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Bulldogs boys gain 100th win over BC
Butte High’s boys’ basketball team reached a milestone against rival Butte Central Friday night at the Butte Civic Center.
In an exciting game that has to rank among the best in the history of the storied rivalry, the Bulldogs knocked off BC 76-67. The win was Butte High’s 100th over the Maroons in the rivalry that dates back to 1916.
Sophomore Hudson Luedke scored a career-high 32 points to lead the Bulldogs in the win. Freshman Josh Sutton scored 22 pace the Maroons. The sweet-shooting Sutton scored 18 of BC’s first 20 points.
Luedke, but the way, tied Butte High’s record for most points in a game against BC. Scott Ferguson scored 32 against the Maroons in 1986, and Micah Downs matched the mark in 2003.
With their first win over the Maroons since 2019, Butte High now leads the series 100-80-1. The teams tied at 5 after two overtimes in 1925.
Butte High’s last win over the Maroons is actually probably remembered most for a play by BC’s Cade Holter. He hit a shot from nearly three quarters court to send the game in overtime. A huge play by Butte High’s Clay Ferguson, though, propelled the Bulldogs to a 61-57 overtime win.
Central took a three-game winning streak into Friday’s contest. In a weird quirk, the Maroons did not play the Bulldogs in the calendar years 2020 or 2022. The teams did not play during the 2020-21 season because of the pandemic. But they played twice in 2019, even though they didn’t play more than once in a season.
During the 2019-20 season, the teams started playing before Christmas. Before that, the teams were playing in the early part of January. After skipping the 2020-21 season, the teams played again in December of 2021. The Civic Center was not available in December of 2022, so the teams played late in the 2022-23 season.
On the girls’ side, Butte High extended its winning streak to six games over the Maroons, not five as reported elsewhere. Central’s last win came in January of 2017, a 52-26 Maroon victory.
Junior Ashlinn Mullaney scored 15 points to lead the Bulldogs in the victory. Senior Mollie Drew scored 12 to lead the Maroons. Butte High now leads the all-time series 39-18. The series dates back to 1976.
All the scores of the Butte High-Butte Central rivalry through the years follow.
Butte Central vs. Butte High rivalry
BOYS
Butte High leads series 100-80-1
2023 — Butte 76, Central 67 (2023-24 season)
2023 — Central 76, Butte 47 (2022-23 season)
2021 — Central 65, Butte 37 (2021-22 season)
2019 — Central 72, Butte 66 (2019-20 season)
2019 — Butte 61, Central 57 (OT)
2018 — Central 57, Butte 39
2017 — Butte 46, Central 36
2016 — Butte 53, Central 46
2015 — Butte 62, Central 56 (2OT)
2014 — Central 69, Butte 56
2013 — Central 49, Butte 41
2012 — Central 49, Butte 41
2011 — Central 48, Butte 27
2010 — Butte 59, Central 54 (2OT)
2009 — Butte 49, Central 47
2008 — Butte 63, Central 45
2007 — Butte 61, Central 50
2006 — Butte 53, Central 51
2006 — Butte 62, Central 42
2005 — Butte 54, Central 37
2005 — Butte 68, Central 49
2004 — Butte 54, Central 34
2004 — Butte 51, Central 42
2003 — Butte 55, Central 34
2003 — Butte 72, Central 46
2002 — Central 52, Butte 51
2002 — Butte 55, Central 37
2001 — Central 66, Butte 60
2001 — Butte 45, Central 28
2000 — Central 54, Butte 43
2000 — Central 56, Butte 42
1999 — Central 71, Butte 60
1999 — Central 68, Butte 53
1998 — Central 71, Butte 68
1998 — Central 58, Butte 50
1997 — Butte 77, Central 65
1996 — Central 81, Butte 75 (2OT)
