We should "Give a Damn" about '60s "Spanky" group!

How does "Spanky and Our Gang" register with you? Your first thought might be about the old film shorts featuring the little kids. The name also applies to a wonderful musical group that had its prime in the late 1960s. 

The late 1960s! What an incredible chapter not only in American cultural history but in popular music. 

Labels/categories in popular music are at best an oversimplification, at worst a curse. But the general public likes shorthand. Scribes like yours truly also like a little pigeon-holing for convenience. So you'll find the group "Spanky and Our Gang" filed under "sunshine pop." 

What vibes do you get from this? Perhaps not all positive - "sunshine" might suggest superficial or sweet. 

Pop music in its essence is a little superficial. Lyrics to a three-minute song can only say so much. Long-form journalists like me might think it's pretty non-substantive, maybe even pretentious. 

Don't you think a lot of song lyrics bring overly effusive praise? Is it really great art? Despite the limits I suggest, I have fascination with the craft. I have striven to develop my own potential with songwriting. Ironic: a guy like me who believes in in-depth analysis writing a few stanzas and thinking it might have merit. If you need a test in humility, try presenting some of your own songwriting material.

 

The curse of categories

These days a favorite group of mine is "Tonight Alive," the young people from Australia. The group gets pigeon-holed to a degree as "punk" and they are not even averse to that. But I'm bewildered because this group simply puts out fantastic music. The melodies are superbly crafted. "Punk" can disturb a 65-year-old like me. But I feel nothing but joy listening to "Tonight Alive" - "punk" seems to be mere window dressing aimed at getting certain followers. 

I draw a parallel between "Spanky and Our Gang" and "Tonight Alive." These are groups of guys with one girl and they would be nothing without the girl. The girl is the whole show, no exaggeration. Not to say the guys lacked ability. They had total ability, but just how would they fare without the girl? Rhetorical question. 

A like situation can happen with a male like Jim Morrison of the Doors. Some lead singers might insist on being a solo act. Surely that would be an attractive path, but I laud the likes of Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane and Jenna McDougall, the latter with "Tonight Alive." They were joined at the hip with their bandmates. 

"Spanky" McFarlane is extant, still with us. She resisted the label "bubblegum" that might have been directed at her "Gang." She has been described as "the queen of sunshine pop." Can't we just react on an emotional level to the group's music?

Cosmetics: unavoidable

Is it fair to say Spanky had challenges managing her weight through the years? We are discouraged nowadays from weighing such a criterion. With women in particular there has been a push against "objectification." People my age remember a time that was so different. Objectification happened all over the place and no one cared. Bob Hope brought Raquel Welch with him to entertain the troops in Vietnam. The idea is that all the guys would salivate. 

I wonder what went through the mind of Welch or the other "babes" - excuse the term - that were put forward in such a way. 

"Spanky" McFarlane was incredibly gifted but she was destined to get, well, rotund. There were signs of this even in the group's late '60s heyday. Men would have described her then as "pleasably plump." She was cute enough. There was a template of standards promoted by the likes of the Dean Martin Variety Hour. Like it or not it's history, like "drunk" humor. 

(Note: "Pleasantly plump" or "pleasingly plump" appear to be the technically correct terms, while "pleasably" appears to not even be a word. But I swear I heard the "pleasably" version when I was a kid.)

Today you'll learn that "Spanky and Our Gang" was known for its "vocal harmonies." Well, all good music is known for its harmonies. Pop music challenges our ability to describe. There is no science by which we can know why a certain song is a "hit" and why another perfectly well-constructed song is not. 

"Sunshine pop?" It's like describing "Tonight Alive" as "punk." It's almost a cruel shorthand. It isn't needed. 

  

"Give a Damn" about the music

Call up some of the "Spanky and Our Gang" material and just appreciate it. The group has been somewhat lost in the mists of time. It is underappreciated, sadly. It is uplifting music to consume, and in saying that I am not hinting it is saccharine. It gives you a warm feeling and it does so with genuineness. What all do you expect a song to accomplish? 

So substantive could this group be, one of its best songs underperformed because of concerns about its message. This song was "Give a Damn." It was tamped down. 

You're likely familiar with the group's biggest hits as the "oldies" get played. You might sing along with "Sunday Will Never Be the Same," "Lazy Day," "Like to Get to Know You" and "Sunday Mornin.' " Maybe you hear these without the name of the band registering. Maybe you'll think it's the "Mamas and the Papas." The Spanky group did not achieve the kind of immortal fame as the Mamas/Papas. It really deserved to. 

Researching today, the song that really sticks with me is "Give a Damn." The title itself reveals a problem. By late '60s standards, "damn" was edgy. That issue was accompanied by others. "Give a Damn" was released in 1968, a year suggested by historians as particularly tumultuous and transformative in American life. Silly rabbit, trends don't begin and end in a single year, but this is how historians tend to package things. "Give a Damn" was released in late summer. 

The (quasi) profane word, in and of itself kept the song from being played in some markets! The song got enmeshed in politics as it was a comment on racial equality, I guess in a context displeasing some. Maybe there was fear it could aggravate tensions in the wake of the Detroit riots. 

