When making a bowl game was uphill battle

Don Riley used to write about Big 10 football as "the Big 2 and the Little 8." Riley has probably faded into the mists of time. At age 70 I remember the scribe well. 

Wrote the "Eye Opener" column for St. Paul Pioneer Press. 

I also remember growing up when the odds were high of seeing Michigan or Ohio State in the Rose Bowl football game. Most often against USC. Ohio State and Michigan were the "Big 2" of our Big 10 league. 

Riley incidentally would flunk the "political correctness" test today. His manner of writing about pro women golfers would be a museum exhibit for cringeworthy misogyny. People my age with a background in serious journalism will smile at such recollections. Or, the recollection of Riley writing about U of Wisconsin-River Falls as "Silo Tech." 

It would be a mistake to conclude that Riley had real animosity toward Wisconsin and Green Bay. It really was a kidding sort of thing. "There are two things to do in Green Bay, watch football and watch haircuts." 

Oh, I'm smiling. But I really have no tolerance for misogyny. No tolerance for example of how Riley would write that there was really only one pro golfer who he'd want to "share a rhumba with." Why am I lingering on this topic? Well I have been a serious journalist for sure. Riley represents something anachronistic and thus it's instructive. Ditto Halsey Hall. Everyone loved Halsey. I have written a song about him. 

Deeper into nostalgia: Our U of M football Gophers were hanging on to the prestige level in the early 1960s when I was in the early elementary grades. I have but a faint memory of the Gophers playing in the 1962 Rose Bowl. Years later it would be hard to believe we achieved that high in the recent past. We got buried among the pedestrian teams. It was quite the norm during my high school and young adult years. So in 1977 we were rather giddy about our beloved rodents when they made a bowl game again. 

It wasn't a famous bowl game. Rather the opposite by the standards of the time. But you must remember: those were different times and there were fewer bowl games, elusive games for qualifying. Well we cut the mustard in 1977, disco times in America. 

Our first bowl game since 1962 resulted in defeat in a game that probably was not entertaining for us folks. Score: 17-7. It was against Maryland. We might have sought a post-game pick-me-up with disco dancing! We had to wait eight more years for the Gophers to "go bowling" again. We made the 1985 Independence Bowl. 

 

Bowl win for today 

Fast-forward to the present. It is no novelty now for our rodents to make a bowl. We certainly did so in the current season. And we won over New Mexico. I was fortunate to be able to watch the game live on my laptop. 

These days we might actually complain if we reach a bowl that we feel is not prestigious enough. Such a big difference from the '70s, eh? Felt like reaching the summit of a mountain back then. We can feel thankful for the reality of today. Not to say there are not aspects of current big-time college football that are concerning. 

Actually there are times when I think the small colleges have it more fair and consistent, I mean colleges at the level of NDSU and SDSU. The big-time stuff with its prevalence of the almighty dollar is a work in progress. 

 

Morris nostalgia 

I miss the days when our UMN-Morris football team played in a more legitimate conference. In a long-ago time our Cougars played in the national playoffs and could travel far. The accomplishments were a feather in the cap for our community. I personally made the trip to Ithaca NY as journalist for the Morris Sun-Tribune newspaper. The Cougars were stopped in that game. 

The Cougars played in the NSIC Showcase at the Metrodome. I made the trip for that. Oh to be in the NSIC again. Oh to have legitimate-sounding opponents instead of the cult-like schools that are in our UMAC conference. I have been told with fixed affirmation that we cannot go back again. Well I'll keep stating my opinion on that anyway. 

UMM has a new chancellor now. I'm sure he will examine everything. Our athletic facilities are too nice for us to be a home site for the UMAC. You can't put a lipstick on a pig IMHO. 

 

Phantom fieldhouse 

Morris legend has it that the idea of a "fieldhouse" was once floated for our treasured UMM. Legend has it (or shall I say an old friend who worked there) that our chancellor Jack Imholte did not go along with the fieldhouse. Jack "The Silver Fox" whose title was Provost, equivalent to "Chancellor" now. 

We sure got a new football field. So did St. Cloud State, in 2004, and then SCSU went and canceled its football program! SCSU also got something that I have been advocating for in Morris. That's the "inflatable roof." What an asset! Softball teams from far and wide would be lined up to come here in late winter/early spring. Or even mid-spring! Imagine our softball Tigers being able to play games under perfect conditions right after basketball ends! We'd have to pinch ourselves to see if we're dreaming. 

It might seem like a dream for UMM football to travel out to Ithaca, New York. You sure realize you have left "Minnesota Nice." (Fans seemed temperamental.) 

Cal Stoll

I should acknowledge who the Gophers football coach was in 1977 for the Hall of Fame Bowl. It was Cal Stoll. The deck seemed kind of stacked against the guy in his years. I thought highly of him. But the Big 10 boiled down to the Big 2 and the Little 8, it really did. I felt the "academic" people got in the way at the U of M. Finally the powers-that-be decided there would be no more of that. 

The Gophers of today are fresh from winning in their "Rate Bowl" over New Mexico. Congratulations. The coach now is P.J. Fleck. Where the heck is Jerry Kill now? Following the Rate Bowl win I sent an email to my fellow UMM advocate Warrenn Anderson. I delve into stuff related to UMM in there. You never know what I might touch upon! I share:

 

Hello Warrenn - I was able to watch the Gophers game live on my laptop yesterday. So we lucked out and that's great. It was anybody's ballgame.

