Let’s hope not, ISU should be targeting a successful head coach. ISU doesn’t need to have a Pat Knight or Sean Sutton situation when they can get a proven head coach.
Bill possibly retiring?
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Yes, no way you can say Billy is ready to be a head coach at the Big 12 level. That would be a huge stretch, even before the nepotism blowback. I bet when the dust settles, he'll be back for another go round.
If this article is correct, Bill is making $750,000 this year and will be due a retention bonus of $300,000 June 30th. His contract goes through 2022 an increases $25,000 a year. Unless the school provides him a golden parachute, there is little reason to retire. If he would for some reason, it would appear the program could afford someone like Brenda Frese who is making about $550,000 base. Bluder is making less than Frese. No wonder she has no warm fuzzies for Bill.
https://www.amestrib.com/sports/201...-fennelly8217s-contract-extended-through-2022
https://www.amestrib.com/sports/201...-fennelly8217s-contract-extended-through-2022
According to the Des Moines Register State Salary database Bluder made $926,000+ in 2018. My guess is the numbers you saw for Bluder and Frese were base pay - BF was total comp.
I was pissed too Boxster...Remember when Fennelly was going to quit because he was pissed that ISU fired his buddy McCarney in 2006?He didn't. He ain't retiring now.
At the women's ISU bb camps where I've officiated or watched, I've seen Bill, Jodi and LaToya address groups of coaches, do "chalk talks," etc. I've never seen Billy do them.
He could always wait for that retention bonus and then do what bob stoops did and retire, leaving Billy as an interim for the year.
It seems he’s not retiring
https://www.amestrib.com/sports/201...t-but-bill-fennelly-probably-not-retiring-yet
We’ll have a discussion and I’ll see what (the ISU administration) wants to do,” he told the Ames Tribune by phone on Tuesday, “and I’ll talk to everybody again and make sure that we’re doing this the right way. But as of right now, you might be stuck with me again next year.”
By “decisions to be made,” he said he was referring to personnel decisions and moving forward with a program that will lose one of the greatest players of all time in Bridget Carleton, plus point guard Alexa Middleton and emotional leader Meredith Burkhall.
“Do we restructure my staff and their job assignments? Just looking at everything,” Fennelly told the Tribune. “I think when you’re here a long time, you’re looking now at new ideas and new faces and a lot of that was, this program this year was a very player-run, player-organized program, and I think we want to try and continue to do that, but at this point, (retirement’s) not what I’m thinking about. I’m not gonna say 100 percent, but we’ll take some time to think about what’s going on.”
https://www.amestrib.com/sports/201...t-but-bill-fennelly-probably-not-retiring-yet
We’ll have a discussion and I’ll see what (the ISU administration) wants to do,” he told the Ames Tribune by phone on Tuesday, “and I’ll talk to everybody again and make sure that we’re doing this the right way. But as of right now, you might be stuck with me again next year.”
By “decisions to be made,” he said he was referring to personnel decisions and moving forward with a program that will lose one of the greatest players of all time in Bridget Carleton, plus point guard Alexa Middleton and emotional leader Meredith Burkhall.
“Do we restructure my staff and their job assignments? Just looking at everything,” Fennelly told the Tribune. “I think when you’re here a long time, you’re looking now at new ideas and new faces and a lot of that was, this program this year was a very player-run, player-organized program, and I think we want to try and continue to do that, but at this point, (retirement’s) not what I’m thinking about. I’m not gonna say 100 percent, but we’ll take some time to think about what’s going on.”
Am I alone in thinking this wouldn’t be the most horrible solution if we have to try Billy as coach. Let him take the reigns officially while still keeping the staff basically the same. It would give him a chance to prove/learn the job while probably minimizing risk of failure.
Fennelly is the best thing that ever happened to WBB at ISU and one of the best coaches to ever be here in any sport. He is forever a legend. I remember the days of Hilton being Wild Bill and like five other people watching us lose to absolutely everyone before he got here. There is just no way to overstate how impressive his career here has been.
