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Montana Grizzlies slip to 5th in latest FCS poll
12/28/2011

I've always been a proponent of keeping an open mind of moving teams around in the rankings based on performance, not just wins. Sure Montana looked a little bit sluggish in the first half against Western State but I would have thought a 38-0 final result would've kept the Griz where they were in the rankings. Not so.

The Griz fell from third to fifth as Villanova, who rallied to beat Temple, and Northern Iowa, who was back-to-back blocked field goals away from beating Iowa, jumped ahead of them in the polls. Also, Richmond moved to the top spot after being Duke.

Anyway, here are the complete rankings, courtesy of The Sports Network.

Sports Network's FCS College Football Poll

Team (First-place votes)	Record	Points	Previous Rank
1. Richmond Spiders (103)	1-0	3,042	2
2. Appalachian State Mountaineers (10)	0-1	2,740	1
3. Villanova Wildcats (3)	1-0	2,705	5
4. Northern Iowa Panthers (3)	0-1	2,651	4
5. Montana Grizzlies	1-0	2,615	3
6. James Madison Dukes	0-0	2,235	6
7. William & Mary Tribe (3)	1-0	2,204	14
8. Southern Illinois Salukis	0-1	1,980	7
9. New Hampshire Wildcats	1-0	1,952	8
10. Elon Phoenix	1-0	1,846	11
11. Weber State Wildcats	0-1	1,826	9
12. Cal Poly Mustangs	0-0	1,453	12
13. Central Arkansas Bears	0-1	1,350	13
14. Wofford Terriers	0-1	1,262	10
15. South Carolina State Bulldogs (1)	1-0	1,229	16
16. McNeese State Cowboys	1-0	1,109	15
17. Massachusetts Minutemen	0-1	1,027	17
18. Eastern Washington Eagles	1-0	905	18
19. Texas State Bobcats	1-0	805	20
20. Maine Black Bears	1-0	709	19
21. South Dakota State Jackrabbits	0-0	475	22
22. Eastern Kentucky Colonels	0-1	467	23
23. Jacksonville State Gamecocks	0-1	430	21
24. Harvard Crimson	0-0	361	23
25. Holy Cross Crusaders	1-0	348	25

Others receiving votes: Georgia Southern 212, Liberty 183, Eastern Illinois 167, Delaware 158, Florida A&M 158, Furman 146, Colgate 123, Tennessee-Martin 106, Grambling 103, Western Illinois 103, Samford 87, North Dakota State 71, Alabama A&M 61, Hofstra 50, Montana State 50, Penn 48, Northern Arizona 38, Prairie View 38, Rhode Island 37, Hampton 36, Brown 33, Murray State 24, Stephen F. Austin 20, Southern 18, Gardner-Webb 17, San Diego 16, Jacksonville 14, Youngstown State 14, Southeast Missouri State 13, Southern Utah 12, Norfolk State 11, South Dakota 10, Coastal Carolina 7, Southeastern Louisiana 7, Tennessee State 7, Towson 7, Yale 7, Lafayette 6, Virginia Military 6, Chattanooga 5, Stony Brook 4, UC Davis 4, Albany 3, Jackson State 3, Central Connecticut State 2, Duquesne 2, Tennessee Tech 2.

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Back in Chattanooga.
12/28/2011

For the second year in a row, the Montana Grizzlies knocked off an East Coast power to advance to the FCS National Championship. Every year they're discredited. The strength of their conference is picked apart while another undefeated season is scoffed at. To many, the Big Sky is the Big 10 to the SoCon's SEC. There's still one left, but Montana has proven their schedule is irrelevant. They stack up with the best and they win the big games.

Montana's level of play was questioned throughout the year. As teams ahead of them lost, the Griz didn't move up from being the 2nd or 3rd ranked team. There were even weeks when they received the most first place votes yet still were held out of that #1 spot. Obviously, there were those who felt they didn't belong. If there's anyone out there who still believes that, they're ridiculous.

Obviously, there's one more to go. Last season, the Griz were favorites heading into Chattanooga. They had knocked off CAA champion and #1 seed James Madison; only Richmond, who lost to JMU earlier in the year and finished a lowly tie for third in the conference, remained.

This year, it's different. While the Griz hold the #1 seed this time, I think many favor Villanova. The Wildcats finished the season ahead in the rankings (despite having less first-place votes) and play in one of the East Coast power conferences. Sorry to go into minutiae, but this is important.

Last year I drove from Missoula to Chattanooga in hopes of seeing Montana win a National Championship my senior year. After the effort I put in to get to the game, I felt robbed when the Griz came out as flat as I've ever seen them play. Obviously, this year has to be different.

