nwFL Griz
December 21st, 2008, 11:46 AM
A little background before I get in to the story of my trip.
I grew up in Kalispell, MT and my whole family are Griz people. My grandparents are season ticket holders, my aunt is part of the North End Zone bunch, my dad went there. The only exception would be my uncle....who somehow ended up a Bobcat guy. How does that happen???? I grew up going to Griz games...not all of them, but my fair share. In fact, the last college football game that I attended was the 1993 playoff loss to Delaware. Joined the Air Force in 94 and life has kept me too busy to be able to get to any other games since then. Well, this year I was finally in a position to get to a game, and thank god for the Griz, they made it the national title game for me. On to the trip.
Living in NW Florida, I drove up the same day (due to work, I couldn't go before). It was about a 6 hour drive and it rained the whole drive...making me concerned, because I didn't really want to sit in the rain. I would have, but I didn't want to. Rain held off, though, thank goodness for that. Our original trip plan was for 5....me, my wife, son, and two high school kids from our church that will likely play FCS football in a couple of years. But, alas, family issues prevented the high schoolers from coming, so just me and the family. Wouldn't you know it, around Birmingham, my son gets sick. But he says he's ok, so we press on.
Pull in to Chatty about an hour and a half before kickoff, of course the stadium is super easy to find and we drive around looking for parking. I was not prepared, cash wise, but I end up spending our last 20 on parking (WTF??). I figure, it's ok, I'll just hit the ATM when we get to the stadium. So, I pull on my Griz jersey (#37...was Jason Crebo when I got it), we grab our gear and start the walk to the stadium. We get through the entrance fairly quickly, kudos to the ticket takers, for making it go fast. So we get inside and I start lokking around for an ATM......we circle to stadium twice, and ask everyone, but no ATM. NO ATM? As beautiful as that stadium is, how can there not be an ATM in the facility? The best answer I can get is, "well there's one in the pavilion, outside the gate." Lotta good that does me since they won't let you back in if you leave. So no money for a program or t-shirt, or anything to eat. No biggie, then it hits me...I forgot the camera in the car. AAARRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!
So, we go to our seats, and chat with some of the other fans around us. Mostly Griz, but a few Mountaineers too. Unfortunately, now my son is really not feeling good, so he lays down on the bench and goes to sleep. The pregame festivities start, thankfully my cell phone has a pretty good camera, so all is not lost. The Black Knights were pretty cool, as was the teams' entrance. The National Anthem......well if you saw it, you know it was one of the longest I've seen. She did a good job, but drew out every note. Anyhow, kickoff comes and I'm pumped. Then the Spiders promptly push around on their way down the field, and then fools no one (except the Griz defense) on the throwback for the touchdown. Our whole section screams at the linebacker (not sure who had that assignment) to cover the QB on the play. It's ok I think, the Griz will respond. They did, marched down the field, then shoot themselves in the foot with a penalty and then miss the field goal. Uh-oh. By now, my wife is worried about my son, so she takes him back to the car and they watch movies while I sit alone in the stands.
Eventually, it begins to dawn on me what is going on with the Griz. They are playing like a team who is "just happy to be here." It even feels that way coming from the fans...there was no energy, not like I'm used to seeing and hearing about. And the Spiders are good, way too good if you don't have your heart in it. Second score comes and Bobby abandons the running game. I now realize we won't win, because up to this point Cole has shown that he just wasn't on enough to win this game through the air. He is just missing on several throws, and the shot he took to the leg on the first drive is really slowing him down. From then on....well you watched the game.
Richmond very much won this game. They dominated the line on both sides of the ball. I didn't find them that much faster, as some other posters I've read have said. They were quick, but not blazing enough to make the difference. No, the difference was they had a plan and executed it. No mistakes, and the Griz did nothing to make them change their game plan. It is no surprise that the Spiders were ranked #1 early in the year.
So, game is over, and Griz are leaving the field to a standing O from the Griz side. One of the O-line salutes the fans (I didn't catch his number, but I'm fairly certain he was one of the seniors). The fireworks were awesome, I make it back to the car in time to watch the show with my wife and son (who is feeling better, after throwing up a couple of times). We decide not to drive back, so we get a room. Next morning we take a short drive around the city before heading out.
Overall impressions from the trip:
Chatty is a beautiful city and if we go next year (regardless of who is playing), we're going early so we can partake of some of what 'Nooga has to offer.
Beautiful stadium, if the NCAA decides to keep the game here, that would be fine by me.
I'll be better prepared with more cash on-hand next time.
Anyhow, thanks to the Griz for a great season. It surpassed most realistic expectations....I expected about three losses before the year began.
Congratulations to the Richmond Spiders, the best team in the nation!
On a side note, if anyone has an extra program, I would gladly purchase it from you. PM me.