1995 — Butte 64, Central 60 (OT)
1994 — Central 62, Butte 47
1993 — Central 63, Butte 44
1992 — Central 64, Butte 55
1991 — Central 64, Butte 52
1990 — Butte 67, Central 36
1989 — Butte 77, Central 57
1988 — Butte 77, Central 37
1987 — Butte 63, Central 54
1986 — Butte 76, Central 71
1985 — Butte 78, Central 63
1984 — Butte 59, Central 55 (OT)
1983 — Butte 73, Central 52
1982 — Butte 79, Central 70
1981 — Central 53, Butte 51 (OT)
1980 — Butte 77, Central 56
1980 — Butte 80, Central 73
1979 — Central 70, Butte 62
1978 — Central 68, Butte 61
1977 — Butte 62, Central 50
1977 — Butte 89, Central 81
1976 — Butte 74, Central 72
1975 — Butte 72, Central 68
1975 — Butte 53, Central 49
1974 — Butte 59, Central 56
1974 — Butte 59, Central 58 (OT)
1973 — Butte 77, Central 53 (DIV)
1973 — Central 63, Butte 46
1973 — Central 68, Butte 59
1972 — Butte 69, Central 61
1972 — Butte 80, Central 64
1971 — Butte 63, Central 51
1971 — Central 62, Butte 49
1970 — Central 62, Butte 61
1970 — Central 60, Butte 56
1969 — Central 59, Butte 49 (DIV)
1969 — Central 75, Butte 65
1969 — Central 83, Butte 67
1968 — Central 70, Butte 66 (DIV)
1968 — Central 58, Butte 54
1968 — Central 56, Butte 55
1968 — Butte 67, Central 53
1967 — Butte 60, Central 47 (DIV)
1967 — Central 65, Butte 57 (DIV)
1967 — Central 72, Butte 71 (OT)
1967 — Butte 45, Central 42
1966 — Central 49, Butte 42
1966 — Central 65, Butte 49
1965 — Butte 75, Central 61
1965 — Butte 66, Central 53
1965 — Central 63, Butte 57
1964 — Butte 67, Central 38
1964 — Butte 54, Central 43
1964 — Butte 52, Central 40
1963 — Butte 54, Central 40 (ST)
1963 — Butte 48, Central 30
1963 — Butte 43, Central 33
1963 — Butte 39, Central 28
1962 — Butte 56, Central 46
1962 — Central 53, Butte 49
1962 — Central 56, Butte 43
1961 — Central 54, Butte 49
1961 — Butte 70, Central 55
1961 — Butte 57, Central 50
1960 — Central 57, Butte 53
1960 — Central 56, Butte 30
1960 — Central 40, Butte 34
1959 — Butte 70, Central 58 (ST)
1959 — Butte 43, Central 39
1959 — Central 49, Butte 38
1958 — Butte 55, Central 48 (ST)
1958 — Central 59, Butte 58
1958 — Central 50, Butte 46
1958 — Butte 44, Central 43
1957 — Central 57, Butte 48
1957 — Butte 67, Central 57
1957 — Butte 62, Central 55
1956 — Central 63, Butte 58 (DIV)
1956 — Central 63, Butte 55
1956 — Central 57, Butte 41
1955 — Central 53, Butte 48
1955 — Butte 39, Central 38
1954 — Central 80, Butte 68
1954 — Central 58, Butte 57
1954 — Central 78, Butte 59
1953 — Butte 75, Central 63
1953 — Butte 60, Central 52
1952 — Butte 59, Central 44
1952 — Butte 73, Central 43
1952 — Butte 65, Central 38
1951 — Butte 61, Central 56 (OT)
1951 — Central 58, Butte 44
1950 — Central 65, Butte 47
1950 — Central 50, Butte 39
1949 — Central 59, Butte 41
1948 — Central 37, Butte 35
1948 — Central 48, Butte 43
1947 — Central 36, Butte 28
1946 — Central 42, Butte 24
1945 — Central 37, Butte 33
1944 — Central 40, Butte 31
1943 — Butte 30, Central 23
1942 — Central 30, Butte 28
1941 — Butte 32, Central 30
1940 — Butte 35, Central 22
1939 — Butte 42, Central 26
1938 — Butte 40, Central 25
1937 — Central 32, Butte 29
1936 — Central 23, Butte 14
1935 — Butte 17, Central 16
1934 — Butte 26, Central 12
1933 — Butte 34, Central 14
1932 — Central 16, Butte 13
1931 — Butte 23, Central 19
1930 — Central 29, Butte 23 (DIV)
1930 — Central 27, Butte 14
1929 — Central 29, Butte 18 (DIV)
1929 — Butte 19, Central 18
1929 — Butte 29, Central 27
1928 — Butte 23, Central 16 (ST CH)
1928 — Central 20, Butte 19 (DIV)
1928 — Butte 24, Central 23
1928 — Central 22, Butte 20
