More or Less Confident?

[EverettGriz]

I'm far more confident about Saturday's game than I was for the game a month ago, for many reasons:

The bye: Simply cannot overstate how desperately needed that week off was.

Loud's return: Obviously getting your best defensive player back would help any team. But he is so critically important to the style of defense the GRIZ play, and I'd say they are automatically 7 points better with him in the lineup.

The way both teams have looked in the playoffs: Look, I know the cats are trying to hype up the teams they played, but please. We're talking about the 2nd place team in the Ivys (Ivys!!); and a team in SFA who quite literally could not catch a forward pass. And the cats looked mostly discombobulated and unmotivated in each. Meanwhile, the GRIZ absolutely boatraced two MoValley teams who began the year ranked in the top 3, and would have remained there but for injuries to guys who were all back for the playoffs.

Intangibles: I have to think Sixx openly looking for other jobs has impacted the buy-in in the locker room, and when you throw the Davis thing ("I respect, he respects, all respect") into the mix, there is something clearly wrong with the cat program. Meanwhile, the GRIZ are playing their best ball of the year at the right time.

 

[Griz til I die]

I've said this a couple times, but it all comes down to the environment. If they settle in early and don't get rattled by the environment or the moment, then we can go blow for blow with these guys. The past few times we've snowballed early and it's ended up turning into an avalanche. Stay out ahead and don't fall too far behind.

 

[BadlandsGrizFan]

Way more. Just the way both teams are currently playing. The Griz are playing by far their best ball and we just beat two teams that are much better than who the cats have played.

The cats on the other hand are looking sloppy right now for whatever reason. Both the South Dakota teams would have beaten the cats had they played them the way Bozeman is performing. It’s also crazy to say but Lamson will be the worst QB we’ve faced in the playoffs this year.

If the cats aren’t able to get multiple turnovers from us I think we handle them by two scores.

 

[Da Boyz Mom]

I'm honestly not sure how I feel. I have a lot more confidence in the team themselves, but Bobcat stadium has become a place that's just as hard for the opponent as WaGriz. On the other hand the cats have more pressure on them to win since they are favored and at home, but they also rarely ever lose at home, except to XDSUs. But then again, Montana beat SDSU and USD and has played better every week while the cats seem to be stagnating or regressing. I could see one team getting ahead and then avalanching the other and it could be either team depending on how the cookie crumbles. I'm praying the coaching staff has a plan to help the players be more loose about this game and just go in and have fun and play hard and up to their full potential. I think if that happens the Griz win.

 

[BrownBear9501]

Obviously I’m biased but the first time around the boobcats played perfect and had to in order to win. They didn’t turn the ball over, blocked a fg, were on the lucky side of a holding penalty that took away a Griz TD and were on the lucky side of a deflected pass that led to a pick 6 for them. cat fans can talk all they want but they haven’t played to that level since…..not even close. The Griz are playing notably better since then, especially on defense. I just don’t see how the Griz lose this game….i really don’t. The cats are a damn good team but the Griz have looked like the best team in the nation the past two weeks and cat fans know it too, they just won’t admit it.

 

[EverettGriz]

Obviously I’m biased but the first time around the boobcats played perfect and had to in order to win. They didn’t turn the ball over, blocked a fg, were on the lucky side of a holding penalty that took away a Griz TD and were on the lucky side of a deflected pass that led to a pick 6 for them. cat fans can talk all they want but they haven’t played to that level since…..not even close. The Griz are playing notably better since then, especially on defense. I just don’t see how the Griz lose this game….i really don’t. The cats are a damn good team but the Griz have looked like the best team in the nation the past two weeks and cat fans know it too, they just won’t admit it.

I've actually had a handful tell me that privately. They won't say so publicly, but many of them are nervous about the way the GRIZ are playing.

 

[BozAngelesGriz]

I voted “Less.” Doesn’t mean that the Griz can’t win, but damn bozeman has been like kryptonite for this team in the last 10 years. I feel like the crowd and environment will disrupt Ah Yaht’s rhythm (which is critical to this offense) and it could be an ugly, slug match type of game. Hoping it’s like the ‘08 JMU type of result.

