Moisture builds wildlife and that can be bad

The image shows a howling coyote. I heard an unmistakable pack of these from east of Morris recently. A chorus of high-pitched howls like in an old movie western. The animals might have been close to the biking/walking trail. I have seen juvenile skunks by the north entrance to the trail.

 

We could joke about our current conditions and wonder if we're all going to start growing fins. 

This summer of 2024 has thus far been marked by surplus moisture. I'm sitting here on Saturday morning as gray clouds dominate the sky once again. 

We can remember times that were too dry, "drought." It is presumed to be a nightmare, but what about too-wet conditions? Isn't there a plus side to that? I mean, moisture helps everything grow and be healthy, right? Well it's not so simple. 

If our current situation is the result of climate change, we should be greatly concerned. Climate change has unforeseen consequences. Shall we just be amused by Donald Trump saying climate change is a "hoax?" He has made clear his thoughts on this. Some of my acquaintances get annoyed if I just bring up Trump (again). I might not care much if it were not for the fact that he is positioned quite well to become president again. So we'd have to live with a president for at least four years who thinks nothing of climate change. 

Trump defies logic and reason for being president again. He positions himself to appeal to the Southern states which lean his way as a matter of impulse. Maybe a reflection of the long-ago "rebellion" down there? Our national commentators seem to hesitate in going that direction. Too risky to rile up all those people down south who get feisty and reactionary so easily. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene would have to come from the South. The "10 Commandments" requirement for school display would have to come from the Deep South. Of course "real" Christianity would not countenance so much of the sentiment or faux sentiment we see from the South. "Faux sentiment?" Well it's just emotional. Reactionary. But it leaches into the national conversation. 

 

The Dakotas do not help

Why do North and South Dakota have to be such insufferable "red" states? Do they really want to go along with Trump's dissing of climate change theory? If climate change starts causing tremendous damage around the world, and if the U.S. is seen as a major obstacle to confronting and solving it, we may even see a military response directed at the U.S. 

Trump makes a bigger issue out of the behavior of General Mark Milley. It's so insane as to not demand our time and attention for even talking about. But the Orange Jesus rolls forward with polls showing that he could well become U.S. president again. And the henchmen around him might do the major damage. There are always people who want to be close to power. Some people will jettison all their ideals. Kellyanne Conway? They're out there. This should not surprise you at all. Kayleigh McEnaney et al. 

Ken Paxton as attorney general. These people will only address climate change like it's a hoax foisted by their political adversaries. That is all. 

So now Minnesota appears to be in a serious situation with surplus moisture. Unforeseen consequences? How about the multiplication of wildlife including forms of wildlife that are not welcome. Wet spring and rising temperatures lead to potential for harmful algae and need to reduce pollution. 

You think Trump and his crowd care about pollution? Trump only says he does when he feels he has to. I remember him saying "I want clean water" just like he said "I want the mail to be faster." He wants these things but will in no way promote government oversight to get the needed ends. His most tangible promises are made to big business. A lot of you are having trouble seeing that. 

Most of you process Trump's rhetoric the way he wants you to process it. And so he plans to ride this wave of passivity to the White House again. Or to Mar-a-Lago which is where he wants classified government papers stored I guess. And you don't care. Most of you do not. 

Consider that nutrients in run-off from spring rainstorms combined with persistent hot weather on the way can mean trouble for lakes across our state. This triggers algal blooms that can be harmful to people and pets. 

The EPA says spring rainfall and annual precipitation in Minnesota are likely to increase in the coming century, along with more intense severe rainstorms. Look out all you people and institutions with "flat roofs." Remember what happened to our library in Morris a few years back? Oh, St. Mary's School too? Legend has it that a softball blocked drainage at the library. And that a wine bottle was the culprit at St. Mary's. A wine bottle causing an incident for a Catholic school? Anything Biblical about that? 