1927 — Central 31, Butte 13 (ST)
1927 — Butte 10, Central 9
1927 — Butte 11, Central 10
1927 — Butte 4, Central 2
1926 — Butte 17, Central 12
1925 — Butte 25, Central 10
1924 — Butte 17, Central 8 (ST)
1924 — Central 13, Butte 9 (DIV)
1924 — Central 21, Butte 16
1924 — Butte 15, Central 9
1923 — Central 11, Butte 4
1923 — Butte 5, Central 5 (2OT)
1922 — Butte 27, Central 20
1921 — Butte 14, Central 9 (DIV)
1921 — Butte 17, Central 5
1920 — Butte 20, Central 8 (DIV)
1920 — Butte 30, Central 6
1919 — Butte 17, Central 15
1918 — Butte 24, Central 9
1916 — Butte 22, Central 10
1916 — Butte 25, Central 17
GIRLS
Butte High leads series 39-18
2023 — Butte 52, Central 26 (2023-24 season)
2023 — Butte 62, Central 32 (2022-23 season)
2021 — Butte 52, Central 40 (2021-22 season)
2019 — Butte 50, Central 24 (2019-20 season)
2019 — Butte 57, Central 40
2018 — Butte 57, Central 51
2017 — Central 57, Butte 32
2016 — Central 47, Butte 40
2015 — Central 56, Butte 38
2014 — Butte 60, Central 47
2013 — Butte 55, Central 52
2012 — Butte 63, Central 36
2011 — Central 57, Butte 47
2010 — Central 52, Butte 48
2009 — Butte 62, Central 30
2008 — Butte 61, Central 37
2007 — Butte 69, Central 53
2006 — Butte 47, Central 26
2006 — Butte 50, Central 23
2005 — Butte 46, Central 37
2005 — Central 55, Butte 44
2004 — Central 42, Butte 36
2004 — Central 51, Butte 45
2003 — Butte 55, Central 44
2003 — Butte 45, Central 35
2001 — Butte 39, Central 23
2001 — Butte 38, Central 23
2000 — Butte 57, Central 33
2000 — Butte 34, Central 27
1999 — Central 60, Butte 58
1999 — Butte 43, Central 34
1998 — Central 36, Butte 33
1998 — Central 49,, Butte 39
1997 — Butte 61, Central 40
1997 — Butte 41, Central 37
1996 — Central 52, Butte 45
1995 — Central 56, Butte 47
1994 — Butte 51, Central 47
1993 — Butte 62, Central 50
1992 — Butte 59, Central 55
1991 — Butte 52, Central 30
1990 — Butte 68, Central 25
1989 — Butte 58, Central 25
1988 — Butte 44, Central 24
1987 — Central 55, Butte 52
1986 — Butte 71, Central 30
1985 — Butte 58, Central 34
1984 — Butte 70, Central 36
1983 — Butte 46, Central 37
1982 — Central 51, Butte 44
1981 — Central 53, Butte 44
1980 — Butte 42, Central 41 (OT)
1979 — Central 48, Butte 42
1979 — Central 52, Butte 50
1978 — Butte 45, Central 40
1977 — Butte 71, Central 54
1976 — Butte 58, Central 32
1976 — Butte 62, Central 45 -
KC hoops takes holiday break
The KC Little Kids Hoops program and the KC four-man basketball league will take a break for the holidays.
The Little Kids Hoops program will take off the next two Saturdays. Play will resume on Saturday, Jan. 6. The league is free and open to all boys and girls from kindergarten through sixth grade. Players don’t have to show up each week, and there are not coaches or set teams.
The four-man basketball league will take off all next week. Play will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 2, and teams will be scheduled for one game on the short week.
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Butte High girls’ subvarsity report
Butte High’s girls’ basketball teams played non-conference home games against Belgrade and Dillon.
The Bulldogs battled Belgrade on Friday, Dec. 15 before battling Dillon on Tuesday, Dec. 19. Game reports from the Bulldog coaches follow.
Butte High JV 47, Belgrade 36
The Bulldogs rolled their record to 2-0 with a convincing victory over the Panthers.Gracie Ferriter led the way with nine points, while Franki Salusso tossed in seven. Sindey Whitaker, Jaycee Cleveland and Autumn Clary scored six apiece.
