Neanderthal culture haunts Brett Kavanaugh

People in my general age range have observed a lot that rings familiar, as we follow the Kavanaugh confirmation process. We may choose not to comment a lot about it. Memories are getting stirred up. We remember when society felt it was doing us a favor by lowering the drinking age. I found I was legal to drink just as I graduated from high school. We should have shrugged and not paid much attention. We should have thought for ourselves.
I remember riding my bike along Iowa Avenue on my way to a Cougar football game when a car-full of rowdy college-age males passed by and tossed beer on me. I stopped momentarily and wondered what the world was coming to. Peer pressure dragged us down. There were restaurants that catered to the "bar rush." Groups of people stumbled into those places shortly after "closing time" and behaved with unfettered stupidity. You'd see your friends the next week under normal sober circumstances and flash a knowing smile.
We hear Kavanaugh talking about his young adult phase, about how much he enjoyed beer. How many times did he say the word beer? What was so alluring about beer for us young folks? Or, other alcoholic beverages? How could society have possibly felt this would be uplifting for us? The argument is familiar: if young men could fight and die in Vietnam, their age peers back home should have the adult privilege of consuming alcohol.
Can't we be the least bit rational? What good comes from consuming alcohol, for anyone? Why is it we'd feel on the defensive if we tried simply saying we didn't drink? Or, smoke marijuana or even cigarettes?
Kavanaugh sits there flummoxed by the realization that times have changed so much, that revelations about his past foolishness - from his "rite of passage" college-age years - could be so bad, his career path is now imperiled.
Should I not indict him for being angry, for showing emotion of the type that is unbecoming a judge? Would Judge Mathis even be given a pass for showing emotions like this? Maybe Judge Mathis should be on the Supreme Court. He's black so he probably would not win the approval of President Trump. Kavanaugh would get all sorts of passes from Trump and his right wing crowd that now has such a scary amount of power in Washington D.C. Please folks, stop and think: peel away the sheer salesmanship in Trump's rhetoric and ask about the consequences, for you and your life, of right wing muscle being flexed. Has it occurred to you that the populist rhetoric is set up to deceive? When you wake up to reality, will it be too late?
 
Memories close to home, actually
Kavanaugh recalls a young adult culture of a past time that prompts memories among so many of us. I have memories floating back of University of Minnesota-Morris football culture of the '70s and early '80s. I'm not sure precisely when we detached from that, because cultural change doesn't happen overnight. I do know that UMM football culture during the on-field apex of that program had ugly traits. The misogyny was as bad as you'd find anywhere. The provost himself knew there was an absurd or ridiculous aspect.
"Cougar follies" was an annual skit show that was prone for censorship. It was a pre-season rite. I remember it being held at the 9-F Sportsmen's Club. I doubt that any such show would be permitted today, and if it was, I as media person certainly wouldn't be allowed there. Why was I ever allowed there? Our society was more relaxed then. Embarrassing stuff didn't fly all over the place via electronic media. Secondly, we basically gave a pass to the football culture that was like a big gorilla pounding its chest. We just knew "football players were like that."
So, Brett Kavanaugh recalls in his own private thoughts the outrageousness of that behavior, and how costly such memories could be if seeing the light of day today.
You might be thinking "rape is never acceptable - never mind the cultural change." Given the license for inebriated and misogynistic traits in that earlier time, I'm not sure we could rule out anything happening.
This Christine Ford would never have been allowed to come forward, to get so far as being called to appear before a nationally-televised hearing, if her story didn't strike everyone as credible. Everyone thinks that, even the Republicans. The Republicans are desperate to lay one layer over another in terms of the political right gaining power. They trample on the Democrats by saying the most disrespectful and misleading things.
Does it occur to you that Democrats are actually intelligent and respectable people, people who really have laudable aims? Do you really believe they are "demon rats" to use the term of a Fox News host? Are you ready to vote Republican in the mid-terms to toss more fuel on the fire in terms of what is going on in the nation's capital? So, you want to see power enhanced for our foul-mouthed porn star president?

Christine Ford - BBC image

The evangelicals stick with Trump. The so-called Christian conservatives probably encompass the churches in Morris that are generally considered to be "strict." I hear one synod compared with another, about how a certain synod is more "strict" than another, and this other synod is stricter yet. All this "strictness." Is it in the Bible that we must vote for the most "conservative" right wing candidates?
Jeff Flake is a brave outlier. He's a Republican who believes in having a modicum of respect for those on the other side of the aisle. But he's risking being demonized now just like the "demon rats." The term "rino" has been a curse for several years.
 
Is there sanctuary within religion?
Does Kavanaugh feel ashamed of how he once behaved? If he does not, he certainly does not belong on the Supreme Court. You would think that in this age of science, religion would be fading or maybe getting re-configured to adjust to scientific values. Instead we see "evangelicals" waving the flag behind right wing politicians who say "climate change is a hoax."
I try clinging to a church that has a moderate and gentle view of things: an ELCA Lutheran church.
Being a Lutheran of any kind brings issues, though. We recently had a Martin Luther impersonator visit my church of First Lutheran in Morris, complete with costume. It made me recall vaguely what I read or heard once about Martin Luther being an anti-Semite. So I decided to do some research. I was astounded to discover that the charges of anti-Semitism were not gray area at all. What I mean by gray area, are instances where someone criticizes the nation of Israel and might be decried as anti-Semitic. The late Robert Novak had to deal with that. It is not anti-Semitic, but what Martin Luther said was in fact virulent anti-Semitism, so bad it helped set the stage for what happened to the Jews in Europe in the mid-20th century.
Are Lutheran ministers trained on how to deal with this question when it arises? I would discourage any such Martin Luther impersonator from making the rounds at churches, reminding everyone of this horrible stain on their church that bears the "Luther" name. Catholicism has such a serious stain now, it's amazing anyone chooses to continue to be a member. The whole "fundamentalist" sector that covers various denominations is to be ashamed of itself for behaving so political, for singing the praises of Trump and others who throw bombs rhetorically, as it were.
We have the "conservative" Apostolic Christian factor here in Morris. We still have a big Catholic Church edifice in town where I presume throngs gather regularly. And now because of checking on the history of Martin Luther, I have to be very concerned about continuing to belong to a supposedly mainstream denomination: the ELCA.
 
Christ could angrily confront us
Is there any way to make Christianity truly uplifting for all? Jesus Christ could return to our existence and throw a tantrum about all that has happened in his name.
Let me implore you: the people who pull the strings behind the right wing political movement do not care about you and your family. A concluding thought: Maybe PZ Myers is right about everything.
It's incredibly sad for me because my late mother would want me to continue attending church. I don't think she knew anything about Martin Luther's incendiary pronouncements. If she had, it would have seriously disturbed her. Is the Methodist faith the best place to be?
Alas, in the final analysis, our Native Americans might have the whole thing nailed when they simply talk about "the creator."
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Morrisons inspire grand event at UMM auditorium

I noticed no problem with the acoustics at Edson Auditorium Friday (9/21). We heard UMM singers led by Bradley Miller. Most notably we heard Gunnar Molstad do something I'm sure is quite demanding: sing all by himself. The audience applause was spontaneous and generous immediately after he completed the UMM Hymn. So appropriate to hear the Hymn getting performed at Edson Auditorium. The song goes back to UMM's inception. It was written as a way of unveiling the grand experiment called UMM, a small public liberal arts campus located in a non-metro setting.
Molstad rendered the sentimental lyrics most impressively. It's a song that might make you misty if you're an alum. I have suggested it's ideal for performing in front of donors and potential donors. Molstad is set for graduation in 2019. He's recipient of the Edna Murphy Morrison Scholarship.
 