You can actually find an "AI overview" of the queer devil worshipers on the UMM campus. Opinions are divided on it, with the party line suggesting it was just "parody" but others suggesting it had a threatening and intimidating effect. Someone commented to one of my blog posts that our enrollment problems were actually impacted by this, rather hugely in fact.

I guess I would argue that parody or not, the existence of this group was a terrible "look" for UMM out here in western Minnesota. UMM had an over-arching reputation for pushing gay rights. The Star Tribune did an article on the queer devil worshipers. I used the term "gay devil worshipers." I would close my argument by saying that organizations of this type have nothing to do with the mission of UMM. 

The craziness from the political right was of course represented by the "Northstar" publication. And again, I would be very hard on Jacqueline Johnson for standing idly by while that publication was distributed on campus. "Northstar" had its own outside attorneys. I considered it a total embarrassment to UMM.

I imagine that UMM administrators have been getting tied up like pretzels with "legalistic" rationale for putting up with so much of the crazy stuff. What does UMM exist for? Will Rodriguez see things the way I do? Does the administration really have their hands tied for restricting a lot of the crazy stuff? If administration is not allowed to intervene and tamp down this stuff, the very future of the campus is endangered. The state does have a lot of money invested in this campus. 

It has gotten to where I think the legislature is putting us under scrutiny because it is state money that is invested here. I do not think the "regents" pursue accountability the way legislators would. I used to be in awe of the great "regents" of the U of M. But no longer.

Rodriguez has a mandate here that makes clear that UMM's "autonomy" from the standpoint of administration is done. It's toast. The U of M president is in the driver's seat now and that should scare us because it shows that UMM is under real pressure to perform. And if we can't cut it? Well the legislature will have something to say about that.

Rodriguez said "I serve at the pleasure of the president." He has got to make something happen.

This holiday season has been very hard on me. Too many disruptions for accommodating the "holidays." DeToy's closed three days last week, one of them being for Monson's funeral. Now I have to wonder if they'll be closed two days this coming week for New Year's. I don't even want to ask about that. I will resume going to DeToy's on the Monday after the damn holidays are completely over. I am upset about this. DeToy's has continually reduced its hours over the last few years. Food costs are so high. Can this always be passed on to customers? I went to Don's last night and their cardreader wasn't working. I did have some cash on me. But I'm less likely to go to Don's now. The great fall-back I suppose will be Willie's. But I like the socialization that comes with visiting restaurants. It's about all I have now. I have quit First Lutheran Church because it was rapidly dying. I consider it dead already.

It is possible that I'll plug in my refrigerator and start having all meals at home. But I'll be a damn hermit. I don't want that. Mark Torgerson said I'm welcome at Faith Lutheran. We'll see.

Rodriguez has said he will be visiting public schools out in our area to see about the perception of UMM. He will find of course: UMM is perceived as a cultural reflection of the big bad Twin Cities. And this alienates a lot of families out here.

I completely lost the Christmas spirit, what with the way Trump was talking over Christmas. He considers Democratic voters "scum" and he said as much right on Christmas Day. I took down my Christmas lights. We can blame the Christian church of America for Donald Trump.

- BW

Riley Asmus shoots perfect in 80-58 triumph

It is a joy for me to write about MACA activities when I can. So on this Christmas Eve Day 2025, let's acknowledge that the MACA boys basketball team is undefeated at 6-0! The last game before the holiday break showed the squad in typical command. This was an 80-58 win over West Central Area at home. 

It took a couple days but I finally discovered that the game stats are on Maxpreps. The Tigers led 39-26 at halftime. 

Four individuals scored in double figures led by Riley Asmus and his 19 points. Wow, Riley was a perfect 8-for-8 in field goals! 

Ben Tiernan and Alex Asmus each recorded 12 points. Ben shot 5 of 8 and Alex was 5 of 14. Tyson Grove contributed ten points on 4 of 9 shooting. Jonah Huebner was good on four of his six shots and had nine points. Also with nine was Jack Kehoe, four of six in shooting. Here are the rest of the totals: Tanner Friesen 4, Drake Asmus 2, Mason Koehl 2 and Bryce Hardy 1. I'm typing some new names here. 

Let's get to the story in 3-pointers: The Tigers were cool in this department as they went 4 of 14. Grove made two from beyond the arc. Tiernan and Alex Asmus made the other two. In freethrows the team numbers were eight of 18. Riley Asmus made three freethrows. 

Rebounds! MACA collected 29 boards with nine being offensive. Kehoe and Alex Asmus were top individuals with nine and eight respectively.

Alex Asmus led in assists with four. Huebner set the pace in steals with five. Kehoe had our only shot block.

 

It's Christmas Eve

Today is Christmas Eve Day, and joy ought to be the prevailing feeling. For most of my life it has been. I tried continuing the tradition in this year of 2025. It would be nice to assume some things we have counted on through the past. I am age 70 and have lived through countless Christmases where things slowed down for the holidays and the prevailing feeling was of love and charity. 

Two days ago I began putting away my Christmas decorations. I never really had my heart in putting them up to begin with. The morning's headlines are getting worse by the day. On this Christmas Eve morning I just cannot believe it: all the stuff coming out re. Donald Trump at the head of our government. Such unvarnished evil. It's Germany of the 1930s redux. We are experiencing it in real time. 

