Coach Carty Update, Teal Turf, And More

I never suffered from allergies until I moved to South Carolina. For whatever reason, the pollen here has me feeling all types of miserable. But you know what?! It is Thursday, and some minor discomfort won’t stop me from delivering my weekly rundown. Here we go…

Coach Carty Update: On Tuesday night I wrote about the way my high school football coach, Sean Carty, helped make me the man I am today. The post came on the heels of an announcement that his contract would not be renewed. The response was remarkable*. From players who graduated from his program 12 years ago to students currently enrolled at Mead, person after person stood up to thank and recognize Coach Carty. This support was enough to overwhelm me, I can’t imagine how Carty himself felt. Over the past couple days I have learned many disturbing tactics that a small group of parents carried out. However, instead of wasting space on them, I rather just focus on Coach. I encourage you to write the Mead School District Superindentent and voice your support for Sean Carty. I never do calls to action on my blog but this is a very special circumstance for a very deserving person. You can e-mail Dr. Rockefeller by clicking here.

Roll Out That Turf!: Today on our campus at Coastal Carolina University, workers from a company called Medallion Athletics started to roll out our long awaited teal turf. Revealing the bronze end zone first, the teal portion of the surface started to get installed soon thereafter. It will take about four days for the whole field to be laid out. Next will come the stiching of logos, hash marks, and other field elements. This project screams “Coastal Carolina Chanticleers” and I can’t wait to see the finished product. Next Thursday I will be sure to have an update for you on the field’s progress.

How cool does Brooks Stadium look?

How cool does Brooks Stadium look?

Out For Lunch: Did you know that teachers enjoy Spring Break as much as students? With Sidney away from her second graders for a whole week, we had the opportunity to go to lunch a couple times. Throw in a birthday lunch for one of our student-workers here in University Communication and I ate my noon meal at three different restaurants. You got to understand, for a guy who is used to eating a peanut butter sandwich every single day this is quite the shift to my dining schedule. On Monday, Sidney and I went to Moe’s, a mission burrito joint. Yesterday I went with our office to a place in downtown Conway called Dilly Beans where I indulged in a pot roast sandwich. Then today I went with Sidney to Rotelli’s, an Italian restaurant right next to campus. I had the “World Famous Lunch,” an $8 meal that consists of a cup of soup, slice of pizza, and a half sandwich. Although I don’t want to make these mid-day excursions a habit, it has been nice indulging in a few quality lunches this week.

Sid at Rotelli's today and my pot roast sandwich from Dilly Beans.

Sid at Rotelli’s today and my pot roast sandwich from Dilly Beans.

What I Watched: On Sunday night I watched “Foxcatcher,” the award-winning wrestling movie. I was not overly excited to watch the film but ended up enjoying it. I absolutely loved the character of David Schultz and how he was portrayed by Mark Ruffalo. Steve Carell also did a superb job of depicting the creepy/insane millionaire John du Pont. The movie is not for everyone though as Sidney did not care for it. If you don’t mind whether a movie has a major plot and you like great acting, you might be entertained by “Foxcatcher.”

Talking about a whole different genre, I watched about half of the Comedy Central Justin Bieber Roast a few nights ago. It was funny, but it wasn’t hilarious enough for me to continue watching it. Although I didn’t know her before the roast, I laughed when Natasha Legerro took the podium. I found Shaq’s presentation a little lame. Ludacris was okay. I personally thought the jokes about Kevin Hart were funnier than the ones about Bieber. I went to bed before either Snoop Dogg or Martha Stewart could “roast.”

Congrats, Guff: To end tonight’s rundown, I want to warmly congratulate Dave Guffey on his College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Lifetime Achievement award. When I worked at Montana, Dave was a great mentor to me as we worked right next door to each other. He has served the Griz for 37 years and will be extremely missed. I encourage you to read the article about his award because it is really well-written.

Congratulations, Dave!

Congratulations, Dave!

———

I want to wish everyone a very happy Easter. It is my favorite holiday and I hope it brightens your whole outlook on life like it does mine. Thanks again for your loyal readership, it means a lot. Don’t Blink.

* – In the first few hours of writing the Coach Carty blog post, it had over 1,600 views. As of right now, it has been viewed over 5,000 times.

The Retirement of a Griz Legend

Today, a legendary sports information director announced his retirement. After 37 years as the SID for Grizzly Athletics, Dave Guffey will conclude his tenure on June 30. The University of Montana will never be the same.

