It needs to be someone proven at the major conference level. Anything else and there may be a riot in Stillwater.

I agree 100% with you John. This is a legendary blow to Oklahoma State athletics. There's no doubt that any school would love to have the money that Boone Pickens has gifted to OSU, but the reality is that a collegiate athletic program cannot be run like a professional sports franchise and this is now what OSU has in Pickens.

I would never say that OSU, or any school for that matter, can't recover...you can always recover, but rest assured that the road back for Oklahoma State will be very long indeed. It is just not easy to absorb the blow of alienating a legendary family and striking out on your only chance to make an obvious mistake right.

You have to say that Bill Self made the right decision. He had a choice...be a millionaire and accountable to an administration and a fan base, or be a millionaire and be accountable and essentially owned by a single man who will turn on you the first time you make a mistake that he philosophically disagrees with.

Good choice Bill...you will now be rich, happy, prestigious and a champion...all things that you could not have had at OSU.

Oh, come on, Klein!

It's not a knock-out punch or anything of the sort! Yes, everyone associated with OSU would love to get Self.

But a week ago did anyone think it was a real possibility? Not anyone who actually thought it through. It only became a possibility because Self allowed it to be by giving vague answers to the press once the rumors started.

There will always be unhappy fans no matter what an administration does. Personally, I think the way Holder/Pickens do business is disgusting. But crikes, hundreds, probably more, OU fans wanted Stoops run out of town after the bowl game! Fans are often not too bright.

OSU can still get a great coach. Do you really think Bill Self is the only great coach out there? Earlier this season, there were still plenty of KU fans who were ready to be done with him, still unforgiving for the 1st round losses. One game changes everyone's opinion.

Holder will no doubt be unpopular for this. As he probably should be. Boone Pickens is a sleazy businessman. I don't think Holder is his puppet. I think Holder's his pal, and as such is a cocky, arrogrant country-club spoiled rich kid trapped in the body of a 60-yr-old man who thinks he's untouchable.

What's disturbing is that he probably is untouchable until Pickens leaves this earth for his just reward.

While I don't care for the way these guys are doing business, one can't argue with their success rate. You don't become a billionair by being an idiot, nor do you single-handedly create the best college golf program in America and get a golf course built.

I say there's still plenty of hope for OSU, in basketball and all other sports. These are smart, ruthless men who want to succeed.

We may not like the way they do it, but there's something about winning that has a tendency to cover up wounds, anger, and all the other bad feelings that are festering right now.

Let's wait and see how this shakes out. What if OSU hires Jamie Dixon or Bruce Pearl or Sean Miller or John Calipari or Keno Davis or Tubby Smith or an assistant from a big-time program? OSU can still make a good hire, and what will all these knee-jerk reactors have to say then?

The knockout punch may end up being reserved for all the naysayers.

John,
There was never much chance Holder was going to land Bill Self. It was hyped in Oklahoma a little too much and to Bill's advantage. The best thing the University could do now is sign away the basketball program to somebody like Bob Knight and lettyhem run it as long as they liked.
Coach Knight would restore integrity to the school and the program while overshadowing the rather profesional and crass personaity of the T Bone . Good article John, it showed some realism and wise experience with amateur athletics.

John,
There was never much chance Holder was going to land Bill Self. It was hyped in Oklahoma a little too much and to Bill's advantage. The best thing the University could do now is sign away the basketball program to somebody like Bob Knight and lettyhem run it as long as they liked.
Coach Knight would restore integrity to the school and the program while overshadowing the rather profesional and crass personaity of the T Bone . Good article John, it showed some realism and wise experience with amateur athletics.

Rob, there's no need to post the same thing FOUR times!!!

No need at all, sir.

Self couldn't win in Stillwater anyway. That much was evident on Feb. 23, 2008. Bring back Sean and hire Gary Ward as AD.

I liked Sean Sutton because he showed passion and heart for OSU basketball. Sean wanted OSU to win more than anything. Today, we learned that Sean had more heart for the program then Bill Self. For that, I am glad Self is staying at KU.
Mike Holder saw something about the program that was distriburing and it was three NIT's in a row. The fans were starting to accept it by saying Sean needed another year or I can't believe the Sutton family been treated this way. I am with Holder and its time to bring in a coach who can take OSU back to challenging for Big 12 titles and making the "Big Dance".
If we wanted to live in the past Sean would still be the coach or maybe Holder would be looking for Moe Iba.

I don't think anyone expected Self to leave Kansas but OSU had to offer to rule him out and now to move on to a serious search. My question is if Self had left Kansas, who would KU be looking at?

I believe that Sean should have been fired and I have no problem with the way Holder recruited Self. Sometimes things just can't work out and an administrator is not necessarily to blame for that. Sean's firing was his own fault and Self's decision not to come home was based on the attractiveness of his situation at KU.

Don't be so quick to judge Holder's AD abilities. I like what he's done so far and he needs more time to prove his self.

It is so much FUN to watch OSU stew in their own juice. I can't WAIT until Gundy goes 6-6 or worse and see if the own...(oops,sorry) booster T Boone Pickens makes the call on "I'M A MAN, I'M FORTY"

If what we read is true, looks like Holder should be fired for gross negligence and incompetence. His heart is broken, boo hoo, and he hasn't given a second thought to who to contact for the position or how to go about it. More crap out of the mouth of Mike Holder.

Holder didn't talk money or contract details with Self???? What the heck did he think he could do, just ask him if wants to come back to OSU. I.m sure Self was professional in his response but he had to be thinking to himself - what kind of baffoon is this guy? I've got the best job in college basketball right now and this guy comes in here totally unprepared to make me an offer and he expects me to just say OK??? OSU is in deep trouble with Holder.

I wonder how Pickens made all his money if he hires guys like Holder to help him run his companies.