After Jayhawks' Win, Bill Must Ask Self: For Love or Money?

Rob Slater examines Bill Self's tough decision. Will he stay with winning Kansas or leave for millions to Oklahoma State?

by Rob Slater (Contributor)

752 reads

Editorial

April 08, 2008

We've seen it all before.

Coach gives his heart and soul building the program.

Coach wins a national championship.

Coach subsequently leaves to accept a big, fat contract at alma mater.

This is the road Bill Self is heading down, and he'll join others who made similar moves. Most recently, Roy Williams went through the same process. Williams, however, went without winning a national championship.

Amassing over 400 victories along with nine regular season Big 12 championships, Williams succeeded Larry Brown with all but the big nation-wide win.

It was whispered in Lawrence that there would never be another Larry Brown to grace the Kansas campus, and some would argue that Williams didn't live up to his standards.

At any other school in America, making the tournament 14 out of 15 seasons would grant you legendary status. In Kansas, however, no national championships means no love.

Bill Self may have finally proven himself. He sits atop the basketball world with all the power at his disposal, but could easily tumble all the way back down to the bottom.

Coming off Monday night's festivities, Self has ignited the championship-winning ways for the Jayhawks, and is in control of a team that will make more noise next year.

So, why leave?

Allow me to introduce the X-Factor: T. Boone Pickens, Mr. Billionaire himself.

The man-made oil tycoon has vowed to pave a path of money leading Self from Lawrence to Stillwater. This poses an interesting question. Can Self ignore one of the most lucrative contracts in college basketball history to remain with a team where the winning will continue?

Let's be honest. The Cowboys are a second-tier basketball team in a power conference led by...oh, yeah, Kansas.

To the common fan, this is a no-brainer. Self should stay at Kansas and keep on winning championships at the greatest basketball school in history, right?

It's every coach's dream to resurrect his alma mater from the depths to the heavens, but this deal just seems too crazy to accept. I mean, it is Kansas, right?

The answer can be found only in Bill's inner Self.

Editorial

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comments (9) write a comment »

reply to comment by dj
4 months ago

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reply to comment by Ben
4 months ago

I could understand his decision either way. On one hand, he's got a winning program with fans that adore him. Undoubtedly, he'll leverage the OSU offer into a huge raise. Or, he'll return to his alma mater with an even larger raise and work to build that program. He's delivered at KU and fans should understand his motivation if he wants to leave.

If it were me, I'd leave in a second. How awesome would it be to be the prodigal son in Stillwater?
reply to comment by Tim
4 months ago

Roy Williams from Kansas to UNC is different. Completely different conference, part of the US, etc.

Self would remain in the Big 12 if he jumps to OSU. Makes no sense to me. He'll make plenty of cash in Lawrence.

I see him following Billy Donovan's lead. Billy made it happen at FL, and then turned down Kentucky (and I think Providence knows they don't have a shot anyway, so why bother). I don't think Self will take an NBA job for 36 hours, though.

The alma mater stuff is great and all, but it is trumped by premier jobs (i.e. Kansas basketball, Michigan football (see Rod, Rich), etc.).
1. by Ben
  from 4 months ago
  
  In my opinion, that's the fun part. Think about it, you've already won at Kansas and they'll be expecting you to do so again in the near future, with OSU he's got a fatter paycheck and a blank slate. That just sounds like fun to me, but hey what do I know?
reply to comment by Tim
4 months ago

It's not like Self is all of a sudden John Wooden. Yes, he won a championship this year, but before that his tournament teams were infamous for flaming out early. He needs to establish more tournament runs at KU, in my opinion. And to me, that's more "fun."
reply to comment by Kurt
4 months ago

I know headlines are usually just bullshit anyway, but Love is on both sides of this equation. This is certainly not a choice between Love and money. Love and money are availible at both KU and OSU.
reply to comment by Anonymous
4 months ago

KU National Championships:
1922 Helms Basketball Champion
1923 Helms Basketball Champion
1952 National Champion
1988 National Champion
2008 National Champion
OSU National Championships:
1945 National Champion
1946 National Champion
Total Final Four Appearances
KU -13
OSU - 6
KU Big 12 Championships
1997 - Big 12 regular-season champion
1997 - Big 12 tournament champion
1998 - Big 12 regular-season champion
1998 - Big 12 tournament champion
1999 - Big 12 tournament champion
2002 - Big 12 regular-season champion
2003 - Big 12 regular-season champion
2005 - Big 12 regular-season co-champion
2006 - Big 12 regular-season co-champion
2006 - Big 12 tournament champion
2007 - Big 12 regular season champion
2007 – Big 12 tournament champion
2008 - Big 12 regular season co-champion
2008 - Big 12 tournament champion
OSU Big 12 Championships
2004 - Big 12 regular season Champion
2004 – Big 12 tournament Champion
Conference League Championships Prior to Big 12 (1907 to 1996)
Kansas: 32 outright / 9 co-championships / 43 total
Oklahoma State: 1outright / 1 co-championship / 2 total
Conference Tournament championships 1977 – 1996
Kansas: 4
Oklahoma State: 2
reply to comment by Anonymous
4 months ago

KU National Championships:
1922 Helms Basketball Champion
1923 Helms Basketball Champion
1952 National Champion
1988 National Champion
2008 National Champion

OSU National Championships:
1945 National Champion
1946 National Champion

Total Final Four Appearances
KU -13
OSU - 6

KU Big 12 Championships
1997 - Big 12 regular-season champion
1997 - Big 12 tournament champion
1998 - Big 12 regular-season champion
1998 - Big 12 tournament champion
1999 - Big 12 tournament champion
2002 - Big 12 regular-season champion
2003 - Big 12 regular-season champion
2005 - Big 12 regular-season co-champion
2006 - Big 12 regular-season co-champion
2006 - Big 12 tournament champion
2007 - Big 12 regular season champion
2007 – Big 12 tournament champion
2008 - Big 12 regular season co-champion
2008 - Big 12 tournament champion

OSU Big 12 Championships
2004 - Big 12 regular season Champion
2004 – Big 12 tournament Champion

Conference League Championships Prior to Big 12 (1907 to 1996)
Kansas: 32 outright / 9 co-championships / 43 total
Oklahoma State: 1outright / 1 co-championship / 2 total

Conference Tournament championships 1977 – 1996
Kansas: 4
Oklahoma State: 2
reply to comment by Anonymous
4 months ago

OSU homer:

So there's your history. Need more? Want to compare recent stats for this season and the last 10 seasons also? Let’s not forget that basketball was invented by KU’s James Naismith. And there’s Phog Allen & his HOF coaching tree: Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, Dutch Lonborg, John McLendon, and Ralph Miller. Add Ted Owens, Larry Brown, Roy Williams, & Bill Self to the top flight coaches associated with KU. And don't forget KU players like Wilt, Danny Manning, Paul Pierce, Kirk Heinrich, Paul Endacott,Darnell Valentine, et al. Sorry, but OSU isn’t even close to KU’s rich history, success and stature.