Signing Off

Well this is it, the fat lady has sung (almost). With a couple more finals to go I am signing off for the year. Congratulations to all my friends who are packing up their belongings and graduating this Saturday, it’s been a heck of a run and a pleasure to share the memories here at MSU with you all. May your next adventures bring fortitude and excitement to your lives! One year from now I will be on that stage if everything goes to plan and I must say, it’s quite intimidating yet extremely exciting to think about. The future holds so much, and I know for one thing that my time spent here in Bozeman has been unforgettable. The friends, the mountains, the memories, and so many more intangibles I failed to list is what makes Montana State the great institution that it is. Thank you all so much for following me the last couple of years, I will leave you with a nice visual recap of my shenanigans this year. As for now, it’s back to the books. Kudos!

What a year to be a BOBCAT! I bleed blue and gold, do you??

Dead Week And Turkeys

The end of the semester is upon us, and so called “dead week” has begun. Dead week is a time for students to relax and begin studying for finals that take place next week. Some institutions have begun giving their students the entire week off to prep for exams, MSU professors and students on the other hand are still in full throttle mode. Students begin to fret, wide eyes get wider and red eyes become more blood shot due to the copious amounts of caffeine and lack of sleep. In the midst of projects, final assignments, quizzes, work, and studying for exams, dead week is here! Last week MSU students showed off their hard work at the annual research symposium in the Strand Union Building ballrooms. Students from an array of majors and departments were represented: cell biology and neuroscience, chemistry, biochemistry, photography, microbiology, physics, psychology, and math to name a few… Research is something special here at Montana State, no matter what direction a person chooses to take their education.

The Carnegie Foundation “has been the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education for the past four decades. Starting in 1970, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education developed a classification of colleges and universities to support its program of research and policy analysis.” Basically, it is a prestigious ranking system in a variety of areas for institutions across the Nation. Out of 4,500 institutions, MSU lands in the top 108 for under graduate research, and in the top 53 for community involvement and engagement. But here is the kicker folks, just THREE universities in the entire NATION have both a top tier research ranking as well as the community involvement nod. Now that is impressive! Here a few pictures of my buddies presenting their findings.

Kevin Ferris making headway in the infectious disease world.

Jessie Ruzicka showing us what chemistry research is all about.

Die hard “golfers” from around town swarmed downtown this past Saturday for The 4th Annual Mini-Masters golf tournament in Bozeman. I grabbed myself a team member, a putter and a ball, and paid 20 dollars for a great cause and an even greater time. The proceeds went towards a local woman’s shelter. 11 businesses set up their own unique mini golf holes, and the goal was to go around to each business, play the hole with your partner, and record your scores. The low scoring pairing received a “green jacket” for their efforts. Food vendors were out and about, and bands were jamming all day and through the night to promote this charitable event. Here is one of the more intricate holes.

Yea, I aced it…

The foursome.

On a more extremely random note, today on the way home I had to stop dead in my tracks on my bike in order for a turkey to cross the road. Yes, a turkey, right in the middle of downtown. What has the world come to?!

Happy dead week!

Pond Skim Weekend

A beautiful sunset over Lone Peak!

https://www.youtube.com/user/bigskyresort?feature=watch

This past weekend at Big Sky Resort marked the end of a great season here in Montana. With Bridger Bowl closing last weekend, Big Sky and Moonlight followed suit in fun and unique fashion. Usually closing weekend is full of sunshine, shorts, and swimsuits, but this year mother nature had other plans. The temperature flirted with 30 degrees all weekend long, and snow fell as though it was still February. Needless to say, it wasn’t the ideal spring conditions riders dream about when April rolls around. But to no avail, the pond skim festivities went off without a hitch. Daring skiers and snowboarders mach down the hill with hopes of making it across the freezing cold pond, because if they don’t, it is DEFINITELY going to make for a soggy, cold, chilly afternoon! The youngest daredevil was six years of age, and I don’t think he had enough mass to garner the speed necessary to skim across the pond. On the other hand I am fairly certain he amassed the most cheers from the crowd that packed the hillside like sardines.

Spring time also marks the beginning of incredibly affordable season passes to Big Sky and Moonlight. Big Sky offers a season pass for college students at a cost of $599, and Moonlight has college passes on sale for $319! Moonlight also allows for students to pay in installments, half when you buy the pass now, and the other half in September when classes start up again. The deals are almost over, so act quick! Here are some of my pictures from the weekend, I didn’t get as many action shots towards the pond skim action as I would have liked to, but this is what I captured. Enjoy!

