Golfing with Coach Durham...

[El_Gato]

My report from the Flathead Lake Bobcat Boosters golf tourney yesterday in Ronan, where I had the pleasure of golfing with Coach Durham.

Overall impression: Impressed. With his golf game AND his attitude AND the direction his program appears to be taking.

First of all, make no mistake: If you are playing in a Bobcat golf tourney, DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO to get Mick on your team. He is an EXCELLENT golfer; I'd say he hit 2 bad shots all day. We ended up shooting 58 (par 72) due mainly to the fact that we were NEVER in trouble, thanks to Mick. We did roll in a TON of lengthy putts but Mick was always in the fairway (and long) off the tee and we rarely missed a green.

As our basketball coach, I'd say I came away feeling pretty good about where Bobcat Basketball is headed. With his top 6 scorers back and 2 solid new guys, Mick is very confident that we'll have a great team. He feels that right now, he will end up redshirting all 3 of the incoming freshman; I know personally I'd like to see them as soon as possible, but I think it bodes well for the program if he ends up redshirting them.

Mick is confident that he has the best team heading into the season, with the Griz a close second. Eastern Washington will be tough, he said, and he likes what Sac. State is doing.

I asked him if he's butted heads directly with Krysko over any recruits and he said a little bit in Oregon & Washington but not over any Montana kids because frankly, THAT well was a bit dry last year. Which led me to...

Jack McGillis. I asked him his take on the kid and the "recruiting battles" (or lack thereof) over him. Mick's views were similar to my own: He just didn't see that much talent there. Mick said that he simply doesn't think Jack has enough natural ability to play much even in the Big Sky, let alone the Pac 10. Mick stated clearly that he doubts McG will last more than 2 years at OSU and he'll be looking for another home, perhaps back here in MT. He also told me that he didn't take a whole lot of interest in the kid because Krysko didn't appear all that interested; he said if Jack had played for the Hawks, he probably would have offered to make him a Cat just for the PR boost of getting a hometown & MT kid. The fact that Larry K DIDN'T apparently feel strongly enough about McG to offer, even given the "PR effect", told Mick that there were better places to use the schollie. He also told me that "TEAM McGillis" was in high gear SELLING the kid; whenever he talked to the kid or anyone associated with him, the party involved left no doubt that Jack was going to be a great player; he left me with the impression that McG is more about "hype" than talent or ability. We shall see...

mslacat, obviously he feels that OSU made the mistake at this point.

Regarding some of the other "non-offensive" questions you guys asked:

Mick feels our OOC schedule IS pretty tough, mainly due to the trip to Alaska and the February "Bracket Buster" on ESPN. He thinks that if he has a good record at that point, we could very well end up seeing a ranked mid-major team in Bozeman for that contest.

I didn't ask him directly about "marketing" the BBall program (ala Kramer) but you definitely get the sense from being around Mick that it's simply not his style. He's a quiet, I'll even say borderline shy guy in front of a crowd; you get the sense that he'd rather be in a smaller group setting, which is why I was really glad I got to golf with him and interact with him more one-on-one. Some of us may like it, some may not, but Mick just strikes me as a guy who loves to coach but isn't overly fond of or comfortable with the PR aspects of college coaching. The only point I'll make about that is one I've stated before: If a coach ISN'T gregarious or outgoing or a rah-rah guy (dare I say "Kramer-esque"?), I think he lessens the amount of "slack" he'll get from the fans and donors to the program. I know we've seen that first-hand with Mick; you could argue that his success with the BBall program is similar to Kramer's in football, but I think you can see the difference in the regard with which both are currently held.

I'm not sure if Mick really recognizes the extra "slack" or support boost he would receive from us if he were a more dynamic leader, but I suppose after 15 years and another contract in hand, he figures what he's doing & who he is is OK with the Bobcat faithful...

In closing (and I think this will demonstrate my last point very clearly), it was none other than Kramer who had the best line of the day. In his short (LMAO) talk following the tourney, Kramer was talking about the success that the Griz & Coach Durham had in the past in getting MT kids on their rosters and the lengths they go to in order to recruit MT kids. "Mick's really going the extra mile right now", Kramer said, "He's sleeping with the mother of his point guard!!" Needless to say, the crowd loved it!

[GOKATS]

El Gato,

Thanks for the update on Coach Durham. You hit it right on the head. I've known Mick for many years and you couldn't find a nicer guy, but as you said he's just not a rah rah guy. Stu Starner was a great PR guy for BB, it's just not Micks style. He is a great coach though and is 100% Bobcat.

[coachouert]

"Mick's really going the extra mile right now", Kramer said, "He's sleeping with the mother of his point guard!!" Needless to say, the crowd loved it!

And this ladies and gentlemen is why people love Coach K. Great update on everything here gato. I'm almost as excited for basketball season as I am for football! Well that's a bit of an exageration, but I'm pretty excited for basketball now too....only 29 MORE days! Did Mick mention any players that he is expecting to surprise people this year?

[CatFamily]

Thanks Gato for the GREAT review and the information from Mick. And your analysis of his demeanor was right on too. One thought, are any of the assistant coaches outgoing types who could be better "media and public" marketers of the Bobcat BB program? One last thought, I believe all Bobcat fans and the entire State of Montana should be very proud and pleased with the dedication and success of a class person. Not many college coaches stick with the same program for 14 plus years and we are lucky to have Mick.

[Bleedinbluengold]

I would also add that I think Fields really backs Mick, which is way more important than what we fans think.

[CelticCat]

Thanks for the update Gat. I for one am really looking forward to this upcoming basketball season, but not as much as football (just the way I am). I went to a little over half the home games last year, but my basketball budy is now living in Alaska never to return, so I have no one to go to the games with because everyone else I know hates basketball.

[mslacat]

I would also add that I think Fields really backs Mick, which is way more important than what we fans think.

From top to bottom it very hard to find a person in the athletic depart who does not back Durham. He is very admired in the athletic Dept.

[El_Gato]

Oh, another funny moment from yesterday:

Mick was introduced by Tricia BB (as he calls her) and he opened by saying how pleased he was when in Great Falls earlier in the week, she introduced him as Mick Dennehy!

[rtb]

Gato....thanks for the update, but no question about what Mick thinks of Bobcat Nation?!?!?!

[El_Gato]

I didn't want him to feel as if he was being interviewed so no, I didn't ask him about Bobcat Nation. I have had discussions, however, with various folks from the Athletic Department about the possibility of participating here.

We shall see...