TULSA, Okla. -- Oklahoma State basketball coach Eddie Sutton, who was involved in a drunken driving traffic accident and will soon undergo a treatment program for alcoholism, said there is a possibility he could coach the team next season.
"I'll just have to see how I feel," Sutton told the Tulsa World Tuesday night in his first interview since the Feb. 10 accident. "It's amazing how many coaches across the country have called me and told me, 'Don't hang it up. Get back out there and coach some more.' I'll talk to our coaches and see how I feel."
Sutton underwent surgery on Feb. 23 to relieve pain in his back and hip.
"I still have a little pain, but I think that will soon disappear. It's nothing like it was before the surgery," he said. "It's just amazing. When you feel good, your outlook on life is so much different. My doctors had told me that I would feel a lot better after the surgery, so I did expect to feel better. But it's really been amazing how good I feel."
After being charged with driving under the influence, Sutton announced he was taking an indefinite medical leave of absence and that he has "a problem with alcohol." A test revealed that at the time of the accident, Sutton's blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit. Nobody was seriously injured, although Sutton suffered a cut on his face. He has a prominent, U-shaped scar above his left eyebrow.
Since the accident, Sean Sutton, Eddie Sutton's son, has been the school's acting head coach. He and the Cowboys are in Dallas to prepare for Thursday's first round of the Big 12 Tournament.
Eddie Sutton said he will spend several days with a physical therapist before leaving the state for five weeks of alcohol treatment.
"I'll be out of commission for a while," he said.
He needs three more victories to become only the fifth major-college coach to record 800 career wins. In spite of being away from the team, Sutton has been credited with OSU's recent victories over Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor.
He said he has been overwhelmed by support.
"That first week [after the accident], I was averaging 100 letters a day. It was unbelievable," he said. "It's almost impossible to answer them all. The fans have been so supportive. It's meant a lot to me."
Originally Posted by TheHumanAlphabet
