Wisconsin vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Postgame Quotes
(Bo Ryan Retirement Announcement) | Dec. 15, 2015
Madison, Wis. | Kohl Center

Head Coach Bo Ryan:
"In case you're wondering, if I spent a lot of time getting here, talking to the guys about the game. What I talked to the guys about is something I've been trying to do for six months. Bear with me here, because it obviously is not easy. Barry and I talked in April. I told him what I was planning on doing, he said, 'Don't decide now. This is not the time.' He went through it, so I figure I'm one of the luckiest people in a coaching position, to know somebody who has gone through the same thing. Also, Tom Davis, you guys remember he always said, when we would talk about coaching, 'Don't ever make a decision right after the season.' So when the time came in June and people were circulating the rumors that I was retiring and it was like, 'Hey this is what I heard, this is what I heard.' In this day and age, who stops that?

So in May, after our '99 banquet to put that team into the Hall of Fame down at Plattville, Glen Gard's behavior changed. You all know what happened, everybody knows, it's no secret. Every head coach would like their top assistant to be the coach. There is no way in the world in June while Coach Gard was flying around the country to the best cancer people in the country and probably in the world and trying to figure out how to do something to help his dad. Therefore, we put that on the back burner, retiring. I talked to Barry after, because we didn't know how long Glen was going to be with us. As you know, he passed away. Barry and I have been talking, 'What's a good time?' What we came down to was semester. This is semester. We start finals, and I wanted to give Coach Gard plenty of time to get the guys ready and to get him into the position where as a head coach he has a chance, as every former head coach for their top assistant says, to take a run at the job. That's the way this business is, and we accept it. Coach Gard will have that chance.

But here's what I told the players, and please don't ever get confused. I got six months with this group because of the circumstances. That's a joy, but I knew. I know the energy level, Barry knew the energy level in football. The things, the demands of the time, the speaking, the traveling, the trying to do things to help other people. I enjoy doing it, and the thing was, I felt it was time but I couldn't make the decision at that time. I don't know any coaches that have ever had the opportunity to have an AD and administration that understand and respects that. It was extremely hard telling the players, as you can imagine. Can't put that into words. I had written stuff down, but I can't do that. I gotta tell you how I feel.

I don't know what it will be like. I told Coach Gard, I'd be a voluntary assistant and help out kind of like Otto does and he said, 'No coach, you'd just get in the way.' He really didn't say that but our staff, what a staff, unbelievable. Our fans, our students, our boosters. I've said it thousands of times, we've got the best. This isn't to make up for all the times I've disagreed with the audience, but you guys have been really good at showing what Wisconsin basketball is. 

We talked about different ways of doing this and time-wise, I know how things get out and how people talk so if anything if we had planned something, you know that it would have happened that way. So this way, we finish out the last game of the semester. 

It's so emotional right now, I'm trying to hold this together and I'll tell you, I've still got some people that I have to talk to from the staff that I couldn't get to because I didn't want to say anything before the game. So please understand that this is going to take a little time. I just ask you to understand that. When you've been doing something for forty-some years, but hey, I knew it would come. We can't always do it the way we like, but Greg is ready, the staff is ready, all the way through, and I feel really good about that. His record as an assistant coach, I told the team that there are people that have received head coaching jobs who were assistants at places, without anywhere near the record that he has. Not even close. I won't name those people for you, I think you get the idea. There's nobody more prepared than him.

I just know that they'll respond. We've got good people. So in all fairness, so I can get to these other people. Coach (Alvarez) if you and Greg, if you wanted to come up here. But I've got to get to these other people. I thought that was better than reading something. I'll have to thank the boosters and everybody, the alumni. I'm sure I'll have more to say later but, it's very difficult, extremely difficult. But if you guys have something you want to ask of them, please do, and I'll see you down the road."

Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez:
"First of all I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of the people. All of our fans, all of the alumni. I appreciate the job that Bo has done. He's put our basketball program on the map, he's done it in a class way. There comes a time when you have to step down and I had to do that myself. I think he tried to do it the right way. It was very difficult, there were some difficult situations but I appreciate how he handled it. 

His record speaks for himself, he's a legend, he's a Hall of Famer. He's won his way at every level, and he brought that style of basketball here and won here at this level and we can't thank him enough for what he's done. He leaves our basketball program in great shape. 

I feel very good about Greg taking the job on an interim basis. We had a good visit with the team, Greg had a good visit with the team right after the game. I'm sure they'll move forward. I shared with them the same thing I've shared with two football teams in the last three years. Don't be afraid of change. You'll have change the rest of your life. Embrace change. You grow from change. Take what you learn from Coach Ryan, and embrace the new coaches. Embrace Coach Gard. Take what he gives you and run with it and reach your potential. 