Our culture at the time was led by a caliber of folks that you might have trouble understanding today. Many people actually thought the Vietnam war was a good or acceptable idea for a very long time. This was the real flashpoint, more than racial equality concerns. Youth gravitated to popular entertainment permeated by messages, some overt, many subtle, about rejecting the priorities of the older folks. It was the "generation gap." 

"Spanky and Our Gang" is connected with the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in how things played out. The group performed "Give a Damn" live in a November 1968 episode. The CBS Standards and Practices Division got many complaints about the song's title being used during "family viewing hours." Quaint! Nixon himself made a complaint about the song on TV. 

"Give a Damn" had an elaborate musical arrangement including horns. It had real texture. I have to confess I was not familiar with the song until recently. I was only age 13 in 1968. I am greatly moved to listen now. Take away the social commentary aspect and I'm still totally wowed, just with the sound of it. It's marvelous. So bad it was held up by silly problems. 

"Sunshine pop" music? The term didn't do the group justice - its lyrics promoted a range of emotions/reactions. You can find an outstanding performance (OK, lip synched) of "Give a Damn" on YouTube today. I recommend it with vibrant enthusiasm. I'll even link it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmbobcSP5L8 

 

"Give a Damn" became John Lindsay's campaign song during his successful run for mayor of New York City. 

Is it fair to note Spanky's weight transformation through the years? Was it an issue for her? I shied away from writing "weight issues." In this age of non-objectification, who's to say if it should be an issue? In entertainment, realistically it is. Mainly for women? Oh my God, I shouldn't drop that comment. But I grew up influenced by the likes of the Dean Martin Variety Hour, Bob Hope and Raquel Welch. Neanderthal times! 

It's fair to make it an issue if you are simply concerned from a health standpoint. For sure, some people seem born with an inexorable inclination to become "rotund." Metabolism? Thyroid? Who knows. Life presents such an array of challenges. 

Pop groups that were willing to perform a hit "live" on TV, not lip-synched, deserve a very special tip of the hat, IMHO. So let's give credit to Spanky and her group for how it performed "Sunday Will Never Be The Same" on Mike Douglas. It was a small group, not able to duplicate the fullness of the sound from the studio, but they performed brilliantly in a slightly stripped-down version. By doing this, they really showed they were the "real deal." Nothing earns my respect more. 

Spanky and Our Gang deserves to be remembered as well as the Mamas and the Papas. 

  

An identity issue?

Maybe one problem is the group's name evoking thoughts of the Hal Roach comedy shorts: confusion. Researching the music group today, you have to filter through material much of which pertains to the cinematic "Little Rascals." No one could have foreseen Google then. Or YouTube. 

Thanks to YouTube, you can appreciate the group's "Give a Damn." The link I provide above actually presents two tunes, the second "Yesterday's Rain," another gem, yes. And "Yesterday's Rain" has the distinction of having one of the group's male members take over the lead singing for a portion, while Spanky joins the background. It worked! 

Nothing controversial or edgy about the "Give a Damn" lyrics now. Society was in fact forced to give a damn. In any young vs. old schism, we know where the long-term momentum lies! 

So nice to see Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane is still with us, age 78. She's a native of Peoria IL. Enjoy the rest of your life, Spanky. She says "I just want to have fun and be with my pals." Here's a toast from 1968 and today!

  

Please visit my podcast

I share more about the joy of "sunshine pop" in my "Morris Mojo" podcast for November 28, 2020. That's right, right in the middle of the pandemic. Sunshine pop helped counter some of the gloom of the late 1960s, and perhaps it could be ditto today. Here's the permalink for my podcast entry:

https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/Retro-sunshine-pop-en3a2g

 

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

Music doesn't get any better: "Spanky and Our Gang"

Maybe South Dakota really is "50th in everything"

SD Governor Kristi Noem

I remember interviewing country music entertainer Sherwin Linton for the Morris newspaper in the early 1980s. This was right after our Minnesota governor Rudy Perpich raised eyebrows by saying South Dakota was "50th in everything." Perpich was responding to a barb from the South Dakota governor. 

The exchange between the two was not as intense as it might appear. Politicians generally had more collegial relations then - not the bite of partisanship all over the place. Really. I read an analysis that suggested a "feud" of this type served to better the position of both governors. Each was going to bat for his own state. 

Oh, Mr. Linton had a South Dakota background and I'm sure he had a response of some levity. I interviewed him at the local Wohlers residence. I can't remember what he said. 

Perpich left this life in 1995 and would you believe, Janklow gave one of the eulogies. Yes, different times. I remember Perpich had kept his health issues under wraps, so we weren't prepared emotionally for his passing. Some people were upset about that. I think he left public life with some bitterness. Let's not say "politics ain't beanbag" - its so cliche. 

Remember the chopsticks factory? 

Janklow passed on in 2012 with his image having been tarnished badly by a notorious and tragic incident. Surely that upstaged the verbal "feud" with his neighbor to the east. Anyway, Janklow was in a fatal traffic collision in 2003. He failed to stop at an intersection near Trent SD. He collided with motorcyclist Randy Scott. Janklow was guilty in spades as he was going at least 70 MPH in a 55 zone and ran a stop sign. His best defense was to claim having low blood sugar at the time. He was convicted of second degree manslaughter, a felony. 