The Griz have faced adversity before, they've been questioned. In the first round they pulled off the biggest comeback in football this year. They blew out Stephen F. Austin before facing a tough App State team. The fact that they were unseeded is deceiving, they won ten straight coming into that game and the two early season losses were without Armanti Edwards. They're a very good team. And Montana beat them.

I have no doubt Montana has the talent and coaching it takes to win the National Championship. Much like last year, that isn't the issue. Montana must come with the level of play they've shown over the last 9 quarters of football. They need that desire, effort and enthusiasm. The difference between this year and last is that, this year, they'll be there. They will not come out flat this time.

Griz play like their hair is on fire, execute on offense, fly around on defense and win a close one. 28-24 Griz.

Note: I don't think I'll be able to make it out to Kirkland in time to get a spot (which I hear would be somewhere around 3:30) so I'll be at Sluggers Sports Bar in Pioneer Square (Seattle), where I hear there will be a few Griz fans. Hope to see a decent group there. Mention this post, and be one of the first people to do so, and I'll probably buy you a beer.

Photo credit: Becky Malewitz for MontanaGrizzlies.com

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Resilience.
12/28/2011

If you're Appalachian State, Richmond or anyone on this or the other side of your bracket, what transpired Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium was your worst-case scenario.

Montana couldn't be entering their second round game in a more optimal mental state. Against the Jackrabbits, they made mistake after mistake. If this was the "bend but don't break" strategy they were a piece of paper that had been folded in half. Pushed as far as any team could possibly be pushed, they didn't cave.

Going forward, is there any chance a team could push the Griz to a point where they're willing to pack it in, to think they can't win? Absolutely not. Last year, I drove thousands of miles in a shoddy camper to watch Montana fall behind early and never mount any kind of comeback. It felt like we showed up while the team stayed in Missoula.That shouldn't happen this year.

When they weren't tripping over themselves to hand SDSU the game, the Griz were unstoppable. Marc Mariani may be the most dangerous player in the FCS and a legit NFL prospect (see: Wes Welker). This team is every bit as dangerous as last year's impressive group and possibly even better.

But let's look at what could've happened this past weekend: The Giz could've come into Washington-Grizzly stadium clicking in every facet of the game and blown out the Jackrabbits by three scores. With the teams still alive on our side of the bracket, the Griz don't need a thick coating of overconfidence.

Then again, they could've played a low-scoring close game; one where the two teams exchanged mixtakes and it came down to a kick. And how does that look? It's very possible the Griz escape not believing they are truly deserving of their 1-seed.

So what do things look like now? They won't make the same mistakes. They're confident they can move the ball and win games but not so much that they aren't aware of the fact that any potential mistakes could cost them.

Idyllic.

 

 

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Rockclimbergirl Summits Rainier
12/22/2011

A Woman’s Place is on Top of Mount Rainier from Sara Lingafelter on Vimeo.

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New Mill Creek Blog!
12/22/2011

Ken Turley, one of the route-developer extraordinaires at Mill Creek’s North Rim, has started a new blog. It’s called the Mill Creek Report, and you can find it here: http://millcreekreport.blogspot.com/. The North Rim, located one canyon north of Blodgett Canyon and west of Pinesdale in the gorgeous Bitterroot Valley, is a relatively new climbing area founded [...]

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Access Fund News
12/22/2011

Vermont’s Carcass Crag Acquired! CRAG-VT is thrilled to announce the acquisition of one of Vermont’s best sport climbing cliffs: the Carcass Crag! This winter, CRAG-VT signed a purchase and sale agreement to annex the cliff through a boundary line adjustment on their Bolton Quarry climbing area. With the support of the [...]

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Teaching, Learning, Living
12/22/2011

I picked up Olin Martin early on Saturday morning, and we headed for Mill Creek’s North Rim. As you all know, my friends Dane Scott and Ken Turley have been developing sport climbs at the North Rim for the better part of the year. They’ve been gracious enough to allow me to join forces with them, [...]

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Good News from Index
12/22/2011

Here’s some really good news, courtesy of the Access Fund, which we should all be supporting — Michael Washington Climbers Coalition pays off Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign loan for Index, returning funds to the revolving loan program The Access Fund announced today that the Washington Climbers Coalition (WCC) has paid back its [...]

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Climbing, Bolting, Living
12/22/2011

We’ve done a lot of bolting in Mill Creek this year, and we’ve honed our style and apparel over many days of hanging on the wall. For whatever reason, we haven’t shot good photos of ourselves, so I thought you’d appreciate this shot of world-class climber Joe Kinder wearing his bolting suit. Loving the goggles! [...]

