Hello everyone, and thanks for reading this opinion piece on IU basketball.
First of all, a little background:
I live very near Assembly Hall, and have been a big IU fan practically my entire life. I went to school there, grew up watching their games on television and in person, and have always rooted for the Hoosiers. I met Coach Knight when I was 8 years old, and maintained a relationship with him all the way thru high school, college, and then later in my professional life. Thru other ways in my own coaching experiences I've got to meet alot of other famous coaches and celebrities, such as John Cheney, Lon Kruger, John Thompson, Dick Vitale, Jim Boeheim, and many others.
What my own coaching background, knowledge of the IU scene and culture, and my own experiences as a fan all give me is a really clear idea of what IU basketball has been, what it is now, and what it needs in the future.
IU should be looking at the following criteria when picking their next coach, in my opinion:
1. Has he proven he can win big over time?
2. Will he represent the university with class, dignity and honor?
3. Can he unite the fanbase by running his program the way the culture of Indiana fans want and expect?
4. Can he win clean, with a spotless reputation for honesty and high academic standards?
5. Can he recruit the best players in the state, and some of the premier players in the country to come play here?
6. Can he win and survive in difficult circumstances, since likely IU will be facing some early problems no matter who is hired?
I understand the early clamoring for a young coach, I really do. I would not be disappointed at all if we hired a Brownell from Wright State, a Sean Miller from Xavier, or if the rumors tonight in Bloomington are true and we hire Tony Bennett from Washington State. All those guys have clear appeal and I could and would be happy with any of them.
But, and this is a big but, there is a better candidate out there, one who would clearly be head and shoulders above the rest, due to his outstanding, impeccable reputation and resume. That man is the same man I wrote Rick Greenspan about the last time the job was open, and the same man I myself confirmed the last time would have been likely to take the job if offered. That man is ex Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery. Here are my reasons for proclaiming Monty as the very best candidate:
1. Montgomery has the experience necessary to win big under difficult circumstances. Coaching at Montana and Stanford (an extremely prestigious academic school) he compiled a record of 547-244 record. He has been to the final four, and has been named the James Naismith National Collegiate coach of the year. He was the Pac-10 coach of the year 4 different times. He won the John Wooden lifetime achievement in coaching award, which states as its criteria high character, coaching philosophy, and high academic achievements by his players. He won 30 games or more 3 times, won 20 or more 10 straight seasons No candidate being talked about comes close to this proven success.
2. Montgomery has the street credibility to recruit big time talent to IU with his NBA experience and ties. Coach Montgomery will be able to talk to kids with NBA aspirations with a credibility that others will not. He already put together a hall of fame worthy career at a school much harder to recruit at than IU.
3. His coaching style is entertaining and fun to watch. I know winning is what the fan base really craves, but there are a big group of us (me included) who likes the idea of playing man defense with a motion offense. Montgomery can provide that eye pleasing, more uptempo team oriented style, than the other candidates being mentioned.
4. He can put Bloomington on the map internationally, with his ties to USA basketball. Montgomery has been on the staff or in the background for USA/Olympic basketball for many years, his high profile can bring some of that to Bloomington and to IU. His abilty to recruit internationally will also be a big help to IU, as the Hoosiers will have to try some unconventional methods early to make up for expected recruiting sanctions.
5. Not to be overlooked at IU, Montgomery financially will require no buy out. For an institution still paying big bucks to coaches and athletic directors long since departed, the very fact that Montgomery will require less up front cash cannot be overlooked.
6. This is a hire that completely can unite the fanbase, because his resume is so clearly superior that no one can argue it. 18 months ago, Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News wrote an article titled "Montgomery perfect hire for any college: Former Stanford coach has great resume, recruiting record, no baggage." (www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/14823802/)
Every Indiana sportswriter, columnist, announcer, fan, and player would just have to nod their head and say "Yes, this was a no brainer."
