Montana (Griz Nation) Continues Run

I don't post much on my personal blog... (yes this one :) But I'm going to make an effort to write more often here... *Side Note- don't miss the Griz Nation vid at the end of this post (awesome).

I don't get back home to Montana often enough either... but I seem to make it to one Montana Grizzly football game a year (I watch the others in my office-streaming in). This past weekend was able to make it up for the Montana-Appalachian State FCS semi-final game, (to see who heads to Chattanooga to play Villanova for the national championship).




The game was EPIC- back and forth... great action! In the second half, a snow storm blew in and the "hellgate canyon" winds blew it around Washington-Grizzly Stadium... It was numbing, and equally exciting! This only seemed to make Griz fans louder, and the game more exciting (as if it could be).

In the end, Montana won a nail-biter. App State's acclaimed quarterback (Armanti Edwards) was incredible, and almost brought them back on the last drive of the game. Hats off to Head COACH Bobby Hauck, his STAFF, the PLAYERS- and also to the FANS. If you want to be a proud Griz fan, read the below posts forwarded to me by a friend. They showed up on App State message boards this week. App State has a classy program, and equally classy fans. My friend Brad Jarvis and I had a chance to sit down with a number of them at a local Missoula watering hole (as they rolled in from the airport). They were respectful, proud, educated about the Griz program, and excited to be in Missoula.

Below are some of the comments that should make true Griz fans proud:

Go Griz!

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Compliments from App State fans regarding their Montana experience:

“I posted this on the Mountaineer Message Board and also wanted you guys to see it. Thanks for a great time Saturday! Looking forward to our next meeting!"

"It goes without saying that we all had our still-beating hearts ripped right out of our chests on Saturday. It was hard to hold back the tears watching 14 walk slowly through the snow up the tunnel as the Montana celebration was going on behind him. It was pretty quiet on the team plane coming home. Lots of Mountaineers are hurting today. The threads that point fingers and place blame don't interest me. It's better to reflect on how much this team overcame this year, what a great season it was, and thank our players and coaches for all their hard work.

Now that being said, hats off to the fans in Missoula! The Washington-Griz Stadium game atmosphere must be the best in FCS football. It's hands-down the best I have ever experienced. Their fans are loud and proud and I'm telling you they never ever shut up. We certainly have our moments at KBS, but nothing compared to this. This place could rival the atmosphere of any FBS stadium you can name. The stadium is a deep concrete bowl and they use the acoustics to full advantage. And another thing. Their fans are incredibly gracious. I had Griz fans say welcome to Missoula, thank you for coming to the game, enjoy the game over and over again. We met many, many people and they were all friendly with no exceptions. Even had a guy in the stadium grab me by both shoulders face on and say we're glad you're here, enjoy the game. Thought he was going to hug me! They made us feel very welcome. I can only hope fans from opposing teams who visit Boone feel as welcome as we did there. It's something to aspire to."

"I was at the game today and I know I will be blasted here, but unless you (not directed towards you GoldJacket) were there today, you can't respond to me here. Their atmosphere is a lot better than The Rock. Their crowd makes Michigan's 109,000 sound like mice. I promise you that there isn't another stadium in our division like Montana's stadium and fans. It was the loudest place I have ever been to in my life. Our 30K+ isn't even close to the 22,000 I heard today. The experience was awesome today.

Their fans are the best fans in all of college football. They loved our team, fans and AE. They said he was the best QB they have ever seen. They are looking forward to coming to The Rock in 2012.

ALL I CAN SAY, IS PLEASE START SAVING UP YOUR MONEY FOR 2013. YOU WILL NOT WANT TO LEAVE MONTANA AFTER THE GAME. The place freaking rock and you will be treated with 100% RESPECT from all the fans. I just can't tell everyone on this board how nice the Montana fans are and the respect they give our Apps!!!

We had a great season and we all need to keep our heads up and stop all this fighting on the other treads. We are upset right now, but we got beat by a VERY GOOD team, better than what I thought. Go Apps!!"

On Dads

Now that I'm a dad myself, I often reflect on my childhood- and hope that my boys (now 5 and 3) remember their younger years as fondly as I do. When I think back on my childhood I'm amazed at how much time my dad and I were able to spend together. It's only now (now that I'm a dad myself), that I realize how lucky I was. Some of my most vivid memories center around our favorite pastimes... hunting and fishing.

I still remember dad's constant cadence while teaching me to handle a fly rod- "Ten and two... ten and two... make sure you pause on your back cast- you have to get the slack out of your line." I also remember his warnings based on first hand experience, "watch that fly- you don't want to bury it in your ear". As any fly fisherman knows, you will catch yourself from time to time, but more often than not when I'm fly fishing I catch myself thinking about dad's many lessons.

Hunting with dad was always an experience. Usually we'd head down to The Big Hole, just outside of Jackson Montana. November in The Big Hole is cold mind you...really cold. Most of the time we'd spend the night in the back of the pick-up truck. I'd be up all night, usually freezing, and listening to dad's other (night-time) cadence... his snoring. We'd literally wake up to an igloo. The inside of the truck topper caked with ice, we'd muster out of the truck, get dressed, eat a granola bar- and get to hunting. Our trips were always no frills... only the tough need apply.

My dad turned 70 this month, and I just know he's getting ready for bow season to start. The elk should be getting ready to bugle in Montana right about now, and surely dad is feeling the fever. My hope is that my kids feel my fever. That they remember my cadence, and my life lessons passed down from my dad. "Ten and two... ten and two... be patient on that back cast... and watch your ear!!!".

Rest In Peace Ted

Some say you can measure a man by his stable of friends. By all accounts Edward Kennedy ("The Lion" as he was affectionately known) was a man among men. We all have shortcomings, and Ted was no different than any of us. One could hardly imagine the burden he carried after such tragedy, so early in his public life. Yet somehow he found a way to get beyond the criticisms of those that would point fingers, and impacted the lives of so many.

Bearing witness to the celebration of Ted Kennedy's life these past few days, we saw another side of so many (regardless of which side of the isle-or middle you associate). I for one saw a completely different side to Orrin Hatch, one that I quite enjoyed seeing... and hope to see again. To see folks sharing and remembering their friend, one can only hope our own celebrations (whether sooner or later) are as loving and conjoining as his was.

There are so many lessons to be learned by passing of this amazing family man and political leader... Take care of your family, enjoy life a little more, point fewer fingers, have more compassion, look for opportunities to lend a helping hand to strangers, and be there for a friend in need.

Just imagine the reunion he'll have when he gets to his pearly gates. Brothers together once more.

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