No place like home for the Griz

[Eastcoastgriz]

No place like home for the Griz
By Greg Rachac
Of The Gazette Staff

MISSOULA - For 20 years, the fans have come in droves.

They've been clad in copper, silver and maroon. They've come shirtless, with paint all over their faces and primed to scream their lungs out.

There's even been a streaker or two.

Eddie Vedder and Mick Jagger have rocked there. The aura of the place makes other schools green with envy.

And football teams? They've been pushed back on their heels more times than a spokesperson for Senator Burns.

Saturday marked the 20th anniversary celebration of Washington-Grizzly Stadium, and the Grizzlies rang in the hoopla with a throwback win, a 24-21 squeaker over Northern Arizona.

But the real celebration came and went in a flash.

Between the third and fourth quarters, Montana president George Dennison and athletic director Jim O'Day honored those most responsible for making the greatest home field advantage in all the land a reality.

They couldn't all be present, but former coach Larry Donovan, former president Neil Bucklew, former A.D. Harley Lewis and chief financier Dennis Washington were all venerated for their efforts.

The ceremony was short and sweet, but those guys deserved a standing ovation and then some.

The stadium they created has become this state's football Mecca.

Completed in 1986, the Grizzlies have punished teams in their crown jewel to the tune of a 129-18 record, a winning percentage of nearly 88 percent.

They once won 30 consecutive games there, which stands as one of the longest streaks in the history of Division I-AA football.

It's impressive how Donovan and Co. had the acumen to push the stadium project and bring Griz football back to campus after a two-decade hiatus.

But it's hard to imagine even Donovan could have predicted just how wonderfully it would all come together.

Construction crews broke ground in 1985, and the Grizzlies moved in midway through that '86 campaign.

It started out with a 12,500 capacity, but two separate stadium expansions (one in 1996 and another in 2003) turned it into an intimidating, 23,000-seat monster that foes fear and opposing coaches curse.

Saturday's attendance of 23,626 was the sixth-largest crowd in stadium history, and boy were they loud.

The only place in the country where I-AA quarterbacks are forced to work from a silent cadence is an asylum for Griz Crazies to rain down their wrath on the timid and the weak.

They have SprinTurf. They have Griz Vision. They have 48 suites to the east and west of the field where Silvertip Skydivers land before mayhem ensues.

The tailgate parties are stuff of legend.

The pre-game atmosphere and production is better than most I-A schools can manufacture.

Go ahead. Travel to Colorado or Minnesota or Idaho. See for yourself.

They've got nothing on this bash.

Bottom line, Washington-Grizzly Stadium resurrected a blundering program in the 1980s and lit a football fire in the state of Montana that can't be doused.

"The emergence of Grizzly football coincides with the stadium," said current coach Bobby Hauck. "The day I got the job I called Larry Donovan and thanked him."

What makes it even more special to Griz fans is the fact that no one in I-AA can match what they have.

Montana State? Forget it. The Cats are eons away from scaring up anything like this.

The Griz have dispatched four opponents at home so far this season.

Idaho State, Cal Poly and those meaty Bobcats are next on the list.

They call Grizzly football "The Biggest Show in Montana."

There's certainly nothing else like it.

Greg Rachac can be reached at 657-1291, or at grachac@billingsgazette.com

[longhorn_22]

The tailgate parties are stuff of legend.

AHHHHAHAHAHAHA!
Nothing like looking at local corporation vans all pregame.

[Swilly3224]

The tailgate parties are stuff of legend.

AHHHHAHAHAHAHA!
Nothing like looking at local corporation vans all pregame.

What about the rest of the article? Any Comments?

[SonomaCat]

Is this writer just out of school ... from UM ... by any chance? It has a partisan tinge to it ... kinda like a message board post. Actually, it's more like a marketing blurb.

[longhorn_22]

Is this writer just out of school ... from UM ... by any chance? It has a partisan tinge to it ... kinda like a message board post. Actually, it's more like a marketing blurb.

