Gameday Atmosphere

[Platinumcat]

I also couldn't believe how many people tailgated all game long. Get some money & noise out those people.

Why is it that people have to find something to complain about?!

Can you believe it ... there are actually some people that don't really want to watch the game?! I know, I know, it's a hard thing to understand! There are students who want to be there for the atmosphere especially the CAT/Griz game. I'm sure some of them wanted to go to the game, but were unable to get a ticket. I'm sure you heard hooting and hollaring from those who weren't able to get into the game.

I do agree with getting rid of the bleachers on the East end and replacing them with real seats, or better quality bleachers. They've definitely been sore on the eyes for YEARS!! Why didn't they change those when they added on/changed the rest of the stadium? And WHY didn't they build seats/better bleachers on the west end? Instead, they eliminate seating on the west end completely!! I don't understand why they did that!!

In case you didn't notice I am a Griz fan. I was simply pointing out that if you could get all of those people into the game your crowd would be a lot louder & your athletic dept. could get more money out of them. It was far from a criticism.

Anaconda,
I think all of us would agree with you in trying to get more people into the game. There is in fact plans that are being reviewed at this point for a stadium expansion project. Who knows what will happen. But, we are all hopeful to see the stadium capacity and quality increased.

[BobCatFan]

Only complaint is those stupid Thundersticks, which violate conference rules concerning artificial nosiemakers.

I was at the top of the student section, and spent a lot of time looking at the tailgate area (far more interesting than the game). It's awesome how the students tailgate, whereas the tailgate at other universities ( some of which rhyme with University of Fontana) are nothing but retirees showing off RVs.

I like the thunder sticks!

I was on the top row too. I was amazed with the tail gate area. There could have been 2000 to 3000 more fans out their during the game and this was late in the 2nd and 4th quarters when the stadium was packed. I think the unofficial attendance was closer to 20,000.

I did come up with a great idea. Next, MSU should place several large screen tvs in the tailgate area. They should charge $2 or $3 for anyone not having a ticket to the game. This way, they can party, enjoy the game and MSU gets some money.

[MSUCATS]

I know you're a Griz fan... This is my point though. There are some people who don't give a flying ____ about football, and are just their to socialize with their friends who are tailgating/watching the game.

I definitely think they should be adding more seating in the stadium, so that more fans who wish to watch the games can.

[grizbeer]

I didn't go to the game, so take this with a grain of salt - and I don't mean this as smack - but I wonder if the last 2 Griz-Cat games will hurt the Cat's in getting a home playoff game in the future.

Those south end zone bleachers are not just an annoyance, they are dangerous when they have snow an dice on them like 2 years ago. And the field conditions this year are certainly not up to NCAA standards, especially given the NC debacle last year. Delaware was forced to move a home game this year to similar field conditions, and UMass almost did as well.

Obviously continuing to fill the stands (which the Cats are to be congratulated for) will help, but I wonder if the NCAA will send a Southland team up to Bozeman to sit on those seats and play in mud. Sure the weather is part of the game, and both teams have to play on the same field, and grass is real football , blah blah blah, but ultimately the NCAA will decide on which field they play on, and if Delaware had to move a home game because of field conditions I think the NCAA will look at this for playoff games as well.

I'm convinced that MSU will soon be a regular participant in the playoffs, I would hate to see them get robbed because your facilities were deemed not playoff approved.

edit: I forgot to mention, what was with letting the student section swarm the field before the visiting team left? that could have been ugly. I know, I'm picking here, but really there is no excuse for letting the students on the field when the opposing team is still out there, especially for a rivalry game.

[BozoneCat]

Only complaint is those stupid Thundersticks, which violate conference rules concerning artificial nosiemakers.

Actually, the Thundersticks aren't illegal. They are only illegal in indoor arenas during basketball and/or volleyball games. I looked this up after we played Weber, where a bunch of fans were using them, and I had thought the same thing.

