Weekend Update

What a weekend!  We were in Bozeman for what turns out to have been the last home Bobcat football game.  Jeff and I rode down with Tom and Carol and stayed at his sister's for the weekend.

Friday night we made it in time for the holiday production of Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Ellen Theater.  A friend of mine was in the show, and we thought it would be a fun way to kick off the holiday season.  The show was great! If you are in the Bozeman area, BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE and see the show today! There are no bad seats at the Ellen and it is a beautiful gem of a theater. The people who put on the show did a terrific job.  We had a great time!

Saturday was Game Day.  We fortified ourselves with a delicious hot breakfast and headed out to the stadium.  It was nearly as cold as the game two weeks ago, so we were heavily bundled.  It was definitely a wacky game.  Montana State hosted the University of New Hampshire Wildcats.  I think we were all a little nervous during the first half. The game felt a lot like the most recent defeat by the Grizzlies, but the team and the crowd held in there.  In the second half, the Bobcat defense came out charging and a few key plays, plus a few very spirited players, roused the crowd.  Our cheering was deafening, and in turn, the team fed off the crowd's energy.

Not to say the second half was perfect, with the Bobcats winning by only one point-- a blocked PAT that would have sent the game to overtime.  What was perfect about this game, though, was how much fun it was.  Though there were significantly fewer fans in the seats, the people who were there clearly cared about their team.  We all commented that this was the most fun we had at a football game all season, and the Cats won their first playoff game in a long time.  It was the best way to end the season at home.

The Cats' record and seed in the tournament is such that they won't be able to host any more games, so this Saturday at 10:00 Mountain Time, we will all be tuning in to watch them face Sam Houston State, the Bearkats.  The game will take place in Huntsville, Texas.  I will also be watching on Friday night as the Grizzlies try to stay alive in the playoffs by facing the University of Northern Iowa Panthers.  Though it is exciting when any Montana team advances, I also feel a connection to my home state.  I'll probably be wearing Panther Purple.  Additionally, if the Bobcats win against Sam Houston State, they would play the winner of the Grizzly/Panther game.  So, there is a chance that the Cats could have another game either in Missoula, or in Cedar Falls, IA.  We may think very hard about switching our plane tickets to be in Iowa for the matchup, should it happen, instead of our planned visit over New Year's.

Saturday night brought another Bobcat matchup in the Fieldhouse as the Cats played Cal-State Bakersfield in basketball.  When I lived in Bozeman, I went to as many basketball games as my work schedule allowed, and growing up, my family often went to Iowa State games at Hilton Colosseum.  I love going to basketball games (for one reason, you don't have to wear three pairs of pants and five shirts plus a winter jacket to enjoy watching your team play a game in December).  It was a good matchup and again, the Cats prevailed in the final minutes.

Our weekend was filled with fun, friends and family.  It was a great way to end our fall football season of traveling to Bozeman.  On one hand, I'm happy to have more time at home. It has been a busy fall, and if nothing else, I should have more time to update my blog.  On the other hand, it has been a great football season overall, and a great chance to stay connected with many of the friends I no longer see regularly now that I live in the North Country.  I, for one, am looking forward to next season already!