 

The three stooges.

 

Spanish Peaks lurking in the background.

Fantastic coverage for April!

Our view from the top, the pond can be seen a ways down.

Here is a spring recap at Big Sky, BSPN!

 

Spring Time Fun

Oh what a beautiful past couple of days it has been here in Bozeman, MT! Intramural softball is officially under way and I couldn’t be more excited. A group of men bearing the team name “Men of Grace” come together a couple times a week in hopes of a hard fought victory against a wily opponent. The B league is the perfect place for myself and others who hardly know how to swing a bat let alone catch a pop fly. O.K., the team deserves a bit more credit than that, but let’s just say that none of us are aspiring to be professional ball players… With finals approaching quickly, getting on the field twice a week helps melt the extra stress that latches on to every student in the latter part of the semester. Whether it is the crisp sound of a well hit ball under the setting sun, or the sting of a line drive entering a mit that leaves a lingering tingle in the palm of your hand, softball is a grand time! Students can also participate in the ultimate frisbee league if the diamond isn’t for them. Get outside and have some fun by participating in intramural activities, fun times and lasting memories is guaranteed!

Are those jean shorts? Why, yes they certainly are. I heard it gives a player extra speed around the bases, but it has not been scientifically proven in one of MSU’s highly acclaimed research labs… Yet!

Lucas Benz keeping his eye on the ball. What a backdrop!

(MSU photo by Kelly Gorham)

Rodeo in the state of Montana is as big as it gets anywhere in the country, and the MSU Rodeo Team is no exception. Since the beginning of the program shortly after WWII, MSU has wracked up eight national team titles, eight Big Sky Regional championships, and 33 individual national champions. I’m no statistician, but those numbers are pretty darn good. This years squad (men and women) is comprised of roughly 70% Montana natives. When a person grows up in small town Montana, rodeo is a way of life and a true showing of athleticism, toughness, perseverance, and drive. To these kids, lasting eight seconds on a bull is equivalent to tossing a game winning touchdown in football for the win. Recently the program has privately raised just over one MILLION dollars for the program which will go towards scholarships for future cowboys and cowgirls, and more importantly future Bobcats! MSU is the only institution in the nation whose rodeo program has raised a million dollars through private donations. I’d say the people of Montana are behind them, are you?!

I made it to one evening of this years event, and I was lucky enough to catch some barrel racing, break away roping, and bull riding. Here are some of my mediocre pictures from this years festivities.

The Brick Breeden Fieldhouse is transformed every spring from a basketball court to a full fledged rodeo playground.

A rider just out of the gate on his bull.

A cowboy trying not to get trampled after falling off of his bull.

Until next week! Cheers.

 

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has finally arrived, and it looks like it is here to say. I have been lucky enough to call Montana home for 21 years and this is one of the milder spring seasons I have experienced. No freak two foot snow storms over night, no golfing and skiing in the same day, no 30 degree temperature swings in a few hours, just lots of sunshine. Mountain bikes are hitting the trails around town; Bozemanites are scratching the itch that has been plaguing them all winter long just waiting patiently to start turning the rubber on their two-wheelers. Bridger Bowl is closing this weekend, and Big Sky Resort will follow suit on the weekend of the 14th. Pond skims and deck sitting will be my activity of choice at the hill this weekend! Easter has come and gone, and Bozeman is still spectacular. Here are a few things I have been up to lately…

Our house temporarily adopted a kitten named “Titan” that we later found out was owned by the sweetest elderly woman I have met. Being the kind hearted MSU students that we all have grown to be by attending this fine institution, we returned Titan to its rightful owner after some much needed play time. What better way to relieve stress than playing with a ferocious feline?

This is the brawl of the wild trophy hanging out in the Strand Union Building. The winner of the annul Cat-Griz football game gets to boast this beast of a trophy for the entire year. I must say, it’s much bigger in person than on TV!

A group of friends and I went to Full Circle Racing out in Belgrade, MT (8 miles from Bozeman) to race some go-karts and celebrate a birthday. The track offers a multitude of ominous winding turns where for ten minutes at a time a person can race like Jeff Gordon and compete against one another. It gets pretty heated out there on the track, because afterwards the winner is printed out on a piece of paper showing fastest lap time, who made the most laps, and how a person’s time compares to others throughout the day and even month. What a great affordable activity eh?

