The Bobcat Nation

78-72 to that D-1 juggernaut Austin Peay. I hoped this team had found something, or turned a corner with their win over CMU last night. I guess not.

BelgradeBobcat wrote:78-72 to that D-1 juggernaut Austin Peay. I hoped this team had found something, or turned a corner with their win over CMU last night. I guess not.

You know better ...

It seems like our schedule over the years has gotten easier and easier, while our record gets worse and worse.

I'll join the chorus - I used to be an MSU basketball nut -- I enjoyed the basketball games way more than the football games (especially because I grew up in a basketball household), but it's just hard to be even remotely interested in Bobcat men's basketball in recent years. It seems like Murphy's Law is playbook.

I really, really, really hope it turns around. I miss the days when Bobcat basketball was a really big deal.

If I one day accidentally save the life of a billionaire old guy, and he subsequently passes away peacefully and leaves all his money to me, one of the first things I'll do is donate a ton of money to MSU's basketball program in the hopes of creating something really special in Bozeman, because I think that could be a far bigger deal in the state than football. But until then, I just feel powerless and frustrated.

Bay Area Cat wrote:It seems like our schedule over the years has gotten easier and easier, while our record gets worse and worse.

I'll join the chorus - I used to be an MSU basketball nut -- I enjoyed the basketball games way more than the football games (especially because I grew up in a basketball household), but it's just hard to be even remotely interested in Bobcat men's basketball in recent years. It seems like Murphy's Law is playbook.

I really, really, really hope it turns around. I miss the days when Bobcat basketball was a really big deal.

If I one day accidentally save the life of a billionaire old guy, and he subsequently passes away peacefully and leaves all his money to me, one of the first things I'll do is donate a ton of money to MSU's basketball program in the hopes of creating something really special in Bozeman, because I think that could be a far bigger deal in the state than football. But until then, I just feel powerless and frustrated.

I could not have said it any better. I feel the same way. Everyone I know shares the sentiment. We want a basketball program that competes, good entertainment, and fans who care.

Bay Area Cat wrote:It seems like our schedule over the years has gotten easier and easier, while our record gets worse and worse.

I'll join the chorus - I used to be an MSU basketball nut -- I enjoyed the basketball games way more than the football games (especially because I grew up in a basketball household), but it's just hard to be even remotely interested in Bobcat men's basketball in recent years. It seems like Murphy's Law is playbook.

I really, really, really hope it turns around. I miss the days when Bobcat basketball was a really big deal.

If I one day accidentally save the life of a billionaire old guy, and he subsequently passes away peacefully and leaves all his money to me, one of the first things I'll do is donate a ton of money to MSU's basketball program in the hopes of creating something really special in Bozeman, because I think that could be a far bigger deal in the state than football. But until then, I just feel powerless and frustrated.

I agree BAC. When I was in school at MSU the basketball games were fun and competitive. The atmosphere was great. In fact, I enjoyed BB games more than football games. Durham's teams were if nothing else entertaining.

As someone who enjoys basketball more than football I definitely feel for you guys. Griz BB fans are familiar with seeing the support for our program take a nose dive. From the drunken years of Taylor through the Holst years and the two Kennedy years we saw attendance suffer, players leave the program after being put in the dog house who were good kids, and lots of other crap that made the program slide downhill.

At one point during the Griz's BB slide our head coach was quoted in the newspaper as saying something to the effect of "yeah we are going to get blown out but we get paid for it" when referring to a road game against a big program. Can't find the exact quote, but I remember it was pretty awful for a coach to say. Around that same time we started noticing articles in the Missoulian about games no longer even being in the paper on game day. People were just completely ignoring Grizzly basketball.

Thing is, that can all be reversed if some effort is made (with a little luck) to find an energetic coach that breathes some excitement back into Basketball. It'll take a while for the fan support to be rebuilt, and the media attention to be restored of course, but at least the excitement level and sense of hope for the fans still paying attention can be instantly improved with the right hire. I really do hope that the Cats get to that point soon...having both Montana schools up near the top of the Big Sky each year would be awesome!

Good luck against CSN tonight at home. Hope you guys pick up a win!

Potomac Griz wrote:As someone who enjoys basketball more than football I definitely feel for you guys. Griz BB fans are familiar with seeing the support for our program take a nose dive. From the drunken years of Taylor through the Holst years and the two Kennedy years we saw attendance suffer, players leave the program after being put in the dog house who were good kids, and lots of other crap that made the program slide downhill.