These are never easy days, but they're exciting days. It's sad when a coach of the magnitude of Bo steps down, it's a sad day. It's really a day to celebrate his accomplishments. It's also a day to celebrate an opportunity for an outstanding young coach to take the bull by the horns and the baton has been passed. I'm excited for him."

On if Greg Gard is the new head coach and when did Coach Ryan approach him about the timing:
"You're correct. This is Bo's last game. Greg will take the team from now on. Bo's been pointing toward the semester. We talked earlier this week about this being the last game prior to the end of the semester, so it wasn't a surprise to me. This has been an ongoing situation. Bo gave me a chronology earlier and that's the way that it went down."

On if this is a try-out for second semester and if he'll conduct a national search:
"That's part of my job. Greg is the interim coach. I'll evaluate how he works with the team, how they improve, and where they are and then make a decision at the end of the year as to what we will do to move forward."

Interim Head Coach Greg Gard:
"First of all I'd like to thank Coach Ryan for an unbelievable opportunity. I remember being pulled into his office 23 years ago as a 22-year old college student and he made it real clear and simple, 'Greg, that's enough of that high school stuff, you need to be with me.' 

At that point in time, 23 years later, I would've never dreamed that we would've had the ride that we've had. Platteville… three national championships. Rebuilding the Milwaukee program. Then coming to your own home state's institution, the flagship school in your home state, and to be able to continue to build the program to where it is and the tradition and the pride that's involved with this program. For the opportunities that he's given me and afforded me along the way, I'll forever be grateful for that and for him. 

Obviously, also all the players along the way at all three institutions and the players here. As Coach Alvarez mentioned after the game, how they responded. We're not here as coaches if it's not for the players and the students. Those are first and always have been with me. Those guys are extremely important in the locker room and I know that they will definitely rally around this. 

It's obviously, as Coach said, a bittersweet day. It's hard, as I told the team, to have one of the greatest coaches that's ever coached this game. To get a chance to learn from him… some of them for six months as freshmen, and some of them as seniors. Anywhere along the line, what they're able to take from him in life lessons, in what they learned in basketball, they'll carry it with them forever. I've seen how he's touched lives and effected lives throughout his career. I'm one of the lucky ones to be able to learn from him. This really was about him in terms of saying thanks and him being able to move on. 

We've got a long ways to go in terms of our team. We're going to continue to improve. We're very excited about finals now, that's the next opponent. 

I'm also very thankful to Coach Alvarez and the administration for this opportunity. This is a very prideful program. It's had a lot of success, it's been a long time in building. Having grown up in the state, what it was like when I was a kid when there weren't NCAA tournament appearances or NIT tournament appearances. This place has come a long way in a lot of facets. With football and what Coach Alvarez has done and how that's fueled everything else. 

Basketball has been able to rise to a level that our alumni, our fans, our students, our former players and current players… there's a lot of pride. I take that responsibility that comes with all of that extremely serious. It's very important to me. Especially being from Wisconsin and having grown up here, I understand the importance and the value of this place and what it means to the people in the state and Badger fans across the nation and most importantly for those 17 guys in the locker room that are there. Their experience here can be outstanding. It's an unbelievable place that I'm very fortunate to be a part of. I'm looking forward to helping these guys continue on their journey. One more non-conference game, then we'll get ready for the Big Ten."

On why he thinks he's ready for the job and what the challenge will be:
"I think you always prepare yourself and you trust your preparation as you go through your career. You never know when opportunity is going to knock, but you have to be ready for it. 

I've been well prepared from a standpoint of strategic philosophies. The foundations that I believe in and what's important to me and what makes up high-quality basketball. You have to be able to communicate and relay your message. You have to be a good teacher and that's what I've always prided myself on and why I got into this profession. I got in it through the teaching facet. Coaching a junior high team, then a high school team. Then the opportunity with Bo arose. 

There have been steps along the way. This hasn't facilitated or happened over night. From that standpoint, we have to do our jobs in terms of helping these young men have the best possible experience here that can be had. 

Like I said before, we've got a long way to go. We took steps forward tonight, but there are areas we've got to polish up. The closeness of finals was evident. They're in academic max-out right now. We've had some stinkers around this time of year. Fortunately, we were able to withstand and hold off a team that's pretty good. You know with the RPI because that's been out there. With what they've done and how they played Texas and Texas A&M. 