Bozeman was named one of the top ten best small towns in America by fodors.com (a prestigious travel site with many, many experts working behind the helm to provide the most accurate travel information on the world wide web). Bozeman is on the map people, and I couldn’t agree more with their decision! Here is a link to the article and a small synopsis of why Bozeman was included on the list.

http://www.fodors.com/news/best-small-towns-in-usa-6591.html

Also, check out this video about MSU. It is the same video the admissions office plays for visiting prospective students and is a great representation of our institution.

Easter weekend came and went in a flash. As of right now there is roughly four weeks of classes left and then finals week. It always goes by so fast, probably because time flies when you’re having fun! I’ve never heard that one before, I will coin that phrase as of right now… Anywho, I will wrap this post up with a few pictures. Here’s to another incredible week!

The best looking grandmothers west of the Mississippi!

Montana skies: feeling that “Rocky Mountain High” as John Denver used to say.

Also, the spring rodeo is about to commence. This annual event can’t be missed, especially if someone has never attended a rodeo before. The Brick Breeden Field House will be filled with dirt this week and cowboys and cowgirls from all across the western region will compete over the course of a few days. Don’t miss this event folks!

 

Spring Break Shenanigans

Spring break came and went in a blink of an eye. I love the break don’t get me wrong, it’s incredibly nice to relax, reboot and prepare for the final six weeks of classes. But, it is also a tease. One week with little to no responsibilities or worries only comes around so often and with summer break peeking around the corner, getting the mind rolling again can be tough! Sunshine and warm temperatures in the 60′s (in Montana I consider that balmy for this time of year, apparently that is considered cold in other places…) means it almost time to bring out the bikes, shorts, t-shirts, and hammocks to celebrate.

But, before the break started I finished up an eight week program with the Eagle Mount Ski Program.Eagle Mount provides therapeutic recreation for all seasons through outdoor activities.  This was my second year with the ski program up at Bridger Bowl. This year I had the opportunity to control what is known as a “bi-ski” using tethers to manipulate speed and turning of the ski. Eagle Mount participants all have some type of “disability” that sometimes impairs their ability to ski on their own. With some participants, it is simply skiing with them one-on-one. In the case of a bi-ski, participants are usually without the use of their legs and sometimes arms as well. The participant will sit in the bucket strapped in ready to go. Next, a person on each side of the ski lifts it up onto the lift as well as off, and then the fun begins! Here is what a bi-ski looks like as well as someone tethering one.

 

I went to Bridger Bowl and tethered the bi-ski once a week on Tuesday afternoons for eight weeks, but some volunteers may ski a few times a week depending on availability. I can’t express how much fun skiing with these kids and adults is, the joy on their faces at the end of each run and at the end of the day makes it all worth it. For most of these wonderful individuals this is the only opportunity to go fast and get a huge adrenaline rush. For example, a young girl about my age was on vacation from Wisconsin with her family. She was involved in an auto accident a few years back and lost the use of her legs. This young lady had never went skiing before, and was quite nervous before the day started. On the lift I saw her flying down the mountain with the biggest smile on her face and laughter that could be heard from the town of Bozeman. It is truly a incredible experience that I will continue to take part of as long as I can! Eagle Mount also has volunteer programs during the summer and fall seasons as well: horse back riding, swimming, camping trips and so forth. Check it out!

While some of my friends were off in exotic places for break such as Vegas, Cabo, and Moab I decided to head to Missoula, MT and then my hometown Helena, MT for a few days before heading back to Bozeman. I put 750 miles on the ol’ girl (my car) and took in the beautiful scenery that our great state has to offer.

 

The Bridger Range in the background

On the road again

The Spanish Peaks lurking in the distance. Sometimes I have a hard time staying on the road gazing at these beauties. As John Steinbeck quotes from Travels with Charley “Montana has the kind of mountains I would create if mountains were put on my agenda” I could not agree with Mr. Steinbeck more!

On the way to Missoula

I think I was lost…

Views from Missoula to Helena off of McDonald Pass

My stud of a grandfather turned 75. He doesn’t look a day over 50 right?

Bridger the Yorkie, named after the Bridger Mountain Range

Yes folks it is MUSTACHE MARCH! Walk around campus and one can quickly pick up what month it is just in case it slips the mind.

Mykaylee and I saying bye bye to spring break!