 

Bad news animals

Excess moisture causes an increase in the number of wild animals and "critters." Those darn "critters." Skunks are such a menace, pest control companies will not even respond to skunk calls. How to intervene with skunks? Isn't that a daunting question? One of my neighbors to the west of me on Northridge Drive tells me he recently dispatched six skunks. He live-traps them and then "takes them out back and shoots them," he told me. It has to be "out back" because that would be outside the city limits. 

I am aware of other accounts of skunk battles in my neighborhood over the last 3-4 years. 

These animals are really intimidating

Mention skunks to anyone and they'll likely have their own story to tell. And now there are probably more of them around due to our wet spring. 

It appears there are more coyotes lurking just outside the outskirts. And don't think they cannot be dangerous. They have been known to come right into towns. I'm sure critters make their presence known in towns. You may rue the day when you arranged for a "storage shed" or a deck on your property. You may be forced to get on YouTube to try to find "solutions." Yes there is a wealth of such posts. 

I have a skunk that has gotten under my out building at present. Thank God it's just an out building. The people who really need to lose sleep are in townhomes, mobile hones or who have decks. The critters can make inroads right where you live. In my case, I can get rid of my out building and have been given the name of someone who can do this. 

At present I have not yet detected any skunk smell. If I do, I will have to risk intervention. I have bought something at the local hardware store that looks like a stick of dynamite complete with a fuse, but it does not explode - it emits a fog. But I do not want any dead animals under the shed. So it's really a conundrum. 

Lately I have noticed some juvenile-age skunks out by the north entrance of the biking/walking trail east of town. That is where the coyote sounds come from too. Might the city have to consider closing off the trail? Look at all the consequences of climate change.

 

The northern pocket gopher

Addendum: Remember how the Bill Murray character in "Caddyshack" went nuts dealing with critters? He declared war on gophers. Dana Milbank of the Washington Post departed from his usual political commentary to vent about how an overpopulation of deer causes problems. We're told that's why we have a hunting season. Animal lovers have to be convinced of that. I needed convincing once. 

And I remember a feature article which I think was in The New Yorker magazine, in the midst of covid when some city dwellers were re-settling in the country. Ah, the peaceful lure of country. Close to nature? Well yes but that can be a problem. The article interviewed at length a family that was driven nuts by beavers. Beavers! Little nuisances. A family member described them as coming out of hell. 

People who end up in these situations can become like the Bill Murray character. They just get unhinged. I can understand how these people feel.

I haven't even gotten to the subjects of field mice and bats.

 

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

Popular entertainment reacts to history

Humor directed at ethnicity is obviously touchy, far more touchy than in past times. George Carlin when he was in his pre-counterculture iteration had his "Indian sergeant" routine. Built him up quite a bit. 

Our culture evolves, always striving for enlightenment and fairness. Like any good idea it can be errant sometimes. But we try. Does the University of Minnesota really need to expand "American Indian Studies?" Our Morris MN allegedly has a checkered past with Natives.

 

Flynn, his era in Hollywood

I can remember popular movies consistent with Indians being "the other." Many of us watched "They Died With their Boots On" starring the Golden Age of Hollywood actor Errol Flynn. My generation would not have watched the movie when it was current. But of course we watched it on the magical TV screen. "Oldies but Goodies." We became well-versed on so many cinema classics like "War of the worlds," "The Time Machine" and "The Land That Time Forgot." 

Let's not overlook "The Day the Earth Stood Still" with the robot that looked as though it was made out of tin cans. The special effects were just good enough. I would suggest that if the story is gripping and imaginative, audiences can overlook a lot. I also think black and white glossed over some shortcomings. "They Died With their Boots On" was black and white. And of course the movie was about Custer and his meeting with fate out West. 

The battle is said to be one of the most analyzed military engagements ever. And certainly that says something for the Natives as they must have had a well-grounded approach. Although, not in the way that comedian Carlin would have us imagine. 

It has been said of the Indians out there in Montana that they had "the best light cavalry in the world." They certainly had guns and don't ever underestimate that. They employed bow and arrow effectively too. It has been suggested that our history sense has blown that battle out of proportion. And it got that way, certain critics point out, because Custer's widow worked so hard to keep her husband's profile high after the event. 

