The Story Behind the "M"

The "M" is 620 feet above the Missoula Valley floor. It is 125' feet long and 100' feet wide. University of Montana forestry students cut the switchbacks into the side of the hill in the early 1900's. The first "M" was assembled out of whitewashed rocks in 1909, and given a fresh coat of paint by freshmen every year, until 1968, when all those rocks were cemented together with concrete.

Photo by Nelson Kenter, kenterphotography.com

Archive for the ‘Spectator Sports’ Category

Chimps, bikinis, cold beer, fast cars… I love the Super Bowl!

By SEAN BENTON - The Super Bowl is bigger than the game of football... I’m talking about the commercials.... more

ESPN Radio Comes to the Montana Radio Company

Good news, sports fans! The Montana Radio Company announces the addition of ESPN Montana at 97.5 FM to their network of stations.... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Here is a little sports trivia with mentions of UM Griz and Lady Griz Basketball standings, match-ups against the Cats and the Bengals and Sunday's Super Bowl.... more

Keep on Keepin’ on, Lady Griz!

By BROOKLYNN LORENZEN - As Lady Griz, we’re taught not only how to play basketball at the highest level, but also how to be upstanding student-athletes, role models, and people.... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Here is a little UM sports trivia with mentions of Joe Glenn, Brent Pease, former MSU player Dane Fletcher (now of the Patriots), former UM Basketball coach Blaine Taylor, and Alex Smi... more

Griz Grit: Tinkle and Krystowiack

By MICK HOLIEN. Following a legend once is difficult enough, but to do it twice as both an athlete and a coach and with equal success is almost unimaginable.... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Here is a little UM sports trivia with mentions of Mike Breske, Flash Gordon, Larry Kryskowiak, and Mike Montgomery.... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN - Here is a little UM sports trivia with mentions of Joe Glenn, Andy Larson, Rob Ash, John Elway, and actress Rooney Mara.... more

Lady Griz Basketball Pre-Game Rituals

By KRISTA REDPATH PYRON - I've been reminiscing about Lady Griz memories and pre-game rituals. Routines, rituals, superstitions... call them what you want, they formulate after years of playing together.... more

UM Sports Trivia

By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN. It's time for a little UM Sports Trivia. Making this week's top mentions: Wayne Tinkle, Mike Montgomery, Blaine Taylor, the Lady Griz Holiday Classic, and more!... more

Griz Grit: The Changing Landscape of Collegiate Athletics

By MICK HOLIEN. What happened on the basketball floor recently in Cincinnati was one of the ugliest scenes I have ever seen in sports.... more

FCS Playoff Scouting Report: Montana Grizzlies vs. Sam Houston State Bearkats

Publisher's note: Brint Wahlberg is a dyed-in-the-wool Griz fan. This is an excerpt from his post this week on eGriz.com. He (and we) assume you've got the 4-1-1 on our Griz team and players, so this is his sco... more

Griz vs. Sam Houston State: Playoff Trivia and Photo Contest

Chris Walterskichen is back with more Griz playoff trivia! Our Griz photo caption contest continues: Enter for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the Montana Club.... more

Montana’s Quiet Football Dynasty: The Fighting Saints of Carroll College

By DILLON TABISH - The spotlight shines bright on UM Griz football. Down in Helena, a quiet dynasty continues to reign as one of the best NAIA college football programs in the US.... more

Skyla Sisco Goes From Griz to Zebra

By SKYLA SISCO - In my college days, I was definitely the passionate, competitive type. Upon graduating, I had the suspicion that a self-imposed penance of officiating was in order.... more

Photo Gallery: Montana Grizzlies Beat Northern Iowa

Photos by PATRICK RECORD. Friday night under the lights brought fireworks, a full moon, and a huge victory to Griz Nation. The Montana Grizzlies dominated the Northern Iowa Panthers in the FCS quarterfinal game... more

The Bounce of the Football – UM Griz vs. N Iowa Panthers

To help you get stoked for Friday night's FCS playoff game under the lights, we've got a Griz photo caption contest and some UM-UNI trivia, courtesy of CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN.... more

FCS Playoff Scouting Report: Montana Grizzlies vs. Northern Iowa Panthers

By BRINT WAHLBERG - The University of Northern Iowa Panthers come to Washington-Girzzly Stadium on Friday, Dec. 10 to play the Griz under the lights in the FCS quarterfinals.... more

Tyler Hobbs: Life After Griz Football

By PATRICK RECORD - Former starting defensive tackle and team captain Tyler Hobbs looks back on his years as a Montana Griz football player.... more

Photo Gallery: Montana Grizzlies Beat Central Arkansas

The Griz beat the Central Arkansas Bears 41-14 on Saturday. UM Journalism student Patrick Record was on the sidelines to capture all the action of the game.... more

FCS Playoff Scouting Report: Montana Grizzlies vs. Central Arkansas Bears

By BRINT WAHLBERG. The University of Central Arkansas Bears head to Washington-Girzzly Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 3rd and the playoffs begin for Griz Nation.... more

Validation: Montana Grizzlies in Round 2 FCS Playoffs

By MICK HOLIEN - Everybody loves a winner, don't they? I fondly remember the first time the Grizzlies defeated a ranked team when they upset Northern Iowa early in Don Read's tenure.... more

All Things Lady Griz: Reintroducing Shannon Cate

By KRISTA REDPATH PYRON - Shannon Cate is Montana-made and proud of it. And she's even more than just the most talented Lady Griz player to ever don the uniform.... more

Watch the Griz Playoff Game on ESPN3.com

Even though the second-round Griz playoff game on December 3 won't be televised locally, you can still watch it on ESPN3.com for free if you're an Optimum Internet subscriber. ... more