Affectionately referred to as “Guff,” the name is and forever will be synonymous with GRIZ. For the better half of my own stint with Grizzly Athletics, I had the distinct privilege of working right next door to the legend. Although it took some time for me to earn his respect, we developed a wonderful working relationship. The personal friendship was just as nice.

Dave Guffey with the Big Sky Conference championship trophy after the men's basketball team clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament in 2012.

Dave Guffey with the Big Sky Conference championship trophy after the men’s basketball team clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament in 2012.

With the role that I held, Dave and I worked closely each day. He would give me daily notices on all releases he would send out. He routinely asked me to proof his work (a huge honor for me). He would never leave me in the dark on anything. If I had a question about the sports industry or wanted clarification about something that was happening in the department, he would always fill me in. He always made sure I was taken care of when it came to credentials for away events. He graciously would single me out in meetings, both ones where I was present and wasn’t present, for a job well done. He would always stick up for me.

For everything that he gave me, I tried to do what I could to pay him back at least a little bit. I helped him out with website graphics, filled him in on breaking news that came out via the digital avenue, set him up with social media accounts, and gave him crash courses on topics such as Photoshop and Twitter. Light stuff compared to what he did on my behalf.

Dave up in the press box just this past spring serving as the public address announcer for one of the spring football scrimmages.

Dave up in the press box just this past spring serving as the public address announcer for one of the spring football scrimmages.

Dave taught me a lot too. With just a wall separating us, I observed a lot and learned a lot. I learned about media relations. I learned about long hours. I learned about accuracy. I learned about pressure. I learned about people who think they are always owed tickets or a credential. I learned about the intricacies of being the point person for nationally recognized football and men’s basketball programs. I learned that the job of a sports information director doesn’t just revolve around writing game recaps.

You know, some people might say that Guff could be a hard-ass. Well, if you are a sports information director for an athletic department such as Montana you kind of have to put up that front. But the truth is, Dave Guffey is one of the kindest, warmest, most loyal people you will meet. Remember how above I said that beyond the working relationship there was a friendship?

I fondly remember our many talks on the sidelines during football practices both about sports and not about sports. I look back and smile at the various nights where we got to share cocktails together. I remember late nights after basketball games in the office with us bantering back and forth. I remember the unwavering support he gave me when I moved on from Grizzly Athletics. I remember even the little things such as how well he treated my visitors who came by the office to the $50 gift card he gave me to the Montana Club at Christmas. They don’t come much classier than Guff.

Dave and I watched the conclusion of a Griz basketball road game in his office during the 2013-14 season.

Dave and I watched the conclusion of a Griz basketball road game in his office during the 2013-14 season.

When the day comes for Dave Guffey to be enshrined into the Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame I hope I am there. I want to hear his speech, see his plaque, and witness all of the past coaches/players/administrators who attend it. Mostly though, I want to attend the killer party that I know will follow.

Enjoy the last several months on the job, Dave. You have meant a lot to me and helped shape who I am as a professional. Don’t Blink.

To Everyone at Grizzly Athletics: THANK YOU

Earlier today I walked out of the Adams Center for the final time, ending an almost five year ride with Grizzly Athletics. I like to think I left a small part of me behind. With the long hours I worked and the contributions I made I hope I left the department better than when I arrived. But this blog post is not about me (By the way, for all I know my employers could have thrown a celebration party after my car drove out of the parking lot). Rather, this post is to say thank you to the people who supported me, helped me, and listened to me. It is to show gratitude to those individuals who believed in me and let me grow. It is to recognize my co-workers and bosses who helped make me look good and who always took my best interests to heart.

First and foremost I want to thank Christie Anderson. She hired me, she believed in me, she mentored me. Without Christie I would not be where I am at today. I learned everything I know about marketing in intercollegiate athletics from her. For over a year before we got more suitable offices I sat behind Christie and observed everything she did. What an awesome learning experience! I have so many memories with Christie whether it be going on trips, working games, or doing things totally unrelated to work such as going to concerts or bowling.

Next up I want to thank Jim O’Day. My first role model in the college athletics world he treated me with so much respect and kindness. He knew about the power of social media long before many other college administrators even knew what the phrase meant and he gave me the green light to take Grizzly Athletics full throttle down the new media avenue. Two years ago on that terrible day when he had the rug pulled out from underneath him I will never forget the address he gave us at the hastily called all-staff meeting. He epitomized class and humility in a very dark moment and that will always stay with me.