I know he can't stay forever. But I kind of wish he could. At least ISU is in a great place to transition if it happens to be this year. We will be ok.
I know he can't stay forever. But I kind of wish he could. At least ISU is in a great place to transition if it happens to be this year. We will be ok.
I don't see this ever having a happy ending. Bill won't someday ride off into the sunset on top with a loaded roster and setup ISU to hire a predecessor like Johnny Orr did (under pressure but Orr still did it) unless we hire Billy. Since hiring Billy ain't gonna happen the best we can hope for is something between a happy ending and a terrible one but guessing we have a near decade or so before whatever happens does occur.
Wild Bill was an awesome fan. I was disappointed when he quit coming to games.
What was the story on that? I remember some sort of falling out but can’t recall the circumstances.
Feb 17, 2009
O.K. Sorry I apparently started a brouhaha by saying I was retiring from the ISU Women’s basketball scene. And yes it is economics, coupled with approaching 70 years old and that it really is a demanding task each game to lead the crowd. It requires year round training. (Three days/week of 730 sit-ups, 120 push-ups, some chin-ups, pull-ups, numerous stretching exercises and run 2-3 miles depending on the weather.) Ask Justin Dodge, my replacement, how easy it is. He told me he went home and crashed after covering for me at the Vanderbilt game. And he’s a "young pup" yet."
The Hawaii trip was planned and paid for last spring at the urging of friends who knew I had been promising my wife for 46 years to take her to Hawaii and show her my "old haunts" from being stationed there at as Schofield Barracks. Since this is the 50th anniversary of my being assigned there it seemed like a logical time to go (if we were ever going to be able to) and tie the reminiscences in with some good old ISU Women’s basketball. Used credit card points for the flight and hit the piggy bank for the rest. Had a great time, but it dawned on me while there that we can no longer manage that kind of expense (and that of Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournaments), if we are to make a move into the retirement community we have chosen. So on returning from Hawaii I canceled my request for tickets to the Big 12 Tourney and decided this would be the last season. It seemed logical to finish the season since the tickets were already paid for.
As for all the rumors about the Hawaii trip, yes Rich Fellingham did throw a tantrum at me for being too loud and spoiling his broadcast. But that’s O.K. Rich and I are long time friends and we can interact with each other that way. Yes Callie had to tell me to pipe down or we would get a technical. That’s her job and she had to do it. We were already over 20 points behind and the referees were going to make certain Stanford had every advantage, so they thought they could take me out of the mix. (Not that I could make any difference.) But I never give up on the team during a game, and gave it my best shot all the way. A technical on the crowd at that point would not have cost us the game. You might remember that Stanford with a 36 point lead took a shot with 3 seconds left to win by 38 – poor class by an otherwise great team – so I felt justified in supporting our valiant players to the end. I still feel it is inappropriate for referees to tell the crowd to quiet down when no profanity or harassment is being directed at them. Most Big 12 refs recognize me as a loyal supportive fan, if not a bit loud, and wouldn’t think of telling one person in a huge crowd of 200 people to quiet down. But that happened and it’s over.
Used to think I would be doing this into my 90’s, but it’s not in the cards. Got to lay back and give it a rest and focus my energy and money on some other things. Also, no problem with Jamie Pollard other than that he fired the most positive football coach in existence to bring in a bad choice. Delighted to have Paul Rhoads on board, but still miss Mr. Positive Enthusiasm Dan McCarney.
