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The Montana Coaching Tree - Photo
- Thread starter ordigger
- Start date
Cool pic. Thanks for posting.
larryhersheywilliams
Member
Lest we forget "the man" who started it all - the amazing Jud Heathcote who took a sub-par team to a conference title in a short time. He then was hired at Michigan State where he recruited Magic Johnson and hired Tom Izzo.
That picture got some air time on Sunday during the OSU - Utah game. Favorable comments by the announcers. Great event last fall at Ranch Club where the photo was taken. Both Jud and Jim Brandenburg were piped in via video to that event.
Brandenbug may have coached the best Griz team ever...but it had to forfeit games due to an academic eligibility issues. Lee Johnson and Micheal Ray both ended up 1st round picks in the NBA.
Decuire is holding his own with all of them!!
Brandenbug may have coached the best Griz team ever...but it had to forfeit games due to an academic eligibility issues. Lee Johnson and Micheal Ray both ended up 1st round picks in the NBA.
Decuire is holding his own with all of them!!
Were Jud and Brandy invited? Were they both unavailable?
As much as we all like our current Griz head coach, it is difficult to argue with Jud's championship pedigree.
As much as we all like our current Griz head coach, it is difficult to argue with Jud's championship pedigree.
UMGriz75
Well-known member
Well, Jud was special, that's for sure. He inherited a program that had become a dumpster fire, but he had three good players, Earl Tye, Willie Bascus and Ray Howard, and several other "competent" players. He inherited Brandy from Lou Rocheleu, but it was interesting how Jud made the transitions. No "I want my own staff! I am going to get my own players!" none of that. I am sure Brandy had wanted, expected, the head coach job when Lou Rocheleau left, and esp competing as an asst coach against another asst coach, Jud.Proud Griz Man said:
I am sure there was some thought there that Jud would have liked to have brought in "one of his own" from all the kids that went through WSU, and he didn't really know Brandy, but he had a wife and kids and was here, so ....
Jud made it work. No turmoil, he kept Brandy on and turned him into great head coach material; kept the kids, recruiting newer and better ones (Ken McKenzie to replace Howard on his graduation) but easing the transitions for everybody, a real peacemaker. Everybody got a chance to play. Nobody was thrown away. And, he got plenty of local boys to build interest, Ben DeMers and Kevin Rocheleau from Sentinel.
I didn't say "peaceful." He had a temper and he could show it on the court and in the locker rooms, but when he came to the larger task of dealing with people, he knew how to do it. I doubt there has been a more beloved coach at UM, since I have been here anyway. Funny as hell, and that was part of his understated charm, his dry sense of humor. One day in practice, shouting across the floor: "Michael, you mean to tell me that I recruited the only Black kid in the whole United States that can't jump?" They got to be very close.
Michael Ray Richardson was the most troubled athlete I have ever known, but the closest he came to having a life and a framework for it was because of Jud Heathcote; Jud was the father that kid needed and both of them knew it; it just didn't work out for the move to Michigan State.
I should add, Jud had that temper, but he made it clear it was never personal. He made sure of that. He'd scream at somebody during practice and rip him up one side and down the other until the kid felt shredded, but as they came off the floor, he'd usually be calmed down and he'd always have a "pat" and "you're doing just fine, you just need to ...". It became my standard phrase and of course none of my players to this day know the genealogy. I got it from Jud Heathcote.
Brandy was a big change in style and personality. It was hard not to miss Jud, but Brandy proved to be a capable coach. And, Jud left the cupboard full.
I haven't been around Travis enough to get a fix on him yet personally; seems to be doing all the right things, although I'd like to see more bench play. I'll be over there more starting Monday, so we will see ...
Yes Jud has had a bit of a temper and used colorful language. He is a great comedy quotation machine:
