Monte (mascot)

Monte

University	University of Montana
Conference	BSC
Description	Grizzly bear
Origin of name	short for Montana
First seen	1993
Related mascot(s)	Monte's little buddy 'Mo', Monte's big buddy 'Rocky', Benny the Bull

Monte, short for Montana, is the University of Montana's award-winning athletics mascot. He is modeled after a grizzly bear, in reference to the nickname of the university's athletic teams, the Grizzlies.

History

Starting in 1897, the University of Montana used live bear cubs to promote their athletic teams, who were then simply known as the Bears. The university went through several bear cubs, often being forced to replace the bear at the end of every football season as it grew too large to be easily shuttled from game to game.^[1] The mascots had several different names through the years, including three bears named Fessy, in honor of famed University of Montana football coach Doug Fessden, and a bear named Jerry, in honor of coach Jerry Williams. However, live bears cubs were visibly uncomfortable during games, especially as the crowd grew loud. They would often be held in chains.^[2] Outside the sports arenas, the bears were occasionally subject to kidnappings, publicity hoaxes, and animal rights protests.^[3] One ran away successfully.^[4] Following a particularly poor football season in 1956, a rumor started that the school was euthanizing the bears.^[5]

Press and student outbursts at the complications of live bear mascots led the university to try a more conventional approach, and in the 1970s, the Grizzlies were backed by a variety of traditional company-sponsored costumed mascots. These included the Hamm's Beer Bear, Domino's Pizza's Noid, and at one point, Ronald McDonald. The local business Grizzly Auto Centers sponsored Otto the Grizzly, who was the primary mascot for the athletics teams for most of the 1980s, beginning in 1983 with student Jan Nesset. Like Otto, previous bear mascots were designed to be fierce and aggressive, even wolf-like;^[6] it wasn't until the athletics department conferred with mascot experts that it was decided to design a more engaging, friendly and energetic mascot. It was then in 1991 that Monte was developed.^[7] Monte debuted at the start of the 1993 season. In his first game as mascot, the Grizzlies came back to win after a 31-point deficit against South Dakota.^[8]

Costume and Performance

The person behind the mask is typically chosen by the university athletics' Assistant Marketing Director, in an auditioning process informally known as Monte Idol. An unwritten rule keeps the current Monte's real identity secret until he or she is no longer enrolled in the university, at which point another Monte is chosen. There are usually two students with the role of Monte during any given year, to ensure Monte will always be available. Though the job is unpaid, the occupant does receive a tuition waiver.^[9] Most notable of the costume-wearers was Barry Anderson, who wore the Monte suit for five years in the 2000s and went on to work for the Chicago Bulls' mascot team.^[10]

In the beginning of Monte's life, the costume was heavier and poorly ventilated. The head was secured by only a small strap. Scott Stiegler, the first university student to don the costume full-time, developed a bicycle helmet with foam around it to affix the head of the costume more efficiently.^[11] Peripheral vision was still compromised, and Monte could occasionally be seen tripping over bleachers and small children during the first few games. While visibility has been improved, Monte still must feel his way around with his hands to avoid tripping.

Monte has a variety of different ways of entertaining crowds at sports games. A marked departure from previous mascots, Monte is considerably acrobatic, doing flips and cartwheels to celebrate favorable gameplay. He frequently interacts with children, something previous mascots were unable to do because of their bulky costume or frightening appearance. The philosophy is that Monte must remain unpredictable, always surprising fans.^[12] Monte has been known to enter games on motorcycles, four-wheelers and horseback, always surrounded by cheerleaders. His effect on crowd energy and team performance has been enormously positive. In the 13 years after Monte started entertaining audiences at games, the Grizzly football team had won more games than they had in the 25 years prior.^[13]