That pretty much sums it up.

[GOKATS]

The tailgate parties are stuff of legend.

AHHHHAHAHAHAHA!
Nothing like looking at local corporation vans all pregame.

What about the rest of the article? Any Comments?

Obviously the writer is just one more pat yourself on the back bandwagon griz fan.

[Swilly3224]

but is there anything in this article that Cat fans disagree with?

[Eastcoastgriz]

Obviously the writer is just one more pat yourself on the back bandwagon griz fan.

Why is it every fan of the GRIZ is a so called "bandwagon" fan. Can anyone please tell me when a fan is just a regular fan?

[Cledus]

but is there anything in this article that Cat fans disagree with?

"Tailgating the stuff of legend."

You can't be serious, Swilly. I was in Austin a few weeks ago for the UT-ISU game. Prior to attending MSU, I went to U of AZ (my freshman dorm was next to the stadium).

At no time was tailgating in Missoula even whispered in Tucson or Austin. The programs Rachac mentions are simply going through down phases. Colorado? You think tailgating in Missoula's better than a Big 12 school that has won a national championship?

The tailgating in Missoula's not even the best in the state.

I know, I know. Smackboard

[Billings_Griz]

Obviously the writer is just one more pat yourself on the back bandwagon griz fan.

Why is it every fan of the GRIZ is a so called "bandwagon" fan. Can anyone please tell me when a fan is just a regular fan?

1) It's called ENVY.

2) According to the article, the kitties are a 2nd rate team w/ a 2nd rate stadium. Why would they have any "bandwagon" fans, it sounds like everything to do w/ Miss U football sucks?

[lifeloyalsigmsu]

Obviously the writer is just one more pat yourself on the back bandwagon griz fan.

Why is it every fan of the GRIZ is a so called "bandwagon" fan. Can anyone please tell me when a fan is just a regular fan?

1) It's called ENVY.

2) According to the article, the kitties are a 2nd rate team w/ a 2nd rate stadium. Why would they have any "bandwagon" fans, it sounds like everything to do w/ Miss U football sucks?

Wow......a writer demonstrating "objectivity" at its finest and a griz fan like yourself gobbling all of it up as if it were gospel.

Is your name Greg Rachac by any chance?

[Swilly3224]

but is there anything in this article that Cat fans disagree with?

"Tailgating the stuff of legend."

You can't be serious, Swilly. I was in Austin a few weeks ago for the UT-ISU game. Prior to attending MSU, I went to U of AZ (my freshman dorm was next to the stadium).

At no time was tailgating in Missoula even whispered in Tucson or Austin. The programs Rachac mentions are simply going through down phases. Colorado? You think tailgating in Missoula's better than a Big 12 school that has won a national championship?

Yep because Minnesota has always been known for how loud the metradome can be, and how amazing their gameday atmosphere is...

I will agree tho, its compared to the big time....But it does kick MSU's ASS. Anything else in that article that a Cat would disagree with? Without saying "bandwagon" or anything stupid or moronic like that

[CelticCat]

Who cares. This article just said the same thing we have been force-fed for years. Shouldn't get on anyone's nerves.

[whitetrashgriz]

but is there anything in this article that Cat fans disagree with?

"Tailgating the stuff of legend."

You can't be serious, Swilly. I was in Austin a few weeks ago for the UT-ISU game. Prior to attending MSU, I went to U of AZ (my freshman dorm was next to the stadium).

At no time was tailgating in Missoula even whispered in Tucson or Austin. The programs Rachac mentions are simply going through down phases. Colorado? You think tailgating in Missoula's better than a Big 12 school that has won a national championship?

Yep because Minnesota has always been known for how loud the metradome can be, and how amazing their gameday atmosphere is...

I will agree tho, its compared to the big time....But it does kick MSU's ASS. Anything else in that article that a Cat would disagree with? Without saying "bandwagon" or anything stupid or moronic like that

you saying the dome doesn't get loud? ever been there...or are you guessing?