Let's note that Janklow was a scofflaw when it came to speeding. He got 12 speeding tickets from 1990 to 1994 with fines totaling $1000. But beyond that, he had a background of having law enforcement look the other way in traffic matters. A fact? The superintendent of the state highway patrol testified to this. Scott's family couldn't sue because Janklow was on official business, thus was protected by the Federal Tort Claims Act. 

 

Focus on the present

Jason Ravnsborg

Some loud echoes are heard now with this incident involving the South Dakota attorney general, Jason Ravnsborg. Are South Dakota motorists "50th in the nation" with their skills and judgment? (You have to type Ravnsborg's last name a few times to get comfortable with it.) 

My, hardly anyone would know Ravnsborg's name were it not for his recent traffic misadventure. Not long after, we learned it was a case of distracted driving. It's quite the timely topic. We must take extra care in our new age of expanded distractions. I have taken extra care riding a bicycle. 

You may have heard about Ravnsborg's accident that took the life of Joseph Boever. It appears the nature of the "distraction" has not yet been made public. That's odd. Was it texting? Eating? You can appreciate the dramatic impact of the collision by seeing a photo of the AG's damaged vehicle. The vehicle left the driving lane before striking the victim. Mr. Boever was in the north shoulder of Highway 14 near Highmore SD, actually holding a light. 

South Dakota has assumed some notoriety on more than one front. How would Governor Perpich react to the pattern of news? There is a clear and present danger for us in Minnesota. We in Morris MN are quite close to South Dakota. The raging virus is raging especially bad in South Dakota. More than half of tests have come back positive for weeks. 

We knew Governor Kristi Noem's makeup and attitude before this state of affairs set in. "Governor Tight Fittin' Jeans" is programmed quite the same as Michele Bachmann. It's rare to see females on this side of the political ledger. I'm not thinking Democrat vs. Republican, I'm thinking reasonable vs. crazy. South Dakota really has a full-fledger in Tight Fittin' Jeans. She has floated the idea of having Donald Trump's face put on Mount Rushmore. You have all the clues you need. 

Noem won't require masks in her state or take other measures to curb the spread. She refuses to urge families to limit Thanksgiving gatherings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended Americans not travel for Thanksgiving. The USA has seen one million new cases of Covid over the week. 

Noem issued her dangerous statement which she titled "Thanksgiving and personal responsibility." It said "we won't stop or discourage you from thanking God and spending time together this Thanksgiving." 

We in West Central Minnesota are right next to a state that has the second highest infection rate in the country. South Dakota is not following the example of most other states. Think of the Sturgis rally. Noem is actually making false statements, such as lockdowns having no value. She suggested similar futility with masks. 

 

The AG sticks his neck out, to PA

The sudden notoriety or infamy of the AG Ravnsborg has not caused him to miss a step in his post. I personally would have been so traumatized, I could not continue in a public role in the foreseeable future. Republicans are awfully bull-headed in our current times. 

Not only is Ravnsborg still in the driver's seat, as it were, he decided to go way beyond the borders of South Dakota in dedication to partisan concerns. Oh my, here we go: a November 10 news item announced that lawsuits challenging mail-in ballots were filed in Pennsylvania, and Republican attorneys general from ten states, including Ravnsborg, had gotten involved. 

(I'm sure most of us have wondered: is it "attorneys general" or "attorney generals." The former seems to be most accepted. It's like wondering if it's "couldn't care less" or "could care less." The former is proper, a fact not taken in stride one day by talk radio host Mark Levin. A friendly caller just tried correcting him. The right wingers are awfully intransigent.) 

Ravnsborg was part of a group that filed an amicus brief in Pennsylvania's Supreme Court. The brief supported two lawsuits in PA. It was reported "their goal is to bring additional information to the court's attention." The lawsuits challenged a court ruling that allowed mail-in ballots to be received three days after election day. But why must Ravnsborg thrust himself into this distant matter, embroiled in partisanship, when he ought to be licking his wounds and dealing with his conscience in the wake of a traffic incident that would leave most normal people crestfallen? 

We'd want to go private. Words couldn't describe my state of mind, had I been responsible for a distracted driving fatal accident. I might never drive a car again. Ravnsborg should be veritably dripping with humility. Call him "Mister Magoo." Highmore, your classic sleepy South Dakota town, will have notoriety for quite some time. 

 

Trump run amok w/ lawyers

We are so weary of hearing about the lawsuit barrage from the slimy Trump campaign. We are weary of reckless judgment by the likes of Governor Tight Fittin' Jeans relative to the tragic Covid. Of course, South Dakota voters put her in her position. They showed the same judgment with Bill Janklow. 

Ravnsborg? His election opponent had an arguably quite superior resume, but he had an overwhelming handicap: he was a Democrat. Minnesota turned its back on long-time Democratic Congressman Collin Peterson a few weeks ago. All the momentum is going with the Republicans in our windswept part of the country. We should be whistling past the graveyard. The big cities are where the people are. That kind of factor catches up to the political process. 

I have male friends who like to comment on how "good looking" Noem is. We need to retire whatever criteria were created for that in men's minds. It is dated, along with so many misogynistic ideas and humor. Get up to date.

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

Should progressive Christians just abandon gospel?

Not a Trump rally

There are ELCA pastors around the nation doing yeoman's work sharing the gospel in a way so totally apart from conservative politics. I could cite a church in Portland OR but then some of you might sniff that Portland is a left wing haven. Why have we come to think in such terms? 

