Phantom Hornet
Active member
Wanless to retire...whatever this thing was, it did some damage.
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Wanless Announces Retirement
- Thread starter Phantom Hornet
- Start date
Phantom Hornet said:
What do you mean, 'whatever this thing was, it did some damage.'?
Not sure what is happening over there. Not usually good when the whole house is swept away.
SJHornet
Active member
When Sperbeck left in disgrace, I had this suspicion that it wasn't the end of the story.
This is either a time of great turmoil or great opportunity. I'm hoping for the latter, but scared turmoil is just around the corner, and could sweep over the program. We need an AD who can be up to a monumental challenge. He or she will need to significantly raise our profile, build two new major facilities (or radically renovate) and steer us through the crazy impending challenges and changes coming to D1. I'm wondering how our program and university will handle this challenge, and whether we are even able to step up to the plate in this regard. Hopefully I'm over thinking this.
This is either a time of great turmoil or great opportunity. I'm hoping for the latter, but scared turmoil is just around the corner, and could sweep over the program. We need an AD who can be up to a monumental challenge. He or she will need to significantly raise our profile, build two new major facilities (or radically renovate) and steer us through the crazy impending challenges and changes coming to D1. I'm wondering how our program and university will handle this challenge, and whether we are even able to step up to the plate in this regard. Hopefully I'm over thinking this.
Good time to retire. He seemed to be in cruise control the past few years so a complete changing of the guard from the VP all the way down to AD and associate AD is welcomed. No better time to make changes as a new VP will be overseeing athletics this summer/fall.
To Wanless’ credit, Hornet athletics have never been in better shape both on and off the field/court. Had he delivered on the event center and a few other facility upgrades, I think his legacy here would have been exceptional.
As far as how the recent accusations letter played into this, who knows. We would have seen more press in the Bee and local news by now if there were some major issues. The Bee has no reason to hold back anything that would burry this department as they barely cover Hornet athletics and probably make very little (if any) money in doing so. I just don’t see how the Bee has anything to gain in withholding major violations spelled out in that letter.
Now onto wish list for who should take over, I say steal Bako’s AD Jeff Konya. The job he has been doing in Bako’s transition to D1 and the way he handled them while they were in Indy hell was very good.
http://www.gorunners.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=13300&ATCLID=205337175
To Wanless’ credit, Hornet athletics have never been in better shape both on and off the field/court. Had he delivered on the event center and a few other facility upgrades, I think his legacy here would have been exceptional.
As far as how the recent accusations letter played into this, who knows. We would have seen more press in the Bee and local news by now if there were some major issues. The Bee has no reason to hold back anything that would burry this department as they barely cover Hornet athletics and probably make very little (if any) money in doing so. I just don’t see how the Bee has anything to gain in withholding major violations spelled out in that letter.
Now onto wish list for who should take over, I say steal Bako’s AD Jeff Konya. The job he has been doing in Bako’s transition to D1 and the way he handled them while they were in Indy hell was very good.
http://www.gorunners.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=13300&ATCLID=205337175
Phantom Hornet
Active member
I mean whatever this thing is that caused Sperbeck to quit and now Wanless to retire has caused some damage.
aggie6thman1
Active member
SJHornet said:
I think the road is going to get a little bit more difficult at least in the short term. Whatever caused Sperbeck to go obviously was big enough to bring down Wanless as well. The AD hire is going to be huge and whoever is hired will set the tone and direction for the department. I hope for your sake (and a little bit for ours) that the AD is a strong hire to put you on the right path!
frankiecarbone
New member
Losing Konya to Sacramento State would be a huge blow for Bakersfield.
He's done so much at CSUB in a short amount of time including getting them into a conference after they wandered aimlessly for years as an independent. They might as well close the doors and go back to Division II if he goes to Sacramento State.
I follow the WAC closely and post on the WAC scout message board quite a bit as I follow the Roadrunners. He's got a lot of fans.
The previous post was right though, that would be a solid hire but crushing for Bakersfield
He's done so much at CSUB in a short amount of time including getting them into a conference after they wandered aimlessly for years as an independent. They might as well close the doors and go back to Division II if he goes to Sacramento State.
I follow the WAC closely and post on the WAC scout message board quite a bit as I follow the Roadrunners. He's got a lot of fans.
The previous post was right though, that would be a solid hire but crushing for Bakersfield
superhornet
Active member
I hereby nominate Big Cat....
OldSchoolHornet
Active member
I tried to tell you it was bigger than a few minor violations but SDH, the genius, thinks he knows better.
He obviously doesn't. :lol:
He obviously doesn't. :lol:
GoldenEagleHornet
Active member
OldSchoolHornet said:
Dude get over yourself.
EarleHornet
Active member
OldSchoolHornet said:
"Bigger than a few minor violations?" Didn't the Sac Bee receive a copy of this letter also? I would think if it was anything more than minor violations, the Sac Bee would be all over this with multiple articles.
Maybe it's just me, but in viewing the Sperbeck thread and all the comments with a little common sense, we ought to be able to figure out who's behind this, and why.
Read between the lines guys.
Full disclosure: I am a huge Sperbeck fan. Wish I could have seen him continue building momentum and see how far he could have taken this program.
GoldenEagleHornet
Active member
CSUB's AD should definitely be looked at. Along with Konya, CSUSB's and CSULB's ADs ought to be looked at too.
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http://www.longbeachstate.com/genrel/cegles_vic00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Green Laser
Active member
OldSchoolHornet said:
I doubt Sperbeck's resignation, possible NCAA violations etc. had a direct part in this. First if there was anything really substantial regarding the NCAA we would have heard about it by now. Second Dr. Wanless is at retirement age and has expressed interest in the past about moving back to the Midwest to be closer to his kids/ grand kids.
What about that don't you understand? I think any rational person has to recognize Dr. Wanless' contributions
to our program. The 56 championships, the greatly improved academics, good hires etc. are a positive if you want to admit it or not. Thanks for a good job and a happy healthy retirement Dr. Wanless! In my many years following the Hornets Dr. Wanless is by far the best, most thoughtful and most professional athletic director that we've had.
EarleHornet
Active member
Kadeezy said:
A disgruntled former employee??? That would make too much sense. :thumb:
Might backfire though, over the years I always hear about when a new AD comes in, the new AD usually has his own guy to fill a vacancy. Oops!
Oldhornet23
Active member
He was at retiring age, good luck to him. Do not be surprised if Bill Macriss gets promoted. He turned down two AD jobs this spring, now we know why
Green Laser said:
Apparently Wanless has been building a retirement home in Lexington, KY.
So this decision was not based entirely on recent developments. He will be living like a king on a California pension in Hollerville.
Per the Bee database for 2013: Wanless made $153K, Macriss made $80.6K, Konya (Bako AD) made $165K, and Cegles (LBSU AD) made $192K. The AD salary needs to get a lot closer to the $200K mark if we want to bring in someone that will move the department forward.Oldhornet23 said:
Marciss would be the “safe” hire and would have deep knowledge of the department and its programs. He would also probably take the lower pay that Wanless was getting in comparison to his peers. Personally I want someone to come in that will kick ass and take names and who wouldn’t potentially be hindered in determining what changes need to be made because he worked with so and so for X years. Maybe Marciss would be a “mover and shaker” but he will have the stigma of “new boss, same as the old boss” until proven otherwise.
I see this as an opportunity to get the fans/alums/boosters behind a largely ignored athletics department. With the right hire, that problem might finally be addressed. Hard to see how going with the “safe” hire would get potential supporters excited for Hornet athletics.
