As you are certainly aware, there's a pretty big football game on Saturday. Since this will be your first visit to Missoula, I wanted to reach out to you in a neighborly fashion and give you some information you may find beneficial during your visit.
Missoula is a gorgeous city, bested in beauty only by the wonderful campus contained within it. The city offers many recreational activities, although I presume you will have enough on your plate trying to game-plan to stop Mr. Reynolds, and therefore won't have much time to enjoy the abundance of opportunities available to you. Of course, in a city with a culture as rich and diverse as Missoula's you would expect to find a number of fine eating establishments, ranging from the coziest sandwich shop to the most-elegant of restaurants. Missoula does not disappoint! Rest assured, you will find no lack of places in which to take your weary and beaten lads following the game on Saturday.
The University of Montana is located on the east end of town, nestled up against Mt. Sentinel, at the entrance to Hellgate Canyon. You'll recognize Mt. Sentinel with its large "M". More than one coach has sent his players up there as punishment following a beat-down by the Griz. Let's hope that won't be necessary for you. The source of the name "Hellgate Canyon" is open to some debate. However, I think if you asked most coaches around the country, they'd tell you it would be more aptly named "The Gates of Hell". Spend some time wandering the lovely campus. It's a terrific way to burn some calories as well as to exorcise the demons that invariably follow a 30 point loss.
Montana plays in a facility called "Washington-Grizzly Stadium". Coaching in the Big Sky Conference, it may well seem extremely out of place to you. First, it's a legitimate football facility, one which far exceeds the quality of any other at this level and, frankly, many more at the next level. I've helpfully attached a photo so that you will not be completely shocked when you arrive.
Now, I must warn you, since that photo was taken, the stadium has expanded again (boy, it seems as if they do that just about every year here). They added onto the East side, putting a second tier on. No, you don't need to re-read that sentence. There is a stadium in the BSC with two tiers. Again, in the interest of being as accommodating and helpful as possible in preparation of your visit, here is a photo of the expansion.
Yes, it's an impressive place, Washington-Grizzly. But perhaps even more impressive than its rugged beauty is the fact that it is packed every weekend. Yes, it's difficult to believe that anyone in the Big Sky draws 6,000 every week, say nothing about 26,000. But remember, this is Montana, and the program here is special. But what may be the most remarkable thing of all is the sheer noise that those fans generate. Many coaches find these useful, and you may also:
Let me assure you, the noise will bother you and your boys beyond your wildest imagination. We try to be as gracious to our visitors as possible, but there are simply somethings that cannot be avoided. I strongly suggest the earplugs. And some silent counts wouldn't hurt either. Because if I understand it correctly, you cannot afford to get too many quarterbacks killed due to lineman being unable to hear their blocking assignments.
Now, just prior to the game starting, you'll probably see this:
Do not be alarmed. It is not the end of the world. Although, it just may well be the beginning of the end of your season.
You're bound to see much of this activity during the day. It's completely normal, and is a very common occurrence during these Griz/Cat games. It's simply the Griz celebrating the scoring of another touchdown.
After the final whistle as you are slowly walking back to your locker room, you will hear a lovely little tune being sung. No, it's not the Missoula Choir. It's the Montana Grizzlies singing "Up With Montana, Boys", the University's outstanding fight song. But you are correct that they sound much like a choir. Since they sing the song after every victory, they've gotten rather talented through sheer repetition!
Finally, when all the dust has settled and the scoreboard reads something like this:
you will undoubtedly need a nice place to wind down after such a difficult day. Don't despair! Missoula is loaded with fantastic night-life locales. Need a quick post-game snack? Can't go wrong with a Mo Club burger. Looking for a cold Micro? Missoula has a number of terrific breweries, and most bars carry a wide selection. Want to party until 2:00 am to forget the day's carnage? Any bar downtown will suit your needs.
Coach Ash, we hope you found our little primer helpful. Please ENJOY your visit to Missoula.
Sincerely,
Missoula Chamber of Commerce
P.S. Please let us know if we can refer you to any mental health clinics specializing in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following your visit.
you lost me at "Missoula is a gorgeous city"
