Fireworks but not an MACA win for Homecoming

Say what you want about football, its dangers, but Big Cat Stadium was a beautiful venue for appreciating on Friday. Is there any more impressive spectacle in Stevens County? I'd say "no." So we set up this place for the male student athletes and hope they can stay healthy. 

Each new week brings its wrinkles and surprises because this is after all sports. It breaks up the routineness of our day-to-day lives. It's something to look forward to at the end of each week. Maybe kind of a "sugar high." 

Big Cat was an extra-big spectacle for football on Friday. To begin with, MACA had its climactic Homecoming game in the evening. And surprise, there was a fireworks show! Was this a first for the event? Let me shoehorn in the opinion here that maybe it was overkill. 

We had some natural fireworks on Friday in the form of lightning in the distance. This proved more than a side distraction. It actually ended the game after three quarters of play. Football puts up with a lot in terms of weather/conditions but it does not put up with lightning. 

We can assume that canceling the game after three quarters was not going to be a factor in the outcome. Homecoming 2023 was a downer for MACA football. The visiting team was Detroit Lakes. DL showed a superior caliber of play to defeat the orange and black 41-6. 

DL coach Reed Hefta commented post-game that his team had to "battle" the halftime fireworks show. This isn't something you see very often. I had just arrived home by bike when I was surprised by the exploding fireworks. My mind raced to try to figure out what was going on. Then I linked it to the game. Again I had never observed this before with a football game. A precedent? We'll see. 

Hefta added "I was very impressed with a great team victory from everybody on the coaching staff to everybody out on the field. I was excited to see the kids do a lot of great responding to adverse situations." 

The score indicates there could not have been a whole lot of adverse stuff confronting the Lakers. 

 

Anderson gets our score

The only MACA score happened in the first quarter. It was a running TD, Owen Anderson carrying the football. He covered 12 yards en route to six. The extra point try was blocked. End of offensive highlights for the Tigers. Kind of disappointing on Homecoming night. 

But the Tigers were up against a high-powered DL squad. That juggernaut includes a University of Minnesota commit, name of Mason Carrier. The young man ended up rushing for over 200 yards. And remember, just in three quarters of play. And my, he scored four touchdowns. He's 6 feet-3 and weighs 225 pounds. He complements his impressive size with raw speed. The speed is on the level of a state track finalist in fact. We'll see how these tremendous strong suits get applied in NCAA Division I play. 

The DL defense was imposing too: no first downs allowed in the second half. The Lakers were prepared for the pass-oriented Tigers' offense. They came at us right away with an individual named Cody Bartnes. Playing in the secondary, Bartnes broke up a pass on first down. He kept his engine running. He proceeded to make a tackle for loss, then he intercepted a pass! Then it was time for Carrier to take over. Breaking tackles, the future Gopher covered 39 yards while the Homecoming crowd just had to admire his talent. 

It was more of same as the second quarter began unfolding: Carrier was off to the races on a 29-yard scoring run. The Lakers are now up 14-6. MACA suffered a 3-and-out. Then the Lakers turned on the offensive engines again for a 46-yard scoring drive, five plays. The refs signaled "touchdown" as Caden Strand got into the end zone. Now the Lakers own a 21-6 lead. 

I wasn't present for the halftime presentation in connection to Homecoming. I'm sure it was spectacular. The second half kickoff went to the Lakers. They capitalized but it took them ten plays. Resolved, they overcame a third-and-25 for the scoring play. They were in third-and-25 due to holding penalties. The Lakers overcame their third down situation with a big play pass: Strand to Bartnes. Detroit Lakes is further in control now, up 28-6. 

Carrier scored twice more.

 

Firsthand view

Yours truly stood in my usual spot to take in part of the Friday spectacle. This is up on the higher ground by the P.E Center south entrance. I remember when Big Cat first opened, the powers-that-be (Mary Holmberg maybe?) didn't want people standing there. I remember telling former campus security guy Chuck Grussing "it's a public sidewalk." He responded that there was no issue with this "for the college games." I suppose he could only speak for "the college." 

I told Charlie maybe a "tarp" could be put up along the fence, if the authorities didn't want anyone watching "for free." He sort of shrugged that off. There are various places around the perimeter where you can get a pretty good look "for free." 

I must say, the fan turnout was large and vigorous and made Big Cat look totally like the cat's pajamas. We might want to say "congratulations" to that. But we absolutely cannot ignore the continued inroads in discovering the very serious health risks posed by football. That is front and center in my mind. Sometimes the consequences can show up years after a kid plays. Remember that these are impressionable kids, subject to peer pressure. How can any of them overlook the "glory" that can come to a standout football player? 

Glory is an illusion. The media will stop paying attention to you when you are done playing. Then you might face some stark realities. The "fans" will then start paying attention to the next "crop" of players. Anyone care to dispute this? 

Put aside the football health issues and the scene at Big Cat was something to behold Friday, truly. 

I didn't get there early enough to hear the MAHS pep band. Was it impressive? Del Sarlette says yes it was.

 

Hancock 34, Rothsay 16

I was at Big Cat earlier in the day for the Hancock vs. Rothsay game. The Hancock fans had it mighty good, better than the MACA fans for several reasons. Yes several. Late afternoon brought a total break in the concerning weather of the day. And even the sun came out. The weather was perfect. The fan turnout was robust and everyone had a great time, celebrating an offense-filled Homecoming. 

A daylight game is such a superior experience. I remarked to several people that the Hancock pep band was superb! They have a first-year director. She played electric bass as she conducted and this gave such a terrific "bottom" to the sound. Bass is a very important element. Kudos to her. 

I also made the comment to a couple fans: Why can't MACA and Hancock share this place all fall? One team could play at 3, the other at 7. The lucky team would play at 3. Everyone can see better, be more comfortable amidst a higher temperature. Would seem to make sense. I told a friend before the season: Once the kids experience Big Cat Stadium, they won't want to return to Hancock. Prescient or what? "How are you gonna keep 'em down on the farm?" 

Hancock thumped Rothsay in the 34-16 final.  Does Dave Goltz still hang around Rothsay? 

Hancock has had an interesting season. On September 15 the Owls erupted on offense to win 56-6 over Ortonville. The very next week, they were shut out in a 6-0 final. That was at the hands of Brandon-Evansville. 

The Owls are now 3-2 overall, 2-1 in section and 2-2 in conference. The game against Brandon was the exception to the rule. The Owls have been lighting it up on offense.

