nobody asked mike montgomery to retire. he just got the feeling after his last n.i.t. loss that it was time to go, slept on it for a few days to make sure it wasn't just season-ending fatgigue, and announced his decision on april 1. travis decuire was his loudly proclaimed choice to succeed him, but beyond the obvious fact that both monty and decuire had ties to montana, none of us could possibly have foreseen what an incredibly fortutious announcement this was for montana basketball.
first, cal's athletic director went a different route, hiring the head man at missoui to succeed monty. when he brought in his own staff, decuire was essentially out of a job. at this late date, it appeared there would be few other college openings--until bob de carolis at oregon state changed his mind about craig robinson, and decided to let him go. and we all know the rest of the story.
but had monty not retired, i doubt decuire would have taken the montana job. he would have been comfortably settled at cal, the heir apparent to a pac twelve job, his career on a nice upward arc. monty's decision was the difference.
another irony.
mike's son, john, was on the staff at call. does decuire bring him along? do we have another montgomery coaching at montana?
first, cal's athletic director went a different route, hiring the head man at missoui to succeed monty. when he brought in his own staff, decuire was essentially out of a job. at this late date, it appeared there would be few other college openings--until bob de carolis at oregon state changed his mind about craig robinson, and decided to let him go. and we all know the rest of the story.
but had monty not retired, i doubt decuire would have taken the montana job. he would have been comfortably settled at cal, the heir apparent to a pac twelve job, his career on a nice upward arc. monty's decision was the difference.
another irony.
mike's son, john, was on the staff at call. does decuire bring him along? do we have another montgomery coaching at montana?