Jim Joyner, of Missoula, Mont., asks Big Sky Conference:

"Are artificial noisemakers prohibited at Big Sky Conference Football games. Specifically, the 'thunderstick' which is a platic blow up stick approximately 24" long. When 'slapped' together, make a noise. These were used a lot during the world series, and I've seen them used at the University of Idaho game against the Griz. Any insights into this?"

Big Sky Conference responds:

"The Big Sky currently does not have a rule regulating the use of artificial noisemakers at football games. Artificial noisemakers are, however, prohibited at Big Sky basketball and volleyball games."

http://www.bigskyconf.com/qa_front.asp?qaid=296

[BelgradeBobcat]

I didn't go to the game, so take this with a grain of salt - and I don't mean this as smack - but I wonder if the last 2 Griz-Cat games will hurt the Cat's in getting a home playoff game in the future.

Those south end zone bleachers are not just an annoyance, they are dangerous when they have snow an dice on them like 2 years ago. And the field conditions this year are certainly not up to NCAA standards, especially given the NC debacle last year. Delaware was forced to move a home game this year to similar field conditions, and UMass almost did as well.

Obviously continuing to fill the stands (which the Cats are to be congratulated for) will help, but I wonder if the NCAA will send a Southland team up to Bozeman to sit on those seats and play in mud. Sure the weather is part of the game, and both teams have to play on the
same field, and grass is real football , blah blah blah, but ultimately the NCAA will decide on which field they play on, and if Delaware had to move a home game because of field conditions I think the NCAA will look at this for playoff games as well.

I'm convinced that MSU will soon be a regular participant in the playoffs, I would hate to see them get robbed because your facilities were deemed not playoff approved.

edit: I forgot to mention, what was with letting the student section swarm the field before the visiting team left? that could have been ugly. I know, I'm picking here, but really there is no excuse for letting the students on the field when the opposing team is still out there, especially for a rivalry game.

Your comments are constructive. I've ranted against those endzone bleachers for years-as have many Bobcat fans. The first section for visiting fans is always in the north corner on the press box side (very nice seats in the shade). That section would easily hold the number of fans a Southland team would bring. The only visiting crowds that overflowed that section and filled part of the endzone were the griz, Idaho State and North Dakota State. So I doubt those stands would prevent us from hosting-but I agree those stands are an abomination.

The field condition could be an issue. Was it ever an issue for the griz? Before the field turf was installed just a few years ago you guys had a lot of problems with the natural turf (remember the 1998 Cat-griz game?). It may have been an even bigger problem in Missoula because of the lack of drainage given your stadium configuration and Missoula's warmer, damper climate in November that could lead to more freeze/thaw situations like we had on Saturday (relatively rare in colder/dryer Bozeman in November).

As for keeping the students off the field: I suppose we could line the field with a prison fence like you see in many European and South American soccer stadiums, but short of that what can we do? Any able bodied student can climb over the rail and get on to the field-I've never seen it any harder at any other college stadium. More people probably would have been hurt trying to prevent the crowd from getting on the field. Students don't get on the field in Missoula? C'mon.

[BobCatFan]

I didn't go to the game, so take this with a grain of salt - and I don't mean this as smack - but I wonder if the last 2 Griz-Cat games will hurt the Cat's in getting a home playoff game in the future.

Those south end zone bleachers are not just an annoyance, they are dangerous when they have snow an dice on them like 2 years ago. And the field conditions this year are certainly not up to NCAA standards, especially given the NC debacle last year. Delaware was forced to move a home game this year to similar field conditions, and UMass almost did as well.

Obviously continuing to fill the stands (which the Cats are to be congratulated for) will help, but I wonder if the NCAA will send a Southland team up to Bozeman to sit on those seats and play in mud. Sure the weather is part of the game, and both teams have to play on the same field, and grass is real football , blah blah blah, but ultimately the NCAA will decide on which field they play on, and if Delaware had to move a home game because of field conditions I think the NCAA will look at this for playoff games as well.