For her efforts, Addelei Hiatt was named the Junkyard Dog of the game.
BELGRADE — Full names not reported.
BUTTE HIGH — Shelbie Byrnes 2, Sidney Whitaker 6, Jaycee Cleveland 6, Augumn Clary 6, Addie Hiatt 3, Franki Salusso 7, Gracie Ferriter 9, Emma Johnson 3, Madisyn Swanson 5.
Belgrade sophomores 34, Butte High sophomorores 27
Butte High controled the paint, but not the scoreboard in the loss. Butte High grabbed 33 team rebounds with Gracie Jonart leading the way with nine boards.Allie Godbout scored a team-best 10 points and took home Junkyard Bulldog honors. Jonart and Alexxys Danielson each scored six points for Butte.
BELGRADE — Full names not reported.
BUTTE HIGH — Ally Godbout 10, Gracie Jonart 6, Reese Johnson 1, Kyra Sullivan 2, Kendallyn Schad 2, Alexxys Danielson 6.Butte High freshman 56, Belgrade Freshmen 17
Butte High put together four solid quarters for another big victory.All nine Bulldogs scored in the win, with Brittyn Klima and Allie Becker leading the way with 14 and 10.
Kendallyn Schad scored nine, Avery Barsness tossed in six and Reese Jonson scored five. Kate DeShaw and Ellie Yates led the tough defensive effort with great communication, and Klima took home Junkyard Bulldog honors.
BELGRADE — Full names not reported.
BUTTE HIGH — Avery Barsness 6, Ellie Yates 2, Allie Becker 10, Reese Johnson 5, Kate DeShaw 2, Amelia Pearston 4, Kyra Sullivan 4, Kendallyn Schad 9, Brittyn Klima 14.Butte High JV 40, Dillon JV 37
The Bulldog JV squad improved its record to 3-0 with the close victory over the Beavers.Madisyn Swanson’s 10 points paced the Bulldos. She also played hard on the defensive end of the floor. Shelbie Byrnes, Autumn Clary and Emma Johnson each scored siz points in the win.
Shannon Martin scored 11, and Izzy Regan netted 10 to lead Dillon.
DILLON — Quincy Hansen 2, Tatum Nagle 8, Kena Sampson 6, Shannon Martin 11, Izzy Regan 10.
BUTTE HIGH — Shelby Byrnes 6, Murphy Sullivan 2, Jaycee Cleveland 4, Autumn Clary 6, Franki Salusso 2, Ally Godbout 3, Gracie Ferriter 1, Emma Johnson 6, Madisyn Swanson 10.Butte High freshmen 54, Dillon freshmen 20
The Bulldog freshmen closed out the 2023 portion of the season with a 3-0 record with their third lopsided victory.Allie Becker scored 14 points to lead three Bulldogs in double figures scoreing. Brittyn Klima scored 12, and Reese Johnson netted 10. Avery Barsness, who took home Junkyard Dog honors, scored seven points.
DILLON — Full names not reported.
BUTTE HIGH — Avery Barsness 7, Ellie Yates 4, Allie Becker 14, Reese Johnson 10, Kyra Sullivan 4, Kendallyn Schad 3, Brittyn Klima 12. -
Podcast No. 156: Bryan Arntson
His last name is one pretty much everyone in town knows, even if so many people mispronounce or misspell it.
Bryan Arntson is not the first Coach Arntson at Butte High School. He probably won’t be the last. Coaching and teach is just something people named Arntson tend to do around these parts.
Bryan Arntson, who is in this third year as the head coach of the Butte High girls’ basketball team, has been the defensive coordinator for the Bulldog football team the past 15 seasons. During his run, Butte High won the Class AA State football title in 2012.
While Dallas Cook, Zach Bunny and Jake Dennehy stole the headlines from that team, Arntson’s decision to move Bo Taylor from linebacker to nose tackle as part of a 5-2 defense that stopped Billings Skyview in the quarterfinals might have been the play of the year.
Before he followed the family tradition and got into coaching and teaching, Arntson was a three-sport athlete for the Bulldogs, competing in football, basketball and track. After earning a second-team All-State nod as an offensive tackle, Arntson went on to have a great career as a linebacker at Montana Western.
