Bo Ryan retires

Holding press conference on Big Ten Network right now.

 

Is there any chance this isn't health related, or his he pulling a Spurrier?

 

They're six and five. I'm sure anyone would feel healthier at 10-1.

 

The Marquette loss was not well-received.

But he said a few months ago that this would be his last season, so it's no surprise.

 

Four years ago, I didn't think Jarrod Uthoff would outlast Bo Ryan in Big Ten Basketball.

Ryan is probably stepping away to make sure Gard gets a decent shot at the job.

 

I wonder if Alvarez finally signed off in letting Greg Gard take over for Bo? Bo wanted Gard to succeed him, but there were speculation that Alvarez wasn't down with the move.

The timing, albeit a cliche, was about as weird as you can get with this coming down tonight.

 

Bennett quit in December 2000 after a Final Four appearance and with a weaker team that wasn't as hungry. That insured Soderberg got a shot and he was promptly fired at season's for... Bo Ryan.

Does this mean Gard will coach until March and when one Anthony Bennett will get a call to come home? (Or perhaps Saul Phillips?)

 

I'd guess if Alvarez isn't down with the move, you can bet on Gard getting whacked about 20 seconds after the conclusion of the season.

Nothing against Gard per se but I'd guess Alvarez won't appreciate being maneuvered into a position where he's pressured to keep him.

I'd think if Alvarez was really high on Gard a designated-successor plan would have already been formally put in place.

Wisconsin is a top-division B1G job. They can attract some high-quality prospects.

My bet is there's a health situation for Ryan really driving this.

 

Didn't Ryan a few years ago block a player's transfer to another school?

For that prick move, he should be forced to coach the remainder of this season.

 

Forced. Lol.

 

This is also the third consecutive time a Wisconsin head coach has left either in late summer or in the middle of a season, leaving behind the top assistant coach to take over.

Stan Van Gundy got clipped after one year in 1995. Best thing that could have happened to him. That was also political. Major donor to Kohl Center was withholding $10M if they kept SVG.

Brad Soderberg got clipped in 2001. Every team he took over from that point on also eroded.

Gard just strikes me as a career assistant. Wouldn't he have taken a HC job at some point in the last 15 years otherwise? Even look at Ryan's career. Assistant for 8 years with truly awful Wisconsin teams and then leaves for UW-Platteville for 15 years.

Alvarez will have lots of choices. It's a high BT job that already has a tree of pretty good head coaches and assistant coaches out there - Bennett, Jeter, Phillips, Webster.

 

The muckety-mucks on UVA boards say Bennett has no interest in the job. Could be wishful thinking, of course, but it's what they're saying.

I tend to believe them. (Which, of course, could also be wishful thinking.) For one thing, Papa Bennett left Wisconsin under less-than-great circumstances. For another, Tony's top assistant is Brad Soderberg, who probably isn't exactly singing Wisconsin's praises these days.