Most of you know that I’m not a sports fan (sorry, Dad, just ain’t gonna happen). I don’t like sports, don’t watch sports, don’t care about sports. But when it comes down to the MSU Bobcats versus the UM Grizzlies, I have to choose a team to root for, right? And for me, the answer has been clear from the very beginning when I arrived in Great Falls: GO CATS!
Why? Well, there’s a few very non-sporty reasons. Number one is that the very first impression I had of either school was via their respective websites back in 2002, and the MSU website was just far more Montana-ey, in terms of photographs of the natural beauty of Montana.
Second, we actually have ties to MSU right here in Great Falls – the MSU-GF College of Technology! I’m always surprised to learn that some Great Falls folks – who aren’t UM grads – choose the Griz over the “home” team. Isn’t cheering for the “home team” a natural choice when it comes to sports?
And third, well…let’s face it, Missoula has sort of a reputation as the “Berkeley of Montana.” You know. Hippies. And Bozeman – while it certainly has earned some of the “Bozangeles” scorn that some people think it richly deserves – is simply less hippie-like (at least in common perception, in my estimation).
Fourth: Bozeman is on the better (more picturesque) side of the Continental Divide.
I’m not hatin’ on the Griz – as a loyal Montanan, I want them to beat any non-Montana team, of course. Well, to the extent that I care about any sporting event.
But when it comes to choosing between the Cats and the Griz, I’ve gotta say: Go Cats!
Love your non-sporty reasons for siding with the Cats. Hey, ya gotta pick a team to root for somehow, right?
I cheer the cats. Why? Because my boss does.
WIN!
Ha! Hey, at least you HAVE a reason, unlike so many other sports fans!
Go GRIZ! My wife is an alum