So I didn’t go anywhere exotic and have a crazy time, but I saw some beautiful scenery and more importantly a lot of old friends. But for now it is back to real life. Registration for fall semester has already begun and I am nearing the end. By the end of next fall I will be all done with classes and begin student teaching the following spring. I must say it is pretty surreal, but the fruits of my labor are close to paying off! Cheers.

Turkey Day and Bobcat Football

This past weekend I traveled to Missoula, Montana to watch the Bobcats beat their in-state rival, The University of Montana Grizzlies. It wasn’t pretty, but the Cats played their way to a 16-7 victory over the maroon and silver. The win gave the Bobcats a share of the Big Sky Conference title with Eastern Washington, the only team to squeak by the Bobcats, and a number 3 seed for the FCS (Footabll Championship Subdivision) playoffs. More importantly, MSU is guaranteed two playoff games at home assuming they win and continue their push to the national championship. Dust off the lights baby, because on December 1st at 5:00 p.m. the Cats will host Stony Brook in the first round. It will be the first night game since the home opener, and needless to say everyone in Bozeman and the student body alike are ready to throw on some warm clothes, hit the tailgates, and root on the squad!

While I am on the subject of athletics, I will mention MSU’s ChampChange program. Freshman and Sophomores alike are eligible for the program which encourages students to get out of their residence halls and off of the couch to attend events around campus. Students can go to extra-curricular events such as “How to be successful on essay exams,” and “sack lunch seminars,” sporting events, and other activities that offer ChampChange points for anyone who attends such events. A simple swipe of a student’s Cat Card (student ID card) while at the event garners points that go toward an end of the semester auction for educational things such as flat screen TV’s, dorm room accessories, Itunes gift cards, Ipods, and Ipads. What better way to encourage students to get out and try new things and stretch their boundaries while attending useful seminars?

Can A turkey jump higher than the Empire State Building? Of course it can, buildings can’t jump! Sorry, I thoroughly enjoy that cheesy riddle. Thanksgiving break has come and gone in a blink of an eye, and the only thing standing in between Christmas break is… FINALS. Thanksgiving is a great time to go home and visit family and friends that have been out of touch since the summer time. Eating delicious food that I didn’t have to cook is also a plus! Thanksgiving is always a nice, much needed break in the action before the onslaught of finals consumes the lives of hundreds, and do I dare say thousands of students. A break from the real world was pleasant, but now it’s back to essays, homework, and of course digging deep into the cabinets of my brain to refresh myself on what I learned back in August in order to dominate final examinations. It seems so long ago that I was biking to campus in shorts and taking in the first couple weeks of class. It always amazes me how time flies during any given semester, this one has been no exception!

Unfortunately I can’t claim that I cooked this lovely bird, but I sure did try and eat as much of it as I could in one sitting.

Grandparents sure do make the world go round!

I managed to get some skiing done over break at Great Divide, a local hill 30 minutes outside of Helena, Montana. Big Sky Resort opened on Thanksgiving day outside of Bozeman as well, and is waiting for the herds of MSU students to adorn its white slopes. Many students are frequent sky card members, as I stated in an earlier post these cards can be purchased for 40 dollars at the beginning of the year and knock off 20 dollars on every day ticket purchased. Also, the first week and last week of the season are FREE to frequent skier members. My theory is this fellow students; buy the pass, go once during free week, and the pass has already paid for itself. Or if you’re like me, go for the entirety of the weekend both opening and closing dates. I am not a business major, but I do know that’s a heck of a good deal for students. A weekend of Bobcat Football playoffs and free skiing sounds like euphoria to me, I hope you can join me!

A Cure For The Common… Cold?

My buddy Snow Walt (Walt Whitman) enjoying the fresh snow! Someone forgot to tell him to brush the snow off of his cap…

The winter storm “Brutus” made a visit to Bozeman early last week dropping almost a foot of fresh, soppy snow over night. If the weather channel is beginning to name severe winter storms, they might run through the entire alphabet over the course of a Montana winter. Heck, maybe in the course of a couple of months! In light of the first big storm of the season a few friends and I rolled up to Bridger Bowl to get a few early season turns in. The wind was howling as we walked up the hill and it felt as though it took hours to gain only a few hundred vertical feet. The whipping, whirling, wild wind could not stop the out of shape college students from getting the kinks worked out on the skis. It was nothing spectacular, but this picture sums up the afternoon.

Lucas Benz catching some air; who knew kids from St. Louis, Missouri could fly when they come to Montana? I am in the background soaking up the stellar sunset watching the action.

