Montana road trip

[mtjack]

Well - that didn't turn out like I thought it would. I was hoping for 2-0 and expected 1-1. I'm beginning to dislike that trip. Three straight years starting conference play on the road vs. MSU/UM with close to similar results each year. Come on, Big Sky Conference hierarchy...mix it up a little. Ugh. Back to the starting blocks on Thursday vs. ISU then Saturday (game's on FoxSports AZ, by the way) vs. WSU.

The worst things I saw/read/heard from the games were lack of defensive intensity and getting down by 20-30 in each game. Hard to come back no matter what team you are from deficits like that. I'll give the bench some big time props for making it look slightly more respectable vs. MSU. I hope Coach Adras rewards them with a few more minutes. NAU certainly didn't look like the team I saw play Air Force, U of A and USC. On a positive note, winning on the road in the Big Sky Conference will be tough as usual and (historically) the worst road trip of all for NAU is out of the way. Griz and Bobcats still have to play in Flagstaff, also.

Til next week vs. ISU and WSU.

 

[king]

I was able to go to the game in Missoula. NAU lost that game because of their defense. They missed some pretty routine defensive assignments leaving Cherry wide open for 3 and Quavale at times had his way inside for easy dunks or layups. NAU let up a few times and Montana went on quick runs. That's what killed the Jacks. With better defense NAU would have won. Enjoyed the game with 2 of my brothers, the drive was horrible as the entire region was in a snow storm but the trip was very fruitful.

Time to get it together Jacks :evil:

 

[mtjack]

I was able to go to the game in Missoula. NAU lost that game because of their defense. They missed some pretty routine defensive assignments leaving Cherry wide open for 3 and Quavale at times had his way inside for easy dunks or layups. NAU let up a few times and Montana went on quick runs. That's what killed the Jacks. With better defense NAU would have won. Enjoyed the game with 2 of my brothers, the drive was horrible as the entire region was in a snow storm but the trip was very fruitful.

Time to get it together Jacks :evil:

King -

If nothing else, you got to see an exciting game.

Have you been to Missoula before? Fun town...lotsa good bars (I'm partial to The Rhino), restaurants and a damned cool record store (Rockin' Rudys) to boot. That drive from Spokane to Missoula is horrible ice/blizzard conditions. My friends and relatives in Spokane, Great Falls, Helena, Butte and Bozeman are pulling their hair out this winter due to the unending onslaught of storms. I miss trees and seasons living here in the desert but I don't miss having to drive/commute in -20 degree blizzards.

Working on making it to one of NAU's last four home games - especially hoping to make the UofM game.

 

[king]

I have been to Missoula lots of times. I actually grew up across Lost trail pass on the Idaho side. (Salmon, Idaho). Missoula is the closest "big" town to Salmon, so we always went to Missoula to shop and such. I was actually in Salmon this winter for the holidays visiting the folks and took a couple of my brothers along to catch the NAU game. I was looking to buy a car as well, so we went to some of the car dealers to check them out. The road from Missoula to Spokane wasn't bad, it's the one from Missoula to Salmon that was horrible. Lost trail pass was a mess, went about 20 mph over the pass. It was horrible, but so very beautiful at the same time. I stopped at the summit to take some pictures. Beautiful part of the country.

 

[mtjack]

I have been to Missoula lots of times. I actually grew up across Lost trail pass on the Idaho side. (Salmon, Idaho). Missoula is the closest "big" town to Salmon, so we always went to Missoula to shop and such. I was actually in Salmon this winter for the holidays visiting the folks and took a couple of my brothers along to catch the NAU game. I was looking to buy a car as well, so we went to some of the car dealers to check them out. The road from Missoula to Spokane wasn't bad, it's the one from Missoula to Salmon that was horrible. Lost trail pass was a mess, went about 20 mph over the pass. It was horrible, but so very beautiful at the same time. I stopped at the summit to take some pictures. Beautiful part of the country.

Haven't been to Salmon since I was a kid. I lived in SW Montana for a while and have spent a lot of time in and around Anaconda. Some of the best hikes I've ever done were in or around Philipsburg, Georgetown Lake, Wisdom, the Big Hole River and the Pintler Range.

Beautiful country. Great summers. Horrible winters. Don't miss driving mountain passes in November-April one bit but miss trees, seasons and water. No jobs to speak of. Much different vibe than Arizona....that's in both a good and bad way in my opinion but no need to go into details here.

Next time you go back to Missoula, have breakfast (any time of day....preferable at 3 am while sobering up) at the Oxford Hotel in downtown Missoula. One of the best greasy spoons I've been to and it is "authentic". No matter how drunk I've been I haven't been able to get myself to order the "brain and eggs" on their menu.

 

[king]

Brain and eggs? hmm sounds interesting. I'm always on the look for new and interesting cuisine. I will for sure visit this restaurant next time I'm in Missoula.