 

[SoCal Surfer]

I'm far more confident about Saturday's game than I was for the game a month ago, for many reasons:

The bye: Simply cannot overstate how desperately needed that week off was.

Loud's return: Obviously getting your best defensive player back would help any team. But he is so critically important to the style of defense the GRIZ play, and I'd say they are automatically 7 points better with him in the lineup.

The way both teams have looked in the playoffs: Look, I know the cats are trying to hype up the teams they played, but please. We're talking about the 2nd place team in the Ivys (Ivys!!); and a team in SFA who quite literally could not catch a forward pass. And the cats looked mostly discombobulated and unmotivated in each. Meanwhile, the GRIZ absolutely boatraced two MoValley teams who began the year ranked in the top 3, and would have remained there but for injuries to guys who were all back for the playoffs.

Intangibles: I have to think Sixx openly looking for other jobs has impacted the buy-in in the locker room, and when you throw the Davis thing ("I respect, he respects, all respect") into the mix, there is something clearly wrong with the cat program. Meanwhile, the GRIZ are playing their best ball of the year at the right time.

I couldn't have said it better. I agree 100% with what you say.

 

[Wolf777]

House effing Money!

There’s a scene in For Love of the Game where they send out a young call up in the bottom of the ninth facing the perfect game. Manager tells him “kid…wreck it!”

That’s the mentality. Oblivious to the noise or the moment or the historic nature. Just a bunch of griz trying to rain on their whole bobcat parade. Gilman, not respected by the bison staff or the national voters, Ah Yat doubted by many in this fanbase, Davis who already played big against this secondary, Wortham, Shafer, Liam and many others up against the end of their career. “So Griz, go wreck it!”

 

[Oldskoolgriz]

Beginning the week of the 1st Griz/Cat game, one of the first things Bobby mentioned was we are probably going to see them again in the playoffs. As a former player and someone who has coached before, Bobby and his staff have been planning this moment for over a month in advance. Obviously you can't control the out come but you can prepare your team for every scenario and that's what Bobby and his staff have been doing.
Nothing is by chance with these coaches and this team. Everything they have been doing has a purpose and reason and it all started with that first game. By the way they called the game and how they attacked the Cats the first time. Bobby and his staff are playing chess while the Cats are playing checkers. I'm not going to go in to detail about what we didn't do the first time, but it was obvious that we had the bigger picture in mind.
While winning the Big Sky is goal, it's far from the main goal. Bobby isn't playing for some of the marbles on the table, he's been setting his team up to take ALL the marbles. I'm also not saying we lost to the Cats on purpose either because we didn't. But they knew it wasn't the end of the world if we lost the first time because of what they want to accomplish in the long run.
Of course we can't control the outcome, but we can set ourselves up to be in the best possible position to win it all which is what I believe Bobby and his staff have done. It's going to be a good game, but I think Bobby and his staff have these kids ready and exactly right where they need to be. Go GRIZ!!!

 

[GallatinGriz03]

House effing Money!

There’s a scene in For Love of the Game where they send out a young call up in the bottom of the ninth facing the perfect game. Manager tells him “kid…wreck it!”

That’s the mentality. Oblivious to the noise or the moment or the historic nature. Just a bunch of griz trying to rain on their whole bobcat parade. Gilman, not respected by the bison staff or the national voters, Ah Yat doubted by many in this fanbase, Davis who already played big against this secondary, Wortham, Shafer, Liam and many others up against the end of their career. “So Griz, go wreck it!”

Pretty sure in Love of the Game, the bunt does not in fact wreck the perfect game. Maybe I'm misremembering the ending of the movie.

I understand the sentiment, the Griz have nothing to lose. All the pundits will pick the Cats to win, points spread favoring Cats, its in Bozeman. After the Cat/Griz it seemed the Cats had all the momentum. Griz just need to block out the outside noise, channel their frustration at not winning the first time around, and play like they have the last two weeks.

 

[uofmman1122]

I'm definitely more confident now than I was about the potential of this game a few weeks ago. We're playing our best football at the right time, but it's going to take everything this team has to win in Bozeman.

