Column: Making it in Missoula
The Bruins Kicked Some Serious Booty
By Little Sis, 12-03-06
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To those of you who missed what's being called "the biggest upset of the season", I feel for you. To those of you who've been subjected to my constant replays, stats, and general giddinesss for the last day and half, I make no apologies.
A friend of mine told me last week that I shouldn't be so invested in my sports team. Obviously, he didn't go to UCLA.
Yes, UCLA beat USC in the most volatile rivalry in college football. The two teams actually started jumping up and down on the field and barking at each other. Tommy the Trojan and the Bruin Bear got wrapped up protectively for the week before the big game to avoid the legendary pranks that have gone down in the past. We're brainwashed from the beginning to hate USC with an inexplicable ferocity. The biggest joke on campus: what's the only similarity between USC and UCLA students? We ALL got into USC.
After the beautiful diving interception by UCLA's McNeal with 1:10 left in the game, John David Booty looked like he might cry (seriously, how pretentious is that name?!). Pete Carroll looked like his botox had suddenly worn off. And there was some very graceful victory dancing going on in front of my TV.
My mother, who went to UCLA, called crying. My aunt called, then my other aunt, both alums. My friends were calling each other from all over the country. My inbox was full of triumphant emails this morning, and my UCLA sweatshirt won't be coming off for a week.
Our t-shirts used to read: "A Bruin is forever, but a Trojan's only good once."
How can you not be invested?
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Comments
Bruin Alum '87
http://www.asenseofduty.com
Little Sis's super-excited, accidental swat across my temple (all part of the "graceful victory dancing") during the last minute of the game was all part of the magic.
And how 'bout those Montana Grizzlies? A 12-1 record, and our 8th trip to the semi-finals. Pretty cool...
-BS
- You'd be surprised by how many people followed this Southern California game, because it knocked a leading college team out of the BCS Championship. Several people told me they needed UCLA to deliver because they're Michigan or Florida fans.
- Missoulians "give a shit" about a lot of different regions and what goes on there, because we're (most of us) from somewhere else. I'll bet that you're not actually a native Missoulian either. This article shows nothing different from everyone in town who rooted for Gonzaga during March Madness.
- This column is posted on New West. I'm sure you hate to admit it, but Southern California is as much a part of the new west as Missoula.
-I graduated from a proud institution with long-standing traditions. I take pride in the strong sense of family that comes from that, a sense you can see from my friend the Alum of '87.
ahh, yeah, and where are you from again? just wondering...
lil sis- congrats. sports are fun. too bad the grumpsters here can't relate to comraderie and some old fashioned yelling at the tv.
If you have three cigarettes in a boat and no matches or lighter, how do you light one of the cigarettes?
I appreciate your passion for a great team AND as a bonus, our basketball team is #1 in the nation right now as well. Great time to be a Bruin!!
Thanks for the great article!!