Feedback Loops

During my time in business school, there was a lot of discussion about feedback loops, both positive and negative, and how they can effect your organization. A manager must be willing to examine every part of his organization and operation to maximize the areas of strength and fix the areas that need repair.

Good managers do this well and it is part of their success. Bad managers ignore weaknesses they are uncomfortable changing, or strike too close to home, and those weaknesses are a drag on the company.

Which brings me to Bill Fennely. I attended dozens of women's basketball games at Iowa State before his tenure, and his program is light years ahead of his predecessors. I assume a program with continued success closely examines everything it does and changes any part that isn't working: an in-bounds play that fails to work, a bad defense against an opposing star, poor match-ups between players, how well an assistant breaks down tape or recruits, and on and on and on. Fix the problems or find a new gig, sometimes out of basketball.

Fennely's public reaction to a racial discrimination suit by a former player gives me pause, however. The "I've done nothing wrong" stance may be a smart legal strategy, and will play well to supporters, but I hope it is not the official line behind closed doors.

Fennely has an opportunity to improve as a coach, as the people around him will be most open at this exact moment. He needs to reach out to as many former players and staff as possible and ask "How can I not cause this level of rancor with a player in the future?". The solution isn't to abandon his coaching style completely and try to be a "player's coach", but I suspect it is in dialing back what he does with individual players a few degrees. Deliver criticism succinctly, and then move on. Demand what you have always demanded, but with a bit more restraint in the delivery.

If an assistant coach was being sued, that assistant would be expected to change or would be dismissed. For a program to be healthy and succeed, the same must be asked of the head coach too.

Non-Story Story

There are two ingredients for the "Bill to Wisconsin" Non-Story to emerge: Success and Status.

Bill definitely has the success. And Wisconsin views its coaching job as a step up, even though it hasn't been to the NCAA Tourney '02. This was probably a reporter or blogger putting his/her finger in the air and saying "Here's a list of coaches UW could probably poach from some school that's beneath us" and Bill was on the list.

Now, Wisconsin would be stupid not to call and gauge interest. And Bill would be stupid not to listen. UW is a better job for two reasons: he may be able to wrangle a bigger paycheck and its a much easier place to win because of the Big 10/11/12.

According to Real Time RPI, The Big 10 ended the year with 4 teams int he top 50. The Big 12 had 7, with 4 in the Top 25. While this may have been a down year for the B10, I suspect it was a typical year in the B12. Life would be easier in Madison.

But I suspect Bill is happy in Ames. Expectations are reasonable. Fan support is crazy. He may not be interested in another rebuild. Sometimes when things fit, you don't mess with it.

Peter

Final WBB Thoughts

I noticed last fall that BF had rolled out a pretty aggressive schedule (at Stanford, Vandy at home), and took it as a sign that he thought his ladies might have some game in them, and they should be tested.

Looks like he was right.

I now very curious what next season's schedule will look like.

Nice run. Nobody, and I mean nobody, does more with less than Bill.

Peter

Missing Bits

Late in the loss against KU ESPN played highlights of ISU's last win over the Jayhawks, and it became very apparrent what was missing in today's loss: stady play at the point and outside shooting.

Self used on of BF's favorite tricks: let the opponent's best palyer shoot at will, but lock up everyone else. The odds say one player can't win it by themselves, but two can.

Game over.

Our Cyclones played hard, and defended well- KU just couldn't miss. Every turnover turned into a dunk, and that was the difference. More learnin' to do.

Peterclone

Random Thought

I can't wait to hear BF's take on the Chizick fiasco during next summer's coaches tour. That should be worth ten minutes by itself.

Peterclone