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

Michelle Fischbach floats out impeachment

Michelle Fischbach (MPR image)

A comment I placed with a Yahoo News article on Thursday:

 

What is happening to our country? We have survived up until now. Everyone should see that the whole attempted-impeachment circus is a naked attempt to "get back" at Democrats and even our U.S. justice system for "going after" this man named Trump. Trump is a mortal person. If he has erred, let the chips fall where they may. But Republicans fall on their sword for him constantly. "Alice Through the Looking Glass." Actually worse than that.

 

"John" responded:

 

The Southern Democrats from the 1960s and before have taken over the GOP. That dysfunctional group has adopted Trump as their god.

We here in Western Minnesota are quite far north of the Mason-Dixon Line. I fail to see why so much of our sentiment should line up with the people of the "old South." 

The rift that survived the U.S. Civil War was addressed pretty well by the Voting Rights Act. But the Act was struck down. John Roberts felt it was not needed any more. So he was wrong. Supreme Court justices get to their rarefied air level because of their ability to show sound judgment. That is the theory. But look what has been happening with Clarence Thomas, the most egregious, and Samuel Alito. The Supreme Court gave us the Citizens United decision that allows for narrow interests to nullify the public good. 

You might say all of this is a mere backdrop to what is happening with Donald Trump. Daily there are headlines keeping him in front of us. Have we really chosen this path? We here in Western Minnesota chose as our congressperson Michelle Fischbach. Truly she has projected sympathy for the attempted insurrection of Jan. 6. She would not come out and agree with that statement. 

 

It's reflexive

When Trump people read a piece like this and sense that the writer is a Trump skeptic, the reflexive action is to try to s--t all over that person. I attempted to get a statement from Fischbach on whether she still stood by her statements of Jan. 6. I went through the legitimate channel on her website. No response. I mean, no specific response. The response I got was to be placed on her email communications list. 

So on September 15 I got an item from her. Concern about all the legal baggage that former president Trump is picking up? Concern about Trump getting to carry the torch for the GOP again? Some regrets about all the dirty laundry Trump has thrust on this country? Regret about the two impeachment fails? None of that. 

With Trump confronting us as this elephant in the room, with his baggage that is making him seem like a caricature, what does Fischbach choose to comment upon, to solicit support for? This isn't to say she won't get support, because we are blood red out here with political preferences. So, many of the people who surround me each day, like the guys at DeToy's Restaurant, will no doubt applaud that Fischbach is floating the Biden impeachment thing as really big. 

All I would like to tell her is to remember that we are quite far to the north of the Mason-Dixon Line. And to remember that most of the truly disruptive Republicans now are from south of that. And their behavior is largely to disrupt. 

They wouldn't mind upsetting the whole apple cart with the "government shutdown" because they'd still like to stick it to "the Union." To just let everything go to hell. 

To reverse the outcome of the Civil War? No, that is not in the cards. The Confederacy was really doomed from the start. Did that cause ever spell out the real geographic boundaries for their "new country?" Well no. The Mason-Dixon Line was put forward for convenience, sort of theoretical. What about the boundary to the west? 

So you see, it wasn't so much about establishing a new country as it was a vehicle for venting against the Union. Again, to simply disrupt. To dish out pain. The big Civil War battles in the East were partly an attempt to make the North war-weary, to want to sue for peace. 

Look at the "Tet Offensive" in Vietnam. The U.S. and allied interests actually won that confrontation. In this case, the offensive resulted in so much shock and anger for the U.S., it worked in its prime objective. The Battle Of Gettysburg did not accomplish that. 

People who crow about being "conservative" today need to think more about the regional aspects of what's going on. Pay heed to the guy who responded to my comment on Yahoo News. I have suspected this for some time. The Republicans of South Dakota ought to pay heed. 

John Harwood is one guy in the media who brings this up.

South Dakota is well to the north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Maybe we should wonder: Did you see the news item recently about the Denny's Restaurant in Sioux Falls that refused service to African-Americans? Refusing to serve "Negroes" in South Dakota? You mean it wasn't in Alabama or Mississippi? No, Sioux Falls. 

 

Whither progress?

The nation made such tremendous strides with civil rights in the mid-20th Century. It is shocking how much of that appears to be eroding now. And even more shocking how so many among us are mesmerized with Trump. How so many digest "conservative media" and learn to spout certain lines. "Impeach Biden." And now we have our own congressperson from Western Minnesota on the train for pushing impeachment as a priority consideration. To make it "top of mind." 

Of all the issues or problems that Congressperson Fischbach could have brought to our attention in mid-September, she writes about impeaching Biden. Inflation? Well she'd probably just blame Biden and the Democrats for that. But she wants us to think about impeaching Biden, this with the specter of horrible wrongdoing by Trump and his people staring at us right in the face. "See no evil" on the part of Fischbach. 

The Trump supporters would dismiss me and others like me out of hand. They would try to find ways to pounce on me immediately. They would try to get personal if that would help. Anything to prop up "their man," and it does not matter what our justice system is revealing about what he did. Or what Giuliani and others did. We're in a true "Alice Through the Looking glass" world now, never could have imagined it when I was young. 

Fischbach may be an otherwise very nice and rational person if she were to be guided away from her preoccupation with defending Trump. I'm sure she would be a pleasant person to sit down and have a cup of coffee with. Republicans can charm you even while pulling the rug out from under the "common people" with their policies. 

I absolutely take no pleasure in sharply criticizing anyone. But why can't Fischbach choose to focus attention on other issues? Nothing else concerns her much outside of the possibility of impeaching Joe Biden? That's it? So she wants to get in league with all the Deep South know-nothings, those of the thick southern accent? Are those really the stripes here? In Minnesota? Or in South Dakota where maybe Negroes shouldn't enter a public restaurant now? 

Is this what we have become? Is the disease spreading? What hath God wrought? 

A reminder that Congressperson Fiscchbach voted against certifying the 2020 election results. She was at Trump's beck and call. Even Tom Emmer was not like that.

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

Tigers eke out tennis win versus MACCRAY

Tigers 4, MACCRAY 3

We have another MACA tennis win to report. The outcome was 4-3 for the Tigers against the MACCRAY Wolverines. The Tigers had a 2-2 split in singles play. Cate Kehoe at No. 1 showed her winning flair against Tayte Nokleby, 6-2 and 6-3. 

MACCRAY had the winning edge at second and third singles. The No. 2 Wolverine Greta Meyer defeated Chloe Zimmel 6-2 and 6-2. At No. 3 it was Erika Pieper winning in a three-set battle over our Heidi Seales, 4-6, 6-2 and 6-3. 