[Swilly3224]

but is there anything in this article that Cat fans disagree with?

"Tailgating the stuff of legend."

You can't be serious, Swilly. I was in Austin a few weeks ago for the UT-ISU game. Prior to attending MSU, I went to U of AZ (my freshman dorm was next to the stadium).

At no time was tailgating in Missoula even whispered in Tucson or Austin. The programs Rachac mentions are simply going through down phases. Colorado? You think tailgating in Missoula's better than a Big 12 school that has won a national championship?

Yep because Minnesota has always been known for how loud the metradome can be, and how amazing their gameday atmosphere is...

I will agree tho, its compared to the big time....But it does kick MSU's ASS. Anything else in that article that a Cat would disagree with? Without saying "bandwagon" or anything stupid or moronic like that

you saying the dome doesn't get loud? ever been there...or are you guessing?

I havent been there but Minnesota is a mediocre 1-A school, I bet it gets alot more louder for Vikings games then Gopher games...Heck, they couldnt even fill the thing when Michigan came to town

[whitetrashgriz]

but is there anything in this article that Cat fans disagree with?

"Tailgating the stuff of legend."

You can't be serious, Swilly. I was in Austin a few weeks ago for the UT-ISU game. Prior to attending MSU, I went to U of AZ (my freshman dorm was next to the stadium).

At no time was tailgating in Missoula even whispered in Tucson or Austin. The programs Rachac mentions are simply going through down phases. Colorado? You think tailgating in Missoula's better than a Big 12 school that has won a national championship?

Yep because Minnesota has always been known for how loud the metradome can be, and how amazing their gameday atmosphere is...

I will agree tho, its compared to the big time....But it does kick MSU's ASS. Anything else in that article that a Cat would disagree with? Without saying "bandwagon" or anything stupid or moronic like that

you saying the dome doesn't get loud? ever been there...or are you guessing?

I havent been there but Minnesota is a mediocre 1-A school, I bet it gets alot more louder for Vikings games then Gopher games...Heck, they couldnt even fill the thing when Michigan came to town

i guess. the dome holds about 56,000, and only 51,000 showed up. go there sometime. watch the gophs take on a michigan, or penn state, or better yet...ohio state, and tell me how quiet it is, and how loud wash. griz is.

[Egg Salad]

I've been to the dome for Twins games with 25,000 people there and it gets pretty loud.

[SonomaCat]

I havent been there but Minnesota is a mediocre 1-A school, I bet it gets alot more louder for Vikings games then Gopher games...Heck, they couldnt even fill the thing when Michigan came to town

This pretty much sums up Swilly ... he's never been anywhere or done anything, but he still thinks he knows everything there is to know about everything ... as long as it backs up his uninformed opinions.

He's kind of like a Holiday Inn Express commercial ... only even more absurd.

[BelgradeBobcat]

The MSU Fieldhouse turns 50 next year-will the Grizette run a story about that? Do they even know it exists? I won't be holding my breath.

If any Grizette reporter checks in here-as you're passing by Bozeman on I-90 on your way to the griz game-it's the big dome shaped building off in the distance to the south. You might be surprised to know that MSU has been hosting athletic and other events in the building for 50 years. We're real proud of it.

As far as the rest of the article...why does MSU's football atmosphere need to be insulted in an article celebrating um football stadium's 20th birthday.

Compare MSU's gameday to any other Big Sky school except um. We stack up pretty well. Those who go to Pokey this weekend will see a pretty quiet parking lot before the game, and about 7,000 pretty laid back fans inside listening to an overly loud P.A. guy.

[whitetrashgriz]

and while i'm at it, a few years ago when i got to watch the gophs host ohio state, they peu temporary bleachers anywhere they could possibly fit them, and there was more than 60,000 for that one. loudest i've ever heard it. pretty funny though....wash griz gets lights for a game and some extra bleachers and swill thinks it's national news, but 60,000+ screaming fans in the loudest building in sports for a mediocre team is nothing. amazing.