We can overlook factors like this. Ever hear of Elon Farnsworth? Probably not. He might have gone on to be president of the U.S. He was killed in an ill-advised cavalry charge at the battle of Gettysburg. Nobody propped him up posthumously. George Pickett by contrast became a household name, and that's for the same reason as Custer: his wife built up his stature. And did you know that "Pickett's Charge" should actually have been called "Longstreet's Charge?" 

The Civil War had a racial angle because of the South wanting to keep slavery alive. The Battle of the little Bighorn: a racial angle there too, the enforcement of Manifest Destiny and dealing with the indigenous people who did not have the Europeans' concept of property. 

The free-roaming Natives have of course been romanticized through time. Our popular history shows the Natives as being so uniquely sensitive to the natural world. We conjure up dream-like images of it all. They wanted freedom! Well of course they did - it's really an impulse within all of us - but the European-based culture moved forward with an inevitability and with standards that had people healthier and safer. It has been said that surviving a Comanche raid was a fate worse than death. I think y'all can fill in the blanks with that - I shall not elaborate. 

 

Errol Flynn

Music with inference

It is interesting to view the "final battle" scene from "They Died With Their Boots On." Interesting in how it portrays the two cultures relative to each other. Flynn plays a totally dashing Custer, the one out front as his soldiers charged on horseback! He extends his sword out in front of him! 

And the music! My God this speaks absolute volumes. The music accompanying the scenes of cavalry is clearly heroic-sounding. As soon as the camera shifts to the Natives - also on horses - my the music shifts. The atmosphere becomes mysterious and foreboding. How to suppress these uncooperative denizens of the far West plains? These "savages?" Terms like that indeed floated around. 

Flynn and his troops become surrounded and then it's a slow story of slaughter with the cavalry guys at least fighting valiantly. No way can we assume it happened that way, any more than we can assume that Davy Crockett fought heroically right to the last, as told to us by myth-weaver Walt Disney. 

 

Eyes got opened

My own generation of the boomers did develop some suspicion around all such storytelling, I believe. TV was hard to contain. We got little nuggets of truth all the time like about the very dark Vietnam war. Propaganda was not going to work as it did in World War II. So by the '70s, my generation had clearly turned the corner on the myth-making. We had become politically liberal, felt that was the most honest camp to be in. Then we had to start questioning some of that too, but I will not digress. 

"Woodstock" was this massive multi-cultural celebration. Native Americans were no longer "the other" in our eyes. 

Whereas the Flynn movie did not show Indians as human beings with depth at all - and I mean not at all - by the end of the 20th Century we had quite different portrayals. The movie "Son of the Morning Star" came along about Custer. It most surely presented the Natives as real people with depth, worthy of sympathy. Toward the end the Native woman narrator said "Custer's last stand" was really the "last stand" of the Natives. The Natives were later left freezing and starving. 

Today we have the "Crazy Horse Monument" out West. 

Errol Flynn was born in Tasmania!

Custer? Maybe it's best to just remember him as a military man trying to do his duty, beholden to others. Why did he attack with such a limited force? Well, once he discovered or suspected that the Indians knew of the cavalry's presence, the Indians were going to start to flee, to disperse. 

The whole thing was disastrous for the U.S. military. And, it seems certain now there was no "last stand" at all. Once the Indians closed in, what do you suppose those poor troops were going to do? Yes "poor," as many were young Irish immigrants susceptible to discrimination, thus they'd join the military for lack of options. 

The troops did not just form a circle and fire away in vain while they could see they were doomed. No! Discipline broke down and soldiers sought to flee. Defenders of the Alamo must have broken down the same way. Davey Crockett did not swing "old Betsy" at the Mexican troops as they advanced up the steps. Crockett was executed. Custer was found with an arrow pushed up his genitals. Welcome to the real world. 

Like it or not, Manifest Destiny was going to prevail. Indeed, as has been written, "history is a messy story of the strong exploiting the weak." 

 

Do we need this?

So is it necessary now for the University of Minnesota to offer a doctoral degree in American Indian Studies? I would simply say no. Endless books have been written about the U.S. West and indigenous people. The information is out there already.

