Blair, Oklahoma City (4/2/2008 2:12:02 AM)

Dave, I have been critical in the past. But bravo, you are absolutely on the money. This is an embarrassment, and though I may not agree with you all the time, I certainly respect your willingness to 'call it like you see it.' This is excellent work.

John, (4/2/2008 2:35:40 AM)

Fully agreed! Today, I am ashamed to be an OSU fan and alum.

Don, Bixby (4/2/2008 5:20:14 AM)

Fully agree Dave. Even though I am a proud OSU Alum, I am done with everything associated with the athletic program as long as Holder is AD.

pokefan, broken arrow (4/2/2008 7:03:11 AM)

While I'm sure Pickens is in on most big decisions - Sean did nothing to actually KEEP his job. 2 1/2 years of embarrassing losses (ORU, North Texas, Iowa State, etc), player defections, swept by in-state rival, 3 straight one-and-dones in the NIT, losing every single road game except for 2 (99%?) and on and on...

Sittler - even you had to chuckle when typing "just two respectable seasons into a five year contract". REALLY? Respectable? There was nothing respectable about them.

Everyone needs to stop their crying and get on board. I am PROUD to be an OSU fan. I'm glad Holder had the guts to make this very tough decision.

Steve, Claremore (4/2/2008 7:03:34 AM)

"The best revenge is to live well." Best of luck to Sean wherever he lands. Hope Eddie's name stays on the court so Boone and his cronies will have to live with it.

Eric, OKC (4/2/2008 7:16:00 AM)

I've supported Sean in the past, but after reflection it is time for him to go. I think he wasn't ready to coach a program with high expectations. Stiller, you sound like all decisions are made by Boone. I don't believe that to be the case. Two years of road losses? Either all of the players from the last three years that have come and left were so badly scouted or poor choices were made. Coaches coming and going doesn't make for a stable program.

I think Sean was correct to begin recruiting more high school players instead of focusing on juco's, but he apparently struck out on more than a few.

Finally, with high fan, media and school expectations, the small mistakes were magnified two fold. All of the rumors did not help either.

pvdrifter, pauls valley (4/5/2008 4:24:29 PM)

A long-time coach with a great reputation has a mediocre season, getting into a little trouble with some issues. Influential alum(s?) cause the adminstration to dance on a pin and immediately make changes. Oops I'm not talkig about the Sutton deal. Its the Howard Schenellenburger saga at uo! Hey, Sitler and the ou fans- talk about the pot callig the kettle black!?!

Richard, Stillwater (4/6/2008 10:25:56 AM)

"Come on. Was Sean going to take this team anywhere? He is a mediocre coach at best and not the reincarnation of Eddie. Get a seasoned coach in here and get competitive." - 71. Big Picture Guy, Tulsa

Do you mean Sean, Big Picture Guy, or are you talking about Gundy?

Caroline, Hominy (4/6/2008 6:03:37 PM)

Good Job Dave I agree with every word you say, Holder only support the girls this year and not give any hope on Sutton.

Sam Hulse, Fort Worth (4/7/2008 9:34:21 PM)

OSU made the right decision. Suttons are owed nothing any more than anyone else. Did the court's namesake worry about the program when he sent west to pad his stats? Name one major university interviewing Sean for their head coaching position. That says it all right there. Gary Gibbs and Sean Sutton: fantastic assistant head coaches but it stops there. Get ready to add Gundy to that list.

Mike, Tulsa (4/8/2008 9:22:21 PM)

Mr. Sittler, going to the NIT is poor leadership compared to going to the NCAA Tournament. If Sutton Jr. didn't know that he is better-off resigning and learning a lesson. College sports is the business of winning. It’s not 3 years of waiting to win, Pat Jones as example. It’s the business of winning now, tomorrow, next year. I don’t care what Sutton, Jr. was doing the next day after losing in the first round of the NIT. Smart, hard-working, disciplined people can be perennial losers. Ultimately, coaches are judged by the W or the L. Why do you think Eddie Sutton was hired in the first place? Who cares if his alma mater is OSU. I’d hire a green, red-eyed alien as coach if it could win and not violate NCAA Regulations.

