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GUEST COMMENTARY: SIU fan rallies support from Montana

BY JOE KESLER, FOR THE SOUTHERN

Monday, November 27, 2006 3:16 PM CST

MISSOULA, Mont. _ Hello Southern Illinois,

I lived in Carbondale for 28 years, and I can't remember any political or social issue moving me enough to write a letter to the editor.

However, now that I've left the great state of Illinois for beautiful Montana, I find myself ironically needing to write a commentary in hopes of motivating the denizens. What is the topic? Support for Saluki football!

Just a quick note of background. I am an SIU alumna with a son about to graduate from my alumna mater too. Having been a Carbondale bank president for about 14 years, I have a lot of vested memories of supporting SIU professionally and personally.

Therefore, when I see my beloved Dawgs are about to enter Hellgate Canyon in my new hometown of Missoula, I feel compelled to do my duty to provide on the scene reconnaissance in hopes of getting more Saluki fans out here for the upcoming football battle. In fact, I'll offer a Bison burger on me to any fans flying out next Saturday to root on the Dawgs.

Let me fill you in on why the Salukis are going to need more support out here than my family can provide. First, the intimate little stadium for the battle is located at the mouth of Hellgate Canyon. It's just beautiful, but appropriately named because of the number of causalities that occur ed as fur traders tried to get through hostile Indian lines. Today the Grizzles similarly make quick work of many invaders that enter Washington Grizzly stadium.

The games themselves are really hard to describe to my fellow Illinoisans. The town of Missoula is about 70,000, but almost every game is sold out. 24,000 crazy screaming mountain people attend every game. They have no distractions like the Rams or Cardinals to dilute their passions. The Grizzles are the only game in town and it shows.

People I work with decorate their Christmas tree with nothing but Grizzley ornaments. It's not uncommon for people to drive 5 or 6 hours to each and every game. In short, they are crazy out here about this football team. Nothing in 1AA football can compare to this program.

Games are something that no Saluki fan can fathom.

Last Saturday, they had F-16s buzz the stadium. Each game they have old guys parachute in to land on the 50-yard line. The noise is incredible.

Coach Kill needs to have the team practice to ear splitting rock music this week, because every game the opposing team gets at least 3 or 4 penalties for failing to be able to deal with the noise.

The only thing I can compare it to is the St. Louis Rams games, which is of course in a domed stadium. It is really nuts to imagine that this all takes place in a 1AA football game, but it does. Even the mascot is special. The last one is now the mascot for the Chicago Bulls and they give two scholarships for him to perform. The Saluki Dog mascot is great, but Monte the Grizzly is really a first-class act.

OK, enough already.

My point is, sign up to get out here somehow next Saturday. It will be a great time and the Dawgs will need as much support as they can get. Montana is really cool.

Come and ski, shop as we have no sales tax, sight see as the mountains are really cool, but also come and root the Saluki's on as I have told everyone they are going to kick the Grizzly's rears and they will need some help.

You'll have a great time in this most beautiful of all God's creation. See you on Saturday.

Joe Kesler was president of Old National Bank in Carbondale.