 

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

Can our "Lynx" draw attention away from CC?

A real "lynx" (brittanica)

Well it's June and we're following hoops. We're even getting close to the Fourth of July. We had such a cool spring, the midsummer benchmark has been sneaking up on us. Make that a cool and wet spring. 

Our "March Madness" in Minnesota was a full three months ago. So just like with the change of Minnesota seasons, we're supposed to adjust with our sports watching habits. Typically basketball is quite in the rear view mirror. Maybe it has a bit more current feel because of the Timberwolves' success. The Timberwolves ascended high. But the overall title was not to be. Our interest falls off. 

Sports is mere entertainment and we consume whatever we choose at any time. Timberwolves gave us a catchy little expression to stoke our tourism trade too? Right, Anthony Edwards? It shall not be repeated here. 

 

On board at the start

I wrote a column on the Minnesota Timberwolves for the Morris newspaper in the team's very first year. I had a primary source: Dave Loher, season ticker holder from here in Motown. 

The first year for a franchise is interesting no matter what happens. Home games at the Metrodome: I was on a fan bus for attending the first-ever regular season home opener. My, the sights and sounds from that night pop right back into my head. 

I went many years without seeing Mr. Loher but then I saw him again for the somber occasion of Steve Van Kempen's funeral. Dave brought up the subject of the long-ago Timberwolves column I wrote. He was pleased to reflect, although I remember he seemed to be getting tired of it toward the end. I was thrilled to see pro basketball get really established in Minnesota, after the fits and starts we'd had in previous years with teams like the "Muskies" and "Pipers." 

We did have sensational basketball with the college Gophers coached by the one-of-a-kind Bill Musselman. The colorful but volatile Musselman was brought back to coach Year 1 of the Wolves. It was obvious the Wolves were not going to be another Muskies or Pipers. We found our legs. We're proud of them and they are quite taken for granted in Minnesota's pro sports landscape. I was age 34 when they came into being. That's young compared to where my age sits today! 

I was six years old when the Twins and Vikings came into being. Were we a "cold Omaha" before that? I guess the football Gophers were the really big deal at one time. 

 

Our women's showcase

Fast-forward to 2024 and we have the "Lynx." I am always honest when I write so I'll admit that I cannot name one Lynx player. They are impressing at present. I am only aware of the team's coach because of the issue of whether a certain wunderkind female WNBA rookie should be on the U.S. Olympic Team. This story or controversy rose to prominence within the last few days. 

Our Lynx coach happens to be Cheryl Reeve who coaches the Olympians. She was caught making a less-than-flattering insinuation about the wunderkind girl. You know the wunderkind: from Iowa, initials "CC." There, I haven't even typed her name yet in this post. 

 

Reeve's beef

Reeve seemed alienated about how CC's first pre-season game with the Indiana Fever was upstaging the Lynx in terms of broadcast coverage. Most of us could easily see why that state of affairs existed. Clark catapulted to such fame, right out of Iowa, that she ended up on "Saturday Night Live" seated next to Michael Che! 

But we can understand Reeve feeling pride in her own high-quality pro team, the Lynx, named for a cat of course. (Maybe someday a team will take on the name "caracals.") 

Cheryl Reeve (fox9 image)

Reeve wrote "the WNBA is more than one player." 

Would be so nice if Ms. Reeve was correct. Would be so nice if yours truly could name a Lynx roster member. Honestly I am humbled or embarrassed. I have resolved to show greater interest. 

But this only works organically as you must have the inner wellspring to be a fan. I cannot do it just out of moral obligation. To repeat: it is just entertainment. To each their own. 

I honestly hope the inner impulse develops. We'll see. 

 

A step backward

After Caitlin Clark's dismal game Thursday night, it does look like maybe she's floating down to earth. As a rookie her fortunes are so hard to project. 

Coach Reeve has sought to make no further comment on the topic. You must be aware that Clark is not on the U.S. Olympic roster. People are bandying about on that. Well, that includes me too. A June 13 article had the headline "USA Basketball won't address tweets from Coach Cheryl Reeve that referenced Caitlin Clark." 

