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Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self said Tuesday, April 1, 2008, he isn't interested in the vacant coaching job at Oklahoma State.
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OSU coach out, but Self will stay
A coaching change took place in the Big 12 today, and it happened at Bill Self's alma mater.
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2008 NCAA Tournament
Full video coverage of the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2008 NCAA Tournament
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2007-08 April 1 Pre-Final Four KU Media Day
- Darrell Arthur talks about the plan of attack against UNC's Tyler Hansbrough
- Jeremy Case talks about being the last link to Roy Williams on the KU roster
- Russell Robinson talks about being part of a star-studded point guard group at this weekend's Final Four
- San Antonio native Chase Buford talks about things to do for Jayhawk fans making the trip
- Sherron Collins talks about upcoming challenges this weekend against North Carolina and possibly beyond
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Press Conferences & Post-Game Interviews
Bill Self's April 1 pre-Final Four press conference
KU coach Bill Self met with the media in Hadl Auditorium Tuesday to discuss the upcoming Final Four, in which his team is part of history, with all four one-seeds having advanced to San Antonio. Self talked in-depth about gameplanning for North Carolina, plus again denied rumors that he will ...
Self and OSU
Asked Tuesday about the newly created basketball coaching vacancy at his alma mater, Kansas University coach Bill Self did not say: "I don't give a (bleep) about ..." On the contrary, Self said he cares "deeply" about Oklahoma State. He also made it clear he's not interested in coaching there.
"Spent 11 years of my life at OSU," Self said at a news conference conducted to discuss KU's upcoming Final Four appearance. "But nobody from there has contacted me, and if they did, I would strongly recommend they move in another direction."
On his way out of Hadl Auditorium, Self spelled it out even more clearly, saying, "I'm not a candidate."
Outgoing OSU coach Sean Sutton, whose Cowboys upset KU, 61-60, on Feb. 23, resigned under pressure Tuesday. The timing could not have been worse for the school's Big 12 brother Kansas.
School officials did their best to minimize the potential distraction.
Both Self and KU Athletic Director Lew Perkins, who share a close relationship, indicated they will meet after the season to redo the coach's contract, which already was sweetened a year ago.
"Nobody has called me from Oklahoma State, which I would assume they would have done that," Perkins said. "We're going to do everything we possibly can to have Bill be our basketball coach here for a long, long time. I see no reason why that won't happen."
The Jayhawks and the Final Four
- A dream come true (04-02-08)
- Keegan: Jayhawks relish role of 'dogs (04-02-08)
- Other schools adopt KU mascot (04-02-08)
- Game to be shown at Allen Fieldhouse (04-02-08)
- Top teams have Big 12 ties (04-02-08)
- KU carries torch for conference yet again (04-02-08)
- The Big 12 & the Big Dance (04-02-08)
- Tar Heels fast, but KU in '90 more 'efficient' (04-02-08)
- Self dismisses interest in OSU (04-02-08)
Sherron Collins: One-on-One November 3, 2008
KU trumpets its triumphs with new I-70 turnpike signs July 2, 2008
Jayhawks up for ESPY honors July 1, 2008
Bill Self at the White House June 3, 2008
KU Jayhawks honored at the White House June 3, 2008
Comments
kushaw (anonymous) says...
This amazes me and the timing of the Sutton "Firing", I mean resignation. As much as this is a nonissue, the national media is going to try and spin this any way they want. I live in Charlotte and the local sports radio is just laughing at us because someone is trying to take our coach again. I hope Self can spin this in a manner that doesn't bring any more attention to itself than it needs to. Unreal, I can't believe this is happening again during a National Championship run. What are the boosters and AD thinking at OSU? We're in the same conference for goodness sakes!!!!!!!!!! I just hope this story doesn't bring National attention like it did back in 2003. I don't think should, but shame on OSU for not waiting a week or at least until KU was out of the tournament before they started this crap. Who would have thought that anything like this could ever happen like this after 2003? Wait, it has happened in the last 5 years! Anybody else confused? LOL!
April 2, 2008 at 8 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Chicago_JHawk (anonymous) says...
I agree about the bad timing. It's interesting - I think OSU maybe knows they have no shot at Self, so they don't care about the timing. If they really thought they could woo him, wouldn't they save this until next week so there was no chance the timing would make him angry.
April 2, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Topside (anonymous) says...
I think OSU is a little premature in firing/accepting resig. of Sutton. Sure their beginning of the season stunk, but they put together a great run the second half. I thought another year was warranted based off of the second half. Even, though he sat in the asst. seat for many years, moving over that 1-2 ft to the head coach chair is a big adjustment.
April 2, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
FlaHawk (anonymous) says...
Sounds sort of like 2003 does it!
April 2, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
momusicman (anonymous) says...
I've watched the video of Self talking about the OSU job and it gave me the creeps. First, when he's asked about Sutton he touches his face (a sign of lying). Then when he talks about it, he kind of forgets when he heard the news and who he heard it from. And finally he pretends like he doesn't know if the deed had gone down in Stillwater or not and asks a reporter. My take, he's been contacted "unofficially" and offered a chunk of money and will leave after the season.
April 2, 2008 at 12:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goldlighting (anonymous) says...
MOM, I thought the same thing, no outright rejection of the job but plenty of slick wording and nervous twitching that to me indicated the door is open. Reeks just like 2003, but oh well, what is a fan to do? As with everything else in our great country just follow the money.
April 2, 2008 at 12:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KUbsee69 (anonymous) says...
Self is no fool and only a fool would leave a top 5 (3?) program to go a lesser program, even if it is their alma mater.
I do think the timing is suspicious. Perhaps OSU (T. Boone) is introducing this distraction to retaliate for Coach Self's apparent disinterest in demoting himself.
April 2, 2008 at 12:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
actorman (anonymous) says...
To quote what someone else said, do you guys ever WATCH Self press conferences??? Those mannerisms are the mannerisms he ALWAYS displays. There was nothing different about this particular one. It's just the way he interacts with the press, a little bit of twitching, stammering, etc. It had nothing to do with this situation.
April 2, 2008 at 1:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )