• Hi Guest, want to participate in the discussions, keep track of read/unread posts access private forums and more? Create your free account and increase the benefits of your eGriz.com experience today!

Embarrassment to the Rivalry

Any other coach would be fired for going 2-5 against the Cats. Literally anyone other than Bobby 2.0.
We can all harp on 2-5 or be realistic that it’s a gnats a$$ from 4-3, barring the bub labeled miracle in 2018 and a flukey pick six on Saturday. It’s a game of inches. Stitt got canned not because his overall record against the cats but his inconsistency throughout the season and not even prioritizing playing the cats. That’s true apathy.

The cats getting stronger is a good thing and should only drive the staff, department and university to strive to be better.
 
My two cents worth. This rivalry is the 7th most contested rivalry between two teams in the same state.
Lehigh vs Lafayette - 161
Richmond vs William & Mary - 136
Oregon vs Oregon State - 129
Cincinnati vs Miami (OH) - 128
California vs Stanford- 128
Indiana vs Purdue - 126
Montana vs Montana State -124

in my short lifetime of 80 years I have seen the rivalry between both teams grow stronger.

The rivalry has always been a battle, but it was civil after the game. During the later years of the streak of the last part of the 20th century it became a little more common to see the animosity between fan bases.

Since the turn of this century the record is Griz 13 and the cats 12. Many times the Brawl has been a deciding game for the conference champion during this period.

Good, bad or otherwise the animosity between the fan bases has become more intense.

Both sides have displayed awful behavior towards the other many times.

While those displays are subjective, I believe that the cat fans have been on the losing side of the spectrum. I believe it is a byproduct of the streak.

Griz fans, don’t beat the drums to loudly as there are many that have taken it way too far as well.

I will end with this statement, regardless of how ugly each side of this rivalry has been, I think it pales in comparison to Ohio State vs Michigan.

I had the opportunity to attend that game many years ago, that was true hate.
You haven't seen anything until you've attended a game in Philly as an opposing football coach, player, support personnel, or fan.
 
It is when the scats are #2 and beat the Griz at home by 3 when home field advantage should give you +3 points. Neutral site - Griz lose by 6 points. In Bozoland, Griz lose by 9 points.
I find this opinion fascinating, although not necessarily hating on it.

By itself, if you told most Griz fans that we'd be 11-1 and the #3 seed in the playoffs before the year started, they'd almost universally be pretty happy, content, and excited, but only in the context of the cats being #2 and that 1 loss, it suddenly becomes unacceptable.
 
One thing that might help gris fans from being so butt hurt about the Cats celebrating on their field is to beat them. It’s hilarious how lil bro the gris have become.
 
I find this opinion fascinating, although not necessarily hating on it.

By itself, if you told most Griz fans that we'd be 11-1 and the #3 seed in the playoffs before the year started, they'd almost universally be pretty happy, content, and excited, but only in the context of the cats being #2 and that 1 loss, it suddenly becomes unacceptable.
Since when has a loss to the scats been acceptable? I'm flummoxed that the younger generation of Griz fans have come to accept this. Maybe it was the down years from 2011 to 2019 that changed your perspective. We should never accept losing to the scats....EVER!! I don't care if we are 11-1 and #2 seed in the playoffs. If we lose to the scats, it is unacceptable.
 
It is when the scats are #2 and beat the Griz at home by 3 when home field advantage should give you +3 points. Neutral site - Griz lose by 6 points. In Bozoland, Griz lose by 9 points.
This is funny because it is literally the second best season the Griz have had since, hell in decades. Yet there are people that want them to feel bad about.
 
This is funny because it is literally the second best season the Griz have had since, hell in decades. Yet there are people that want them to feel bad about.
I will only be satisfied losing to the scats in the Brawl of the Wild if the Griz beat the scats in the playoffs and win the National Championship. Anything else is settling for 1st loser in the Brawl and Big Sky Conference.
 
Great summary. I agree. I don’t like the animosity and bad behavior. I quit attending games in Bozeman, my hometown and base for much of my family, 30 years age due to the hostility that even I felt or observed. I like rivalries. I like to sling comments at some Cat fans and make fun of them. But I don’t like all the crap and nonsense that goes back and forth. I didn’t even open the recent thread, the one reserved for whatever was in there. I generally like the Cat players and team. I came to know and met a lot of the Cats who played on the ‘84 team. Great guys.
I also stopped attending Brawl games in Bozeman, I think it was about 2003.

I have attended a couple cat games since then, but not against the Griz and had an enjoyable experience, not so much my experience in 1997, 1999 and 2003. I don’t remember attending the game in 2001.

Maybe it’s age, probably not wisdom, but over time I have come to respect the players I played against and the ones that followed for the cats. At least the Montana boys that played for the cats,
You haven't seen anything until you've attended a game in Philly as an opposing football coach, player, support personnel, or fan.
I have heard that Philly games are an adventure. I was just talking about college rivalries.
 
None of it would have happened if the Griz had just won the damn game. Best way to not let them do that in our house is do all you can to make sure we beat them. That starts with money for NIL and not settling for 11-1 and 3rd seed and pushing a look at entire program for areas that can be improved and quit making excuses. I will start…. Get a team that isn’t physically outmatched in the trenches. Just looking at the physical stature of the cats vs Griz up close and in person and the pro day numbers each year is a red flag. Weights in the roster do not really tell you about strength etc.
Griz aren’t physically outmatched in the trenches this year.
 
The cats getting stronger is a good thing and should only drive the staff, department and university to strive to be better.
This is a fantastic point and it gets lost in the back and forth. It is ignorant/lazy to say Montana has its own standard and that alone, in a vacuum, drives them. The success of the neighbors has certainly accelerated capital investment and put more pressure on the coaching staff. The Griz were the only show in town for a LONG time (Carroll was sprinkled in there for five or six years on a small scale) and I think that was unhealthy. It's cliche, but iron sharpens iron. A lot of people on this board will rabidly disagree with me, and that's okay.
 
Griz aren’t physically outmatched in the trenches this year.
Oline and Dline isn't JUST about physicality. Can you honestly say with a straight face that the right side of the Oline has been consistently dominating their counterparts.
 
Your faciiites aren’t as good as UM’s.
The obvious, Wa-Griz is superior.

The undetermined (in my view) the Champions Center vs the Athletic Complex. I have not seen the inside of that facility, so I can’t comment.

Indoor Practice facilities does go to the cats. I have been inside both and the cats win on that one.

Griz soccer field and softball field are superior. 😄
 
Last edited:
Back
Top