SAN ANTONIO — The first call Bill Self received Tuesday morning was from President Bush. Kansas fans were relieved to know it wasn’t from T. Boone Pickens. What worries KU fans hung over from the national title Self delivered Monday night is that in Oklahoma, Pickens is more powerful than Bush. Pickens is definitely richer. He’ll prove it to Self, too.
Pickens, worth an estimated $3 billion, is expected to stand behind a reported Oklahoma State offer of $4 million a year plus a $6 million signing bonus to lure Self back to his alma mater. At his Tuesday morning news conference, Self was asked if he’d heard yet from Pickens.
“I didn’t know he was their athletic director,” Self joked. “Obviously I care deeply for my alma mater. But the media makes a big deal out of something that’s not there. I’ve never had the opportunity to face Mr. Pickens face to face. I don’t know if that will ever occur or not.
“I know their athletic director really well because he was the golf coach at Oklahoma State — and a very successful one — during my 11 years I was a player and coach there.”
We’re all about to learn where Self’s true loyalties lie: with his alma mater, with Kansas or with the almighty dollar. Kansas officials have already said they can’t match the numbers being reported, but Self is giving them a chance to try. This season, with bonuses, he made about $1.9 million. He repeatedly said Tuesday that he looks forward to meeting with Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins.
“Hopefully we won’t talk about where our vacations will be this summer,” Self said.
After hanging around Self during the Final Four, I guarantee he will listen to his alma mater. Hard. He said Tuesday he would talk if they called. If money is a factor, the only things preventing him from going are limitations at Oklahoma State or a major raise from Kansas. He must ask himself what can he buy in Stillwater for $4 million that he can’t buy in Law- rence for, say, $3 million. Also, he must ask himself what is in Stillwater he would possibly want to buy.
I asked him if he felt Oklahoma State had the resources to win a national title. In the short term, four starters return from a 17-16 team.
“From the outside looking in, it appears they have great resources,” he said to muffled laughter. “They’ve been to two Final Fours in a 10-year period. I know firsthand if you get here and play good one weekend, maybe you catch lightning in a bottle. They’ve won two national championships, so there is tradition and history there.
“I just want to talk to Lew.”