7.Likely, Montgomery would bring with him a great name from Indiana Hoosier past glory as a likely heir apparent: Keith Smart. Smart went into coaching after his playing days were over, and was on Montgomery;s staff with the NBA's Golden State Warriors. I hear thru the grapevine that Smart is open to coming back to Bloomington, where he once starred for the Hoosiers, and hit the game winning shot for the 1987 National Champions. Smart's hiring as an assistant/coach in waiting would eliminate going through this task again in 6-10 years, and would prevent opponents from using Montgomery's age against him. (potentially Montgomery's one flaw is that he is 60 years old). However, I must point out that Lute Olsen is still a great coach and recruiter in his 70's at Arizona.....so I don't personally see age as an issue here.
8. Because Montgomery is a new face to the midwest and to the big 10, his style in of itself would give us an advantage for a time, since it is different than most teams in the league currently run. IU would probably be one of the more fluid, eye pleasing, running teams in the conference, which to me is a lot better than watching a bunch of one on one play or a Wisconsin like grind it out game in the 50's. His newness and fresh approach also would help eliminate some of the stink and stench of the last few years, all the way back to the end of the Coach Knight era.
9. He opens up new areas of the country to recruit from. Particularly, I believe Montgomery will be able to recruit to Indiana great players from the Rocky Mountains to California. This, along with reestablishing the recruiting ties to our own state's high school players, will give us an edge over our competitors. To help with recruiting the state of Indiana, I have it on reasonably good authority that Montgomery would strongly consider hiring a state high school coach who knows the state very well, along with being very open to keeping Coach MacCallum on staff, which I think is the right way to go about it.
Ok, now I would like some help from you who are reading this. If you agree that I have successfully made my case, tell some of your friends and family about Montgomery too. Let's try and get a groundwell of support going for a low key guy who isn't the "hot" young name going around. Copy this and send it to your local paper or tv station, or copy it and send it to the IU search committee.....who from some of the administrations previous decisions clearly needs our input.
Regardless of what happens, IU is clearly in a state of turmoil and confusion that will take a remarkable coach with tons of knowledge, contacts, and recruiting skills to overcome, and he will have to do it with high integrity and class. Only one man available has PROVEN for sure he can do it. Let's get Mike Montgomery as our new head basketball coach.
As always, the above is just my opinion.
Tbird
First of all, a little background:
I live very near Assembly Hall, and have been a big IU fan practically my entire life. I went to school there, grew up watching their games on television and in person, and have always rooted for the Hoosiers. I met Coach Knight when I was 8 years old, and maintained a relationship with him all the way thru high school, college, and then later in my professional life. Thru other ways in my own coaching experiences I've got to meet alot of other famous coaches and celebrities, such as John Cheney, Lon Kruger, John Thompson, Dick Vitale, Jim Boeheim, and many others.
What my own coaching background, knowledge of the IU scene and culture, and my own experiences as a fan all give me is a really clear idea of what IU basketball has been, what it is now, and what it needs in the future.
IU should be looking at the following criteria when picking their next coach, in my opinion:
1. Has he proven he can win big over time?
2. Will he represent the university with class, dignity and honor?
3. Can he unite the fanbase by running his program the way the culture of Indiana fans want and expect?
4. Can he win clean, with a spotless reputation for honesty and high academic standards?
5. Can he recruit the best players in the state, and some of the premier players in the country to come play here?
6. Can he win and survive in difficult circumstances, since likely IU will be facing some early problems no matter who is hired?
I understand the early clamoring for a young coach, I really do. I would not be disappointed at all if we hired a Brownell from Wright State, a Sean Miller from Xavier, or if the rumors tonight in Bloomington are true and we hire Tony Bennett from Washington State. All those guys have clear appeal and I could and would be happy with any of them.
But, and this is a big but, there is a better candidate out there, one who would clearly be head and shoulders above the rest, due to his outstanding, impeccable reputation and resume. That man is the same man I wrote Rick Greenspan about the last time the job was open, and the same man I myself confirmed the last time would have been likely to take the job if offered. That man is ex Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery. Here are my reasons for proclaiming Monty as the very best candidate:
1. Montgomery has the experience necessary to win big under difficult circumstances. Coaching at Montana and Stanford (an extremely prestigious academic school) he compiled a record of 547-244 record. He has been to the final four, and has been named the James Naismith National Collegiate coach of the year. He was the Pac-10 coach of the year 4 different times. He won the John Wooden lifetime achievement in coaching award, which states as its criteria high character, coaching philosophy, and high academic achievements by his players. He won 30 games or more 3 times, won 20 or more 10 straight seasons No candidate being talked about comes close to this proven success.