Playing for defensive coordinator Rich Ferris and head coach Tommy Lee, Arntson was a part of some of the best defenses in the Frontier Conference. He wasn’t the fastest player, but he was smart and tough. He had a nose for the ball.
In addition to coaching the Bulldogs girls’ basketball and football teams, Arntson was also a track coach at Butte High. He was an assistant coach on the boys’ and girls’ basketball benches, and he put in a long stint as a Special Olympics coach.
Arntson is married to former Butte High standout athlete Kristi Witt, who is an assistant volleyball coach at Montana Tech. When they aren’t coaching, the Arntsons are chasing around their two children, Rigley and Brooks.
Today’s podcast is presented by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warantee.
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Podcast No. 155: Selina Pankovich
It seems like Selina Pankovich has had the world placed on her shoulders.
First, she was the owner of the M&M, an iconic Butte bar and restaurant that we all wanted to be like the old days. While the M&M was great in the years after Pankovich bought the landmark in December of 2017, it could never be what it was like back in the days when the doors never locked.
Then, on May 7, 2021, an early-morning fire brought the M&M to the ground. Only the iconic sign was saved.
Butte was devastated. Montana Standard editor David McCumber wrote a story titled “Butte’s heart on fire,” calling the blaze a cruel blow. People compared the loss of the 131-year-old building to the loss of a family member, and we all understood.
We all loved the M&M. If ever did a building embody the heart of a community, it was the M&M. In the M&M, we were all equal. It didn’t matter the size of your wallet or influence.
Almost immediately after the fire, the pressure on Pankovich was times by a million. Instead of just making the Butte bar be like it used to be, she was now charged with rebuilding the bar — even if the finances of such a proposal don’t add up.
That is a lot of pressure to put on the shoulders of one person. She was asked to replace the irreplaceable as we all bought the T-shirts and hoodies that say “Long live the M&M.”
Pankovich, though, stayed strong in her resolve, and she eventually bought the building next store. Now, the former OMG Mongolian Grill, which is also the former Richards and Rochelle Men’s Store, is now the new M&M.
No, it isn’t the old M&M. Nothing can replace that special place. But the new M&M is really nice. It also has that M&M feel about it.
Pankovich made something great out of a horrible situation, to say the least. She has plans to do more, but is not quite so sure about those plans.
Listen in to this podcast, which was recorded Monday at the new M&M, to hear how Pankovich got into the bar business in the first place. Listen to hear how she heard about the horrific fire that rocked our community.
Listen to hear how she handled such a tragedy and how she made the best out of such a horrible situation. Listen to hear how she is planning for the future of the new M&M. The old building might be gone, but you can’t take away that M&M spirit.
Stay tuned to the end to hear Chad Okrusch’s great song, “St. Patrick’s Day at the M&M.”
Today’s podcast is brought to you by Thriftway Super Stops. Sign up for the TLC app and start saving big-time today.
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Maroons set banner unveiling for Peoples’ Gatorade award
The Butte Central athletic department and the boys’ basketball program will hold a ceremony this Wednesday to honor Montana 2022-2023 Boys’ Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year Dougie Peoples.
The ceremony, which will begin at 6:45 p.m. at the Maroon Activities Center, will feature an unveiling of the official Gatorade Player of the Year Banner.
Peoples led the Maroons to the 2022 Class A State championship and the Western A Divisional championship in 2023. He is the all-time leading scorer in Butte boys basketball history, with 1,683 career points.
The award is given to a male and female player in all 50 states. The award is based on athletic achievement, academic excellence and exemplerary character. Peoples is Butte Central Catholic High School’s first ever Gatorade Player of the Year in any sport.
He is currently a member of the College of Idaho Basketball Team. The Coyotes are the defending NAIA National Champions.
The ceremony is open to the public.
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Punky QB autograph has me feeling like a kid again
Looking back, it was about as happy as I have ever been.
It was Sunday, Jan. 12, 1986, and the Chicago Bears were shutting out the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Late in the game, the CBS broadcast got a close-up view of the side of Bears quarterback Jim McMahon’s face as he sat on the bench, wearing a headband with the last name of NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle written on it.
The camera stayed on McMahon for a few seconds before the quarterback slowly turned his head and stuck out his tongue, right at the camera. Then, the “Punky QB” nonchalantly turned his attention back to the game.