Salute to the Morrison family
Friday was a day for the Morrison name to shine at its apex. We associate this name with the town's newspaper. They were in charge when the paper was substantially larger than today and came out twice a week. Today under Fargo-based ownership, it's a chain paper with all the recognizable spots of that. Has the Forum made a financial contribution to our campus? I know the company has done a lot for Minnesota State University-Moorhead. If someone can make me aware of something the Forum has done for UMM, I'd be happy to acknowledge it.
The Morrisons were in the traditional template of local ownership for the local press. The paper was actually printed here when our family first came to town. I know because my Cub Scout or Boy Scout troop visited there. If you thought the Sun Tribune building of my era had a less than sparkling clean atmosphere, consider it once had a printing function. The building appears to be for sale now.The Forum has the paper office on the west side of the tracks.
My father chose to build our house east of the tracks. Same with our family's choice of church: First Lutheran. No worry about being caught waiting for a train to pass.
My father's spirit was present I'm sure for the Friday ceremony at Edson auditorium. It was Friday of UMM Homecoming weekend. Dignitaries in "cocktail attire" - the officially recommended dress - gathered for "a model for living and learning celebration." Signs pointing to parking made it clear that you could park at UMM on that afternoon with no worry about getting a ticket for parking sans permit. I have heard the theory that UMM's stringent policy re. permits is due to wanting to discourage students from driving at all. There is a lot to be said for being a student without driving.
The parking policy becomes an inconvenience for people who may have 1-2 special reasons a year for visiting campus on a weekday. It is an inconvenience for donors who may have only occasional reasons to visit. My family has made financial gestures in connection with the passing of my parents. If you visit Summit Cemetery you will see a memorial bench that identifies my father Ralph E. Williams as "founder of UMM music." Musical notes adorn the engraving. Feel free to use our bench as a bench! That reminds me: I need to remove the silk flowers there soon in preparation for winter.
 
Music to mark the start
My father wrote the UMM Hymn. He wrote that song along with a fight song on directions from UMM's first leader, Rodney Briggs. I remember getting bashful and a little scared when I was first introduced to him. Mom expressed displeasure about that when we got home, but it probably wasn't as bad as the time a classmate of mine in Sunday school totally gave me the giggles for a performance in church.
I spent time at Edson while the orchestra rehearsed. One evening when feeling a little restless, I ran down an aisle. My father abruptly stopped what he was doing, turned and looked at me, disapprovingly I'm sure. I stopped running and plopped into a chair, feeling stupid. Many of the orchestra members made an "ohhh" sound as if they felt sorry for me. Many years later when we as a family visited an orchestra alum in Alexandria, this person said she felt sorry for me because I seemed "bored."
Edson was the site for all UMM music events in the institution's early days. My father was the only music faculty at the start. I saw no issues with Edson, acoustic or otherwise, in those days. More recently, Edson became best-known as site for the spectacular annual jazz festival whose creator and guiding spirit was Jim Carlson. It's too bad Carlson couldn't be back for the Friday event. He's retired to Florida, right? His wife Kay has an important background with UMM too.
The Morrisons have made possible some improvements at the old place. Is it accurate to say "facelift?" There is a new layer of a name there: while the auditorium itself retains the Edson name which is a connection to the campus' WCSA past, the Morrison name now adorns the place too.
I was reminded Friday of how well Helen Jane Morrison has aged. She is 97 and I was pleased to personally congratulate her. The late Ed's spirit was certainly there. Son Jim succeeded Ed in running the Morris paper. Jim departed from the paper subsequent to the Forum's acquisition, when it was still in reasonably good shape. Today we see the Elbow Lake newspaper as big as 30 pages - and the pages are larger than here - and we're puzzled at the severe shrinkage of the Morris product.
I covered many events at UMM when there was no UMM website. Today the website is such a high priority. I can assure you that UMM was a very robust place through all the years when there was no website, and not even a student center for a long time! No soccer program. Amenities get added and we take them for granted.
 
Truly challenging early phases
We were reminded Friday that getting UMM established was no waltz in the park. A regional group was formed to advocate for the campus interests, as it became clear that the state's agricultural high schools would close. This group was the West Central Educational Association. They envisioned what would become UMM.

UMM's original faculty. Dad is the one seated at left.

Ed Morrison made a strong and convincing public statement at one point, saying among other things: "The facilities are available and the students are available." State lawmakers Fred Behmler and Delbert Anderson joined the cause. With their push, the regents voted in 1959 to establish a collegiate program at our old, storied WCSA campus.
Would you believe, community members went door-to-door selling light bulbs? Boy Scouts sold holiday wreaths. Radio owner Cliff Hedberg rang a cow bell on the air when a new pledge was received! Ah, memories.
Step by grudging step, the new vision was being transformed to reality.
The date was September 26, 1960, when 238 students went to their classrooms for Day 1. Nearly all students had just graduated from high school. The female students greatly outnumbered the men, but this didn't stand in the way of my father establishing the men's chorus which spread the word of UMM's presence far and wide. The chorus recorded a vinyl record and traveled much. We saw the trademark maroon blazers and heard the UMM Hymn enough to memorize the lyrics. There were times when Dad had the audience join in. Yes, "misty" potential!
The vast majority of students at the start came from within 35 miles of here. Many commuted. The campus continued serving the last batch of WCSA kids.
We got an immediate reputation for having high academic standards. That's fine in theory but it scares the heck out of me personally. I grew up knowing that UMM would not be practical for me. I may have even been lucky to get my high school diploma. I think I got some breaks from the public school staff in terms of being spared some of the normal science and math. I "wrote" my way through high school. Was that a good thing? Maybe not. I'm sure I seemed as bored as when I was that little kid hanging around Edson.
 
