Sutton axed at OSU......

[GhostOfTomJoad]

This is why OSU needs coaches like Self & Gundy (although he sucks). Okie State has never been a destination job for a coach except for maybe wrestling. Their best bet for long term success is to hire a former player/alum who actually wants to coach (and live) in Stillwater. Now, they're unlikely to ever find a former poke football player who will be able to coach their sorry asses to any type of long term success, but does anyone think they'll ever produce a coach as good as Bill Self again? That's why it makes sense for Holder/Pickens to pay whatever it takes to bring him into the fold.

I still don't see it happening but if you give any creedence to the rumors (Self's parents recently moved to Stillwater, his wife is already contacting realtors, etc.) then there's at least a possibility of this happening.

 

[TULPoke]

It's kind of hard to make the statement that Oklahoma State isn't a "destination" job for basketball when the head coaching position hasn't really ever been shopped at a decent time.

Hank Iba was allowed to continue well beyond his prime, and the program was crap by the time that position was on the market. For 20 years, none of the hires worked out and the program was essentially ignored from a facility standpoint until Eddie Sutton returned.

Eddie immediately brought creditibility back to the program with a couple of Sweet 16's, then the Final Four, an Elite 8, etc., then the faciliities went from cozy to elaborate.

Obviously Sean was already handed the keys when Eddie forced himself out, and it has been two years of underperforming.

If you make a list of pros and cons for the job, what do you have?

Pros

Elite arena
Large and enthusiastic fan base
Great support facilities
Financial commitment
Talented roster
Tradition

Cons

Location?
What else?
Tough division? Texas will obviously be a major factor as long as Rick Barnes is there, but who else is any self-respecting coach going to be scared of in the South? Capel at OU? Turgeon in Aggieland? I doubt it...

 

[Mr. Orange]

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[skyranger43]

some schools would trade for 6-Sweet 16's; 3-Big 12 tourn. Titles;2- Big 12 Titles, and 2 Final 4's. That is a litlle more than anybody in the Big 12 has done outside of KU. That isn't UCLA, but he did without Parade AA's up and down the bench either. So lets don't go and classify them as a Baylor just yet either.

 

[Mr. Orange]

Skyranger, I'm not gonna argue that they aren't better than Baylor, but a quick check on the Big XII site shows that your recollection of their achievements is a bit off. They have 1 Conf championship, 2 tourny championships, and since the inception of the Big XII are 4th in wins behind KU, TX, and OU. Nothing to be ashamed of, but also nothing that a 5 star recruit will care about either way. I'm not saying they are completely void of tradition, I'm just saying its no better than ours or OUs. And I don't consider either of those programs to be all that "tradition rich"

 

[skyranger43]

My figures may be wrong, but I took it straight out of the Daily ok rag. They gave a list of E.Sutton's accomplishments. I know they are no Duke, NC, or UCLA, but they have some basketball tradition. Most coaches that knew him think Henry Iba was one of the best coaches that ever lived. I really think they have more traditon than anyone in the Big 12 outside of Kansas. Texas, I love, but we weren't **** until Barnes came here. I don't really put OU up there at all. They have had some success under Sampson and mostly blowhard crap out of Billy Tubbs except one year he made it to the finals and KU beat him after he had beaten them 2 or 3 times. KSU used to be good, but that was a long, long time ago.

 

[dangdirtysooner]

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[Orangesweat]

They did him a favor.

 

[4realhorn]

OSU ought to go after someone like Lon Kruger. Honestly I'm surprised Aggy didn't go after him.

 

[coolhorn]

okie lite's got some good things available for the basketball program, but it's gonna be hard for them to find someone who sees Stillwater as a destination. They might be smart to look toward one of the mid-major programs that's had some success for their next coach. I think the right coach can recruit and win there, but finding the right coach is gonna be the rub for Pickens and Holder.