He is Monte, the backflipping, goalpost-crashing, award-winning Grizzly mascot. He is the quintessential dancing bear, and he is very, very busy.
Indeed, Monte is so booked these days - 450 public appearances not including athletic events in the past year alone - that the bustling bruin has developed a split personality.
His on-field moves are as smooth and seamless as ever, but for the past five years two Montes have existed as one, sharing the spotlight on the biggest stage the state of Montana has to offer.
When the Grizzly football team hosts Southern Utah on Saturday in the 2008 home opener, both Montes will be there, front and center. And if they have their way, you will never know the difference.
Monte 1, a senior at UM, is filling out the bear suit for his fifth and final year. Monte 2, a junior, is in his third season. The students are friends, both graduates of Big Sky High School, and both dedicated to carrying on the tradition of one of the most decorated - and talented - college mascots in the country.
It's a demanding job, brought to life earlier this decade by Barry Anderson, who went on to become, in Monte 2's words, “the Michael Jordan of mascots.” Anderson now operates, appropriately enough, as high-flying Benny the Bull for the NBA's Chicago Bulls.
Preparing to take over for Anderson in 2004 as an 18-year-old college freshman was the most intimidating moment of his life, Monte 1 said.
“My first (football) game, that was insane,” he said. “I almost threw up. But Barry was there, and he said, ‘Go, go, go.' So I went.
“To go out there in front of 23,000 people and all eyes are on you ... what do you do? You put the head on, and you just go. I remember looking around and thinking, ‘Here comes the new one.' ”
Monte 1 said the transition was smoothed by Anderson's willingness to mentor him.
“Barry is the one who told me to make Monte what I think Monte should be while keeping the awesome personality he had,” Monte 1 said. “That's when I became a lot happier with what Monte is and was.”
What Monte became was the same hip, athletic bear with the added twist of gymnastics - Monte 1's forte.
“We wanted to keep it the same persona: the ladies' man that can't, the he-man that can't,” Monte 1 said. “At the same time, we didn't want the same style of dance. We wanted to add gymnastics. We wanted to keep the same personality, but add new elements.”
Two years after Monte 1's debut, he invited his former high school friend to try out to replace another Big Sky product, Dane Reis, as the second Monte. The partnership has been a smashing success.
Like Monte 1, Monte 2 brings a talent for tumbling, both having trained under David Stark at Bitterroot Gymnastics, while also providing a strong dance background.
“You just kind of get thrown into it,” Monte 2 said. “There's no, ‘You've got to do this and this and this, and then this will happen.' It's more you just put it on, put your time in, and then see what happens. It's a lot of fun, though.”
Fun, but also dangerous. Both Montes have been injured on the job, sometimes severely.
Monte 1 bit completely through his lower lip after banging his face against the rim during a dunk at a UM basketball game, got back up and dunked again even though he could feel the blood flowing over his chin. Then there was the time he slammed head-first into the goalpost during a football game, nearly knocking himself silly.
Monte 2 has dislocated both of his shoulders, as well as tearing a hamstring during another memorable run at a goalpost, which ended with him falling flat, rolling, getting up, stumbling into the post and then wobbling off the field.
“There's no trick to running into the goalpost,” Monte 2 said of one of the bear's well-known stunts. “There's nothing mysterious about it. It hurts so bad. It hurts real bad.”
“We run and just smack into it for the sake of comedy,” Monte 1 said. “It's not something we practice. We practiced it one time, and it was like, ‘That's enough of that.' ”
What both Montes do practice is keeping their performances as similar as possible.
“Our goal is so people can't tell the difference between either one of us,” Monte 1 said. “Personality wise we're pretty much the same, but I'm more the gymnast and he's more the dancer.”
“If you watch Monte all the time, you might see a difference, but whenever Monte really (ticks) someone off, it's (Monte 1) that did it,” Monte 2 said with a grin, eliciting a big laugh from his teammate.
