Montana Football.....................was once great.

[AlphaGriz1]

So what you're telling me is I just lost my Cat/Griz tix for this year. Man, and after I put up with your ugly Griz gear mucking up our tailgate last year and everything!! Oh well, back to the drawing board for tix I guess, I will be at that game though!!

Nope, I promised you both tickets and I still have a pair of them and they are still yours.

AG1 stands by his word.

[AlphaGriz1]

Ok, I hate to be serious but I'm going to try it for a moment.

I can see exactly where Alpha is coming from. It's not the win/loss record or the amount of success the Griz have had on the field, it's the product they offer up the fans in the form of opponents. The Griz have had tremendous fan support and continue to build and sell out a very nice stadium. However, it's obvious that a significant amount of people go to the games because of the "event", more so than the game itself. The administration knows this and figures since they can make more money, get a more likely win, and still fill the seats....why not?

My argument is that eventually the hardcore fans will clamor for more. Not more wins, but better competition. Take a step up. Let's face it, the Big Sky conference is much less intriguing for the hard core fans because the Griz have consistantly been better (as 10 straight championships prove) and too many of the teams within the conference are awful.

This year, there are two games that I'm really interested in...Cal Poly and Montana State. Now that I live in Billings, the trip all the way to Missoula has to really interest me in order to go that far. Since Cal Poly is an away game and getting tickets to the Cat-Griz game is nearly impossible, chances are that I'm staying home and watching them on TV. Just because you want more doesn't make you any less of a fan. I'm sure Alpha is still a hard core Griz fan, just one that's upset and voices his opinion when he feels he is being ripped off.

MSU is a good example of stepping up to a challenge. UM seems content and apprehensive about getting beat, getting players hurt, or whatever. The fans that go there for the football, not the event, are getting shafted with ticket prices that keep going up, but the competition keeps going sideways...or down.

* I bolded the word content because that's what the admin at UM seems to be. When you get satisfied and comfortable is when the wheels start to come off.

Once again proving my point, that you are by far the smartest poster on this board.

[AlphaGriz1]

Alpha, I am right with you. I sold my season tickets a couple weeks ago because I am tired of watching the mediocre product being put on the field. But I believe the roots lie much deeper than Bobby, and think the entire athletic department leaves a little to be desired. Everyone can continue to bang their chest becasue the Griz were 11-0 last regular season, but I was not impressed with the quality of any of the wins. I have decided to venture out, going to see Wazzu play both USC and Oregon. Looks like I will have duckets to the Civil War and a few other PAC-10 games. I will not be visiting Washington-Griz this year, but will catch the EWU game, and maybe another.

Depending on my schedule I may attend the EWU game to hang with some friends from Washington, let me know if your going and I will buy you a beer.

[CoryChen]

Alpha,

It sounds like you will have a great time this fall! Before embarking on your epic football adventure, I would highly recommned reading Clay Travis' "Dixieland Delight".

It's one of the more entertaining college football books I've read in a long time (I highly recommend it for ANY college football fan).

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You'll have to let us know if LSU fans really do smell like corn dogs.

[AlphaGriz1]

Will check it out, thanks double C.

[bpcats]

The Griz are in a great situation and they just have to take advantage of it. Last year's schedule was a joke and I think hurt them when it came to the playoffs. The Griz typically have 1 maybe 2 games a year where they are actually pushed to the limit in conference games, which they usually end up winning because across the board they usually have the best talent.
They did make a move in the right direction this year in scheduling teams like Cal Poly, UC Davis and Southern Utah. If they got to the point where Cal Poly and team like NDSU were scheduled in the same year that would be a step up. I think that scheduling tough OOC games would help them tremendously when it came to the playoffs so that teams like Wofford could not come in and give them a big loss out of the gates.

For schools that obviously aren't able to make that much money off of home games, scheduling FBS opponents is the way to go. Yes there is the worry about injuries but kids at this level also get a chance to play in front of 40-80,000 people against teams that are usually bigger and faster and test themselves against the best in the nation. It turns into a great recruiting tool for schools that are trying to get to UM's level. Plus after playing a Texas A&M or Boise teams the Big Sky are going to look easy.

[CARDIAC_CATS]

I compare the Griz football program to a 150 story skyscraper that is being built. They are up to level 100 and it is all shiny, grand and beautiful, but then all of the sudden the contractors find a weakness in the foundation and say that any day the whole building could implode.

[BentonGrizFan]

I compare the Griz football program to a 150 story skyscraper that is being built. They are up to level 100 and it is all shiny, grand and beautiful, but then all of the sudden the contractors find a weakness in the foundation and say that any day the whole building could implode.

I think most programs go through growing pains. Almost all programs wish to have what Missoula has right now. Unfortunatly you cannot keep every one happy. It takes money to get there, and more money to stay there. Scheduling more home games is better for them right now. It is hard to get someone to schedule just a road game without a home and home guarantee. I would love to have a play up game with a Pac 10, Big 10, or Big 12 every year. If you can at least make the same or even a little less than you do with home games, then do it. It is not always easy to do however.

I also hear people complaining about bandwagon fans and corporate fans without any connection to the university. So what!!!!!! Where do the "die hard" fans that were there during the lean years think all this money for expansions, upgrades, marketing, etc is coming from. It is from the butts in the seats. I could care less that the guy next to me didn't graduate from the U. His money helps pay for the big show that has become Montana Grizzly football.

[AlphaGriz1]

Yes it's all about money.


Screw the fans and lets all forget these players are just pawns in the business that is college football.


Really just forget I even said anything, you should have a lot of practice.

[Cledus]

Alpha,

If you're up for another road trip, join me and some Griz buddies (they ain't that smart, forgive them) in Athens for the Tide / Bulldongs game. I'll even let you buy me a Keystone, since that's a delicacy in the South, but still won't cost you an arm and a leg.

[grizatwork]

Yes it's all about money.


Screw the fans and lets all forget these players are just pawns in the business that is college football.


Really just forget I even said anything, you should have a lot of practice.

It was, is, and always will be about the money. You are naive if you think otherwise. The fans and the players are pawns in the business that is college football and televised college football.

[AlphaGriz1]

Alpha,

If you're up for another road trip, join me and some Griz buddies (they ain't that smart, forgive them) in Athens for the Tide / Bulldongs game. I'll even let you buy me a Keystone, since that's a delicacy in the South, but still won't cost you an arm and a leg.

I would like to see a game between the Tide and Bulldongs but I am busy that weekend, thanks for the invite though. Maybe at some Griz/cat game you could let me buy you a Rainier since thats a delicacy in the Northwest and it won't cost me an arm and a leg.

[AlphaGriz1]

Yes it's all about money.


Screw the fans and lets all forget these players are just pawns in the business that is college football.


Really just forget I even said anything, you should have a lot of practice.

It was, is, and always will be about the money. You are naive if you think otherwise. The fans and the players are pawns in the business that is college football and televised college football.

Yeah I get it my sarcastic point was that maybe they should do something for the good of the game and give a little back to the players and fans that give them that money.

It's good PR.