FootballGuru
Well-known member
Much R-E-S-P-E-C-T to coach K for his comments and honesty...
He also points out that Swift will be a star, just like I have said...
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Q&A with Montana Griz coach Larry Krystkowiak
By BOB MESEROLL of the Missoulian
Montana men's basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak has guided the Griz into the NCAA tournament in his first two seasons at the helm of his alma mater, something no other coach in UM history has accomplished.
The Griz are 41-19 in his two seasons, 19-9 in Big Sky games and 5-0 in Big Sky tournament games.
Krystkowiak took time out from the Grizzlies' preparations for their second straight appearance in the NCAA tournament to answer questions about the state of Montana's program, its prospects and his own future.
*
Q: After two seasons on the job and two NCAA tournament berths, how would you rate the job you and assistants Wayne Tinkle, Brad Huse and Andy Hill have done?
A: It's the opposite of getting fired; you reached your goal. I'm pleased with what we've done, but I really feel there's a chance to take another step. Last year was one thing to get there, everything was new and the energy and excitement was new.
I had a friend call me from out East and said, ‘Hey, I watched your championship game and the thing I was most impressed with was when your kids won the game, they acted like they'd done it before. Like it was mission accomplished.'
I sensed that with our kids after the game.
I'm not really in a mode to talk about grades. We accomplished a goal to represent our league. I get a little tingly with the possibility that it might not be over.
Q: How would you describe the health of the program?
A: It's funny, when you asked that question I got goose bumps because I think we've made strides.
Two years ago we talked about there were going to be a bunch of baby steps. Now I think we're out of the walker and actually able to hold our heads higher and aspire to some new things.
They're no longer baby steps. A lot of that stuff's been revitalized.
I think the program is only as strong as the players you have in it. It's been remarkable the way our kids have handled themselves on the floor, in the classroom, in random restaurants. We just got a letter from the guys who did our catering in Arizona. He said he's been doing it for 30 years with tons of different teams and never in 30 years (did he meet such a nice team). That kind of stuff means more to me than a lot of stuff.
So I think our program is pretty solid in the fact that we've got some good people in it, some players and some students and some people who are going to be successful when they're done playing basketball.
Hopefully these freshmen, sophomores and juniors will play a part in recruiting the next group of guys. We're trying to find more guys like them. Then the programs gets set on a track, a course, you hope it just keeps continuing that way.
Q: What's the next step?
A: I really think, depending on where we get seeded and how it goes, that we can compete with some teams.
The next step for me would be to get a win and advance in this tournament. That would be the goal.
Q: Former Montana athletic director Wayne Hogan was ridiculed to an extent for suggesting that Montana aspire to the success enjoyed in recent years by Gonzaga. It seemed far-fetched at the time, but not as far-fetched now. Is that a realistic aspiration?
A: There's not many places in America that can start on the same playing field as Gonzaga.
If you look at Gonzaga 20 years ago, Missoula, Montana, was supposed to beat them. I remember playing here and they came in and beat us and it just about wiped out our season. It was devastating that they won a game here.
There are some things in place at Gonzaga that don't take place in a lot of places. Obviously, they also had some things fall into place.
I asked (Gonzaga coach) Mark Few this past summer over a craps table in Las Vegas when we were gambling, ‘If you could sum it all up, how did this thing happen?'
He said, ‘It was pretty simple. We got Casey Calvary, we got Richie Frahm.' They recruited those type of players and then did a heckuva job coaching them and these players became all-league players and professionals. Then, boom, their program's in place. All of a sudden they're on the map.
You have a school that doesn't have football. That in itself, from a financial standpoint, it's not a level playing field. You've got a coaching staff - I don't know if I even want to go into that because it would sound like I'm crying over spilled milk - Few's making almost a million bucks. It's hard to relate where they are to where we are.
But it's a great model to aspire to. I've always said I thought that football, men's basketball and women's basketball could be successful simultaneously here. Obviously, the football team's had success, the ladies have had success and now we're having some success. We can pull it off.
