[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Pages 26897-26898]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              UM GRIZZLIES GOING TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

  Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I rise today to express a little 
hometown and a little home State pride. Last Saturday, the University 
of Montana Grizzlies defeated the Northern Iowa Panthers, I say to my 
very good friend from Iowa who attended Northern State, and is the 
strongest northern State booster I have ever run across. I will not 
embarrass my good friend by giving the score of that game, but I will 
say to my good friend from Iowa and to the world that we are proud that 
the University of Montana Grizzlies prevailed. It was a hard fought 
football game, and I give utmost credit to the Panthers, who were 
terrific.
  This win gave the Grizzlies the privilege of going to the 1-AA 
championship game in Chattanooga, TN. They will play the Furman 
University Paladins Friday at 5:30 eastern time. Everyone tune in.
  In Montana, folks travel from every corner of our big State. We call 
ourselves the big sky State. We are a pretty large State, at close to 
149,000 square miles. People around Montana come from all corners of 
our State to see the University of Montana Grizzlies, the Montana State 
University Bobcats. There is a fierce rivalry between the Cat fans and 
the grizzly fans.
  From Eureka to Ekalaka, from Havre to Virginia City, in buses, vans, 
cars, and trucks, Montanans travel great distances to cheer on their 
sons and daughters, their friends and neighbors. When our team, the 
Grizzlies, made it to the national championship, understandably we were 
a little bit excited. We are very proud of our team. I wish you could 
feel the energy and excitement going on in Montana right now. We are 
very excited.

[[Page 26898]]

  This is not new for the Grizzlies. They have been to the I-AA 
playoffs 8 out of the last 9 years. Friday's championship game will be 
the fourth the Grizzlies have been to since 1995 when they won the 
championship. I will never forget. I was there. Man, did we have fun.
  It is also important to note that most of the UM players are from 
Montana. We are proud of that. They are great athletes, but they are 
also good students first. The team averages a 2.9 GPA, virtually a 3.0 
team average. They are from small towns, rural communities. Some of 
them came up playing 6- and 8-man ball--football in small towns known 
as ``iron man'' ball.
  They are excellent student athletes, like big sky defense man of the 
year and Academic All-American Vince Huntsberger from Libby, MT. I was 
talking to Vince the other day after a game, and Vince remembers when I 
walked throughout the State of Montana running for office. He even told 
me he carried a sign in a parade I was in when he was a little kid.
  We have Brandon Neil from Great Falls, T.J. Olkers from my hometown 
of Helena. Our star quarterback, John Edwards, is from Billings. Then 
there is Spencer Frederick from a little town called Scobey in the 
northeastern part of our State. These young people and all the others 
make us very proud.
  If you ask anyone who follows I-AA football, they will tell you that 
the Washington Grizzly stadium is the premier place to play in the 
country. I commend the UM president, George Dennison, for his 
leadership at the university and for investing in the program. Also, 
congratulations to UM athletic director, Wayne Hogan, and his staff. He 
came about 7 or 8 years ago and is doing a great job. He is from 
Florida. And Grizzly coach Joe Glenn, with his vision, his leadership, 
that has earned him the big sky coach of the year for the second 
straight year.
  I think all of these individuals have done so well. I thank them for 
the pride we have.
  Finally, I have a wager with my very good friend from South Carolina, 
Senator Hollings. If the Paladins win--he went to the University of 
Furman--I will come to the floor and recite the words of the Furman 
fight song. If the Grizzlies win, Senator Hollings has agreed to come 
to the floor and recite the UM fight song. Fair wager, for fun. I will 
send his office the words to our song so he can get started and get the 
rehearsal going so he can boom forth with the University of Montana 
fight song at the next opportunity in the Senate.

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