I'm convinced that MSU will soon be a regular participant in the playoffs, I would hate to see them get robbed because your facilities were deemed not playoff approved.

edit: I forgot to mention, what was with letting the student section swarm the field before the visiting team left? that could have been ugly. I know, I'm picking here, but really there is no excuse for letting the students on the field when the opposing team is still out there, especially for a rivalry game.

Get a clue. Football was made to be played in poor conditions. As for the south end bleachers, we all know that they are an law suit waiting to happen, but MSU stadium is still larger then most other teams with out them.

I can only see one reason why the Friz got picked over the Cats for the playoffs and that is the 24,000 seating capacity and $$ that will bring the NCAA. As I heard on the radio from Mizzola today, UofduMb gets 20% of the net (that is profit) and not the gross. NCAA gets the money to use or cover losses from other games.

[ChiOCat]

I agree. Though I added to the circusness, I was painted blue from head to toe.

Were you the one with the bear on the noose as well?

You mean this little guy?? He was at the tailgate across from us.

[vike_king]

I also couldn't believe how many people tailgated all game long. Get some money & noise out those people.

Why is it that people have to find something to complain about?!

Can you believe it ... there are actually some people that don't really want to watch the game?! I know, I know, it's a hard thing to understand! There are students who want to be there for the atmosphere especially the CAT/Griz game. I'm sure some of them wanted to go to the game, but were unable to get a ticket. I'm sure you heard hooting and hollaring from those who weren't able to get into the game.

I do agree with getting rid of the bleachers on the East end and replacing them with real seats, or better quality bleachers. They've definitely been sore on the eyes for YEARS!! Why didn't they change those when they added on/changed the rest of the stadium? And WHY didn't they build seats/better bleachers on the west end? Instead, they eliminate seating on the west end completely!! I don't understand why they did that!!

In case you didn't notice I am a Griz fan. I was simply pointing out that if you could get all of those people into the game your crowd would be a lot louder & your athletic dept. could get more money out of them. It was far from a criticism.

Ya, I didn't take this as a complaint but as a good point.

We are trying to pay down the expenses occured when the skyboxes were built, when that happens there may be expansion. I was very disappointed in the last remodeling of the stadium, it seems only the bigwigs were served..........where are all the big donations?

[GavinDonos]

Ya, I didn't take this as a complaint but as a good point.

We are trying to pay down the expenses occured when the skyboxes were built, when that happens there may be expansion. I was very disappointed in the last remodeling of the stadium, it seems only the bigwigs were served..........where are all the big donations?

Well one thing is for sure, our suite/ pressbox area has to be one of the top 2 or 3 in IAA. It's nice up there. That whole south grandstand is pretty nice after the remodel. Our aluminum bleachers in the north grandstand are right on par with the aluminum bleachers that encircle wa/griz. Once our renovation is complete, their stadium will look like a maroon and concrete boil on the a* cheek of montana (msla).

[WeedKillinCat]

If my memory serves me correct, the Friz put in the sprinturf after muddy conditions cost them a missed field GW goal against Youngstown State in the first round of the playoffs? I was there...and the silence was deafening....

[CARDIAC_CATS]

If my memory serves me correct, the Friz put in the sprinturf after muddy conditions cost them a missed field GW goal against Youngstown State in the first round of the playoffs? I was there...and the silence was deafening....

Kind of like on Saturday from them on the south stands? Crickets.

[grizzh8r]

I agree. Though I added to the circusness, I was painted blue from head to toe.

Were you the one with the bear on the noose as well?

That was my friend. I just had a regular bear that I was kicking around like a soccer ball.

Wes, right?

[CelticCat]

I agree. Though I added to the circusness, I was painted blue from head to toe.

Were you the one with the bear on the noose as well?

That was my friend. I just had a regular bear that I was kicking around like a soccer ball.

Wes, right?

It was my friend KO, but Wes was with us, painted half blue and half yellow. There were three of us.