Corruption of the faith

Maybe like the boiling frog, we cannot adjust to the reality or accept it. We don't really have our arms wrapped around what Trump represents, do we? Our congressperson is totally loyal to Trump and MAGA. We elected her. It is on us. 

One of the most outspoken local Republicans - not only a supporter of DJT but also a virulent critic of Democrats - was so iconic at the time of his recent death, businesses shut down for his funeral. Surely no business would shut down for mine. I'm talking about Dean Monson incidentally. I envy people who are so popular as he was. 

Increasingly I am simply isolated. Well I have been able to deal with it. I have a certain resiliency, probably due to being Scandinavian. That's what Mom would say. She always described herself as a "tough Swede." Me? I'm half Norwegian and half Swedish. 

I understand the basic Republican philosophy quite well. I did some reading on my own after college. So I know the Republican or "conservative" philosophy has its place. Even Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC has said that. But oh, what we are seeing from Trump and his top people now hardly resembles the real Republican Party. Mitt Romney is more reflective of the real deal. And his stock was once so high in the party, he was the nominee for president! John McCain too. 

Now we have Trump who is successfully becoming a full-on authoritarian. He makes new threats in this morning's headlines. Right on Christmas Eve Day. I would have to try to protect my mother from even learning about some of this stuff. She and I attended First Lutheran Church over years when the church managed to have a weekly Sunday service in its own building. Today this ELCA church in Morris is basically dead. 

America has given rise to the extreme fundamentalist churches that call themselves "Christian." And this element of America, always growing, has given Trump his power to scare the hell out of all of us. It rolls on day after day. It gets worse. Our congressperson cannot stop fawning over Trump. We have chosen this. 

And so I have began removing all my Christmas decorations well before the Eve even arrives. I had nick-nack type decorations around the home, very nice. And I did this despite the fact I live alone and no one else would see them. It would be nice to have just one visitor. But it's not so easy to get what you want. I sought inner peace with my decorations. 

The puzzle that Mom and I made

I made a jigsaw puzzle that Mom and I used to work on during the holidays. It's a beautiful winter scene with cardinal birds in the foreground. I disassembled the puzzle and put it away. I have stopped turning on the colored outdoor lights. 

It is the Christian faith that has given us the nightmare specter of Donald Trump. He grows more desperate by the day, probably backed into a corner by the revelations slowly - painfully slowly - coming out about Epstein. And once he becomes totally cornered, desperate, what is he going to do with all his power? 

We are bombarded with the most depressing headlines right on Christmas Eve Day. I assure you it never used to be like this at all. Christmas was quiet with peace, love and charity. It has become something I do not recognize now. It reflects the "new" Christian faith of America which is about hate, prejudice and reprisals. All this is bitterly expressed. 

And the people out here in rural America seem not to care hardly at all. We close our businesses to honor the memory of someone who was 100 percent MAGA. This is our new reality. I do believe that the true spirit of Christianity will prevail in the end. But what kind of ordeals will be experienced between now and then? Look how Germany ended up by the mid-1940s. 

I probably won't be around. There may be a purge. I think it has already started. I will say "peace" for whatever it is worth. Merry Christmas? I'm not so much in a mood to say that.

   

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

MACA basketball cruises toward holidays

MACA boys basketball rumbles forward with not a single loss yet. Five games played, five wins recorded. Is this a prelude to what we'll see when things get going after the holidays? You know, teams really don't get that much of a break for the Christmas holiday, if I may use the word "Christmas." The Tigers will play again on Friday against West Central Area at home. 

The January action starts with a game on the 6th at Minnewaska Area. The squad improved to 5-0 last night (Tuesday) with a win here vs. Melrose. Success came 79-42, pretty convincing. Prior to that we enjoyed the Saturday win at Blackjack country of Dawson-Boyd. Love that nickname. 

Legend has it that the Dawson-Boyd communities came close to joining Lac qui Parle Valley when the new cooperative started. D-B backed away. And they've been thankful for that decision ever since, or so I understand. But on Saturday their boys hoops team was on the losing end vs. our surging orange and black. Our other three wins have come over Montevideo, Osakis and New London-Spicer. 

 

Girls face BOLD next

The MACA girls have had a spotty record so far. Limited highlights. They lost their last two games. Most recently they fell to the Albany Huskies 57-47 at Albany. The Tigers' wins have been over Melrose and Litchfield. And uh-oh the Tigers have a huge challenge awaiting them on Thursday. They will host the BOLD Warriors, a team that recently defeated Montevideo 114-21! Gulp. 

Well we hope our Tigers can hold their own. We're not assuming anything. As ESPN's Chris Berman is known to say, "that's why they play the game." Look out for BOLD's Lilly Henriksen, quite the prolific scorer. 

There's plenty of game action remaining before the holiday break. On the day after the BOLD game, the MACA girls will host the WCA Knights. I presume the Knights are still coached by Becca Holland. I'll ask again: why couldn't we get her to coach here? She's a former Tiger. She was one of those players who always had to be identified by her first name. Her sister was Beth. The first initial was not enough for those girls! Becca's Knights won the state title last year. 

On December 22 the MACA girls will host Eden Valley-Watkins. And then finally Christmas arrives! But action resumes pronto after Christmas. So on the 29th, the Tigers will vie in a tournament at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton. They will be joined by D-G-F and Warren-Alvarado-Oslo. From way up north!