You have to win some games in the tournament. Then people go, ‘Well shoot, they're not just a flash in the pan showing up every once in a while. They're making it a habit, doing a nice job in their league and representing.'
Q: Where do you see the program in, say, three years?
A: I would like to believe it stays very competitive with the young kids we've recruited to come in here.
Basically, we're looking at some freshmen and sophomores who will be juniors and seniors three years from now and I'm fairly impressed with that group of guys. For example, Austin (Swift) and Kyle (Sharp). Austin's going to be a big surprise when he gets a chance to shine starting next year. He's a really talented player. There's some guys waiting in the wings for their turn.
So, I have to feel really good about where it's going to be in three years knowing those guys are going to be upperclassmen.
Q: Complete this thought: If there's one thing I could change about my job, it would be ...
A: Hmm.
Hmm.
I don't know.
No matter where you are, you have some issues. I remember talking to coach (Mike) Montgomery when he was at Stanford and for him it was how hard it was to get players they wanted into the school because the standard was so high.
Then it turned into, now we're losing kids to the NBA.
If you talk to head coaches at any program, they're going to have a couple of sticky points that weigh them down, a bit of a burden.
I don't want to throw it out there, really, obviously it's part of the financial issue here with the budgets, and the shortfall, and the deficit issue. But I think that's business. You have budgets to keep and stuff.
If I could change that, I'd open up the checkbook and start writing some of these guys on the staff bigger checks.
But it's really nothing that weighs us down at all. It took me awhile to even think of anything and that's a pretty good indication that things are good.
The community is a great place to do your job; it's a great place to raise kids.
We're a mid-major program. It's not over the top with expectations and it's not a bottom-feeder league. It's a nice place to be in that balance.
I'm pretty darn happy with everything, but I think if I asked about anybody in a job that they're pretty pleased with what they could do to make the job better, they'd say, ‘Hey, let's start spending some more money.'
I just hope I can keep these guys around. With the talented staff that these guys are, there are going to be opportunities and it's not the easiest thing to keep intact. That would be my biggest fear is not having this group of guys doing their thing.
Q: You mentioned the expectations here are not over the top, but with two NCAA berths in two years, is it a concern that people are going to think that you have a magic touch and that you're going to go to the NCAAs every year?
A: It's a thrill to have those type of expectations, but it's going to be the same deal every year.
We talked about it six months ago. We try to get a little better each week and identify what your weaknesses are.
I don't have a problem with expectations. As long as I don't start changing with the approach and the way we coach. When it's all said and done, if we don't make the NCAA tournament next year, as long as we're pleased with the way we approached it and worked and put an honest day's work in, I can live with that. I think the people of this community can too.
I'm talking like the Kansases of the world, some of the stuff that goes on at those institutions, it's mind-boggling. But it's fun. People are expecting it and want to be a part of it. That makes it a lot more rewarding.
Q: You just mentioned that there are going to be opportunities for your staff to take other jobs. What about yourself? Will you be willing to listen when those opportunities arise?
A: Oh, yeah. My philosophy with that has never changed and never will change: I'm going to jump head-first into whatever I'm doing today. Then tomorrow it's the same thing.
I know a lot of people who have been busy beating the pavement, trying to find the next job. The minute you start doing that, it's a losing proposition.
If there's opportunities that come up, that's what life's all about, a chance to see what's out there, be able to weigh out some choices.
In the same voice, when you're talking about money, a big check is not going to draw me away from here. If it's not the right program or the right place, if it doesn't have a lot of intangibles in place... Money's not the reason I'm in it.
Everybody wants to reach the top of their profession, I think. If what you're doing as a writer gets you some recognition and somebody over in Seattle says, ‘We need to have him writing for our paper,' then you'd be crazy not to listen to what they have to say.
This is an industry where in the media, there's a lot of talk about it. It's a lot of talk at this point. It's nothing I'm seeking out. If it comes my way, I don't think there's any question ... I'd be crazy not to listen.