Following the Morrisons' example
Today I can keep my family's background relevant and even celebrate it lustily, by ensuring that our assets are applied in the same way the Morrisons are doing. Am I trying to "keep up with the Morrisons?" Hmmm. I think Helen Jane has a soft spot in her heart for me, because her son Jim is a male only child, same situation as my family! We have taken steps already to buttress UMM music. So I greatly appreciate Gunnar Molstad with his talent performing the UMM Hymn Friday. I personally thanked him. A good song will make a good impression even if performed by a single person or a single person with merely a piano or guitar accompaniment. Molstad's singing showed the wisdom of that assertion. I'm impressed with how he launched into the tune knowing the right pitch on which to start.
Helen Jane said in her formal remarks that UMM's early existence was not without existential threat. There was politics, she said, as advocates for Southwest Minnesota strongly wanted a University branch. Southwest Minnesota eventually got Southwest State University - State University system - what my father always called "little Marshall."
There was the specter of possible junior college classification for the Morris campus. Finally in April of 1963, we got approval to offer a four-year program. I was present for the first commencement in spring of 1964. The U of M president was here for that. Weather cooperated and the event was outside on the mall.
Our campus eventually came to be called "the jewel in the crown" of the U. My father with the other founders showed enthusiasm, initiative and inventiveness to overcome the sometimes-inadequate resources. There's an old legend about special measures being taken to get access to Cold Spring beer here. It was a time when social drinking was far more approved than now. My parents didn't bother imbibing.
The last WCSA graduation was held on March 28, 1963. Our neighbors on Northridge Drive, the Lindors, had a rich background with the WCSA. Prior to 1960, my father taught at the U of M St. Paul School of Agriculture. I'm glad that in the late 1980s, my parents and I attended a reunion in St. Paul mainly because I was running the Get In Gear 10K in Minneapolis that morning. I could have just skipped the run but we had a good time. We sat at the head table and I remember that when my name was announced, there was a rather loud murmur all throughout the room. To this day I wonder about that. The only theory I have now, is that my health may have been imperiled when I was first born.

The end to the WCSA tugged at some heartstrings, unavoidably. The end of anything is accompanied by sadness among some, and perhaps some hesitance to "move on." I heard the son of Les and Virginia Lindor, Keith, refer to the new UMM as "Briggs' pothole." A youthful indiscretion I'm sure, just like the Supreme Court nominee's past behavior. We all must adjust to changing times.
UMM is a totally bloomed flower today, a realization most evident at Friday's festivities at Edson.
Would you believe we had a homecoming game in that first fall, 1960? Of course there were no alumni to come "home." The students played the faculty and Briggs himself scored a touchdown. Legend has it that the scoring play was drawn up with Jack Imholte as the intended scorer. Imholte, the "silver fox," would go on to be a successor to Briggs as top person at the campus, a position now called "chancellor." Michelle Behr holds that post now. She joined in the festive spirit Friday. Briggs stole the name "Louie's Lower Level" from the University of Arizona-Tucson.

Reflecting unrest of the 1960s
Once UMM got past its initial growing pains, the whole nation got caught up with the pain of dealing with the Vietnam war. Heavens, I remember as I personally attended a moratorium session or two at Edson where emotions were vented. I arrived at Edson by accident as I was actually on campus for band rehearsal, not knowing it was called off due to the moratorium. I was a "ringer" with the UMM band when I was about 14 years old. The band needed an extra French horn player. I later took up trumpet to play in the high school marching band. I wish I had learned guitar instead.
October of 1969 saw 300 people march from campus to Willie's (Red Owl back then) on a national day of protest against the war. Volunteers read the names of the nearly 36,000 Americans already killed in the conflict. Imagine if your sons and daughters of today had to deal with something like that. Never once did I sympathize with the war effort. We had a friend of the family from Brainerd, a Marine, killed by friendly fire in Vietnam in 1966. We attended his funeral. His body was not ideally preserved in the casket. The experience had a haunting effect for me.
A UMM campus assembly was called in May of 1970 in response to the Kent State incident: four student protesters killed by the National Guard. The American involvement in Cambodia stoked the protest fire. Roland Guyotte recalled that he was totally opposed to the war but made sure his classroom lectures weren't "slanted." I would say that would be a very difficult thing to do.
 
Spike those aces, OK?
It's hard to imagine a UMM campus without women's sports but that was the reality of the school's whole first decade. I have suggested that my father's original UMM fight song be tweaked so that the second line would be "spike, spike, spike an ace or two" (from women's volleyball). The first line is "fight, fight, fight for Morris U." Maybe the students of the '60s became alienated by the belligerent-sounding first line, in light of the war issue. Did you know that Rod Steiger turned down the role of "Patton" because he didn't want to glorify war? That kind of thinking was common in the turbulent '60s. Who wants to "fight?" My father intended the words in an innocuous way, naturally.
Dad was a product of a different era, from the Depression and World War II. He was a lieutenant in the Navy in the Pacific theater of the war. He was a gunnery officer. That was "the good war," of course, although that term might easily be rejected as dubious.

Eventually we got the Minority Student Program at UMM with the unforgettable Bill Stewart. Stewart was so nice sitting with us at the retirement reception for my mother Martha at Oyate. Dad's brother Howard and his wife Vi were there too, so proud. Mom was campus post office supervisor.
Very often I'd pick Mom up at the end of her work day on campus. One day my father did, and brought our family dog of the time, "Heidi, " a Lhasa Apso. The post office was at the present day Welcome Center. Heidi bounded inside ahead of my father. Mom was initially unaware of the arrival but became most aware when Heidi started "licking my leg," as she recalled with a smile.
Jazz was certainly a different approach from the more formal and traditional that my dad was accustomed to. Did my dad have trouble becoming "hip?" Frankly I think there was a challenge there.
A new chapter of campus history unfolded when Jim Carlson, an alum of my father's men's chorus, began the jazz fest and developed a thriving jazz program in the curriculum. We always see vagaries in music tastes. Maybe the more formal approach is coming back now.
We hope that weather cooperates for the next UMM commencement so it might be held outside just like in '64 during those exciting, heady early times for our "jewel in the crown." So many memories came flowing back Friday. Let's discard the one about me running down the aisle.
 
Click on the link below to read a post I wrote about the UMM men's chorus trip to Seattle in 1962 for the World's Fair. The trip was right during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

http://ilovemorris73.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-seattle-worlds-fair-umms.html

 
Click on the link below to hear the sounds of the original UMM men's chorus, from YouTube. This post starts with Dad's "UMM Hymn." Thanks for listening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcXFMzPGCH0&t=608s

 
Click on this link to read my post written at the time of the 50th anniversary of the New York World's Fair, a Fair that saw the participation of our men's chorus. The year: 1964.

http://ilovemorris73.blogspot.com/2014/05/50th-anniversary-of-1964-new-york.html

Area native and 1977 UMM grad Dr. Marilyn Strand was back for Homecoming. She received the 2018 UMM Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award. She's pictured with Del Sarlette of Sarlettes Music, at the store. Marilyn and Del were bandmates at Morris High School. Marilyn, called "Hazel" by Del, is a 1972 MHS grad while Del graduated in '71. Your blog host is a '73 grad. We played under band director John Woell at MHS. Marilyn confronted Woell in a rehearsal once by asserting "that's no way to teach." It was a sign our generation was feeling its oats with thinking for ourselves. Woell immediately ended rehearsal. If there was a backstory behind that incident, I'm not aware of it.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Three touchdowns in 2nd quarter fuel 48-14 win