 

Jonah Huebner

Check on Maxpreps!

This is like a Christmas gift for me! I could jump up and click my heels together. I just discovered this morning that MACA game data is on the Maxpreps website! Yes, stats from Tuesday night and the previous game as well (boys). I know this has been done in the past but not with 100 percent consistency. 

We can see and appreciate the individual contributions in these wins. So I am more than delighted here to report on the Melrose game. Yes, the 79-42 win that pushed our record to 5-0. We led 36-25 at halftime. And the second half story was a 43-17 scoring advantage. 

Four Tigers scored in double figures. Junior Alex Asmus led the charge with 20 points on 7 of 10 field goal shooting. Seniors Tyson Grove and Riley Asmus each scored 16 points. Tyson shot six of nine and Riley was seven of eleven. Senior Jonah Huebner put in ten points on 5 of 8. All in all very efficient shooting. 

Four other Tigers contributed to the point total: Ben Tiernan 7, Jack Kehoe 5, Bryce Hardy 3 and Tanner Friesen 2. 

The story in 3-pointers was impressive for MACA: 10 of 21 with Grove and Alex Asmus leading the charge, each with four. Grove and Asmus were both 4 of 6. Hardy made his only 3-point attempt. Tiernan was one-for-three. 

In freethrows the Tigers shot 7 for 12. On to rebounds! The Tigers had 30 total, eleven offensive. Alex Asmus and Huebner led with six each. Jonah dished out five assists to lead there. Alex Asmus had four. The Tigers stole the ball 13 times. Tiernan and Hardy were tops with three each. Kehoe blocked three shots. 

Whoever submitted the stats to Maxpreps, thanks and happy holidays!

 

Addendum: I get reminded so often of the challenges in processing prep sports info, like the need to be aware of when siblings are on a team. A very common thing! So you have to distinguish in your mind between the two. With MACA I have to be aware of the Asmus boys, Alex and Riley. Actually I don't know for a fact that they are brothers. They could be relatives with same last name. The Witts with Alexandria basketball are not brothers, they are cousins.

As I note in the main post, Becca and Beth Holland had to be identified by more than their first initials back when they played! Sometimes the Willmar people will forget there's more than one player with the same last name on a team. Can't say I have never committed that oversight myself! 

Keep in mind that I am now 70 years old. I passed my cognitive test at SCMC, you know, where you have to draw the face of a clock and then get the hands in the right place for a particular time. Oh, and they'll recite three words for you and then check a couple minutes later to see if you can recite them from memory! I said to the nurse, "if I can't remember these, it does not mean I'm having cognitive problems!" I was able to do it this time. I do not look forward to this in the future. I was supposed to have a colonoscopy by now but I am not close enough friends with anyone to arrange for the ride home which is required. I canceled out. I still have the option of doing it. 

   

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

BOLD gaining notice in girls basketball

The BOLD school district may have issues with finances - there's a criminal investigation afoot - but any dour mood created by that is offset by extracurricular success. The Warriors of girls basketball were phenomenal in their win over Montevideo. 

This was the kind of game where the loser might be bitter afterward. However, I'm not sure if coaches or fans still make an issue of (alleged) "running up the score." It's a difficult concept to grasp. It is not prima facie unethical to go out there, give 100 percent and employ the skills instilled in practice. And then to win by a whopper margin. Well is it? 

People may disagree on that. I suspect that the sensitivity re. this is not as great as it once was. But it's just my sense. It has been 20 years since I was involved in the community press. Prep sports undergoes an evolution just as all our institutions do. 

Let's look at the score for when those BOLD Warriors defeated Montevideo on Friday. Holy cow, it was 114-21! 

I knew BOLD was good because they had beaten Minnewaska Area. I wasn't wholly surprised. But I was surprised to an extent. A BOLD vs. Minnewaska re-match would certainly be met with anticipation. I wish Morris could reach that level. The Tigers were defeated by Osakis 50-29 Friday at home. 

 

Delicacy with words 

The West Central Tribune had a headline that proclaimed that BOLD "blasted" Monte. Heh heh, you have to be a little careful with your headline after a game like this. Jim Morrison laughed about this once. He noticed a newspaper headline where the writer was on the verge of being sadistic! Amusing, yes, but be careful. 

I remember getting some nasty feedback when I wrote an article where I said the winning team won in a "laugher." Oh, and I got a concerned comment from a superior once after using the term "snakebit." A team has been snakebit if it lost several close games. In other words, bad luck or fortune. I'm not sure I mollified the editor. 

We had certain Morris teams struggle in the 1980s. As a "scribe" you had to be careful about falling into a pattern of making things seem glum. I mean, the truth hurts. One of the coaches with whom I had rapport advised me that when things looked glum, "give credit to the opponents." Don't be down on Morris, just "give credit to the opponents." 

Eventually I figured that the preferred solution would be to get certain programs going a little better. And then I got in trouble for that too. 

So let's give credit here to the BOLD Warriors! Good luck to them on getting the school finances straightened out. That's a dull subject. Unless of course you're one of those paying taxes into the place. A surging basketball team brings nothing but joy, n'est-ce pas? 