At one point during the Griz's BB slide our head coach was quoted in the newspaper as saying something to the effect of "yeah we are going to get blown out but we get paid for it" when referring to a road game against a big program. Can't find the exact quote, but I remember it was pretty awful for a coach to say. Around that same time we started noticing articles in the Missoulian about games no longer even being in the paper on game day. People were just completely ignoring Grizzly basketball.

Thing is, that can all be reversed if some effort is made (with a little luck) to find an energetic coach that breathes some excitement back into Basketball. It'll take a while for the fan support to be rebuilt, and the media attention to be restored of course, but at least the excitement level and sense of hope for the fans still paying attention can be instantly improved with the right hire. I really do hope that the Cats get to that point soon...having both Montana schools up near the top of the Big Sky each year would be awesome!

Good luck against CSN tonight at home. Hope you guys pick up a win!

Nice post. I too grew up a basketball guy. My high school didn't even have a football team-and everybody played basketball (or at least tired to). Growing up, Bobcat basketball was by far my most important pastime.

The huge contrast between UM and MSU is UM made drastic changes within a few seasons both with Kennedy and Holst-even though Holst won a Big Sky tourney. If Huse ever won a Big Sky tourney-no matter what the regular season record was-he'd probably be promoted to coach-for-life. Huse has 2 Big Sky tourney wins and an overall record well below .500. Yet he's given a 2 year contract extension. This NEVER would fly in Missoula. That said-we got the win tonight over Northridge-so all is well for a day or two!

Basketball was invented in the USA. The greatest players in the solar system are here. Huse recruits in.....London.

Mr Lisle wrote:Basketball was invented in the USA. The greatest players in the solar system are here. Huse recruits in.....London.

Yea, there haven't been any good players out of Europe ever...

Mr Lisle wrote:Basketball was invented in the USA. The greatest players in the solar system are here. Huse recruits in.....London.

The greatest players in the solar system go to Kentucky, or Duke, or Kansas, or Michigan State for a year and then the NBA. MSU has to get what it can find from wherever it can find it! MSU has had pretty good luck with foreign players - guys like Al Beye and Damir Latovic on the men's side and Isabel Stubbs from Australia on the women's side.

Bay Area Cat wrote:It seems like our schedule over the years has gotten easier and easier, while our record gets worse and worse.

I'll join the chorus - I used to be an MSU basketball nut -- I enjoyed the basketball games way more than the football games (especially because I grew up in a basketball household), but it's just hard to be even remotely interested in Bobcat men's basketball in recent years. It seems like Murphy's Law is playbook.

I really, really, really hope it turns around. I miss the days when Bobcat basketball was a really big deal.

If I one day accidentally save the life of a billionaire old guy, and he subsequently passes away peacefully and leaves all his money to me, one of the first things I'll do is donate a ton of money to MSU's basketball program in the hopes of creating something really special in Bozeman, because I think that could be a far bigger deal in the state than football. But until then, I just feel powerless and frustrated.

BAC I completely agree. My first Bobcat anything was a basketball game. I'll join you and if I ever make friends with Melinda gates I'll hook the basketball program up BIG!

BigBruceBaker wrote:

Bay Area Cat wrote:It seems like our schedule over the years has gotten easier and easier, while our record gets worse and worse.

I'll join the chorus - I used to be an MSU basketball nut -- I enjoyed the basketball games way more than the football games (especially because I grew up in a basketball household), but it's just hard to be even remotely interested in Bobcat men's basketball in recent years. It seems like Murphy's Law is playbook.

I really, really, really hope it turns around. I miss the days when Bobcat basketball was a really big deal.

If I one day accidentally save the life of a billionaire old guy, and he subsequently passes away peacefully and leaves all his money to me, one of the first things I'll do is donate a ton of money to MSU's basketball program in the hopes of creating something really special in Bozeman, because I think that could be a far bigger deal in the state than football. But until then, I just feel powerless and frustrated.

BAC I completely agree. My first Bobcat anything was a basketball game. I'll join you and if I ever make friends with Melinda gates I'll hook the basketball program up BIG!

You never know. Bill and Melinda are feeling highly philanthropic these days, and MSU hoops is a charity case if ever I've seen one.