Q: The top of your profession means different things to different people. What is it for you?
A: I guess in the college game you look at it - and I just identified this as a mid-major program - there's major programs, there's teams that are continually in the top 20 and have such a strong foundation in place that it's pretty hard not to recruit to a place like that or not to win.
The pro game is so much different than this. It's an entirely different deal.
I can tell you some of the emotions I had Wednesday night, some of the things that were said between myself and some of my players, don't ever get said on the pro level.
It was absolutely priceless, the emotion and the way I felt with a bunch of different guys. You can't put a price on that, so I don't consider the pro game to necessarily be the top of the profession.
It's more of an environment. There are places in the NBA right now and people a guy could work for - (San Antonio coach Gregg) Popovich, (Lakers coach) Phil Jackson - certainly being a part of someone's staff like that, you're getting there. That's the thing, if you're going to work for someone like that, it's real important who it is you're working for, the type of person they are. There's so many factors to weigh in.
Q: Do you think you could go back to being an employee after being an employer?
A: Yeah, I mean I enjoy this a lot.
Like I said, it's nothing I'm seeking out, but you can never say never in the right situation.
Q: If an opportunity came up after this season was over, you'd have to look at that?
A: I don't think that my work is done here. It's one of those deals - and I've made the comment before - if I end up staying here for 20 years and try to pull a Robin Selvig, that's going to be perfectly fine by me. ... If the right job came up and talk was going on about it, I would not say, ‘No, I'm not interested, my work is not done here yet.' I wouldn't say that.
Q: Regardless of whether that's at the end of this year or two years from now?
A: Yeah, I mean I'm on a one-year contract. I didn't sign up for multi years. The same commitment I'm given is the commitment I'm providing in return.
I feel obligated to the University of Montana, but I don't feel so obligated that I wouldn't be interested in something else. That's an honest answer.
I haven't called anybody on a job and I haven't heard from anybody, contrary to a lot of rumors and talk. I'm not sending out resumes and interested in getting caught up in the rumor mill. I'm focused on what we're trying to do here.
He also points out that Swift will be a star, just like I have said...
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Q&A with Montana Griz coach Larry Krystkowiak
By BOB MESEROLL of the Missoulian
Montana men's basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak has guided the Griz into the NCAA tournament in his first two seasons at the helm of his alma mater, something no other coach in UM history has accomplished.
The Griz are 41-19 in his two seasons, 19-9 in Big Sky games and 5-0 in Big Sky tournament games.
Krystkowiak took time out from the Grizzlies' preparations for their second straight appearance in the NCAA tournament to answer questions about the state of Montana's program, its prospects and his own future.
*
Q: After two seasons on the job and two NCAA tournament berths, how would you rate the job you and assistants Wayne Tinkle, Brad Huse and Andy Hill have done?
A: It's the opposite of getting fired; you reached your goal. I'm pleased with what we've done, but I really feel there's a chance to take another step. Last year was one thing to get there, everything was new and the energy and excitement was new.
I had a friend call me from out East and said, ‘Hey, I watched your championship game and the thing I was most impressed with was when your kids won the game, they acted like they'd done it before. Like it was mission accomplished.'
I sensed that with our kids after the game.
I'm not really in a mode to talk about grades. We accomplished a goal to represent our league. I get a little tingly with the possibility that it might not be over.
Q: How would you describe the health of the program?
A: It's funny, when you asked that question I got goose bumps because I think we've made strides.
Two years ago we talked about there were going to be a bunch of baby steps. Now I think we're out of the walker and actually able to hold our heads higher and aspire to some new things.
They're no longer baby steps. A lot of that stuff's been revitalized.
I think the program is only as strong as the players you have in it. It's been remarkable the way our kids have handled themselves on the floor, in the classroom, in random restaurants. We just got a letter from the guys who did our catering in Arizona. He said he's been doing it for 30 years with tons of different teams and never in 30 years (did he meet such a nice team). That kind of stuff means more to me than a lot of stuff.