The MACA football Tigers ran the ball with abandon Friday night here at Big Cat Stadium. The opponent was Benson who showed a nifty touch with the passing game. It was the running game that showed superiority on this night. Led by Camden Arndt and his 293 yards on 19 carries, the Tigers prevailed over the Braves 48-14. We ran the ball a total of 61 times for 558 yards.
If you're the kind of fan who likes the passing game, Benson showed a flair to your liking. Will Enderson of the Braves was sharp as he threw for 248 yards, a total that included a big play 84-yard pass for a touchdown. That pass had Matthew Tolifson on the receiving end. Enderson passed to Cole Hedman for two on the conversion, and this gave Benson a short-lived 8-7 lead when the first quarter ended. Prior to this score, our Tigers put six on the board when Zach Bruns ran the football in from the one. Eli Grove kicked the point-after.
On to the second quarter. The orange and black owned this quarter. The home fans had cause to cheer lustily as we struck for three touchdowns. Arndt scored on a run from the eleven. Grove kicked for the PAT. Arndt was off to the races again, reaching the end zone on a run from the 28. Grove's toe was again true. Colten Scheldorf added to the MACA lead with a scoring run from the ten, and Grove again kicked successfully. Hunter Gonnerman scored a Benson touchdown in the second quarter: a one-yard run.
On to the third quarter: MACA momentum kept rolling along. Bruns rolled for a 23-yard scoring run. Then it was Scheldorf carrying for six, a run from the eight. Grove kicked successfully after the Scheldorf score. Our final score had Bailey Danzeisen clutching the football on a run from the one. And Grove kicked for our night's final point. Fans went home savoring our fourth win of the season against no losses. Benson is still in search of win No. 1. The Braves had their moments Friday under coach Scott Gonnerman, a product of UMM, but were unable to sustain them.
The Tigers accumulated 28 first downs. Arndt with his awesome total of 293 rushing yards was complemented by Bruns who rolled up 145 on 12 carries. Other rushing contributors were Jack Riley (36 yards), Matt McNeill (27), Scheldorf (21), Kenny Soderberg (15), Josh Rohloff (9), Jaret Johnson (7), Bailey Danzeisen (4) and Cameron Koebernick (1). It's nice to see the Koebernick name stay involved in Tiger football.
Riley Reimers completed his only pass attempt for 22 yards. Bruns completed one aerial in three tries for ten yards. The pass catchers were Koebernick and Arndt.
Benson had 14 first downs. Hunter Gonnerman had ten carries of the football for 42 yards. Will Enderson added 16 rushing yards. Enderson had a crowd-pleasing touch with passing the football but he was intercepted twice. He may have passed for 248 yards but his completion percentage was not good. Ben Peterson completed two passes in three attempts for Benson. Tolifson was Enderson's favorite target in the passing game. Tolifson had seven catches for 120 yards. Matthew Goosen and Jared Knutson each had four catches, Goosen picking up 75 yards and Knutson 52. Hunter Gonnerman and Cole Hedman each had one reception. Devon Liles had an interception. The Willmar paper did not report who had the two interceptions for MACA.
 
Football is losing ground
I am sad to see Benson coach Scott Gonnerman's name in connection with trying to keep football viable in the face of all the evidence suggesting it's a questionable activity. We are in fact seeing progress. Minnesota prep football numbers have dropped ten percent in ten years. It is still the most important sport in the state. There is erosion. Schools are weighing the option of simply dropping out. There are 13 fewer schools in Minnesota with football teams. Over 70 Minnesota schools are not offering football this fall. Consider that other boys sports are showing increases: track and field, cross country and la crosse.
The health issues seem paramount with football. But other factors are at work like specialization by athletes, and an enrollment drop in rural areas. Benson's Gonnerman is vice president of the coaches association. He is quoted saying the dangers of concussions are often exaggerated. Spoken like an old-time football loyalist.
I remember taking a feature photo of Mr. Gonnerman when he was a student at UMM. It was a photo that included the new coach being announced at the time, Mick Caba. The photo showed Gonnerman and Caba in an informal chat at the P.E. Center. Caba took over when the football program was about to start its slide, for reasons presumably having little to do with the quality of head coach. I found Caba to be a gentleman but he could not right the UMM ship, as I recall. At the time he started, there were cynical boosters of UMM football in town who felt the writing was on the wall. It was depressing to hear this talk.
One of the most prominent UMM boosters said of the apparent bleakness lying ahead: "They may have brought (Caba) here to kill it off."
Not to pass judgment, really, but UMM was not going to allocate the type of resources needed to keep up with the other schools in their then-conference. I now couldn't care less about the standing of football anywhere, because I wish the sport would just vanish for the sake of the young men's health.
Gonnerman seems to be in denial. He's quoted saying "the information on some of those surveys (of injured players) was misleading." Really? Or, are the good old boys of the sport just asserting themselves because so much of themselves has been defined by the sport, by all the cheers, adulation and other public attention (like from me at the newspaper)? It's a rhetorical question, Kemosabe.
Gonnerman said he has to work to recruit players. A co-author of a notable football/health study says it's not recommended for high school boys to be "recruited" to football at all. It's unconscionable for boys to feel peer pressure to play. But Gonnerman recruits.
What if you're a strapping young man in the school hallway and simply feel as a matter of principle that you don't want to play football? Will you experience some scorn? Years from now, nobody is going to care whether you played football or not.
Flag football is starting to make inroads vs. the Neanderthal version of the sport. Don't let the cheers lure you into getting your head bashed in.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Edson Auditorium: lens into UMM campus past

The grand UMM men's chorus of the 1960s

The UMM men's chorus once delivered its moving sounds at Edson Auditorium. The Edson name is a connection to the campus' WCSA past. It was quite the transition, going from an ag school to a premier liberal arts campus.
This Friday, Sept. 21, the campus community as well as the broader Morris community will re-focus on good ol' Edson. It has been refurbished, pretty elaborately I gather, although I haven't been there to observe. I will be present among other UMM backers this Friday, Sept. 21, for the dedication. I will need to have some details filled in. My impression is that the auditorium will continue to have the Edson name. However, it will be under the umbrella, as it were, of something named for the generous Morrison family.
The Morrisons are totally invested in our U of M-Morris campus. Already their name adorns the art gallery in the HFA. Edson is a performance venue but it is not part of the HFA. If the music discipline is to perform at Edson, instruments and other gear will have to be taken from one building to another.
UMM started out with music housed in the historic old building now used for multi-ethnic. Obviously I hung out there some when I was a kid. Other P.K.'s (professor's kids) like Mark Lammers spent time on campus too. Theater was the Lammers' thing. A theater at the HFA is named for Ray Lammers. At the end of Ray's life, he often sat across from me for lunch at the Morris Senior Community Center. He was a nice down to earth person around me. I remember theatrical presentations being done at Edson, way back when.
I can remember visiting the original Louie's Lower Level. That place probably has an inflated reputation in people's memories. It's in line with "the good old days." We tend to remember good things about the past and disregard the bad (or bland).
I actually played French horn in the UMM band toward the end of the '60s. The whole panorama of '60s problems and issues were evident on campus at the time. We had "moratoriums" then. The counterculture most definitely sprouted.
 

