Crazy things that have happened at a Griz basketball game

[Grizbacker1]

1. About 1966 - Cats come out for the warmup and some guys turn a bunch of chickens loose under their basket. The Cats kept on shooting - I laughed until I cried as baskebtalls bounced on the rims and hit next to checkens on the floor.

2. About the same time, someone decided to bring some crowd noisemakers. They brought small 2x4 wood blocks (probably throw away cut-offs from a local mill). Anyway, they made quite a racket as they were clapped together. The Griz lost the game on a last second Cat shot and Jack Gillespie, the Cat star center from Great Falls, came to the Griz student section and did a double "flip the bird" at the students. The wooden blocks rained on him from the student section. Oh, the good old days.

3. 1977 or so and we were playing the Cats in Bozeman. They had a raised floor. Jud Heathcote jumped up in his seat, took his sports coat partly off, and threw it on the raised floor. As the coat came off his arm, it pulled his watch off, which slid across the floor to the student section. I assume a Cat fan still proudly carries that souvenier.

Those are great.! I only got to see Jud throw his Sport coat a few times.

 

[grizonbob]

We had season tickets back in the 1970s. There were great times watching such folks as Larry K, Michael Ray Richardson and Judd Heathcote, who used to go ballistic on some calls and start jerking his jacket off in anger. Most of the games sold out, and the place rocked. The great majority of it all was lots of fun, but I recall that there was one game when Weber was playing, and Neil McCarthy was coaching, and his son was playing. My memory is that McCarthy's wife had recently died of cancer, and there were some ugly taunts regarding that from the crowd. One of the very few times I was embarassed to be at a game. Anyone know where McCarthy is now? That was a heated rivalry.

 

[Grizbacker1]

We had season tickets back in the 1970s. There were great times watching such folks as Larry K, Michael Ray Richardson and Judd Heathcote, who used to go ballistic on some calls and start jerking his jacket off in anger. Most of the games sold out, and the place rocked. The great majority of it all was lots of fun, but I recall that there was one game when Weber was playing, and Neil McCarthy was coaching, and his son was playing. My memory is that McCarthy's wife had recently died of cancer, and there were some ugly taunts regarding that from the crowd. One of the very few times I was embarassed to be at a game. Anyone know where McCarthy is now? That was a heated rivalry.

Neil McCarthy was reassigned to Asst. AD at New Mexico State after his program got sanctioned by the NCAA for numerous things including allegedly obtaining academic credits for two players with the help of a JC Coach who later became an assistant to McCarthy. I think he may have retired though. I actually liked him and he was a hell of a coach. I remember when the Zoo used to chant, "sit coach sit", McCarthy would pretend to sit then stand right up getting boos fromthe students. He loved it, they loved it.

 

[Grizbacker1]

This is a Jud Heathcote story but I think those that remember Jud will appreciate it. When Jud was at UM, one of the Sportswriters was John Blanchette. He had long hair and always looked kinda scraggly. Anyway, John later went to the Spokesman Review and I believe a paper in Seattle. When Jud was at Michigan State, Blanchette calls him and procedes to tell Jud he used to cover him when Jud was at UM and wondered if he remembered him from the Missoulian. Jud pauses, then asks John is he was the long haired kid with glasses. John was quite pleased Jud remembered him enthusiastically answered that yes it was him. Jud said, "get a damn haircut" and hung up on him. TRUE STORY!

 

[Paytonlives]

How bout the game ( I think it was ISU) where most of the student section and alot of the crowd had eye black on because one of the ISU? players had beaten up his girlfriend. Anyone recall that?

Im pretty sure it was Reno cant remember his name but I think 1985-86?

I also remember Rick Herring from Reno had hair you could braid hanging off the back of his neck. He got rode hard "Shave your Fing neck rick!!" He was averaging around 20 a game- that night he got 3. The really funny thing was the tourney was a few weeks later and Rick had a nicely shaved neck!!!

Fans can make a difference.

 

[Paytonlives]

It wasnt crazy- but seeing Micheal Ray go off for 40 against the cats PRICELESS!!!

Didnt Heathcote deck a coach in the track tunnel during halftime???

 

[jbslicer]

1975-Pullman, WA-NCAA first round games-Griz beat Utah State
Second game is UCLA vs. Michigan-during warmups a Griz fan steals Marques Johnson's warmup jacket. Statue of limitations has probably run out of this crime.

 

[Paytonlives]

Up by 20 points I saw Stew Morrel get a technical by pushing his glasses up with his middle finger... The guy never got mad about anything, so it was really funny

 

[ursusmissoulus]

How bout the game ( I think it was ISU) where most of the student section and alot of the crowd had eye black on because one of the ISU? players had beaten up his girlfriend. Anyone recall that?

Im pretty sure it was Reno cant remember his name but I think 1985-86?

I also remember Rick Herring from Reno had hair you could braid hanging off the back of his neck. He got rode hard "Shave your Fing neck rick!!" He was averaging around 20 a game- that night he got 3. The really funny thing was the tourney was a few weeks later and Rick had a nicely shaved neck!!!

Fans can make a difference.

You are right. My bad. It was Reno. Sorry ISU.

 

[Paytonlives]

can someone saay MAGGOT MOUTH or MEGA MOUTH?????