So I think our program is pretty solid in the fact that we've got some good people in it, some players and some students and some people who are going to be successful when they're done playing basketball.
Hopefully these freshmen, sophomores and juniors will play a part in recruiting the next group of guys. We're trying to find more guys like them. Then the programs gets set on a track, a course, you hope it just keeps continuing that way.
Q: What's the next step?
A: I really think, depending on where we get seeded and how it goes, that we can compete with some teams.
The next step for me would be to get a win and advance in this tournament. That would be the goal.
Q: Former Montana athletic director Wayne Hogan was ridiculed to an extent for suggesting that Montana aspire to the success enjoyed in recent years by Gonzaga. It seemed far-fetched at the time, but not as far-fetched now. Is that a realistic aspiration?
A: There's not many places in America that can start on the same playing field as Gonzaga.
If you look at Gonzaga 20 years ago, Missoula, Montana, was supposed to beat them. I remember playing here and they came in and beat us and it just about wiped out our season. It was devastating that they won a game here.
There are some things in place at Gonzaga that don't take place in a lot of places. Obviously, they also had some things fall into place.
I asked (Gonzaga coach) Mark Few this past summer over a craps table in Las Vegas when we were gambling, ‘If you could sum it all up, how did this thing happen?'
He said, ‘It was pretty simple. We got Casey Calvary, we got Richie Frahm.' They recruited those type of players and then did a heckuva job coaching them and these players became all-league players and professionals. Then, boom, their program's in place. All of a sudden they're on the map.
You have a school that doesn't have football. That in itself, from a financial standpoint, it's not a level playing field. You've got a coaching staff - I don't know if I even want to go into that because it would sound like I'm crying over spilled milk - Few's making almost a million bucks. It's hard to relate where they are to where we are.
But it's a great model to aspire to. I've always said I thought that football, men's basketball and women's basketball could be successful simultaneously here. Obviously, the football team's had success, the ladies have had success and now we're having some success. We can pull it off.
You have to win some games in the tournament. Then people go, ‘Well shoot, they're not just a flash in the pan showing up every once in a while. They're making it a habit, doing a nice job in their league and representing.'
Q: Where do you see the program in, say, three years?
A: I would like to believe it stays very competitive with the young kids we've recruited to come in here.
Basically, we're looking at some freshmen and sophomores who will be juniors and seniors three years from now and I'm fairly impressed with that group of guys. For example, Austin (Swift) and Kyle (Sharp). Austin's going to be a big surprise when he gets a chance to shine starting next year. He's a really talented player. There's some guys waiting in the wings for their turn.
So, I have to feel really good about where it's going to be in three years knowing those guys are going to be upperclassmen.
Q: Complete this thought: If there's one thing I could change about my job, it would be ...
A: Hmm.
Hmm.
I don't know.
No matter where you are, you have some issues. I remember talking to coach (Mike) Montgomery when he was at Stanford and for him it was how hard it was to get players they wanted into the school because the standard was so high.
Then it turned into, now we're losing kids to the NBA.
If you talk to head coaches at any program, they're going to have a couple of sticky points that weigh them down, a bit of a burden.
I don't want to throw it out there, really, obviously it's part of the financial issue here with the budgets, and the shortfall, and the deficit issue. But I think that's business. You have budgets to keep and stuff.
If I could change that, I'd open up the checkbook and start writing some of these guys on the staff bigger checks.
But it's really nothing that weighs us down at all. It took me awhile to even think of anything and that's a pretty good indication that things are good.
The community is a great place to do your job; it's a great place to raise kids.
We're a mid-major program. It's not over the top with expectations and it's not a bottom-feeder league. It's a nice place to be in that balance.
I'm pretty darn happy with everything, but I think if I asked about anybody in a job that they're pretty pleased with what they could do to make the job better, they'd say, ‘Hey, let's start spending some more money.'
I just hope I can keep these guys around. With the talented staff that these guys are, there are going to be opportunities and it's not the easiest thing to keep intact. That would be my biggest fear is not having this group of guys doing their thing.
