Staying put / LJWorld.com

Sports

Self turns down alma mater, citing Kansas as new home

Kansas coach Bill Self, right, speaks at a news conference Thursday at Hadl Auditorium about his intentions to stay with the Jayhawks. An agreement on a new contract has been made in principle, though the details of Self's extension haven't been announced. At middle is Kansas University Chancellor Robert Hemenway, and at left is KU athletic director Lew Perkins.

By Gary Bedore

April 11, 2008

Bill Self, still a Jayhawk

Press Conferences & Post-Game Interviews

Bill Self's April 10 press conference

KU coach Bill Self met with the media Thursday afternoon, flanked by athletic director Lew Perkins and Chancellor Robert Hemenway, to announce his intentions to remain as the Jayhawks' head coach for years to come.

Self, Perkins hold preliminary talk (04-10-08)

During his days as a point guard at Oklahoma State University, Bill Self began to dream of someday being named head basketball coach at his alma mater.

"I will not lie. It's true," Self, Kansas University's fifth-year coach, said Thursday.

He was speaking four hours after declining an offer to fulfill a fantasy of returning to Stillwater, Okla., to rebuild the Cowboy program.

"Home called. And we love home. But this is home now," Self said at a news conference to announce his decision to accept a hefty raise in pay and a contract extension at KU - a school the Edmond, Okla., native just led to its first national title in 20 years.

OSU athletic director Mike Holder gave the Cowboys' best pitch to Self during a two-hour, face-to-face meeting Wednesday night at a Shawnee hotel.

Holder's spiel came several hours after Kansas AD Lew Perkins assured Self he'd be a wealthy, secure man if he'd remain at a place committed to improving its basketball facilities.

"Coach Holder did an unbelievable job of striking the right chords," Self said of the former OSU golf coach the 45-year-old Self has known since he was 18.

"He did it in a way that provoked thought of why it'd be a great fit for me and my family at this time. It wasn't done in a way you'd imagine it would be done," Self added, apparently referring to the alleged megabucks booster T. Boone Pickens might throw his way.

"This was strictly from an opportunity to come home and to lead a program through a transition and go to great heights it has not seen in a while.

"He said, 'We know you care about the school (KU). We just want to give you some things to think about.'''

Self slept on Holder's job offer - KU's coach insisted no dollar figures were bandied about - and, after visiting with Perkins late Thursday morning, called Holder to say thanks, but no thanks, at 12:30 p.m.

"I told him he broke my heart, and I'm serious about that," Holder said. "I put a lot of energy and thought into the moment of truth with Bill Self when I sat down with him, and I think at the end of the day I had myself sold on him coming to Oklahoma State. But I couldn't sell Bill Self on coming to Oklahoma State.

"I think I had him scratch his head just a little bit about it," Holder added. "I think what won out was Kansas."

In order to keep its coach, Kansas promised Self:

More Money

"Bill is going to be compensated and rightly so at the highest level," Perkins said, indicating details of the contract probably won't be released for a couple of weeks, until after it is reviewed by lawyers and signed.

Self, who has three years remaining on his contract, makes $1.375 million a year. Florida coach Billy Donovan reportedly makes $3.5 million and Kentucky's Billy Gillispie $2.3 million per annum. Texas' Rick Barnes is the Big 12's highest-paid coach at $2 million per year.

Self, one source said, may receive between $2.5 and $3 million a year for eight years.

KU's coach would only say, "yes," when asked if he received the amount of years he wanted and felt he now had the stability he so desires.

¢ Facility upgrades

KU soon will construct a new basketball practice facility next to Horejsi Center. Allen Fieldhouse improvements on tap include new locker rooms, a film room, a cardio room, dining hall and an extension to the Booth Family Hall of Athletics. An upgrade to athletic dorm Jayhawker Towers is also on the wish list.

"These things were already in the works. Lew wants the same things," Self stressed. "My administration knows now there won't be a shadow of doubt of how important I think that is. It won't be put on the back burner. We just want to have the best of the best so we can recruit the best of the best."

¢ Salary boost for his assistant coaches

"The reason we won big is our guys have done a good job recruiting the right guys," Self said. "It's not just the head coach. It's important to me our assistants be in a situation they know they will not be tempted to leave here for a similar position someplace else."

Self also wanted to stay at KU for family reasons. His daughter, Lauren, will be a senior in high school next year.

"I don't see a scenario that would be best for our family to be separated," Self said. "That would have been the case. I would not have asked her to do that.

