I hate to say I called it. Saturday before the game and again Sunday after. Montana State University fired head football coach Rob Ash on Monday, ending a nine-year career with the Bobcats. He was the winningest coach in program history. Think about that for a moment. The man with the most wins ever (70) was let go for not winning. MSU captured three Big Sky Conference championships during his tenure. That’s one every three years based on the math. That coach was fired. Rob Ash moved to Bozeman and turned a dumpster-fire into a contender. Since the Sonny Holland glory days in the 1970, MSU football coaches compiled a record of 141-183 before Ash. Only two had a winning record and one of those went only 6-5. Ash was 70-38. The Montana State football program was in shambles after the firing of former head coach Mike Kramer (now with Idaho State). Drugs and murder littered the roster and Kramer had less control than he did wins. That’s a justifiable firing. Rob Ash ran a clean program and stressed academics as much as athletics. Of course, some 45-year-old in his mom’s basement, wearing maroon and silver, can Google some sort of troubles from the MSU program in the past nine years. Just like some jealous fan decked in blue and gold could do the same for Montana. Don’t kid yourselves. It’s happening everywhere. Here in Tucson, University of Arizona head football coach Rich Rodriguez is one of the most intimidating (and yet, funny) men I have ever encountered. But even his players are dumb enough to make mistakes a college-aged kid would make. Let’s be clear: after the downward spiral left behind by Kramer, Ash deserves a medal. Or, at the very least, perhaps a job? I mentioned RichRod, who is one of dozens of high-profile coaches in the rumor-mill this season. His Arizona Wildcats entered 2015 fresh off a Pac-12 South championship and appearance in the Fiesta Bowl. Some Wildcat fans want him gone. I have spoken to other fans who say they would love to watch RichRod win eight games each year and earn an invitation to the “insert ridiculous-named bowl game here.” Sounds familiar. Cat-Griz Insider Greg Rachac spoke with an MSU fan who stated, “If (Ash) went 7-4 every year that would be good enough for me.” There lies the dilemma. Do you retain a coach that can win seven or eight games a year, go to the postseason but lose consistently before the championship round? Do you settle for a guy with a 2-7 record against your in-state rival? I’ll be honest. Saturday before the game and Sunday again after, I texted my cousin and my father-in-law that I thought Ash’s time in Bozeman had come to a close. I also texted them that I thought it was probably the right move. I have no horse in this Cat-Griz race (my wife, a Griz fan, believes me a Bobcat supporter while my friends, MSU fans, think the opposite) but from an unbiased view, I felt it was time for Peter Fields, the MSU athletic director, to make a change. I said that under one condition. They damn well better have the right replacement in mind, because Bobcat fans can’t wait another 30 years to be relevant.
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Sunset continues to occur sooner in the evenings. Frosty temperatures dip lower with each passing day. Gone are the shorts and T-shirts. In are jackets and long johns. That's just in Tucson. Ok, perhaps "frosty temperatures" and long johns are a stretch, but there is no denying winter is nearly upon us. The calendar also lets us know football season is coming to a close. The largest rivalry games are set to touch down on the college fields. Pads and jerseys have been checked in as high school teams across the country saw their seasons come to a close. State playoff brackets are complete. Those that are not will fill in title match-ups in the coming days. It is time for fans to choose a side. Montana's prep football championships kick off this weekend, with the Class AA title tilt this evening in Kalispell. Glacier High School seeks its first championship while C.M. Russell is hunting number 14, albeit the first without hall of fame coach Jack Johnson. (UPDATE: Kalispell Glacier routed C.M. Russell 56-19 in the Class AA championship game) Fans of each school will offer support from near and far as the Wolfpack and Rustlers kick off in Montana's frigid winter weather. Parents, alumni and students will root for their teams in each of the other four classes of Montana's high school football. The same is true beyond the Treasure State's borders. Programs still competing gain support from other teams whose seasons have come to a close. But what if I could offer a championship everyone could cheer for? I'll do one better and give you a championship everyone should cheer for. Montana's Class B state championship will send District 5B's Broadwater County Bulldogs into the home of District 3B's Huntley Project Red Devils. Each team has earned its place in Saturday's finale. But their respective stories go well beyond a championship game. Broadwater (Townsend) travels with heavy hearts following last year's passing of Dakota Kimbrough, the 18-year-old student who died in a car accident during Homecoming weekend. It was a devastating blow to the community and felt across the entire state. The Bulldogs played the remainder of the season in Dakota's honor and continued that trend into 2014, with the motto "Forever 26" commemorating their fallen teammate. Emotions still bite at the community, but Dakota's memory serves as motivation. Townsend has also drawn inspiration from other student-athletes in recent years. Former Bulldog wrestler Troy Spurlock earned his first win in one of Montana's most selfless acts on an athletic surface. Never has a Bulldog shown so much excitement, so much passion, as Spurlock celebrated with his teammates and coaches. Troy's "attitude and work ethic were contagious" teammates told me that year. The senior even earned the opportunity to compete at the all-class state wrestling tournament on Montana high school sports' biggest stage. Any casual sports fan can find a reason to back the Townsend Bulldogs in the Class B state championship. Whether it be Dakota's story tugging at our sentimental heart strings or Troy's touching first victory, the Bulldogs deserve extra fans in their corner. But don't make your decision quite yet. Huntley Project is traditionally one of Montana's more successful athletic schools. The Red Devils are perennial powers on the football field, consistently compete in postseason basketball tournaments and offer some of Big Sky Country's finest track and field athletes. While those credentials may not be enough to sway the casual sports fan, Huntley Project also provides us with stories of perseverance and affection. In October 2012, Red Devil Koni Dole broke his right leg playing in the Project's final game of the regular season. The teenager decided amputation was his best option. While rehab was excruciating and both mentally and physically exhausting, it was less than a year later, Koni was back on