Our Ellen Reed at No. 4 singles prevailed vs. Mackenna Burnett, 6-3 and 6-2. 

On to doubles, where we took two of three. Our No. 1 unit was a victor. This was made up of Ashley Koehl and Nora Meek. The Tiger pair turned back Alex Dirksen and Ella Kienitz, 7-6 (5) and 6-2. The MACCRAY No. 2 team of Addie Plaggie and Iris Donner downed Grace Hauglie and Izabell Hoffman, 7-6 (5), 5-7 and 6-4. 

Another three-set match unfolded at No. 3 doubles. Here, the Tiger team of Molly Wayne and Ava Breuer stopped Mia Shubert and Ava Janssen 6-3, 5-7 and 6-0.

Hailey Werk a champ

The running Tigers of MACA headed west for Monday competition. Weather remains favorable for the stimulating sport of cross county. 

MACA has a headliner this year in Hailey Werk. Werk ran to No. 1 in the Ortonville Invite. Her champion time was 20:48. The second place runner was Julia Schmidt of Border West. Am I correct that Border West covers Clinton, Graceville, Wheaton and Herman? And they're called the "Buccaneers?" I used to think Ortonville was a part, but I guess no. 

Our Kendal Fischer was the No. 4 runner at Ortonville. The Tigers had a bunch of runners come in after that. Five straight place finishes were recorded by Anya Fehr, Hannah Schultz, Alayna Perkins, Kassidy Vlaminck and Macy Seales. 

Our MACA boys unit had five in the top ten. The charge was led by Ethan Koehler: fourth place. Truett Richards and Grady Stallman arrived at the finish chute fifth and sixth. Then in No. 8 and 9 were Carlos Rivera and Wesley Richards. The champion boys runner was Caden Vanderwal of Ortonville.

 

Volleyball: Minnewaska 3, Montevideo 0

The Minnewaska Area Lakers are sailing along nicely in 2023 volleyball, owner of an 8-5 record. The W/L is reported on the "Minnesota Scores" site, which also tells us the Lakers are 5-4 in conference, 1-1 in section and 3-1 at home. Yes, home is a comfortable place for 'Waska volleyball. The school overlooks beautiful Lake Minnewaska. 

The assignment on Tuesday, Sept. 26, was to go on the road vs. Montevideo. Monte used to have a Native American nickname. They had a beautiful mural at their gym, as I recall, that had a silhouetted Indian. Today Montevideo is the Thunder Hawks? I can never memorize whether that's one word or two. Think I'll just start guessing on that. It's like "Silver Steaks" for Osakis. 

The Lakers not only won versus the T-Hawks, they did so by sweep. Scores were 25-6, 25-9 and 25-12. Hey, a freshman had a major role in the Lakers' winning effort. That's Haillie Schulz who plays right side hitter and setter for coach Michele Johnson. Schulz came at the T-Hawks with ten kills. Plus she performed 13 set assists. Monte is struggling with a 2-12 record. 

We are waiting to see if Benson can keep its "Braves" nickname. Benson is trying to get approval from several Native organizations to see if the old controversial imagery can be permitted into the future. The state has a new law on this. Was it a couple weeks ago that Benson submitted its request for a waiver? I'm wondering why the answer could not have come forward more quickly and routinely. The answer should be "no." 

To be called the "Braves" with a symbol that includes feathers is exactly what the new state laws are designed to prevent. We'll see. 

Schulz was complemented by several teammates in the hitting department Tuesday. Avery Fier had eight kills followed by Dreya Barsness and Dacia Fleury each with seven. Then we see Addy Kath and Miaya Guggisberg each with three. Barsness had an ace block. Emma Poegel dug up the ball 14 times. Barsness and Fier had seven and six digs, respectively. 

Three Lakers each sent three ace serves over the net: Fier, Berlynn Green and Barsness. Poegel and Haley Shea each had one ace. Shea was the setting whiz with 19 assists, followed by Schulz with her 13. Other Lakers with assists were Poegel 3, Barsness 2 and Fleury 1.

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

MACA football has first 2023 setback

The image you see above is one of four that were taken of 1973 Morris High School alums last Saturday night. Thanks to those who made the reunion a success. I share this photo because I'm in it. If you don't know me, and fewer people do over time, I'm at left in the seated row. I have been losing some weight due to the medication I take for diabetes. Specifically I have to adjust my diet in order to be sensitive to side effects. Losing some weight always brings some satisfaction, right? Many people work hard to do it. It can make you a little manic. You'll feel giddy about getting out an old pair of pants that you haven't been able to wear. Fairly soon though you'll sense some of your old cravings. So you might say that losing weight is a matter of negotiating each new plateau. Hope I've stabilized at my current weight for a while. I have a renewed appreciation of fruits and vegetables, that's for sure. I have had to abandon my old "ritual" of having a grilled cheese sandwich and classic chocolate shake (in the metal cup) at Don's on Friday night. The ritual of occasionally dining at Stone's Throw is gone also, assuredly because the place has closed its doors! Too bad. Life goes on. Attending one's 50-year class reunion is a joy largely because you can feel good about simply being alive. I made only a brief appearance for my 40-year reunion ten years ago, because of feeling concern that so many people would come up to me and say "Hi Brian, you still with the paper?" It was foolish of me to think that way of course. We lose our defensiveness as we get older.

 

DGF 42, Tigers 7

So Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton is known as the "Rebels." I find that a little odd because one's first thought might be of the U.S. Civil War. I'm sure this is not the context they are encouraging. The mascot symbol sort of looks like a pirate. But pirates and rebels are not the same. School mascots and logos can indeed become dicey. The safest course is what our Morris teams have done. Call it the "default" choice: "big cats," Tigers and Cougars! 

If you've been to the Morris newspaper website, you might think that "Cougars" are the only teams here. I'm starting to feel offended by that. It is totally redundant and unnecessary for the newspaper and radio station sites to have links that refer to UMM sports, and that is because UMM's own site does this job 100 percent. Hard to figure people sometimes. 

The Morris paper management pushes everyone to "buy" the legacy (outdated) paper product. Inflation bothering you these days? Don's Cafe has raised prices again. Well I'm keeping my eye on it. 

The Friday night game at DGF certainly did not go well for our Tigers. We entered the action undefeated at 3-0. We finally got humbled on Friday. This was to the tune of a 42-7 loss. Sigh. 

