To All the Montana Fans

[AppMan]

Just returned from your beautiful state. I've been traveling to App games since 1975 and Montana folks are by far the best we've ever encountered. Even while we were on the plane a young lady was giving us tips on what to do and where to eat. From the time we sat down for a burger and shake at Matt's in Butte until we lifted off on the way home we could not have asked for a more enjoyable time. We traveled 1100 miles and everywhere we went people were friendly and hospitable - even in Bozeman!

The game experience was just icing on the cake. People offering us food & drink at every turn and one guy even offered to buy our lunch while standing in line for a hamburger. This was my first trip out west and I now understand the meaning of Big Sky Country. The scenery was magnificent and most of the time breathtaking. Pictures simply do not do it justice. One of the best memories was seeing the entire Milky Way for the first time since I was a kid. It looked like we were standing in a bowl with a sky full of stars from horizon to horizon. Living near a city with lots of lights you tend forget the magnificence of our world.

I am sorry our series of games has come to an end. However, I hope this wasn't my last trip to watch the Griz play.

A heartfelt and sincere thanks to everyone who treated us so kindly. You should be proud of your state, citizens and school.

[robsnotes4u]

That is an awesome post, and growing up in Montana I miss it, especially living in The flatlands of Eastern North Dakota.


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[ursus arctos horribilis]

Thank you AppMan. I had a great time in Boone last year and very glad you had the same experience coming here. I will miss those App/Montana games severely going forward.xthumbsupx

[AppStsGr8]

Agreed! We had a marvelous time ... except for the score :) The fans were great; we loved Missoula and the surrounding area, too. This was college football as it should be - respect, a little good natured ribbing, good times. If I get the chance to see Missoula again, I'll certainly take it!

[caribbeanhen]

You times are changing when the Appy Montana game didn't create at least a 50 page thread..... Seemed like it was just few years ago and this place was swarming with Mountain Men.... I guess there all out in the Conf USA boards zzzzzzzzzzz

[MTGrizzFan]

Glad you had a good time! I talked to several App State fans at the game.....good folks.

[Mr. C]

Just returned from your beautiful state. I've been traveling to App games since 1975 and Montana folks are by far the best we've ever encountered. Even while we were on the plane a young lady was giving us tips on what to do and where to eat. From the time we sat down for a burger and shake at Matt's in Butte until we lifted off on the way home we could not have asked for a more enjoyable time. We traveled 1100 miles and everywhere we went people were friendly and hospitable - even in Bozeman!

The game experience was just icing on the cake. People offering us food & drink at every turn and one guy even offered to buy our lunch while standing in line for a hamburger. This was my first trip out west and I now understand the meaning of Big Sky Country. The scenery was magnificent and most of the time breathtaking. Pictures simply do not do it justice. One of the best memories was seeing the entire Milky Way for the first time since I was a kid. It looked like we were standing in a bowl with a sky full of stars from horizon to horizon. Living near a city with lots of lights you tend forget the magnificence of our world.

I am sorry our series of games has come to an end. However, I hope this wasn't my last trip to watch the Griz play.

A heartfelt and sincere thanks to everyone who treated us so kindly. You should be proud of your state, citizens and school.
I didn't realize you had not made the trip out to Missoula with the rest of us in 2000. I can say without a doubt that Montana has the best atmosphere in FCS (and some of the best fans I've ever met) and (as someone who has been to a lot of the big-time stadiums) I'd rank it ahead of most FBS atmospheres, too. Wish I could have been there for the final game of this series. We made some great Montana friends-for-life when they made the trip to Boone last year. So wish ASU would have stayed at the FCS level (the same for Georgia Southern, too).

[KNUTS]

Im one of the lucky ones that got to experience Boone and everything the App folks had to offer. Im just glad we could repay the hospitality one last time. The level of respect shown between the two places is very rare in sports and Im glad to be apart of it.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

I blame you KNUTS, when I think of class, your the picture that pops into my head.

This weekend was just as fun as last year in Boone, classy fans on both sides, great conversation and both App St fans and Griz fans together, enjoyed watching NDSU take K-State down at the Mo Club. I loved it when all the App St fans showed up after the game at our tailgate. They graciously thanked us again for everything, we gave them beer, they thanked us again.....so we gave them more beer. It was great getting to know them and host them at our tailgate.

The only thing wrong with the whole weekend was that Coulson wasnt there. I blame him and only him for that. We managed to get along without him, have fun and party but he was the lynch pin last year in Boone. He tied the whole room together...man
18208

Coulson abides

[AppMan]

I didn't realize you had not made the trip out to Missoula with the rest of us in 2000. I can say without a doubt that Montana has the best atmosphere in FCS (and some of the best fans I've ever met) and (as someone who has been to a lot of the big-time stadiums) I'd rank it ahead of most FBS atmospheres, too. Wish I could have been there for the final game of this series. We made some great Montana friends-for-life when they made the trip to Boone last year. So wish ASU would have stayed at the FCS level (the same for Georgia Southern, too).