EDIT: Something I forgot to say. I think that if the game was replayed 10 times, I like to think the Griz would win at least 5 of those. Of course, that might just be the fan in me. LOL
I grew up in Kalispell, MT and my whole family are Griz people. My grandparents are season ticket holders, my aunt is part of the North End Zone bunch, my dad went there. The only exception would be my uncle....who somehow ended up a Bobcat guy. How does that happen???? I grew up going to Griz games...not all of them, but my fair share. In fact, the last college football game that I attended was the 1993 playoff loss to Delaware. Joined the Air Force in 94 and life has kept me too busy to be able to get to any other games since then. Well, this year I was finally in a position to get to a game, and thank god for the Griz, they made it the national title game for me. On to the trip.
Living in NW Florida, I drove up the same day (due to work, I couldn't go before). It was about a 6 hour drive and it rained the whole drive...making me concerned, because I didn't really want to sit in the rain. I would have, but I didn't want to. Rain held off, though, thank goodness for that. Our original trip plan was for 5....me, my wife, son, and two high school kids from our church that will likely play FCS football in a couple of years. But, alas, family issues prevented the high schoolers from coming, so just me and the family. Wouldn't you know it, around Birmingham, my son gets sick. But he says he's ok, so we press on.
Pull in to Chatty about an hour and a half before kickoff, of course the stadium is super easy to find and we drive around looking for parking. I was not prepared, cash wise, but I end up spending our last 20 on parking (WTF??). I figure, it's ok, I'll just hit the ATM when we get to the stadium. So, I pull on my Griz jersey (#37...was Jason Crebo when I got it), we grab our gear and start the walk to the stadium. We get through the entrance fairly quickly, kudos to the ticket takers, for making it go fast. So we get inside and I start lokking around for an ATM......we circle to stadium twice, and ask everyone, but no ATM. NO ATM? As beautiful as that stadium is, how can there not be an ATM in the facility? The best answer I can get is, "well there's one in the pavilion, outside the gate." Lotta good that does me since they won't let you back in if you leave. So no money for a program or t-shirt, or anything to eat. No biggie, then it hits me...I forgot the camera in the car. AAARRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!
So, we go to our seats, and chat with some of the other fans around us. Mostly Griz, but a few Mountaineers too. Unfortunately, now my son is really not feeling good, so he lays down on the bench and goes to sleep. The pregame festivities start, thankfully my cell phone has a pretty good camera, so all is not lost. The Black Knights were pretty cool, as was the teams' entrance. The National Anthem......well if you saw it, you know it was one of the longest I've seen. She did a good job, but drew out every note. Anyhow, kickoff comes and I'm pumped. Then the Spiders promptly push around on their way down the field, and then fools no one (except the Griz defense) on the throwback for the touchdown. Our whole section screams at the linebacker (not sure who had that assignment) to cover the QB on the play. It's ok I think, the Griz will respond. They did, marched down the field, then shoot themselves in the foot with a penalty and then miss the field goal. Uh-oh. By now, my wife is worried about my son, so she takes him back to the car and they watch movies while I sit alone in the stands.
Eventually, it begins to dawn on me what is going on with the Griz. They are playing like a team who is "just happy to be here." It even feels that way coming from the fans...there was no energy, not like I'm used to seeing and hearing about. And the Spiders are good, way too good if you don't have your heart in it. Second score comes and Bobby abandons the running game. I now realize we won't win, because up to this point Cole has shown that he just wasn't on enough to win this game through the air. He is just missing on several throws, and the shot he took to the leg on the first drive is really slowing him down. From then on....well you watched the game.
Richmond very much won this game. They dominated the line on both sides of the ball. I didn't find them that much faster, as some other posters I've read have said. They were quick, but not blazing enough to make the difference. No, the difference was they had a plan and executed it. No mistakes, and the Griz did nothing to make them change their game plan. It is no surprise that the Spiders were ranked #1 early in the year.
So, game is over, and Griz are leaving the field to a standing O from the Griz side. One of the O-line salutes the fans (I didn't catch his number, but I'm fairly certain he was one of the seniors). The fireworks were awesome, I make it back to the car in time to watch the show with my wife and son (who is feeling better, after throwing up a couple of times). We decide not to drive back, so we get a room. Next morning we take a short drive around the city before heading out.
Overall impressions from the trip:
Chatty is a beautiful city and if we go next year (regardless of who is playing), we're going early so we can partake of some of what 'Nooga has to offer.
Beautiful stadium, if the NCAA decides to keep the game here, that would be fine by me.
I'll be better prepared with more cash on-hand next time.
Anyhow, thanks to the Griz for a great season. It surpassed most realistic expectations....I expected about three losses before the year began.
Congratulations to the Richmond Spiders, the best team in the nation!
On a side note, if anyone has an extra program, I would gladly purchase it from you. PM me.
EDIT: Something I forgot to say. I think that if the game was replayed 10 times, I like to think the Griz would win at least 5 of those. Of course, that might just be the fan in me. LOL