"She (Lauren) came to me when it was reported before Monday's championship game this might happen. I was trying to sleep. She woke me up and said, 'Hey, dad, I saw we may be going to Stillwater.' I said, 'Babe, trust me, nobody is talking like that.' She said, 'If that's best for us, do it. I'll be fine.' She let me know she wasn't going, that 'I'll be fine back here (in Lawrence a year).' I thought it was pretty sweet of her, but probably a way for her to get away from her parents," Self joked.

More than anything, Self, who in a 15-year career already has been head coach at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and KU, said he wants to set anchor.

"You love the people you work with on a daily basis as well as the players who have put in so much hard work," Self said. "We just love it here. We left ORU to go across town when we were really good at ORU and left those kids behind. We left Tulsa after the Elite Eight when we were really good at Tulsa. We left Illinois and those guys to come here. I really want to enjoy being somewhere. I'd really like to enjoy being at a place longer.

"We came to the conclusion the time is right for my family to be in Lawrence, Kansas, and lead this program to hopefully bigger and better things in the future."

As far as possibly entertaining an OSU offer again someday, Self said: "I will not say never. I mean, I had a chance to be there. I can't see those things changing. I don't think it's a fair question. I don't have a crystal ball. I can't imagine a scenario (he'd go there)."

Could Self retire at KU?

"I see the finish line being here," he said. "I don't want to say positively. You never know. Things do change. You may have a new administration, a lot of different things. I will say I am excited coaching at a place as I have been my entire coaching career."

He said he'll be as motivated as ever trying to keep KU hoops on top.

"How humbling it is. We say Phog Allen won three (national titles), technically won one," he said of one NCAA title and two Helms Foundation poll crowns. "Coach (Larry) Brown won one. Now we've won one. How cool would it be to win two? To me that is great motivation. We'll work hard to try to get it accomplished."

Discussion

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11 April 2008
at 8:54 a.m.

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Banderin (Anonymous) says…

whew. I'm sorry I think it's great that KU is doing so well and I'm happy for them, but I think it's very sad that athletic figures get paid that much money. It's rediculous when over half of lawrence residents who aren't even college students have a hell of a time finding a freaking job that pays more than $8 and hour. and if your a student and need to earn your own way to pay for your school and living expenses, forget about it!!! Yeah the U.S. economy is sh*it right now but Lawrence is near the bottom of that pool, and it's sad as hell. Wow the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. Have fun with all that money.
11 April 2008
at 9:05 a.m.

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Franker (Anonymous) says…

It is like that every where, idiot, sports figures get paid way to much. If its out there then why not. Go back to your job at Walmart
11 April 2008
at 9:27 a.m.

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mrkuwick (Anonymous) says…

Focusing purely on the amount of money paid to a coach or spent on a sports program is short sighted. Do you have any idea what the effect of the basketball team's success had on local businesses? One merchant actually said that KU winning the National Championship was “like Christmas” for his business. Also, I have a coworker who's son had all but decided to go to K-State that is now considering KU. Not to mention the national exposure the city received from both the football and the basketball team.
11 April 2008
at 9:28 a.m.

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HodgePodge (Erin Parmelee) says…

YAY! I for one, am very happy to see yet another Mizzou prediction fail. I love Bill. :)
11 April 2008
at 9:56 a.m.

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jayhawker85 (Anonymous) says…

Banderin, maybe you should consider going back to school. Just a thought. If you don't make any money, grants may cover most, if not all of your tuition. Maybe you could learn to spell and to quit whining as much.
11 April 2008
at 10:11 a.m.

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qhays (Anonymous) says…

It is a ridiculous amount of money for athletics at an institution of higher learning. The NCAA Championship is huge, and I think Self staying is great, it's just sad that so much money has to be part of successful collegiate athletics. It speaks volumes to the priorities in this country that millions of dollars are spent on things like this, while ordinary citizens struggle to afford health care and pay the costs of living. Please guys, don't be so hateful towards someone with a legitimate point of view. We're all Jayhawks fans, some of us were born here and taught the fight song in grade school, grew up on campus while both of our parents worked there, then went to KU — and we still think it's crazy that millions of dollars has to go in order to keep a coach. All that being said I'm glad the money did go to Self and that he did decide to stay — you can't not play the game after all, and other commenters are right when they say the Championship is a boon to KU and Lawrence as well… Of course a part of me wonders whether Danny wouldn't have been a pretty damn good replacement, and true Lawrencian as well…
11 April 2008
at 10:38 a.m.