Ralph E. Williams

Our ties here date way back
My father Ralph was the only UMM music faculty in the institution's first year. I have always heard he did more than he was technically required to. Going way back, he first visited this campus when he was a boy of 12! He performed in the district music contest at the WCSA in 1928.
Remember the P.E. Annex? That was a spanking new building when Dad returned to campus to play in the West Central Minnesota Symphonic Orchestra in 1931. I remember attending UMM basketball games at the P.E. Annex. Eventually we got the P.E.Center.
My father was a 1934 graduate of Glenwood High School. He was the youngest of five boys. Since my mother's recent passing, I have gone through old things and found the guestbook for my grandmother Carrie's funeral in Glenwood. She was Grandma on my father's side. She was only 63 years old - my age now - when she died of a stroke in 1949. I was born in 1955 so I never knew her, nor my grandfather on my father's side, Martin. He preceded her in death. He died from stomach cancer although my father suspected it might really have been colon cancer. Dad told the story of when his father first consulted with the doctor about his symptoms. The doctor began his assessment by saying "how's your soul?"
Dad went to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where he earned a baccalaureate and later a master's degree in education. He posed for a photo at graduation with his mom and his brother Howard, the long-time banker in Glenwood. Dad taught at Brainerd High School in 1941 and '42, then signed up with Uncle Sam to serve in the Navy in the Pacific Theater of the war. He was a gunnery officer. He told me that he and a crew were assigned to guard a tanker. Later in the war he was assigned to the USS Appalachian, and he with other officers visited Tokyo in the immediate aftermath of hostilities. It was a horrifying scene as he described it, obliteration everywhere. He said the Japanese people were totally humbled by that point. I found a drawing he had done of himself when in the service - he had a moustache - and it was titled "Lt. Williams." We have a commemorative ashtray - now, that's a dated memento - with "USS Appalachian" engraved.
 
Teaching career flowers
With war over, Dad became choral director at the U of M St. Paul School of Agriculture. I was preschool age when Dad was in that phase. I fondly remember that time in my life.
Let's see, Dad taught in Brainerd in '41 and '42, and Mom was a 1942 graduate of Brainerd High School. Hmmm. My understanding is that they had a pleasant acquaintance at the start and things fell into place later. Mom showed me a picture of Dad she took from back when she was in high school, and she noted she was "brave enough" to ask him to pose for it!
Our history moves on to Morris. My first impression of this community was with the "circle drive" on campus. The entrance to that from the north eventually got cut off for reasons I don't understand. I also heard rumors there was a proposal to simply eliminate the circle drive. There is no parking lot located a convenient distance from Oyate. An amazing part of UMM history is that for many years, there was no student center at all! Quite a different world.

Rodney Briggs, UMM's first leader

Rodney Briggs guided my father here. On Briggs' direction, Dad wrote the UMM Hymn rendered with such spirit by the men's chorus. A mixed chorus had the song recorded beautifully for the 40th anniversary of the campus. I'd have that recording online but the cassette got chewed up by a new boombox I purchased at RadioShack. Damn analog systems! UMM cannot find that recording. Hint hint: it would be nice if Brad Miller's choir of today could perform the song for a video to be put on YouTube, with some nice visual adornment.
A UMM publication from 1978 reported "the song is still sung at commencement." Well it's not performed now, don't know why really. There must be issues but I don't know what they are. The lyrics? My father, as a prolific published composer, would understand better than anyone the reality of "rejection" in music! I once attended a songwriting seminar where a Nashville big shot told us that even he would get the door slammed on him sometimes!
 
Music maestro please!
My father organized the University choir, band, orchestra, men's chorus and chamber singers here. His forte was in vocal but in college he played trumpet and led a dance group, the "Campus Nighthawks." The group got its name from some used music stands that Dad found available, stands that had the "CN" initials on them! How industrious.
My father took the UMM men's chorus to the Seattle World's Fair where it opened the Minnesota Day program. The recruiting value for UMM wasn't so much with the fair attendees, it was with the many other student musicians from Minnesota who were at the fair that day. JFK was supposed to visit for the fair's closing ceremonies but he "called in sick," as it were, but that was a cover: JFK was really preoccupied with the Cuban missile crisis. Dad took the chorus to the New York World's Fair in '64 and I was along, with Mom.
The UMM community always had a scowling view toward me. My parents brought me to orchestra practice where I'd just hang around in an aimless or maybe hyper way at Edson. It's possible that no babysitter could handle me or would want to. Janet Holt tried, as I recall. Her dad directed the soils lab. I have arrived at the theory that I may have grown up with Asperger's.
People around town could see that my parents over-indulged me. People got angry about that, not at my parents but at me. I told Warrenn Anderson once: "Do not think that I am not aware of everything that has happened in my life." I was never cut out to attend UMM. From Day 1 the place has seemed rather alien to me, intimidating to me. That's unfortunate. Maybe in the afterlife I will not experience any friction anymore.
I realize this post comes across like the Robert Stack character at the end of "Airplane": "I had a rough childhood, Striker."
 
A tribute to Mom
In 1967 the Cowsills were at their peak and Rod Carew was a rookie with the Twins. The testimonial you see below was written by Kay Carlson about my mother in July of '67. It was written to the business manager. It was cc'd to "Dean R.A. Briggs." Mom's title was bookstore clerk at UMM. She is best remembered as UMM post office manager which she became later. Martha received the Martelle Award. Kay is no fan of mine but she obviously greatly appreciated Mom so God bless her. I am sorry that I have not been able to live up to everyone's expectations.
 
Sometimes the work that a person does is not recognized by more than immediate fellow workers. In Martha Williams, the University has an outstanding employee, and I wish to take this opportunity to give you my estimation of her and her work since you will not have the chance to really get to know her. Mrs. Williams is an extremely valuable University employee. I am not exaggerating when I say that she is the most dependable, ambitious, conscientious, accurate and thorough worker that I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Martha is in the bookstore to work, and she does just that from the time she arrives until the bookstore closes in the afternoon. She takes directions well and carries out her tasks carefully and willingly no matter what they may be. Besides being an outstanding worker, Martha is a very pleasant and sincere person, a joy to know and work with!
 