Now I'm in my wheelhouse, writing about a winning basketball team! The home fans at Bird Island enjoyed the action. I suppose none of you remember the famous bumper sticker of years ago: "Where the hell is Bird Island?" 1970s nostalgia. 

 

("Elks Hoop Shoot" image)

A "laugher," yes

BOLD led Monte 72-13 at halftime! 

Four players finished in double figures scoring for BOLD. The list starts with Lilly Henriksen pouring in 38 points. Then we see Ema Flann with 22, Kya Elfering 14 and Erika Martinson  11. Here's the rest of the scoring parade: Elin Elfering 7, Mya Kingery 6, Kenley Elfering 6, Lila Beckler 5, Abby King 5 and Piper O'Neill 1. 

Six different Warriors succceded from 3-point range led by Martinson with three. Flann, Henriksen and Kingery each made two, and Beckler and Elfering each made one from beyond the arc. 

Flann led in rebounds with six. Zoey Lippert grabbed four rebounds as did Kya Elfering. Flann and Henriksen had eight and six assists respectively. Henriksen showed an aggressive caliber of play to get eleven steals. Flann and Martinson each had five steals. King blocked two shots. 

BOLD fans will have a most content Christmas holiday time! I wouldn't want to be the person who committed funny stuff with the school $. What a tangled web we weave. An AI overview:

 

The BOLD (Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian) School District in Minnesota faced a significant financial crisis, revealing a ~$700,000 budget shortfall in early 2025 due to transportation/payroll overruns and unpaid vendor bills, leading to a police investigation and forensic audit into former business manager Amy Schmidt, who resigned amid allegations of personal use of district funds (like lap desks) and financial mismanagement, with the district implementing new financial controls and seeking to fix the issues. 

 

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

'Waska on a roll again even with one loss

Who can stop the Lakers? Well actually one team can. I almost did a double-take as I checked the "Minnesota Scores" page for the 'Waska GBB team. Yes the Lakers are virtually pummeling nearly all their opponents. They were fourth in state last year and appear not to have missed a beat. But they are mortal! We can see that on Dec. 2 they were defeated by the BOLD Warriors. The score was 78-74 at 'Waska. 

The fans must have been stunned. These are not routine times for the BOLD district. There is a criminal investigation of school district finances. Fortunately there is some joy there too. So nice for the Christmas season I guess! 

'Waska has played four games total as I write this early Thursday a.m. 'Waska really turned on the jets when defeating LQPV, Montevideo and Litchfield. A big test for my MACA Tigers will come on Jan. 15 when they host Minnewaska. 

I suppose MACA fans do not appreciate me reminding of the game last year when the Lakers led the Tigers 58-4 at halftime! I wonder if our athletic director called the coach in for a little discussion after that game. I would hope he did. It needn't have a nasty tone, just a nice constructive discussion about what happened. 

'Waska will host our Tigers in a re-match for the final regular season game, Feb. 17. 

While BOLD has its own messy school district issues, 'Waska's problem is one of being unable to pass a referendum. I have had plenty to say about that. The State of Minnesota decided long ago "no more cornfield high schools." But the 'Waska school had been built by then. 

 

'Tis the season? 

We are rapidly approaching Christmas. I sense less enthusiasm than normal about the holiday. I'm sure some people would disagree with me. Our nation takes on a gloomy image as we continue to be led by Donald Trump. Trump would never have gained power were it not for the nation's "Christians." And Christmas of course revolves around Christianity. 

We don't even know the date of Christ's birth. Christmas began as a pagan holiday. I am starting to think that being a pagan or at least an agnostic isn't so bad. People like me do not have the blinders on from being so heavily influenced by Trump and his "evangelical" supporters. If this man symbolizes Christianity (which he apparently does), then I want nothing to do with it. 

I personally think Jesus Christ stands for virtuous things. I'd be happy walking hand-in-hand with Him. The problem is that MAGA has bastardized the Christian faith in America, perverted it. I can observe and share my views - that's all I can do. And why can't the Epstein files be released? Or, the full video of the boat sinking? 

I have always had issues with Christianity. As a child my family attended church where the pastor was a Nixon Republican. This was during the Vietnam war and its draft. You wouldn't be reading my thoughts today if I'd been killed in Vietnam. The lucky ones were killed instantly, not taken prisoner. The U.S. lost the war. Saigon fell in 1975. 

So many years of absolute hell and for what? Why couldn't we have just enjoyed life in America? Let our young men chase their dreams, start families, not get gunned down in war. 

My childhood church was First Lutheran in Morris. 

Shall I say "Merry Christmas" in this season of 2025? Why yes, I shall. "Merry Christmas."

 

Lakers 74, Litchfield 38

The Monday story had the home team fans cheering lustily at the 'Waska gym. There the Lakers pummeled the Dragons of Litchfield with an array of weapons that included 3-pointers. The Lakers rained 3-pointers as they made 10 of 18 in the first half alone. Their total harvest for the game was 13. 

The game was basically over at halftime, score of 55-17. 

'Waska had a "big three" in the scoring list. Leading the way was Kendall Danielson with 16 points. Berlynn Green put in 15 and Alia Randt 14. Lauryn Ankeny had her role with eight points. Allie Mrnak and Jayda Kolstoe each scored five. Carly Jergenson contributed three. These four Lakers each put in two: Olivia Danielson, Phemie Oeltjen, Aubrey Polzin and Nori Song. 