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beawolf (Anonymous) says…

College coaches are way overpaid. That said, the Athletics Dept apparently has the resources to pay him, in part because of the monies (sponsorships, ticket sales, etc. etc.) brought in by his program. Society does have it's priorities skewed, but that's a different blog.

11 April 2008
at 11:40 a.m.

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bevy (Anonymous) says…

Can I just say - Thanks Bill, for doing the right thing!I don't think this is so much a question of money as two things. 1. Loyalty (he loves his players and this town) and 2. Being your own man. If he had gone to OSU he might have had more money, but T. Boone would call the tune. Thanks Coach - Looking forward to another great year in 09!
11 April 2008
at 11:44 a.m.

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newsreader (Anonymous) says…

Can all you people complaining about the money paid to coaches and sports people honestly say that you don't contriubte to it? Can you say that you don't watch sports at all? You don't buy KU gear? You don't buy your kids the NBA or NFL Video games? You don't buy products endorsed by them?
11 April 2008
at 11:49 a.m.

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Haiku_Cuckoo (Anonymous) says…

Class act.Enough said.
11 April 2008
at 2:17 p.m.

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beawolf (Anonymous) says…

“Can all you people complaining about the money paid to coaches and sports people honestly say that you don't contriubte to it?”…. Since I can't afford tickets to the KU games, I would say no. I do however have a “Kansas” sweatshirt, but nothing licensed by the Athletic dept.I would have been more impressed if Perkins would have said, “Hey, Bill you already have a contract (3 years left). We are paying you more than 1 million a year to be a successful coach. Let's talk again in 3 years.” and with the money they save, reduce the number of “donator” seats and allow more students to actually be able to attend the games.
11 April 2008
at 2:50 p.m.

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martyks (Anonymous) says…

And movie stars and Halliburton CEOs and CEOs in general… all over paid… yeah yeah yeah… give it a rest. I have watched Bill Self work and I am here to tell you, the hardest working man in the country is Bill Self. Given the list of over paid people in the world, Coach Self's salary is the most reasonable one. If he doesn't generate two hundred times his salary for the state of Kansas, I would be shocked. It's called capitalism, people. Get used to it. Does everyone realize that this man just turned down more money than it would have taken to get the Beatles back together so that he could stay here? We are blessed!!! And to think that this motivates him even more to get a second title!!! Thank you, Bill Self and thank our lucky stars!
11 April 2008
at 3:18 p.m.

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beawolf (Anonymous) says…

“If he doesn't generate two hundred times his salary for the state of Kansas, I would be shocked.”….No, it's the basketball program that generates money for the University. Always has, always will. As Self stated, winning a title did not make him a better coach. He's still the same guy who lost twice in back to back years in the first round. He had a contract, why did he not honor it? If he wins another title next year and OSU makes another run at him, do we repeat the process? At some point you have to say enough is enough!
11 April 2008
at 3:33 p.m.

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stuckinthemiddle (Anonymous) says…

contracts are frame works… subject to renegotiation…
11 April 2008
at 4:38 p.m.

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admireed (Anonymous) says…

AT&T made lots of $$ off folks like me calling family, friends,,,etc to talk about the game(s) at half-time, before, after and days after. This team winning means alot and makes KU ties even closer and stronger.

11 April 2008
at 6:41 p.m.

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davidsmom (Anonymous) says…

I have no problem with whatever KU is paying Bill. The program's success under him will make up for it. Beawolf is absolutely right…the Athletics Dept. revenue does not all come from the general University budget. I work for the University of Missouri System, and our wonderful new President is being paid $40,000,000 for running Sprint into the ground, a million a year for the rest of his life, and on top of that, the UM System is paying him a hefty salary. It sounds as if it was the time extension and all the other aspects of the contract that were most important to Bill. But like I said, I have no problem with whatever they're paying him. You have to pay the market rate, and I think he is worth it.
11 April 2008
at 10:58 p.m.

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hoosier1 (Anonymous) says…

As a longtime KU person, having left Lawrence in 1970, I was proud of the performance of the basketball team (and also came to KC in late November for to witness the strong football team's performance), I applaud the achievements of Coach Self in his 5 years there, and wish him well for the remainder of his career there. My chief concern is perspective: compare his compensation, and that of his peers, with that of top administrators and especially faculty at KU. Who is the star teacher/scholar? What is he or she paid? I know that many have over the past 40 years left for more appealing positons elsewhere, but that is not necessarily because of compensation. For example, historians of note have left KU for Illinois, but Self came thence to KU. Kansas is one of the best places to coach basketball—and maybe sometime soon football, and it used to be track and field. Let's see to it that same feeling exists for departments like History.