How often is a son as good as his father at a trade, skill or much less as head coach of a top 20 Bball Program. Obviously, Eddie thinks his son can do anything. All fathers are biased about their sons-they should be. However, it doesn’t justify giving an unproven Sutton, Jr. a coaching job. Sutton, Jr. was set up to fail by his father’s expectations and the pressure his father put on the AD Department to give, and I mean give, the coaching job to him. A good reason to replace the AD (Birdwell) was that deal he made to give Sutton, Jr. the coaching job. It was as if Eddie was the King that earned all his power by his own abilities and experience. Sutton, Jr. the hapless Prince, on the other hand, was born to takeover his dad’s throne just because he had some of Eddie’s DNA. Sutton Jr. had an impossible task. In order to have kept the job he would have had to be as good or better than Eddie. Given Eddie’s number of wins and his experience in college basketball it was only a matter of time for Sutton, Jr. ouster.

Once OSU accepted the hundreds of millions from T. Boone Pickens they should expect him to put his people in charge so they could execute T.Boone's decisions. Mr. Pickens specializes in hostile corporate takeovers. This is just an athletic department version of a non-hostile takeover. What if you gave that money? Would you want to let just anyone spend it anyway they wanted? If you said “No“ you‘re not a competitive person. Pickens learned through business experience that once you take over an organization, you get rid of the poor leadership or the organization will fail.

If you're a great businessperson, hyper-competitive athlete you’ll want to do one thing--win. In a “60 Minutes” interview Tiger Woods said he so competitive he would want to beat the interview Ed Bradley (deceased) at "Tiddlewinks." That's the kind of competitive spirit T Boone is bringing to Oklahoma State.

I can understand how a diehard OSU fan might be ashamed. For the latter half of the 20th century and certainly during the 21st century OSTATE fans, myself included, have had to learn the mentality of a loser.
We’ve learned the loser mentality in many ways. First of all, we rationalize every loss-especially in football. Secondly, we start to identify OSTATE as the “softer-gentler university that has a great heart, tries hard, but ultimately loses much more than it wins. Finally, by putting too much emphasis on “a big heart” and “trying” we can’t identify nor appreciate a hyper-competitive OSU Alumni & fan (Pickens) who wants to win. Pickens won’t let money stand in the way. Nor will he let relationships with employees (coaches) cloud his judgment or his focus on winning.

So if you’re still ashamed because the Pickens Athletic Department wants to win, go find another losing athletic department and follow their teams. Or seek “ORANGE & BLACK Cowboy Loser Therapy.“ I only charge $50.00 an hour. In addition, if you're an OSU fan ashamed at the forced resignation of Sean Sutton, perhaps it hasn‘t sunk in yet…Only one thing matters, and it‘s not who your daddy is, it‘s--winning. See "We Are Marshall" on DVD) Please learn to be a realist.

Collegiate sports are about money and winning that's it! What did OSU fans and administrators/regents expect from Pickens?... a check, a kiss on the cheek then he

OSUforlife, BA (4/14/2008 10:40:50 AM)

#23- I'm definetely NOT a Texas fan. However, in the last 5 years they've won football and baseball (I think... not sure on baseball). If that is your comparison... national champions here we come!

Bill, Stillwater (4/3/2008 12:50:34 PM)

I agree with Sittler and if you think about it. There are 168 million reason to know that he is right. I hope Sean comes back with another team and puts a big boot in Pistol Pete's rear!!!!!!!!!!!

Jacob, Tulsa (4/3/2008 2:28:28 PM)

All i can say is that before mr. eddie sutton arrived in 1990, what was OSU's record before that. It had been since IBA was coach since OSU had won anything. Guess what, holder, now you've ran off any chance of winning anything in basketball again. OSU will not compete anymore folks think about it, they had won or been to the NCAA in how long before a sutton took over. THEY NEED TO FIRE HOLDER< HE"S ANOTHER PETERSON FROM NEBRASKA

Fire Holder, Holder sucks (4/3/2008 6:44:56 PM)

Holder is a tyrant.....osu deserves better then this small balled loser.