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Capt. Kirk and Climbing
12/22/2011

Ever wondered why your climber climbs? Here is the answer, courtesy of the great William Shatner. object width=”640″ height=”385″>

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Bitterroot Climbing makes Rock and Ice
12/22/2011

We will have more on this later when Rock and Ice gets its brand new issue online, but for now, suffice it so say that Montana climbing hits the big time in the new issue. In a piece by Bozeman’s Emily Stifler, Gallatin Canyon, Blodgett and Lost Horse all get a little exposure. The story sort [...]

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Climbing Safety
12/22/2011

Every year when I renew my membership to the American Alpine Club, a little ritual takes place. I send them my money for the good deeds they do and they send me the most recent edition of “Accidents in North American Mountaineering.” The book itself is one of the good deeds. Reading it every year serves [...]

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Grover Cleveland says …
12/21/2011

Feb. 22,1889 Ten days before he left office, and 100 years after George Washington became the nation’s first president, Grover Cleveland marked Washington‘s birthday by signing an act enabling Montana, South and North Dakota and Washington to be admitted to the union – if they could come up with constitutions. “These four states will therefore [...]

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Missoula’s South Avenue of old
12/21/2011

It wasn’t always a straight shot down South from the Missoula County Fairgrounds to Fort Missoula. (Come to think about it, it’s STILL not, what with the rerouting of traffic at Malfunction Junction.) Local roads sleuth Jim Habeck dug up this from the Missoula-Sentinel archives. It’s dated Oct. 28, 1930, and it begs the question [...]

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Heinze’s warning about Amalgamated/Standard Oil power was delivered on this day in 1903
12/21/2011

Oct. 26, 1903 This was the day F. Augustus Heinze stood on the balcony of the Butte courthouse and warned 10,000 laid-off miners: “If they crush me today they will crush you tomorrow.” Four days earlier Heinze’s nemesis, the powerful Amalgamated Copper Company, shut down all its enterprises in Montana, eventually laying off nearly four-fifths [...]

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Montana Territorial governor received discouraging first education report on this day in 1867
12/21/2011

Oct. 29, 1867 There are eight school districts in Madison County, but as far as A.M.S. Carpenter can tell, none are open in Beaverhead County and none have even been organized in Chouteau County. In fact, Carpenter knows of only two of Montana’s 10 counties that have schools. So he has noted in a report [...]

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The last buffalo hunt in Montana (?)
12/21/2011

From the New York Times on Jan. 22, 1911, under the headline “Last Buffalo Hunt Now On: Michel Pablo Killing Off His Herd in Spite of Montana Authorities” CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 21 – The last act of a spectacular deal is now being enacted on the plains of the Flathead Reservation in Montana, where Michel [...]

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Happy 129th, Ma Bell Montana
12/21/2011

Feb. 21, 1882 This was the day the first telephone exchange in Montana was installed in Butte by the Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone Company. The event came exactly four years after the first genuine experiment with telephones in Helena. There were 14 subscribers to the Butte system, most of them businesses. Service was not immediately [...]

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Missoula’s first ice carnival, January 1924
12/21/2011

This was in the Jan. 24, 1924, Missoulian, under the headline “1,000 At Missoula’s First Ice Carnival: Exceptional Weather Brings Out Large Crowd to Initial Rink Event” Missoula’s first skating carnival was a success. Any doubt in the matter will be settled affirmatively by the crowd of nearly one thousand that lined the circumference of [...]

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Remembering Pearl Harbor: Charles Dowd
12/21/2011

Charles Dowd joined the U.S. Navy in January 1941, shortly after he turned 17. But he didn’t do it to fight in a war. “Never thought of it,” said Dowd when Missoulian photographer Michael Gallacher and I sat down with him Tuesday at his home in Anaconda. Dowd, a Pearl Harbor survivor, comes to Missoula [...]

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Just one more
12/21/2011

That's it. The team that was expected to lose somewhere around three games is 60 minutes from the U's third National Championship. The CAA and whoever can talk themselves up all they want. The truth is, Appalachian State is the only team that can come close to making the argument that they're more of an FCS powerhouse. After tonight, Montana Grizzlies will have appeared in six of the past fourteen FCS National Championship games.

Now there's just one more. That's it. I'm not sure what I can say. At this point, it's on the players. We'll be bringing thousands of Griz fans, because let's face it, we're as good as they come. We're 2,100 miles away and sold out all our tickets. Richmond had to send some back. We can yell but it's on the guys now.

