The Bobcat Nation

Mick Durham could have done better.

Or at least found a more temperate climate.

A coach with 246 Division I victories, two Big Sky Conference regular season championships and a trip to the NCAA tournament can afford to be a bit more selective in his next head coaching opportunity.

Earlier this month, Durham became the head coach at Alaska Fairbanks, an NCAA Division II school and member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Durham had the itch to become a head coach again. Durham was the head coach at Montana State for 16 seasons and is the winningest coach in Big Sky Conference history.

But his coaching tenure lost steam and he stepped away from the Bobcats in 2006. Durham spent two years in private business and returned to basketball as an assistant coach at New Mexico State, where he has been the past three years.

We understand the need to scratch that competitive itch.

But Alaska Fairbanks?

The Nanooks have not had a winning record since 2007. They have been 5-22, 6-19, 9-16 and 8-17 the past four years.

At MSU, the former Bobcat standout point guard was loved and respected. MSU men’s basketball consistently drew good crowds during Durham’s time as coach.

At UAF, he takes over a program that ranks behind rifle shooting and men’s ice hockey.

Durham is a good coach. The record speaks for itself.

But he will have trouble matching his MSU success at UAF.

NCAA Division II is a long way from Division I in terms of emphasis.

All those amenities he enjoyed at D-I ... three full-time assistant coaches, a sizable recruiting budget ... are no longer there.

And along with his recruiting budget, his approach to finding players will have to change.

Unlike in the state of Montana, not many Alaska basketball players grow up wanting to be Nanooks.

At MSU, he was a head coach for one of the better-funded basketball programs in the Big Sky Conference.

Now with UAF, he will be competing against the well-financed teams of the GNAC, programs like Western Washington and Seattle Pacific where the administration empowers winning athletic programs.

Even within his own state, UAF ranks second athletically to Alaska Anchorage.

Coaches have won at UAF. They just haven’t won very often.

With his credentials, Durham could have been more patient in his job search.

His resume could have landed him at any number of Division II schools with fewer challenges. Those jobs become available every spring.

Some feel that Durham could have even done a Mike Kramer, returning to the Big Sky Conference with another team. But Durham is a Bobcat and that won’t ever change. That’s a uniform he will never shed.

However, there is a touch of irony here.

During his time at MSU, he steadfastly refused to play Montana State Billings. Now Durham gets the Yellowjackets twice a year and this time, the games will count.

Along with basketball, Durham has a well-known passion for golf.

He better play as much as he can this summer. The snow begins early, and stays late, in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Pack warm, Durham family.

CelticCat wrote:Pretty lousy article. You can see why it was written with this one line:

During his time at MSU, he steadfastly refused to play Montana State Billings. Now Durham gets the Yellowjackets twice a year and this time, the games will count.

Billings sports media has just never let that go, have they.

grizzh8r wrote:

CelticCat wrote:Pretty lousy article. You can see why it was written with this one line:

During his time at MSU, he steadfastly refused to play Montana State Billings. Now Durham gets the Yellowjackets twice a year and this time, the games will count.

Billings sports media has just never let that go, have they.

I'm gonna go way out on a limb here and guess who wrote this article... Rock-chuck?

What a tool.