Last night, the #2 University of Denver Pioneers were shocked by the Dartmouth Big Green as they fell 5-4 to the #59 team in the PairWise Rankings. It was an ugly effort from the Pios after the first period as they blew another three-goal lead. In a vacuum, the loss projects to hurt the Pioneers at the end of February and into March, but the projections aside, the loss seems to be symptomatic of a larger issue for the Pioneers and head coach Jim Montgomery seems worried.
After the game, Montgomery was disappointed and at a loss for words. He wasn’t sure what to make of it and it’s safe to say he’s concerned about the second half of the season. Watch his postgame media scrum below:
Monty after Dartmouth loss https://t.co/iPK3ow0ltX
— LetsGoDU (@LetsGoDU) December 17, 2017
No sound on the video.
It works. Make sure the sound ‘x’ is clicked off at lower right and that your system sound is on and not muted.
Jim sure doesn’t mince words in his post game pressers….you don’t hear the typical “coach speak” with him. Question for Pios fans-is his candor a good thing or a potentially damaging thing? I don’t recall hearing a college hockey coach be as direct and forthright as Montgomery.
Monty speaks with candor, but it’s calculated candor. Monty was a professional hockey player for many years, as well as a coach. He knows the locker room dynamic inside and out and exactly what he wants to communicate to everyone. We had 20 years of Gwoz, who was a zen master of “Coach-speak”, and I think Monty is a refreshing change from that era. While it looks like Monty is speaking with candor to the media/fans, I believe is also likely using the media to reinforce the urgency of his message to his players, who likely heard the same thing in the locker room after the game. He’s not used to having teams that throw away significant leads in every loss, and he’s right to question the character in the locker room, as DU problems right now are character related. These are young men, most of whom will be pro hockey players at one level or another within four years, need to learn how to become men and to take ownership of their actions, not just be automaton hockey players. He is trying to get them there, and he’s using the media so that the pressure brings more out of the guys.
Monty also knows that candor with the media has its limits. I’ve never heard him share thoughts that could become inflammatory or bulletin board material. When he’s suspended players before, it’s always for “not doing the right thing,” which is both factual yet protective language.
In short, I trust Monty to get this team to be better, and I trust that he’s doing the right thing with his candor/comments.
I like Monty’s style – what you see is what you get. No hidden agenda. He has taken shots at the fans and himself, too. But he is doing it to get the best out of everyone. What’s not to like?
Completely agree. Monty’s honesty and willingness to share his thoughts are refreshing. This is big boy, Division I hockey. These kids should be well prepared to handle this type of message and shouldn’t have a problem with the medium through which the message was delivered.
I’m pretty sure former CU football coach Dan Hawkins would agree.