Interrogator, Owasso (4/3/2008 11:26:22 PM)

Dave, it is obvious you love your job and pursue it with zeal. You are not afraid to espouse unpopular opinions or positions which could jeapordize your esteem in the eyes of programs and coaches whom you need relationships with, in order to gather information. That is risky, but appealing quality for a feature writer. However, you are about to take a bath over your endorsements of Sean and disregard for the managerial acumen of principals in the OSU Athletic Department. Your related columns would have been okay, if they were right. But in this case you didn't do your "due diligence" before attacking the system.
I'm going to send you a separate e/mail--not for public eyes-- although same information will no doubt shortly be published. It will be recognized all too obvious, and all too necessary, what Mike Holder had to do when this information about Sean comes to light.

Big Picture Guy, Tulsa (4/4/2008 8:26:51 AM)

Come on. Was Sean going to take this team anywhere? He is a mediocre coach at best and not the reincarnation of Eddie. Get a seasoned coach in here and get competitive. The university shouldn't have made a deal with Eddie that permitted an incompetent coach to be hired in the first place. Talk about and memorialize Eddie he was a successful coach. The other son looks like a better coach to me.

Phinneas von Finkelstien, Tulsa (4/4/2008 1:08:15 PM)

All of this proves a point that T Boone and his sock puppet Mike Holder have yet to figure out, "Money can't buy you class."

tammy, bixby (4/3/2008 7:45:46 AM)

being human I don't always agree with Dave's articles, but he was 'dead on' with the story that Sean was forced out and the T Boone was a major force. I commend him for being honest and taking the risk in print. It was a shame and a bad mark for OSU for what Mike Holder and the 'university' did.

Willy, (4/3/2008 7:59:20 AM)

It is amazing that people are upset at Holder and Pickens but have given Eddie a free pass on his drunk driving accident. He was in a head on collision that could have killed someone yet we honor him by having his name on the arena floor. He should have had his name on a jail cell. Sittler must have been one of Eddie's drinking buddies.

Brad, Springdale,AR. (4/3/2008 9:32:04 AM)

THere has not been a basketball program at OSU since the Iba days and then the Sutton family came to StillwATER AND PUT THEM ON THE NATIONAL SCENE EVERY YEAR. Sean was let go because of jealousy of Holder and Pickens. Suttons were the biggest names in Stillwater and that drove these arrogant cowards crazy.HOw do you justify firing a coach with a 39-29 record in two years and giving Gundy an extension with an overall record of 18-19 in 3 years. He has an 8-16 conference record. Of his 18 wins, 2 are against FLA. Atlantic, 2 against Arkansas State, Missouri State, and Sam Houston State, and Montana State. His record against Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma is 0-9. WOW! Gundy is Pickens boy and he gave him an extension. Amazing!

Blarney, (4/3/2008 9:52:56 AM)

NEWS FLASH: Holder is leaving his wife after many years to expand his relationship with Boone Pickens!

Kristine, (4/3/2008 11:47:34 AM)

Wow. As I was reading this article something seemed oddly familiar. Dave's whining reminded me of when my children would come home from school with some tale of how mean the teacher was to one of their friends. "Billy got in trouble today and it wasn't even his fault"! After further discussion it usually became apparent that Billy deserved his punishment. Sounds like Sean Sutton wasn't performing and he can now try his luck somewhere else. Such is life Dave.

Tim, Lake Dallas (4/3/2008 12:08:36 PM)

Dave the only problem you have is no facts. Have you talked to anyone in the know? This is Jenny Carleson journalism. Supposition, inuendo, and guessing. You may be right or right over the top. The problem with journalism today is that libel laws are to loose. You obviously want to stir the pot more with a rather undocumented story with little to go on. You are basically calling Mike Holder a liar. He stated that it wasn't personal but the direction of the program. When the coach himselg admitts that he will go and look at other programs to reorganize the program it simply means he wasn't sure what to do. That means he lacked the knowledge and or skills to be head coach. Now that is factual. Deal with that. I like Sean and Eddy a lot but it was clear that Sean should have gone off and been a head coach like his brother before coming to be our head coach. Now you can criticize Mike if he brings in an assistant and not a prove commodity.

Pete, Vinita (4/2/2008 8:42:03 PM)

I agree with #5, Sean good luck and God bless you and your family. We should have learned from Pickens action on Phillips in Bartlesville in the 80's. If we ever find out for sure that all this was his doing let's take his name off the stadium, but make sure Coach Suttons' stays.