 

[4_0_6]

I didn't have an idea of how good Lamson was and with it being a home game, I was more confident of a Griz win during brawl. But like others said above, I think staff will have a plan and Griz seem to be playing best football. I'm also concerned Griz haven't played in a hostile environment.

 

[HikeGlacier]

Way more. Just the way both teams are currently playing. The Griz are playing by far their best ball and we just beat two teams that are much better than who the cats have played.

The cats on the other hand are looking sloppy right now for whatever reason. Both the South Dakota teams would have beaten the cats had they played them the way Bozeman is performing. It’s also crazy to say but Lamson will be the worst QB we’ve faced in the playoffs this year.

If the cats aren’t able to get multiple turnovers from us I think we handle them by two scores.

Turnovers are their magic. They sitback in cover two and wait for you to make mistakes.

 

[StumptownGriz]

Something tells me we are going to get absolutely homered by the officials in this one. Just a weird feeling i have. Nothing to base it on. If that doesn't happen and a ball or two bonces our way instead of to the Cats than I think we cruise.

 

[argh!]

Something tells me we are going to get absolutely homered by the officials in this one. Just a weird feeling i have. Nothing to base it on. If that doesn't happen and a ball or two bonces our way instead of to the Cats than I think we cruise.

wonder what league they will be coming from? if they aren't familiar with either team, it seems less likely that they'll be overly biased.

 

[Mavman]

I feel like Bobby would run through a brick wall for his players and they would do the same!
Yeah I know the old saying is players would run through a brick wall for their coach.
It is just this whole year Coach Hauck has seemed to really enjoy this team and appreciates everything about this season.
On the other side i'm not sure where team dynamic in Bozeman is at!
There is respect between Davis and Vigen I mean he really respects Vigen!!!!

 

[Wolf777]

Pretty sure in Love of the Game, the bunt does not in fact wreck the perfect game. Maybe I'm misremembering the ending of the movie.

I understand the sentiment, the Griz have nothing to lose. All the pundits will pick the Cats to win, points spread favoring Cats, its in Bozeman. After the Cat/Griz it seemed the Cats had all the momentum. Griz just need to block out the outside noise, channel their frustration at not winning the first time around, and play like they have the last two weeks.

Kid nearly parks it swinging for the fences, grounds out. Doesn’t work out. The dialogue of that whole scene is worth the watch again. No backing down and make them work to the limit if they want win the second one.

Agree with your analysis. The noise will be louder in Bozeman I think.

 

[Wolf777]

Something tells me we are going to get absolutely homered by the officials in this one. Just a weird feeling i have. Nothing to base it on. If that doesn't happen and a ball or two bonces our way instead of to the Cats than I think we cruise.

No excuses, just need to execute and take them out of it. We are due for some bounces. Why not us?

 

[HookedonGriz]

Beginning the week of the 1st Griz/Cat game, one of the first things Bobby mentioned was we are probably going to see them again in the playoffs. As a former player and someone who has coached before, Bobby and his staff have been planning this moment for over a month in advance. Obviously you can't control the out come but you can prepare your team for every scenario and that's what Bobby and his staff have been doing.
Nothing is by chance with these coaches and this team. Everything they have been doing has a purpose and reason and it all started with that first game. By the way they called the game and how they attacked the Cats the first time. Bobby and his staff are playing chess while the Cats are playing checkers. I'm not going to go in to detail about what we didn't do the first time, but it was obvious that we had the bigger picture in mind.
While winning the Big Sky is goal, it's far from the main goal. Bobby isn't playing for some of the marbles on the table, he's been setting his team up to take ALL the marbles. I'm also not saying we lost to the Cats on purpose either because we didn't. But they knew it wasn't the end of the world if we lost the first time because of what they want to accomplish in the long run.
Of course we can't control the outcome, but we can set ourselves up to be in the best possible position to win it all which is what I believe Bobby and his staff have done. It's going to be a good game, but I think Bobby and his staff have these kids ready and exactly right where they need to be. Go GRIZ!!!

I have thought about this as well. Bobby said in that post game presser when talking about his defense that they didn’t show the cats very much…. that they were pretty basic and vanilla. He’s always very careful with what he says so I found that interesting. It had me thinking along your lines that he is saving something for a later date.