Bill possibly retiring?

[Land Shark]

ISU would have great options, our fan support would be extremely attractive to prospective coaches.

I would hope JP doesn’t do the nepotism hire. I can’t think of a single instance of those hires being successful.

Hope Bill goes out on his own terms whenever that is.

If he retired- my list is (in no order of preference)
Billy (say no more)
Jennie B. (has established a nice women's leadership business group in Central Iowa that is important to her- family life is in DSM)
Robin Pingeton- Mizzou and former ISU assistant.

I had always heard that Jan Jensen is next in line at Iowa when Lisa retires- which is not soon.
If Jennie left Drake, solid chance that Coach Pohlman may get a look there opening up a spot of staff for Billy and maybe others

 

[runbikeswim]

There are not a lot of no brainer easy hires in WBB coaching. Look at all the trouble Texas Tech has had with coaching in spite of their tradition and sitting in the middle of a recruiting gold mine. Hell, the Gophers are on their fifth coach since Fennelly started at ISU and the Gopher job SHOULD be a good one. Brenda bailed on them after a single season. Good conference, great fan support and a decent recruiting base (considering the size of the state) and they still struggle after Bortons Final Four. Gophers may have hired their own "Hoiberg" this season but the last 20 years have been a roller coaster compared to ISU (higher highs but lower lows).

LSU is another one that hit the skids and they opened up the check book big time for her. Finding the next Dawn Staley isnt easy.

 

[StClone]

There are not a lot of no brainer easy hires in WBB coaching. Look at all the trouble Texas Tech has had with coaching in spite of their tradition and sitting in the middle of a recruiting gold mine. Hell, the Gophers are on their fifth coach since Fennelly started at ISU and the Gopher job SHOULD be a good one. Brenda bailed on them after a single season. Good conference, great fan support and a decent recruiting base (considering the size of the state) and they still struggle after Bortons Final Four. Gophers may have hired their own "Hoiberg" this season but the last 20 years have been a roller coaster compared to ISU (higher highs but lower lows).

If a women coach got the job that'd be great, but lets get the best we can.

 

[Jnecker4cy]

I hope he is not retiring. He has some good years left. Not really interested in making a list for a job that is not currently open.

We did a little tailgating today before the game with Some ex players, current families and friends. If Bill was thinking of retirement after this year I did not hear any talk or get that vibe from those pretty close to Bill or Billy or Josh.......

 

[StClone]

I hope he is not retiring. He has some good years left. Not really interested in making a list for a job that is not currently open.

We did a little tailgating today before the game with Some ex players, current families and friends. If Bill was thinking of retirement after this year I did not hear any talk or get that vibe from those pretty close to Bill or Billy or Josh.......

But Jamie has one always.

 

[Jnecker4cy]

But Jamie has one always.

I am sure he does, I was more meaning us Message Board Warriors.....

 

[CYdTracked]

Since I don’t know. Why would Billy be a bad hire? Seems to have been on staff a long time, knows the recruiting ground. I mean I honestly don’t know but everyone seems against it.

I have nothing against Billy but I would prefer he get his feet wet as a head coach somewhere else first. ISU is a job that shouldn't have a problem attracting a successful and proven head coach. I wouldn't be mad if Billy took over but I would hope we could at least have a good pool of candidates interested in the job some day that hes not our only choice.

 

[Cyched]

Geno or bust

 

[Remo Gaggi]

I hope Bill doesn't retire yet but I've always said when he does Pollard has to at least call Brenda Frese as she would be a great hire and has ISU ties. She probably would decline as she has a good thing going at Maryland but that is a call you have to make. I think Jenny B. at Drake probably will hold out to replace Bluder at her ala mater Iowa some day.

Open up the checkbook and get Brenda Freese signed to a long term contract as soon as possible. Thanks for everything Bill!

 

[ruxCYtable]

Hell, the Gophers are on their fifth coach since Fennelly started at ISU and the Gopher job SHOULD be a good one. Brenda bailed on them after a single season.

She bailed because they were in major trouble with the NCAA.

 

[mwwbbfan]

She bailed because they were in major trouble with the NCAA.

She bailed because there is a much more fertile recruiting ground on the east coast - she has publicly said that. It lead to her winning a National Championship.

 

[ruxCYtable]

She bailed because there is a much more fertile recruiting ground on the east coast - she has publicly said that. It lead to her winning a National Championship.

I'm sure that's true. But Minnesota women's basketball was facing the death penalty and the administration had misled her about the severity of the violations. Certainly it was a major factor in her decision.

 

[clone52]

Because so many people on this board hate Bill (for whatever reason) that they can't fathom the possibility of Billy being the coach.

I love Bill Fennelly and Billy might be the best man for the job.
Does Billy have any head coaching experience?
How would the fan base react if Pollard hired some other candidate with zero head coaching experience?

 

[Tre4ISU]

People need to realize he just lost a game they expected to win in an incredibly frustrating fashion (missed shots they normally make) and he's going to send off the best player he's ever coached. He's talked all year about how he loved coaching these kids and he loved this team and how they played. Let's just let some things settle in a little bit.

 

[BoxsterCy]

She bailed because there is a much more fertile recruiting ground on the east coast - she has publicly said that. It lead to her winning a National Championship.

This. Although she did do as good as you can in one year at Minnesota. Took Gophers to 2nd place in Big 10 after Littlejohn had them 1 -15 and in 10th place one year earlier. Borton took them to the Final Four 2 years later. She's still viewed as a miracle worker here because of that turnaround. She's also still viewed as a Lou Holtz for bailing even faster on the Gophers than Lou did.

Not sure why so many seem to think that everyone who was born in Iowa is pining to return at some point. Why not her alma mater, Arizona, the weathers certainly nicer!

 

[mitten1975]

I expect him to stay and don't see why he shouldn't. He shouldn't take this loss any more seriously than we need to improve.

 

[BoxsterCy]

People need to realize he just lost a game they expected to win in an incredibly frustrating fashion (missed shots they normally make) and he's going to send off the best player he's ever coached. He's talked all year about how he loved coaching these kids and he loved this team and how they played. Let's just let some things settle in a little bit.

Look I don't think he's going anywhere at all but he's the one seemingly eluding to it so it is a legit thread. Plus it's been pretty respectful here with nobody throwing the staff and players under the bus like in the MBB threads. And agree it is likely just disappointment that this ended this way. He might never see such an easy path to the Sweet Sixteen again. I don't even much like the guy anymore but I'm not going to diss him after a 2nd place Big 12 finish or suggest someone could do better at this point.

 

[IlliniCy]

I’ve heard Fred is looking for a job.....

Those gals would be mesmerized by Dreamy and nothing he coached would be absorbed.

 

[savepolarbears]

Isn't Billy the sort-of next in command?

Funny people say that when Jody is obviously next in line. Women are invisible, even in women's basketball? I hope they all stay on a few more years. Hire someone with a psychology background though, they can't shoot under all the pressure they feel.

 

[runbikeswim]

Funny people say that when Jody is obviously next in line. Women are invisible, even in women's basketball? I hope they all stay on a few more years. Hire someone with a psychology background though, they can't shoot under all the pressure they feel.

Jodi is the associate head coach, yet we have been told by those that know the administration that Bill has been pitching Billy being the head coach and he and Jodi and Latoya stay on as the assistants until Billy.