I owe so much gratitude to Brynn Molloy. She came into the Marketing Director position and just kicked butt. Definitely one of the most positive people I know I had a wonderful ten months working for her. We had such a solid working relationship based on collaboration and respect. She was there for me and I was there for her. She allowed me to continue to do my thing and always took the time to tell me good job. We came in each morning on fire for Grizzly Athletics and it made for a great work environment. It is no secret why everyone loves Brynn.

I don’t think I had a bigger supporter when it came to getting me to where I wanted to be than Greg Sundberg. Besides being the best leader I know, no one took the time to help me reach my goals more than Greg. He cares so much about his employees and brings the same positivity to the office each day in the same way Brynn does. I said Jim was my first role model in college athletics; after Greg started overseeing all external communications a couple years ago he became my second. “Sunny” played a big role in getting me to where I am now.

Then there is Kent Haslam…the third person I identify as a role model of mine in intercollegiate athletics. I was so happy and relieved when he got hired as our athletic director. You would be hard pressed to find someone with greater integrity than Kent. Over the past couple years he has been a great supporter of mine. Always sending recognition my way and 100% supportive of my decision to go to Coastal Carolina I feel very fortunate that our AD cared so much about me. Grizzly Athletics is in great hands.

Thank you to our sports information staff! I had the opportunity to work very closely with our legendary SID, Dave Guffey. I earned Dave’s respect and he treated me like a son. I will miss him a lot. I also feel like I got a lot from Joel Carlson (Assistant SID). No one writes better than Joel and I had the pleasure of reading award winning material from his desk on a daily basis. I know by paying attention to his techniques and style that it made me a better writer myself. Rounding out the staff is Renee Valley who never ceased to lend a helping hand when it came to making a few more credentials or helping me find something in the archive room.

I owe big thank yous to the people who generated much of the great content that I was able to use on our new media outlets to give our fan base a great experience. Nate Michael (Griz Vision producer) is an extremely talented individual and one of the best guys I know. Todd Goodrich (University of Montana photographer) works magic with the lens and pours a lot of his time into covering athletics. Jerek Wolcott (videographer, now at Idaho State) really started the video tradition at Grizzly Athletics and was a great friend of mine.

Thank you to our genius I.T. man, Aaron Heiner. This guy gave me a new perspective on what it is like to work under pressure. He also bailed me out of numerous situations involving technology on game days. Speaking of smart people, I couldn’t have succeeded at my job without the help of Chuck Maes. That man has a computer for a brain with incredible knowledge on how every device and piece of equipment under the name of Grizzly Athletics works. . Just like with Aaron, Chuck has helped me out many times when I needed quick assistance.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my office mate, Paul Hengel. Paul became a great friend of mine and provided me an example each day of what hard work is all about. No one works harder in the department or has more demanded of him than Mr. Paul. We got along great and our office arrangement couldn’t have worked out any better.

Much appreciation to Heather Alexander (business manager) who showed great patience towards me when I asked stupid questions or accidentally went away from protocol when completing a business transaction. I also am very thankful for how much she has made my transition between jobs easier. Heather, you better make good on your plans to visit Myrtle Beach during the summer of 2015!

Then there are just the people who have supported me so much during my time with Grizzly Athletics. I am talking about people like Janie Haight, Sue DeMers, Cyndi Steigers, and Celine Fisher. They have acted as moms to me and supported me since I have stepped foot in the Adams Center. I was overjoyed when my “Montana Moms” got to meet my real mom at my going-away party late last week.

I don’t want to forget about the coaches. I learned a lot about the crazy lives they live full of pressure, stress, and travel. Take it from me right here: Our “Big Three” head coaches (Robin Selvig, Wayne Tinkle, and Mick Delaney) are absolutely class acts. They are passionate for the Griz and are incredibly kind. Each one of those men took time to congratulate me when I announced that I was moving on. Special shout out to Griz softball coach Jamie Pinkerton who became a good friend of mine. I am sad that I will miss the first pitch in 2015. Also thank you to soccer head coach Mark Plakorus who always took time to talk to me and even attended my going-away party.

Finally, thank you to all the students I had the privilege of working with over the years. From our student-athletes to our Spirit Squad to our team of interns to our mascots I felt so fortunate working a job where I got to interact with young and motivated individuals on a daily basis. In the end my ultimate mission was to serve them and I felt so lucky that I was able to do just that.

The chapter is closed. I now move onto the next stage of my life at Coastal Carolina. However, I will always be indebted to the wonderful people at Grizzly Athletics who gave me my start. Please know I hold all of you in very high regard. THANK YOU. Don’t Blink.

