Is anyone else bothered by the fact that a private booster is calling the shots in the OSU athletic department?
While I'm not defending coach Sean, he was railroaded due to a conflict between his family and Pickens.
While, we all appreciate the financial gifts Mr. Pickens has given the university, this is not a professional sport franchise. It seems like Pickens is the Team Owner and tells his General Manager (AD in this case) what he wants. Holder was hand picked by Pickens and is his puppet.
Quote from the Daily Oklahoman
"They were looking for a new AD and I said, ‘Well, you got the perfect guy for the job,' ” OSU alumnus and oil magnate T. Boone Pickens said. "They said, ‘Who?' I said, ‘Well, Holder.' It was so obvious to me that you had a guy who could do everything you want to have done.”
Pickens' word and wallet carried a lot of weight."
Phil Knight pretty much owns Oregon, and there is a booster that donates a metric F**-ton to Auburn as well. So look at it this way, it could be worse. We could be used as Nike's personal uniform test subjects.
I think that Pickens really wants what is best for the University and he genuinely wants nothing more than for us to be VERY good in athletics. So I don't have a huge problem with it.
But my question is, what happens when he dies? He's pretty old.
Are you kidding me. The old man wants to win and he is using his money to get his way. You don't lose to Oral Roberts at the Ford center and get away with it, especially when your overall record as a coach is so close to .500
I dont know guys, its deff up in the air. I mean think about this.
We are going to have one of the most storied stadiums in the big XII. we will win a big XII title. We will win a NC in the future. We will not lose to OU for like 3 or 4 years in a row at times. Get the picture? With the money that has been provided, we are able to take a program to the "next level." Think about storied and NC rich teams like Nebraska, OU, Texas, Ohio State, USC, what do these teams have in common? Money!! How did they get it? Well, take the last 15 years for all of those teams. Now, look at the bowls they were in. count this.....
NC's
BCS
Major Bowls
Conference Titles
What were the payouts on these? seriously! How did they get to that consistent point of being in the running? Money. recruiting, facilities.
Take the last 15 years for OSU. How many NC'S? How many BCS? How many Conference titles? How many Big time bowl games?
Not having those under our belt for money payouts and for Alumni support through those years becaseu of a winning program, has left us moneyless guys.Boone Pickens had enough. He was tired of trying to catch up with the rest of the field. He knews the only way to get us to that point was money. And thats what we have now.
He could do some good to back down a bit. but its a sacrifice we have to make to make it big.
Obirobman - I agree that I don't like that either, but at the same time I'm glad that we have him. Schools with the most successful athletic programs know how to pick great leaders, set high expectations, and spend their money to do whatever it takes to meet those expectations. The general perspective at OSU, and I hate this, is that the athletic programs are not for generating revenue by having teams to compete for national titles, but rather to have athletic teams for entertainment, so students have something to do at night. And that beating OU is all that matters. (okay, I might be exaggerating a little) I like that Pickens does what he does so hopefully as a university, we all feel the need to be competitive in everything, and when we beat OU, it's nothing, and we when beat the #5 team in the country at home, it's expected so we don't need to rush the court. I'm know we're a long way from being at the top in any sport besides wrestling (which I'm proud of), but we need to do things that will get everyone into a competitive mindframe to where eventually, mediocrity is unacceptable. (I hate having 7-6 football seasons!!!)Having Boone and his money and all the things that are happening might give us the boost we need catch up with some of the elite programs in the nation.
Well heres some birds eye view thoughts from somone celebrating in Kansas after winning the title.
I think T.Boone Pickens Owns OSU, he bought you guys along with the football stadium. He's a selfish Billionaire tycoon. He is definitly running the show and has Holden on strings like a puppet,(which your own osu fan stated). I'll admit a lot of my dislike for him surfaced after I herd he was buying my coach. That would be Bill Self currently under contract with Kansas University. Well heres some news for you Oklahoma state.
T Bone-Head will die in the next 5-10 years and Bill Self will never win a title in the armpit of stillwater, Oklahoma. Not to mention the same recruits we get at Kansas will still come to Kansas because thus,were Kansas. Its gonna take T-Boone's pocketbook to build a new basketball arena,campus and additional facilitys for Self to recruit the kids he gets at Kansas.
I wouldnt blame Self for going though. He already has a title now. He's from Oklahoma and T-Boone is offering him ridiculous Money. He'd be foolish to Stay at KU right? Or would it be better for his career at Kansas? Thats up to Self.
Note to Self:
I'll always have love for Bill! Most classy coach I've ever had the pleasure to witness. Best of Luck either way Bill, but don't expect to ever beat KU. You saw what happened to Roy!!!