I was 11 years old and in the fifth grade, and I laughed my head off. Like he did all year, McMahon made me happy by winning and by clearly having fun while doing so.
He was everything I ever wanted to be. He lived by his own rules and said what he wanted. He was also tough as nails.
In 1984, McMahon played a couple of plays after suffering a lacerated kidney in a game against the Los Angeles Raiders. Then, he drank a beer in the shower before going to the hospital with the potentially life-threatening injury.
In Week 3 of the 1985 season, McMahan spent some more time in the hospital with a neck and back injury, and coach Mike Ditka said the quarterback wasn’t going to play when the Bears took on the Vikings in Minnesota on a special Thursday night game.
The Bears were losing in the first half, and you could see McMahon in the coach’s ear the whole time.
Chicago trailed 17-9 in the third quarter when Ditka finally had enough of McMahon and put him in the game. His first two passes went for touchdowns, and the Bears won 33-24.
Two weeks after sticking his tongue out at the camera, McMahon should have been named MVP of Super Bowl XX after a 46-10 Bears rout of the New England Patriots. He passed for 256 yards and ran for two touchdowns before watching most of the second half from the sidelines, switching up his multitude of headbands.
After the Super Bowl, McMahon wrote a book that I read at least seven times, including twice as an “adult.”
Even though the book was probably mostly written by sportswriter Bob Verdi after conversations with the quarterback, it was easily the most influential book of my life.
I read it a couple of times during my junior high years, and we all know those are the toughest years. That book made me realize that it was OK to be myself. I realized that if I let the judging opinions of my classmates dictate what I did or said, then I was letting other people live my life for me.
It was a lesson that I try hard to pass on to my three kids, and I think I have been successful at that, for the most part.
As silly as it sounds, I think every middle school student should read that book. I might not have gotten through junior high without it.
During the summer of 1988, I sent a letter to the Bears asking for McMahon’s autograph. A few weeks later, I got an invitation to join the Jim McMahon Fan Club in the mail.
I wanted to join, but my dad was out of work, and that $19.99 membership fee was too much for my family. But I saved the membership form for years. It wasn’t an autograph, but it was a keepsake.
In August of 1989, the Bears traded McMahon to the San Diego Chargers, and it felt like I lost a close family member. For the next eight seasons, I followed McMahon’s career when he played for the Chargers, Eagles, Vikings, Cardinals and some team from Wisconsin I never heard of. When McMahon played, I was for his team.
In 1991, I was in the San Francisco area with my family when we came upon a card show at a mall. Looking through the cards, I found a Jim McMahon rookie card in a plastic case. It wasn’t autographed.
I knew I only had $20 on me, so I was preparing myself to borrow money from my brothers and beg for more from my parents to buy the card of my dreams. I would have paid $100 for that card that day.
Trying to play it cool, I handed the card to a guy behind the table and asked, “How much for this one?”
The guy hemmed and hawed for a few seconds and said, “Give me two bucks.”
I quickly forked over $2 and got the heck out of there like I just robbed a bank. To this day, it was the best $2 I ever spent.
That is why I was blown away the other day when my friend Tanner Gooch gave me a Big Sky Conference football with a signature on it. I looked at the signature, and it took a second or two before it hit me.
My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I recognized it read “Jim McMahon.” He added his No. 9 and “Super Bowl XX.”
Tanner got it from our mutual friend Jon Kasper, a former sportswriter at the Missoulian. Jon is now the senior associate commissioner of the Big Sky Conference. McMahon still has family in Roy, Utah, where he played his last two years of high school football.
Roy isn’t far from the Big Sky headquarters in Farmington, and Jon was able to get some things signed by McMahon for the conference. Knowing that I am a huge fan of the Bears and McMahon, my old University of Montana classmate got a ball signed for me, and he sent the ball to Butte with Tanner.
I took a picture of the ball and put it on Twitter, or whatever it is called now, explaining that McMahon is my favorite quarterback and the real MVP of Super Bowl XX.
Later that day, McMahon retweeted my picture.
Now, I think there is a good chance that McMahon doesn’t control his Twitter account. It very well could be an agent operating it on his behalf.
But I know he signed the ball.
I sent Jon a thank you note, and here’s how he responded.
“I want you to know that Jim signed the ball basically naked,” Jon said. “Just a small pair of shorts on. No shirt. No shoes.”