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Tigers climb to 3-0 with 20-13 football triumph

Three wins in as many games - that's where our football Tigers stand now. The most recent chapter in this winning story was Friday when ACGC was the site (Grove City).
The first three quarters were basically a stalemate. We led 14-13 going into the fourth quarter and then got a little cushion in the fourth. We won 20-13 over the Falcons.
The first quarter was scoreless. The Falcons got on the scoreboard first with a 15-yard pass from Michael Trebil to Nathan Essendrup. Petja Vaaraniemi kicked for the point-after. MACA drew up even with the host with a Matt McNeill touchdown: a run from the seven. Eli Grove made the score 7-7 with his PAT kick.
On to the second half. The Falcons struck again with the passing game. Trebil passed 24 yards to Josh Kinzler for a TD. The kick was no good. The Tigers answered, still in the third quarter, with a McNeill four-yard scoring run. Grove's toe was true on the conversion. Finally the Tigers asserted themselves with the touchdown that gave breathing room: a 17-yard run that had Camden Arndt carrying the football. The kick was no-go. The final horn sounded with the Tigers savoring this win by seven. Undefeated status still.
We achieved 19 first downs. Zach Bruns was a force carrying the football for Morris Area Chokio Alberta. He had 15 carries for 125 yards. Arndt moved the ball forward with 101 yards on 18 carries. McNeill's numbers were 85 yards on 18 carries. Bruns was at the helm of the passing game and here he had four completions in seven attempts for 35 touchdowns and one interception. Michael Trebil had the Falcon interception. Arndt was Bruns' favorite target. Arndt gathered in three receptions for 22 yards. Nathan Grunklee had one catch for 13 yards.
Our defense achieved three interceptions which were by Mace Yellow, Jack Riley and Bruns. Also on the defensive side of the ball, Joseph Kleinwolterink had six solo tackles and three assists. Yellow achieved five solos and two assists. Riley got the job done for five solo tackles. Russell Nielsen executed four solo tackles and two assists. Brady Cardwell contributed two solos and six assists. Kleinwolerink and Nielsen each had a quarterback sack.
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City had 12 first downs. Michael Trebil topped the ACGC rushing list with 18 carries for 69 yards. Trebil did the ACGC passing too: eight completions in 21 attempts for 110 yards, but he was hurt by three interceptions. Chase Litzau was the top pass catcher with four catches, 60 yards. Skye Powers was a defensive standout with ten solo tackles and five assists.
Next up for the Tigers is a home game against Benson.
 
Cross country: LPGE Invite
It was destination north for the MACA cross country runners on Monday, Sept. 10. This was a running showcase involving 15 schools. Amidst all this quality competition at Long Prairie-Grey
Eagle, Noah Stewart of our Tigers was No. 1. Stewart with his orange and black colors entered the finish chute with his time of 17:19.7. Championship honors.
Solomon Johnson made the top ten with his time of 18:30.7, good for No. 8. The MACA effort also included Bradley Rohloff (26th place, 19:47.4), Thomas Tiernan (28th, 19:59.4) and Jared Boots (31st, 20:08.1). The runner-up runner was Preston Poepping of Melrose with his time of 17:43.5. Melrose had the champion team. Paynesville was second and our Tigers were No. 3 in this large assembly of teams.
Our girls team was No. 2, trailing only Sauk Centre. The Carrington sisters achieved in the top five. Maddie Carrington placed third with her 21:35.9 performance, and Meredith Carrington was fifth at 22:13.8. The champion was Sophia Kluver of Sauk Centre (20:57.8). Crystal Nohl of our Tigers placed 22nd, clocked at 24:02.1. The Tiger effort also included Malory Anderson (24th, 24:04.7) and Kaylie Raths (27th, 24:18.2).
Paynesville's Macy Carlson was runner-up at 21:29.6.
 
Tennis: LQPV/DB 4, Tigers 3
It's always nice to see some Tigers prevail in matches even when the team might come out on the losing end. Tigers prevailed in three of the categories on Tuesday, a day that saw them playing at Lac qui Parle against LQPV/DB. In my writing career with the Morris paper, I covered too many 0-7 matches.
We won in two of the singles matches. Katelyn Wehking prevailed at No. 3 singles over Katelyn Wittnebel, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4) and 6-4. Our No. 4 performer, Katie Messner, showed a winning flourish as she wielded her racket vs. Jade Bukawski. Katie won 6-3 and 6-1. The winner's circle was also joined by our No. 3 doubles team, made up of Ireland Winter and Kassidy Girard. This pair downed Sarah Halvorson and Kylie Wendinger, 6-3, 2-6 and 11-9.
At first singles it was Lea Asmus playing for MACA and this Tiger fell vs. Anna Hacker 4-6 and 4-6. Hannah Watzke handled the racket at No. 2 singles and she was defeated by Addie Oie, 5-7 and 0-6. Our first doubles team was Greta Hentges and Abbi Athey, and they bowed vs. the LQPV twosome of Jessica Sigdahl and Rachel Halvorson, 4-6 and 6-7 (5-7). Lakia Manska and Ryanne Long handled second doubles and this pair fell to Bree Kallhoff and Veda Maharaj, 2-6 and 0-6.
 
Cross country: New London-Spicer Invite
It's quite the spectacle: the New London-Spicer Invite, held at Little Crow Country Club. Seventeen schools had their harriers in action for the 2018 edition, held Thursday. Our MACA Tigers were game for the challenge. Our high-achieving Noah Stewart placed fourth on this day, time of 16:25.7. The boys champion was Emmet Anderson of Staples who covered the course in 15:51.9. Jacob Bright of West Central Area was the runner-up achiever at 16:15.3. Bright's WCA squad topped the team standings while Staples was No. 2. Our Tigers settled in around the middle at No. 10.
Stewart was joined in the MACA effort by Solomon Johnson (17:59.5), Bradley Rohloff (18:59.3), Jared Boots (19:33.0), Thomas Tiernan (19:43.0) and Micah Aanerud (20:34.8).
The Carrington sisters excelled again for Motown with Maddie achieving No. 5. Maddie's time: 20:12.9. Meredith turned in a 21:39.3 performance. Joining the Carringtons in the girls' effort were: Malory Anderson (22:40.5), Crystal Nohl (22:53.7), Katya Lackey (23:10.3), Kaylie Raths (23:11.8) and Caryn Marty (24:24.0). The girls race was won by Isabel Schirm of LQPV/DB, time of 19:29.7. Kra Sweeney of Staples-Motley was runner-up at 19:32.2.
Our Tigers were No. 3 in the girls team standings - 15 teams - behind champion Eden Valley-Watkins and West Central Area.
 
Volleyball: Melrose 3, Tigers 1
Thursday was a time for the MACA volleyball Tigers to get on I-94 and head to Dutchmen country of Melrose. The home team looked good on this night which meant the Tigers were dealt a loss. Four games were played, scores of 22-25, 21-25, 25-21 and 22-25. I think I'm sticking to players' names as presented on Maxpreps. For example, "Hormann" has two n's.
Several Tigers shared the setting work led by LaRae Kram and her 19 assists. Liz Dietz came through with 13 assists. Also posting stats in this category were: Bailey Marty, Lexi Pew and Riley Decker. Pew was at the fore in our team's hitting work as she produced 16 kills. Kenzie Hockel slammed nine kills at the Dutchmen. Bailey Marty came through with eight. The list continues with Jen Solvie and Sophie Carlsen each with three, and Emma Berlinger and Kram each with one. Solvie went up to produce three ace blocks. Berlinger and Carlsen each had one ace block.
On to digs, and here it was Decker setting the pace with her 28. Marty dug up the ball 20 times. Hockel finished with 12 digs and Kram with nine. Five different Tigers each had one ace serve: Hockel, Marty, Decker, Stahman and Kram.
 