Photo Gallery: Griz Upset Bobcats to Win 2011 Brawl of the Wild

Photos by PATRICK RECORD The University of Montana Grizzlies exacted their revenge this year in the form of a 36-10 victory over the Montana State University Bobcats. UM Journalism student Patrick Record was... more

Brawl of the Wild – Griz Cat Game 2011

BRAWL OF THE WILD scouting report by Brint Wahlberg. Here's the 4-1-1 on the general stats, players to watch, and the keys to a Griz victory in today's game!... more

The 2011 Griz-Cat Brawl of the Wild Contest

What's your Griz-Cat Big Sky Classic game tradition? How do you get psyched for the big brawl? Any rivalries under your roof? Tell us and you could win a $50 gift certificate to the Montana Club.... more

GRIZ GRIT: Fall Out at Penn State

By MICK HOLIEN - As a parent, and now as a grandparent, the one thing you want to be assured of when your son or daughter is entrusted to another adult for any activity is that those responsible will protect th... more

GRIZ GRIT: Redemption for Athletes in Trouble

By MICK HOLIEN. Drafted No. 2 in the 1998 draft after taking Washington State to the Rose Bowl, Great Falls native Ryan Leaf was a Heisman Trophy finalist who was a bust in the professional ranks.... more

Gourds in Space – Or Punkin Chunkin Missoula Style

By BOB WIRE - They call it Punkin Chunkin’, and it’s one of the things that make people wonder why the hell anyone would move to Montana.... more

Lady Griz Tradition: Some Get to Wear It

By LINDA WEYLER - Every year, the Lady Griz team has new faces, but, in my eyes, the honor of being a Lady Griz is forever.... more

GRIZ GRIT: Athletes as Role Models – Good, Bad…and Fair?

By MICK HOLIEN. There is little doubt that varying descriptions surface whenever an alleged drunken situation occurs. Witnesses to such transgressions have their own interpretations about what they observed.... more

GRIZ GRIT: UM Football Coaches Do a Thankless Job

By MICK HOLIEN. Why is there such preoccupation with whether a football coach or a staff deserves to be fired?... more

Lady Griz Basketball is in the Air!

By KRISTA REDPATH PYRON - This time of year I always get this familiar feeling in my gut. Crisp mornings, followed by late afternoon warm sun, early sunsets, and... the gym!... more

We Are Family: Griz Family Weekend

By MARGARET DEWILLIAM HORTON - On a Wednesday several weeks ago, I sat poised by the computer, waiting for the stroke of 10 AM Mountain Time (which I had to remember translated to 9 AM Pacific Time). I was hopi... more

GRIZ GRIT: Tragic Endings

By MICK HOLIEN. We all have experienced the premature passing of a great friend, an associate, a relative or maybe just an acquaintance. It’s always a soul-searching experience for me.... more

A Message from Missoula’s MMA Fighters: All Blood Spilled Must Be Wiped Up

By RUSSELL GREENFIELD, UM Student Journalist. On the night of Aug. 13, Jason Zentgraf, a Missoula mixed martial arts fighter, entered the caged ring at the Swinomish Casino in Anacortes, Washington. Across fro... more

GRIZ GRIT: The Best Part of the Year

By MICK HOLIEN. It’s just about my favorite time of year. I cherish the overlap in sports seasons, which in my case involves college football and basketball. ... more

Refs: They’re Just Like Us!

By BOB WIRE - You know why we love watching sports on TV? Same reason we love watching local newscasts—because we love watching people screw up.... more

Grizzlies Lose to Sac State 42-28

By MICK HOLIEN. It was just one of those days or in this case, one of those games. The winning streak over Sacramento is a thing of the past and the Grizzlies, left to their own devices, are back in the midst ... more

UM Grizzlies 17, Eastern Washington 14.

By MICK HOLIEN. For the second straight week, The Griz avenged one of last season’s four losses and in the process of beating a defending National Champion, almost eliminated any chance that Eastern Washingto... more

UM Grizzlies vs Cal Poly

By MICK HOLIEN. The two things I’ve come to understand in a lifetime of sports are: there’s as always much uncertainty waiting just around the corner and there are no givens.... more

UM Grizzlies vs Tennessee

By MICK HOLIEN. You’ve certainly heard of the lull before the storm. And how about the calm in the eye of the hurricane? The 95,000 fans at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville Saturday night got a taste of about eve... more

2011 Grizzly Football Season Outlook

By MICK HOLIEN. Can you even believe it’s been nine months since the Grizzly football season ended on a sour note? So what about this year’s edition of Grizzly football?... more

NCAA Final Four Contest

ENTER TO WIN! MakeItMissoula.com Final Four Bracket Contest. Join us for ways to make March Madness more fun. Ongoing contests will be announced here. ... more

Once a Lady Griz, Always a Lady Griz

By KRISTA REDPATH PYRON. If there’s one word I would use to sum up the Lady Griz basketball program, it would be family. Little did I know that a summer day in 1994 would change my life and my family forever... more

Un-Bear-able Thursday, Satisfying Saturday

By BILL SCHWANKE. All in all, a good bounce-back Saturday for both the men and women at Montana. But as they say, “There’s a long way to go.”... more

Same Start, Different Finish

By BILL SCHWANKE. It looked like the Lady Griz and Griz were headed for the same destination at the beginning of their games against Wyoming and Cal State-Fullerton last week. But fortunately only one team made... more

Grizzly Bill Schwanke’s Blog Tip-Off

By BILL SCHWANKE. Where to begin, when it comes to blogging about Griz and Lady Griz basketball. Especially when you’re perceived by some to be an expert despite the fact that your more direct contact with Gr... more

A Tough End to a Tough Season

By MICK HOLIEN. It was a season predicated by mistakes and it ended Saturday about how it began – with disappointment and frustration.... more