Melissa McFerrin retires immediately....

[DefenseBB]

Memphis WCBB Coach Melissa McFerrin "retires" from coaching effective immediately.

Memphis women's hoops coach McFerrin retires

Memphis women's basketball coach Melissa McFerrin is retiring effective immediately, the school's athletic director announced Sunday.

www.espn.com

The AD read a statement from McFerrin, who had a 193-199 record in 13 years at MSU. Odd that she retired on Feb 14 at the 2/3rd point of the season. Something seems very peculiar with this decision, hence my quotes on "retire" above. I tried searching the Tigers forums but nary a word. I even tried to look for "comments" in the local papers in Memphis for any article comments.

If a coach "retires or resigns" mid-season in good-standing with the school, they usually have their own press release so I find this whole situation suspect. Am I too cynical?

 

[LETTERL]

From the article in the Memphiean...

McFerrin came under fire in 2019 after a Daily Memphian report in which nine former players accused her of fostering an abusive environment. Other former players publicly defended McFerrin. The university commissioned an external investigation, which found a “negative culture and atmosphere surrounding the program.”


But Memphis did not discipline McFerrin, who signed a two-year contract extension in April 2019.


According to a copy of her most recent contract, McFerrin earned a base salary of $232,103.30 plus additional annual compensation of $100,000 for radio, public relations and service responsibilities. Her contract was set to expire April 15, 2021.

I have never coached basketball but for $232,000, I'd be glad to give it a whirl. I have to work almost 6 years at my current job to earn that much!

 

[DefenseBB]

From the article in the Memphiean...

McFerrin came under fire in 2019 after a Daily Memphian report in which nine former players accused her of fostering an abusive environment. Other former players publicly defended McFerrin. The university commissioned an external investigation, which found a “negative culture and atmosphere surrounding the program.”


But Memphis did not discipline McFerrin, who signed a two-year contract extension in April 2019.


According to a copy of her most recent contract, McFerrin earned a base salary of $232,103.30 plus additional annual compensation of $100,000 for radio, public relations and service responsibilities. Her contract was set to expire April 15, 2021.

I have never coached basketball but for $232,000, I'd be glad to give it a whirl. I have to work almost 6 years at my current job to earn that much!

Yes, we were aware of that 2019 situation but what just happened in 2021 that caused her to suddenly retire? If anything, I was hoping Travis Mays of SMU would "retire" now....

 

[CompSci87]

Sounds like spin. Given that her contract was expiring in two months, I imagine the university declined to renew it. Why she left in midseason is unclear, but it doesn't suggest a friendly departure.

 

[Vowelguy]

Sounds like spin. Given that her contract was expiring in two months, I imagine the university declined to renew it. Why she left in midseason is unclear, but it doesn't suggest a friendly departure.

Going on tour with her brother Bobby?

 

[LETTERL]

Going on tour with her brother Bobby?

Not unless he's her brother from another mother!?

 

[JellyBean]

Hopefully it isn't too serious for whatever the reason she retired.

 

[DefenseBB]

Hopefully it isn't too serious for whatever the reason she retired.

Well it’s serious enough that the AD issued a statement that they are changing coaches mid season which only happens for one of two reasons:
1. Health (Matthew Mitchell at Kentucky)
2. Issues within the program be it allegations or poor performance by the coach. “Retiring” is a euphemism for resign gracefully or we announce why you won’t be retained.
Just be transparent in the logic as it all comes out anyway. If it is because her contract is up and they will not renew, that is fine and if McFerrin feels she can’t effectively manage the reminder of the season, state that.

 

[dws3665]

This is speculative, but it seems logical that the settlement/contract extension included a list of 'you better don't' behaviors. Chances are that the program got wind of the continuation of some of those behaviors, and rather than making a public fuss about it, presto: "retirement." No incentive for McFerrin to fight because there was no way she was getting renewed, anyway.

 

[Argonaut]

I have never coached basketball but for $232,000, I'd be glad to give it a whirl. I have to work almost 6 years at my current job to earn that much!

I'm a teacher and I'll never make that much.

But as a former HS basketball player, avid BY reader, and regular critic from the couch -- I, too, am ready to give it a whirl. ?

 

[donalddoowop]

I'm a teacher and I'll never make that much.

But as a former HS basketball player, avid BY reader, an d regular critic from the couch -- I, too, am ready to give it a whirl. ?

With your playing and BY experience, you have a leg up on any other candidate.