DGF erupted in the first quarter to take control: 21 points scored. They followed that up with 14 in the second. My, the score was 35-7 at halftime. A long drive back for the Motown fans. I'm always concerned about so many fans making a long drive home late at night. But that's the way it is. When we get close to 70 years old like I am, you try to avoid nighttime commitments. Although I wouldn't mind to get my chocolate shake again! 

The Tigers' first TD was plenty exciting - it was a 61-yard pass, Drew Huebner to Ryan Asmus. The extra point was added by Riley Saito. But the host team played with a dominating flair. The Rebels scored first on the night on what must have been a thriller: a kickoff return that went into the books as 100 yards! The player carrying the pigskin was Brody Friend. 

The second Rebel score was by Casey Macziewski on an 8-yard run. DGF finished its first quarter work with a two-yard scoring carry by Caleb Johnson. All three of DGF's first quarter touchdowns were followed by a successful extra point kick by Hayden Hauf. First quarter done, score of 21-7. 

The Rebels pulled away more in the second quarter. First it was Kade Swenson breaking loose on an 82-yard run for six. Then the Rebels struck with the pass: Caleb Johnson to Nicholas Waale, 33 yards. Hauf's toe was true for the conversion point on both second quarter scores. 

DGF scored the only touchdown of the third quarter: Bodey Devries broke loose on a 33-yard scoring scamper. Hauf went out for the kick and you guessed it: he nailed it. The fourth quarter was scoreless. Hope everyone was well awake for the drive home. 

 

Game numbers

The MACA rushing stats were quite limited. We see Owen Anderson with seven carries for 21 yards. Grayson Gibson and Huebner rushed for 15 and 12 respectively. 

The DGF pass defense was pretty good. Our QB Huebner put up 33 attempts and completed 14 for 200 yards. He had two passes picked off. Jonah Huebner was 2-for-2 passing, 25 yards. Riley Asmus and Tyler Friesen each had four pass receptions. Andrew Marty had three and Anderson two. Our punter was Jack Kehoe. Riley Saito handled our kickoffs. 

The offensive standout for the host team was Bodey Devries with his monster rushing total of 259 yards on 17 carries. What a night for that young man. 

I wish to thank the coaching staffs of the two programs for posting game data on the "MN Football Hub" website. Very much appreciated by everyone, not just other media. Let's make it a habit, guys. 

 

Plenty full background

You see my school reunion photo at top of this page. I'll remind you that I was covering Morris High School football for the Morris newspaper way back in 1972, the fall of my senior year. Show me anyone else with a more extensive background in covering Morris sports. And for close to 30 years I covered anything and everything in Stevens County. 

Today I have slowed down. Now the countdown begins for the 60-year reunion of the Morris High School Class of 1973! Our class motto was "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead." You should know that in 1973, there was an expectation to be unconventional in such things. The opposite of today, really. 

We went against the grain largely because of the need most of us felt to be against the Vietnam war. Today's boys know nothing of what it was like to fear the draft and to be sent over to that hellhole: 58,000 direct fatalities. And we lost the war. Does anyone even care we lost? Look up the scenes from the 1975 "Fall of Saigon." They're on YouTube. You should understand why a lot of us were skeptical about the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

 

Addendum: In the photo you see at top of post, I'm seated next to Sue Dahl-Mohr. So she's second from left in seated row. A few years back she shared an assessment of yours truly that has stuck in my head. We were talking about how I had never been married. And Sue said "Brian, I think you're the kind of person who likes to have his own time and his own money."

 

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

MACA girls fall to NL-Spicer, defeat Minnewaska

The MACA volleyball Tigers had a busy start to the week with matches on Monday and Tuesday. Does the current Morris newspaper have coverage of these matches? I doubt it. I don't care enough to take notes on all the local media behavior. I know my own feet would be held to the fire on matters like this. 

I churned out sports coverage for the (old) Morris Sun Tribune when the paper was twice a week. For the large majority of my career, "the Internet" did not exist. 

Today's Morris paper which purports to represent both Morris and Hancock has a website. The website is set up so that it has the potential to do great things. But the owners hold back with it. You all should know that there are many papers that choose to do fairly dynamic things with their sites. Why wouldn't they? 

Not hard to speculate: The Morris paper wants people to continue to "buy" the old dead-tree product. Money. Well I don't care anything about that. So I have my own online resources for reporting on the Tigers. It's a thrill to still be connected to the orange and black. What a perspective I have: last weekend I joined with old familiar faces for my 50-year reunion of the Morris High School Class of 1973! 

So it was 50 years ago we crossed the stage with diplomas. Did the diploma mean we were changed people? As if right on the spot? Well of course not. Society sets up these elaborate ceremonies as a means of selling our public school model for education. Silly rabbit, you are the same person when you wake up on the morning after graduation. Society deals us such a shock: It wants us to feel thrilled on graduation night, but then on the very next day we are completely severed from the relationship with our classmates. From then on it's voluntary. 

All those years of forced/mandated togetherness, and then surprise! It's over. You'd better move on, find ways to fundamentally reorganize your life. I think it can be a cruel forced transition. 

Anyway, I have the perspective of being both a long-ago MHS graduate and a person who today continues to enjoy writing about Tiger athletics, and of course it's "MACA" today, even if the West Central Tribune never gets it right. We're not "Morris/CA," we're MACA. And couldn't be prouder, of course. 

But our current volleyball team is below-.500. What does our local media tell us about the Monday night match? The heading for the kmrs web coverage announces "scores." The coverage does have a wee bit more than just the score or the raw outcome. The Tigers fell to New London-Spicer on the road and kmrs offers us two sentences of details. Better than nothing. The abbreviated coverage gave us three player names. So we're happy to see that Kaylee Harstad had ten kills, Ryla Koehler had 11 assists and Lauren Hottovy had 12 digs. Congrats to these three. 

But the orange and black was on the short end against New London-Spicer, a school that can always be counted on to be strong in girls athletics. Quite the tradition. 

I don't see game scores in the kmrs coverage. All I see is "3-0." So let's turn to the WC Tribune coverage. The coverage tells us that MACA came out of the night with a 4-6 record. Alas, we see "stats not available" for the Tigers. I don't think we are in the Willmar paper's official coverage territory, not like in past times. A little retrenchment in Willmar. I do think that if the Morris coach called in, the stats would be taken and reported. 

