Larry K. to ............

[maroon]

I think it was Dan Monson, current head coach at Minnesota, that was the architect of Gonzaga's success.

More credit for GU's success should be given to Dan Fitzgerald. He took over after 1979 and got the team into the post-season for the first time in the mid-80. He resigned after he had mishandled some funds. He is still black-balled by the GU Admin which is too bad.

Monson took the team to the Elite 8 in 99. Few took them to the Sweet 16 in 2000 and 2002 but he has done poorly since then. GU faded down the stretch against Wyo and Texas Tech and was blown out by Nevada. The played a great game against Stanford but Steppe's last second shot missed.

Morrison and Batista will have to play out of their minds for GU to get very far this year. GU cannot play perimeter D and no one, other than Morrison, can consistently make a trey.

 

[Grizbacker1]

Fitzgerald didn't play near the schedule Monson and Few have played.

 

[GOKATS]

Don't forget to add Arizona State to your list. I don't see why LK would go to another mid-major. My guess is if he leaves it is only for a PAC 10 team, or as an NBA assistant.

I agree he could easily get a big time conference job, but a fatty pay raise right on the beach in Malibu would be a tempting offer for anyone for the Pepperdine job. I think it was voted most beautiful college campus in America or something like that.

I've only been there once. Side trip on a flight trip down to watch an MSU/Northridge FB game, ('Cats won). A couple buddies and I rented a convertible and took the drive to Malibu. Pepperdine has to be one of the most ideal locations for a campus, as far as ocean views go.

 

[Grizbacker1]

Don't forget to add Arizona State to your list. I don't see why LK would go to another mid-major. My guess is if he leaves it is only for a PAC 10 team, or as an NBA assistant.

I agree he could easily get a big time conference job, but a fatty pay raise right on the beach in Malibu would be a tempting offer for anyone for the Pepperdine job. I think it was voted most beautiful college campus in America or something like that.

I've only been there once. Side trip on a flight trip down to watch an MSU/Northridge FB game, ('Cats won). A couple buddies and I rented a convertible and took the drive to Malibu. Pepperdine has to be one of the most ideal locations for a campus, as far as ocean views go.

It is an incredible campus, the scenery is incredible in more than one way! :thumb:

 

[GOKATS]

Don't forget to add Arizona State to your list. I don't see why LK would go to another mid-major. My guess is if he leaves it is only for a PAC 10 team, or as an NBA assistant.

I agree he could easily get a big time conference job, but a fatty pay raise right on the beach in Malibu would be a tempting offer for anyone for the Pepperdine job. I think it was voted most beautiful college campus in America or something like that.

I've only been there once. Side trip on a flight trip down to watch an MSU/Northridge FB game, ('Cats won). A couple buddies and I rented a convertible and took the drive to Malibu. Pepperdine has to be one of the most ideal locations for a campus, as far as ocean views go.

It is an incredible campus, the scenery is incredible in more than one way! :thumb:

You have that right. There was a reason why they filmed "Bay Watch" there.

 

[maroon]

Fitzgerald didn't play near the schedule Monson and Few have played.

I know that, but Fitz got them winning. They were pretty mediocre with Adrian Buoncristiani at the helm.

 

[Grizbacker1]

Fitzgerald didn't play near the schedule Monson and Few have played.

I know that, but Fitz got them winning. They were pretty mediocre with Adrian Buoncristiani at the helm.

can't argue that, but Adrian is a pretty cool person to be around

 

[maroon]

ABC went to work for Nike and made some serious $$$.

I remember one GU/UM game in the mid 70s. The Zags were down 54-15 at half and ABC was yelling he was getting homered.

 

[NenJ44Mt]

YES!!![/img]

 

[nycgriz]

this is an excerpt from Monson's bio on the U of Minnesota's athletics site, http://www.gophersports.com/coaches/coach.asp?sport_id=mbasket&coach=DanMonson

Monson spent 11 years building the Gonzaga program. He began as an assistant coach in 1988 and spent six years laying the groundwork for the Bulldogs’ success. In 1994-95, he was elevated to associate head coach under head coach Dan Fitzgerald who was also the athletics director. Three years later, Monson took over full control of the Gonzaga program. He had an immediate impact, leading the Bulldogs to a West Coast Conference title and advancing to the second round of the NIT. Along the way, the team set a school record for wins with 24. Monson was the first coach in West Coast Conference history to capture the regular-season title in his rookie season. For his efforts, his WCC peers voted him Coach of the Year and Basketball Times accorded him national Rookie Coach of the Year. His record in two seasons as head coach of the Zags was 52-17, with an impressive 4-2 mark in postseason play. Monson was the key figure in the Bulldogs’ turnaround in the 1990s. Gonzaga had a record of 223-89 over those 10 seasons and Monson was responsible for recruiting many of the key players in the Zags’ NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in three consecutive seasons from 1998-2001. Names like Richie Frahm, Matt Santangelo, Casey Calvary and Quentin Hall introduced the nation to the Gonzaga basketball program.

 

[Paytonlives]

If Krysko does go I hope he doesn't take Tinkle with him. We'd no doubt miss Krysko but if O'Day could lock up Tinkle right away, our team and the future of the program would be a lot more secure. By the way, here's hoping Tinkle has gotten his degree by now.

Tinkle earned his degree a couple years ago.

I went to school with him in the mid 80's!!!! Sure hope he is smarter then that!!!! Or mabey he has 400 Credits? :laugh:

 

[Grizbacker1]

Here ends the Wyoming rumor:

McClain staying at Wyoming

March 13, 2006

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) -- Steve McClain will remain Wyoming's basketball coach, athletic director Gary Barta said Monday.

