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Wanless Announces Retirement

SDHornet 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.
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I whole-heartily agree! Obviously nothing is moving forward with the current administration, so get someone who is more market saavy and keep Macriss as the deputy who keeps things in line.

Should they go after an academic (PhD like Wanless, McElroy) or a public figure who can strike positive emotions in alumni (Volek, Hornet Athletic Club member, Grant napear,jk)?

I wish Wanless well, he was the best AD Sac State has ever had and really moved the department forward on many fronts, just not in football, basketball or facilities.
 
SDHornet said:
Oldhornet23 said:
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
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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.

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.
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If the salary is not increased, CSU, San Bernardino's Hatcher is the way to go. CSUSB sponsors DII so, Hatcher probably makes as much as Marciss. Also, he understands the importance facilities. CSUSB's Coussoulis Arena is a 5000 seat capacity venue which houses their basketball and volleyball. Most BW and WCC programs would be jealous of Coussoulis Arena. It has also hosted WWE events and CBS Sports has televised some of their MBB games.
 
The students being unable to fund the events center is key. Hundreds of colleges successfully do this across the nation, we have good student pride, so I think this showed a lack of leadership by campus leaders, and an inability of campus leaders to nurture the student leaders of this plan / fee / bond. Maybe the AD wasn't up to the task.

This campus article (see below) only said that a new event center would increase student fees $250. It didn't say what the event center would seat, if this $250 was a yearly increase (that's my guess), etc.

This $250 seems high. $250 x 25,000 undergrads x 30 years = $187.5 Million.

It seems like their questionnaire and the pitch / marketing were all off.

http://www.statehornet.com/news/sacramento-state-remains-without-arena-despite-recent-initiatives/article_cd3649c2-aef2-11e3-9692-001a4bcf6878.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
The students already agreed to fund the event center via the 2004 referendum. My understanding is a significant portion of the event center funding needs to come from private donors and that coupled with the student fee will fund the construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the facility. That is what I recall while I was a student and that is why I voted for it in 2004. The most recent push identified that $45M in private funds was needed before the student fee increase was going to be implemented. No private monies, no student fee increase. Certainly a competent and capable AD can help with getting the event center built, and that is what is at stake here.
 
Wanless revealed the news during an emotional staff luncheon that included many of the coaches and staff members he has hired during his 12-year tenure at the school.

Wanless, 66, insisted his decision to step down has nothing do with the departure last month of football coach Marshall Sperbeck after an internal investigation of possible NCAA violations.

“Marshall and I are very good friends,” Wanless said. “But, no, it didn’t motivate me to make this choice, (nor was I) driven by that. Things happen in our business that are unsettling.

“It’s just time. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while. I’ll be 67 next month. I’ve been here 12 years. I felt we had a great run, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but I have six grandkids, and I want to be more a part of their lives.”

Deputy athletic director Bill Macriss will become the interim athletic director as the university develops a transition plan.
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Sac State athletics also recently posted its highest graduation rates in the Division I era.

Wanless said he is most proud of helping expand the number of fifth-year scholarships for athletes.

“We’ve had 136 out of 138 kids in that program complete their educations,” Wanless said. “By the nature of our level of competition, we don’t get athletes who are going to make a living playing professional sports. So it’s important for us to see that they get their degrees.”

Under Wanless, programs such as football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball have developed higher profiles.
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http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/15/6409732/sacramento-state-athletic-director.html
 
Make that 57 conference titles in the 12 yrs with Dr. Wanless as AD with the Hornets winning the WAC baseball reg. season title today.
 
I'm crossing my fingers that Gonzo finds an AD with a background that includes football success and building new facilities. Though, I we can get an AD with just one of those qualifications, I'd be happy.
 
Green Cookie Monster said:
SDHornet said:
I wish Wanless well, he was the best AD Sac State has ever had and really moved the department forward on many fronts, just not in football, basketball or facilities.
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No way. He was actually among the WORST, if one factors in all the bait-and-switch crap he pulled in cahoots with the main school admin.

I'd actually give THAT nod to Debby Colberg or Don Fuoss....
 
Super Hornet said:
Green Cookie Monster said:
SDHornet said:
I wish Wanless well, he was the best AD Sac State has ever had and really moved the department forward on many fronts, just not in football, basketball or facilities.
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No way. He was actually among the WORST, if one factors in all the bait-and-switch crap he pulled in cahoots with the main school admin.

I'd actually give THAT nod to Debby Colberg or Don Fuoss....
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Debby Colberg? Great volleyball coach but what exactly did she accomplish as AD?

Don Fuoss, great guy I took a coaching class from him. I don't remember him as AD, fill us in.
 
I'm not sure of the dates, but I think Coach Fuoss was AD sometime during the '70s. He DID write what I consider to be the Bible of coaching quarterbacks, though a lot of what he said in it would be laughed out of the room today as "passé" (like making an offensive weapon of the quick kick). Of course, a lot of MY play-calling is antediluvian, as well, so I get along great with him.
 
If he hadn't already passed, I would have suggested Dr. Lloyd Snelson. Now, THERE's a Hornet's Hornet. I miss seeing that guy at practice and games....
 
Seeing as Bill Macriss was the long time Deputy AD under Wanless and is now the “interim” AD, my guess is that Gonzo takes the easy way out and the interim tag is just a formality. This may or may not be a bad thing (if that actually happens, time will tell), but seeing as the athletics budget is near the $20M mark, it’s hard to comprehend why a national search is not conducted and the best candidate is not hired.

Macriss bio: http://www.hornetsports.com/informa...bill?tmpl=/information/directory/bio-template
 
I would be perfectly fine with removing the interim tag. Bill Macris is a solid guy, is loyal to the Hornets, and has some big ideas that I think people will support.
 
I love Macriss, and I know he'll do a wonderful job if he's selected. But I'm still holding out hope for Big Cat. AD experience, plus it's a perfect fundraising position for him, something he's very good at.
 
Macriss might be a solid deputy but if he was going to move the world surely he would have done something while in his tenure here? We need a strong leader who will panhandle the city's bigwigs and business owners for monetary donations to assist in facility replacement/enhancement and long-term conference membership.

Having another state-groomed beaurecrat pushing buttons for twenty years isn't what is needed. We need a person outside of the CSU and carries a successful track record of fundraising and running a business.

When is KJ's term up? I think he would be a great ambassador/AD in getting something, anything moving forward. Look at what he did with the kings circus.
 
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