this is my last post. i've become obsessed with k-state's coaching search. it's pathetic. been fun.
here's frank with keitzman. tried to type fast. frank gave brad his endorsement at the end.
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thank you kevin, you know it's one - it's been the most - difficult decision i've ever made in my professional life because i never put myself in front of others. for once in my life i had to put myself apart from everybody and make a selfish decision. it's been an honor to serve k-state. i tried to do my job to the best of my abilities, honestly, i did everything by the rules, i fought for that school, we united the fans, the administration, the coaches, the players, we gave the school the most five successful years in the history of the school. i always tell players that the most important thing is, whenever you leave somewhere, that you make a positive impact at the place you were a part of. if you did, then you did your job the right way. i was forced to make a decision - when i say forced, i say that selfishly. when you have options, you have to make decisions. our success gave me options, and i saw a challenge here, felt i had to make a decision, and as i made it, i gave that great university - kansas state - every ounce of positive energy that my body can give.
how did this happen? you built a great thing. good team. laying groundwork for future. you left it better. but, how did this happen? how did it get to the point where you felt like you wanted to leave?
whenever people make decisions, just like when huggs left, everyone thinks it's a negative when you're leaving. that there's something wrong with where you're leaving. that the person thinks he's going to a better place and the previous place is inferior. as coaches, we're ultra competitive. challenges is what drives us, what makes us go. when the south carolina ad, when i heard the passion in his voice, and i saw how successful their other major programs are, and i heard the passion in his voice, the way he was excited about believing in me leading his charge in men's basketball, i just put my arms around that. what made it so difficult is the incredible love i have for kansas state university. those kids - all those guys - their sacrifices, their willingness to come to manhattan, kansas. six years ago, they said it's a death sentence of a job. six seasons later, four ncaa's, two nit's, top 25 three straight years (possibly). players lined up, a team that's returning top to bottom, the ones that played against syracuse - things have been left in place for continued success. it's not that there's something wrong with ksu, but i'm intrigued by this new opportunity. i wasn't choosing between a good and a bad. when you choose between two places that touch your heart, that's what makes it a difficult decision. but i'm excited that we gave k-state its five greatest years, and i'm thrilled about this.
john currie said he wanted to give you a raise. you said you didn't want one. now you leave? was there an offer? now, they don't seem as interested? did you have a new offer in last five or six days?
however john wants to speak about the university's part, i respect it and understand. those are private matters. it's not fair to me and it's not fair to the university to elaborate on. john did approach me during the season, and i gave him the same answer that i gave him three years ago. i want all my emotions and energies to be engaged to the kids. i can't be selfish during the middle of the season. i can't be worried about all these selfish things. my job is to coach the kids. my job isn't to make money. my job is to educate kids. not negotiate a contract. when im in the middle of the season, that's not the time when i want to get my emotions involved in a contract negotiation.
do you feel like they changed their mind? what could have happened in two months?
i can't speak for john and schulz. that's not fair to them. they let me know that they wanted me at k-state, that was never a question in my mind. i knew they wanted me and south carolina wanted me. i had to make a decision. in life, you have to make decisions. they won't always be popular. i understand and respect that. but at the same time, i've got to make the decision that brings the greatest joy to me and my family and that's this.
jamar situation? the cliff's notes version is how and why it ended at k-state, people will remember the headline ... 14 hours before tip off ... AD suspends senior ... a week later the coach left. now, there's years of history here and things ... straw that broke the camel's back?
that bothered me. if i told you differently, then that'd make me a liar. that bothered me. but that wasn't the reason. that was in my mind when i made the decision, i can't tell you differently. if i did, you have the right to call me a liar - publicly or in person. john had to do what he had to do to protect the university, i respect that.
discussion heated?
i'm [laugh] im not gonna go there kevin. im sure you've had private meetings with bosses where you didn't agree with their decisions, but you go with it. im a team guy. i dont sway away from the team. i didn't agree with the ruling, or all that, but i supported john's decision. it's his job to protect the integrity of the university from the athletic department. i fully get it. i understand it. it's my job to protect the kids.
jamar didn't like what he heard. he said, really, a receipt in dillons? currie fumbled. how did this thing get from dillons to compliance. what the heck. how did that happen? now, jamar's tweeting 'really?' that's a bad person [who did it]. how in the world does the receipt get there?
i have no idea. i know that the receipt ended up somewhere on campus. i have no idea how it got there. i have no idea where it was found. i've never heard of it. i don't know what to tell you. that whole, those 24 - 48 hours, whatever it was, it was just a nightmare of a situation to be in. all of us. jamar. myself. john. we were all in a difficult place. just like i had to make a decision to take this job, john had to make a decision to protect the university. when you're in a difficult place you have to make tough decisions. we were all in a difficult place and john made a tough decision. that doesn't make it right or wrong, but i have no idea how it transpired.
did your new AD mention this incident? did it come up? did you ask how your new employer would handle it?
absolutely. i'll leave it at that.
you got answers you wanted?
they asked me and i asked them. it was a conversation. im not going to tell you what they said is different than the actions k-state took. i felt comfortable with the conversation and how it went. kevin, at the end of the day, that's not the reason why i chose to take the job here. i was unhappy about that, but that was not a major play. my decision wasn't based on negative feelings. im positive. the sun comes up, i have a chance to make the day better for people around me. the sun came up monday, i felt that the decision was going to make me happiest was to make this change and take on the challenge.
k-state is a three-ringed circus if underwood doesn't get an interview. im gonna go through the roof if underwood doesn't at least get an interview. it would absolutely blow me away. he's been there. he knows everything. what are the chances that brad at least gets an interview? who do you recommend?
if anybody were to listen to me, brad would be hired this afternoon. five years ago, jon wefald and tim and bob took a chance on me that i'll never forget. i'll never forget what those three men did. they handed me the keys to that program, and that trust and faith they had in me from day 1. there's a loyalty thing there that i'll never forget. brad is so much more prepared than i was. with brad, he's been a head coach before. he's been a division 1 assistant for 16 years now. he played at k-state. he understands. that's why huggs hired him six years ago, because brad allowed us to understand the culture, the people, the right to be around folks who appreciate k-state, the way they embrace their own. the reason i was embraced had a lot to do with brad underwood. nothing would make me happier that the consistency with the program, giving brad the opportunity, he's deserving, the program would be in great hands. but im not an administrator. john and kirk have done great things. they've improved it. im sure they'll make the right decision.