I will assert that the ELCA strives to be apolitical, but then the detractors would say we're lefty-sympathizing. 

Think of community leaders you knew 20 or 30 years ago: what would they say if transported by time machine to today? What would these temperate people think of our discourse in America? I remember Bob Stevenson.

Think of the days when Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan could show a certain affection for each other, separate from their obvious partisan differences. Newt Gingrich came along. And then a whole raft of take-no-prisoner righties, people who can seem so hypocritical. 

Those on the right used to think public morality was so important. Our leaders should at least strive to set an example. We acknowledge our sinful nature but we strive to behave in a classy, civilized way. 

Donald Trump comes along. His absurd weaknesses get revealed one after another. And a huge portion of the citizenry who call themselves Christian seem to almost celebrate the shortcomings! So eager they are to say Trump has failings "but he supports us." 

Think of our community leaders from 20 or 30 years ago: did they ever think their freedom to worship was being abridged? Did it cross their minds, even? So what's the problem? There definitely is a problem. 

Trump's whole world view makes a mockery of Christian values. He carefully manicured this image of himself as masterful businessman. He realized the power of TV and mined it. The image and reality of Trump as a businessman are almost certainly two different things. Many evangelicals might actually be concluding that now, but they won't back off, they cannot back off. They don't dare appear to be compromising. Their normal faculties have slammed shut because they have turned into a cult. 

 

The real example set by Christ

The ELCA is an outlier, perhaps a besieged one now. Those in its fold equate so many of Christ's values with the kind of outlook a progressive-thinking person would have. If climate change science appears sound, we respect it and suggest ways of preventing harm to us all. It would seem to be a Christ-like stance. 

The rock-ribbed evangelicals look up to Trump who says climate change is a hoax. The Trump supporters don't even look for documentation for their assertions anymore. They buy seat-of-the-pants pronouncements and seem not to even feel defensive about it. Trump is their leader, period. So they might not even care if they're called racists. 

White evangelicals voted 80 percent for Trump in 2016. They backed a man who is so clearly irreligious, whose whole world view hardly mirrors Christian values. 

We talk about white evangelicals and maybe it's the first word that is essential: white. They don't recognize, or refuse to recognize, that the "prosperity gospel" preachers are charlatans. Trump pledged to give secular power to the evangelical class in America. And we all know, power is intoxicating. Evangelicals have put their moral compass aside. They support Trump even though he talks about U.S. military service personnel as "losers and suckers." 

So, Russia and Putin paid the Taliban to kill U.S. troops? Trump was unresponsive. His defenders like on Fox News (K.T. McFarland) went into contortions. How do we interpret that kind of deference? When we cannot even employ generally understood logic or morality as a reliable compass? What kind of discourse can we have? We learn that atheists, of all people, are more guided by morality than Trump-supporting evangelicals. 

 

Go ahead and say it

Is this an invitation to become an atheist? Quite possibly yes. But we abandon Christianity at great risk. Historically the faith has so much to offer for the advancement of civilization. If no Christianity, what will fill the void? Is secular power so important to the movers and shakers of evangelical Christianity? What a crazy world. 

My church is in the ELCA where the first letter stands for "evangelical." Yet we seem to be increasingly derided. I observe some very brilliant pastors of the ELCA speaking from their local online platforms across the U.S. Talk about making the world smaller! And for the first time I am starting to wonder: would these pastors serve the interest of their flocks better if they just abandoned God and Jesus, seriously? Abandon these names and symbols that have been co-opted by such a huge portion of Christians who are in the Trump-supporting "evangelical" fold. 

  

Jim Carrey's artwork

A taint for Christianity?

"Evangelical" is growing into a toxic word. Talk about God and Jesus and many people will think you are oriented to that element. Can people like me still hold our heads high? 

The pandemic keeps us from our church buildings now. Trump was a phenomenon in the recent election even though it appears he lost. Don't bet against him, by the way. But this charlatan, grifter, pretender, demagogue could have won. Perhaps one little misstep prevented him from clearly winning: the "losers/suckers" quote? Melanie using the "F" word in connection to Christmas? 

And to think many in the Trump crowd had issues when Obama simply wore a tan suit coat! Yes, it's totally "Alice Through the Looking Glass" or "Bizarro world." And it's America in 2020, to the consternation of those community leaders of a bygone time, whose jaws would drop if they could appear before us today. Again, Bob Stevenson.

There was a time when I think public morality was more important to the broad swath of America, precluding the partisan issues. But then Newt Gingrich came along. The tea party came along. Ted Cruz came along. Mitt Romney got dismissed. John McCain lost his standing. 

And now it's Trump at the forefront. He rains his "tweets" on us.

 

Getting to the essence?

Our Morris area has many devotees to what Trump represents. And how to describe it? That would be difficult and unpleasant. Racists? 

I personally don't think much about race at all. I just judge people on how they behave. 

About 40 percent of Trump voters come from a group that is only 15 percent of America. I remember an old Mad Magazine spoof that showed an old grumpy white man talking about all the people in America he detested. And at the bottom: the conclusion that this guy "loves America while hating 90 percent (or some such number) of the people living in it." I believe Jewish intellectual minds powered the Mad Magazine humor, often cynical of course, and I say that with great respect. Jews are always vigilant about the dangers of prejudice and discrimination. 