Kendall built her team-leading total by making 3's, four of them in all. Green and Randt each launched three 3-pointers. Mrnak, Kolstoe and Jergenson each made one. 

In rebounds the leaders were Ankeny with six and Polzin with four. In assists the pace was set by Olivia Danielson with six and Ankeny with four.  The always-aggressive Ankeny topped steals with eight. She also blocked two shots.

 

Lauryn Ankeny, whiz with steals

Lakers  86, Montevideo 33

The Lakers looked very comfortable at the home of the Thunder Hawks, Montevideo. It was a night for Lauryn Ankeny to shine in particular as she showed impact in several phases of play. I have written before that this Laker seems "all over the court." The MACA Tigers had better have a plan to try to contain her. Against Monte she had 22 points, seven steals, eight rebounds and two shot blocks. 

Three other Lakers joined Ankeny scoring in double figures: Alia Randt and Allie Mrnak each scored 12, Kendall Danielson with ten. The rest of the list: Olivia Danielson 8, Aubrey Polsin 7, Berlynn Green 4, Jayda Kolstoe 4, Haillie Schulz 3, Nori Song 2, Phemie Oeltjen 2. 

Mrnak connected three times from 3-point range. Kendall Danielson made two long-rangers while Polzin and Schulz each had one. Ankeny attacked the boards for eight rebounds. Randt dished out five assists. Ankeny was at it with steals again, recording seven, and Song had four. And Ankeny blocked two shots.

 

There is a whole strong school of thought that the story of the "virgin birth" of Christ was the result of a bad translation. Did you know that the "little drummer boy" is not in the Bible?

   

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

Reminders of UMM's heady early days

Pat Tanner

Two names from UMM's distant past are in the obituaries now. Seems extra sad when it happens in the Christmas holiday season. But indeed the certainty of death cannot be stopped. 

I knew the Tanner family especially well. They had children who graduated from Morris High in the '70s. Pat Tanner was the clerical person for Jack Imholte, "The Silver Fox." Secretary? Administrative assistant? The terminology ought not matter too much. 

I remember when Pat had a son on a high-climbing Tiger baseball team. Dr. Imholte reportedly got a little agitated by all the game commitments (distractions) that were piling up. Oh I'm sure it wasn't serious agitation. But we can understand the feeling about how high school sports just gets overwhelming sometimes. Lots of games and - ahem - high expectations placed on the media for bestowing proper attention. Now, why would that angle concern me so much? 

The happy parents fill their calendars with all of this. Congrats to them because such achievements are praiseworthy. Well, with maybe an asterisk attached. Maybe the excitement about high school sports starts to overwhelm other aspects of school life and the variety of talents that kids display. No need to radically change anything, just pause for a moment to realize that sports should be appreciated in its own limited context. 

Well, fat chance of that sinking in. 

Oh, the anecdote about Imholte and the Tanner boy has "The Silver Fox" saying to Pat, "well, next I suppose they'll make nationals!" Cute. 

The Tanner boy was younger than me but there was another Tanner in my MAHS class. That was Jeff. He really got established as a high school baseball coach at ACGC. I had the pleasure of photographing a smiling Jeff standing at the edge of the dugout at Chizek Field. Sometimes I'd go out of my way a little for old high school peers. "Hometown boy makes good." 

Jeff was on the 1973 high school basketball team that won the old "District 21" title. My generation grew up with "District 21." Our basketball nemesis was the Breckenridge Cowboys who I'm sure made all of us resent the color green. At my advanced age now I look back with regret about the intensity of regional sports rivalries. Way too much emotion, did not reflect the best in human nature. My exposure to this got even worse through my newspaper career.

 

Progress 

I am much more distant with my perspective today. But for what it's worth I sense we're more calm and civilized now. Let's examine factors. I can suggest the creation of the 4-class system for high school tournament sports. I realize that the premise in the movie "Hoosiers" was cute but in reality, the small schools had very rough going trying to climb in tournaments. Some natural resentment toward the big schools resulted. 

Did anyone outside of Austin MN root for that team against Edgerton? And I have always thought that was sad. The guys with Austin just wanted to play basketball, to try hard to win. They were the "heavies." Edgerton defied the odds and won. But really, how often did this type of thing actually happen? Maybe there's a defense to be made of "only in America." Ah, where the little guy "can do it." Technically true. 

Maybe it's a rallying cry from political conservatives who try to rationalize our economic system with its rich/poor dichotomy.  It's getting worse now, isn't it? 

"Anyone can make it." Pulls at your heartstrings. 

 

Fairness but more travel

With the schools carved into more enrollment-based divisions, it means that when the post-season gets going, odds are for the teams to have to travel more - sometimes significantly further - to get matched up against comparable-sized schools. This wiped away the petty rivalries of small towns vs. other nearby small towns. Obviously many schools consolidated. 

We're still charmed by "Hoosiers." But that's Hollywood. 

The onerous travel burden is sometimes faced early in the post-season schedule. An example was when the Morris football team had to go to Fairmont down by the Iowa border for the first game. Jerry Witt was our coach then. I was not required to make that trip. But I could have been. It would not have been cool for me to protest. 

Once Forum Communications bought the Morris newspaper, the management people sucked in their cheeks because "it was tight." The years of the Morrison ownership by contrast were relaxed. Well you can sense what I preferred. And it's not like the Forum was a business success here - it was the opposite. Today I don't think the braintrust with the Morris paper have cheeks sucked in. 