The Bobcat football team hosted a stingy Portland State squad in the bitter cold on Saturday. Temperature at kick off was registered at 19 degrees ‘Merican, or Fahrenheit for you Canadians, needless to say it was a bit chilly out there. With a light dusting of snow on the field the Cats ran all over the Vikings en route to a 65-30 victory, but not before things got a little heated. I am not talking about dirty plays or trash talking, I am talking about the epic performance by our dance squad’s rendition of Psy’s “Gangnam Style.” If you haven’t heard this song and watched the dance that is sweeping the nation, drop everything and watch the video, you won’t be disappointed. Here is a video of the action.

ASMSU (Associated Students of Montana State University) and its entertainment committee are always trying to bring acts, shows, comedians, and anything else fantastic to campus for the student body. Such activities provide breaks for students during the long work week, and sometimes are free of charge. In this case, ASMSU brought a local funk/rock/bluegrass band in to a play a show free of charge for us poor college students.

http://curetheband.com/index.php/home

This weekend is the annual BRAWL OF THE WILD football game between the Montana State Bobcats and the University of Montana Grizzlies. Folks, this is not your average in state rivalry game… The whole state comes together to root for their respected side, mostly because of all the great alumni that come from both universities. I will let you in on a secret, a very big secret I have not told many before this time, so here it goes. I, Brent Harlen, grew up as a die hard Grizzly football fan. Whew, I said it, it’s out. Going to games at Washington Grizzly Stadium as a kid with my dad and my grandfather rooting for the maroon and silver with all my heart’s content and soaking up Griz Nation all I could. Funny thing is, my brother Kevin graduated from MSU and I am currently attending MSU in hopes of someday graduating. My father graduated from UM with two degrees, so it’s quite ironic how things turned out. Now, I bleed the blue and gold from inside out and wouldn’t have it any other way! On the first day of freshman orientation President Waded Cruzado told the new students that by graduation we would all be bleeding blue and gold, I thought she was full of it and didn’t believe a word she said. If only I could go back in time and tell her she was dead… right!

This will be the 112th meeting between the two squads in a rivalry that played its first game in 1897. The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines started playing each other that same year, and the Notre Dame Irish and Michigan Wolverines began their fight on the grid iron in 1887. These are the only two rivalries that can stand with The Brawl Of The Wild, that’s pretty impressive. I’ll be in Missoula this weekend watching the game, and needless to say there is going to be some mixed feelings going back to Washington Griz, but once the whistle blows, I sure as heck know who I’ll be cheering for. GO CATS!

The Hockey Nut From Washington Who Grew Organic Local Produce

As all of you may know this coming Tuesday, November 6th, is election day here in ‘Merica. With all of the negative political jargon running rampant here in Bozeman and all over the U.S. of A., I am more than ready for election day to arrive. Every time I open the local newspaper or flip on my TV to soak up some nightly sportscenter, my brain is convoluted with an array of attack ads on the local and national level. I don’t know about everyone else out there, but I’ll be at the polls bright and early and don’t need the heavy burden of class time to get in the way. Thankfully, MSU gives its hard working students the day off in order to vote for the next Commander in Chief and other local officials. If only the people of the United States could somehow cast their votes early without even going to the polls. I’d call it “absentee voting.” Maybe it sounds rash and inconceivable, but it’s worth a shot right? In all seriousness, the Tester-Rehberg senate race is one of the tightest races all across the country and little ol’ Montana is right in the thick of things. I was biking home and saw this Tester poster and thought “rock on” Washington. Let’s all remember to take a step back and take these elections with a grain of salt. Bozeman is too beautiful to be worrying about the next elect, I am glad this creative fellow is taking his opinion lightheartedly!

On a non satirical note, there was some great happenings around the beautiful town of Bozeman this week! Local food producers touted their fresh produce inside of the SUB at the local food fair, the MSU club hockey team “The Hellcats” took on Boise State, and the annual BSF (Bridger Ski Foundation) ski swap took place at the fairgrounds.

On Thursday of last week, there was no need to pack a lunch because of all the generous folks around the area who came to show off their produce and spread the word of buying local. Free samples of delectable granola bars, yogurt, fresh fruit and vegetables, and of course plenty of other goodies to take home to mom filled the tables. Local restaurants are starting to buy in on the craze around Bozeman and buying a lot of their ingredients from local organic food producers. Not only does this strengthen the local food community, but it also bolsters the local economy as well. With access to fresh, healthy produce, the community can benefit nutritionally and economically. A local community food truck was on campus to spread the word of the organic craze. The man in the fruit suit was pretty excited to say the least.

