Detoxifying the rivalry

[rfischer94]

Indulge me in a thought experiment....suppose the cats won 16 brawls in a row. (Never mind that this is very unlikely....it's a thought experiment!) Would that make the rivalry more toxic, less toxic, or make no change whatsoever? I've heard that the streak made the rivalry more toxic, so I wonder what would happen if the tables turned? Same question about what would happen if we caught up on the overall record

[MrGoodKat]

More toxic

[nutman]

It doesn’t seem to matter the number of wins. The human nature is one display pointedly for whichever team is on top and which one is on the bottom.

This year, multiple people from Jizzou were posting about postgame antics of our #8. “Lewd, gestures, mocking, dancing on their logo, etc.”. I remember, every year during the streak, that many folks in Bozeman would talk about the Griz players this way. Then, all the sudden it didn’t matter anymore. Why?

The funniest part of this year for me was watching the documentary about the beat rivalries in the country. It was super entertaining and well done. But at the end of it, here comes number 8 and starts dancing in the end zone alone. The guy on camera is saying things like, “I just love this passion” and “this is what college football is all about”. It just showed that pearl clutches were offended and then exaggerated the story to smear the Bobcat Nation. Just silly…but it is absolutely human nature!

[OldGriz]

It doesn’t seem to matter the number of wins. The human nature is one display pointedly for whichever team is on top and which one is on the bottom.

This year, multiple people from Jizzou were posting about postgame antics of our #8. “Lewd, gestures, mocking, dancing on their logo, etc.”. I remember, every year during the streak, that many folks in Bozeman would talk about the Griz players this way. Then, all the sudden it didn’t matter anymore. Why?

The funniest part of this year for me was watching the documentary about the beat rivalries in the country. It was super entertaining and well done. But at the end of it, here comes number 8 and starts dancing in the end zone alone. The guy on camera is saying things like, “I just love this passion” and “this is what college football is all about”. It just showed that pearl clutches were offended and then exaggerated the story to smear the Bobcat Nation. Just silly…but it is absolutely human nature!

I agree. I also believe some more human nature would become apparent if there could be an experiment among a few fans who firmly believe that their football rival’s fans (and their rival’s home stadium environments) are extra rude or obnoxious. I think any such fan would get a rude awakening about his home stadium’s experience if he switched colors for the day and cheered for the visiting team at a Cat-Griz contest. There are jerks on both sides. Fortunately, it seems like it’s less than 1%.

[GoldstoneCat]

It doesn’t seem to matter the number of wins. The human nature is one display pointedly for whichever team is on top and which one is on the bottom.

This year, multiple people from Jizzou were posting about postgame antics of our #8. “Lewd, gestures, mocking, dancing on their logo, etc.”. I remember, every year during the streak, that many folks in Bozeman would talk about the Griz players this way. Then, all the sudden it didn’t matter anymore. Why?

The funniest part of this year for me was watching the documentary about the beat rivalries in the country. It was super entertaining and well done. But at the end of it, here comes number 8 and starts dancing in the end zone alone. The guy on camera is saying things like, “I just love this passion” and “this is what college football is all about”. It just showed that pearl clutches were offended and then exaggerated the story to smear the Bobcat Nation. Just silly…but it is absolutely human nature!

I agree. I also believe some more human nature would become apparent if there could be an experiment among a few fans who firmly believe that their football rival’s fans (and their rival’s home stadium environments) are extra rude or obnoxious. I think any such fan would get a rude awakening about his home stadium’s experience if he switched colors for the day and cheered for the visiting team at a Cat-Griz contest. There are jerks on both sides. Fortunately, it seems like it’s less than 1%.

[MrGoodKat]

I think that the rise of digital media is a lot more to blame for the rivalry becoming more toxic than the streak.

[SLC_Cat]

I think that the rise of digital media is a lot more to blame for the rivalry becoming more toxic than the streak.

All digital media did was capture more of this toxicity and allow more people to see it. As someone who was at MSU in the early 2000s I can guarantee you there were awful things happening then... there's just no evidence of it.

[coloradocat]

I think that the rise of digital media is a lot more to blame for the rivalry becoming more toxic than the streak.

I think without the streak the rivalry wouldn't have had nearly as much kindling to create the wildfire of toxicity that exists today. It was already bad before social media and the ESPN-ification of sports coverage. You can't have a streak last that long in such a long-standing rivalry and not have negative effects that last generations. It's why 2019 was so cathartic for anyone in the stadium that was a fan during or right after the streak.

[85CatGrad]

I think that the rise of digital media is a lot more to blame for the rivalry becoming more toxic than the streak.

The current level of toxicity won't diminish until Bobby retires. He is a little man filled with hate for everything MSU.

[OldGriz]

I think that the rise of digital media is a lot more to blame for the rivalry becoming more toxic than the streak.

The current level of toxicity won't diminish until Bobby retires. He is a little man filled with hate for everything MSU.

I understand the Hauck factor. But the rivalry didn’t feel any less intense during his five years away at UNLV, in my opinion. I think civility has eroded in many ways that are bigger than Bobby Hauck or even college football in Montana.

[Bobcat4Ever]

I think that the rise of digital media is a lot more to blame for the rivalry becoming more toxic than the streak.

