PEBBLE BEACH — Joe Montana knows dynasties, and he knows the challenges facing the Warriors, who were dethroned Thursday night and denied a third straight NBA title and fourth in five years.
“It’s hard to win that many times in a row,” Montana said Friday at the U.S. Open, where he is the honorary ambassador. “They’ve been to five straight. Eventually, physically, you wear out. I mean, playing that many extra games every year, it’s going to happen.
“Hopefully you don’t see those types of injuries all the time. But eventually, physically, somebody is a lot fresher than you are because you played five years. That many extra games at that level is tough.”
It’s been 30 years since Montana quarterbacked the 49ers to their fourth Super Bowl in nine years, and he’s still paying a physical toll from his playing career, plus other “wear and tear” issues that come from turning 63 on Tuesday.
Montana is coping with complications from replacement surgery on his throwing shoulder two weeks ago, with follow-up surgeries required to treat an infection and attempt another replacement.
“I could live with a lot of it, but then I got to where I couldn’t lift my arm past my shoulder, so I decided to do something about it,” said Montana, with his arm supported by a super-sized brace. “I’d be OK if I didn’t have this stupid thing. You have to wear it 24/7. Shaking hands is not the problem. You have to sleep with this on.”
Montana, as Friday’s second round got underway, signed autographs, posed for pictures and toured the U.S. Open’s Junior Experience presented by The First Tee. He, himself, has come a long way since his days as a kid caddying on golf courses in Pennsylvania.
Rather than compare the 49ers’ 1980s dynasty with the Warriors, he did share what Golden State must to do to extend its run.
“Obviously the hardest part for teams like that is keeping people together, and so far they’ve been able to do it,” Montana said. “Unfortunately for them, they had a couple injuries, and it makes a big difference.
“Even the thing with Klay (Thompson) last night, if he stays in the game, maybe it’s a different ending. But they played hard.”
The 49ers have finished out of the playoffs for five years. How hard will it be for them to end that skid?
“It’s that same old thing: they had a bunch of injuries,” Montana said. “You just don’t know until the season gets going. You can take a look at how the quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo) comes back and what have they added to the team to help him on the outside – it’s been a big need, I think, for them. But the defense seems to be OK.”
One of those new outside weapons is Dante Pettis, who accompanied Montana inside the Junior Experience on Friday.
“Everyone knows about Joe Montana. He’s the greatest quarterback to ever play,” said Pettis, noting he’s willing to work out with Garoppolo in Southern California over the next month before training camp starts July 26.
Montana hasn’t worked with Garoppolo nor has he gotten to know him since the 49ers traded for him in 2017.
“No, I stay away from there,” Montana said of the 49ers practice field. “I’ve been there, done that and have moved on with my investment fund.”
Even before the shoulder issue, he hasn’t been much of a golfer, playing only twice in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The U.S. Open’s honorary ambassador did caddie on golf courses as a kid in Pennsylvania, although he said he spent more time goofing off behind the caddie shack.
As for Pebble Beach, Montana said: “It’s probably one of the more iconic golf courses around the world. It’s fun to be here. I’ve been coming here since I got to California in 1979. It’s one of my favorite places. You’ve got to love this kind of weather. There’s not too many places that have the feeling you get when you get here.”