Let's acknowledge the unvarnished truth: white evangelicals got so motivated at polling places because of Trump's encouragement of white supremacy. Forget about economics and morality - the benchmark for those people was the standing of historical white Christian dominance. So given the powerful influence, so strong that Trump may yet wrest back the White House, can ELCA pastors rationalize the continued promotion of the gospel, or should they abandon the Bible in favor of just emphasizing a proper moral/ethical framework in life? 

Christ was defined by this kind of framework, caring about the poor and downtrodden of course, unconditional love of humanity, not an embrace of "prosperity" i.e. having a new Bentley. 

Evangelicals follow Trump's lead in saying that Confederate monuments are a reflection of Southern pride and U.S. history, not symbols of racism. Why are they going out of their way on this issue? 

Republicans once developed a "southern strategy" but at least they tried cloaking it. Trump is oblivious to the cloak. And his crowd continues eating right from his hand like with the scary Trump "rallies," the superspreader events that have cost lives. The Trump people are the "mask deniers" in the current pandemic. They scream about "voter fraud" to caricature. 

Yes, imagine the reaction of our community leaders of the bygone time, for whom being restrained and reasonable was a virtue. Oh, how quaint to imagine now. 

  

Pastor Danielle Casey, Austin TX

Sticking with the gospel

Yes, there are brilliant ELCA pastors all over the U.S. trying to "keep the faith," and isn't that admirable? I have been calling up the services of Pastor Danielle Casey of Triumphant Love Lutheran Church in Austin TX. Oh, but this is a "college town" full of "lefties," right? How can these arguments even continue? 

And if Trump goes down as a martyr, isn't that the most dangerous thing? Martyrs can take their followers down with them.

 

My November 19 podcast

We're on the threshold of another shutdown in Minnesota. I'm told it starts late Friday. I share thoughts about this and about the abrupt end of high school sports, on "Morris Mojo." Please click to listen:

https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/Another-shutdown-approaches-emncjh

 

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

Minnewaska campus enlivened by home team wins

Lakers 35, Melrose 19

Tyson Meyer rumbled 172 yards on 31 carries in Minnewaska's Tuesday victory over Melrose at 'Waska. The Lakers lived up to their superior seeding position in this 35-19 win. They sit at No. 3 while Melrose entered the game sixth. 

Sports fans have to be thankful just getting a game in. The pandemic is having a disruptive effect. Would that we could just close our eyes and have it vanish. It is said "the virus doesn't care that we are getting tired of it." Let's put those thoughts aside now and enjoy the game review. 

Mitchell Gruber was at the controls of an efficient passing game: six completions, seven attempts, 51 yards, no interceptions. Jackson Stadsvold had two catches for 17 yards. Aaron VerSteeg caught two aerials for limited yardage. Peyton Johnsrud gathered in the football for an 18-yard reception, and Gruber had a catch for 13. 

The Lakers achieved 17 first downs. Their won-lost coming out of the night: 3-3. They asserted themselves with a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. 

Image of Tyson Meyer from "Hudl"

Meyer got to the end zone on a run from the eight, and Isaac Koenig kicked the point-after. The passing game accounted for 'Waska's second score: an 18-yard hookup from Gruber to Johnsrud. Koenig's toe delivered on the PAT. 

The second quarter was a temporary turnaround as the Dutchmen outscored the Lakers 12-0. A two-yard touchdown run was followed by a blocked point-after try. Tyler Rademacher got Melrose's second score on a run from the ten. The 'Waska defense stopped Melrose on the two-point conversion. 

The story of the third quarter was a 7-7 standoff. The Lakers scored first: a six-yard Meyer run followed by Koenig's kick. Melrose followed with a 15-yard scoring pass from Rademacher to Rowan Nelson. Nelson kicked the PAT. 

Into the fourth: Meyer found the end zone on a run from the one. Koenig's toe was true for the conversion, then it was Max Reichmann carrying in from the 23 for the evening's final score. Koenig delivered like clockwork on the PAT. 

Meyer with his 172 rushing yards was followed by Reichmann with 31 and Gruber with 20. Blake Andreas used his only carry to get 12 yards. Others on the list are Stadsvold, Easton McCrory, Jacob Lien, VerSteeg and Dalton Friedrichs. On the defensive side, Damon Uhde recovered two fumbles and VerSteeg recovered one. 

A little puzzle: The stats as reported by Willmar paper show Gruber as the only pass-thrower and yet Gruber is listed among receivers for having one catch.

The leading Melrose ballcarriers were Tyler Rademacher (16 carries, 69 yards), Lucas Feldewerd (7-36), Aaron Amhalt (3-29) and Mason Heidgerken (6-28). Gavin Sawyer and Devin Orbeck carried for negligible yards. Rademacher passed fairly often but with limited success: ten completions, 30 attempts, 113 yards, no interceptions. His receivers were Samuel Rieland, Rowan Nelson, Orbeck and Dylan Gertken. Sawyer and Henry Braun each had a fumble recovery, and Lucas Feldewerd had a quarterback sack.