2. Montgomery has the street credibility to recruit big time talent to IU with his NBA experience and ties. Coach Montgomery will be able to talk to kids with NBA aspirations with a credibility that others will not. He already put together a hall of fame worthy career at a school much harder to recruit at than IU.
3. His coaching style is entertaining and fun to watch. I know winning is what the fan base really craves, but there are a big group of us (me included) who likes the idea of playing man defense with a motion offense. Montgomery can provide that eye pleasing, more uptempo team oriented style, than the other candidates being mentioned.
4. He can put Bloomington on the map internationally, with his ties to USA basketball. Montgomery has been on the staff or in the background for USA/Olympic basketball for many years, his high profile can bring some of that to Bloomington and to IU. His abilty to recruit internationally will also be a big help to IU, as the Hoosiers will have to try some unconventional methods early to make up for expected recruiting sanctions.
5. Not to be overlooked at IU, Montgomery financially will require no buy out. For an institution still paying big bucks to coaches and athletic directors long since departed, the very fact that Montgomery will require less up front cash cannot be overlooked.
6. This is a hire that completely can unite the fanbase, because his resume is so clearly superior that no one can argue it. 18 months ago, Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News wrote an article titled "Montgomery perfect hire for any college: Former Stanford coach has great resume, recruiting record, no baggage." (www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/14823802/)
Every Indiana sportswriter, columnist, announcer, fan, and player would just have to nod their head and say "Yes, this was a no brainer."
7.Likely, Montgomery would bring with him a great name from Indiana Hoosier past glory as a likely heir apparent: Keith Smart. Smart went into coaching after his playing days were over, and was on Montgomery;s staff with the NBA's Golden State Warriors. I hear thru the grapevine that Smart is open to coming back to Bloomington, where he once starred for the Hoosiers, and hit the game winning shot for the 1987 National Champions. Smart's hiring as an assistant/coach in waiting would eliminate going through this task again in 6-10 years, and would prevent opponents from using Montgomery's age against him. (potentially Montgomery's one flaw is that he is 60 years old). However, I must point out that Lute Olsen is still a great coach and recruiter in his 70's at Arizona.....so I don't personally see age as an issue here.
8. Because Montgomery is a new face to the midwest and to the big 10, his style in of itself would give us an advantage for a time, since it is different than most teams in the league currently run. IU would probably be one of the more fluid, eye pleasing, running teams in the conference, which to me is a lot better than watching a bunch of one on one play or a Wisconsin like grind it out game in the 50's. His newness and fresh approach also would help eliminate some of the stink and stench of the last few years, all the way back to the end of the Coach Knight era.
9. He opens up new areas of the country to recruit from. Particularly, I believe Montgomery will be able to recruit to Indiana great players from the Rocky Mountains to California. This, along with reestablishing the recruiting ties to our own state's high school players, will give us an edge over our competitors. To help with recruiting the state of Indiana, I have it on reasonably good authority that Montgomery would strongly consider hiring a state high school coach who knows the state very well, along with being very open to keeping Coach MacCallum on staff, which I think is the right way to go about it.
Ok, now I would like some help from you who are reading this. If you agree that I have successfully made my case, tell some of your friends and family about Montgomery too. Let's try and get a groundwell of support going for a low key guy who isn't the "hot" young name going around. Copy this and send it to your local paper or tv station, or copy it and send it to the IU search committee.....who from some of the administrations previous decisions clearly needs our input.
Regardless of what happens, IU is clearly in a state of turmoil and confusion that will take a remarkable coach with tons of knowledge, contacts, and recruiting skills to overcome, and he will have to do it with high integrity and class. Only one man available has PROVEN for sure he can do it. Let's get Mike Montgomery as our new head basketball coach.
As always, the above is just my opinion.
Tbird
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