This weekend the MSU club hockey team “The Hellcats” took on Boise State both Friday and Saturday evening. With the NHL in a lockout, five dollars can get a hockey fan dealing with withdraws into the stadium for the action. In typical Montana fashion, the crowd was rowdy and the fans were giving both sides an earful. There is nothing like the atmosphere at a college hockey game, the intensity can be felt the minute the puck drops. In this case, our own President of Montana State, Waded Cruzado, had the honors this weekend. Dr. Cruzado rode a horse into the arena on the first night of the annual spring rodeo last year and dropped the puck with a bunch of monsters on the ice this fall. Needless to say, our President is one awesome lady and has no fear! Our boys tied it up three all with four seconds to go in the third period to send it into overtime, but MSU ended up losing in a shootout. Even though the result was a loss, everyone had a grand time.

A bunch of hooligans…

The annual Bozeman ski swap is a great opportunity to pick up some fantastic winter gear at seemingly low prices. It’s also a great place to sell old gear and make some quick cash to keep the lights on and buy more top ramen (college students are broke, the secret is out). The event takes place at the fairgrounds with skis, jackets, poles, goggles, back packs, and other miscellaneous items packed the building like sardines in a can. Lines stream out of the door for hundreds of yards just to get in and browse around at garage sale priced items. For a ski bum, it’s pretty darn close to Christmas. Never skied before? Pick up a whole set up for a couple hundred bucks and get cracking! It is a great opportunity to buy great gear on a college budget, who would have thought? See you next week!

CAN The Griz

Tis’ the season for dipping temperatures, pumpkin carving, hot cider, and an extra layer or two at Bobcat football games. The latter part of fall is upon us and these are just a few indicators that the times, they are a changing. Halloween weekend has come and gone, and the costumes seem to get more creative each and every year thanks to America’s vivacious creative youth. While eating lunch in the SUB on Thursday, the MSU senators strolled by for their weekly Thursday meeting, but as I took a second look I noticed one of the male representatives was dressed up as an elderly woman. Man, he really nailed it! I nearly spit a mouthful of coffee onto my laptop, and may have been the only one in the near vicinity laughing or even noticing this truly impeccable costume choice. A walker with tennis balls, rimmed glasses the size of small planets, a curly wig with an impeccable perm, evening slippers, and a sweater that easily could have rivaled my grandmother’s best festive sweater thirty years ago. It’s nice to see our student leaders having a little fun while talking campus policy!

Mykaylee Verworn (deer) and Brent Harlen (hunter). What can we say, we look GOOD!

Downtown Bozeman will hold a plethora of festive activities for all ages such as haunted houses, carnivals, and costume contests to name a few. The Emerson Theater is one of many downtown businesses participating in the Halloween frenzy with activities like pumpkin bowling, pumpkin ring toss, and a costume contest. A radio station will be giving out a $100 prize for the best costume at The Baxter Hotel which is sure to bring out the best costumes in town. Hot chocolate and warm plates of snacks will be available to encourage participation and ease the potential frigid temperatures. An array of haunted house opportunities await for all ages: Anderson School, The Fellowship Baptist Church, The Gallatin Valley Mall, and of course The Story Mansion to name a few. Is there an age limit to go trick or treating? I sure hope not, because I am eager to test it out this year.

The annual Can the Griz food drive is revving up as well. This will be the 13th annual food drive competition between the state’s two universities, and this rival is not one that is played on the hardwood or on sprint turf but rather in the respective communities with all proceeds going to the local food bank. This may be an off the field rivalry, but make no mistake, the competition is fierce. MSU won in landslide fashion last year and is looking to “can” the competition again… I couldn’t resist, I love puns. Bobcat supporters garnered 57,000 pounds while Griz Nation brought a mere 18,000 pounds to the table. The drive begins on November 3rd and will end on November 17th during the first quarter of the Cat/Griz football game. The winner will be announced during the third quarter. There is no trophy for the winner, only the mindset of a struggling family getting the opportunity to enjoy a nice meal for Thanksgiving dinner. Get out and donate some cans, ramen, rice, cereal, and anything else that sounds delectable and is non-perishable! Help the less fortunate and CAN THE GRIZ.