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Steve Alford: the man and his words

By Jeremy Fowler
Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Steve Alford answers questions after an engagement with the Rotary Club of Albuquerque. The coach spoke Monday about his plans for the Lobos' upcoming season.

Photo by Erin FredrichsTribune

Tribune

Steve Alford answers questions after an engagement with the Rotary Club of Albuquerque. The coach spoke Monday about his plans for the Lobos' upcoming season.

"I don't know what happened last year," Lobos head coach Steve Alford (right) says of the troubles for guard J.R. Giddens (left). "All I know is that in the six weeks since being hired, he's been very good. . . . It's back to the tornado warning. If there's a warning, it's time to let him know the weather forecast, that he's walking a thin line and he needs to correct it or I'll be the tornado."

Rick Scibelli Jr./Special to the Tribune

"I don't know what happened last year," Lobos head coach Steve Alford (right) says of the troubles for guard J.R. Giddens (left). "All I know is that in the six weeks since being hired, he's been very good. . . . It's back to the tornado warning. If there's a warning, it's time to let him know the weather forecast, that he's walking a thin line and he needs to correct it or I'll be the tornado."

Steve Alford has channeled the elusiveness of Michael Vick the past six weeks, but Tribune reporter Jeremy Fowler finally sacked the University of New Mexico men's basketball coach for a sit-down in his office. Alford has tirelessly recruited and made trips back and forth to his former home of Iowa since his March 23 hiring at UNM, but once you've got him cornered, he'll talk.

A lot. Some questions led to three- or four-minute answers.

That could be because of Alford's unrestrained fervor for Lobos hoops and where he sees it in five to 10 years.

It's too early for the potential frustrations, pressures and criticisms that usually go with the job as Lobos head coach.

Remember, it's only May.

Still, we get to know Alford: family man, lover of basketball, meteorologist. So, let's get this one-on-one chat started with the first-year Lobos coach.

On the Lobos as a brand:

When you go to a Kansas City Chiefs football game, if you wear any other color but red into Arrowhead (Stadium), you stand out. That's one of the little things we want to do in The Pit. It's a phenomenal place with phenomenal fans. There will be days when it's going to be all silver, with red being the dominant color. We're really trying to push that, and then that brand starts to branch out.

The marketing of the logo, not just in Albuquerque but getting that out nationally. Winning obviously helps: how we schedule, getting us to play in the Midwest, West Coast, East Coast. We want to let people know what New Mexico is all about.

On tailoring the program his way:

We've set it up so we eat together as a team, and the punctuality of things is important. You are to be at a 10 a.m. class at 10. If there's a 3 p.m. practice and you decide to show up at 2:45, that's not acceptable. You have to be at practice a half-hour to 45 minutes before practice. Those are things we're going to be a stickler for.

On the players living together:

We're working on (dorms). It's a unified thing. There are a lot less headaches or problems that way. I'm not a guy who likes tornado warnings or if conditions are always favorable for a tornado. One of the things we've seen is there are a lot less problems if they are more centrally located where they live.

On how the game has changed since his playing days at Indiana (1983-87):

Anymore, a lot of players think having a scholarship is an entitlement. It's not an entitlement. It's an honor and a privilege for a university like (the University of) New Mexico to offer a scholarship for a year. At Indiana, we had gray T-shirts with a number on the neckline, and we thought that was the neatest thing ever. Playing at Indiana was an honor.

That's what we want our guys understanding. It's not that kids are any less of good people; it's just the makeup of things. I grew up not playing any AAU basketball, with no Internet chat forums or recruiting sites saying I can't dribble with my left hand or the flip side, (that) I'm the best thing ever.

Now, they either come to practice wondering if they can really dribble with their left, or they are saying they're pretty dang good. Instead, just show up to practice to work and know it's an honor to be there.

On what he thinks makes him a good coach:

I've played. Being a player, I knew what it was like to play, know what these guys are going through. I've walked the walk as a collegiate player and a pro player. There's not a player who can come in my office and say, "This is my goal; this is where I want to get to," and me not know what they are talking about. So, it's experience and relating to players.