the field, finding immediate success with his teammates. Koni's return to the high school fields was moving, but his story did not end there. His dream was to play football at Montana State and the Bobcats made it a reality when Dole walked on at MSU. All of the hard work, the rehab and setbacks serve as inspiration to those chasing dreams. Koni Dole is a Montana hero, although modest and shy, he would likely scoff at the very mention of the word. Dole's story of tragedy to triumph still echoes in the coffee shops and gas stations of Montana. But the small high school in Worden has a new star to rally behind: Jake Vinton. The Huntley Project senior takes to the practice field every day after school with his teammates. He pulls on his pads, laces up his shoes and straps in his helmet, proudly showcasing "Red Devils" across his chest. Jake has Trisomy 21, a form of Down syndrome. According to Billings Gazette sports writer Slim Kimmel, Jake's "speech is limited and he's small for his age...but that doesn't prevent him from embracing life with a happy-go-lucky attitude." With his disability an afterthought, Jake found ways to score touchdowns for the Red Devils junior varsity team. His spirit gives the Red Devils an added boost heading into state championship weekend. The Townsend Bulldogs and Huntley Project Red Devils are rich in sports achievements. The two schools have championships, MVPs and excellent coaching staffs across all sports. Their students perform in the classroom and the community, making their hometowns proud. Yes, it's easy to see why Bulldogs and Red Devils have passionate fan bases. Thanks to the likes of Jake and Koni, Troy and the memory of Dakota, this championship game is one everyone could, hell everyone should, root for. Earlier this week I offered my allegiances to the Bulldogs, after covering the events following Dakota's passing. At the end of Saturday's game, the scoreboard will indicate one team has lost, but I know in my heart both community's have already won and that makes us all champions. New York. LA. Buford, Wyoming. It doesn't matter where you are from, it's home. And there's no place like it. As a teenager we can't wait to leave the imaginary boundaries of our home town. As an adult we realize we took it for granted. Kremlin, Montana doesn't have a lot to offer in the typical definition of entertainment. When I was growing up in the town of less than 100, there was no grocery store or movie theater. We didn't have a mall or golf course. I wouldn't say I was chomping at the bit to get out, but I was excited to see what the rest of the world had to offer. What I have quickly learned is that Kremlin, a town that barely shows up on Google Maps, had a much bigger hand in making me the man I have become today. Sure, it took some getting in trouble, making mistakes and countless lessons learned. But it taught me much more. What the small community lacks in size, it makes up in heart. When an individual or family is in need, Kremlin and the surrounding areas of the Hi-Line are quick to offer support. It's not just northern Montana. The entire state comes to the aid of those seeking assistance. I have had the honor of reporting on a handful of these stories. There was the time the Hi-Line community rallied around a teenage girl, Taylor Warren, after she suffered a severe head injury on the basketball court. Citizens responded on the eastern end of the Hi-Line when the Glasgow Reds baseball field flooded, forcing the team to rebuild. Athletic programs have stepped up to the plate on numerous occasions. The Great Falls Voyagers chipped in to give a teenager fighting cancer a day at the ballpark. Former Montana State quarterback DeNarius McGhee isn't a "true" Montanan, yet he had no problem spending time with two young Havre boys who had recently lost their father. There's no place like home. Earlier this fall, the Belt community suffered a tragedy on the football field. Junior Robert Back suffered a head injury in early September forcing him into the Intensive Care Unit at nearby Benefis Health System. As Robert began a fight for his life, support poured in from all corners of Montana. One week after the injury, Great Falls Central Catholic held a fundraising effort when the Mustangs hosted the Belt Huskies in football. Over $3,500 was raised. Local television stations KRTV and KFBB offered reports on the response of the communities. I spoke with Belt head football coach and Montana native Jeff Graham on Sunday. He has seen the generosity Treasure State citizens have offered in the past. This time around, he is witnessing that kindness firsthand. "The support Robert and his family have received from not only the community of Belt, but the state of Montana, shows how caring and generous the people are," Graham said. Graham told me Robert is "really improving" as he and his family continue to fight for his health. As of this post, nearly $18,000 had been raised through the Go Fund Me account in Robert's honor. $270 were donated as I was writing this post. There is no doubt more Montanans will continue to share in any way they can. There's no place like home. Fallon and I have become temporary Tucsonans following our move to the southwest. Montana will always be our home, but we have grown accustomed to life in the desert. Much like Big Sky Country, people here are more than willing to help their neighbor in need. I recently had the honor of sharing a story about The Care Project. The non-profit organization is fairly new and was jump-started in honor of 11-year-old Matthew Care who is battling leukemia. As the Care family began dozens of trips to and from the hospital, Arizonans were quick to lend a helping hand. "They had their air conditioning go out," explained cousin John Waldrop, "and a couple days before Christmas they woke up to a truck out front replacing their AC. They had no idea who it was but they thought, 'you know what? That's what we want to do.'" The Care Project raises money to assist families facing similar childhood cancers. The donations help with more than hospital bills. They benefit the every day costs the families can't devote as much time toward. Like the support for the Back family in Montana, the generosity for the Care family has spread throughout southern Arizona. Home may not be the most exciting place. It may not be the wealthiest or boast the best scenery. But if you needed a helping hand, odds are your friends and neighbors would be there no questions asked. Perhaps your future plans do not include your hometown and that's okay too. But don't take it for granted. There truly is no place like it. Make sure to follow Richie on Twitter, like his page on Facebook and subscribe to his YouTube feed. |
AuthorRichie is a small-town boy chasing big-city dreams. When he's not involved with sports, he's spending time with his wife, Fallon; their yorkie, Tinker; and their Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rosie. Archives
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