What I Found Opening a 30 Year Old Media Guide

This morning I went to our archive room at Grizzly Athletics to find something fun for our #ThrowbackThursday Facebook feature. I opened up our file that contained men’s basketball guides dating back all the way to the 1950’s. Because of the glossy photo, scenic background, and incredibly cool/ugly warm ups I chose the publication from the 1984-85 Grizzly basketball season. But instead of just taking the photo, using the material, and then re-filing it I decided to open it up.

This is the 1984-85 Griz basketball media guide that I looked at today.

This is the 1984-85 Griz basketball media guide that I looked at today.

Talk about a history lesson! I found so many cool and interesting tidbits and images that I knew I would be absolutely remiss if I didn’t share some of the content through Don’t Blink. Even if you aren’t a Griz fanatic you will surely appreciate some of the names I am about to showcase. So give me your attention because class is in session! What do you say we travel back 30 years?

Big Time Coaches

The media guide contained some big deal coaches.

The media guide contained some big deal coaches.

The first thing that jumped out to me inside the pages? Legendary coaches! Coaching Montana at the time was Mike Montgomery who was serving his seventh season as the head man. He of course went on to coach at Stanford, in the NBA, and is now the coach of California. I had to do a double take when I saw the mug of Jim Calhoun smiling at me. Unbeknownst to me he coached at Northeastern State. The Redmen (nickname since changed to Riverhawks) traveled to Missoula over December 7 and 8 in 1984 to compete in the Champion Holiday Classic. Finally Don Monson caught my eye as well. Monson coached at both Idaho and Oregon and received National Coach of the Year honors in 1982. His son is Dan Monson. The Griz played his Oregon University team in Eugene on November 29.

Krystko

Larry Krystkowiak is a Montana basketball legend.

Larry Krystkowiak is a Montana basketball legend.

Gracing lots of space in the 1984-85 media guide was Larry Krystkowiak. Cementing his spot in Montana basketball by earning the Big Sky Conference Player of the Year award three different times he managed to add to that legacy even more by leading the Griz to NCAA Tournament appearances in his two seasons as head coach. In between playing and coaching for Montana he enjoyed a long career in the NBA as a player. After his successful run coaching the Griz the Milwaukee Bucks hired him as head coach. Currently he is leading the Pac-12 Utah Utes.

Bobby Hauck as a Basketball Manager?

Bobby Hauck dutifully served as a basketball manager during the 1984-85 season.

Bobby Hauck dutifully served as a basketball manager during the 1984-85 season.

When you think of Bobby Hauck you think of a successful head football coach with his own special swagger. Would you have ever thought that he once served as a basketball manager? During the 1984-85 season he did exactly that for the Griz basketball squad. Even though he coaches football you have to think Bobby took some pointers from Mike Montgomery to use during his career.

Coach Tinkle

Wayne Tinkle during his freshman year with Montana.

Wayne Tinkle during his freshman year with Montana.

Then you have the Sexiest Coach in College Basketball himself, Wayne Tinkle. One of my favorite people in the department and a very coveted coach, I enjoyed reading Wayne’s freshman profile (back when he had dark hair). In it he cites one of his hobbies as dancing. That definitely makes sense as he has taken the Griz basketball team to three NCAA Tournaments. I love Mike Montgomery’s quote: “If he’s willing to put in the time and effort to work he could be one of the most outstanding basketball players ever in our program”……mission accomplished.

Just for the Heck of It

The 1915 Griz basketball team

The 1915 Griz basketball team

How could I not include the 1915 Griz basketball team that was included on page 32 of the media guide?

Legends in the Athletic Department

Steve Hackney, Dennis Murphy, and Dave Guffey have devoted over 100 years of service combined to Grizzly Athletics.

Steve Hackney, Dennis Murphy, and Dave Guffey have devoted over 100 years of service combined to Grizzly Athletics.

To conclude I had to pay homage to a few legends in our athletic department who I saw in the program. I have worked with all three during my stint with Grizzly Athletics although two are now retired. Up top is Steve Hackney (“Hack”), our longtime equipment manager who retired a couple years ago. To the bottom left is Dennis Murphy, the head athletic trainer for over 30 years until his retirement last year. Finally in the bottom right you got my next door office neighbor and a man I work with a lot, Mr. Dave Guffey. As Dave himself created this media guide I don’t know why he threw himself at the back of the publication on orange paper but I imagine it is just his humble nature. Guff has served as the Sports Information Director for 37 years.