 

Volleyball: Lakers 3, Osakis 0

Early-week success was abundant for the Minnewaska Area Lakers. Along with the football success was a Monday home volleyball sweep over Osakis. The 'Waska campus was abuzz, quite the pleasant contrast to an otherwise restrained state of affairs. Curse the pandemic. But putting that aside, how nice to see the Lakers dispose of the Silverstreaks 25-23, 25-21 and 26-24. 

The success evened the Lakers' record at .500, 5-5. The success was to be savored as Osakis has winning credentials. The Silverstreaks are 7-2 now. 

MaKena Panitzke, Kristen Glover and Avery Fier each had a serving ace for the Lakers. Haley Shea was a top setter with 13 assists and she was complemented by Britta Nelson (10), Rylee Metz (9) and Ava Chevalier (1). 

Brecklyn Beyer set the pace in hitting with ten kills. This list continues with Panitzke (8), Avery Hoeper (6), Brooklyn Larson (5), Chevalier (4) and Glover (2). 

Hoeper led in ace blocks with three, followed by Larson (1.5), Beyer (1.5), Chevalier (.5) and Panitzke (.5). Panitzke and Glover were the cogs in digging, each with 21. Hoeper came through with 19 digs. Fier had 16, Metz 6 and Shea 5.

 

Video on "Hudl" site

Click on link below to enjoy video of recent Laker volleyball. This is posted on "Hudl."

https://www.hudl.com/team/v2/167625/Girls-Varsity-Volleyball 

 

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

Four serving aces by Sophia Carlsen in sweep

MACA played with a commanding flair on the volleyball court Thursday. The Tigers and Braves played at our home court. How commanding was our caliber? It was a sweep! We got our record evened at .500 with these scores: 25-17, 25-20 and 25-23. 

We own five wins compared to five losses, while Benson came out of the night at 3-6. This was West Central Conference volleyball. 

Sophia Carlsen came at the Braves with four serving aces. Brianna Dybdahl and Camry Ostby each sent two serve aces at the Braves, and Bailey Hottovy had one. It was LaRae Kram playing as the primary setter: 21 assists. Dybdahl came through with 13 assists while Maddy Grove and Carlsen each had one. 

Three Tigers shared team-best in kills, each with eight: Emma Bowman, Grove and Sydney Dietz. Three Tigers each contributed seven kills: Dybdahl, Kram and Carlsen. Lauren Harste added one kill to the mix. Dietz performed an ace block. The MACA coach apparently doesn't compile digs. 

For Benson, Rachel Berens and Beth Cain co-led in kills with five each. Sarah Brandt produced three kills, and these Braves each had one: Ellie Moesenthin, Kimberly Pagel and Greta Szczur. Berens and Moesenthin each had three ace blocks. Brandt had two and Cain one. 

Benson does give us the dig numbers. Here it was Cain topping the list with 13. Berens had eleven and then we see Marissa Connelly with nine, Zoe Doscher with seven, Lilly Slaughter with six and Adysen Himley with five. 

On to serve aces: Doscher (3), Pagel (2) and Slaughter (1). Set assists: Moesenthin (8), Himley (5), Cain (1) and Connelly (1).

Morris vs. Benson football in late fall of 1970. Del Sarlette shares this photo. He was an MHS senior at the time, your blog host a sophomore. Del recalls "there was a big snowstorm Friday, so the game was postponed until Saturday afternoon in Benson. They had plowed off the field so the sidelines had snow piles." Thanks to Del for sharing this looking-back photo.

 

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

Minnewaska shines at home in football, volleyball

Lakers 33, Sauk Centre 15

The second quarter belonged to the host Lakers, as Minnewaska Area football achieved a 33-15 win over Sauk Centre on Friday. It was 'Waska's second triumph in this unusual season of 2020. 

Now the Lakers are getting set to face Melrose in the season-ender, Thursday at the home field. I believe there are no playoffs. 

Indeed, the second quarter was huge for the 'Waska squad on Friday. Yes, to the tune of 22 points scored. Previous to that there was the rarity of a safety, putting two points on the board in the first quarter. The safety happened when the ball rolled out of the end zone on a bad snap. 

Sauk Centre had a first quarter touchdown that gave them a short-lived lead. That score came on a four-yard run by Eli Fletcher, who also kicked the point-after. So the first quarter ended with the score 7-2. 

Let's review the most productive second quarter for the host team. Not sure how many fans were allowed under our pandemic circumstances, but the 'Waska partisans could cheer a lot. That started with Tyson Meyer scoring from the one. Aaron VerSteeg carried successfully for two on the conversion. A big play pass netted 'Waska's second TD as Mitchell Gruber connected with Jackson Stadsvold on a 64-yard play. Isaac Koenig kicked the point-after. 

Next it was Meyer clutching the football again on a run from the two. The refs signaled TD and then Koenig kicked the point-after. The Streeters scored on a nine-yard pass that had Nolan Ziemer throwing and Jay Neuberg catching. Ziemer carried successfully on the conversion. 

Stadsvold broke loose for the Lakers on a 29-yard run for six. The conversion pass try failed, then it was a field goal wrapping up the 'Waska scoring on the night. Koenig's toe produced on this impressive 27-yard job, and 'Waska had completed its business in this 33-15 win over the Streeters. It was a pleasant evening for football. 