I don’t expect the athletic department to "provide me seats." They are not a charity organization and they need to keep the thing afloat financially. Nor am I a charity case. So weep not for me. I (we) had a great quarter of a century run. I have loved all three coaches and their staffs during that time and of course the players. That’s what it’s all about – the best darn people in the world are Iowa State Women athletes and especially the BB players we’ve known over the years. God Bless them, and the rest of you fanatics keep on supporting them. Hilton HAS to be the toughest place for visitors to play in in the country, and we can do it with class and humongously great noise and support for the Cyclones. Keep it up. See you at three more games. Then I deserve to retire with honor. Thanks to all of you for your good thoughts. WYLD Bill
O.K. Sorry I apparently started a brouhaha by saying I was retiring from the ISU Women’s basketball scene. And yes it is economics, coupled with approaching 70 years old and that it really is a demanding task each game to lead the crowd. It requires year round training. (Three days/week of 730 sit-ups, 120 push-ups, some chin-ups, pull-ups, numerous stretching exercises and run 2-3 miles depending on the weather.) Ask Justin Dodge, my replacement, how easy it is. He told me he went home and crashed after covering for me at the Vanderbilt game. And he’s a "young pup" yet."
The Hawaii trip was planned and paid for last spring at the urging of friends who knew I had been promising my wife for 46 years to take her to Hawaii and show her my "old haunts" from being stationed there at as Schofield Barracks. Since this is the 50th anniversary of my being assigned there it seemed like a logical time to go (if we were ever going to be able to) and tie the reminiscences in with some good old ISU Women’s basketball. Used credit card points for the flight and hit the piggy bank for the rest. Had a great time, but it dawned on me while there that we can no longer manage that kind of expense (and that of Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournaments), if we are to make a move into the retirement community we have chosen. So on returning from Hawaii I canceled my request for tickets to the Big 12 Tourney and decided this would be the last season. It seemed logical to finish the season since the tickets were already paid for.
As for all the rumors about the Hawaii trip, yes Rich Fellingham did throw a tantrum at me for being too loud and spoiling his broadcast. But that’s O.K. Rich and I are long time friends and we can interact with each other that way. Yes Callie had to tell me to pipe down or we would get a technical. That’s her job and she had to do it. We were already over 20 points behind and the referees were going to make certain Stanford had every advantage, so they thought they could take me out of the mix. (Not that I could make any difference.) But I never give up on the team during a game, and gave it my best shot all the way. A technical on the crowd at that point would not have cost us the game. You might remember that Stanford with a 36 point lead took a shot with 3 seconds left to win by 38 – poor class by an otherwise great team – so I felt justified in supporting our valiant players to the end. I still feel it is inappropriate for referees to tell the crowd to quiet down when no profanity or harassment is being directed at them. Most Big 12 refs recognize me as a loyal supportive fan, if not a bit loud, and wouldn’t think of telling one person in a huge crowd of 200 people to quiet down. But that happened and it’s over.
Used to think I would be doing this into my 90’s, but it’s not in the cards. Got to lay back and give it a rest and focus my energy and money on some other things. Also, no problem with Jamie Pollard other than that he fired the most positive football coach in existence to bring in a bad choice. Delighted to have Paul Rhoads on board, but still miss Mr. Positive Enthusiasm Dan McCarney.
I don’t expect the athletic department to "provide me seats." They are not a charity organization and they need to keep the thing afloat financially. Nor am I a charity case. So weep not for me. I (we) had a great quarter of a century run. I have loved all three coaches and their staffs during that time and of course the players. That’s what it’s all about – the best darn people in the world are Iowa State Women athletes and especially the BB players we’ve known over the years. God Bless them, and the rest of you fanatics keep on supporting them. Hilton HAS to be the toughest place for visitors to play in in the country, and we can do it with class and humongously great noise and support for the Cyclones. Keep it up. See you at three more games. Then I deserve to retire with honor. Thanks to all of you for your good thoughts. WYLD Bill
What I imagine, not having met any of the people involved personally, is Billy and Lyndsey taking a mid level program and being a coaching couple, when the kids get old enough for that to be practical. And then Will will be the first 15 year old assistant coach in NCAA history
JP probably has the best perspective if Billy would be a great choice based on Billy's leadership, organization, recruiting, etc.
Personally, if Bill wanted Billy to be his successor it would have been best for Billy to become a head coach elsewhere to develop his own W/L history. ISU will have its pick of some very successful head coaches if the job does open up.