Take CC out of the picture and I would not be reading about Reeve at all. My attention would be on other things. I am happy for my Minnesota team's success. But I'm in a not-real-exclusive club when it comes to simply not paying attention to pro women's basketball. 

The WNBA definitely has an opportunity now. Indiana with Clark got its fourth win Thursday night but CC did terrible. Of course this can happen to any athlete. But I wonder: is the pro game going to cut CC's game down to size? I think it could, would cause real sadness. Such a refreshing new USA celebrity to come along, Ms. Clark. A product of Dowling Catholic in West Des Moines, Iowa. So many of our celebrities spring from "the coasts." How refreshing: West Des Moines IA which as I write this must be getting awful hot and humid. 

The men's NBA subsidizes the WNBA. So whatever the WNBA does, it needs to benefit the NBA. 

And I simply must wonder: if the women's game makes strides in popularity, as it certainly appears to be now, there will be less of a sense of "off-season" in basketball. And would that be in the NBA's interests? Fans in all sports need a break to detach and then renew interest for the next fresh season. 

Might the freshness be faded now? The NBA playoffs go on long enough the way it is - some sportswriters joke about it. And if the WNBA comes along in its own ballyhooed way now? Hmmm. Supply exceeds demand maybe? This can be a danger. And the NBA is subsidizing the women. If the women could pull their own weight, that would be one thing. 

I am perfectly willing to admit with no reservations that CC accounts 100 percent for my newfound interest in the WNBA. And I admitted as much in a comment I posted to the Yahoo! News article that I reference. We're talking about CC being the magnet of attention even as we try to pretend otherwise!

My comment:

I smile as I see how defensive so many commenters are on this subject. Like no one wants to admit they'd have zero interest in the WNBA if it weren't for CC. People go out of their way to emphasize how the league has always had lots of talent. Who could dispute that? But we're talking fan and public interest as a major indice. I will fall on my sword here and say that my current interest in the WNBA is 100 percent because of CC, and now I am broadening my knowledge.

 

"CommonSense" responded:

Yes, same here and making no apologies for it as there is nothing wrong with it.

 

"Ryan" responded:

You won't be falling on any swords Brian. It seems everyone not in the WNBA understands how much business CC has brought in. I won't even include ESPN running lead stories anytime CC sneezes, blocks a little kid's shot, or does anything really. Angel Reese is the anti-hero to CC and that's the only reason why people are responding to her.

 

"Nicholas" commented:

I'm still not interested. Go figure. It's not like she's exciting to watch like a Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Luka, Kobe etc. It just goes to show you all are in for the hype and not the game. Circus.

 

"Frank the Tank" responded:

The same commentators and media didn’t acknowledge WNBA at all the last 27 seasons. Maybe a 30-second segment at the end of a show. Now they act like they’ve been supporting the league for years. Hilarious.

 

"Kevin" responded:

I have zero interest in watching the WNBA with or without CC. It’s a horrible product.

 

"Jr." responded:

Honestly it depends on where you live. Women's basketball here in Connecticut has been huge since 1991 and "Sun" games have been selling out regularly since 2004. It's cool that the rest of the country is finally catching up, but I wish they would focus more on the sport than just one player. I have my favorite NBA player but it doesn't mean that I'm not watching all the other good games that come on. Why people are so obsessed with one girl just seems weird to me, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with identity politics. Oh well. CT is in first. That's all I care about.

 

CC, made of the right stuff

"Phil Rich" responded to me:

I agree. I wouldn’t watch unless she was playing. CC is special. Give her time to acclimate.

 

And here's "Steven's" response::

Exactly. I remember when the NBA was a near afterthought when searching for a sport to watch on TV. Then along came Magic vs. Bird and the league was instantly supercharged and must-see stuff. Then came Jordan who had the power to lift it even further. Player salaries are now ridiculous as a result. I know the WNBA will never achieve this level of clout, but increased salaries may make the desire for more talent to appear and keep the train moving forward. 