We sure do see stat highlights for the NL-S Wildcats. Oh, and the game scores: 25-23, 25-20 and 25-14. The fans in New London were quite approving. NL-Spicer came out of the night at 10-3. It's more of same in Wildcat country. 

Dakota Rich came at the Tigers with three serving aces. She was also the go-to player in setting: 23 assists. In hitting we see Kendra Gerhardson as the leader with 14 kills. Ava Carlson put up 1 1/2 ace blocks. And in digs, Gerharadson set the pace with her eleven. The WC Trib article talked about the "loud student section" at the New London gym. I really don't like that sort of thing.

Victory over 'Waska

Tiger Center was the place for Tuesday night volleyball action. 

The Tigers' match at New London was the night before - might they show some signs of fatigue? Don't ever bet against high school kids having resilience. Oh to be young again. The Tigers summoned a winning effort Tuesday to the delight of home fans. We prevailed over Minnewaska. Not only were the Tigers resilient, they were resilient through a full five-game marathon match. 

'Waska came here with a winning record. The Tigers are trying to get to the .500 plateau. We took a step in the right direction on Tuesday with scores of 21-25, 28-26, 17-25, 25-22 and 15-11. We seemed to get stronger toward the end - an encouraging sign. Obviously the hard-fought Game 2 was pivotal in our favor. Our record at night's end: 5-7. 

The Tuesday story was upbeat in a big way, however the West Central Tribune's online coverage of the match does not have MACA details. There won't be anything in this week's Morris newspaper about this match. Wait 'til mid-week next week to see the details in print? That's too long to wait, unacceptable. 

I was about ready to click on "publish" for this blog post when I noticed that a nice little summary of the 'Waska match was put up on the kmrs site. I was too impatient on this day, but fortunate now to have some nuggets of information. Give credit to kmrs-kkok. Continue reading.

  

Tigers 3, Minnewaska 2

Yes it was a full five games played Tuesday night here. Maybe the correct term is "sets" not "games" but I got in the habit with "games" a long time ago. Go ahead and call me stupid. 

Game 2 was really key for tipping the "mo" in the Tigers' favor. It could have gone either way. We notched the 28-26 win. It all came down to the fifth "game" which we won 15-11. Ryla Koehler performed 41 assists. Nora Boyle complemented that stat with 26. In the crowd-pleasing kills category it was Kaylee Harstad and Brianna Marty each with seven. Morgan Harstad came through with four blocks.

The WC Trib has details on 'Waska but not on MACA. I really think if the Morris coach or someone she designates were to call in, we'd see the details. Something to work on, I guess. 

The WC Trib informs us that three Lakers each had two serving aces: Brooklyn Noyes, Dreya Barsness and Haley Shea. Two Lakers shared the primary setting responsibility: Shea with 31 assists and Haillie Schultz with 22. The hitting work was real share-the-wealth: Avery Fier (16 kills), Dacia Fleury (15), Schultz (13) and Barsness (12). Fier and Barsness each had an ace block. Leaders in digs were Fier 25, Emma Poegel 22 and Barsness 20. 

The WC Trib has "stats not available" for MACA.

 

Addendum: Obviously one can come away with surprises from your 50-year class reunion! It's expected, so in my case I was thrilled to see Paula Fevold for the first time since graduation! I do believe Paula was a starter for the first-ever girls basketball team of Morris High School. Someone would have to confirm that. 

I wonder if the special five individuals could be located and invited back for some type of recognition sometime. Just a thought. The Class of '73 graduated at a time when girls athletics was fledgling. The girls could struggle mastering the fundamentals. Fully understandable. But the story certainly has a happy ending. Look how proficient the girls are today and we take it for granted.

 

Success in tennis

A tip of the hat to MACA tennis and coach Britney House. Sometime I might slip and call her "Britney Greenwaldt." I am getting old as evidenced by having attended my 50th class reunion. Still kind of blows my mind. 

Our first singles tennis player Cate Kehoe beat Brianna Nelson of YME 6-0, 6-4. The Tigers beat YME 6-1. Our second singles player Chloe Zimmel defeated Abigail Jimenez 6-0 and 6-1. YME's Emma Keller was her team's lone victor at No. 3. Emma defeated our Heidi Seales 4-6, 6-3, 10-7. The No. 4 story: Ellen Reed of the Tigers dominating Carley Redepenning 6-0 and 6-0. 

On to doubles. Our No. 1 tandem of Ashley Koehl and Nora Meek thumped Sarana West and Breea Johnson 6-0, 6-0. No. 2 was pretty one-sided also, as Izabell Hoffman and Grace Hauglie beat Reagan Streich and Annelise Jahn, 6-1 and 6-1. Our No. 3 doubles team featured Ava Breuer and Molly Wayne. They took care of business vs. Brooklyn Howe and Kyla Smith, 6-0 and 6-3.

Cross country too!

The weather has stayed most pleasant for outdoor fall sports. So the running Tigers took the trip down I-94 for the meet at Melrose. The venue was Meadowlark Golf Course. There, Hailey Werk took 18th in the Melrose Invitational. Anya Fehr placed 60th. Our boys team had Truett Richards and Ethan Koehler finishing as sort of a tandem in 64th/65th. Close to them was Grady Stallman in 69th.

Addendum #2: What's going on with our country? Do you all care? Cassidy Hutchinson now claims that Rudy Giuliani groped her on Jan. 6. A pretty pregnant question here: How does someone as maniacally crazy as Giuliani with his cognitive and alcohol problems and just plain craziness come to be the lawyer for the president of the United States?

 

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

 

Lots of points again in Tigers' third triumph

Allow me to "vamp" some

High school football is not my cup of tea as far as the player experience is concerned. I have been rather blunt with that attitude. Since I continue to be an outlier with the attitude, I'll capitulate in order to shine a light on how MACA football has gone. Indeed, everything has come up roses as we near the mid-point of the regular season. Just consider the 3-0 record. 

But there is more to savor beyond that. The quality of games has been a delight for fans who like lots of offense. Shall I presume that is the majority? Yes I'll presume that. Back in my first 10 to 15 years writing sports for the Morris newspaper, football games in our West Central Conference could be disturbingly boring. I never heard much talk about it. 

Much of the 1980s was a down time for MAHS athletics, the days before we became "MACA." 

One thing that stuck out for me was that the area 9-man football games were more high-scoring, sometimes significantly so. So I'll admit to the bias that fans like that kind of football: games where the winner and maybe both teams score over 30 points. I'd write about coach Neal Hofland's C-A teams using the "toss sweep" play to roll over opponents. C-A had a succession of top-flight runningbacks like Jon Hallman. 