Just checking
Has anyone put out feelers for how Morris might keep a midsummer festival going? If not, I guess the skeptics about this community are right: we're lackadaisical or apathetic or whatever. The "old" Prairie Pioneer Days was moved from summer partly because of the perception that things get so slow here in summer. One could argue this is all the more reason to prop up PPD in summer, as a way to look forward to something special in summer. Wouldn't you say?
I know this is how Kevin Wohlers thinks. Kevin looks at this from the retail business perspective where he sees a need to keep an air of vitality going in summer, to keep business from falling off too much. He says his experience with Taco John's was instructive. His is a worthy argument. I look at it more from the standpoint of intangibles. PPD is a neat mid-summer marker for Motown, a time to see friends and neighbors in a festive setting, to enjoy good food etc.
I wonder if the Superior company has intimidated other food vendors. All we'd need is for some nice music to be booked for the park and for a couple of food vendors to be present. Mark McCollar used to suggest that instead of the Killoran stage, we'd be better off having a "food court" installed at East Side Park. Am I asking too much?
As for PPD being moved to early September, we already have the "welcome UMM" picnic set for then. I wonder how that juxtaposition will be worked out. The UMM picnic is no longer promoted as such, it's just "welcome." I don't like that either. Jim Morrison always called me a contrarian. At least I'm here all summer and not gone to "the lake." I realize my critics would prefer me to be gone.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Hal McRae and Steve Brye: we sense the truth

Memories are faint of the Hal McRae/Steve Brye incident of 1976. Our media world was so different then. "Gatekeepers" controlled things and these people believed in a sense of decorum. Because racist intent could not absolutely be proven, those guardians of decency applied the brakes. There was risk of significant disruption if we seriously discussed racist intent.
Is it possible that the 1976 American League batting champion was determined by a demonstrably racist act?
The event was not buried completely in the media. I remember consuming the news reports and feeling rather certain there was racist intent. Our Minnesota Twins were involved. We were on the road playing the Royals in a season-ending three-game series. Steve Brye was a fair-to-middling outfielder for the Twins. He was white. McRae was a quite fine hitter with the Kansas City Royals. He was black. The Royals were created in 1969 and by 1976, they were done paying dues in the expansion process. They were a guaranteed-not-to-tarnish team.
As for our Twins, fans were coming to realize that Calvin Griffith's days as owner were limited - the Griffith family were "church mice," according to Bowie Kuhn's description, in the new world of baseball where money amounts were escalating. In order to dismiss the racist motives of the incident in question, you might have to theorize that the Twins were simply incompetent. An irreverent or frustrated fan might be inclined to think that way. The event was too serious to be dismissed that way.
It happened in the pre-analytics days when we all focused so much on batting average. Fans were not yet bombarded by the exotic stat categories - the alphabet soup as it were - that have become common. It was a big deal who would win the A.L. batting title of 1976. The league's best hitters were at Royals Stadium that day. Our Rod Carew was in his prime. But he was slightly behind the Royals' prime hitters: McRae and George Brett. ESPN of today would be playing up the game and its batting title ramifications. It was the last game of the '76 campaign.

The suspense went down to the very last inning. Brett and McRae did not disappoint in that final game, as both went two-for-three going into the last inning. Both were scheduled to bat in the bottom of the ninth! McRae's batting average at that point was .33269. And, Brett's was .33229. Incredible! Brett needed a hit. McRae could wrap up the batting title with a hit.
 
Everything falls apart but why?
Brett hit what looked like a routine fly ball to the outfield. Brye should have been in position to catch it routinely. However, Brye was playing unusually deep. He broke in the wrong direction. By the time he got oriented properly, it was too late and the ball dropped about ten feet away. When the fielder doesn't touch the ball, it is counted as a hit. It is not an error just because the fielder was disoriented or had his head up his butt or whatever.
Not only did the ball land away from Brye, it bounced over his head to the left field wall. Not only had Brett hit safely, he got all the way around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. The essential fact was that it was a hit: a hit that resulted in Brett winning the then-supremely coveted batting title. Brett finished the day three-for-four which pushed his average to .333. McRae came to bat and grounded out. The suspense was over in terms of how the batting title would be bestowed: it belonged to Brett.
The suspense was just setting in, in terms of assessing what was in Brye's head, or the head of manager Gene Mauch who could have helped orchestrate the episode with positioning.
 
Muted coverage, hardly provocative
Yes there was discussion, enough for yours truly and other attentive fans to become aware of the possibly odious overtones. It was not the kind of tempest you'd see today.
The Twins would never plead guilty to the untoward explanation, naturally, but neither would Ron DeSantis in Florida say he meant "monkey things up" in an untoward way. It isn't hard to perceive the truth. My senses have always been on the side of the racist interpretation, the Twins' possible incompetence put aside.
Things were not very subtle here: McRae gave obscene gestures toward the Twins' bench. A distressed Mauch bounded out of the dugout. McRae had to be restrained from pushing matters further. McRae immediately claimed post-game that the Twins had conspired to give Brett the title. So in his view, if racism was being exercised it wasn't just Brye as an individual.
Mauch denied this but seemed almost too much in a huff, as if pushed on the defensive. Guilty people can behave like this - they "doth protest too much," and in Mauch's case he said the accusations were "the worst thing that's happened to me in 35 years of baseball." Those 35 years included the biggest choke in baseball history, when Mauch managed the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies.

Fortunately the ill feeling vented by McRae was not taken out on Brett. Brett added fuel to the unpleasant explanation when he said "I think maybe the Twins made me a present of the batting championship, and if they did, I feel just as bad about it as Hal does." My, all this was kindling for a tempest that today would certainly erupt - explode - through not only the likes of ESPN, but all the news media. The commissioner would have to make a statement and maybe take extraordinary action to remediate and give McRae the title. A few days after the incident, Brett said he'd like to share the title with McRae.
Our Rod Carew finished the season with a sterling .331 average.
 
Media did not spread sunlight
The Sporting News was "baseball's Bible" back then. How quaint. Exercising its cautious gatekeeper function, this "Bible" wasn't going to toss fuel on the fire. The restraint was extraordinary. Not even a cover "tease." The story was buried on page 31. No editorial on page 2. Amazingly, the publication was complicit in the pulling of levers by the "powers that be" in polite society, not to focus on something so ugly.
Insiders seemed totally to know the truth, just as with the "monkey things up" comment of today. The major media found the topic too unpleasant. That would be no hindrance today - it would in fact be a catalyst for promoting discussion, to get those much-sought "eyeballs." Today the Colin Kaepernick subject reigns. No inhibitions in the media. Our president? Talk about having no inhibitions. The president publicly refers to some NFL players as "sons of bitches." Can you imagine a president of the late 20th Century saying that? We once had a strong impulse toward simple decorum. Not in the modern age of Alex Jones.
Today we'd be watching replays of the controversial fly ball continuously. Every baseball media person would have to weigh in. There might be pressure for Mauch and Brye to be blackballed, in fact. Fox News would take the see-no-evil stance, the type we heard from the network's Martha McCallum when she said the DeSantis "monkey" comment did not ruffle her when she heard it. The pro-McRae camp would be vociferous.
Let us disregard how McRae in later years would become like an African-American Bobby Knight. That's irrelevant in connection with the 1976 incident.
The Royals won their first West Division title in '76 with a record of 90-72. Dean Vogelaar was K.C.'s public relations director. His contemporary comment is: "To this day, I don't think anybody knows the truth." He's a candidate for a Fox News panel, I'd suggest. There is an undertone to all the players' comments - the most credible sources - suggesting the darkest interpretation. Baseball's leaders could thank God they didn't have to deal with the media environment of today.
As a footnote, let's acknowledge that the late Lyman Bostock was with the Twins and was among the premier hitters of that season. He hurt his thumb in the series opener and missed the last two games. He sported a .323 average. He would eventually be murdered. Our president was Gerald Ford and "disco" music was in its prime. Jimmy Carter would be elected in November. Shall we mention the Gong Show?
 