Q: You mentioned the expectations here are not over the top, but with two NCAA berths in two years, is it a concern that people are going to think that you have a magic touch and that you're going to go to the NCAAs every year?
A: It's a thrill to have those type of expectations, but it's going to be the same deal every year.
We talked about it six months ago. We try to get a little better each week and identify what your weaknesses are.
I don't have a problem with expectations. As long as I don't start changing with the approach and the way we coach. When it's all said and done, if we don't make the NCAA tournament next year, as long as we're pleased with the way we approached it and worked and put an honest day's work in, I can live with that. I think the people of this community can too.
I'm talking like the Kansases of the world, some of the stuff that goes on at those institutions, it's mind-boggling. But it's fun. People are expecting it and want to be a part of it. That makes it a lot more rewarding.
Q: You just mentioned that there are going to be opportunities for your staff to take other jobs. What about yourself? Will you be willing to listen when those opportunities arise?
A: Oh, yeah. My philosophy with that has never changed and never will change: I'm going to jump head-first into whatever I'm doing today. Then tomorrow it's the same thing.
I know a lot of people who have been busy beating the pavement, trying to find the next job. The minute you start doing that, it's a losing proposition.
If there's opportunities that come up, that's what life's all about, a chance to see what's out there, be able to weigh out some choices.
In the same voice, when you're talking about money, a big check is not going to draw me away from here. If it's not the right program or the right place, if it doesn't have a lot of intangibles in place... Money's not the reason I'm in it.
Everybody wants to reach the top of their profession, I think. If what you're doing as a writer gets you some recognition and somebody over in Seattle says, ‘We need to have him writing for our paper,' then you'd be crazy not to listen to what they have to say.
This is an industry where in the media, there's a lot of talk about it. It's a lot of talk at this point. It's nothing I'm seeking out. If it comes my way, I don't think there's any question ... I'd be crazy not to listen.
Q: The top of your profession means different things to different people. What is it for you?
A: I guess in the college game you look at it - and I just identified this as a mid-major program - there's major programs, there's teams that are continually in the top 20 and have such a strong foundation in place that it's pretty hard not to recruit to a place like that or not to win.
The pro game is so much different than this. It's an entirely different deal.
I can tell you some of the emotions I had Wednesday night, some of the things that were said between myself and some of my players, don't ever get said on the pro level.
It was absolutely priceless, the emotion and the way I felt with a bunch of different guys. You can't put a price on that, so I don't consider the pro game to necessarily be the top of the profession.
It's more of an environment. There are places in the NBA right now and people a guy could work for - (San Antonio coach Gregg) Popovich, (Lakers coach) Phil Jackson - certainly being a part of someone's staff like that, you're getting there. That's the thing, if you're going to work for someone like that, it's real important who it is you're working for, the type of person they are. There's so many factors to weigh in.
Q: Do you think you could go back to being an employee after being an employer?
A: Yeah, I mean I enjoy this a lot.
Like I said, it's nothing I'm seeking out, but you can never say never in the right situation.
Q: If an opportunity came up after this season was over, you'd have to look at that?
A: I don't think that my work is done here. It's one of those deals - and I've made the comment before - if I end up staying here for 20 years and try to pull a Robin Selvig, that's going to be perfectly fine by me. ... If the right job came up and talk was going on about it, I would not say, ‘No, I'm not interested, my work is not done here yet.' I wouldn't say that.
Q: Regardless of whether that's at the end of this year or two years from now?
A: Yeah, I mean I'm on a one-year contract. I didn't sign up for multi years. The same commitment I'm given is the commitment I'm providing in return.
I feel obligated to the University of Montana, but I don't feel so obligated that I wouldn't be interested in something else. That's an honest answer.
I haven't called anybody on a job and I haven't heard from anybody, contrary to a lot of rumors and talk. I'm not sending out resumes and interested in getting caught up in the rumor mill. I'm focused on what we're trying to do here.