A True Brawl of the Wild

Saturday marked the 106th meeting of the Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats football teams...or as some like to call it The Brawl of the Wild. I was pretty excited for the game since this would be my first Griz/Cat game experience. (Side note: I thought it was Cat/Griz and always said Cat/Griz, until I was shunned by my peers for putting our rivals' name before our home team. So for all intents and purposes I will now say Griz/Cat, even though alphabetically C comes before G...oh well.)

My sister was driving up from Bozeman for the game, so in addition to the rivalry between schools, we had the whole family rivalry going on. Even more reason to go out and cheer for our guys. That and the fact that I was one of the lucky people to spend 16 hours in the University Center waiting for my ticket and a guest pass. So you better believe that I wasn't gonna let that ticket go to waste.

We arrived in the stadium about 20 minutes before game time. Just in time to see the pre-game show. It kicked off with the routine skydivers trying to land on the grizzly at the 50 yard line. Next Monte, our beloved mascot, rode out onto the field in his usual style sportin' his leather jacket and his sweet motorcycle. The crowd did their usual cheering upon Monte's arrival. Then a surprise 'celebrity' guest rode into the stadium. It was none other than Benny the Bull, the Chicago Bulls mascot. The crowd went into an overwhelming uproar. (For those of you who don't know the connection between Benny the Bull and U of M: the guy who is now Benny the Bull used to be Monte. His antics made Monte into the well-known gymnast, dancer and crowd pleaser during his time as Monte. He also made Monte the Capital One National Mascot for the first time before leaving Missoula to take the position as Benny the Bull. Got it? Okay. Let's move on.)

Finally, it was go time. The massive inflatable football helmet was aired up and the team geared up to enter the field. The MSU Bobcats made their way out and were greeted by an overwhelming "Boooo." Not exactly a warm welcome. Next the Grizzlies ran onto the field. The crowd went wild.

To tell you the truth, I had more fun watching the crowd interact with each other than watching the game. Sure, there was the occasional exciting moment when my friends and I would jump up and down screaming and yelling as our players intercepted or ran the ball down the field, but for the most part, I was amazed by the atmosphere of the game. Especially when three MSU fans decided to stand in the UM student section. You could cut the animosity with a knife. After being heckled and having a few things thrown at them (by the way, if the person who was throwing things is reading this...Not cool--you weren't exactly representing our school very well, plus most of the stuff you threw hit Griz fans) these students made the wise decision to relocate to the south end zone during half time. Thanks to our amazing defense, we prevailed; beating the Bobcats 13-7.

At the end of the game, the crowd rushed the field to celebrate our victory with the team. This victory led the Griz to be undefeated in our conference. And we have a playoff game this Saturday at Washington Grizzly Stadium. So, for those of you traveling home for Thanksgiving, I hope you have an awesome holiday. And for those of you staying in Missoula, I better see you at the game on Saturday supporting our team. Go Griz!

It's a World of Music

The Missoula music scene never ceases to amaze me. Almost every night of the week you can find live music somewhere in Missoula. Whether it's at an open mic night, a concert in town, or a local band playing a show, there is almost always somewhere to hear live music. I tend to enjoy going to open mic night. This provides a plethora of musical genres and talented artists and musicians strutting their stuff. Monday nights at Sean Kelly's proves to be a great atmosphere for open mic. Every other Tuesday you can find entertainment in the UC game room where musicians and comedians test the waters. Throughout the rest of the week there are plenty of venues to check out music. Here's a list of places to check out: The Other Side, Bear's Brew, The Loft, Higgins Hall, The Elk's Club, The Top Hat, The Wilma Theater, and various locations on Campus. Keep in mind, some of these venues are for 21 and over. But there are plenty of opportunities to see great music at other venues.

So if you are a fan of music, or just looking for something fun to do, check out a local musical act. You can usually find a schedule in the entertainment section of free publications such as The Independent and The Missoulian Entertainer. Or if you feel like going on a weekend venture, there are always great acts at The Big Easy Concert House in Spokane, a quick 3 hour drive. Or check out a show in Butte. That's what my friends and I did a couple weekends ago. We went to the Butte Silver Dollar to watch Anna McGary. She rocks. Check her myspace page out at www.myspace.com/annamcgary. Here's a shot of Anna rocking out on her guitar.

Election Day Craziness!

I hope all of you exercised your right to vote today. I'm patiently awaiting the election results and sort of working on my homework even though I'm more than slightly distracted by the election updates. Today was filled with election day activities and I give kudos to everyone who voted, especially those who are considered "America's Youth". Your vote really does count and if you aren't voting, I feel that you really have no right to complain about state of our country. However, if you are making your voice heard then you are doing something to change things. And that is what matters. So good work!

Surviving College Life

As a fourth year student in Missoula I find myself thinking about how much I've changed since I moved here in August of 2003. A lot can happen in 3 years and thinking back I wish someone would have prepared me for the things to come in college. So, here are my top five tips for those preparing to start college.

Things I wish I would have known before coming to the University...

1. Quarters are actually gold. With your spare quarters you can do almost anything. Buy a meal, go to a movie, do laundry, or go to that concert you really want to see. It's amazing how rich you will feel with a jar of quarters by your side. And no matter how much money you have saved up, you will become one of those 'broke college students' you've heard so much about. Be prepared.

2. Getting junk mail can actually be exciting, especially in the dorms. Checking your mailbox will become one of the most exciting parts of your day. And when you look through the little mailbox window and see an envelope in there, your day will be just a little brighter. Even if its junk mail, it is always exciting to receive mail at college.

3. Just because you don't have to go to class doesn't mean you shouldn't go to class. I must say that it is nice to have the choice of whether or not to go to class. But keep in mind, even though you're too tired to get up for your 8:00 a.m. class it is still taking place. And you are missing out on information that you will be tested on. If you aren't a morning person, don't try and convince yourself that you'll get up. Just sign up for later classes.

4. Who you were in high school doesn't matter anymore. So you were the homecoming queen, or the captain of the football team, or maybe even the student body president. Guess what? Nobody here cares. Not to say that those aren't great achievements and moments in your life that you should be proud of; just don't get too full of yourself. Because once you are here, you are just another incoming freshman. Another new face on campus. And even though you think you blend in with everyone, we see the lost looks on your faces during the first few weeks when everything is new and exciting. We know who you are and one day you too will find humor in watching the new students find their way around. It's a right of passage.

5. There will never be such a fine line between friends and family. You are out on your own for presumably the first time in your life. The people you choose to surround yourself with will become the most valuable friends you have ever have. They will become your support network, your best friends, the shoulder to cry on, your Friday night entertainment, and the closest thing to family you will have in your college career. So choose wisely who you decide to have in your life. Because trips home can be few and far between, so your friends will truly get you through the tough times.

There are so many other things I wish I could tell you but that would take far more time than either of us are willing to commit to this blog. So hopefully this information is helpful to those preparing for college and somewhat humorous to those who read this and thought "That is so true."