George Ferguson Column: Looks like Choate and Hauck have my back, and all of Montana's

With what’s gone on lately, I sometimes gotta ask myself … does anybody even want fall sports this year?

I know it’s kind of a rhetorical question, because I know there are plenty of people out there who do. And yet, when I see the lack of action some people are taking when it comes to helping to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, I still find myself asking that question.

Of course, I do know the answer for many, and that’s a resounding yes. I know all of the kids that love football, volleyball, cross country, golf and cheer want to play this fall. I know our really awesome Havre High Marching Band wants to play at football games this fall. I know the coaches want to coach the games this fall, and the refs wants to ref.

I dang sure know the Montana State University-Northern Lights want to play football in their brand new stadium this fall, and I know the Skylights want to play volleyball in the Armory Gymnasium.

All that is true. I can even speak for one coach because I am him. I coach, and not only that, but I also cover all those other sports every single day, and I don’t want to go another season without them.

I’ve also been asking people to help make that happen for months. Let me say that again, I’ve been asking you all to help us make sure we have sports this fall. Notice I said the word ask. I’m not telling anybody what to do. I’m not pushing a political agenda, and I’m not advocating for one side or another.

No, my only agenda is, and has been since the pandemic shut us down, that I want our kids to be safely back in school, and I want them to be able to safely play sports and do all the other extra curricular activities I know our kids of all ages love to do.

That’s my agenda. That’s it.

And thankfully, I now have two of the most visible people in the state to back up that agenda.

Earlier this week, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced that, Montana head football coach Bobby Hauck and Montana State headman Jeff Choate were teaming up for the MaskUpMontana initiative. They made a PSA and, for one of the very few times that I’ve ever seen, the Cats and Griz agree on something and that something is, they want a fall sports season, and if wearing a mask is one of the ways to get it, then they’re on board.

Again, I don’t for one second believe that either Choate or Hauck is pushing any other type of political agenda. Instead, I believe they want what I want, they want to stay healthy, they want their families to be healthy, they want their communities to be healthy, they want a healthy Montana, and they want to coach football games in the fall. They want sports.

That all sounds familiar to me, because I want that same thing. And I’ll tell you this, having gone through the spring, and losing the sport that I have coached for 18 years and played for as long as I remember, having seen what that did to our spring sports athletes, and having seen how much our kids just missed out on being in school, knowing how that made me feel, I wouldn’t wish that anybody. Not even Choate and the rival Bobcats. This past spring was horrible and I don’t want to see anybody go through that again.

I want school and sports back, and I know many of you out there do, too. And that’s why I’m not giving up on trying to help slow the spread and flatten the curve. That’s why I’m going to keep doing my part. It might be a small part, but I’m gonna keep trying. I’m going to keep writing about, I’m going to keep asking for your help, and I’m going to physically keep doing the things I have seen that help slow the spread of this virus.

I hope you all do, too, but, even if you don’t want to listen to me, maybe you’ll listen to Choate and Hauck. They’re pretty smart guys and I know I’m going to listen to both of ’em.