Mike Montgomery

By Allyson Turner

In 13 seasons, Mike Montgomery has helped return Stanford to national prominence. Under Montgomery, the Cardinal have been to seven NCAA Tournaments and four NITs, including an NIT championship in 1991. Last season, Stanford advanced to the Final Four in San Antonio.

Before arriving at Stanford, Montgomery coached at Montana for ten years, the last eight as head coach. His overall record with the Grizzlies was 154-77, and he never had a losing season.

A native of Long Beach, Calif., Montgomery graduated in 1968 from Cal State Long Beach and received his Masters Degree in physical education from Colorado State in 1976. Montgomery is a member of the NCAA rules committee and the NABC board of directors.

 

Unfortunately for Mike Montgomery, Stanford was upset in the second round by Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. (Allsport)

Which coach do you most admire, past or present?
John Wooden. I felt that he was a great coach with great players and he got them to play the way the game should be played. He didn't compromise the way he thought the game should be played. That's hard to do with great players. I always admired what he accomplished but that's an easy answer. Since he's gotten out of coaching, I have gotten to know him a little bit better and really admire the strength of the person that he is. He's very bright and he's more than just a basketball coach. He's got a great philosophy about life and the way things should be and I think that's super.

What is the best piece of advice you received and who was it from?
I don't know if I was told this as much I just figured it out on my own and that was to just be your own man. Do things the way that you feel they should be done. Trying to please others or trying to fit somebody else's is only going to get you in trouble ultimately, because you'll be a phoney. So, right, wrong or indifferent, if you get fired, at least you did it your way!

What wisdom do you try to pass along to your students?
Take advantage of the moment. I've always told our guys that, basically, it's their basketball team. That they are going to get out of it what they put into it. I'll have other teams, and they'll be other players, but it's their responsibility to make the basketball experience what they want it to be, because they are the ones that will remember it for the rest of their lives. I also talk about never having regrets. The worst thing is to look back, and say, 'If I only played harder or prepared myself better.' You'd like to finish up with 'Hey that's it. That's what I had. That's what I had to give.' Then, you'll always feel better about what the outcome was.

What are your expectations usually for the NCAA Tournament?
Certainly not expectations in terms of winning; it's trying to go in and play well. I think we've accomplished so much this season and we're not going to talk about what wouldn't be enough. If we go in and play the best we can and we get beat, we want to be able to feel good about it.

What is it about Mike Montgomery that would make a player decide to attend Stanford and play for him?
I think I'm fair. There's no question I'm honest and consistent. What you see, is what you get. It may not be the flashiest thing but it's gonna be the same when you leave as when you came. I'd like to think that kids were dealt with fairly.

What is the best aspect of being a coach?
Watching kids grow up and having them have success. Even those players that don't have successes, they mature and learn about themselves and come to grips with the fact that they aren't an NBA player and that they're gonna have to go out in life. Watching them do that I think is really pretty satisfying.

What is the worst aspect?
The emphasis on wins and loses. The wins are never enough to offset the losses. You feel so bad when you lose and it's just a sinking feeling that you feel you've let people down, your players down. It always takes me a couple of days to get through it.

Before a game, what do you always do?
Take a nap.

What is your pet peeve?
Making people into superstars. Making everything into such big things. Just over dramatizing everything.

What was the greatest moment for you on the court?
When we realized that we were going to Final Four. Taking a loss at Rhode Island and turning it into a win, and then the realization that we are going to the Final Four, something no one really thought would ever happen.

How about off the court?
The birth of my children.

What is a perfect day?
Sun is out, I get to see my family, and no stress.