"Dean" responded:

I was interested with both the NCAA women's basketball and the WNBA solely because of Caitlin Clark. She shoots like Steph Curry who is my favorite NBA player. Both are generational talents.

 

"Roger Dat" responded:

I've been following the WNBA and women's college ball for years. As in, since Cheryl Miller, the first women's basketball star.

 

 "T" is skeptical!

And in six months I bet you will have lost interest and still know nothing.

 

And never is heard a discouraging word? As we peruse Yahoo! News?

 

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

Boffo! CGB Wolverines No. 2 in state 'A' softball

First of all let's acknowledge that we're all feeling giddy today (Saturday), as Caitlin Clark last night was her old self with highlight reel heroics! Her team won too. CC had 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists, four steals, 8 of 15 in field goal shooting and 7 of 13 in 3's. And one of her 3's was from just in front of the logo. 

Let's feel enthusiasm about this as an antidote to the Donald Trump news! For the time being, the Orange Jesus does not have real power. For how many more months, dear Lord? 

I could refer to Caitlin as "America's sweetheart" but of course that would be sexist. She's really "America's hero." Such an exemplary person. The remainder of this blog post is on girls sports. CC is lifting all of that up.

 

The Wolverines

"Runner-up" has a nice ring to it, even though it's shy of the title. When it's state runner-up, it is totally impressive. Yes, the CGB Wolverines were defeated at the end of their memorable post-season adventure. But what a climb they had, highlighted by an incredible come-from-behind seventh inning rally against Red Lake Falls. The team might have felt it was living on borrowed time after that. 

Never fazed, those Wolverines dispatched West Lutheran and then came up against New Ulm Cathedral. Happens so often in state: you'll come up against schools whose names make it clear they are private. People have long argued that the private schools can have advantages. Is it true that the Republican Party would like all schools to be private? Push public education aside? Just kick all the problematic kids to the curb? Kids who come from challenging circumstances or who have learning/behavior issues? 

That's a subject for another time. But it sure crosses my mind as I note CGB's final two opponents in the 2024 state tournament. The games were played at Mankato's Caswell Park. 

CGB capped its rise through Section 6A with games played right here in Morris. I wonder what the visiting fans thought about the almost complete lack of fan seating at our softball complex. This always strikes me as very strange. Bring your own chair or you'll almost certainly have to stand. And if you have your own chair, you might choose to sit out by the outfield fence. I can't help but pay pretty close attention because the complex is on my daily walking route. 

I felt fooled: I was led to believe this complex was really going to be something special. That's how it was announced. It is barely utilitarian. The old UMM field was better than what is in that spot now. And for this the taxpayers forked over $? Republicans are very often right when they argue for fiscal restraint. Republicans at least believe in keeping an eye on public education spending. They can go too far sometimes and that is the problem with them. 

Oh wait there's another big problem: Donald Trump. There is no point in yours truly writing any more about DJT. I have done all I can over basically eight years. That is a long time. And America now appears headed into the abyss of choosing the Orange Jesus again. 

The conservative entertainment complex hammers away about how Biden is a hopelessly doddering old person. So here comes Trump again. End of the American empire? Trump will seize control of the Federal Reserve and we'll get hyper-inflation. That's the whole ballgame. Happened in Germany in the mid-20th Century, pilgrims. Hold on to your hats. 

 

Softball showcase, 2024

Looks like the state tournament softball games are actually in "North Mankato." The CGB Wolverines took the field Friday to face New Ulm Cathedral. A Catholic school? After playing a Lutheran school? The Wolverines handled West Lutheran 8-2. They knew the challenge would be tough on Friday. At stake was the Class A championship. 

CGB fell behind 4-2 in the second inning. Abbey Hillesheim hit a home rum. Ava Schmidt of the Greyhounds, a sophomore, connected for a two-RBI single to put her team up 6-2. Senior Alexa Hornick drove in three runs with a single, putting the Greyhounds truly in command with a 9-2 lead. Cathedral ended up winning 10-4. 