DC, Yep this was our first trip and I'm really glad we finally made it. The Montana games have been great, but as you and I have discussed numerous times, the possibility of playing Wake, ECU, Marshall, Charlotte and others in this region holds more appeal to a wide range of App Fans than playing a school 2,200 miles away, even a great program like Montana. The only way to make that happen is being in FBS.

I'm also glad I went to Missoula for another reason. After talking to their fans and getting a feel for the political and economic climate there I've got a better understanding why they see no reason in going FBS . Montana and App have a lot of similarities, but are very different. It has been my position all along moving to FBS is as much academic as it is athletic. Unlike App, which has to fight and scrape for every bit of funding and influence in NC, UM is the flagship school in their state. Their grads occupy positions of influence in local, state and federal government and that gives the university a huge advantage in securing state funding and support. Unlike NC where there are 16 schools in the university system, 8 that play D-I athletics and with soon to be 7 FBS programs, UM only has one in state rival. The situations are vastly different and I don't expect their people to fully understand the reasoning.

As you know I've been advocating the move since App was forced into 1-AA in 1983. Is it a pride thing? To a degree, but as I told some Montana fans who questioned me on the FBS move, App has practically been forced into the jump. It is also about wanting to see my school play at the highest level possible. No, we are not Alabama and we never will be, but FCS has changed a lot since 1982 and most of the schools - in this region - App has a lot of commonality with have moved up. BTW, I'm anticipating some big news out of JMU following the release of their FBS Study by Carr Sports Associates in a month or so.

Things change and this era of App Football has come to an end. Time to move on. The king is dead, long live the new king!

[knucklehead]

Had an amazing experience up there last year for the Liberty game (except for the score, like app).

[msupokes1]

I have made that trip and I cannot say I agree with you. Every time I have gone they have left the freezer on outside. All joking aside it is a wonderful place to catch a game and the fans are fantastic. Definitely a model of what all FCS atmospheres should strive to look like.

[Silenoz]

I have made that trip and I cannot say I agree with you. Every time I have gone they have left the freezer on outside. All joking aside it is a wonderful place to catch a game and the fans are fantastic. Definitely a model of what all FCS atmospheres should strive to look like.
xlolx

November and later = cold as f#$k

[robsnotes4u]

xlolx

November and later = cold as f#$k

You should have been coming to North Dakota in the 80's when UND and NDSU games were outside. Did we go through Schnapps. Driving to Fargo to watch the Bison be up by 40 at halftime over my Sioux when it was 20 below zero with out the wind chill was stupid, yet fun. We were true fans.

[KNUTS]

I blame you KNUTS, when I think of class, your the picture that pops into my head.

This weekend was just as fun as last year in Boone, classy fans on both sides, great conversation and both App St fans and Griz fans together, enjoyed watching NDSU take K-State down at the Mo Club. I loved it when all the App St fans showed up after the game at our tailgate. They graciously thanked us again for everything, we gave them beer, they thanked us again.....so we gave them more beer. It was great getting to know them and host them at our tailgate.

The only thing wrong with the whole weekend was that Coulson wasnt there. I blame him and only him for that. We managed to get along without him, have fun and party but he was the lynch pin last year in Boone. He tied the whole room together...man
18208

Coulson abides

Most of my ex-girlfriends would disagree with you... Severely!!

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Most of my ex-girlfriends would disagree with you... Severely!!
WTF do they know?

[ursus arctos horribilis]

WTF do they know?

After dating KNUTS? They know what a series of painful shots feels like.

[citdog]

You should have been coming to North Dakota in the 80's when UND and NDSU games were outside. Did we go through Schnapps. Driving to Fargo to watch the Bison be up by 40 at halftime over my Sioux when it was 20 below zero with out the wind chill was stupid, yet fun. We were true fans.

SERIOUSLY dude that is a climate unfit for human habitation.

[Southern Bison]

SERIOUSLY dude that is a climate unfit for human habitation.

You better get your Southern skin back to Charleston soon...you're going to be a Rebel-sicle in about 3 months!

[ursus arctos horribilis]

You better get your Southern skin back to Charleston soon...you're going to be a Rebel-sicle in about 3 months!

Yeah, I was gonna say he should check the temps here back then. MT & ND are real similar. xlolx

Rebel-sicle, gotta give you some props on that one. xlolx