On what he needs to improve:

Patience has always been one of them. I've gotten better with that. Noodles (assistant coach Craig Neal) is good with that. We play good cop/bad cop. We do that pretty good together. It allows me to have balance to what I do. I've always worked so hard at it that I wanted immediate success, and it's harder to do that now. In my mind, it's harder to get into that tournament now than it was 15 years ago. Sometimes you have to be patient.

On the uproar over his UNM-record $975,000 deal:

The good part is that I've dealt with it before. I played in the NBA for four years; that's good money. There's pressure as a player.

Coaching for eight years at Iowa, that's a Big Ten school, big-time money, contracts. I know what it's like to deal with pressure, so I hope it's not much of an issue. But one of the things that intrigued me about New Mexico was its commitment to basketball financially. That's happened with our staff. Now, it's our job to take that opportunity and make the most of it and make the investment worthwhile.

On being a private person:

I just value my private time. I like to be able to do the things normal people do. I always try to separate private from public. When it's time to go home, I want to go home. I don't want to come home as Coach Alford. I want to be Steve. I'd like to think, as far as personality-wise, I'm the same person when talking to you than I am around others or around my family. I try to treat people the same way.

On his personality:

I'm a committed individual, a disciplined individual, a man of faith, a family man, and I love what I do. I'm passionate about this game. It's been extremely good for me. This was my natural calling as far as going from player to coach because basketball is what I've loved since I was a kindergartner.

On Lobos head coach as city's homecoming king:

I don't know about a homecoming king. I'm no king. I want to go out in the community and tell them thanks for the support and sell our program, but there has to be balance as well. I can't be gone five straight nights and miss my daughter's dance or my son's basketball or baseball game. I don't want to be a dad who spends more time with other people's kids than my own. I'm going to give my children the utmost of my time. My family is more important to me than my job.

On proclaiming himself a "man of faith" in the wake of Ritchie McKay's controversial tenure:

I've known Ritchie for a long time, and I'm not saying how he does things is right or wrong, or how I do things is right or wrong. I just have to be my own person. It's not always about me publicly announcing anything. Hopefully, with the way I walk, the way I talk, they can see the way I live my life. If the opportunity to speak at a church congregation or those opportunities present themselves, those are great stages to do that. A press conference is a little bit different. That's about right and wrong moves, defense, offense, the outcome of the game.

On recruiting:

I think we're going to have a situation that, because of our Midwest ties, we'll recruit the Midwest. (UNM men's basketball Director of Operations) Silvey Dominguez has been in this area and the league, so he helps our Southwest connections. Ryan Miller has been on the West Coast, so we have a tie there. Craig and I have our own connections on the West Coast. The Southwest and the West will be keys for us. It's all about if the player is a good fit or not.

On J.R. Giddens' off-the-court issues:

I don't know what happened last year. All I know is that in the six weeks since being hired, he's been very good. He's done the things we've asked him to do academically in attendance and getting the job done. He's had some issues he's really tried to rectify. To me, that means a lot. It shows he cares. There won't be separate rules. J.R. has the same set of rules for him that Blake (Harden) and David (Kanyinda), the two walk-ons, will have. He'll either adhere to it, or he'll have issues. It's back to the tornado warning. If there's a warning, it's time to let him know the weather forecast, that he's walking a thin line and he needs to correct it or I'll be the tornado.

On his golf game:

Good. I've played a couple of times in town and it's been fun.

On having fun in his spare time:

I just love spending time with my family. We do normal things like go to the movies, watch my son's basketball game or baseball game (Kory, 14, or Bryce, 12) or my daughter's dance (Kayla, 9) or my kids in church. I just love watching them grow up.

On his taste in music:

I'm a smooth-jazz guy. Dave Koz, Wayman Tisdale, Richard Elliott. . . . I can still go to the Boston, REO Speedwagon, John Mellencamp - the guys I grew up with. But I need more of the relaxing feel (of jazz) after doing this job all day.