Bill Johnson, who has been the radio play-by-play guy for UW-Milwaukee basketball for the past 16 seasons, announced on Instagram last night that he was retiring. Accompanying his announcement was a blistering broadside against the UW-Milwaukee athletic department, calling department executives “a talentless group of entitled beaurocrats [sic]” and athletic director Amanda Braun “a bad AD, and a deplorable human being.”
Here is his full incendiary comment:
To quote Groucho Marx “Hello, I must be going!” Before the decision is made for me, I am officially announcing my retirement as the voice of Milwaukee Panthers Men’s basketball. I would say it’s taking the last life boat off the Titanic, but that would be unfair to the crew of the Titanic.
Never have so many competant [sic], talented people been run off by such a talentless group of entitled beaurocrats [sic]. No matter how much the coaches, players, and support staff care, they can’t overcome incompetent administrators.
UWM leads the world in incompetent administrators.
I criticize awful athletic directors like Koonce, Costello, Geiger, and Braun. It’s not their fault. Hell, if they elected me President I’ld take the job. If I suck at it, it’s not my fault. I’m not qualified to be President.
Should Amanda Braun turn down an AD job just because she’s horribly under qualified? Hell no. She’s a bad AD, and a deplorable human being, but those are the cards she’s been dealt.
Those in charge of the UW System have failed to hire effective administrators. Failed. F F F F!
It has been my pleasure to work with the wonderful players and coaches for 17 seasons. The players, coaches, parents and the fans have been like my family.
I will miss Panther hoops the rest of my life. Best of luck to my friends that are still imprisoned at UWM Athletics. Fight on, brothers (and sisters.) Keep your heads low and make us proud.
Finally, best of luck to LaVall Jordan, his staff, and the players. As so often happens in the NCAA, it’s not your fault. Win and get out quick, because long term is fatal at UWM Athletics.
Panther Nation, it has been my pleasure.Cheers!
The last month has been a disaster for UW-Milwaukee basketball, which is where both Bo Ryan and Bruce Pearl cut their teeth. They finished the season 20-13 and were poised to go to one of the many non-NCAA, non-NIT postseason tournaments, but AD Braun decided it wasn’t in the best interests of the program to go. A week later she fired longtime head coach Rob Jeter, and informed the players via a group text message telling them to check their email.
The search for a new coach seems to have been a disaster as well. The school hired Michigan assistant LaVall Jordan, but according to a report both Braun and the search committee wanted to hire Iowa State assistant TJ Otzelberger—and told Otzelberger the job was his—but were overruled at the last minute by UW-Milwaukee chancellor Mark Mone.