From the Fringe … Keep in mind, the Transfer Portal door swings both ways for Cats, Griz

The Montana Grizzlies are in the midst of an FCS revival. And the Montana State Bobcats just finished a season that may have ended in heartbreak, but was still another ultra-successful one regardless.

And while we’ve always liked to think the Griz and Cats are big-time college football programs without all the baggage that comes with being bigtime, we’ve all been very naive about that. In hindsight, both programs have had plenty of problems over the years, and right now, they’re both experiencing the new madness that comes with college football.

And that madness is wrapped up in just three words: “Transfer Portal” and “NIL.” Anyone who thought those two things wouldn’t trickle down to Montana and Montana State are sadly mistaken, because, in just the last 24 hours, the Cats and Griz have lost seven combined players to the Portal, and all were meaningful and impactful.

Make no mistake, I truly believe the ease with which the Transfer Portal is used has really made college football kind of silly. Like honestly, why is there a signing day when a Letter of Intent is no longer binding in reality? It’s really symbolic now.

On the flip side, I’ve always said that, if coaches can leave schools with impunity, why can’t players? It’s certainly a double-edged sword.

But it’s not going away either, and it’s something UM and MSU fans are just going to have to reconcile with, and quite frankly, calm down about, because right now, a small faction of Cats and Griz fans are looking awfully hypocritical with each and every message board post or Tweet.

Why hypocritical you may ask? Well that’s pretty simple.

Both the Cats and Griz have always, and I mean always relied on transfers to help elevate the programs. I mean seriously, where would Montana be without Joe Douglas? I can tell you this, they wouldn’t have won the 1995 national title without him. Guys like Drew Miller and Craig Ochs, oh yeah, Griz fans certainly liked watching those guys sling it back in the day. MSU has had some very nice dropdowns, too. Anyone remember the name Bryce Stern? Yeah he was just kind of good.

The guys I just mentioned, they’re just a handful of the hundreds of transfers the Cats and Griz have relied on over the years. They are players that have become, and were fan favorites, and there’s so many who made the Griz and Cats better than they would have been without them.

And guess what? They all quit a team they played with to come to Bozeman or Missoula. Every single one of them decided to break a commitment, leave a team, leave teammates and friends behind. They all “quit,” and yet they were certainly all welcomed by throngs of MSU and UM fans.

So, why is there so much anger and hatred when Bobcats and Griz decide to do the same.? And yes, a quick look at Bobcat Nation and Egriz, or a quick scroll through Twitter or X today, and you’ll see plenty of posts about commitment, about quitting, about players that were beloved a week ago but are now thought of as traitors. Or even funnier, posts about how their backups are better than they are.

Honestly, if it wasn’t so weird for people to get so upset about a player transferring, it would be funny.

But in reality, it isn’t funny. It’s hypocritical. The Transfer Portal works both ways, and next spring and summer, Bobcat Nation and Egriz will be beaming with excitement over new transfers that sign with those programs, and trust me, they will. Both teams will bring in multiple transfers, and once again, they’ll be welcomed with open arms. I truly believe fans won’t be protesting their signings.

So maybe, just maybe, think about that before you condemn a kid for doing the same thing. After all, not only is that college football now, and it’s not going to change, it’s also their life, not yours. No matter how much you donate. No matter how many season tickets you buy, no matter how invested you are as a fan, it’s their lives and they have every right to live them how they want. Those players’ decisions to leave MSU and UM are no different than the transfers that will come to Missoula or Bozeman next season, and you’ll love them for making those exact same choices.

Note: Many transfers will try and help the Montana Grizzlies beat the Furman Paladins in tonight’s FCS Quarterfinal. The Griz will host the Paladins at 7 inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula. The game can be seen on ESPN2.