We all know: Football is King at Montana. And I can tell you why: Football is a winner; and football--Montana style--is exciting. Many on this board can't imagine a day that Football was boring, but back in the Woody Hayes era, it was. Long huddles. Overgrown men pushing each other around; "three yards and a cloud of dust." But a new era of thinkers came along, most notably under the banner of "The West Coast Offense." And at Montana we got lucky. One of the best of the breed, Don Read, took over head clipboard, and the rest has been a wonderful fun ride. High-octane, up-and-down-the-field, no-huddle, "grass basketball."
But that's why I like basketball. It already IS no-huddle. It's a game of ebb and flow, rhythm, runs, momentum. When you're watching basketball at its best--and the Warriors are the standard-bearer right now--there is no sport more beautiful to watch. Who needs "grass basketball" when you've got the reaL deal?
And I think this is one of my biggest disappointments with this year's Griz. I expected that DeCuire would open up our offense. That with the deepest and most athletic guard line possibly in the history of Montana basketball, we would spread the floor and pick up the pace, pell-mell, up-and-down, on offense, with full-court traps and constant constant pressure on defense. Sure, we'd be small, but we'd be fun. We'd be exciting.
But the first half against Montana State? Not watchable. Ahmaad Rorie, arguably the most athletic point guard in a good while at Montana, walking-the-ball-up-the court. Then a half-court offense that seemed tentative, afraid to make mistakes, often (in my opinion) passing up good shots early in the possession for worse shot later. This looked like a team playing not to lose, rather than a team going out there to kick butt. It was San Jose State last year redux. And my biggest question about the players on this team: Are they having fun? Sure doesn't look like it. I know this: Good teams generally are teams having fun.
Which brings me to turnovers. Montana is notable now for not turning the ball over--top 30 in the country in that category, I believe. One game where they had one turnover. One! To the basketball purist, this is a thing of beauty.
Not to me.
In the NBA, the Warriors lead the league in offense--but they're also 22nd in most turnovers out of 30 teams. Ditto the Houston Rockets. Third-highest scoring team, but even more turnovers than the Warriors. And yet both teams have winning records. And both teams are exciting fun teams to watch.
That the Griz have so few turnovers indicates to me that they are playing a slow, stodgy, pass-the-ball-till-late-in-the-shot clock, don't-make-mistakes offense.
And so while I'm looking forward to next year, to all the bigs coming on board, the thing that most depresses me about this year's team, is the same thing I always say about entertainers, teachers, sports teams...really, life.
Don't Bore.
The football program at Montana learned that lesson long ago. It's time the basketball program takes note.
But that's why I like basketball. It already IS no-huddle. It's a game of ebb and flow, rhythm, runs, momentum. When you're watching basketball at its best--and the Warriors are the standard-bearer right now--there is no sport more beautiful to watch. Who needs "grass basketball" when you've got the reaL deal?
And I think this is one of my biggest disappointments with this year's Griz. I expected that DeCuire would open up our offense. That with the deepest and most athletic guard line possibly in the history of Montana basketball, we would spread the floor and pick up the pace, pell-mell, up-and-down, on offense, with full-court traps and constant constant pressure on defense. Sure, we'd be small, but we'd be fun. We'd be exciting.
But the first half against Montana State? Not watchable. Ahmaad Rorie, arguably the most athletic point guard in a good while at Montana, walking-the-ball-up-the court. Then a half-court offense that seemed tentative, afraid to make mistakes, often (in my opinion) passing up good shots early in the possession for worse shot later. This looked like a team playing not to lose, rather than a team going out there to kick butt. It was San Jose State last year redux. And my biggest question about the players on this team: Are they having fun? Sure doesn't look like it. I know this: Good teams generally are teams having fun.
Which brings me to turnovers. Montana is notable now for not turning the ball over--top 30 in the country in that category, I believe. One game where they had one turnover. One! To the basketball purist, this is a thing of beauty.
Not to me.
In the NBA, the Warriors lead the league in offense--but they're also 22nd in most turnovers out of 30 teams. Ditto the Houston Rockets. Third-highest scoring team, but even more turnovers than the Warriors. And yet both teams have winning records. And both teams are exciting fun teams to watch.
That the Griz have so few turnovers indicates to me that they are playing a slow, stodgy, pass-the-ball-till-late-in-the-shot clock, don't-make-mistakes offense.
And so while I'm looking forward to next year, to all the bigs coming on board, the thing that most depresses me about this year's team, is the same thing I always say about entertainers, teachers, sports teams...really, life.
Don't Bore.
The football program at Montana learned that lesson long ago. It's time the basketball program takes note.
