Oklahoma State fired coach Sean Sutton on Tuesday and the attention immediately turned to Self, who spent 11 years in Stillwater as a player and a coach. Self has said in the past that coaching at Oklahoma State was a non-issue, and he reiterated his stance during a Final Four news conference on Tuesday.
"If they were to ask me what they should do, I would suggest they go a different direction," Self said. "I'm not being remotely disrespectful to my alma mater. My intentions are to be here at Kansas, period."
Self played for the Cowboys from 1982-85 and was an assistant at Oklahoma State from 1987-93. He has been rumored to be the lead candidate to take over at his alma mater, with the speculation that deep-pocketed Oklahoma State boosters were raising funds to lure him back.
Self said he spoke with Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins about Sutton's firing, but that Oklahoma State had not contacted him.
"It could happen, but I would tell them right now that they shouldn't, based on my situation here and how I like being at the University of Kansas," Self said.
As for Self's job status overshadowing this weekend's Final Four — the Jayhawks face North Carolina on Saturday — the coach doesn't see it.
"It won't be a distraction with me and it won't be a distraction with our players," he said.
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David, you cannot seriously be upset with Self for leaving TU for Illinois, can you? That is called upward mobility, just like leaving Illinois for Kansas. Bill Self is not Larry Brown.
What do you expect Self to say at the final four conference, "Yep, I'm heading to pokey town as soon as North Carolina dismantles us."? No coach before a final four appearance is going to remotely insinuate he might be interested in another job whether he is or not. Self probably won't leave Kansas but as for Ricky who said Kansas is a place Self will coach at for years....that's what we said at TU a few years ago as well, right before he left for Illinois which was right before he left for Kansas and...well you get the picture.
I am a KU fan checking out the news about OSU and Coach Sutton and I can only feel for the OSU fans having to deal with the OU fans. OU fans, for some reason, feel the need to put down and denigrate fans of other schools. Ironically, most fans of OU never graduated from OU. It almost seems as if OU and MU fans are trying to figure out which fans are worse sports. At least the TX, NE and KU fans have something to brag about, all the OU fans call OSU names (OSUcks) and make fun of their city (Stoolwater). I take pride in the fact that the Father of Modern Coaching, Forrest "Phog" Allen and Henry Iba were friends. This friendship led the Big 7 adding another school to the league, OSU. Pokes, I feel for you having to deal with OU fans, and remember, KU fans fought for you many decades ago and we will stand with you in future.
jim, we don't need a big name coach at OU. Jeff Capel has done well in recruiting the past two years and the team just made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament. If Blake stays next season and with top recruit Willie Warren coming in OU should be a top team in the conference again, something OSU will not be even if Bill Self is hired (which he won't be). Remember Gillespie was a big-name coach at a big-name school and look how his team fared...
UCLA, North Carolina, UConn, Kentucky. I understand the allure. Big recruiting hotbeds. Big high school basketball. Kansas-never understood. (Perhaps it is because I am originally from Big 10 country.) But forget about Self, what I detect here is the resurfacing of an old complex. OSU isn't quite good enough. Something I noticed seven years ago when I first visited the campus with a family member. Well, things have changed in the last five years. Start noticing and change with them.
Jess says: "I can't believe the Oklahoman actually took time and resources to make this article... DUH!!!! Self wants to leave a national powerhouse in basketball before playing in the final four to go to OSU, just because he played and coached there for a while. Retarded article."
Jess, note the byline. It's an article by the AP. That's the Associated Press, not the Oklahoman. So you'll have to give your "Oklahoman hates us" act a rest on this one.
Okay, I guess I'll chime in on this one... I do not now, nor have I ever believed that Bill Self will leave KU for OSU. A few weeks ago, as I was calling for Sean to get another year (and I still believe he deserved a final year), I posted that there were a few programs that recruit for themselves -- KU, UCLA, North Carolina, UConn, Kentucky, et al. OSU is not one of those programs and the top coaches know that. I don't believe that a decent coach at any of those schools is going to be the least bit impressed by TBP's money. In fact, the only people that are impressed are Holder and Gundy. OSU is going to fo through a series of coaches now that have no loyalty to the school and simply use their time there as a stepping stone to a more prestigious job. We just completed our 98th season of basketball at OSU and in that time we have had 17 coaches. Two coaches account for 52 years of the program meaning that the other 15 coaches have averaged just over three years each. Just like Eddie found success by looking at the juco ranks, Holder has created the same situation for the basketball program now. He is going to have to go after a top-flight mid-major coach, throw him a bone on a BCS stage, let him coach for two or three years and then start over when that coach bolts for a better program. Sooner alums/fans chastising OSU alums/fans for wishing Self would make the jump -- relax we know exactly what we're facing, you can't blame us for hoping. Fact is, and I hope I am dead-wrong, we are back on the merry-go-round.
jj--Self not coming to OSU is no surprise, but one thing is for darn sure, he nor any other big name coach will ever even be MENTIONED as a possible ou coach.