From that standpoint, the most important thing right now is those 17 guys in the locker room and how we're going to take that next step. Also how we'll learn from tonight and we'll get ready for finals starting on Thursday, and then as we go through the week and the weekend, we'll prepare for what's coming next week."

On what he's going to do about filling out his staff:
"That'll be discussed yet tomorrow. I have various meetings already set up with office staff, coaching staff, the team again. We'll continue to move through with that later tonight and into tomorrow and discuss what options are available."

On what it was like in the locker room when Bo told the players:
"It was emotional. Obviously it's hard for coach and for the players. It's a leader that they've looked up to and obviously some for longer than others based on the longevity that they've been here. At the same time, I think Coach Ryan delivered a great message that 'I'm not leaving you after six months. I got an extra six months with you. Let's take this and step forward.' He'll always be a part of this program, forever entrenched in the history of the program. He's not going to vanish off planet earth, and I'll make sure that I have his phone number. 

I thought Coach Alvarez's viewpoint and message was very timely as well… to embrace this, to accept it, to grow, to use it as a challenge to get better. That's what we need to do. We need to get better regardless. We need to continue to take steps forward every day. 

It was hard as you would expect it to be. This program, with the people, is very invested. This program, from the top with Coach Ryan, all the way down to … I think we have more managers than players. Everybody is important and everybody is really invested. That's what makes this place special. The buildings are terrific and the facilities are phenomenal. It's a great academic institution. World-class in all facets. But the people here are what put us over the top. I've always known that. It came into focus for me when I got here. Being in the state, I've always known that from afar, but once I really got in here and have watched the last 15 years. 

When it really hit for me was when I went through the last seven months with my dad. The people from this institution, Badgers fans across the country, people that I had no clue who they were but were alumni, former players, current players that reached out. Whether it was to offer support, medical advice, to help us through the grieving process when he passed away. That put an exclamation point on something I already knew, but it put a huge exclamation point on how special the people are that wear that 'W'."

On if he's prepared for that kind of pressure for the next 4-5 months knowing he's coaching for his job everyday:
"I've never had more than a one-year contract in my entire career, so for me, it's never been a lot of pressure that way. Our job is still to put these young men in the best position to have success as student-athletes and hopefully as athletes on the court, and if you do things the right way and surround yourself with good people and are sound in your fundamentals and firm in your principles, obviously you've got to be flexible in your approach. 

I've been asked that before when Coach Ryan first announced that he would contemplate stepping down after a year. Coach Alvarez said there would be a national search, and my response has always been absolutely, there should be. That's his job and I've never flinched or blinked from that. His responsibility is to put the best person in place to lead this program going forward. I've never had an issue with that. Coach Alvarez said exactly what he needed to say and what he should say as a leader of this athletic department. That's a responsibility and that's the best thing going forward that he needs to handle that along with his team in the best way the he sees fit. 

In the intermediate time, our job as a staff is to help these young men through their finals and what's coming up over the next week, and then get prepared for Green Bay coming next week and then into Big Ten play. That's what we need to focus on one day at a time, getting better as we take steps forward."

Nigel Hayes:
On if it's a pretty big shock tonight for him personally:
"Definitely, especially at this time at the end of first semester. Like I said, I didn't see him retiring, but in the event that he does, it's something that he's doing for himself and his family. 

We have to remember that he's an old guy, and he's been yelling and screaming for quite some time. That takes a toll, as we saw last year as a couple other coaches had to take some time away from the effects that coaching has on your body. This is something that's been long overdue for him. He's been wanting to retire and I guess now is probably the best time for him to do it. From the player's standpoint, we wish him well with his retirement and all of the things that old people do."

On if they had any hints or realized any changes recently: 
"I kind of said at the beginning of the year that I noticed that the assistant coaches were talking a lot more than they usually do. That's something he touched on in his goodbye speech in the locker room. Also, I told Patrick, before I was announced, Bo and I never make eye contact, but this game we did and he had the saddest look I've ever seen him have when we looked at one another, and I guess now it makes sense why he looked like that."

Zak Showalter:
On what it was like when Bo came in:
"It's sad. Coach Ryan has been a legend in Wisconsin for a long time. I myself have been watching him coach the game of basketball since I was five years old going to UW-Milwaukee and watching him coach games. It's tough, but we understand. He had his reasons. He's getting up there. It's tough, but we're ready to come together as a group and improve."

Vitto Brown:
On what it was like when Bo came in:
"I agree with Showy. Just when I started getting closer to him and being out there more, I got to see his genius up close and personal.  It's going to be sad to see him go, but like he said, Coach Gard is a great replacement for him right now. He knows everything Coach Ryan does. We plan on coming together even closer right now and hopefully getting momentum off this."