Monte averages around 200 public appearances per year, with only around 50 of those being in sports arenas.^[14] As such, he is more than the athletics mascot and has been regarded as a mascot for the university as a whole. The university has used Monte to spread school spirit at birthday parties, weddings, corporate functions, and even funerals. Local businesses have featured Monte in their advertisements, and his likeness is used to help incoming freshmen with "Ask Monte," an online Q&A service on the university's website. In 2008, he starred in the children's book "The Great Monte Mystery," written by university alum Jennifer Newbold.^[15]

National exposure

Monte has been nominated as Capital One's Mascot of the Year five times, winning twice --- in 2002, and again in 2004.^[16] The contest features 15 or more nominees pitted against each other, one at a time, with users and judges voting on their favorite of each match-up. The winner is the last standing. Nominees win $5,000 for their school; winners receive an additional $5,000 and are featured in a broadcast of an NFL game. Monte is the only mascot to have won twice.

Since then, he was featured in a Super Bowl commercial with Joe Montana.

References

↑ Montana Grizzlies Website
↑ "Jerry". The Kaimin, November 29, 1956.
↑ "Making Bear-Facts Riles Farmers Guarding Fessy". The Kaimin, November 2, 1937.
↑ "Fessy Returns to Wild Haunts". The Kaimin, May 6, 1933.
↑ Jackson, Genell. "Is the Mascot a Loser Too?" The Kaimin, December 6, 1956.
↑ Haines, Eric. E-mail interview conducted by Teresa Hamann, October 5, 2006.
↑ NWDA Guide to Archive Collections website
↑ Walterskirchen, Chris. Telephone interview conducted by Teresa Hamann, October 10, 2006.
↑ Nickell, Joe. "Monte Idol to decide future UM mascot". The Missoulian, August 20, 2009.
↑ UMT website
↑ Stiegler, Scott. Telephone interview conducted by Teresa Hamann. October 10, 2006.
↑ Stiegler, Scott. Telephone interview conducted by Teresa Hamann. October 10, 2006.
↑ Haines, Eric. E-mail interview conducted by Teresa Hamann, October 5, 2006.
↑ Moy, Chelsi. "He’s a mascot, a hot commodity and a moneymaker". The Missoulian, October 22, 2010.
↑ UMT website
↑ The Capital One Bowl

University of Montana

Schools and Colleges	College of Arts and Sciences College of Education and Human Sciences College of Forestry and Conservation College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences College of Technology School of Business Administration School of Journalism School of Law College of Visual and Performing Arts

Campuses	University of Montana ‒ Missoula University of Montana – Helena College of Technology Montana Tech of the University of Montana University of Montana Western

Athletics	Montana Grizzlies and Lady Griz Football (Brawl of the Wild, Little Brown Stein) Washington–Grizzly Stadium Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball (Dahlberg Arena) Soccer Dornblaser Field Marching Band Monte "Up With Montana"

Historic buildings and landmarks	University Hall Forestry Bld. Schreiber Gym Rankin Hall Social Science Bld. Fine Arts Bld. The Oval The "M" Trail Memorial Row The Payne Family Native American Center

Student life	Student Organizations International Program

Noted people	Mike Mansfield Jeannette Rankin Harold Urey Carroll O'Connor

Media	Camas CutBank Montana Kaimin Montanan KBGA 89.9 FM Montana Public Radio Montana PBS

Category Portal

Links to related articles

Montana Grizzlies football

Venues	Dornblaser Field (I) (1912–1967) Naranche Stadium (alternate (Butte), 1938–1950) Dornblaser Field (II) (1968–1986) Washington–Grizzly Stadium (1986–present)

Bowls & rivalries	Brawl of the Wild (Montana State) Little Brown Stein (Idaho) EWU–UM Governors Cup (Eastern Washington)

Culture and lore	Monte "Up With Montana" University of Montana Grizzly Marching Band

People	Head coaches NFL draftees

Seasons	1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

National championship seasons in bold

Montana Grizzlies basketball

Venues	Dahlberg Arena (1953–present)

Culture & lore	Monte Up with Montana

People	Head coaches

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