McMahon once said his dream was to own a golf course and golf naked all day. I know he likes to play barefoot.
I know a lot about the Punky QB. That’s because he was so much more than just my favorite football player. He was one of the biggest influences on my life. To this day, McMahon is on the very top of the list of people I want to talk to.
He is my dream podcast interview. But I know if I had him on the ButteCast, it would turn into the Chris Farley Show.
“You, you, you remember the time you stuck your tongue out in the NFC Championship Game? That was awesome.”
I have really never been big on autographs, but this time is different. We’re talking about Jim McMahon here. He is easily No. 1 on my autograph list.
Now, I have his signature on a football, and I couldn’t be happier.
I will turn 50 in April. Thanks to a couple of buddies and the Punky QB, though, I feel like I am 11 again.
— Bill Foley, who usually acts like he is 15, can be reached at foles74@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/Foles74. Listen to the ButteCast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Kathryn Lalicker and Hudson Luedtke
Butte Central senior Kathryn Lalicker and Butte High sophomore Hudson Luedke are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
Lalicker takes home the girls’ honor after a strong week playing for the Butte Central girls’ basketball team. She scored 22 points Thursday against Livingston before tossing in 14 against Polson.
“Kathryn has done a really nice job of attacking the rim and creating offense for herself and our team,” BC coach Quinn Carter said. “I have been very pleased with the start of her senior season, and I’m excited to see what she can do for our team moving forward.”
Lalicker has been a key varsity contributor since her sophomore season.
Luedtke receives the boys’ honor after leading the Bulldogs to an exciting 50-48 win over Belgrade at the Butte Civic Center. The point guard poured in 23 points for Butte in the Bulldogs’ home opener.
Luedtke scored 14 points to lead the Bulldogs in their season opener a week earlier in Bozeman. The fast start to the season comes after Luedtke averaged 15.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game as a freshman.
The Bulldogs and Maroons will play each other Friday night at the Butte Civic Center.
Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty, teams up with the ButteCast to honor the finest athletes from the Mining City in an effort to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
Photo of Luedtke is courtesy Alycia Holland Photography.
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KC basketbatll schedule
Following is the Knights of Columbus Athletic Club’s four-man basketball schedule for the week of Dec. 18.
Monday
7 p.m. — Baer vs. Poi Time
8 p.m. — City Bois vs. Alley-Oopsies
9 p.m. — City Bois vs. JellyfamTuesday
7 p.m. — Butte Sports vs. Cook
8 p.m. — Cook vs .Parish
9 p.m. — Washington Generals vs. Hoopin HeathensWednesday
7 p.m. — Washington Generals vs. Parish
8 p.m. — ButteSports vs. Pulaski Electric
9 p.m. — Baer vs. JellyfamThursday
7 p.m. — Poi Time vs. Alley-Oopsies
8 p.m. — Pulaski Electric vs. Hoopin Heathens -
Podcast No. 154: Dr. Bryan Mark
Dr. Bryan Mark is new to town.
He grew up in south Denver and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He then received his medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He completed his residence at the University of California-Irvine and his fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Mark is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine who was recently hired by St. James Healthcare.
He drew the difficult task of filling the shoes of longtime Butte surgeon, Dr. Nick DiGiovine, and seems to be very much up to the task. In addition to Butte High and Butte Central, Dr. Mark is the team doctor for Montana Tech and Montana Western athletics.
Before coming to the Mining City, Dr. Mark treated various college athletes at UCLA, including football, basketball, softball, baseball, tennis, and volleyball. He was also a team orthopedic surgeon for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Sparks.
Dr. Mark offers comprehensive knee, hip, and shoulder surgical treatment, including cartilage restoration and joint preservation. He utilizes minimally invasive techniques and performs injections, ligament repair/reconstruction, and arthroscopic surgery.
“My goal is to return patients back to the active and fit lifestyles they deserve,” he says.
This morning, I met with Dr. Mark for a fun conversation and to let him know how much I dislike the Lakers. Listen in as he talks about growing up in Colorado, going to medical school and working is residency. Listen as he talks about working on athletes who are at the top of their game.
Listen in to why he set his sights on Butte, America and how he even thinks the Berkeley Pit was cool.
Today’s podcast is presented by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 