I am pleased to discover on this sleepy Saturday morning that a stat review can be found online. Well, can't anything be put online? Of course these systems are advancing forward all the time. The "Minnesota Softball Hub" is a system that has potential. The "Hub" template is in place for many H.S. sports. What matters is that the coaches or their responsible people submit the info. 

I hope to see more of this ongoing. We need not be dependent on our "community newspapers." That is so 20th Century. Ink on fingers. Somewhat muddy photos. 

 

Chloe Cardwell: two hits

Let's take a look at the CGB performance against New Ulm. One Wolverine had a multiple-hit game. This was Chloe Cardwell: a perfect two-for-two with a run scored, plus she drew a walk. Addison Ward had a hit and scored two runs. Makaya Hennessy didn't have a hit but she drove in a run. Sadie Wright had a one-for-three showing and drew a walk. She drove in a run. 

Dru Stotesbery crossed home plate once. Hannah Gary went one-for-three and drew a walk. Hennessy had a sacrifice fly. 

Two Wolverines saw work from the pitching circle. Some sportswriters still say "on the mound" but there is no mound in softball of course. Sadie Wright and Jordan Wright pitched for the Wolverines. Jordan was the pitcher of record. She pitched three innings, struck out one and walked one. She gave up seven hits and four runs. Sadie had a pitching stint of four innings. She walked three batters and gave up nine hits and six runs. 

The line scores were ten runs, 16 hits and no errors for New Ulm Cathedral, 4-5-0 for the Wolverines. Certainly clean fielding throughout! 

No. 2 in state! Pretty historic for our friends to the west.

 

A toast to Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever! Basketball in June, how about that?

 

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

Women's basketball at inflection point

Caitlin Clark

Here we are talking basketball in June! Imagine the WNBA as the focal point. It's pretty close to having that status. We know the NBA playoffs seem to go on forever. And once your home state team loses, you're inclined to really put it on the back burner. To the point that it just doesn't matter. 

Yes we're happy for our Timberwolves here in Minnesota. But they're done. What lingers is the catchy phrase to promote Minny, coined by that Edwards player. I will remember that as much as anything. There's a taste issue but basketball players often talk at street level. We can consider it cute on that level. Is it on T-shirts? 

I haven't checked around Morris but are "Fever" T-shirts available? "Fever" goes with the WNBA and a particular individual. It would seem this summer is a turning point for the women's league of professional basketball. 

Amazing how this great USA turns out personalities who in a short time can end up on grocery store magazine covers. Or on "Saturday Night Live." In a free country such as ours, just about anything is possible. So this young woman from West Des Moines becomes the sudden attention magnet. Well, good for her, obviously. She is so totally unfazed just as all the "great ones" are. It has been said of pro athletes that they "have no fear of failure." 

Think of this Clark girl or woman, playing in her early games with the WNBA, looking at the basket from so far away and being ready to defy the odds once again. Send the ball on its arc. Knowing that the public's expectations are high. "What if I miss?" Seems she has no such thought. So she's a tried-and-true superstar. No fear. Ready to compete on anyone's terms. Even with the "prison rules" we sometimes see in pro women's basketball. She is not built particularly large. Is she up for it? 

 

Physicality

We ponder this as controversy has already arisen. We had the non-basketball play "shove" that sent CC down to the floor. The league got involved after the foul to make it more serious. I was never before familiar with the name of the fouling player. 

On the receiving end of the foul was that woman who might be on the cover of the grocery store magazines. Maybe it has already happened - I do not check. If it's not happening it would be a mighty good suggestion. Caitlin Clark, the girl or woman from West Des Moines IA, only 22 years old. Semi-famous last year, now having blossomed into the kind of mega celebrity that America can give us. 

We appear to be at a juncture now. Let's say the women's pro league is at a juncture. It would appear that now is the time to seize for making the WNBA at least semi-big time. No more getting by with just "polite" attention, as in "we need to pay attention to the women too." Can the women sustain themselves with their own talent, their own product? Can they eventually break off from the men's NBA, to no longer require the "subsidy?" 

