Wildhack retiring July 1

[CA Monk]

Not gripping over anyone's retirement, firement or hirement.
My panties remain unbunched.

 

[orange79]

We are not a serious program or university

Why? Because you have already decided what the University will do and who they will hire?

Maybe you should let them know and save all of us a lot of time and angst.

 

[5OutFred]

My panties remain unbunched.

Chris Bunch'd?

 

[MikeSU02]

Scooch addressed this issue

Post in thread 'Sell me on Wildhack'

Dec 23, 2025

One weird thing w JW is The amt of vitriol Simmons has for JW and has allowed jt to be broadcasted is troubling. The narrative is JW was a bad espn exec who got this sweetheart port of call from su

Sounds like mcshay joined in on the anti JW rhetoric too. I’m sure Simmons was a handful but it’s part of the concern .

I was going to abstain from this thread but I can address this.

I like Bill. I like John. I worked with them both.

John was a phenomenal exec and was near-universally liked and respected. Bill was (and is) a tremendous talent who was beloved by his Grantland...

• Scooch

• 
• 

First, I like Simmons content dating back to Page 2, then Grantland and now The Ringer. But man has the JW grudge been something he's kept for a long time at this point. Dang.

Separate from what Bill Simmons thinks, I just don't like that it's a spotlight on this transition coming off the 3-9 football season and the current basketball situation for this year, but also basically for the whole time of JW's tenure here.

Dude is in his late 60s and has been here a while. Figure he may want to go do some fishing or something at this point. Well-earned retirement (or not if he wants to keep jamming, whatever he wants to do). But it's something that unless you really care about it is going to seem shaky and it doesn't help to have Simmons commenting on it in a negative way.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

I don’t think there was a war. I see a history of Simmons being mad at Wildhack for his leadership style, which is pretty common with execs and ‘talent.’ I didn’t find mention of Wildhack having particular beef with Simmons or forcing him out. Certainly possible I missed something. If it was a war, it seems like one of the guys didn’t know about it haha.

ESPN has the disadvantage of being the corporate behemoth that can’t get away with some of the stuff Barstool or independent podcasts can get away with. Just comes with the territory.

What is Wildhack's management style. Laissez faire?

 

[LAorange44]

Why? Because you have already decided what the University will do and who they will hire?

Maybe you should let them know and save all of us a lot of time and angst.

I haven’t decided anything other than fire Red and Heather. Seems to be a major power vacuum and the Board of Trustees hasn’t had the best track record on, to be perfectly honest, anything.

 

[MikeSU02]

Stephen A Smith said JW was the best boss he's ever had.

Ha, of course! He signed him to that contract in like 2014 or 2015 that was the stepping stone to having ESPN basically be SAS TV.

SAS better like him!

 

[IthacaMatt]

I know it’s on the football board too.

Oh, my. That's a surprise.
Well, it's probably a good thing.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'm sure JW in interviews may have indicated he was retiring soon, but publicly announcing retirement may not do any favors for a national search, so I'm wondering if he was waiting until he already had our next HC locked up...

I think he was pushed. No inside info, but this is just weird timing.

 

[Corpi33]

Bill Simmons is the smartest guy in the room…

Just ask him...

 

[Newhouser]

I think he was pushed. No inside info, but this is just weird timing.

Heard he didn't take a call from a guy at JMU during the football search. Wanted a younger candidate.

 

[Brooky03]

What is Wildhack's management style. Laissez faire?

No clue. Simmons thought he was a jerk, I guess.

 

[MikeSU02]

Also, for anyone that wants to hate on Bill Simmons, enjoy:

 

[tipphill]

This is not great timing. Leaves our basketball team in limbo. Who makes decision to fire. Who makes decision on new coach. New coach won’t want to come on with no plan for the AD.

Think this was announced now to find an AD prior to the process of the next basketball coach. But now these are tight timelines.

Some speculation the future AD is already in house, hope that’s not the case.

Wild hack is a BIG LOSS.

 

[Ragman2000]

Hopkins for AD?

 

[tipphill]

Won’t be. We’ve dodged this bullet.

It will be her I believe. Many successful people have been fired

 

[rrlbees]

I think he was pushed. No inside info, but this is just weird timing.

Not at all. He wasn’t pushed.

 

[MSOrange]

First, I like Simmons content dating back to Page 2, then Grantland and now The Ringer. But man has the JW grudge been something he's kept for a long time at this point. Dang.

Separate from what Bill Simmons thinks, I just don't like that it's a spotlight on this transition coming off the 3-9 football season and the current basketball situation for this year, but also basically for the whole time of JW's tenure here.

Dude is in his late 60s and has been here a while. Figure he may want to go do some fishing or something at this point. Well-earned retirement (or not if he wants to keep jamming, whatever he wants to do). But it's something that unless you really care about it is going to seem shaky and it doesn't help to have Simmons commenting on it in a negative way.

Absolutely agree. Simmons has a huge platform, and to be blunt, there's a lot of people like elimunelson who take everything he says as gospel without realizing there might be another side or more to the story. It's publicity I'd rather not have.

 

[richmondcuse03]

Heard he didn't take a call from a guy at JMU during the football search. Wanted a younger candidate.

Not true. He had his eyes set on a different part of the country.

 

[Newhouser]

Not true. He had his eyes set on a different part of the country.

I was kidding.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Most likely going to name an interim AD until a new Chancellor is hired and makes a permanent hire. This is horrible for SU athletics. Especially basketball. Now rudderless for a prolonged period.

Yeah, chaos is not good.
Do you feel like Wildhack was forced out, because this seems like really bad timing? Unless he's just jumping ship. Hard to fathom.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Not at all. He wasn’t pushed.

Well, gee, that's terrible timing on his part.
Talk about bailing on a sinking ship ...

 

[RyanCuse44]

Won’t be. We’ve dodged this bullet.

 

[phil77]

The biggest problem I have with the timing is that it could negatively impact our coaching search. If we haven't hired an AD quickly, a coach might not want to come here, not knowing who their future boss will be. And if the timeline is really July 1st they don't seem to be in a rush to hire a new AD unless they already have one and they are just waiting it out.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Well, gee, that's terrible timing on his part.
Talk about bailing on a sinking ship ...

Yup. Unless the BOT didn't like what he was thinking. Maybe they have their own agenda.