In search of a coach who shares his emphasis on team chemistry, Colorado Mammoth general manager Steve Govett tabbed Bob McMahon as the team’s coach Wednesday, replacing Gary Gait who left to become the coach of the Syracuse University women’s team.
In more than a dozen discussions by phone and in person, Govett developed a chemistry with McMahon, who earned 2002 National Lacrosse League coach of the year for the now-defunct Albany Attack.
“He’s earned my trust and earned my support,” Govett said. “And every player was excited when I called to tell them about him.”
Mammoth transition player Jim Moss played for McMahon in Albany and defender Pat Coyle played for McMahon in 1994 in Detroit. As an assistant for Team Canada’s gold medal-winning 2003 World Indoor Championship team, McMahon coached current Mammoth players Gavin Prout and Gee Nash. McMahon has spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Arizona Sting.
Matt Brown, a Sting player who is a University of Denver assistant coach, has modeled methods after McMahon.
“Bob is a great guy and a great coach,” Brown said. “He is all about the locker room. The way he’s built successful teams is by creating a team, no superstars. He’s very good with X’s and O’s and he breaks down other teams well. … He’s very good at preparing a team for a game, and he’s a very good motivator.”
The chance to return to head coaching with the NLL’s attendance leader convinced him to leave the Sting.
“Even as a visitor, the Pepsi Center is an exciting place to play,” said McMahon, 49. “The fans give great support, so to come in now as the home coach having that support will be a lot of fun.”
Labor strife in NLL
While the Mammoth is set to start training camp Nov. 10, the collective bargaining agreement has expired and the NLL recently set a deadline, saying the 2008 season will be canceled if a new agreement is not reached by Oct. 15.
Mammoth player Josh Sims, a Professional Lacrosse Players Association associate representative, believes it is part of the negotiating game.
“I tend not to worry that much about it,” he said. “Each side wants as much as they can without giving too much back. The tactic now is that the league has taken a hard stance.
“Maybe the players will feel threatened and make concessions. The people on the PLPA side are solid, many have been involved in the league a long time and they have some outsiders with experience in these matters. At the end of the day, both sides are interested in playing a season, not sitting out.”