Inhibitions of the time
If major league baseball had granted Brett's wish and allowed he and McRae to share the batting title, can you imagine the ramifications? The explicit acknowledgment of racism? Wow! But it was 1976, and polite society exercised its leverage: such discussion was supposed to be discussed in whispers. I salute the Nike Company of today and what it's doing with Kaepernick as a symbol, making clear that old pretensions are to be eschewed in favor of frankness and candor. Sunlight indeed.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

MACA football surges to bury Holdingford 44-21

Tigers 44, Holdingford 21
The home fans had to be patient before letting out their enthusiastic cheers Friday at Big Cat Stadium. The home Tigers had zero points at the end of one quarter. In the meantime, Holdingford shot out front with a pair of scores.
The complexion of the game completely changed in the second quarter. The tables were turned with MACA scoring 15 points and Holdingford zero. The third quarter went the Tigers' way again. After that, the home team polished things off with a 13-8 scoring advantage in the final quarter. So, the game goes in the books as a resounding 44-21 win for the orange and black.
The first quarter scores by Holdingford had Andrew Hanson and Alex Lange crossing the end zone stripe. Aaron Welle added the PAT kick after the first score. Would you believe the next seven scores were by the Tigers? What a surge. First it was Matt McNeill carrying the ball in from the three. Next it was the refs making the signal for "safety" as Holdingford got trapped.
Austin Berlinger recovered a fumble and was able to score on the play. Eli Grove kicked for the point-after. MACA momentum continued with a five-yard TD run by McNeill, after which Grove's toe was again true. Two more points were added when the refs again signaled "safety." Camden Arndt was off to the races on a big 38-yard scoring run. Grove kicked the PAT again.
MACA continued burying Holdingford under an avalanche of offense, as now it was Arndt catching a 27-yard touchdown pass from Zach Bruns. Grove sent the ball through the uprights. Holdingford scored on a one-yard run by Tate Lange. The two-point conversion play was good on a pass from Lange to Will Ethen. MACA pulled a kick return out of its bag of tricks, as Kenney Soderberg found daylight. Soderberg scored on his thrilling 90-yard return.
The Tigers totaled 20 first downs on the night. Our rushing yardage was 288. The rushing charge was led by Matt McNeill with 110 yards and Camden Arndt with 101. These other Tigers also contributed rushing yardage: Colten Scheldorf, Riley Reimers, Zach Bruns, Kenny Soderberg, Jack Riley and Josh Rohloff.
Bruns completed three passes in nine attempts for 59 yards. Reimers had the other pass completion for MACA. The pass catchers were Arndt, McNeill and Rohloff. The Willmar paper has "N/A" for "not available" for interceptions, fumble recoveries, tackles and sacks. It's that way for both teams, so we must wonder why the paper didn't just exclude mention of these categories completely. Why bother reporting a negative?

Volleyball: Tigers 3, Montevideo 0
MACA built on its early-season success with a sweep over the Thunder Hawks of Montevideo on Thursday. The orange and black prevailed 25-8, 25-14 and 25-13.
Riley Decker batted two serving aces at the Thunder Hawks. These Tigers each had one serve ace: Bailey Marty, Liz Dietz, Kenzie Stahman, Larae Kram and LeAndra Hormann. Dietz led in set assists with 12 followed by Kram with eight. Lexi Pew was at the fore of the hitting attack with nine kills. Marty and Sophie Carlsen each notched five kills. Kenzie Hockel produced three kills and Emma Berlinger had two.
Five Tigers each had one ace block: Hockel, Berlinger, Pew, Marty and Carlsen. Marty was sharp in the digs department with her team-best 18. Hockel and Decker each had 12 digs and Dietz had eight.
The Willmar paper butchered spelling of Tigers' names. They had Kenzie Stahlman instead of Stahman, Larea Kram instead of Larae, Sophie Carlson instead of Carlsen and LeAndra Horman instead of Hormann. Jeez guys, can't we count on you a little better than this?
Watch the Tigers roll forward under coach Caleb Greene.
 
Cross country: LQPV/DB Invite
OK what do all those initials stand for? The alphabet soup comes out as "Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd." When the LQPV district was being created, didn't Dawson-Boyd almost join in, then they pulled out and today they're most gratified they did? Well today they're all together for cross country and they hosted the invite at Appleton. And, it was LQPV/DB that topped both the boys and girls standings.
Our Tigers were right behind in second in both gender divisions. Nine schools had their runners in action. Noah Stewart of our Tigers was the boys individual champion. Noah covered the course in 17:48.02. Ben Hernandez of the Tigers arrived at the finish chute No. 5 with his time of 18:49.33. Bradley Rohloff placed 15th, clocked at 19:42.94. Solomon Johnson was No. 16 with his 19:44.61 showing. Thomas Tiernan placed 23rd at 20:57.67.
The girls individual champion was Isabel Schirm of LQPV/DB, timed at 16:33.49. MACA runner Maddie Carrington was runner-up at 16:55.47. The fleet Carrington sisters made their mark on this day, as Meredith arrived at the finish line sixth with her 17:51.11 performance. Crystal Nohl was No. 9 to the finish chute: an 18:30.92 time. Malory Anderson placed tenth (18:34.97) and Madelyn Siegel covered the course in 19:19.89.
 
We're underway for 2018
Writing this post reminds me how complicated a football game is to summarize. So many categories of information, many of which have to coordinate with each other to make sense. I continue to write about football despite misgivings. You might say I'm doing this under protest. We hope to see diminished participation in football nationally as a way of realizing that parents are paying attention to the disturbing news of the health effects of the sport.
I personally stopped by Big Cat Stadium Friday, inadvertently right at the time our MACA momentum started taking off, and I was discouraged to see a pretty good fan turnout. No signs of hope emerging.
Lots of fans will want to grit their teeth reading my kind of thoughts on this, and that's too bad. Your own sons are at risk, not only of the brain/cognitive problems, but also the more well-known traditional injuries to joints etc. Those latter injuries are worrisome enough. The MAHS administration would say "we are following all protocols." That's a nice CYA stance. They don't have the courage to lead and to actually encourage boys and their parents to steer toward soccer. It's ironic that I should care more than a lot of you parents. The "benefits" from football can be gained from any number of other activities.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com