The coaching carousel in college athletics is always an enigma. Coaches say they are happy and love where they are and then drop the bomb and leave. There is no loyalty in todays times and it is all about the money. I feel that you don't leave a job in Kansas to go back to OSU even though it is your alma mater. However, Kansas is a high profile job and after Self loses all those seniors, will KU be as patient as he rebuilds or reloads. Losing will turn a University against you real quick. If Stoops has 2 bad years, OU fans would be calling for a change even though he is a good coach. Sometimes being home is a comfoting thing and some coaches and people for that matter would enjoy coming back to their home state. I live in Texas and I miss Oklahoma dearly and cannot wait to come back home, even though I would have to endure the ZereOU Gooner fans. Situationanlly I feel that Self should stay and OSU should go out and look elsewhere, we should have no problem landing a great candidate. But don't underestimate the power of money in a state that is relatively lower income compared to the nation. Although Kansas is not much different. I would love to have Self, but will be happy with any qualified candidate. If Self was still at Illinois, he would be negotiating as I type. My point is that home and family mean more than most people think and anything is possible. Money appears to not be an issue only the tradition and situation. Whatever happens, I feel OSU will have a great coach either way and better days are ahead. The facilities and recent tradition are too good to keep down for too long.
For one thing Jenifer, this article just came out on the site a little while ago. It's not like it's been up a long time. The OSU fans are still all over the other articles about the firing. Also, it works both ways. OU fans scatter like roaches when some negative news comes out of Norman. You are really just blowing a lot of the comments out of proportion. I haven't counted, but I don't think MOST OSU fans have been ranting all week that Self is coming. Besides, people on the message boards (for both OU and OSU) are not always a true cross section of the fan base. I haven't seen any post on here that says any big name coaches are knocking down the doors to come to Stillwater. Sure, lots of fans are speculating that Pickens' money will be used to hire a big name. But that's what fans do. They speculate and they shoot for the sky. What would you have us do? Settle for some no-name coach from some backwater school without even trying for something better? For the record, I don't agree with the firing either and that is well documented on these boards.
I'm a Cowboy fan, and I don't know anyone that thinks we can get Self...I know a bunch of people that wish we COULD get him, but I don't know anyone that thinks it's a good possibility.
I can't believe the Oklahoman actually took time and resources to make this article... DUH!!!! Self wants to leave a national powerhouse in basketball before playing in the final four to go to OSU, just because he played and coached there for a while. Retarded article.
Patrick, I'm just calling it like I see it. Most of the OSU fans on this board have been ranting all week that Self has all but packed his bags. And when he comes out saying, "thanks, but no thanks," they disappear. It is more than likely that OSU will find a "bigger" name than OSU. I mean, c'mon, who outside of the state of Virginia had really heard of Jeff Capel 2 years ago? That's a no-brainer. I just don't know the coaches the elite programs are knocking down doors to move to Stillwater like some OSU fans claim. I don't agree with the way Suttongate has been handled - and that goes all the way to Coach E's DUI. OSU probably should have gone on a hiring search 2 years ago to figure out whether Sean was really up to things. Now, they find themselves in an embarrassing situation, firing a coach because he is not up to their "expectations," when Holder won't even disclose publicly what those expectations are. The whole ordeal is a mess, and poor Sean got caught in the crosshairs.
JJ & Jenifer-Wow, what a devastating shock to us all. My gosh, everyone in the entire Cowboy Nation was thinking Self was just going leave KU at the alter of the Final Four and come running home this evening. Come on, probably 95% of us have known forever that Self is not coming. I know you guys just love thinking we are all devastated and depressed that we aren't getting Self. Well, here's a newsflash for you...THIS ISN'T ANYTHING NEW. Most of us moved on long ago. You OU fans are so afraid that OSU just MIGHT hire a bigger name than OU did that you just can't keep from coming over here and reassuring yourselves that we aren't getting Self. Get over it. We have, long ago.
JJ, I RARELY agree with what you have to say, but in this case, we definitely see eye to eye. I notice no Pokeys have climbed on board here. They tend to make a mass exodus when they've been proven wrong.
Holder on Sutton: 'I take no joy in this' 04/01/2008 STILLWATER — Sean Sutton's two-year tenure as head coach at Oklahoma State ended on Tuesday. "This is a tough day for us. I take no joy...
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Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.
Jess, note the byline. It's an article by the AP. That's the Associated Press, not the Oklahoman. So you'll have to give your "Oklahoman hates us" act a rest on this one.