside you house for the rest of your life, because you hear this bedlam stuff everywhere, and I think many of us love it.
Yea, I moved to OKC so I could work in Medical Research. NOt much of that going on in Stillwater. Still come back there, family is still there. Just because I moved doesn't mean I don't like Stillwater. You are the one that sounded bitter...my friend!
As I said before Richard I misspoke on the danny thing. You are not him and to call you that was wrong cause he really is a POS. I also told you that Crystal PLunge was the local pool. Long gone now. No I was not a get rid of Sean, Bill will come. Aftre Holder fired Sean, I thought we might have a chance if he DID NOT win the NC. I knew when the game was done, he would not come. I cheered Kansas on just the same. 1. Because of Bill Self and 2. Because they are Big XII.
I attended C.E. Donart High, CT. How about the Crystal Plunge, CT? You know what that is don't you... what with you being the Stillwater expert and all??? I take it you must be one of those, "Self will take the job if we just get rid of Sutton" geniuses. Good work!
Gee richard I think you are dannyitmustsucktobeyou from wilson/ardmore. Here is a Stillwater question for you to see if you know anything about Stillwater. Prior to becoming Stillwater High School, what was the previous name? Doesn't really matter to me if you figure it out, you are still danny from Cameron U.
All the Sutton detractors (including Holder and Boone) who wanted Self all along and KNEW he would come back to OSU are... well... let's be nice... let's just say they're, SPECIAL. Now all these geniuses have to do is find a better coach than Sutton... a better coach than Sutton who's all about attending all of Holder's meetings and filling out all of Holder's form's and bowing to Holder, the self appointed Diety of all OSU Athletics. Lot's of luck! (what a bunch of tools)
The next coach for OSU will have to decide if they want to be owned by Boone Pickens. He is calling the shots. Not your average donor, Boone is a bully.
As much as any OSu fan wants Bill self--He was never interested in the job. He never came to us. He just won a NC with one of the top 3 schools in the country. We went to him and yes Kansas is an elite program. But he didnt sell out to even Kansas--did he? You see It must suck...he does have morals and isnt money hungry just like everyone else you say is. At least OSU made him a better person. But OSU isnt as bad as you make them. Only 6 teams have more championships--was 5 until KAnsas with all their greatness just passed us. Only 8 schools have been to more final fours. We are not an elite program but our history does speak for itself and we are a basketball school.
to itmustsucktobeosu, ardmore; you must be a miserable person. I can think of nothing worse than to be in your skin, so no matter how much it sucks to be osu, it must really SUCK to be you. By the way, if it bothers you so much, why don't you stay off OSU blogs? Wow, to wake every morning and be you would be so sad.
and as far as stair stepping job! osu has been an escalator, good coaches come and rise a bit, then guess what always happens? They get off the ride and osu falls back down where we all love osu to be. If osu were in maybe, a nicer town things might be different, but it isnt, so loyal osu fans, be grateful to get any coach to come to your town. have a wonderful osu night now.
itmustsucktobeosu, ardmore - Apr 11, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Trey, there is one more reality to speak about. The Oklahoma A&M Aggies won championships in basketball, do not lay claim to something that does not belong to osu. The record books state clearly the team that won the championships in the 40's. It was the Oklahoma A&M Aggies. I have been trying to clear this up for some time now. I will say once more, it was the Aggies! not the cowboys, how can this be mistaken?
itmustsucktobeosu, ardmore - Apr 11, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Monty that was a good post directed toward me, you are right, there is absolutely nothing wrong with going after whomever osu wants. What I talk about on here is, the messiah Bill Self, Mr. osu himself didn't want the job at osu. You should have seen all the posts here talking about "how osu got Bill to come on down" and "how his wife was seen looking at houses in or near stillwater". It all came out in the wash! He didnt come to osu and all the classy osu fans jumped the gun. I am sorry but there isn't a top 20 basketball program in the whole state of Oklahoma. to end this the right way, It is a fact now that whomever osu hires as their head coach will only be doing it for one reason, no not pride, no not glory, they will do it for the big PAY DAY, that MR. SELF just made happen at stillwater.
itmustsucktobeosu, ardmore - Apr 11, 2008 at 11:41 pm
OSU is in danger of becoming another stair stepping Job. I really did laugh out loud. You mean like what happened at OU? The reality is unless your name is Kansas, UNC, UCLA, Kentucky, Indiana and now Duke(before coach K Duke wasn't too stellar) it will happen to you every now and then. It just means you hired a great coach that could coach at the top-five level. Kansas is the only top-five school in the big 12. OU isn't top ten in any categories. At least OSU has three(a multi-way tie in top-ten for finals fours and championships, oh yeah and twice named the best venue in college basketball). Even if we do lag in the head to head with you guys. Come on guys let's take off the orange and crimson colored glasses. Both are great schools with OSU getting the edge in basketball because our fans and school as a whole embraces the sport more. Neither, are elite schools by any means.
itsuckstobeou....why is it wrong for a school to go after the best coach avaiable? OSu has offered zero dollars to any coach so far. What are they trying to buy? You listen to the all thes OU reporters and have cloudy vision. Just because your coach used you to get more money doesnt mean were all wired that way. Just sit back, relax and try not to be too jealous.
Sounds like the rumor mill is kicking into high gear. Dixon, Calipari, LARRY BROWN? Great coach in his day and might be good for a year or two, then it would completely implode. Please. And I agree with Phil. Calipari is a great coach, but he just wouldn't seem to be a good fit at OSU.
M-"Find a solid up & comer from a mid-major and make an offer". What you left off the end of that sentence was "like ou did". That way, we don't have to show you guys up with a bigger better hire, right?
Calipari does this every year to milk more bucks out of Memphis. No successful, established coach is moving to Stoolwater. Find a solid up & comer from a mid-major and make an offer. OSU is in danger of becoming another "stair stepping" job, ala Tulsa.
Well they just said on the news...I know, (can you actually believe media outlets?), that both Dixon AND Calipari's agents have contacted OSU about the vacancy. Who knows?
Quote from the article: "Holder said that because he firmly believes "you don't make any decisions over money,” WOW!!! And I thought that this is America
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