OSU search takes bad turn
Uh-oh. The OSU basketball search appears in trouble. The Cowboys apparently have been turned down by Southern Illinois’ Chris Lowery, who announced Tuesday he was staying at SIU. When a guy pulls out of a job, it means one of two things: he pulled out or the suitor school is ready to hire another. And it sure doesn’t look like OSU is ready to hire another.
Lowery is an excellent young coach, but if you can’t hire away someone from the Missouri Valley, then there are trouble spots in the process. What could be turning off coaches?
Can’t be money, I wouldn’t think. So there are only a few possibilities. The owner/GM management model, which is unorthodox with Boone Pickens and Mike Holder. The Sean Sutton firing backlash. The overall quality of the OSU job.
I would discount the latter two. The OSU job is not an elite job but it’s a very good job and one that should not scare off coaches. It’s not Nebraska, for instance, which never has won an NCAA Tournament game. And as for the Sutton backlash, I don’t put a lot of stock in that one, either. Yes, many coaches were no doubt alarmed that Sean was fired after just 21/2 seasons. But just as many coaches had to feel like Sean’s ascension to the job, bequeathed by his father, was dubious in the first place. Coaches work hard to get where they get and I would assume don’t have a lot of respect for sons whose paths are cleared by a big-name dad.
So that leaves the Pickens/Holder model. Now I believe that the truth is, Pickens doesn’t meddle much in anything, other than wanting to win. I think he just wants to be part of the inner circle, not to throw around weight but so that he can be informed and feel like he’s a part of something for all the money he’s invested. Just like a major-league owner who doesn’t run the day-to-day operations of a franchise. But I think some coaches fear that, because it’s so different from the way college athletic departments have been run for decades. Remember back in the day when regents were heavily involved in athletic departments? Well, Pickens is a one-man regents committee, and that might scare some coaches.
So who’s next? I said yesterday that if I had to guess, I would say Chris Lowery would be the next OSU coach. By dark thirty, Lowery was saying he was staying at Southern Illinois. So my next guess: Travis Ford of UMass, a former Kentucky (and Missouri) point guard. Ford was a Rick Pitino point guard at UK, then became a head coach almost immediately, at Campbellsville (Ky.) in the NAIA, then Eastern Kentucky and finally UMass. He plays uptempo basketball and would be a very good choice. But if the Cowboys don’t get Ford, and can’t even go to the always-stocked Missouri Valley for a coach, I don’t know where Mike Holder turns.
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Comments
I know there was the problem with the DUI, but what about Gillespie ? Has that talk completely gone away ?
It would probably be a good idea for Tramel to do a little fact checking before he finishes a column. A little good detective work would’ve shown him that OSU interviewed more than one guy for the job this week and that perhaps they turned down Lowery for who they perceived to be a better fit for OSU - Ford. They then gave Lowery some time to tell everyone back home he’s not a candidate. Obviously that doesn’t automatically mean he rejected OSU; perhaps OSU rejected him. Oh but wait, Tramel can’t see the forest for the trees on any given day…
Aimee, time will tell. If they don’t name a coach in a day or two, then there would be reason to suspect that Lowery turned OSU down. I don’t think Holder is in a position to eliminate a good coach like Lowery unless he knows he is getting ready to hire a better coach. My guess is Holder will make a strong push for USC’s coach, Tim Floyd, who should do an excellent job.
Guess you are wrong again Berry, what a shocker. Lowrey didn’t turn down OSU, becuase an offer was never made, He went public and said he was no longer interested to save face after Holder told him we were going in a different direction. Travis Ford is one of the hot young coaches out there today. We will see what he can do.
OSU never offered Lowrey the job. I know that for a fact. He didn’t turn OSU down. OSU interviewed him but never offered him.
Trammel…why don’t you site your “source” that states OSU ever “offered” the job to Lowrey. You can’t turn down something you weren’t offered. Pathetic journalism…as usual.
Offered the job? Good grief…
How can your paper continue to get information this wrong? Completely misleading and false…very poor effort on your part!
Barry’s fictional articles are yet another example of why the Daily Oklahoman has is widely referred to as the Jokelahoman.
Okay, everyone in unison, 1-2-3, “MEDIOCRE!!!”
Ron/Jim,
So true. This guy needs to go back to covering 8th grade girls basketball in Norman where he started.
Floyd,
Don’t tempt Berry to go back to 8th grade girls b-ball, he might just consider it. I know I would after covering the OSU coaching saga! 8th grade girls b-ball much more interesting.
Keep up the good work Berry!
Hope springs eternal! Is there no hope for Jamie Dixon?