Oklahoma State University Athletics
Quotes from Cowboy Basketball Press Conference
May 26, 2004 | Cowboy Basketball
Press Conference
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Athletics Director Dr. Harry Birdwell
“We come here this afternoon to make two significant announcements relative to the future of the Oklahoma State Basketball program. First, Coach Sutton has recommended and I have happily received his recommendation to hire Jimmy Williams as assistant basketball coach effective June 1. Jimmy will replace Glynn Cyprien. We hated to lose Cyprien, but in the last 10 years there have been five of the members of the coaching staff at OSU who have gone on to other Division I head coaching responsibilities. Three of those five gentlemen, including Cyprien, were African American and I am proud of that record.
“Secondly, and I think someone let the cat out of the bag, the question I have been asked most since becoming Athletic Director is what happens when Eddie Sutton retires. Today I am here to indicate that it will be my recommendation to the OSU Board of Regents when they meet in mid June, that Sean Sutton be named Associate Head Coach and Head Coach Designate.
“For more than a year I have been working to identify outstanding young coaches. Every place that I have gone, whether it be national meetings or tournaments, I have talked to people who know a great deal about basketball. I have talked to agents and friends of a good number of very successful young head coaches and assistant head coaches around the country. There are a lot of moving parts in a circumstance like that. Some candidates you consider along the way move on to other opportunities or decide that they are interested in staying where they are if they receive greater opportunities. I have looked through a diverse group of candidates of about 15 excellent young coaches.
“After having done that, I think the uniqueness of this opportunity and the unique attributes of Sean Sutton make him the perfect candidate to succeed his father. His knowledge of our program, which is extremely important, his having been here through the ups and downs and the tragedy of three years ago, and his success in regional recruiting and the fact that since he became our assistant coach four years ago, he has continued to build both his reputation and his responsibilities within our program have grown each year. The degree to which he has already begun to assume coaching responsibilities with this team have made him a prime coaching candidate.
“I have to apologize to Sean because I have probably stayed more distant to him than any other coach on campus. I did that intentionally because I knew that if I became to much his friend it would be difficult for me to evaluate him as a candidate. I have watched very carefully as I have attended practice sessions, I have attended the scouting meetings, I have traveled with the team, I have watched his role expand and I believe he is an excellent young coach. I believe he has earned his spurs and that he has earned the right.
“I believe the time is now to place confidence in him and to advise him of our confidence in him so that we don't lose a great coaching mind. Not only does he bring the intensity and the tenacity of his father who is one of the great defensive teachers in the country, but I share James Dickey's view that he is one of the great offensive minds in college basketball. I believe he has the right pedigree. Since he was four years old he sat on the edge of the bench and watched one of the legends of college basketball coach and he is a sponge.
“I am particularly grateful to all of you former players. They have been the reason for the success of OSU basketball over the past 14 years. I think their coming today to share this moment with Sean reflects the family atmosphere that the Suttons have brought.
“Perhaps the question is why are we going to do this now. It is clear that as coach Sutton grows older, there are more and more institutions that have attempted to use the uncertainty of our transition as a recruiting advantage for themselves and against us. I think that negative recruiting against us will come to a screeching halt when people know that there will be a logical transition when it occurs and that there will be another Sutton, equally able, on our bench. Identifying coach Sutton's successor will provide assurance for recruits that when they come here, they will share the same family atmosphere and will get to play for a great coach that will be successful.” Head Coach Eddie Sutton
“I really want to thank all of my former players who came today. I think that it shows great support and affection for this school. I want to thank Dr. Birdwell and President Schmidley for giving Sean (Sutton) this opportunity. It doesn't seem possible that 14 years has passed. I can still see Mr. Iba introducing me 14 years ago and what a smile he had on his face and how excited he was because one of his boys was coming home to hopefully take the program back to what it was when he was coaching and I was playing. I think I have that same smile on my face today because I had great concern about whoever it was could carry on what we have established here.