I covered two Prep Bowl championships by the Spartans. I was at the Metrodome when George Dieter had his health crisis. Quite early-morning start times for the championship nine-man game. So early, the will-call window didn't always have press credentials ready to give out! Such special memories of it all. 

Things were more laid-back then. Without press credentials I could still talk my way to the sidelines by just seeming credible about who I was. Yes those were different times. Like everyone was on a sedative. Actually many people were: public smoking was more accepted. Cigarettes are a sedative, so in a weird way they might have been constructive? Oh of course we learned the minuses outweighed any pluses by a country mile. 

So our society decided to come down like a sledgehammer on smoking. And the price for a pack of cigarettes skyrocketed to where I can't imagine why anyone would consider taking up the habit. But you have no doubt noticed as I have that a considerable number of people continue inhaling. To each their own? That's a tough question. 

I think about the resilience of the smoking habit - maybe it's sort of an "underground" - when I'm waiting to pay at a convenience store. Like Casey's in Morris. I'll be behind one or two dudes (or lasses) who ask for cigarettes that are behind the counter. So often I notice this. Some people still need their "smokes." Sometimes there's an impulse to want to ask these people why they're doing it. But of course we won't do that: mores, customs, whatever. "The majority of people lead lives of quiet desperation." People will consciously keep some vices. 

 

More legacy effect

By the exact same token, we continue to allow our high schools to offer tackle football. Of course we should all know better. We ought to speak out more. But there's the mores/customs thing again. We have invested in these football programs. A home game at Big Cat Stadium is probably the most grand spectacle to be seen in Morris all year. The players look terrific out there on the field. 

We're happy when they win, as they have done thus far in 2023, most recently over Little Falls. That game was played at Little Falls on Friday. It was a 36-29 win. 

I am impressed by the total number of points scored. I remember a time when our home games were played in town and the people there acted like it was more of a social affair. Honest to goodness, most of them seemed to be paying little attention to how the game was going. Remember that? Clusters of junior high kids "walking laps" on the track surrounding the field. Chattering, engaging in nonsense. Maybe you were one of them! Very different time. 

And I remember many low-scoring games that frankly were boring. Constant handing off of the ball into the line. Two yards and a cloud of dust, maybe three on an above-average play. Then we'd see this big pile of guys out on the field slowly get up to prepare for the next play. I remember a game at Glenwood once - Glenwood, not Minnewaska - that about drove me nuts that way. It seemed to me the fans only stuck around as a courtesy. Either that or they were happy to pass the time socializing. Small-town football could seem more like a custom than anything. 

I remember a game here at Coombe Field where the opponent was so hamstrung for trying to score, I swore they wouldn't be able to score even if the ball squirted loose in the end zone and all they had to do was fall on it. I would expect the ball to just end up out of the end zone. 

 

Marketing applied

OK so what happened? Eventually I learned of some rules changes, for example letting the offensive linemen get away with more. This was entirely pragmatic. Because of course, the High School League recognizes that its games are "products" needing support. Let's manage them to maximize the interest of the fans. So elementary. 

So high school football has gotten "juiced" to where it "sells" better. And we got a score of 36-29 from Friday's game at Little Falls. A far better experience for a sportswriter like me to dive into for an article. Imagine writing about a 7-6 game. You'd have to think of some embellishment tricks. 

A 36-29 score presents an abundance of raw material. Reminds me also of the 9-man games of years past, Neal Hofland's heyday. Neal is still very much active of course. I remind him when I see him at DeToy's about his old toss-sweep play. 

 

Maybe not so beneficial

The superior marketing of football has a major downside of keeping the sport propped up. And of course what I'm referring to is the health dangers of the sport which are coming to the forefront of public awareness more and more. The end to this sport has got to come sometime. But at present the inertia continues. Football survives as does the smoking habit. 

We might add that MAGA "Make America Great Again" of politics survives also, defying all logic and wisdom. And MAGA continues its close association with the Christian faith. Tomorrow is Sunday - I'll be reminded again. I attend a church that is quite separate from the Trump cult - it's our First Lutheran in Morris which is not faring well. We're too "liberal" or so the meme goes. We are still fond of quoting Jesus Christ from the Sermon on the Mount - conservatives have decided they don't like that at all. Too "liberal." Well, I will stick to my guns. 

I believe in following Christ's words from the Sermon on the Mount.

Tigers 36, Little Falls 29

It was my intent today (Saturday) to give a pretty straightforward review of the Tigers' Friday win. I am always delighted to do this sort of thing. However, scant details of the game are found online. That's unfortunate. I can get the score off "Minnesota Scores." 

Fortunately I found a scoring summary on "Minnesota Football Hub," but unfortunately no game stats. I would have loved presenting a thorough review. But you win some and you lose some. The dearth of available details is why I "vamped" though so much of this blog post. I have to make do. 

 

Our first TD by QB Huebner

Let's have fun going through the scoring summary. Yes I do have fun doing this - I'm not doing it for any money. The Tigers held an 8-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. Little Falls struck first with a seven-yard run and a good kick. Our touchdown came on a two-yard run by the quarterback Drew Huebner. Drew also carried for two on the conversion. So, an 8-7 score and we are on our way. 

We went up 14-7 with a big pass of nearly 50 yards: Huebner connecting with Owen Anderson. The conversion play failed. Little Falls scored a second quarter TD on a five-yard run. 

The teams traded touchdowns once again in the third quarter. The Tigers struck first: Huebner passed to Jackson Hallman for 13 yards. Little Falls had a TD on a one-yard run. 

The fourth quarter saw MACA assume a commanding air. Anderson ran the ball into the end zone from the five. Huebner ran for two on the conversion. Little Falls struck with a two-yard scoring run. MACA supplied the exclamation point with a three-yard scoring scamper that had Anderson clutching the ball. The conversion was good on a pass from Huebner to Anderson. 

Mission accomplished: a 36-29 win that elevated our W/L to 3-0. We hope the players of both teams came out of the night unhurt. Look what happened to Aaron Rodgers.

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

Losing faith in the U of M for good reasons

(B.W. photo)

The season of autumn beckons. The first taste of below-freezing temperature will knock out my zinnia flowers, overnight. Thus a signal of the cold weather season to come. 

One has to shudder because the memory of last year's seemingly endless winter ought to be indelible. At the present time, mid-September, one can still enjoy a walk or bike ride on the trail system east of town. What an asset that is for Morris. 

