BOZEMAN — From coast to coast, Cat-Griz is a highly-anticipated game, with nearly 100 watch parties popping up all across the country this weekend.
“We have been going to the same bar here in San Diego now for 25 years,” said Peter Burfening.
Burfening is a lifelong Bobcat fan who was born and raised in Bozeman and went to Montana State.
“I believe I was on that campus the first week of my life,” he said. “I’ve been to all the games that I can remember growing up.”
Now, Peter’s lived in San Diego for the last 30 years, where he’s been the coordinator for the city’s Cat-Griz watch party going on 25 years.
“It’s one of our favorite days of the day year,” said Burfening. He says they’ve seen over 200 people come to the watch parties.
Even though the San Diego watch party is 1,000 miles away from Montana, Burfening says the vibes are just the same.
“It can be a little like being in the stadium,” he said. “There’s always some chants that are not suited for television that are used down at the party.”
The Cat-Griz energy isn’t just in San Diego. It’s also all the way in New York City.
“We’re putting our best foot forward to make sure this goes not just smoothly but fun,” said Matthew Furman.
Furman is a manager at restaurant and bar The Splendid in New York City, which is hosting the Cat-Griz watch party for the first time this year.
“We want this to become a tradition,” said Furman.
Furman says to make the day special for the party’s more than 100 attendees, the restaurant will be bringing in a Montana beer.
“A nice little personal touch that, yes, we’re in the big city, but also trying to bring a little bit of home for people who have moved from over there,” he said.
All the way across the country – in the Pacific Ocean – is the watch party in O’ahu, Hawaii.
“The atmosphere is very Aloha-like,” said Warren Patrick, who graduated from Montana State in 1978 and has been organizing the O’ahu watch party for the past few years.
“There’s as many as 6 people, all the way up to 25 or 30,” said Patrick. “That’s pretty good.”
No matter the state, the Cat-Griz watch parties across the country have the same prediction.
“It’s going to be a good time,” said Furman.
