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| An image for the ages. |
Oh but money moves a great deal, reveals a great deal. Remember how Chris Voelz used to chafe at a lot of people at the U of Minnesota? The passage of time has been kind to her. We can see that women's athletics really needed assertive leaders. Assertive leaders to get women where they're at today. Indeed there is no need for women's sports advocates to ever feel defensive again.
We had Mary Holmberg here in Morris who was sort of our answer to Voelz. Yes a dogged advocate. And at least once, she thought I might have given girls short shrift with things like article placement and headlines. Silly rabbit, these issues don't really amount to much. I'd be thinking that any page in the paper is a good page. I'd really mean that.
Headlines? Back when the Morris newspaper published twice a week, which was through my whole 27-year tenure there, it could be a little like sausage-making. I'd grab a sheet of paper to write a bunch of headlines with the clock staring me in the face. Hey, I thought we did yeoman's work under the circumstances.
Today I look at the Morris paper at our wonderful library. Which reminds me, former library director Melissa Yauk's birthday is coming up April 12. I learned her birthday back when we were in Sons of Norway. She's in Idaho today. I had some chemistry with her. However I am profoundly scared when it comes to women. Freudian maybe? Well hell I'm getting off the point here.
My main point is that money is underscoring, totally, the full arrival of women's athletics, lest there was any doubt. We heard a couple days ago that tickets for the women's college basketball Final 4 were going for double the men! Man, the fairer sex ought to be high-fiving. Join right in Mary Holmberg. No need to act like an advocate any more, Mary. The girls are "selling" their own activities, their own talents.
In the fall I prefer volleyball over football. Well you can stay warm for one thing! But mainly it's preferable because we don't have to worry about the athletes knocking their brains out. The winter season? I was prepared to say here that girls have the advantage of not being in wrestling, a sport that has urges for losing weight.
But wait a minute, I see through my online browsing that Morris has girls wrestling now! "MAHACA."
A good thing? Well if it's managed right. Forget the unreasonable weight loss, girls. I hope you can.
Following the Hawkeyes
Well on Saturday morning early I made my usual stop at DeToy's Restaurant in Morris. There I'm waited on early Saturday by Kaylee Harstad. She's an MACA basketball athlete. She looks the part, is tall. I firmly believe the GBB Tigers are not reaching their full potential. I might suggest this is an understatement.
It has been fun discussing with Kaylee the incredible rise of the Iowa women's basketball team.
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| Gabbie Marshall |
So Kaylee and I share interest in those Hawkeyes who are playing today (Sunday) in the national championship game in Cleveland OH. Who would have expected a team from Iowa to become No. 1 in the sports universe? It has happened and I'd say it's a breath of fresh air. It offsets the sadness of how Donald Trump comes at us from the headlines continuously.
Of course I root for the Hawkeyes. But there's no cause for head-hanging if they should come out on the short end today. Let's see, they're playing the "Gamecocks?" The nickname for South Carolina? Sorry but I cannot feel good about any team called the "Gamecocks." That should change.
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| Is this name necessary? |
The mania surrounding University of Iowa got me to write some new song lyrics/poetry. Please indulge me. My life is pretty nondescript. (I learned that word from John Woell the band teacher.)
"We Love the Hawkeyes"
by Brian Williams
Springtime in Ohio
Women playing hoops
Final 4 is boffo
Hear the cheers and whoops
What makes it so special
Now in '24?
She should get a medal
Caitlin to the fore
It has never happened
Quite this way before
Why is all this passion
Coming through the door?
Can you all believe it?
Can you make it rate?
It's a team from Iowa
Quite the humble state
We love the Hawkeyes one and all
They play so hard
At basketball
And when it's over there's withdrawal
We love the Hawkeyes one and all
We can hear the dribbles
Pounding through our souls
Of the Iowa women
Working toward their goals
Like we saw in "Hoosiers"
Led by ol' coach Dale
Hawkeyes had a passion
That they'd never fail
But this was no movie
It was oh so real
So we had coach Bluder
Leading them with zeal
They were lifting women
Exponentially
There was just no limit
To the heights they'd reach
(repeat chorus)
Caitlin has a habit
With the "logo 3's"
It can be a gambit
But she will succeed
Almost can't believe it
Almost can't relate
It is truly epic
Maybe you will faint
Hats off to coach Bluder
Orchestrating much
Making her team super
Focused in the clutch
She can call on Caitlin
For the money shot
As the Iowa women
Give it all they've got
(repeat chorus)
Gabbie has a pizza
Bearing her own name
Call it the "Gabbizza"
It adds to her fame
First she has some business
Out there on the court
Will she serve our wishes?
Certainly of course
Just watch Hannah Stuelke
Operate inside
Follow her and you'll see
That she has arrived
I call her a center
Technically she's not
No need to define her
When she's shooting hot
(repeat chorus)
Addendum: Today's post opened with the quoted lyrics from Neil Diamond. At first I was thinking Billy Joel but that was erratum. I had a light bulb go on over my head. Neil Diamond! And the song is "Reverend Bluejeans." So, I have a "misheard song lyrics" story to tell. Back in the day, I had thought Neil was singing "Reverend Bluejeans." I could have sworn.
Back when we consumed so much pop music as "background" from radio in public places, we could mishear. Back in the earliest days of the Internet, there were postings about "misheard song lyrics." So it's a "thing."
"Might as well admit it you're a dickhead in love."
The women's Final 4 is in Cleveland where I have had one of my own personal song creations played for a public event. The event was the unveiling of a statue of Rocky Colavito in the "Little Italy" portion of the city. Colavito was a great baseball player from when I was growing up. I was thrilled to have my music recognized.
I do have a melody for my Iowa Hawkeyes song. Hmmm.
I always have a melody in mind when I write poetry. Most of my lyrics will only be preserved as poetry on my blog sites. It's hard to break through and get attention with new music now. YouTube has turned into a vast sea. Certainly is "democratizing." But, maybe enough is enough!
Go Hawkeyes! And I hope Caitlin Clark just withdraws to get R&R when it's all over. These kids are asked to do so much. Game after game. So much pressure. Just be normal kids again.
Yes they can parlay their fame with time. But I'd like to remind them, "it doesn't get any better than this."
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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