Five questions with Wayne Tinkle
The '07-'08 season will be Wayne Tinkle's second as the head coach of the Montana Grizzlies. This season brings with it a whole new feel. We're not coming off an NCAA Tournament victory and assuming a new coach will give us another one. There's a whole new chemistry and attitude surrounding this team. The likely reason: coach Tinkle is starting to make his mark on this program.
Here's five questions with Griz head basketball coach Wayne Tinkle.
Grizzoulian: In terms of your comfort level coaching this team, how does the beginning of this season differ from your first year as a coach?
Wayne Tinkle: The biggest change for this year is that my staff and I have had a complete off-season to prepare for this season. I got the job in late June of 06 and we were in the middle of summer camps. Now we have had a complete off-season to implement our plan.
Grizzoulian: What's one thing you really want your team to focus on more than anything else this season?
Wayne Tinkle: Defense and rebounding are the two areas that we are really focusing on this year.
Grizzoulian: What are your thoughts on the tough schedule?
Wayne Tinkle: Our schedule is very challenging…we play a reinvigorated Colorado State, Gonzaga which may have its most talented team ever, and Air Force and Washington State, all in the first few weeks. We will definitely be challenged early and often.
Grizzoulian: Going into last year, you'd lost all the senior leadership. This year you lost several players but I'm not sure the impact on leadership will be the same. What are your thoughts on the chemistry and leadership of this team as we head into the season?
Wayne Tinkle: We will certainly miss some of the qualities that last years seniors left behind, but I truly believe with the upper classmen we have this year that our chemistry is much improved. Our guys are battling each other every day but it’s for the good of the team. In years past we had some guys that just wanted to humiliate their teammates, not trying to get one another better for the good of the squad.
Grizzoulian: What do you want from the fans? As you've heard, the students will be sitting courtside for the opener and possibly Griz-Cat. How big of a role do the students play in the game and in getting the rest of the community excited about Griz hoops?
Wayne Tinkle: We truly want a loud, loyal, consistent fan base supporting us throughout the year. It’s great when we go recruiting and run into coaches that talk about playing here in front of a raucous crowd and how it affected their team. We need to get back to having an intimidating atmosphere where our opponents fear the friendly confines. I really believe that this starts with our students. They are the straw that stirs the drink. Hopefully we can get things going and make it fun for the students to get involved.
Note that even your head coach said that Gonzaga may have their best team yet.
Best team yet doesn't equal a victory. Last year we had what was called the best team in the conference and we didn't make it out of the championship game. This year's Yankees team could be called the best team yet based on talent alone and they didn't make it out of the first round.
- Colin