We just got through UMM Homecoming 2023. I did not attend anything. My enthusiasm wanes about the U. Or maybe the loss of enthusiasm has a broader element connected to what's happening with colleges in general. 

My priority over the last ten years has been to try to assist UMM music. I was discouraged prior to fall classes, hearing that students would not be a part of the Homecoming concert. Powers-that-be at UMM would of course have excuses for this. What would you expect? I felt disconsolate in a similar way last  spring when I slipped in for the start of UMM graduation. Over the long stretch of time we have assumed that UMM band and choir would perform for graduation. My friends and I might exchange notes on how well these groups performed. But it was a given that they would simply be there. 

My late father lost enthusiasm about attending graduation because he was discouraged that his "UMM Hymn" was not being performed. Perhaps it would cheer him up to know that at present, there is no band or choir presence for graduation. Thus there's no issue with the Hymn. But there is an overriding issue with the scaling-back of the graduation ceremony. 

I never could have foreseen this. The discouragement doesn't end with music. Perhaps an even bigger issue was the lack of printed graduation programs. This rather screams that UMM is watching nickels and dimes. Which would lead to what in the long-term future? Closure of the institution? Colleges in general are certainly not on an upswing. Anything but. 

It doesn't help either that our football team has given up over 40 points in each of its first two games, both losses of course. You would think the mighty U of M could see to it we got just a few more resources to be more competitive at our admittedly modest level of play. But no. 

 

Where there's a will. . .

If the problem with Homecoming was that it was scheduled early, well then why was it scheduled this way? Too early? If UMM still has a decent stable of talented music students, could not the students be self-starters and make sure something dynamic was done? Aren't we supposed to be special here at UMM? That's always been the talk. 

But higher education faces continuing headwinds. I guess the primary reason is cost, the kind of debt that gets rung up. Should we as a nation try to reduce the burden somehow? Have costs shot up precisely because of government efforts to "help" in the first place? That's a scenario I have read about. Any time the government subsidizes something, the cost of that thing goes up. Try to "help" colleges and they raise tuition. For a long time they were in an "arms race" with amenities to offer students. 

 

Not a bellwether but. . .

I realize that St. Cloud State ought not be viewed as an example for what is likely to happen here, but let's not rule out extrapolating some. SCSU built a new football stadium in 2004. SCSU decided a few years later to cut football. Curiouser and curiouser. That kind of cut might be suggested here, not only because of UMM's trouble showing competitiveness but with the overarching concern about the safety of the players everywhere. 

SCSU has gotten big headlines over its cuts. A banner headline on the Star Tribune's front page in fact. But now the SCSU theater program is falling victim to the ax. Can we envision any kind of reversal in such a trend? UMM's retrenchment is evident in how it handled graduation. Oh my, a "recording" of "Pomp and Circumstance." You've got to be (expletive) me. I mean, really. Again, people at the top of UMM would have a way to "spin" this. That is what they do. 

I inquired about a program at the entrance to the P.E. Center or whatever it's called now. I wasn't prepared to be told there were no programs. The attendant at the door said people were supposed to "use their smartphones" to access a program. I am not at all illiterate with new tech - I have a YouTube channel, four email accounts and two blogs. I am not clueless but I have no clue when it comes to using a smartphone for accessing a graduation program. So I went without. 

I'm sure many people like to have the program as a souvenir. Think of the many grandparents coming from near and far who'd like to rely on the simple paper program. Plus they would love to hear the robust sound of the student musicians, just like what was the norm for so long. The norm. 

What's next for getting the ax? Get ready. 

Maybe we'll end up with a music program like at Crookston: a music minor only and with ensembles composed of a combo of students and community persons. Not to say they don't all have a good time with this, up in the desolate region where Crookston is located. Wait a minute, that's the way a lot of people describe Morris. 

 

An HFA scene from winter (B.W. photo)

Aha, "existential"

Whither our music department? The choir not to perform my father's UMM Hymn looks like total small potatoes now. To use a popular word, UMM music may face an "existential" dilemma. When I was a young person, the word "existential" was considered the ultimate "50-cent word." Best not to use it. 

This morning I got an update from a friend on how UMM fared with the Homecoming concert. Like me this person did not attend but he was filled in. First of all, this friend told me that a promo poster in a downtown business window did not announce the time of the concert. 

This individual said the quality of the concert was actually good. But it did not involve "current students." Well, that negates everything, doesn't it? I mean, really. Students are where it's at. So what really was the point? 

No doubt certain faculty members can perform boffo. Students should always be the main showcase. My friend said the musical fare was by "all faculty and a couple alumnae." 

"The new choir director sang a South American folk song."

A major black mark that was reported to me, was that the admission price for the concert was ten bucks! And this with students not involved in the performing. Outrageous. My memory tells me that UMM Homecoming concerts have been typically if not exclusively free admission. My father had a nit-pick one year: the band performed "dissonant" (modern) music. He felt the program for the Homecoming concert should have crowd-pleasers. What would Dad think about this year's arrangement? Well he grew up in the Great Depression, youngest of five boys, high school graduate of 1934, so he learned to watch his wallet pretty closely. 

Ten dollars? Oh of course the spin would be that a "fundraiser" needed an infusion. Schools of all kinds are always looking for money. The campus ought to be user-friendly for an occasion like Homecoming weekend, minimal and maybe no charge for everything. Be thankful people want to show up and show support. 

The U of M Foundation gets plenty of dollars from the Scrooge McDuck types. I know, I have hung around these events some, have learned to act like a big shot myself. Actually I'm pretty humble. 

 

Not  heartening

All the current trends have me feeling far less enthusiastic for supporting the U here. And then the crowning blow came a few days ago when I received a critical email from Sue Dieter, who has some sort of job at the Welcome Center. Well, it appears things did not work out for her at the local newspaper and then she parachuted to Collin Peterson's office for a time, but Peterson was not long for this world as congressperson. Republicans have seized total control of rural western Minnesota. 

My theory is that the usual suspects with the local "women's lib" crowd worked on UMM administration to hire Sue because she was one of them. That's how these things work. I have spent most of my life being trampled upon by "liberated" women who feel part of their mission is to humiliate men. I could give you the names of three women, Sue being one, who rode herd over me to make sure I'd never feel any self-esteem in the workplace. 