To conclude, this is ridiculous. I am in Chattanooga, Tennessee, it was close to a 40 hour drive from the zoo. Now let's do this. Just a single game. Let's go Cole. Chase, carry em. Mr Touchdown has this. And Colt 'The Hair' Anderson will be knocking down anyone that makes it to the secondary. I honestly don't know how to wrap this up. It's completely unbelievable. The last Griz game I attend as a student will be a National Championship game.

Ironically, the first Griz game I ever watched was a title game. As a senior in high school, shortly after deciding I'd be going to the University of Montana for school, I watched our Griz get beat on that torn up field. Today will be different. We'll be driving out of this town with championship #4.

28-17 Griz.

Follow twitter.com/colinokeefe for comments and pictures from the game and tailgates.

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Witness.
12/21/2011

Available for purchase here. Also available, for a little cheaper, in white.

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Was that finally the win the Griz needed?
12/21/2011

When the Griz went down big early, like they have frequently before, I was already beginning to conjure up titles for this post. Griz are not one of Big Sky's elite stood out more than other options. This team had already gotten trounced by Portland State and looked like it was going to roll over just the same against NAU, who took those Vikings quadruple to (!!) overtime on Sunday.

It's too often that they go down early. Just as frequently, they make a run to get in the game but can't quite get all the way back. Honestly, how rare is it that Griz radio guy Mick Holien doesn't say "no hill for a climber" during a broadcast? For the first time since I can remember, the Griz actually climbed that hill.

The reason? Anthony Johnson picked up this half-assed team and threw them over his shoulder, scoring 32 after dropping 31 on Montana State. Like Tebow in last night's National Championship game, he simply said "there's no effing way we're losing this game," hitting mid-range jumpers and putting himself on the line. In the process, he fired up others, forcing them to bring their game to where he was. McGillis' late no-hesitation 3-point dagger is a prime example.

But why this game? Why did wait until now to show the potential and resilience of a decent team? Glenn Junkert of grizzlyjournal has a quote from Coach Tinkle on the rally:

“But, our rally at halftime was... let’s throw caution to the wind, in not so many words. And our guys responded. It was nice to fight all that way, and get over the top and pull out the win. So many times we’ve fought, fought, fought, fell up short. It was great. And I think that’s what you saw as the horn went off, was the excitement of coming from that much of a deficit and closing it out.”

This team played loose, they played with confidence. They looked like they were having fun. Who knew that was possible? It'll be interesting to see if they take this approach with the offense, possibly moving Johnson back to the off-guard and cutting him loose while CET or Stockton man the point.

I thought these Grizzlies had turned the corner once this season with a win over Texas-Arlington, but that wasn't the case. Maybe this win is finally it, maybe this is a major turning point for this team and Coach Tinkle. Maybe not. But we have Sac State on Saturday. I don't know what the single game scoring record is, but someone may want to check.

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Griz-Cat hoops: live blog
12/21/2011

The Griz go for five in a row to stay in the thick of the conference race. The Cats try to pick up a game in the standings to pull even with the Griz. It's Montana, Montana State and all the Phil Buck you can handle. Awesome.

First Half

• I think the camera is out of focus. Or really poor quality. Maybe both. 2-0 Griz two minutes in. 
• First AJ mid-range hanging dagger of the game. Kind of want to see him back at the off-guard, or at least taking more shots. He could be a Steph Curry type of point guard.
• 8-7 now, 15 minutes left. Why the hell do they not have both Griz-Cat games while the students are back? It's pretty damn ridiculous.
• A lot of empty seats at the ends. Big Sky basketball or people not being allowed to sit there? I don't know.
• McGillis playing hard early. Good to see. Once the winning starts it seems as though everyone starts to find their roles/not compete for shots. Kind of a chicken and the egg type situation though. 11-9, 13:30 left. And he just blocked some kid hard. It didn't even leave is hand. Two blocks so far.
• CET checks in, AJ to the off guard. Misses a three. If he adds that to is game next year he may average 25+ in this conference.
• Why don't they have Mick just do both TV and radio? Is there some kind of conflict I'm missing? I know it happens in other sports.
• These games are much better on Big Sky TV. But I don't think it's working and I'd rather not listen to Montana State's broadcasters.
• Now 17-17 with 7:24 left. Phil Buck stressing almost every word. Let's see if the radio is synced. It's not. 
• Now it's at 24-18 after a three by Hasquet. Well, 24-21 after a Cat three. It'd be nice to push this to the 7-10 range. Now a three by Staudacher.
• Anthony Johnson kind of flops/gets fouled. Have you ever seen him get shaken up or upset over a call?
• 31-26 after AJ drives baseline and lays it in.
• CET also showing some offensive prowess as he picks up an old-school three pointer.
• 36-30 at half.