“I'm sure there are other coaches in the country that could do this, but no one that I would entrust in this program more than Sean. He has probably coached more in the past five or six years than I have. If I hadn't had Sean here I would have retired long before now. He has really been a pillar and been more of an assistant coach than anyone I have ever had. It is a great day for me to know that when I do retire that this program is going to be in great shape. “I know that one of the things that Mr. Iba and I talked about was if I could bring it back, and I had some reservations. In the history of this school there has only been 22 teams that have made it to the CAA Tournament. I do think that today we are considered one of the top 20 basketball programs in the country. People will come up to me and say ‘He doesn't have any head coaching experience'. He has had more head coaching experience here in the past couple of years than most head coaches will ever have. When you look at Les Miles and Bob Stoops, they have never been head coaches before and they have done very well with their football programs. Going back, Kansas had an opportunity to hire a lot of coaches when they hired Roy Williams. And going back even before that, Dean Smith was never an assistant coach. When people question whether a guy has gone out and been a head coach, there are a lot of great coaches that never really headed a program until they became a head coach.
“I have great confidence in Sean and I am very proud for what he has done in helping to build this program to back to what it was. I am very pleased and happy to know that when I do step down that this program will be in great shape.”
Associate Head Coach/Head Coach Designate Sean Sutton
“It is certainly an honor and a privilege to coach a basketball program with the great tradition of Oklahoma State. This is a special university, and in my opinion the best place to play and coach in all of college basketball. I am grateful to President Schmidly and Dr. Birdwell and to the Board of Regents for the opportunity to lead one of the elite programs in college basketball. I will do my best to uphold the standards of excellence that this program is known for and I fully understand what this program means to our students and to the best fans in college basketball.
“As I have said many times, I have great passion and love for OSU. My two favorite years growing up were the two years that I spent at OSU as a basketball player, having the chance to play with a guy like Corey Williams and a guy like Bryant Reeves. Going to two Sweet Sixteens and seeing this basketball program move forward and towards the top in college basketball. It has continued forward from that moment on.
“These past 11 years have been extremely rewarding and exciting. These are probably the happiest days that I have ever had. Having the chance to coach alongside my dad and having the opportunity to coach so many outstanding players and people has been something that words can't describe. My biggest disappointment as a player was not helping my dad get to a Final Four. It took a long time for me to get over that. In some ways I felt like I had failed him, I failed OSU, and it was hard to move past that.
“Having the chance to come back these past 11 years and sit on the bench with him, coach with him on the practice court every day and then having the chance to go with him to Seattle and play in a Final Four and again this last year in San Antonio have made up for what I didn't get a chance to be a part of as a player. They will always be experiences that I will greatly treasure. He has been a great mentor and father to me and I share the same love for Oklahoma State that my dad and my mom have.
“I have had opportunities to leave and pursue other coaching jobs, but I have always felt that the way his career ends is more important than the way mine begins. I want more than anything for him and my mother, she is just as big a part in it as he is, to win a national championship. Nothing would please me more than to get back to St. Louis next year, win a national championship and hang OSU's third national championship banner in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
“This program is one of the most successful programs in college basketball. Going to 12 NCAA Tournaments, five Sweet Sixteens, three Elite Eights and two Final Fours are all great things. But what I am most proud of is the way that our former players and our current players represent this school and this great state. They have done it with dignity and class. Every one of these guys here means a great deal to me. I think they all know how I feel about them and how much I love them. They are a part of my family. The gentlemen here are the greatest players who have ever worn a Cowboy uniform. These guys are special people and they are going to be successful people. Some of them are still playing and some want to be coaches and they will be successful. I want all of them to know that I would not be standing here today if it were not for you guys and what you did for this program. Our program would not be what it is today if it were not for what you did here. This is your program and you will forever be a part of OSU basketball.
“I want to think my mom and dad and my brothers for their love and guidance. I want to thank Trena and my boys Hunter, Spencer and Parker for their love, sacrifice and support, and also for believing in me. I also want to thank our staff and what they have meant to this program. We are fortunate to have the finest staff in the country. Coach Dickey has meant a lot to me and there is not a nicer man in basketball. Coach Cyprien did an excellent job and will be missed. Kyle Keller has certainly been one of my best friends and does a great job. I would also like to thank all the other people who make up the Oklahoma State basketball staff have all played an important part in OSU basketball. They have done a tremendous job and all know their role on our staff.
“The last thing I would like to say is that I have thought about this for a long time. I hoped this day would come under the right circumstances. I am fully aware of the pressure and challenges that I will have down the road. I have never been one to shy away from pressure and I have never been one to walk away from a challenge. I have prepared my whole life for this moment and I will do my best to make it work. I want to thank Dr. Schmidly, Dr. Birdwell and the Board of Regents once again for this special privilege and honor. I look forward to building on the proud tradition of Oklahoma State basketball.”
