Maybe Steve Fisher's days as the head basketball coach for San Diego State University aren't exactly numbered.
Many thought Fisher was to retire at age 66 in 2011; then it was reported he would retire in 2015 when he turns 70. Fisher’s four-year contract is up next season, but at a KPBS Producers Club event Tuesday it sounded like the 69-year-old coach wasn't quite ready for next year to be his last.
“The best job in the world is the one you have," Fisher said. "Treat that job like you’re going to have it for a lifetime, I have always done that. ... I love this place with all my heart and I'm going to be here until I'm no longer bouncing the ball.”
Fisher spoke on topics ranging from what he looks for in players to how much the SDSU basketball program has grown — from a small fan base and small arena to national attention and Top 10 rankings. He also shared that one of the first names floated for the student section — nicknamed "The Show" — was "The Fish Tank."
"You don't want to call it that," Fisher said he told the students.
Fisher said he feels that "when you get to where you can see the end of your journey," it's less difficult to make the hard decisions. Plus, he said, he's no longer worried about being fired.
"You do things that you think are the right thing to do, for all the right reasons. I've tried to do that all the time, but I'm in a place in my life now where we've had success so I know I'll be able to retire when I want to retire. And that's also a comforting feeling, to know that you're wanted, to know that you're going to be there if you have a rough season, if you lose some games, if somebody gets hurt. It's not going to be the end of your tenure there," he said. "I think that's very helpful to me."
Fisher has been with San Diego State since 1999 and compiled an overall record of 312–176 in his 15 seasons with the Aztecs. This was the fifth consecutive year Fisher lead SDSU to the NCAA tournament, earning the No. 4 seed in the West.