Let's be direct here. My suggested answer would be "no." We follow it for the time being because we sense the potential. 

Never so high-profile as now

Through the early season I have been continually aware of when the Indiana Fever's next game is. I absolutely could not care about any other team, would not bother checking the upcoming matchups. Many of us to be polite or P.C. would say we are aware. We might experiment with trying. Can it go beyond the experiment? Or, as we get caught up in the demands and distractions of our day-to-day life, will we find it's out-of-mind? Everything, that is, except how CC is doing. 

We'll have the natural curiosity to see if there are some new highlight videos of CC making her extra-long shots or buzzer-beaters. Wherever she plays, she will always draw interest with those. 

 

Weighing race

The hugely uncomfortable question through all of this is: is there a racial factor? White people who would swear up and down they are not racist might nevertheless develop interest in CC on such terms. Call it subliminal. I might grant this is true. It's too hard to deny it. 

But I am forced to think deeper on this question: does race really play in? If yes, to an appreciable degree? One commentator of color said it's natural to be "attracted to people who are like us." 

But what appeal does CC project beyond her scoring and sheer skill? What if a young player of color came along capable of doing same, of making the incredibly long shots, the buzzer-beaters, and what if that player had the "entertainment instincts" that CC has? We might overlook that Clark indeed entertains beyond her sheer talents. She'd "work the crowd" at the Iowa arena. Just one example: holding up her hand to an ear to suggest  "you can cheer louder than that!" 

She showed such natural poise on "Saturday Night Live" we might have overlooked her sheer feel for the gig. So if a player of color came along with virtually all of CC's attributes, would the following be the same? Can't be sure. I think the appeal would be very high. 

 

Lucy Olsen: to Iowa from Villanova

Meanwhile back at Iowa

CC now has a successor in the star's role at Iowa: a transfer from Villanova. Her name is Lucy Olsen. A guard. A very accomplished player already. And with the name "Lucy Olsen" you might surmise she's white. She is! Remember the "Police Squad" movies that had O.J. Simpson as "Nordberg?" Laughs from the improbable name. Names can be "code." 

Iowa comes off as a Midwestern white bastion. Some might say "white bread." Home of Steve King the demonstrably bigoted politician. It is also home to Charles Grassley who is "exhibit A" for how office-holders stay at the dance too long. He's a candidate for being another Strom Thurmond. 

Iowa had a noteworthy player of color this past season: Hannah Stuelke. She was very important to the team's fortunes, scored 37 points in a game against Penn State. And she'll be back. One player of color might be considered a "token," alas.  

 

Again, physicality

The WNBA marches forward with an image that hasn't undergone too much revision. Too much "prison rules." An overwhelming perception of being heavily gay or lesbian. Can America start putting that imagery aside and begin to embrace the league as a premier level for the truly beautiful sport of basketball? 

Pro leagues can change the complexion of their games or product. Oh yes they can. Baseball adjusts its strike zone to regulate the amount of offense. In football the key is to give the 'O' linemen more latitude to give passers time, also to limit what the 'D' backs can do. Keep the level of offense and scoring high. The NFL let defense become too strong in the 1970s. Major League Baseball allowed pitching to get way too strong through the 1960s. But these things are wholly changeable. 

Women's pro basketball? Let's tamp down the prison rules aspect please. Promote the finesse and outside shooting of the premier guards. The big players can hunker down inside to get rebounds. Let's discourage the kind of "shove" that CC got, although I'm tempted to smile because I think it's possible CC "flopped." Just like a field goal kicker or punter might do in football when an opponent makes contact. CC the consummate competitor would do anything to get an edge, n'est-ce pas? 

But let's be honest: we'd like to see CC make the long rainbow shots. But it's important for the Fever to win. If the Fever can win even with CC averaging 10 points a game, her stock will still be high. If she averages 25 points but her team loses, that could become a problem. In the meantime let's continue to be amazed by how basketball can be a focal point sport in June!

 

Addendum: Sorry but I should have mentioned tattoos too. If CC had several of these and spoke in a monotone voice, my impression of her would drop some notches.

  

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