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2009 App State Game and the "IT" Factor

hilinegrizfan

hilinegrizfan

Well-known member
On another thread, about another topic, the 2009 App state game was mentioned. I decided to look at the highlight video (posted below), as I haven't seen any replays of the game since i watched it unfold live.. Boy oh boy. Our team was a force to be reckoned with. A hellacious football squad who would devour any opponent that stood in our way. It looks like if that team played our current team, the score would be 100 to -50. And I don't believe that is based solely on athletic ability. Watching the video sent chills up my spine. You can tell we owned that stadium. You could tell the players played every play like it the game was on the line. They had at intangible quality, the "don't f*ck with us" mentality, the "it" factor. Watching the games these past few years (stitt era and beyond), it seems like that is what this team is lacking the most. I'm not saying there is no passion. I know these kids care a great deal about the griz and our success. But if we could get just a percentage of that intangible quality that the 2009 team had... would be a huge help to this program. Have to wonder, does that mentality start at the top and trickle down? I think so. Enjoy....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knX92v66gg8
 
I agree one hundred percent, that was one of the great teams of the modern era of Griz football, and, for a lot of personal reasons, also one of my favorites. Let's just say, it was a great time to be from Havre and be a Griz fan in those days.

Having said that, I fully disagree that those teams devoured anyone that was in their way. They fell behind South Dakota State terribly bad in the first round of the playoffs, with extremely sloppy play, fumbles and interceptions and horrible missed tackles, and if not for Bobby being willing to put Marc in one for kickoff, turning out to to be one of the great kick returns in Griz' history, Montana would have lost that game and been bounced in the first round for the second time in three years. I also wouldn't exactly say the Griz DEVOURED, what was an incredible App. State team. On that last drive, the Griz had to hang on by their fingernails because Armanti Edwards was that good and drove Appy to within an inch of a win. And finally, in the second half of the national championship game that year, the Griz D absolutely GOT DEVOURED by Matt Szczur of Villanova.

So while I agree, the 08-09 Griz teams were extremely special, one of the best two-year runs in Griz' history, and were certainly MILES ahead of where the Griz are today, those teams had flaws, just like every college football team does to one extent or another.
 
George Ferguson said:
I agree one hundred percent, that was one of the great teams of the modern era of Griz football, and, for a lot of personal reasons, also one of my favorites. Let's just say, it was a great time to be from Havre and be a Griz fan in those days.

Having said that, I fully disagree that those teams devoured anyone that was in their way. They fell behind South Dakota State terribly bad in the first round of the playoffs, with extremely sloppy play, fumbles and interceptions and horrible missed tackles, and if not for Bobby being willing to put Marc in one for kickoff, turning out to to be one of the great kick returns in Griz' history, Montana would have lost that game and been bounced in the first round for the second time in three years. I also wouldn't exactly say the Griz DEVOURED, what was an incredible App. State team. On that last drive, the Griz had to hang on by their fingernails because Armanti Edwards was that good and drove Appy to within an inch of a win. And finally, in the second half of the national championship game that year, the Griz D absolutely GOT DEVOURED by Matt Szczur of Villanova.

So while I agree, the 08-09 Griz teams were extremely special, one of the best two-year runs in Griz' history, and were certainly MILES ahead of where the Griz are today, those teams had flaws, just like every college football team does to one extent or another.
Click to expand...

Totally. I'm not saying the didn' have flaws. and I'm not saying they played perfect all the time and nobody ever got the best of them. I'm just saying there was a fire in their bellies. Even when losing, even when not playing well... they were feared. they had an intagible quality that was partially responsible for the success they saw. I don't see it anymore, haven't for awhile. And i think that attitude starts at the top.
 
Before the game I said it was the game of the century, and it was. I have a picture of the stadium that night on my desk. I've got the game on dvd and watch it once a year. it always ends the same way. It was a privilege to be in wa-griz that night.
 
hilinegrizfan said:
On another thread, about another topic, the 2009 App state game was mentioned. I decided to look at the highlight video (posted below), as I haven't seen any replays of the game since i watched it unfold live.. Boy oh boy. Our team was a force to be reckoned with. A hellacious football squad who would devour any opponent that stood in our way. It looks like if that team played our current team, the score would be 100 to -50. And I don't believe that is based solely on athletic ability. Watching the video sent chills up my spine. You can tell we owned that stadium. You could tell the players played every play like it the game was on the line. They had at intangible quality, the "don't f*ck with us" mentality, the "it" factor. Watching the games these past few years (stitt era and beyond), it seems like that is what this team is lacking the most. I'm not saying there is no passion. I know these kids care a great deal about the griz and our success. But if we could get just a percentage of that intangible quality that the 2009 team had... would be a huge help to this program. Have to wonder, does that mentality start at the top and trickle down? I think so. Enjoy....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knX92v66gg8
Click to expand...

And yet we lost the next week to an unseeded playoff team....
 
Play physical! Hit the opposition in the mouth! The Griz of today play very soft... Maybe the way society is pushing people...IDK.
 
reinell30 said:
Play physical! Hit the opposition in the mouth! The Griz of today play very soft... Maybe the way society is pushing people...IDK.
Click to expand...

