There’s quitting your job–and then there is REALLY quitting your job–as in making sure that everyone you are leaving behind knows how much you hated working with them. Bill Johnson–the radio play-by-play man for UW-Milwaukee Basketball–REALLY quit his job last week. And in doing so put the entire UWM Athletic Department Staff on “full roast”. Here is Johnson’s resignation notice from his Instagram account:
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!
UW-Milwaukee has been silent on Johnson’s resignation so far. It’s entirely possible that Athletic Director Amanda Braun has never even spoken to him–just like she hardly ever spoke with former Men’s Basketball Head Rob Jeter–even when she made the unilateral decision that a 20-win season didn’t deserve any post-season tournament play–even though the Panthers were going to get an invite. And maybe Braun was waiting for a text message from Johnson saying that he had quit–just like she sent a text message to the UWM players directing them to check their emails for the official statement from the Athletic Department announcing their coach had been fired. No need to have messy face-to-face meeting with people to explain why such a major decision had been made. Or maybe Braun was waiting for the Chancellor Mark Mone to over-rule Johnson’s resignation–like he over-ruled Braun’s first choice to replace Jeter–TJ Otzelberger (who is white)–and hire LaVall Jordan (who is African-American) because the University had been under fire for not having enough diversity in its Athletic Department.
Anyway, thanks, Bill Johnson for setting an impossibly high bar now to clear when it comes to telling off your bosses.