———————–

I had an enjoyable time looking through this media guide.

I had an enjoyable time looking through this media guide.

Little did I know that I would learn so much and come up with a blog topic as I entered the archive room this morning. If there is one bigger lesson that comes out of this though it is that Grizzly Athletics has a storied and rich history and I am honored to be a very tiny part of it. Don’t Blink.

The Red Book

As someone who loves history and as someone who loves to write out detailed daily records, I take great appreciation in a priceless resource we have available at Grizzly Athletics. While I think I have showed commitment by writing out a thorough summary of every day I have lived for the past fourteen years, I am quickly put to shame by a legend who kept handwritten records on a much larger scale for 43 years.

My office is right next door to the office of our Sports Information Director, Dave Guffey. In his own right, Dave is a legend himself in Grizzly Athletics having served as our SID for 35 years. It only makes sense then that one legend cares for the work of the other. The other day Dave and I were talking in his office about something that I can’t even remember but it led him to exclaim “Let’s check out the Red Book!”

Here is me with the Red Book. It is HUGE.

Here is me with the Red Book. It is HUGE.

He then went to the end of his office to a book shelf and pulled out the greatest representation of Grizzly Athletics history, the Red Book. Because the thing is so large and weighs so much, I felt some concern as Dave lifted it from the shelf and transported it over to his desk (but he managed just fine). He opened the encyclopedia and investigated the issue at hand. Because of the clarity and the magnificent organization of the book he found the info we were looking for within seconds. The two of us then engaged in a conversation over how remarkable the book is.

The Red Book is one of the most precious items within Grizzly Athletics.

The Red Book is one of the most precious items within Grizzly Athletics.

Jiggs Dahlberg was a student-athlete, coach, and athletic director at the University of Montana. He guided the men’s basketball program for many years and holds the school record for most wins. Our basketball arena is named after him. Besides the three roles I mentioned that he held you can also add a fourth: Historian.

Jiggs Dahlberg filled up around 1,000 pages just like this of Grizzly Athletics history in the Red Book.

Jiggs Dahlberg filled up around 1,000 pages just like this of Grizzly Athletics history in the Red Book.

In 1937, Dahlberg started to write in the Red Book. He reached all the way back to 1897 and started his record keeping there and then updated it all the way through 1937. At thay point he dutifully updated it on a regular basis throughout his whole tenure with Grizzly Athletics and even through retirement, writing his last entry in 1980. As you can see from the image I took below of his last entry, he filled up 963 enormous pages with schedules, stats, rosters, summaries, and more detailing the history of all sports within Grizzly Athletics. In fact, he wrote more than that as at the end of the book you will find “bonus pages” filled with the names of award winners. Jiggs filled up over half the book, as its numbered pages extends past 1,500.

Looking at this image you can see the depth that Jiggs went into, even making sure to include the names of squad members who did not letter.

Looking at this image you can see the depth that Jiggs went into, even making sure to include the names of squad members who did not letter.

As Dave and I talked he had me flip to various spots in the book. He sent me to the page chronicling the 1948-49 men’s basketball team that had a spectacular year. Guff and I got a chuckle out of some of the opponents the Griz played that year as they racked up a couple of wins against AAU teams in midseason. He also turned my attention to some of the season summaries that Jiggs would pen. Brutally honest while at the same time giving credit where credit was due, Dahlberg wrote out a thoughtful and accurate recap of each individual sports season in Grizzly Athletics from 1897 through 1980. Dave then had me flip to Dahlberg’s last entry where he wrote that at 82 years old, he felt a younger person should take over the duties of recording the history of Grizzly Athletics in the Red Book. As electronic records became dominant in the industry, that younger person never wrote a single word in the Red Book. To this day, every written letter in those pages is from Jiggs Dahlberg.

Here is the famous last entry from Jiggs Dahlberg in the Red Book.

Here is the famous last entry from Jiggs Dahlberg in the Red Book.

The care, depth, and accuracy of the Red Book is amazing. It is a true historic gem. It got me wondering how many thousands of hours Dahlberg devoted to its contents. It also validated my reasoning for keeping the meticulous records that I do of my life. As Dave and I thumbed through the pages and enjoyed the historical work of Jiggs Dahlberg, I too hope that one day my future kids and relatives will be able to look through the work that I have done and find similar enjoyment. Thank you Jiggs Dahlberg for your amazing historical contribution to Grizzly Athletics. Don’t Blink