I worked under a female editor once who took an off-the-street rumor from a known eccentric and put it on Page 1. The paper quickly had to run a "correction and apology" on Page 1. The editor was propped up by the local feminists. She was untouchable. I would have had sheer hell to pay if I had shown the same kind of dereliction in judgment, so bad I hate to even write about it. But here I am, drowning in my sorrows as it were. 

Our custodian said to me "people would be laughing at you if you did that." 

Drifting away

My experiment of trying to get in the flow with U of M interests is over. I am switching to the Morris Area School Foundation. And if people alienate me there, I will be cast totally adrift. I sort of feel that way anyway. My critics would say "no one cares what you think." Well, Mongo just pawn in game of life. And could the UMM football defense get just a wee bit stabilized?

 

On a happier note, I quote the joy about early fall weather from this email from Patty Wetterling this morning (Wednesday): 

The sharing of support is strengthening. Words matter. Kindness matters. Yesterday I received an amazing note in the mail and it made me smile. I went for a walk just before sunset and watched as an eagle soared high above me, circling our road as the sky turned glorious colors.

“Thank you, God.”

May you and your family enjoy this very special time of year. Soak in the glorious colors and don’t miss an opportunity to share love and gratitude each and every day.

A nice fall photo that I took around Morris.

 - Bran Williams - morris mn minnesoita - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Church picnic today will salve some worries

East Side Park, Morris MN (B.W. photo)

My church of First Lutheran is having a picnic at East Side Park this afternoon (Sunday). We're not even having a regular Sunday service. Fine. The event will be fun for sure. Word is, Faith Lutheran people are welcome also. 

The ELCA continues trying to support two separate churches within our community of Morris. Is this sustainable? First Lutheran has been in steady decline with its numbers. This is easily supported by noting that through most of its history, the church had two Sunday services. The realization sank in this wasn't going to fly any more. We are forced to capitulate to reality, ultimately. 

I realized the same thing last night in relation to my college alma mater. Imagine a major state institution, or at least what formerly stood as a major state institution, watching its theater program die out. It's a fact: this is happening at St. Cloud State University. I read about it last night. The place has practically become a poster child for the stresses that have set in with public institutions for higher learning. 

What a pretentious-sounding term: "institution for higher earning." These places have become vacuum cleaners for sucking the money out of young people and their families. Should we maybe listen to Bernie Sanders more? 

Arianna Huffington

Look at the phenomenon of "sugar babies." Arianna Huffington led the way several years ago in bringing this phenomenon to our attention. Then the topic got quiet, I'm sure because Americans did not want to admit we were tempting our young people to go in this direction. You could call it prostitution - how can that be considered an exaggeration? 

I weave this topic in because it relates directly to the $ pressure felt by young people and their families. So girls will consider hooking up with older men who have money. 

Unsavory? It's hard passing judgment in such matters now. People who believe totally in the liberation of women will say it's a woman's choice. That continues being the direction of our society despite what has happened with our U.S. Supreme Court, which incidentally has turned into a cesspool of corruption. Led of course by Alito and Thomas and maybe even Kavanaugh, the latter having misrepresented himself on Roe vs. Wade in his confirmation. You'll remember another element of that confirmation, hoo boy. 

But we in America have chosen to just step aside on a range of matters where we once had a common sense consensus. We would never allow a clear power-hungry autocrat to try to seize control of our national government with a "coup," would we? We would never elect someone who had sex outside of marriage with an actual porn star and then tried to pay her off for her silence, would we? Well of course not. Well, not in a previous time we wouldn't. 

The ethical lapses at the Supreme Court level would not have been tolerated in an earlier time. Why? Because we simply had principles, principles which a child could grasp. The political right wing in America has gone beyond the standard political mix of right versus left, Republican versus Democrat. The latter arrangement looks quaint in retrospect now: the "two sides" both representing America, wanting the best for America, but having different views on how to get there. 

The politics right now was represented in the attempted overthrow of the U.S. government in 2021. Our own elected congressperson was openly sympathetic to the insurrection efforts, with her vote against certifying the election results. But are we in West Central Minnesota of a mood to even "throw her out" now? Well no. I would even bet she'd be re-elected. This is the America of today. 

First Lutheran Church, Morris (B.W. photo)

So I consider going to today's church picnic in a happy mood, this despite the fact my First Lutheran Church of the "liberal" ELCA has been in such a downslide. 

Oh my, the "L" word. This all started with gay rights but it has come to encompass more. 

I of course can't do anything about it. I can share these thoughts online. The "thought police" have not come along yet. But the continued hard edge of the political right wing might change that. It is trying to burst past all legal barriers or checks that our justice system is set up in theory to provide. Can the theory hang in there a while longer - I mean the Judeo-Christian ethic of knowing right from wrong? If one's spiritual life does not reflect that, then my God, what is the point of belonging to a church? 

 

Whither the faith?

Is Christianity becoming totally bastardized? Well I really think it is. Pastors are now reporting that parishioners have complained to them - actually complained, if you can believe it - about Christ's own words being quoted. In church. 

I smile as I consider that Our Savior, who I am really trying to stick with, could sound a little Bernie Sanders-ish. Can't you all just smile a little about that? Well, maybe not. I have actually lost friends because of the concerns I am trying to point out here. 

Today at least, First Lutheran Church of Morris is still a "thing," it is an entity. So I'll see a few people I know, share some friendliness. We are not the kind of people who would support the impeachment effort of the newly-elected Wisconsin Supreme Court member. The Republicans have massed like howling rabid dogs over there, frothing at the mouth. Such people speak for an apparently wide swath of the U.S. people now. 

And we have a U.S. congressperson who fits right in. Unless you want to vote her out. But we will not. 

Previous congressperson Collin Peterson made the mistake of posing for a photo with Nancy Pelosi, both smiling nicely. The Republicans seized on this and went into their rabid dog routine. Peterson got feet of clay and started behaving like he wasn't even proud to be a Democrat. I could be as upset with him as with the other side. How about "courage of your convictions?" Well, he got his rear end handed to him. 

So now we have the insurrectionist sympathizer. I can only observe, I cannot effect change. 

 

Moving on

Do you think I should look for my own "sugar baby?" Money talks, you know. It means more than Jesus Christ, that's for sure. I cannot get a female friend the standard way, and if I even hint in that direction, it's like I get a pie in the face. People react like they're offended. 

I am struck by a point George Will makes about our colleges in America. He says that society insists we keep them, the reason being that colleges are needed so young people around the age of 20 can go someplace among peers of the same socioeconomic stripe and find their future marital partner. 

So is this really the primary reason for the existence of "institutions of higher learning?"

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