<font color="RoyalBlue">Montgomery is eager to get started Ex-Stanford coach ready for transition</font> OAKLAND - In front of the mirror at home. In his car. In his office. New Warriors coach Mike Montgomery has constantly wrestled with how to make a good first impression. "I've probably had my first conversation with the team 50 times," Montgomery said. Montgomery's worry over his inaugural address is a microcosm of his summer. The past four-plus months -- since being hired away from Stanford by the Warriors on May 21 -- have been an elongated, and at times anxious, segue. The questions will begin to be answered Tuesday, as the Warriors began a five-day training camp at UC San Diego. To this point, though, it's been an interesting ride. Overall, Montgomery said the transition has been smooth since he surprised the basketball world and left Stanford after 18 years. He said Chris Mullin, the Warriors executive vice president of basketball operations, general manager Rod Higgins and team president Robert Rowell have "gone out of their way to get things done." Mullin and Higgins have put together a seemingly coachable lineup, one Mullin said was in part tailored to suit Montgomery's style. But it's been the little things that have been a tad unsettling. Little things, like Interstate 880. "If that's not the worst freeway in America ... ," Montgomery said. Little things, like the numerous coaching experts he's run into. "Certainly, I have talked to a lot of people and I have gotten a lot of advice from people that I haven't really asked for," Montgomery said. "It is interesting what a lot of people's perspective on this is." Little things, like actually taking days off. "I can see him getting antsy," Mullin said. "When it's time off, it's time off. There's nothing to do. I don't think he's too comfortable with that." Said Montgomery: "I just don't want to not be here. I'm an office guy." Oddly enough, Montgomery, 57, said he isn't too worried about the biggest adjustment: his jump from college to the NBA. For starters, there is little doubt about Montgomery's skills with the clipboard. His .702 winning percentage at Stanford -- including four Pac-10 titles, 12 NCAA Tournament appearances and a Final Four appearance -- speaks to that. "Basketball is basketball," Higgins said, "and he knows basketball." But the failure rate for Montgomery's pending challenge is well documented. Such high-profile college coaches as Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Tim Floyd and P.J. Carlesimo failed to make it in the NBA. Even Mullin acknowledged the skepticism is legitimate. Still, Montgomery's colleagues said he has a shot. Mullin said Montgomery's personality will prove beneficial. Montgomery already has won over several members of the organization, Mullin said, and he hears from several outsiders that Montgomery was a good choice. "His immediate impact has been who he is ... what he stands for, the way he includes people, his openness," Mullin said. "Coupled with his success rate, his winning, the combination of that leads to bringing people in." San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, a fellow assistant coach with Montgomery on the U.S. national team during the 2002 World Basketball Championships, said Montgomery's intelligence gives him a better shot at succeeding. He specifically noted Montgomery's willingness to approach this task with an open mind rather than assuming he has the answers. "I think he's highly intelligent and flexible enough to know that it's a different situation than college," said Popovich, whom Montgomery said he consulted about the job. "(That was) evidenced by hiring somebody like (assistant coach) Mario Elie, who was a player and understands a lot of the dynamics that Mike's going to have to get used to. He's secure enough in his own skin to know that. He will adapt to the differences that exist. I think that's one of the big things for somebody coming out of college, to realize it's a different game, different rules, different style and a different dynamic coach-player wise. He'll understand that." But these characteristics won't come into play on the basketball court until Tuesday when camp starts, and they haven't helped alleviate those little irritations that have surfaced so far. They haven't helped fill the void during slow days, or prevented him from being cut off on the freeway on his way to work. And they certainly haven't helped him nail down a speech.
Thx Need4Sheed for the article. I think Montgomery is a fine choice who is coming onto a warriors team that is starting to turn around towards a .500 record. He knows basketball (and the way it should be played) most definitely. The biggest obstacle is the salary cap. Obviously, going over the cap and paying the luxury tax will be a concern if we have a lot of vets signed to substantially large and lengthy contracts and a lot of young talent that we wish to keep. If Foyle, Najera or Fisher ever go down we are screwed big time, but I guess that would not matter because even if healthy those three are hard to trade. But at least we are guaranteed we have team leaders that can help keep a team focussed and close out games better than a bunch of rookies scared out of his wits. But still can we keep Biedrens, Pietrus, Murphy, Richardson, Dunleavy, re-sign a good point guard like Claxton, and another center? I doubt it. I'm kind of worried, but the organization plans to start with defense, then I guess I won't be missing much of Richardson (who is still awesome btw) and Murphy (who is a tough rebounder with size and shooting touch). The question is who will we go to for scoring? I think we need all of them and use the defensive guys to slow the production against the other team. So I pray that Murphy and Richardson don't break the bank and they stay on. I have a feeling though that we could end up trading Murphy to the Nets for their draft picks and start the "franchise player" hunt again.