My family was good friends with neighbor Les Lindor who had been chairman of the Morris school board. He was over for coffee and a snack one day and he expressed concern about high school sports teams having to travel so far. This was during the regular season too. 

A football game at Thief River Falls? Something even more concerning IMHO: games in far-away places starting at 7 or 7:30 at night. Playoff football at Pillager? Too concerning from the standpoint of people having to drive home so late in the blackness of night, often feeling exhaustion from the game. 

 

A family affair 

Pat Tanner's husband Jim was a dedicated promoter of youth sports. I remember when the whole Tanner family came to the P.E. Annex on the UMM campus for an "open gym" in the mid-1960s. The Annex was located where the (newer) science building is now. The early UMM basketball team played its games there. 

There was no women's basketball in the earliest days. When did it get going? Well I know for the high school it was 1971-72. I once thought it was a year later than that, but then I remembered Leatrice Tomoson playing, wearing one of those red jumpsuit-style uniforms of the time. Leatrice graduated in 1972. She's one of those women about whom we'd think: Man if she was in high school today, what a prime candidate to play at a high collegiate level. 

Girls sports was so fledgling in the early '70s. And as it made strides competitively speaking, Morris High did not keep up. This really frustrated me. And if I started expressing concern about that, the very people who should have agreed with me turned their anger toward me. The idea, I guess, was that I was promoting this win-lose criterion which contradicted the higher purpose of "academics." 

Various people associated with UMM were notorious for thinking in such a way. Oh, they felt it essential that girls/women get equal resources. But to stress competitive success? They demurred on that. I know full well that winning is never guaranteed. But the challenge of trying to win is what undergirds these activities. I suppose people who are liberal politically have problems with that - it contradicts their egalitarian ethos. 

The latter sounds alien to today's culture. Conservatism has advanced so far, it is mutating in various ways.

 

It's better today 

The people associated with UMM today are to be blessed. From my perspective they no longer put on "effete" airs of being superior to everyone else, of claiming the right to lecture everyone else. OK they're humbled. UMM people have gotten humbled so far, they now have to fear serious cutbacks in the place. Maybe closure of the place? The new chancellor vows "no." When he has to assert this as such a strong statement, it makes you wonder. 

What matters is the attitude of the people at the Twin Cities campus. They always hold all the cards. My late father always understood that. He had a long background with the Twin Cities braintrust. 

 

Arden Granger

Rest in peace 

Pat Tanner RIP. Arden Granger RIP. Very important names from the heady early days of our campus. Never to be forgotten. 

Pat was on my list for my annual Christmas email greetings, greetings which for several years included original songs I wrote and had recorded. She was one of those recipients who'd always respond to that. My heart was warmed. Time passes and we all go through the same passages of life. The conclusion comes the same way for all of us. 

God has granted me some extra years of life. Maybe I should say "Dr. Sam" has granted me some extra years of life. Well, they can share on that. Thanks to both. 

I look out the picture window facing north at my residence and it looks like a Christmas card on this Saturday morning. It was through this window that I observed 2-3 coyotes recently. A nice illustration of how we're so remote compared to the Twin Cities campus of the U. 

Remember the sign at the old HHH Metrodome? "We like it here."

 

Addendum: Reflecting further on how the very small towns could sometimes beat the big ones in sports - very rarely - I'm reminded of John Candy in an old SCTV skit. He played a boxer, a heavy underdog for a fight. He said "I have to go out there and show all the little people that they have a chance." Then he went out there and got knocked out on the first punch.

 

Addendum #2: I remember Jim Tanner getting the P.A. announcer microphone for when UMM played in the Northern Sun football showcase at the Metrodome, Minneapolis. This was during the Jim Lind coaching regime. We beat our opponent convincingly. I say "Northern Sun" but maybe we were still the "Northern Intercollegiate Conference." The name became "Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference." 

You might suspect what I'll say next: that it's a crying shame the Cougars can't still be Northern Sun. Experts tell me "it can't happen." Well the Hickory Huskers weren't supposed to win it all either. UMM should not take its setbacks sitting down. Today the Cougars play many teams representing oddball schools. 

Jim Tanner took over the mic at the Metrodome and said "Welcome to the Metrodome, home of the UMM Cougars!" 

In later years I would cover the Chokio-Alberta football team at the Metrodome as it won championships. Today coach Neal Hofland comes to DeToy's Restaurant in the mornings. He loved having his C-A teams run the "toss sweep" play!

 

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

Cougars defeat Martin Luther of Wisconsin Synod

Interesting or ironic that a totally secular place like UMN-Morris has sports opponents that wear religion on their sleeve. It's interesting to just look up these opponents sometimes. Any UMM win is a pleasure to report. Although, I might want to attach an asterisk to when we beat "Trinity Bible." 

Well last Monday saw the Cougars take on another school with a religious purpose. And that was "Martin Luther." Let's emphasize first off that we won the game 88-81. The action was here at the Gremmels court. A fun night I'm sure for the Cougar faithful. The institution needs as much good news as it can get. 

I wonder if the new chancellor is already at work with some stuff. I do believe there is urgency. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the Oyate building. "Turtle Mountain Cafe" has a new name, doesn't it? 

I can't let a game against Martin Luther pass without checking to see just what the opposing school stands for. Minnesota is such a Lutheran place. 