I agree the Griz aren't as physical as a whole as they used to be. But they have physical players. Scheye has far exceeded my expectations this season. Buss and Strahm are both thumpers and even with one arm, Justin Strong hits people hard every time he gets a chance. I think the O-Line is also playing way more physical this season. Might not be the DOLA we're used to, but they are playing much, much better. Aaron Best was highly complimentary of the entire Griz O-Line.
 
Those players had 17 years of history to contend with and live up to--EVERY person on the team for 17 straight years played in at least one NC game. 7 straight conference titles. 17 straight playoff appearances...20+ years without a losing season. 16 straight against the Bobcats...never lost to Cal Poly, Never lost to UNC, 16 straight against NAU, etc., etc.

All that's gone...and has been for some time. Hell, I don't think there's anybody in this program that's made it past the round of 24. NONE have won a conference title. Losing to CP & NAU is now a 50/50 proposition. The "fear" of playing in Wa/Griz is mostly gone...Blaming this mindset on Stitt is just comical. I'm not saying HE'S the one to bring it back, but blaming HIM for the current woes of this program simply isn't logical.
 
Through the spring Stitt tried to bring back that attitude. Had Colt in Butte and brought back Chase and others to talk about what Griz football means and educate them a little on the past. You have to walk down the Hall of Champions and realize this place loves football and it you have to want to get back to where Griz football used to be.
 
That attitude you are attributing to 2009 came from the work of those that came before them. We had established "fear" long before Bobby was hired. They did a good job continuing it but by then they expected to win because UM had been winning for a long time. Thank you Don Read and Dickenson et tal for establishment and teams like the 2001 team and beyond for continuance. However it is gone. We need a new team to re-establish and it won't happen in one year. It wont happen this year and not likely next year but the team can be put on the path to get there and Jensen, Buss, Schye might be able to become the next 1995 type team. Maybe not but one can hope. In any case winning begets winning. Attitudes change and winning teams expect to win, recruiting gets better, opposing teams expect to lose and WGS again becomes what it once was. This is what people are asking of Stitt and he has to figure out how to deliver.
 
That was a magical game. I wasn't there, but I was watching with a friend at a sports bar in suburban Portland. We were going out of our minds and got half the bar to become Griz fans for the day. I pull it up and watch it on YouTube about once a year, which is really kind of sad.

Hoping for some more playoff magic in WA Griz, soon!
 
EverettGriz said:
hilinegrizfan said:
On another thread, about another topic, the 2009 App state game was mentioned. I decided to look at the highlight video (posted below), as I haven't seen any replays of the game since i watched it unfold live.. Boy oh boy. Our team was a force to be reckoned with. A hellacious football squad who would devour any opponent that stood in our way. It looks like if that team played our current team, the score would be 100 to -50. And I don't believe that is based solely on athletic ability. Watching the video sent chills up my spine. You can tell we owned that stadium. You could tell the players played every play like it the game was on the line. They had at intangible quality, the "don't f*ck with us" mentality, the "it" factor. Watching the games these past few years (stitt era and beyond), it seems like that is what this team is lacking the most. I'm not saying there is no passion. I know these kids care a great deal about the griz and our success. But if we could get just a percentage of that intangible quality that the 2009 team had... would be a huge help to this program. Have to wonder, does that mentality start at the top and trickle down? I think so. Enjoy....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knX92v66gg8
Click to expand...

And yet we lost the next week to an unseeded playoff team....
Click to expand...
What?

We were ranked #1 in the playoff seedings that year. (11-0)

Nova was #2. (10-1)

I think you're thinking of Richmond. They won it all unseeded the year before.
 
mcg said:
Before the game I said it was the game of the century, and it was. I have a picture of the stadium that night on my desk. I've got the game on dvd and watch it once a year. it always ends the same way. It was a privilege to be in wa-griz that night.
Click to expand...
I'd give my left testie for a DVD of that game dammit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
hm.grwn.grizfan said:
mcg said:
Before the game I said it was the game of the century, and it was. I have a picture of the stadium that night on my desk. I've got the game on dvd and watch it once a year. it always ends the same way. It was a privilege to be in wa-griz that night.
Click to expand...
I'd give my left testie for a DVD of that game dammit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Got mine a few years back on NCAA website. You might still be able to.
 
uofmman1122 said:
EverettGriz said:
hilinegrizfan said:
On another thread, about another topic, the 2009 App state game was mentioned. I decided to look at the highlight video (posted below), as I haven't seen any replays of the game since i watched it unfold live.. Boy oh boy. Our team was a force to be reckoned with. A hellacious football squad who would devour any opponent that stood in our way. It looks like if that team played our current team, the score would be 100 to -50. And I don't believe that is based solely on athletic ability. Watching the video sent chills up my spine. You can tell we owned that stadium. You could tell the players played every play like it the game was on the line. They had at intangible quality, the "don't f*ck with us" mentality, the "it" factor. Watching the games these past few years (stitt era and beyond), it seems like that is what this team is lacking the most. I'm not saying there is no passion. I know these kids care a great deal about the griz and our success. But if we could get just a percentage of that intangible quality that the 2009 team had... would be a huge help to this program. Have to wonder, does that mentality start at the top and trickle down? I think so. Enjoy....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knX92v66gg8
Click to expand...

And yet we lost the next week to an unseeded playoff team....
Click to expand...
What?

We were ranked #1 in the playoff seedings that year. (11-0)

Nova was #2. (10-1)

I think you're thinking of Richmond. They won it all unseeded the year before.
Click to expand...


:thumb:
 
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