There was a writeup in the Missoula Independent yesterday about the history of eGriz.com and community behind it. Read it online at the Missoula Independent website.
Here are a few of excerpts:
The humor is fitting, considering that eGriz.com founder Chris Lynn conceptualized the message board in 2001 while he was in Bozeman, attending Montana State University. Lynn is a diehard Griz fan from Spokane who landed in enemy territory: The Bobcat blue-and-gold that fuels instinctual competitiveness in Griz fans was everywhere. Fortunately, he was able to transfer to UM after his freshman year. The Garden City offered more comfortable surroundings. Not only does the home team wear a pleasing maroon, it also significantly outclasses the MSU Bobcats. Lynn, a computer whiz, went on to earn a bachelor’s in business information systems from UM and grow eGriz into a sprawling site that reflects the best—and worst—of Grizzly sports.
Lynn says that after 10 years hosting the website, he’s grown accustomed to the fervor that fuels online discussions. He chalks much of it up to the loyalty locals have for their hometown. “Everybody in Missoula seems to be passionate about the things that are Missoula.
It’s that kind of support and camaraderie Lynn appreciates most about eGriz. Connections he’s made there in the past decade go beyond the virtual. He tailgates with eGriz friends. They hang out and tell Bobcat jokes, referring to each other by their user names. As they do online, they stake out passionate and often divergent perspectives on their home team.
“It’s a great community out there,” Lynn says. “There’s tons of different opinions. I think that’s what the success is…people can go out there and talk about what they love 24 hours a day.”
Showing my love for the Griz and the online communities in which I run, the passion is deep!
I’m Looking forward to my relationships with fans for years to come! Go Griz!