One might assume that the Martin Luther school is a benign and virtuous place, virtuous just like all our Lutheran friends in the Upper Midwest. Are we talking about the mainstream of Lutheranism? Despite its struggles and its decline, the ELCA is still mainstream. But wait, this is not the synod represented by the "Martin Luther" school. There are fringe factions within Lutheranism. Darn Lutherans, we cannot be like the Catholics who are monolithic and can thus retain their strength. Look how Assumption Catholic Church represents the Morris area. 

 

Diffuse 

But Lutherans fan out in various ways. This would appear to be a problem for all churches trying to remain stable. We would appear to have exhibit 'A' in Morris with First Lutheran no longer able to offer a weekly Sunday service. Half of the time these people are now required to go to the Methodist church. 

Can the barriers within Lutheranism come down? There's the Missouri Synod in contrast to the ELCA. Oh my we have the "rebels" against the ELCA having concentrated out in the Good Shepherd church. Good Shepherd is north of Morris on the windswept countryside. Aren't these the people who once did the "WordAlone" thing? I'd see the notices for "WordAlone" when I was with the Morris newspaper. And I thought it was just a benign little religious gathering, well-intentioned toward all. Well I eventually learned it was not well-intentioned toward the ELCA. These people were fomenting the uprising. 

The CW seems to indicate that Good Shepherd is in financially great shape. Apparently lots of deep pockets people there. Then again, I have learned never to totally believe what I hear about the various churches' financial standing. 

 

Oh the gays 

The ELCA's generous stance for gay people about drove the WordAlone people out of their minds. Personally I don't like to see any church get involved with positions on "sexual preference." While I believe in the gentle approach toward gays, we must be wary of gay people's tendency to push outwardly hard for their interests. It's "gay activism." 

 

Out of school maybe? 

Getting back to the subject of the "Martin Luther" college, no, do not think this is ELCA at all. It is the Wisconsin Synod of the Lutheran faith. Just a harmless little spinoff from the Lutheran faith? Well I don't know. The Wisconsin Synod sticks its neck out on something that I do not think is worth their trouble. In fact I feel it is highly contrary to their best interests. 

Michelle Bachmann

Churchgoing everywhere appears in retreat. So I'm bewildered that the Wisconsin Synod asserts their belief that the Pope is the antichrist. Remember the congressperson Michelle Bachmann of Minnesota? She had to leave her Wisconsin Synod church once she saw that this controversial aspect would be a millstone around her neck. So the Wisconsin Synod lost a congressperson. 

Our community of Morris does have a Wisconsin Synod church. I know the pastor is a talented person. Makes me wish he was inclined to be in the ELCA. The ELCA continues to have good intentions with everything. Maybe it can strike a balance: assert that gays have rights without caving to those who get real loud on the subject. I'm as turned off as anyone by the loud stuff. But I wouldn't depart from the ELCA for this reason. 

Well, I have actually departed. I departed recently because I did not like the abruptness of the announcement that we'd have to spend half of our time at the local Methodist/UCC church. And nothing against the Methodist/UCC church. At least I'm not aware of anything theologically that I would reject. But I had become discouraged by the steady stages of decline of the once-proud First Lutheran Church of Morris. 

I'm old enough that I remember when First Lutheran was a primary faith leader in Stevens County with two services on Sundays. Nobody called us "liberal" or "political." We weren't really Bible thumping conservatives or reactionaries either. Goldilocks? Well maybe. 

My problem with church when I was a kid was boredom. Today that's a non-factor. My metabolism has slowed down! I would have been happy to continue supporting FLC indefinitely. But the writing has been on the wall. Now it's over in terms of FLC having a weekly Sunday service at our own building - a pretty minimal thing to want or expect. 

Good Shepherd drained from the ELCA churches. We still have the fringe Lutheran churches of the Missouri Synod and Wisconsin Synod. For the UMM Cougars to play Martin Luther reminded me of the Wisconsin Synod. First of course I had to look up the background. That's the thing about UMM being in the UMAC: we play oddball schools that stand for various things. I brought this up in the interview I did with the UMM athletic director when we first switched to the UMAC. I asked if we might sense a schism: UMM's rigid secularism vs. God-knows-what may be coming at us with our new opponents. 

Goodbye Moorhead State. Hello Oak Hills Christian. No, Oak Hills Christian is not in the UMAC, but it shows up on the UMM men's basketball schedule. Oak Hills Christian? It's from way up north and it's known as the most anti-gay college in the U.S.! Coming here to play UMM at a bastion of gay support. Well yes, that's what UMM is, or has been. Maybe our new chancellor will see the need to tamp down a lot of that stuff. Tamp down the zealous political causes of all kinds. 

 

"People lovers" 

Many of us probably know that the Martin grocery store family of Morris - the "people lovers" - worship in the Wisconsin Synod. Did good ol' Willie even know that his church considered the Pope to be the antichrist? I personally doubt it. 

Willie's is "the people lovers" and it assuredly loves Catholics along with everyone else. A highlight of my summer was to get blessed by Fr. Alan Wielinski at the funeral for Shirley O'Keefe. I have always felt affection for the local Catholics. Man, I hadn't seen Father Alan since I left the Morris newspaper. Seeing him took me back in time. He's one of those people who only knew me in the newspaper context. I'd like to bless him too!

   

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