The current level of toxicity won't diminish until Bobby retires. He is a little man filled with hate for everything MSU.

I understand the Hauck factor. But the rivalry didn’t feel any less intense during his five years away at UNLV, in my opinion. I think civility has eroded in many ways that are bigger than Bobby Hauck or even college football in Montana.

I disagree. Don Read made a statement during an interview that was a great attempt to pour olive oil on the water. He spoke of how a one-sided series like that was not a rivalry and that he hoped the competition would return to its former glory. It’s the sanest thing a gris coach ever said. Does anyone else remember? I actually started cheering quietly during the playoffs for the other Montana team. It must have worked — how many more titles did Coach Read win per year than Hawk-knows?

[lutecat]

I think that the rise of digital media is a lot more to blame for the rivalry becoming more toxic than the streak.

The current level of toxicity won't diminish until Bobby retires. He is a little man filled with hate for everything MSU.

I understand the Hauck factor. But the rivalry didn’t feel any less intense during his five years away at UNLV, in my opinion. I think civility has eroded in many ways that are bigger than Bobby Hauck or even college football in Montana.

It did to me. I thought the rivalry got much more friendly when he was gone.

[nutman]

I agree. I also believe some more human nature would become apparent if there could be an experiment among a few fans who firmly believe that their football rival’s fans (and their rival’s home stadium environments) are extra rude or obnoxious. I think any such fan would get a rude awakening about his home stadium’s experience if he switched colors for the day and cheered for the visiting team at a Cat-Griz contest. There are jerks on both sides. Fortunately, it seems like it’s less than 1%.

I’ve also been to a few Griz games and as a fan have never had a problem. In fact I would say it was a ton of fun. We just had fun with folks and the ribbing was fun. We were invited into a few different tailgates and offered food and drink.

Now, as a marching band member that’s a different story. But that was also many years ago and right in the middle of the streak. And what we faced was abusive at times.

[94VegasCat]

I’ve been going to Bobcat football games since the early 70’s. The Cat/gris game was a game that none of us kids could go to until we were 14. It was a family wide rule. None of a group of 6 cousins could go until age 14. There’s been hatred for that team over the hill forever.
It is nonsense and revisionist for fans to be pissed at the other team when your home field logo gets danced on. Both teams have done it. I’ve seen it both ways. Sure it pisses me off when they do it here but it’s because we lost, not because “a Bobcat would never do that”.
If the Cats went on a 16 game heater the gris fans retort would be that “we did it first little brother”.

[St George]

There will always be hate. dUMb has resorted to advertising on the internet for new students, they have become the beggars while MSU is the choosers. There is a post on here showing the BOTW across all the sports and MSU is DOMINATING the little teams in the west. MSU is constructing about one new building a year. UofM had to contract with Hubba Bubba to get an indoor practice facility. GO CATS GO!!! Kick the bullpuppies in the nuts.

[MrGoodKat]

There’s no doubt that the rivalry has always been bitter and the streak made it worse. But I think people are fooling themselves if they don’t see that digital media has been a major factor in how toxic it’s become.

Some Griz fans convince themselves that almost all Cat fans are horrible people based on the worst interactions that they see online and vice versa. Furthermore, people are generally way more emboldened online to be awful to each other.

[ilovethecats]

There’s no doubt that the rivalry has always been bitter and the streak made it worse. But I think people are fooling themselves if they don’t see that digital media has been a major factor in how toxic it’s become.

Some Griz fans convince themselves that almost all Cat fans are horrible people based on the worst interactions that they see online and vice versa. Furthermore, people are generally way more emboldened online to be awful to each other.

But this doesn’t add up because the rivalry was WAY more toxic during the streak. I don’t know how old you are so I won’t speculate but anyone who was at all the games from the early 90’s on will vouch for this.

I had friends in the 90’s whose parents didn’t let them go to the Brawl. I didn’t let any of my kids go until they were teenagers. Because of fans and fans alone. And not just griz fans. The streak was terrible for the rivalry. I see douchey Cat fans now after a little success. Griz fans were the worst of the worst during the streak. We’re kidding ourselves if we don’t think we’d have fans acting just as awful if we went on a streak of our own.

I think the rivalry is in a good place. Still the same passion and disdain for the other team. But equal respect which was lacking during the streak. I like that the game is a toss up as of late with home field often a factor rather than one team just being WAY better than the other.

[allcat]

I graduated in 77. During that time we were more dominant. I have always had 2 favorite teams. The Cats are whoever is playing the gris. I don't hate any of those from the dark (pink) side. I do really despise the boobster.

[BobCatFan]

Indulge me in a thought experiment....suppose the cats won 16 brawls in a row. (Never mind that this is very unlikely....it's a thought experiment!) Would that make the rivalry more toxic, less toxic, or make no change whatsoever? I've heard that the streak made the rivalry more toxic, so I wonder what would happen if the tables turned? Same question about what would happen if we caught up on the overall record

It all depends on griz fans. Nobody respects them. They are a bunch of drunk idiots. Last game I attended in grizz stadium, I was just walking to my seat and I was verbally assaulted and I was getting ready to defend myself from a violent attack. No respect will ever be given by me. They have shown their colors to me.