The 'Waska success was with 19 first downs. Meyer charged ahead for 129 rushing yards in 18 carries. VerSteeg's legs produced 45 yards on seven, and Gruber accumulated 49 yards on eight. Stadsvold covered 29 in his one carry, while Gage Rogers and Max Reichmann also received handoffs. 

Gruber gained lots of real estate with his passing arm. Look at his average-per-completion with his 269 yards on ten of 20 stats, one picked off. VerSteeg was his favorite target: four catches, 111 yards. The other receivers were Stadsvold (two catches, 64 yards), Peyton Johnsrud (2-61), Rogers (1-19) and Reichmann (1-14). 

On the defensive side of the ball, VerSteeg intercepted a pass and Johnsrud recovered a fumble. 

Sauk Centre had 16 first downs. Their chief ballcarrier was Fletcher who ground out 116 yards on 19 carries. Anthony Marsh was handed the ball 18 times and got 79 yards. Then we see Ben Millard (3-22), Jay Neubert (3-19), Gabe Polipnick (6-7) and Reese Blondin (1-2). The Streeters managed just two pass completions. Ziemer and Nate Schirmers threw these for only a small amount of yardage. Catches were made by Neubert and Zach Deters. Jackson Fischer recovered a fumble. 

The Lakers own a 2-3 record.

 

Volleyball: Lakers 3, Benson 0

On the night before the football game, 'Waska athletics set a winning tone with not just a win, but a win by sweep on the volleyball court. The home action saw the Lakers down the Benson Braves 25-16, 25-10 and 25-22. The Lakers evened their season record at .500, 4-4. 

Serving aces were chalked up by Dreya Barsness with three, Avery Hoeper with two and Haley Shea with one. Shea was the cog in setting as she chalked up 15 assists. She was complemented in that department by Hoeper and Britta Nelson, each with two assists, and Barsness with one. 

Two Lakers were at the fore in hitting, each with seven kills: Barsness and Brooklyn Larson. Then we see Hoeper and Brecklyn Beyer each with six kills, Kristen Glover with five and Ava Chevalier with four. Yes, there is a "Brooklyn" and "Brecklyn" on the roster, so pay attention. 

Hoeper sent two ace blocks back at the Braves. Glover had one ace block. Hoeper and Avery Fier led in digs with 22 and 20 respectively. Barsness added 13, Glover eight and Rylee Metz six. 

For Benson, Zoe Doscher had two serving aces. One each came from Kimberly Pagel, Lilly Slaughter and Grace Szczur. The setting leader was Ellie Moesenthin with eleven assists. Pagel topped Benson's hitting with eleven kills. Himley was team-high in digs with 15 while Cain had twelve. Benson came out of the night at 3-4.

 

A reminder: You can get around newspaper paywalls most of the time using the "incognito" system. I suggest you go to Google and type in: bypass newspaper paywall. 

 

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

Ravnsborg, Toobin and the caprice in our lives

I remember the word "caprice" as description of the Grimm Fairy Tales. It described the nature of mid-European life in that setting. I also remember Roger Ebert saying that Hollywood, much as it tried, had never truly replicated the "eerie" quality of the Grimm tales. 

Are elementary school kids still exposed to this material? My sense is that there could be political correctness issues. The stories belong so far in the remote past, maybe it's not practical anyway. It would of course give a lens to those times, always an instructive thing. Ah, "Chanticleer." 

Well, caprice is an element we are most reminded of today. Careful as we may plot our lives, everything can get upended out of the blue. It's not a matter of a deliberate misstep. Let's say it's circumstances or as Curly Howard would pronounce, "SOYcumstance." Jason Ravnsborg and Jeffrey Toobin have been victims of "circumstance" lately. Both were involved in an incident that will follow them the rest of their lives. They have been plunged into notoriety. 

Part of us might think "there but for the grace of God go I." Can any of us say we have never had our attentiveness slip a little when driving? Can any of us say we have never gotten at least a little drowsy when at the wheel? Especially, maybe, when driving through the boring landscape of the Dakotas? Oh, not that we don't have a lot of this in Minnesota or any rural part of the country. 

Have you been pulled over for speeding? Aren't you irritated with the way a patrolman will lecture or scold you, as if only a rank idiot would let the speedometer creep up to 65 or 70 MPH? In the wide open spaces? Yes, they talk to you like that. But we all know we can let our guard down in the wide-open rural country. 

So we're looking at Highmore SD, the name of which will now be attached to a fatal incident for a long time, probably forever. The South Dakota attorney general was at the wheel of the car in question. We are maybe torn over whether we should really beat up on the guy. The late Bill Janklow was famous for ranting about speed limits across his state of South Dakota. He killed someone with his lapse in judgment, a guy on a motorcycle. Even after the incident, he couldn't back off from comments in his usual vein. I was amazed at that. 

Jason Ravnsborg ("newsbreak" image)

And now we have the case of the SD attorney general, fellow named Jason Ravnsborg. A name like that makes it easy to zero in with Googling. Look up the guy now and there's an endless succession of links related to his infamous episode. Finally we got word that he had committed "distracted driving." We have not heard yet what the distraction was. He was driving home at night from the frivolous affair of a Republican Party fundraiser. How much money was raised at the event compared to the cost of investigation of the fatal accident? 

