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And the Cat's HC is......

First time since Durham they've had a former player as coach. Haven't followed him much but he being one of few former players now coaching had to excite them. As opposed to Griz having several former players with significant head coaching experience doing pretty well.

Haven't followed Cal Fullerton either but the name sure doesn't ring out as having done too much recently.

So...one former player applies with a decent resume as an assistant at a school that doesn't jump out at you. My take is there was a better candidate out there but Sprinkle may get more excitement going among fans.

Looks like a bit of Little Brother Syndrome but wish him well and kind of nice to see a Montana guy get the chance.
 
I was shocked when I read Sprinkle led the cats to the NCAA tourney as a frosh in 1996, the last time they made the dance. Wow!
 
I thought Steve Lutz was the better choice.

But the Bobcat Faithful have been so dispirited for so long over basketball, that if they are excited about Sprinkle, that is half the battle.
 
No surprise. Sprinkle is both a Montana native and a former MSU player alum. I wish him well......., but not too well!
 
Literally not surprised in the least. As soon as they said he was a part of the interview process I figured it was a done deal. Didn’t really even need a selection committee or waste others’ time as Leon was going to hire Sprinkle from the jump. The guy is going to have an uphill battle unless he lands a ringer or two as Hall and Blevins moving on and now all you have to do is guard Frey. His supporting cast is literally non existent.
 
citay said:
I thought Steve Lutz was the better choice.

But the Bobcat Faithful have been so dispirited for so long over basketball, that if they are excited about Sprinkle, that is half the battle.
Click to expand...

I thought Looney was a great choice, with his head coaching experience...BUT Sprinkle will bring Bozeman people back to the games, and should do a great job promoting the Cats around the State...People in Bozeman need to feel excitement for Basketball again...Like you said, it has been a real long time for us...
 
HookedonGriz said:
Literally not surprised in the least. As soon as they said he was a part of the interview process I figured it was a done deal. Didn’t really even need a selection committee or waste others’ time as Leon was going to hire Sprinkle from the jump. The guy is going to have an uphill battle unless he lands a ringer or two as Hall and Blevins moving on and now all you have to do is guard Frey. His supporting cast is literally non existent.
Click to expand...
Yep ... same here.

When I read the backgrounds (pretty sketchy, in several cases), I thought he had the one crucial qualification that the others didn't. He harks back to when kittie basketball experienced at least some success. The parents of potential recruits now will remember that, and can hope that he can bring back some of that success. And his assistant coaching experience is more than adequate for this level of head coaching position.
 
National search. :roll: Sprinkle will put some buzz in Bozeman his first year. After that the shine will wear off, and he will have to produce the W's to keep his job. Good to see a Montana native as HC.
 
IdaGriz01 said:
HookedonGriz said:
Literally not surprised in the least. As soon as they said he was a part of the interview process I figured it was a done deal. Didn’t really even need a selection committee or waste others’ time as Leon was going to hire Sprinkle from the jump. The guy is going to have an uphill battle unless he lands a ringer or two as Hall and Blevins moving on and now all you have to do is guard Frey. His supporting cast is literally non existent.
Click to expand...
Yep ... same here.

When I read the backgrounds (pretty sketchy, in several cases), I thought he had the one crucial qualification that the others didn't. He harks back to when kittie basketball experienced at least some success. The parents of potential recruits now will remember that, and can hope that he can bring back some of that success. And his assistant coaching experience is more than adequate for this level of head coaching position.
Click to expand...

Parents of potential recruits that followed the Bobcats 20 years ago. That's worth basically nothing for a team in Bozeman Montana.

He'll have to sink or swim 99% on his ability as a coach, so hopefully he was the best guy available.
 
DPGriz said:
IdaGriz01 said:
HookedonGriz said:
Literally not surprised in the least. As soon as they said he was a part of the interview process I figured it was a done deal. Didn’t really even need a selection committee or waste others’ time as Leon was going to hire Sprinkle from the jump. The guy is going to have an uphill battle unless he lands a ringer or two as Hall and Blevins moving on and now all you have to do is guard Frey. His supporting cast is literally non existent.
Click to expand...
Yep ... same here.