Second half

• Griz now up nine. Keep pushing it.
• Just discussed the whole possession arrow concept with a friend. Why is that still in college basketball?
• Lead still at nine. Same score actually. 17:22 left.
• McGillis makes a three and now it's a ten point lead. I know I missed a score. McGillis having a big game.
• Michael Taylor looks exactly like someone I despise. But he's cool though. Michael Taylor. Not the other kid.
• 43-37 after AJ jumps and makes an ill-advised pass that leads to a dunk.
• These games on TV always seems dull. It could be that every play is called like it was extremely important so nothing stands out.
• "SPLASH" Kyle Sharp nails a three at the end of the shot clock. 46-37.
• Griz need to pull away a little. We don't need to have this be in question coming down the stretch. I'm a little more confident in this team pulling out close wins but why do it if you don't need to? We need this win on the road bad.
• That may be the first time I've seen Byran Qvale dunk a basketball in a game.
• 50-46 now with 9:20 left. This is far too close. Kind of a sloppy game.
• Wow, Ceylon Elgin-Taylor showing some game. Watch out.
• Champ looks ridiculous.
• Anthony Johnson's mid range fadeaway is unbelievable. Why wasn't he starting earlier in the season. Not gonna lie, I kind of called this.
• Another one from AJ. Phil Buck says "string music."
• Staudacher fouled out. 58-51 Griz.
• Jesus. Anthony Johnson just made a circus reverse shot, after a bump. Yeah, give him all three.
• Ceylon to Anthony on a fast break and now the lead is 11 with 3:30 to play. Cats make a three but it's still uphill for them.
• Griz break the press on Hasquet's quarterback pass but Mcgillis gets fouled hard going up for a dunk. This is about over. Makes one, Griz get the rebound and now Anthony Johnson is going to the line after a block. These are almost automatic. Yep. 68-57.
• Well, Cats then dunk over McGillis.
• Back to 11 on Hasquet free throws. We've gotten pretty decent at icing games. Howard airballs a three. Let's wrap this up.
• Griz fans holding up keys signifying "warm up the bus." This is a home game for the Cats. There is no bus.
• The end of the game was far too long.
• Griz win 78-63. Another double digit victory over the Cats. Five in a row and still in second place.

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Griz upend Vikings, finally get that big win
12/21/2011

It's been a long time since the Griz won a game like this. Over the past two seasons, the Griz have slipped from one of the conference's best teams, then to just a contender and finally to a mediocre squad stuck to the middle of the pack. With last night's 72-65 win over Portland State, a team some thought would go undefeated in conference play, the Griz may once again be one of the conference's elite.

A team that often times lacks intensity and heart finally showed the characteristics a decent team should.

Here's what Vikings coach Ken Bone had to say about the game, from the grizzlyjournal:

“They (Montana) hit some big shots, hit some big threes and... the crowd got into it, and I thought they just did a nice job of executing plays down the stretch and making baskets and we didn’t,” said Portland State Coach Ken Bone.

“I thought our guys played hard, but Montana just deserved to win,” said Bone. 

It's odd hearing that quote coming from someone other than Wayne Tinkle. Rarely do we hit the big shots, make stops and end up being the team that deserved to win.

Here's Tinkle and AJ commenting on the team's character, which is no longer acidic and cancerous.  From The Missoulian:

“I just think it says a lot about our character,” said Montana coach Wayne Tinkle, whose Griz had been outscored by the Vikings 180-101 in their previous two meetings. “It was a team that had stepped on us the last couple of times we played them. We challenged our guys to respond and show a little bit of Grizzly pride.”

“It's chemistry,” Johnson said. “We talk about potential a lot of the time. That's been the knock on us, when is our potential going to be realized. I think we saw it today, what we can do when we're firing on all cylinders. The chemistry was at a high.”

In conclusion, this victory and what it means for this program is almost bitter sweet. On the positive side, this was a much-needed win, one that thrusts this team and program back into the conference race. But when did beating a conference opponent constitute a signature victory? These are teams we're supposed to, at the very least, split the season series with and now it feels like a legit upset. I hope the next time we beat PSU, preferably in the tournament, it doesn't have close to the same feel.

Photo credit: Jerek Wolcott for Montanagrizzlies.com

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