Ravnsborg wiped out a guy on foot. His vehicle was rendered non-driveable. Yet he reported at first not being sure what he hit. He claimed it was in the middle of the road but it turned out not to be. Shall we condemn him? That is a good question at this point. We are reminded of the sheer power of a motor vehicle. How easily we can overlook that. 

We hear so much about distracted driving. The law is still catching up to this. Some notorious incidents have resulted in punishment far less than what we might expect. So what will happen with Ravnsborg? Good question. I find it strange he has not resigned as attorney general. He's in the prevailing political party in South Dakota but that should not matter. 

Ravnsborg obviously showed insufficient concentration, and for that he needs to face consequences. I cannot find it in myself to condemn him. Driving at night at highway speed entails more danger, I'm sure, than many of us bother to think about. If I were a pedestrian? Well, I think I'd take a few steps into the ditch when a vehicle was approaching. That's just me. 

Jeffrey Toobin

OK what about Jeffrey Toobin? You snicker. You make a face. Here's a case where we might talk about "throwing the first stone." Bill Maher speaks in disgust about how he once shook Toobin's hand. Amazing: Maher is a guy, apparently, who has never ever engaged in "self-stimulation," my preferred term. 

Sexual impulses cause a kaleidoscope of problems for people everywhere, yet these problems are shrouded by such taboo, we cannot confront them or get help for people who need help confronting them. We have gotten over the taboo on being gay, largely. 

How many people are criminally punished for behavior where they had sexual impulses consuming them, commanding them, yes leaving them basically helpless IMHO? The unacceptable behavior must be attacked, of course, like for the Catholic priests. Kevin Bacon was in a movie about a pedophile, a movie that tried to get us to understand such people while at the same time recognizing that there are innocent victims who had to be protected. 

I wish Toobin had been brought on the air immediately in the aftermath to just do his thing, a superb legal commentator. We'd all get over it so fast. 

To refresh, he was caught in the act when he didn't know his laptop camera was on. Ah, the caprice of being caught in an unguarded moment, as with Ravnsborg and his lapse in driving - it only took seconds. Oh my. As advanced as our civilization has become since the Grimm tales, the caprice and fragility of our lives seem much the same, don't they?

 

Addendum: The Kevin Bacon movie was "The Woodsman" (2004). 

 

My podcast for November 6

As of noon today (Friday) there is no certain presidential winner. What would it take for Trump to concede? He'll just keep putting forward lawsuits forever. Don't you realize that? Please listen to my "Morris Mojo" podcast for today:

https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/Post-election--still-uncertainty-em49fc

 

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

Tigers and Lakers get in groove with volleyball

Tigers 3, Sauk Centre 1

The new volleyball season is getting pretty well established, in this atypical fall of 2020. We hope it's all for the better. "Better" describes how the MACA Tigers performed Monday night at home. Fans could enjoy on the school's YouTube channel. We hope this remains a free service. When I was in high school, music concerts were free and no one could have dreamt of having to pay. The MAHS auditorium did not exist then. 

Today the school's varsity athletic facility is called the Tiger Center. A few fans were present, probably with limited access. YouTube expands the fan base! Fans of the Tigers had to enjoy the Monday action as the Tigers downed the visiting Streeters of Sauk Centre 3-1. Scores were 28-26, 25-22, 22-25 and 25-22. We now have seven matches under our belt, three of those with W's. Sauk Centre's record is 2-2. 

LaRae Kram performed five serving aces vs. the Streeters. Sophia Carlsen and Brianna Dybdahl each had two, and Emma Bowman and Liv Lebrija each had one. Kram shouldered most of the load in setting where she achieved 15 assists. Dybdahl complemented her with seven assists while Courtney Lehman had one. Kram also helped set the pace in hitting with her eleven kills. Also with eleven was Carlsen, and the list also includes Dybdahl (9), Sydney Dietz (8) and Maddy Grove (8). 

Carlsen contributed two ace blocks and Grove had one.

 

A busy 'Waska squad

So much seems tentative in the current sports scene, so Minnewaska Laker fans were delighted seeing matches on back-to-back nights, Thursday and Friday, Oct. 29 and 30. And the Lakers won too! they turned back the West Central Area Knights 3-1 in the Thursday action at Barrett. Then it was on to Friday when the story was a 3-0 win over Morris Area Chokio Alberta at home. 

The story at WC Area: In the 3-1 success vs. the Knights, scores were as follows: 25-19, 25-11, 23-25 and 25-20. The match was a last-minute scheduling arrangement. Like I said: tentative. Four Lakers had set assists in double figures: Haley Shea 24, Rylee Metz 17, MaKena Panitzke 13 and Brecklyn Beyer 11. The list continues with Brooklyn Larson 8, Avery Hoeper 8, Kristen Glover 4, Avery Fier 2 and Ana Chevalier 2. 

Let's look at the hitting department with kills, and here Panitzke set the pace with 13. Beyer pounded down eleven kills. Then it was Larson 8, Hoeper 8, Glover 4, Fier 2 and Chevalier 2. Panitzke topped the serve aces list with six. Metz produced five, Hoeper 2, and Glover, Shea and Fier one each. Hoeper led the digs performance with her 14. Fier was right behind with 13. Glover had 12, Panitzke 10 and Metz 6.

The Lakers defeated the MACA Tigers on Friday by scores of  25-23, 25-21 and 25-23.

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