When I read the backgrounds (pretty sketchy, in several cases), I thought he had the one crucial qualification that the others didn't. He harks back to when kittie basketball experienced at least some success. The parents of potential recruits now will remember that, and can hope that he can bring back some of that success. And his assistant coaching experience is more than adequate for this level of head coaching position.
Click to expand...
Parents of potential recruits that followed the Bobcats 20 years ago. That's worth basically nothing for a team in Bozeman Montana.

He'll have to sink or swim 99% on his ability as a coach, so hopefully he was the best guy available.
Click to expand...
Hmmm ...

Actually, my whole point was that MSU grads who were just starting families 20-25 years ago might remember that period of success ... and convey it to their kids who are just reaching the right age. Honest question: Why is that worth nothing?
 
IdaGriz01 said:
DPGriz said:
IdaGriz01 said:
HookedonGriz said:
Literally not surprised in the least. As soon as they said he was a part of the interview process I figured it was a done deal. Didn’t really even need a selection committee or waste others’ time as Leon was going to hire Sprinkle from the jump. The guy is going to have an uphill battle unless he lands a ringer or two as Hall and Blevins moving on and now all you have to do is guard Frey. His supporting cast is literally non existent.
Click to expand...
Yep ... same here.

When I read the backgrounds (pretty sketchy, in several cases), I thought he had the one crucial qualification that the others didn't. He harks back to when kittie basketball experienced at least some success. The parents of potential recruits now will remember that, and can hope that he can bring back some of that success. And his assistant coaching experience is more than adequate for this level of head coaching position.
Click to expand...
Parents of potential recruits that followed the Bobcats 20 years ago. That's worth basically nothing for a team in Bozeman Montana.

He'll have to sink or swim 99% on his ability as a coach, so hopefully he was the best guy available.
Click to expand...
Hmmm ...

Actually, my whole point was that MSU grads who were just starting families 20-25 years ago might remember that period of success ... and convey it to their kids who are just reaching the right age. Honest question: Why is that worth nothing?
Click to expand...

Because Montana doesn't produce many quality Big Sky recruits so nostalgia from families that remember his time their isn't worth much as far as recruiting goes. How many kids is he going to recruit that remember his time at MSU and seriously weigh it in their decision?
 
citay said:
I thought Steve Lutz was the better choice.
Click to expand...

I thought so too. He was the one I was most concerned about. Obviously I am not an expert in picking who had the best qualifications.
 
DPGriz said:
... Because Montana doesn't produce many quality Big Sky recruits so nostalgia from families that remember his time their isn't worth much as far as recruiting goes. How many kids is he going to recruit that remember his time at MSU and seriously weigh it in their decision?
Click to expand...
So let me interpret:
First, I think we agree that his ultimate success or failure will depend upon how well he recruits outside the state of Montana.

But you're also saying that (1) there are not enough quality BBall players in the state to "waste" much recruiting time on them. (2) Those potential recruits won't pay any attention to their parents -- who still have to pay the different between what a schollie covers and the true "cost of attendance."
 
So... congrats to Danny Sprinkle. I know zero info about the other finalists, but am somewhat familiar with Mr. Sprinkle.

From 1991-1995 Danny Sprinkle was one of the... if not the best high school player(s) in Montana, out of Helena High. As a freshman at MSU (1996) he was an immediate starter on a Cats team that would win the Big Sky. His personal record against the Grizzlies was 5-4, with one win (1998) a 68-60 verdict that eliminated the Griz from the Big Sky post-season tourney. In 1999, the Cats swept the Griz.

Sprinkle will be the third Montanan to coach the Bobcats since 1990 (Mick Durham/1990-2006, Brad Huse/2006-2014). Sprinkle was an assistant at Cal Northridge... most recently was the recruiting coordinator for the Cal State Fullerton Titans, which won the Big West two years ago (beat Cal Irvine) and then lost to Irvine this year in the Big West tourney championship. I am assuming that coach Sprinkle is quite familiar with California high school talent.

P.S. While doing minimal research for this post, my absolute "dumb-foundedness" was re-generated over the treatment of Durham. Mick had the second-most wins as a Bobcat hoops head coach (246-213), behind Brick himself (283-198). Yikes.
 
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