Barta, who met with McClain on Sunday night, said in news release that he is confident McClain will lead the Cowboys program back to prominence. Barta said his conversations with McClain over the past week never touched on firing the coach.

The 43-year-old McClain, who has coached at Wyoming the past eight years and has four years left on his contract, led the Cowboys to a 15-18 record this season. However, Wyoming nearly won the Mountain West's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament when it reached the conference title game, falling to San Diego State 69-65 in overtime.

"I know that in this business, as head coach I am measured, ultimately, by wins and losses," McClain said. "I was very proud of our players and what we accomplished last week. I have never doubted my ability to coach and lead the Cowboys successfully. I know how hard our coaches and players have worked for this program."

 

[Ballhog]

I am not sure Larry needs money. If he goes the job is Tinkles.
I hope he stays nd continues to build the program.

 

[grizpack]

I don't think Wyoming has ever been an option LK would have considered.

From what I heard this weekend, Pepperdine and ASU have both been sniffing around. I didn't hear anything about Oregon as of Sunday afternoon. When did they fire their coach?

I think LK would entertain inquiries from any of those 3.

And as for LK being like Mark Few, read LK's interview in the Missoulian. He makes it pretty clear that Few is making "almost a million dollars a year" over there. While LK presumably has some financial security, that is a jump of about $850K, plus a multi-year contract, plus a big jump for your assistants.

 

[grizonbob]

Saturday's Wall Street Journal did a long feature on what successful b-ball programs from around the country spend and take in.

They listed Coach K's salary at $120,000, and Few's at $500,000, though it said he just signed a new ten-year contract with a big raise in it. Nevada coach Fox was listed at $260,000, while Lorenzo Romar at Wash was at $890,000, Lute Olson $700,000, UCLA's Howland $910,000, and Cal's Ben Braun $850,000.

In other words, Coach K could earn maybe six or seven times more than he's earning now if he landed a Pac-10 job.

 

[Silvertip]

Ho hum, the annual Rodney Dangerfield preoccupation where we all are ready to sacrifice a successful Griz coach to a more worthy program/conference/payday at any one of 2/5/12 other schools. If we were like the class nerd fortunate enough to date the class honey we'd hide her in the darkest part of the movie balcony and never let any of the big bad jocks get sight of her.

Unfortunately, you can't hide a D-1 coach with a team in the Big Dance. Instead of anguishing over Coach K's iminent departure it's TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Starting with the ridiculous one year contracts manadted for coaches by the state. As for money, can you believe Larry's printed comment that Mark Few has a $$$million package at Gonzaga? The school sure ain't getting it from a cash-strapped Spokane Diocese.

On a more rational note, UM needs to find a way to elevate out of a DII pay scale. Take it to the bank. Montana WILL NEVER be able to attract a successor who will have the coaching ability coupled with the personal relationship with UM that Larry does. He's as good as it will ever get until somebody finds a way to loosen the purse strings and give coaching hires some sense of security beyond a 12 month "probation " period.

 

[grizonbob]

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal had another interesting article regarding college athletic departments and finances. The article said that financially savvy alumni from a few colleges are creating venture-capital funds, the earnings from those funds go to their designated athletic programs. The money is used for such things as coaching salaries, improving weight rooms, etc.

The article focused on how Duke alumni are now creating such a fund to support the basketball program. About 20 venture capitalists are putting money into the fund, which will then invest in promising start up companies. Duke invests nothing. The venture capitalists don't earn a profit, but get tax deductions for their donations. The fund invests their money in companies in which the venture capitalists already have a stake and have investigated for potential.

Venture capital investing is riskier than your average type of investments, but there are big rewards for those who know what they are doing.

Duke's fund is still small, but Stanford was the first to start one about 20 years ago, and the fund now has $85 million.

So if there are some rich and savvy UM investor/alumni out there, here's a way to help UM athletics.....Unfortunately, I hardly have enough money to pay the bills, much less invest in such a thing.

 

[Grizbeer]

Looks like Oregon is out of the mix:

Moos said on Tuesday that at no time was he close to firing Kent, and, despite Oregon's 15-18 record and the team's missing the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, Moos offered his support for the coach he hired nine years ago.

But Moos did show reservations about the future by declining to roll over Kent's contract for another year -- usually an annual formality. Kent's contract runs through the 2009-10 season.

"I have an obligation financially to my program," Moos said. "If there was a need to make a change down the road, this will enable us to do that with a smaller buyout."

Had Moos terminated Kent's contract after this season, Kent's buyout would have been about $3 million.

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1142405901194500.xml&coll=7

Looks like the buyout kept Moos from pulling the trigger, and Oregon might be stuck with a coach they don't want for a couple more years.

 

[Grizbacker1]

will someone please post the WSJ article?

 

[Copper King]

Looks like Oregon is out of the mix:

Moos said on Tuesday that at no time was he close to firing Kent, and, despite Oregon's 15-18 record and the team's missing the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, Moos offered his support for the coach he hired nine years ago.

But Moos did show reservations about the future by declining to roll over Kent's contract for another year -- usually an annual formality. Kent's contract runs through the 2009-10 season.

"I have an obligation financially to my program," Moos said. "If there was a need to make a change down the road, this will enable us to do that with a smaller buyout."


Had Moos terminated Kent's contract after this season, Kent's buyout would have been about $3 million.

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1142405901194500.xml&coll=7

Looks like the buyout kept Moos from pulling the trigger, and Oregon might be stuck with a coach they don't want for a couple more years.

Ahh! The beauty of the long term contract.