I'm on the far right, you can barely see me, of course.

[BelgradeBobcat]

That photo of the guy winding up the kick the teddy bear where it counts makes me laugh every time I see it. It appeals to my sophmoric sense of humor I guess.

[bozbobcat]

I kicked that Grizzly on Saturday! Twice. And I watched that bear get thrown around the student side in the fourth quarter. As for the game atmosphere, it may have been the best one I've ever seen at a Bobcat game. I remember the days when it was just the Bobcats and a few of their closest friends and nearly having sections to myself. This game and this year were absolutely awesome!

[BHauck's nose]

[quote="grizbeer"]I didn't go to the game, so take this with a grain of salt - and I don't mean this as smack - but I wonder if the last 2 Griz-Cat games will hurt the Cat's in getting a home playoff game in the future.

Those south end zone bleachers are not just an annoyance, they are dangerous when they have snow an dice on them like 2 years ago. And the field conditions this year are certainly not up to NCAA standards, especially given the NC debacle last year. Delaware was forced to move a home game this year to similar field conditions, and UMass almost did as well.

Obviously continuing to fill the stands (which the Cats are to be congratulated for) will help, but I wonder if the NCAA will send a Southland team up to Bozeman to sit on those seats and play in mud. Sure the weather is part of the game, and both teams have to play on the same field, and grass is real football , blah blah blah, but ultimately the NCAA will decide on which field they play on, and if Delaware had to move a home game because of field conditions I think the NCAA will look at this for playoff games as well.

I'm convinced that MSU will soon be a regular participant in the playoffs, I would hate to see them get robbed because your facilities were deemed not playoff approved.

edit: I forgot to mention, what was with letting the student section swarm the field before the visiting team left? that could have been ugly. I know, I'm picking here, but really there is no excuse for letting the students on the field when the opposing team is still out there, especially for a rivalry game.[/quote]

I have never seen security at any event be able to hold off thousands of fans until the opposing team was off the field. I admit it is dangerous, but there is no avoiding it. Plus, I remember when I played, we lost to the Griz by 40 some points, and I they still thought they needed to climb the fence and tear our goal post down. I know we were not off the field. I am glad they did it now, becuase it was images like that that motivated us to change things at Montana State.

[tacoma_griz]

If my memory serves me correct, the Friz put in the sprinturf after muddy conditions cost them a missed field GW goal against Youngstown State in the first round of the playoffs? I was there...and the silence was deafening....

get your facts straight weedsmokin cat

1999 -- loss to ysu in PLAYOFFS (one week after the 49-3 smackdown)
2001 -- sprinturf installed to be more cost effective instead of maintaining the field all year and into the PLAYOFFS

i wonder if you were in bozeman for the silence that year too -- just like every december

[grizband]

Ya, I didn't take this as a complaint but as a good point.

We are trying to pay down the expenses occured when the skyboxes were built, when that happens there may be expansion. I was very disappointed in the last remodeling of the stadium, it seems only the bigwigs were served..........where are all the big donations?

Well one thing is for sure, our suite/ pressbox area has to be one of the top 2 or 3 in IAA. It's nice up there. That whole south grandstand is pretty nice after the remodel. Our aluminum bleachers in the north grandstand are right on par with the aluminum bleachers that encircle wa/griz. Once our renovation is complete, their stadium will look like a maroon and concrete boil on the a* cheek of montana (msla).

When I was listening to the Griz play NAU on the radio, the Griz announcers kept saying how nice the MSU pressbox is.

[mquast53000]

1999 -- loss to ysu in PLAYOFFS (one week after the 49-3 smackdown)
2001 -- sprinturf installed to be more cost effective instead of maintaining the field all year and into the PLAYOFFS

I like this line... You are trying to make it sound like all the wear and tear was from playing football. UM has a number of OTHER events on their field that are not football games. That was more damaging to the grass then all the "playoff" games the Griz have. Nice try in sounding like you know all about Griz football.