After a "strenuous" week spent along the shores of Flathead Lake in Polson, Mont., it's time to get back in the saddle, as it were, as the sports editor of your friendly neighborhood daily paper.

Actually, the week was one of the most relaxing I've had in years, even though I spent better than nine hours each day in "class" at a training seminar sponsored by my company, Lee Enterprises. Having not taken to the air since my honeymoon over a year and a half ago I was understandably nervous in that this time I would not have the comforting hand of my wife to hold en route.

However, the trip proved smooth enough, and after meeting my brother Mark and his new girlfriend Mandy in Denver, Colo., it was on to Missoula, Mont., home of the University of Montana Grizzlies, Division I-AA football national champions in 1995 and 2001.

And while we n there were 12 of us, including two other sports editors from Glens Falls, N.Y., and San Diego, Calif., respectively n were not able to attend the Grizzlies' home game against Northern Colorado last Saturday, I did tour the campus.

Let me tell you, it truly was a sight to behold.

The campus is located right below a mountain that has a prominent white concrete "M" (for Montana) situated directly on the side. Located directly adjacent to that mountain is another of similar size, but this one features with a white concrete "L" (for Loyola, a local high school). Apparently, Montanans have this thing with putting letters on their hillsides. Who knew?

Another thing I learned was that a Southern gentleman such as myself making an appearance in Montana is the local equivalent of a traveling troupe of fruit-juggling baboons riding through Orangeburg. I was a "curiosity," to say the least. All I had to do was talk and they loved me. It was great.

But back to more practical matters.

The campus at UM was, in a word, incredible. Greg Brownell (sports editor in Glens Falls) and I walked around in awe. The student athletic center was fully stocked, with a fully functioning gym, eight basketball courts with a track overhead, and, get this, a rock-climbing room that went up at least seven stories high. I thought that's what the mountains were for?

Anyway, from there it was on to the REAL student center, which was complete with tanning beds, a pool hall, a hanging garden all around and a cafeteria with seven restaurants. To say that I was shocked by the advanced facilities at the I-AA school would be an understatement. I was stunned.

And just so you know, all of Montana has "Grizzly fever." The people are fully gripped by Grizzly-mania. Even coming from the football-crazy South, I was still amazed at the extent by which the team is adored and placed upon a pedestal. Now I understand that the Griz represent the entire state, and that around here we have more than a few "other" schools with which to compete. But for just one season I wish Coach Buddy Pough and the S.C. State Bulldogs could experience just half of what the UM players have in their stadium (25,000 strong for every sold-out home game) each week.

Call me crazy, but I think the Bulldogs deserve it.

But after learning more than I thought possible in a span of three days n with a heated swimming pool (complete with a regulation basketball goal at one end), Jacuzzi and open bar at my disposal throughout n it was back to life and reality this past Friday.

The day began with a car accident taking place virtually in my front yard. So what did I do? I did what any real reporter n regardless of area of expertise n does. I grabbed my camera, pen and pad and recorder and went after the story. The rest of the evening was pretty normal really, just a 20-inch story on Orangeburg Prep and nearly 70 inches of area sports on a busy "Football Friday" night.

Still, there was something comforting in the rush of activity. Being home n and busy n never felt so good. After all, even a Southern gentleman can only stand the hot tub for so long.

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