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Poor Bobcats

citygriz

Well-known member
Flash back for a moment to April 4, 2006. A decision was made that would affect the destinies of both the Bobcat and Grizzly men's basketball teams: Brad Huse was hired off our staff as the head coach at Montana State.

At the time, I thought we'd blown it. Huse was close to our beloved Larry Krystkowiak, the guy who'd taken down Nevada in the Big Dance, and come within a half of making it to the Sweet 16. Huse was quiet, intense, cerebral, a Krysko clone. Doesn't water seek its own level? Now Krysko was moving on, and I for one felt we'd let the best coach get away, to our hated rival no less. Later that summer we got stuck with the other assistant on our staff, the young but untested, and definitely less cerebral, Wayne Tinkle. Woe is us.

Or so I thought.

Ironically, both the Tinkle and Huse tenures lasted exactly eight years, ending in 2014. Tinkle, of course, built a solid record for us, as well as a reputation as a terrific recruiter, before moving up to Oregon State. Huse was fired, his sad tenure coming to an end. Time for both schools to find a new coach.

Enter Brian Fish at Montana State, and Travis DeCuire at Montana, both assistants at highly successful Pac-12 programs. Fish had the bigger challenge, inheriting a losing program, and a disgruntled fan base. DeCuire inherited one of the best players in the Big Sky, Martin Breunig, and won 20 games his first year. Fish on the other hand went 7-23 his first year, on the way to compiling an overall four-year record of 50-75. No matter he'd recruited one of the best players in the Big Sky conference in Tyler Hall, it was clear Fish needed an outstanding recruiting season to save his job.

Has it happened?

I don't believe so. Even though we lost our top big prospect to Rice, DeCuire has come up with another outstanding class, one that has definitely increased the talent level up and down our roster. Meantime, Fish has failed, so far at least, to find that talented big that he so desperately needs, and of course got beat by us on the must heralded player to come out of Bozeman High in years, Mack Anderson.

I for one am not a Cat Hater. I save that for BYU! I believe that basketball in Montana is always better when there's a spirited rivalry between our two schools, on the theory a rising tide lifts all boats. But while DeCuire is building a powerhouse at Montana, Fish is on the ropes at Montana State. I think even the most partisan Bobcat fan would admit that. Believe it or not, for the sake of my beloved contributor to this board, Mslacat, I hope I am wrong. But right now it'll take a miracle.
 
I strongly suspect that in a couple of generations, that "rivalry" will be as one-sided as the one on the gridiron.
 
citay said:
Flash back for a moment to April 4, 2006. A decision was made that would affect the destinies of both the Bobcat and Grizzly men's basketball teams: Brad Huse was hired off our staff as the head coach at Montana State.

At the time, I thought we'd blown it. Huse was close to our beloved Larry Krystkowiak, the guy who'd taken down Nevada in the Big Dance, and come within a half of making it to the Sweet 16. Huse was quiet, intense, cerebral, a Krysko clone. Doesn't water seek its own level? Now Krysko was moving on, and I for one felt we'd let the best coach get away, to our hated rival no less. Later that summer we got stuck with the other assistant on our staff, the young but untested, and definitely less cerebral, Wayne Tinkle. Woe is us.

Or so I thought.

Ironically, both the Tinkle and Huse tenures lasted exactly eight years, ending in 2014. Tinkle, of course, built a solid record for us, as well as a reputation as a terrific recruiter, before moving up to Oregon State. Huse was fired, his sad tenure coming to an end. Time for both schools to find a new coach.

Enter Brian Fish at Montana State, and Travis DeCuire at Montana, both assistants at highly successful Pac-12 programs. Fish had the bigger challenge, inheriting a losing program, and a disgruntled fan base. DeCuire inherited one of the best players in the Big Sky, Martin Breunig, and won 20 games his first year. Fish on the other hand went 7-23 his first year, on the way to compiling an overall four-year record of 50-75. No matter he'd recruited one of the best players in the Big Sky conference in Tyler Hall, it was clear Fish needed an outstanding recruiting season to save his job.

Has it happened?

I don't believe so. Even though we lost our top big prospect to Rice, DeCuire has come up with another outstanding class, one that has definitely increased the talent level up and down our roster. Meantime, Fish has failed, so far at least, to find that talented big that he so desperately needs, and of course got beat by us on the must heralded player to come out of Bozeman High in years, Mack Anderson.

I for one am not a Cat Hater. I save that for BYU! I believe that basketball in Montana is always better when there's a spirited rivalry between our two schools, on the theory a rising tide lifts all boats. But while DeCuire is building a powerhouse at Montana, Fish is on the ropes at Montana State. I think even the most partisan Bobcat fan would admit that. Believe it or not, for the sake of my beloved contributor to this board, Mslacat, I hope I am wrong. But right now it'll take a miracle.
Which is why the return of IDAHO to the Big Sky is a good thing for them and Montana and Weber. Three consistently top programs..Montana State..not so much...
 
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