Oregon daily emerald., March 31, 1983, Page 10, Image 9

Sports_
Always looking for a challenge
Monson excited by new job
By Mike Riplinger
Of ttx Emerald
The situation is a hot bed, and no one knows
that better than Oregon’s new basketball coach Don
Monson.
With Jim Haney’s resigning amid much turmoil,
Monson knows it won’t be easy turning the program
around. But that doesn't seem to deter the former
University of Idaho coach.
If anything, Monson seems to be excited by the
pressures and added challenges. And challenges are
nothing new to the man that took a team like Idaho,
the perrenial doormat of the Big Sky, into a power
that won two NCAA tournament berths and an Na
tional Invitational Tournament bid. He definitely has
had his success.
“And I hope it continues that way," Monson
says with a laugh. “You have to be a little lucky. But
I’ve got to admit I think that’s the reason I’m here.
“I could have stayed at Idaho, the people there
are very receptive. I think I could have had a couple of
bad years — surely people wouldn’t have liked it —
but I don't think they would question my ablility as a
coach. They know I can get the job done if I have the
right guys, because I’ve proven that."
In other words, Monson was safe.
He had done pretty well In the small town of
Moscow. He had changed reactions to Vandal
basketball from “Where’s Idaho” to “That potato
school that has the good basketball teams.”
Considering Monson had grown up only 90
miles away in another small town, Coeur d’ Alene, he
could have been satisfied.
But the challenge wasn’t quite there anymore.
“You get to a point — exactly what do you do
next? You try to win the Big Sky and get into the
NCAA’s, but we’ve already done those things, so you
end up duplicating them,” he says.
And then along came Oregon.
With the problems that Haney had undergone in
the last two years, there had been frequent calls fora
new coach. And definitely the front-runner was Mon
son. The Vandal mentor had been mentioned for
other jobs, but had stayed in Moscow.
But when Oregon athletic director Rick Bay of
fered the job — definitely a challenging one — he
took it.
It’s doubtful that he’ll be able to slip unnoticed
into Eugene and magically turn the Ducks into win
■M
ners as he did at Idaho. Especially since in Moscow
they were used to last-place finishes in the Big Shy
and realty didn't expect, or were ueed to much else.
“The expectations are already higher here then
when I went to Idaho. The fact that I have been suc
cessful the last five years at Idaho means I’m sup
pose to immediately carry that over. But a lot of out
side people don’t understand the ramifications of a
new program and how it affects the kids. And how we
have to make ail the pieces fall together.
“It’s definitely a different situation, it could be
fine, it could be great — and it could cause some pro
blems. People aren’t very patient. They don’t want to
wait very long."
Monson will be expected to win. Many consider
him a Messiah for the Ducks. But he says the
pressure doesn't bother him.
“I always feel pressure to win. I’ve never been in
a situation where I didn’t," he says. “Most of the
pressure is from within me. I don’t think I would *
coach very long if I didn’t win. That’s just the way I’m
made up. I have a problem because've won so
much," he says with a chuckle, but more than just
half serious.
“The pressure is there. It would be if I was at
Idaho or here or anywhere else. That’s what drives
me and keeps me going. If I lose that pressure I won't
Photo by Sob Brtor
be in it," he promised.
The comparisons are being made between Mon
son and his predecessor. While Mon son says he
doesn't particulary like comparisons, they don’t
bother him.
"It isn’t a problem. I respect Jim Haney as a per
son and a coach. I don’t want to make any com
parisons because there isn’t any one way to coach.
All I’m doing is giving it some different direction —
that’s all. That’s the only thing that you’re here for.
You're going to do it a little differently and whether
it’s right or not, I don’t know. It’s just been suc
cessful for me, so I stick with it."
It has come up with success in the past, and
Monson is hoping for some more in the future.
While the rain does make Eugene different from
Moscow, Monson says the people really aren’t.
“So I guess the reason I took the job because I
see the people here wanting to respond to a situa
tion. I said this at Idaho. They wanted to wave a flag
and thump their chest. I see the same situation
here,” Monson says. “To me it’s really gratifying.
Whether it happens or not, I feel that challenge."
"You know, I hope it isn’t a disaster."
If the future is anything tike the past, Monson
shouldn't have anything to worry about.
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