Ah yes, the troublemaking side of that rascally bear.
While many mascots around the country sometimes poke a little fun at fans and officials, few have developed it into an artform like Monte. So much so that this season the Big Sky Conference has instituted what both Montes proudly call the Monte Rule, which forbids mascots from harassing officials in any form whatsoever.
“It's flattering,” said a satisfied Monte 2.
Kenny Dow, the mascot coordinator for the UM athletic department, monitors the two Montes with a watchful, if understanding eye.
“When it comes to a game, they know they're not supposed to go near the referees,” Dow said. “Well, Monte, being mischievous, will push that line until I come over there and be like, ‘No.' ”
Dow's parenting responsibilities have earned him the good-natured nickname “Papa Bear” from his charges, but it's a job he takes seriously.
“Monte's job is to push the envelope,” he said. “But they absolutely can't go anywhere near (the official) from now on. The refs can probably throw a flag, though they'd probably give us a warning first.”
The Montes remain somewhat ambivalent about the new rule.
“There's that thing where you have the two Montes on your shoulders,” Monte 2 said. “You've got one Monte saying, ‘You shouldn't do that,' and the other Monte is saying, ‘Yeah, you should do that.' You always gotta listen to the twin Montes.”
Whether Monte listens to the bear with the halo or succumbs to the one with the pitchfork depends on the situation, but both students say they would never do anything to hurt the teams or embarrass the university.
“You have to know there is a line,” Monte 1 said. “You can't just go out there and be super obnoxious. There's a certain element of respect, to not only the community, but you don't want to be disrespectful to the university or the image of Monte.
“There's the entertainment value of it, but the line we won't ever get close to is the respect line,” he added. “Monte is definitely mischievous. He'll embarrass people, he'll make them laugh, he'll go out of control sometimes, but he definitely won't disrespect or be rude at any point.”
“Monte's biggest thing is he loves people,” Monte 2 said.
Which brings us to the people who love Monte the most.
“Adults know there's a person in the suit,” Monte 1 said. “They still will have fun, still smile and laugh. But with the kids, it's real. It's Santa Claus. It is Monte.
“Monte is the one on the field. He can do backflips, he can dance. The kids are the ones, when they come up to you and give you a hug, it's a genuine hug.”
College students they may be, but the two Montes have a great big spot in their bear hearts for the smallest Griz fans. And the UM athletic department plans to celebrate that connection with the formation of Monte's Club, dedicated to kids kindergarten through eighth grade. The club will kick off with a birthday for Monte on Sept. 19 before the UM volleyball game against Northern Colorado.
Both Montes say they were unprepared for the impact the mascot has on children, not to mention the powerful and joyful response of the kids.
“At first I didn't realize that it would really touch people,” Monte 1 said. “Barry told me that it would, but I didn't realize how much. With the kids, it's so genuine, and that's when you realize this is really cool. I'll give them a hug, and you can really feel the love from them.”
“It's gotten to the point where you would never do anything to ruin it for the kids,” Monte 2 said. “They are the best. When you have a long day, and it's finals week, but you get to go see all these kids and their faces light up ... it really makes you feel good.”
Reporter John Smithers can be reached at 523-5257 or at jsmithers@missoulian.com.
Monte's Club
The University of Montana's new Monte's Club - led by UM's two-time national mascot of the year - offers free admission to all Griz soccer and volleyball events. Members 12 and under also may receive free admission to Griz and Lady Griz basketball events with the purchase of an adult general admission ticket.
Monte's Club also will make sure participants aren't going to events empty-handed. Members will receive a free T-shirt, club newsletter, birthday card from Monte, and other surprises.
Because of NCAA regulations, children must be in the eighth grade or under to participate in Monte's Club. All event tickets are subject to availability.
For a membership application, go to www.montana grizzlies.com/. Call UM Intercollegiate Athletics at 243-2250 for more information.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)
Traci Anderson wrote on Sep 13, 2008 7:16 AM: