MACA football 7-1 after Wednesday defeat

Not a joyful time for MACA fans on Wednesday night. In what we used to call the "MEA week game," the Tigers were handed their first defeat in their otherwise highlight-filled season of 2024. 

Everyone knew the Otters of Fergus Falls would be tough. That assessment was surely confirmed Wednesday at the Kennedy High School field. It was humbling for the Tigers to give up 42 points. We scored 20 ourselves. But a loss it was, which left our W/L at 7-1. 

We're 4-1 in section play, 6-1 in conference, 3-1 away from home and a spotless 4-0 at Big Cat. Two of our wins this season have been by shutout, over Thief River Falls and East Grand Forks.

So, the score was. . .

There is a problem with understanding the final score on this windy Thursday morning. You see, "Minnesota Scores" has the final at 42-20. I have found this site to be rock solid in the past. The kmrs-kkok site this morning has the final 43-14. I know that when I was at the paper, if all else failed I darn well better get the score right. 

I cannot assume which score is correct here. But both of the scores send the same basic message: MACA was outplayed on this night. I would guess last night was windy too. I'm sure the temperature was quite acceptable. 

Has the "MEA week game" terminology faded? "MEA" is the teachers union. I have hated teacher unions more than almost anything else in my life. Teachers once dragged me through endless misery starting in about the seventh grade. And they had such power! Be 30 seconds late for class, you'd feel like you'd face a firing squad or something. Why? 

I learned a few years ago why: teachers needed to account for all the "heads" at all times to be sure the school could get its state aid money! It's always about money. 

School then was set up like the military, a reflection of the military. The system seemed OK by our parents because they were the WWII generation. WWII was the defining element in the background of so many of them. If a big government monopoly was good for winning a war, then a national monopoly education system would pass muster too. Our national government won WWII. But it lost the Vietnam war.

MACA standouts in loss

Thanks again to our kmrs-kkok radio station for posting some individual stat details from the Wednesday game. So we see that Drew Huebner rushed for 91 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns. Grayson Gibson carried ten times for 38 yards and a score. Huebner the QB completed six passes in 13 attempts for 69 yards. 

On the defensive side of the ball, fans saw Andrew Marty perform three solos and eight assisted tackles for 11 points. And, Jahvon Johnson had three solos/six assists for nine points. Tyler Friesen intercepted a pass. 

Does the SCT website have anything? No. So thanks to kmrs-kkok but I'd still prefer having a little more info background so I could write a more "meaty" posting. Would be nice to describe scoring plays of course. Report the length of drives too, key plays. 

I was hoping this morning to be able to flesh things out by some more info accessible online. My post would of course be entirely in my own words. My goal is to produce a better product than my source! 

Obviously I personalize my writing. So I can insert that it's so windy this morning, I'll skip a week putting my refuse container out. I live alone and don't produce much waste. A lightweight container is susceptible to blowing over. Welcome to my life! 

I took a long walk yesterday and found that it's hard getting solitude. I was out along the bypass east of town when a fire track approached from behind with siren blaring. I left the shoulder of the road. I got past the little dirt strip that's next to the shoulder and retreated to the grass at the top of the ditch. That wasn't good enough. The fire truck driver blared his horn at me like he was shaking his fist! 

Public safety employees can go on a "power trip." I am 70 years old. Was I supposed to dash down to the bottom of the ditch through the long grass and weeds? The reason I'm out taking long walks is that I'm a diabetic and have been advised to get good exercise. Heaven help us if we cannot take a peaceful walk in the open spaces out east of town. What else is there? 

 

An alternative journo

I hope my writing these days reflects genuine enthusiasm. That is the goal anyway. 

The Fergus Falls Daily Journal website has a headline/link about the game. Oh no, there's a paywall! I know some tricks for trying to get around these. But none are working with this. I tried to log in using one of my Google email addresses. The site appeared to recognize that option. But after clicking around with some desperation, there was no breakthrough. 

I suggest that other MACA fans are checking around in like fashion. It all appears to be no-go for accessing the coverage. So you'll have to be a paid subscriber to the Fergus Falls Daily Journal to get access. 

How many Fergus Falls residents would not even want to take the step of being an online subscriber? Our day-to-day costs these days add up, don't they? And I'm not sure the Fergus Falls school and its athletic department should feel comfortable with this arrangement. Their coach cooperates with the Journal to submit info and quotes I'm sure. But in effect they are helping the Daily Journal which is a private business make $ from the souls who seek info. A school should not have this kind of partnership with a private business. 

 

Let's update our thinking

Problem is, many of us are under the illusion that the "local paper" is some sort of benevolent presence in a community. Kind of like it's government or something, and I frankly wonder how benevolent government is much of the time. 

Whatever the Fergus Falls coach chooses to do - to "feed' info and quotes to the paper - could be done through an online channel that would be available free to all. Such a channel might have ads with the $ going to the school. And it would have to be free access because the school wishes to serve the public. 

The problem here is that we have a lot of "legacy attitudes" floating around. It goes back to the pre-digital days when a newspaper and radio station really had unquestioned primacy with communications and reporting. We all accepted this way of life. To reach the broad public you worked through one of these institutions. The paper would try to be benevolent but it still sought a nice profit. We understood that the paper had to charge for its product because it had costs for printing and distributing the printed product. 

Wake up everyone. Apply the smelling salts or whatever because everything is different today. A website can be managed with no overhead cost at all. I guess this brave new world is why our Morris paper acts so scared about sharing on MACA athletics via its website. This is transparent: the paper deliberately avoids putting MACA sports material on its website for fear the public will get wise to how the printed product is simply not essential anymore. 

The signal from the paper is "wait 'til Tuesday and buy our printed product." Yes, just a once-weekly edition and so I suspect the paper is scared about that reality too. They cut their overhead cost by putting out just one edition weekly, so we have to wait an inordinate amount of time to get sports updates. 

The paper used to have some competition when Brett Miller was at the radio station. That competition is gone. Shouldn't heads roll at the radio station over that? Ditto with Marshall Hoffman's departure. A big void is there. I thought it was "full speed ahead" for communications in the year 2024. 

How long will the public allow the "legacy media" to hang on with its advantages? Looks like in Fergus Falls, the public is at least putting up with the Daily Journal's paid online subscription service. "Pony up." But there's no overhead expense involved with simply putting news online. Like magic it can happen before our eyes. 

I wish I could read a little narrative about last night's MACA football game against the Otters. I'd like to write in a fully descriptive way about it too. But I cannot. 

 

A toast to Sabrina!

Final thought: How about that Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty WNBA team? Dashing the dreams of our Minnesota Lynx at least for now.

Sabrina Ionescu, Wednesday hero for the New York "Liberty" vs. the Lynx

 

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

MACA sweeps to end regular season

Always encouraging to win by sweep. So even though the Tigers' last two opponents of the regular season were rather like doormats, we certainly executed well to not only win, but win by sweep. 

The 3-0 numbers for the last two matches can't help but build some confidence for the post-season. Still, the Tigers' task appears daunting. That's when you consider our season W/L of 7-15-1. The numbers don't suggest a particularly high seed, to be sure. Nevertheless, all teams start out the playoffs at 0-0. Fans will project optimism. 

The Tigers had a losing skid from Sept. 19 through Oct. 3. A Saturday tournament in Alexandria saw the orange and black go 1-3 with the win over Ada-Borup-West 2-0. We lost to Alex, Maple Lake and Fergus Falls. 

Then came the home stretch of the schedule. We fell to an impressive Minnewaska team 1-3 and then swept Benson and Monte. 

The final match was versus Montevideo and was played at Tiger Center. Scores in this sweep success for Motown were 25-9, 25-8 and 25-13. The West Central Tribune website has "stats not available" for MACA. How unfortunate. Does the WC Trib expect to receive info for MACA? And if an MACA coach attempted to call in, would the call be taken and info processed? I must ask "why not?" 

Individual stat details for Monte are on the website this morning. Individual stat details from the 'Waska vs. Benson match are there too, for both teams in fact. So the WC Trib shares info for Monte, 'Waska and Benson? 

This image is from "Hudl."

It is my understanding that MACA is not in the WC Trib's territory any more. But a secondary question would be: would the newspaper welcome phone calls offering MACA details? 

Looks strange in this morning's coverage as I observe my laptop: all those individual student athlete names from the Monte, 'Waska and Benson teams, helping fans stay familiar with who is playing and who the standouts are. 

Would the WC Trib really want to slam the door on MACA? You'd have to speculate in that direction. Wouldn't Schweiter's Chevrolet want to get more eyeballs from the Morris area? Is Forum Communications bitter that they felt they had to leave Morris after owning our paper? Obviously I'm in a position to know a little about what that was like. The paper went through waves of retrenchment. Actually that process of shedding began not long after I left (June 2006). 

 

Cupboard is bare

How dismal has Monte's season been? Just checked with "Minnesota Scores" and the Monte W/L is 2-17. Rock bottom, yes. Oh my they beat Benson but it took a five-game match. (The radio people always use the term "set" rather than "game" but I have my old habits. Some people will find an excuse to smear me because of this.) 

Monte often loses by sweep. Benson might even be worse, so maybe the administration there needs to prioritize things other than dealing with their inexcusable nickname "Braves." That is ongoing. Why is it ongoing? Now it's a waiting game with the state. Ah, the wheels of government. Basically the Benson school district is "waiting for the money." They sure don't want to pay for it themselves. 

How mediocre is Benson volleyball? "Minnesota Scores" tells us the Braves are 2-18. The Braves have been swept in every match since Sept. 24. I do know that Benson continues to have a fine instrumental music program led by Brock Duncan. 

In theory the Stevens County Times newspaper website could do so much to provide timely info on MACA matches. The website just sits there. It is loaded with UMM Cougar news all the time. This is bizarre because UMM's own website does a 100 percent thorough job in covering all Cougar teams. 

Where can a person go to find timely coverage of the Tigers? Well, we'll wait. 

 

Stenson tops kills

I enjoy writing about high school sports so I'll share here the Monte stat highlights from Tuesday. Jillian Magnuson sent a serving ace over the net for the T-Hawks. She also had the team's only set assist. 

Taryn Stenson led in kills with six. A number of T-Hawks follow her on the list: Cali Janke 4, Magnuson 3, Janie Miller 3, Anika Brown 3, Jessa Norby 2, Payton Howell 1, Jocelyn Bauman 1. 

Ace block contributors were Norby 3, Brown 2 and Madi Schultz 1. Zero in digs. 

The Morris radio station website has really suffered since Marshall Hoffman and Brett Miller left. Hoffman did interviews with state legislators that gave me tips for my blogging. Exemplary yes, but you know what? I don't think Jeff Backer appreciated interviews like that. He's probably relieved it's over. "Have you gotten your covid vaccination shot yet?" Remember, Backer is the most flat-Earth type of Republican. 

Well, we are electing such people these days. And now it looks like DJT is on a path to re-take the presidency. I personally am scared. 

Let's see, what's the top sports item on the SCT website this morning? "Meyer scores UMAC Football Defensive Athlete of the Week." 

 

Eyes on football Tigers

Everyone knows of course that the MACA football team will play tonight (Wednesday). There's a good chance I'll be able to find some individual stat details from a non-local media source tomorrow morning. No guarantees though. 

The weather seems to be cooperating perfect for playoff football. Knock on wood. Knock on wood re. the election too? I think it's futile because all signs point to Trump winning now. You all had better get used to the new reality. Germany went through stages of accepting its Fascist rule in the mid-20th Century. We can prevent this from happening. But I increasingly fear we will not. Our own congressperson voted against certifying the election results in 2020. Flat-Earth, yes. Tom Emmer voted to certify. 

What kind of hell awaited us if Fischbach's side had prevailed?

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - wbilly73@yahoo.com

MACA stays unstoppable at Perham

Perham has a nickname I have always liked: "Yellowjackets." Certainly a "safe" name in this age of sensitive issues. Our "big cats" of Morris would appear to be the default or safe way to go. Earlier this year our Tigers played D-G-F which has had to deal with its "Rebels." Logo was once of a Southern Confederate soldier. Ouch. Now the sumbol is a Revolutionary War soldier although I have never associated the term "rebels" with the Contenental Army. Have you? 

Anyway, "Yellowjackets" might be a cute name but their football team was outclassed by our surging Tigers last night (Friday). Game site was Perham. There, the 8th-ranked orange and black defeated the Yellowjackets 32-13. 

Wow, we are 7-0 as season's end gets closer. Following regular season play we'll plunge into the playoffs and where might that progress to? Can we envision the state championship game? Before we get deluded on this matter, let's consider that one very tough regular season game remains. Word is, the Fergus Falls Otters will give us all we can handle. 

Win that game - Wednesday - then maybe the images of the state title game would dance in our heads. 

Up to now the weather has been very nice for football. Some rain is falling on this Saturday morning as I compose this. The newspaper will make us wait until Tuesday. I say "why wait? We're in the age of the Internet." 

When Brett Miller was at the radio station, he wrote some real nice and timely sports summaries for the station website. Update: I checked after doing the first draft of this post, and kmrs-kkok has some individual stat details for the Tigers from last night. This is more than they have done as a rule. So let's give credit where credit is due. Not sure if things will develop to where we see standards like what Miller established. BTW I have never met him. Looks like they at least have their thinking caps on there. So thanks and congratulations! We're getting more than "the score" now! I'm happy for Deb the manager, Morris High Class of '72. Yours truly is '73. I'm not sure she noticed me much in high school.

As for the SCT newspaper, it still wears the dunce cap. Obviously it is always my pleasure to try to supply updates with at least a little bit of substance. It's a priority for yours truly in this stage of life where I have white hair. I wore a younger man's clothes when I first started covering the Tigers. That was in the fall in 1972. 

I advise you to check the radio station website at present. I had to click past an ad. I'd advise never to click where you see "continue." You can usually get past these things. Remember that the radio station and newspaper are profit-making businesses. Me? I rely a lot on Social Security.

Tigers 32, Perham 13

The game versus Perham required the Tigers to battle some. That's because shortly before halftime, Perham succeeded dramatically on a fourth-and-20 play. Alex Blume passed to Gavin Griffin, 30 yards for a score, putting the Yellowjackets within three at 10-7. But the exhilaration among the home Perham crowd was short-lived. 

The Tigers were not going to stand for their opponent getting so close. We showed our No. 8-ranked chops to be sure. We marched down the field in the limited time remaining. Drew Huebner polished things off by passing to Jack Kehoe: 19 yards. 

Let's note that the Perham venue is called "Meinhover Field." Fans there tried to retain optimism for their team going into the second half. But the "mo" would clearly belong to the orange and black. Our fans cheered as Mitchell Moser turned on the jets for scores. Huebner took charge with his throwing arm again to find Jackson Hallman for six. 

Now we own the game with the score 32-7. And the final was 32-13. The Yellowjackets were left with a 1-6 record. 

Our 32 points was impressive but it's shy of our average of 37.5. Certainly a crowd-pleasing brand of football. Fergus Falls should really test us in the next game. 

Let's not overlook that we have a bona fide kicking game. It's not often we see this in high school ball. But our Riley Saito is pretty powerful and accurate with his toe. It's a pleasant surprise to see this in a high school game. I think it can shock the opposing team and its fans. I wonder if Riley started in soccer. Whatever, he showed his prowess last night with a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter. 

 

Some numbers

Drew Huebner finished the night with 12 completions in 22 attempts for 150 yards and two scores. Hallman had three catches for 43 yards and the score. Kehoe also had three catches which covered 37 yards and netted a TD. 

Huebner in the ground game churned out 85 yards on seven carries. He crossed the end zone stripe. Moser charged forward for 67 ground yards on 15 carries. And Kye Suess rushed for 67 yards on 11 carries. Hallman and Tyler Friesen each intercepted a pass. 

Jace Kleindl had a solo tackle and six assists for seven total points. Zach Dietz asserted himself to get one solo and six assists for seven points also.

 

Volleyball: Tigers 3, Benson 0

Volleyball success Thursday night for the orange and black, albeit against a team that has struggled badly. Benson not only loses often, they get swept often. So MACA poured it on to get just that kind of outcome. Yes, 3-0 over the Braves who I guess are still going by that name. Benson keeps saying to the State of Minnesota in effect "show us the money" (to make the name change). 

I don't think a new name has been identified yet but I could be wrong. The key is to get the $ from the "deeps pockets" State of Minnesota. I guess principle is secondary. Let's see the money. Until then we're the "Braves" complete with the feathers on the logo! "Bobcats" would be a nice new name. Another "cat" name would be available and that's "caracals," a feline very much like the other common big cats. 

I'm filibustering here with this write-up because I do not have match details on the Tigers. It's very sad: I have not been able to type the names of any MACA volleyball players all fall. I used to be in much better shape for getting details from other media sources. Those sources have now dried up. 

I have the Thursday scores from the West Central Tribune: 25-17, 25-15 and 25-11. So, an impressive night by our "cats." 

Contentious Benson logo

I do have match details on the Benson Braves. Mya McGeary and Sophie Krusemark each had one serving ace. Julia Clausssen did Benson's setting with 13 assists. Three Braves came at the Tigers with four kills in hitting: Alexis Hoberg, Carly Tolifson and Jada O'Leary. Madison Osterbauer had three kills and Claussen had two. 

Kaida Helgenset led in ace blocks with three. She was followed by Hoberg 2, Osterbauer 2, Claussen 1 and Tolifson 1. Krusemark out-distanced the pack in digs with 20. She was followed by Tolifson 9, Claussen 6 and Helgenset 5. 

When Brett Miller was at the radio station, I was even able to write a little about MACA cross country sometimes. It's nice to stay on top of all these names. What's the top story on the Stevens County Times website this morning? "Cougars take a loss on the road to Bethany Lutheran." The SCT is obsessed with covering UMM on its website. A soccer loss to Bdthany is priority over everything else? I don't understand it.

Follow the Lynx!

Hey, we have a pro Minnesota team in the championship finals! It's asking too much for this to be as big a deal as the Twins and Vikings, I guess. But I hope that if our Lynx go up 2-0 on the New York Liberty on Sunday, we'll see a swelling of enthusiasm. We can do this without Caitlin Clark! Well, get close anyway. 

My zeal about the Lynx began my email last week to my fellow UMM advocate Warrenn Anderson, and you just know I touch on some tertiary subjects as well. Seriously I think you might find this interesting: thoughts related to Big Cat Staduim, the suggested parking issue there.

I always keep an eye on local interscholastic sports. There are always highlights and sidelights. Now I have to look up "tertiary." 

I sent my email to Warrenn on the day after the  Lynx completed their success vs. the Connecticut Sun. Truth be told, I wouldn't know Connecticut was called the "Sun" if it weren't for Caitlin, because she has made me interested in the whole league! I wouldn't even know there was a team named for "Connecticut."

 

Minnesota Lynx!

Hello Warrenn, Lynx win! Lynx win! So that's neat. A week ago I withheld judgment on whether I'd stay interested in WNBA after Caitlin's exit. So I wasn't sure if I'd stay interested, BUT I HAVE! I even watched a portion of a game on livestream with the "square" in the middle of the screen (for copyright). So, that passes the test. 

In spite of all the headlines about how ratings have fallen off since Caitlin's exit, the telling thing is that the WNBA plans expansion. We'll see the "Golden State Valkyries." So, things can't be too bad in "blue state" California.

Now the Lynx play the Liberty and we'll see "Sabrina" vs. us. Foreign-sounding last name but "Sabrina" is a totally cool first name. I knew nothing about her prior to this season. Her background is very, very much like Caitlin's but she never got any "mo" toward being a celebrity. I'm kind of rooting for her. Played for Oregon in college.

I wonder about Caitlin, if she can really blend in with the "team concept." She was arguably surrounded with very good talent with the Fever. She might have to be persuaded to try to be a little more low-profile and to be more of a facilitator. The main thing is if she wins a championship. If she does that, her personal stats won't matter. Maybe Caitlin will decide to join the golf tour instead. No risk of being poked in the eye.

Big Cat Stadium

So our school board is discussing parking problems at the end of Tiger football games!!! You and I go back a long way with Morris athletics and we remember the days of the high-level high school tournament games at UMM. We remember full well how it would be a total "zoo" outside at the conclusion with cops and their flashlights trying to be in charge!!! People accepted it then. But now? What's the deal? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to think of ways of avoiding the parking crunch. Sheesh, people are so spoiled. Everyone wants to park right by the venue and then leave immediately afterward. Instant gratification. The school parking lots are so close. Or, just wait a half an hour before going out to your car.

Me? Well hell I walk. Interesting: I notice that the gate for the "freeloaders" is being opened in front basically at the same time as the opening kickoff! I have noticed this the last two games. The only reason I'm interested is that I want to get in to get a burger basket. I have done this the last two games.

Mary Holmberg

Also interesting: Fans are welcome to stand along the sidewalk to the north that leads to the P.E. Center entrance. There are even accommodations for those fans: a couple rows of elevated bleacher seats next to the fence where you can set your concessions etc. This is IRONIC because when Big Cat first opened, they had volunteers trying to chase away fans who were standing along there (like me - it happened). I went and talked to Charlie Grussing about that. He said that in his estimation, "the college" had no problem with people standing there. So that means the high school. I wrote in my blog at the time that "I could just see Mary Holmberg doing this." Here's an example of where UMM and the high school could have a conflict. 

I would still like to know as a matter of policy if MACA softball is entitled to use Big Cat Field for games like UMM has done. Last winter was nice but before that we had extended and miserable winters. That's why I have talked up the idea of an "inflatable cover" for Big Cat Field. UMM would be a magnet for high school softball teams from far and wide if that were available.

Erin Christensen told me that MACA softball would in fact be eligible to use Big Cat but frankly I'm not sure I believe it. They have all the amenities for softball at Big Cat, and it's FANTASTIC for fans who can sit in the bleachers.

Just keep watching the school board: next they'll plan a new "referendum" for putting in a new parking lot, probably to the east of the stadium. The community just keeps voting "yes" all the time. Schools will always come up with a list of "needs," so sometime the public simply has to vote "no" just to instill discipline.

Remember how Wheaton fans with their red clothing would fill half the P.E. Center for girls basketball? Sondra Weick went on to play for UMM. Hancock was all the rage too with their coach who ended up in prison. The excuse was that he was a mental casualty of Vietnam, the "Rambo" defense. Maybe the U.S. should skip some of these wars. But it was good for the career of John Wayne. I'd like to see John Wayne in real combat, he'd probably try to protect his own ass.

 

Below is what a real "Minnesota lynx" looks like!

- BW

Trying to unpack great mystery

Morris community leaders should maybe try to pry through the cobwebs or fog of time and understand whether, really, Coborn's was intending to build a new store here and was only stopped by failure of the city to issue a liquor license. 

Certain people who had influence at the time might say "no." But what would you expect them to say, if in fact they were just blindsided by the Coborn's decision? Would you expect them to say "boy, we sure made a big mistake." 

Well of course not. They'll practice CYA. 

The great Coborn's legend provides the grist for my current post on my companion blog "Morris of Course." I honestly think you could find other items of interest in that post. I invite you to read, to give me a sense of fulfillment in my otherwise limited life. Here's the link:

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2024/10/myth-or-fact-about-old-coborns.html 

 

Nice Homecoming at MAHS

Here's from an email I sent to a friend on Saturday.

Del - Would it be such an unreasonable suggestion for the newspaper website to have a photo at the top of the Homecoming king/queen in their parade vehicle for people to enjoy this weekend? And they don't even have to develop film in a darkroom anymore. I don't want to be unreasonable.

The radio station site only has the "score" of the game. The site has deteriorated badly because of the loss of Brett Miller and Marshall Hoffman. Hoffman would do interviews with state legislators that gave me tips for my blogging.

I hope we don't have any more "Palestinian Sundays" at First Lutheran.

 

Events at UMM

We all know UMM is showing signs of duress, but nevertheless there are many highly entertaining and enriching events happening out there. Always pay some attention to music. IMHO it would be helpful for a few more people to attend music events. 

Sunday afternoon brought one such event, "Connecting Traditions." It featured piano music by Norwegian and American composers including recent discoveries of music by Minnesotan Theodora Cormonian.

Monica Tomescu-Rohde

We heard the following perform: Norwegian pianist Monica Tomescu-Rohde and her collaborator Shannon Wettstein Sadler from Michigan State.

I am amused because "newly discovered works" instantly reminds me of "PDQ Bach!" Peter Schickele was the mind behind "PDQ Bach." The point was parody. Anything can be parodied.

Music is wonderful but it is often in the shadow of athletics. Consider UMM volleyball this fall. A dearth of fans? Sorry but I have not set an example myself. Thanks to my friend Randy Olson for paying attention to fan interest. Here's from a Saturday email I received from Mr. Olson of Bonanza Valley. He's quite attuned to UMM.

 

Hello Brian, I am a close follower of the UMM Cougars (of course) via their website and what I find as robust and terrific coverage. They must be a little short handed in the P.E. department, however, as I do not see video interviews of any players like I've gotten used to seeing in recent seasons.

(Hey, if I can do it, why can't they?)

Anyway this e-mail isn't meant to criticize their website...instead I'm a little disappointed (a lot actually) to see pathetic attendance figures at UMM volleyball. They are a top UMAC team year in and year out and they are drawing paltry crowds.

Example - this weekend! A nice weekend to travel and take in D-III athletics. Yet their match on Friday night had a crowd of just 107!!!!
Saturday afternoon's crowd? Reported attendance was just 59 !!!

Are you kidding me? That's wicked when the side they have open (they only open one set of bleachers already, as the crowd attendance is nothing like it used to be at home events)...one side can easily seat 1,000 fans.

 

I would be more interested in attending UMM basketball. It has been years since I bought my two slices of pizza at a Cougar sports event at the P.E. Center. I shudder to think about the kind of price inflation that has likely happened. We see this with everything, don't we? But the alarm bells don't seem to be ringing with the overall public yet. Economics is a science. Constant inflation is a result of the Fed keeping interest rates too low for too long.

Now we're hearing about problems with parking congestion for MACA football games! 

 

Re. alleged parking headache

Is there ever a time when the school doesn't have issues to address? We hear talk about parking congestion for Tiger football games which are otherwise joyous events. Obviously the parking can be thick. Hasn't it always been that way for well-attended events? Here's from an email I sent to Del Sarlette:

 

I assume you know board has discussed the parking thing in the fishwrap. Maybe this is an excuse to get more money from the public in a referendum? Until a referendum fails, look for the board to still list things that NEED to be done. When the spigot is turned off, then they'll shut up. Is the public starting to feel restless about school district costs? I suppose you'll say "no."

The public is too lazy to deal with the parking situation out by UMM. It doesn't take genius to come up with creative strategies like to park at the school. Oh, but they can't walk that far! It's healthy to take a walk like that.

I have a hard time remembering the name of this other school board candidate. Weird name, Skulan? Skylan? Signs for this individual and Seales are on the communists' properties. [OK, tongue in cheek]

- BW

 

I'm not done re. parking

An exchange with Randy Olson is always stimulating. I shared with him on the parking (alleged) issue in a weekend email. You'll see a supplementary topic too.

Randy - Our school board is now discussing parking congestion problems for high school football games. Doesn't affect me at all because I walk. You may know I live out by the soils lab, but it's actually no big deal. Of course, I used to run the Twin Cities Marathon. But hey I'm 69 now.

My immediate response on the parking issue is why don't people spread out more for parking like to use the school parking lots which are very close to the stadium. A nice pleasant walk to the stadium and back. Also, the UMM parking lot on east end of campus would not be unreasonable to use and you don't need a permit after 4 p.m. I actually wonder how often campus security checks the lots for permits anymore. UMM doesn't want to alienate people and certainly not their own students. I have heard that the reason there's a permit policy is to discourage students from having cars. Students often park along residential streets close to campus and that creates an issue for residents or so I have learned. Legend has it that some students park at Willie's in the morning and leave their car there all day.

The oven at Caribou Coffee has been "down" all week! I always go to Caribou for breakfast on Sunday but I'll have to go to DeToy's today. What would we do without DeToy's? Don's does not open until 8 so I can't even consider that place. Another wave of inflation could kill off many restaurants. The "Fed" has to lower interest rates. More "QE."

All hail the Gophers!

Well, this not really expected, the U of M football team defeating the great Trojans of USC! I share in the surprise or the elation with my fellow UMM advocate Warrenn Anderson. Here's from an email sent to him Sunday, in which I also express surprise at fans being allowed to storm the field at the end.

Warrenn - So the Gophers can beat the No. 11 ranked team in the country. For most of my life we have considered USC a real marquee elite team, just like Nebraska. Remember John McKay? He got the job for the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then all he did was complain about not having any talent. Remember that? That would never happen today. First of all it was a downer. Didn't they use the No. 1 overall pick in the draft for a runningback? Stupid, as that should be traded to a contending team in exchange for more than one high draft pick. Seattle did this when they came into the league. But then the NFL loosened things and allowed new expansion teams like Carolina and Jacksonville to be more competitive right from the start. When I was young I wondered why new expansion teams had to be so totally screwed.

When a star runningback gets picked by a lousy team, that athlete is going to get beat up badly. And the team will lose anyway. The NFL in the years since has de-emphasized the runningback position. From the days of Walter Payton.

Earl Campbell, seated

Bud Grant wanted to get Earl Campbell. That was the thinking then. Earl Campbell is in terrible shape today, all because of our entertainment needs.

Re. the Gophers game, I winced at the scenes of fans "rushing the field." I thought the powers that control college sports were going to crack down on that. Like "taking down the goalposts."

Our high school teams in Stevens County are making it look too easy. Hmmm.

Yesterday the oven was still down at Caribou. I finally inquired to make sure Paul Martin and Jay Nelson know about this, and they do. Very strange for Caribou to be without a working oven for a whole week. So I can't come to Caribou this morning (Sunday). Maybe they don't want to serve hot sandwiches there? I can't go to Don's because they don't open until 8. Before covid they opened at 6.

One more blast of inflation and we'll see lots of restaurants closing down. Larry Summers now says it was a mistake for the Fed to lower interest rates. But low interest rates are a heroin injection for lots of people. There is no free lunch. I used that expression with someone and I got insulted. That person needed the heroin. He said "people who invest in stocks are risking everything." Really? You could have fooled me.

- BW

 

Maybe there's no money in heaven

Here's from an email I sent over the weekend to Jim Morrison, a pretty astute person with investment and all that stuff.

 

Jim - From Yahoo! News this morning:

"(Bloomberg) - Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers said the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates last month was a mistake after new data showed that US job growth last month topped all estimates."

Again, I think it's crazy for Powell to be making such frequent public announcements about what the Fed is likely to do. He'll make a proclamation and then backtrack, which makes me wonder why he needs to say anything at all. He is not an elected official. The Fed should just hold their meetings and make announcements about what they did, in dry fashion. 

Instead we have Powell after the meetings making long-winded statements that everyone tries to TRANSLATE and I'm getting sick of it.

And if Trump wins, he and his treasury secretary will strong-arm their way into controlling the Fed. And if that happens, why even have a Fed? Just let the treasury secretary make the decisions. But of course that's dangerous because short-term political benefits will be sought for incumbent administrations. That's why we have a Fed.

But I'm just some dummy living out in Flyoverland, right?

I was forced into a sad "panic" a couple months ago but what if I had fallen into a situation, again, where I went bank-to-bank and was forced to accept interest of under one percent, maybe just half of a percent. I have experienced this, [name withheld] saying "it could change tomorrow." I now have no savings at Riverwood. That used to be my main bank. Do they even care? I am now leaning on Dakotah Bank and B-Mo and I don't even care about the FDIC limit anymore.

I am 69 years old and I need some assurance that I'll have an acceptable income over the next few years. We just lost Joanie Murphy. Death eventually comes.

If I could relax more I'd do some more home improvements. Contractors could get paid.

- BW

Tigers win shutout for Homecoming 2024

Stevens County football teams have been making it look easy. I'm reminded of the Garrison Keillor line "all of our kids are above average." It's the way we like to think of our youth in our peaceful outstate communities. "Lake Wobegon." 

The Stevens County youth have been flexing their muscles in football, that's for sure. Do y'all realize that the Morris and Hancock teams have won all their games in this season of 2024? We can go further in asserting the superiority: our teams have been winning in a one-sided way most of the time. 

My restaurant server at DeToy's said she felt sorry for one of Hancock's opponents earlier this season. I appreciate that sentiment. It comes from a female whose gender is known to be empathetic and nurturing. We need more of that kind of attitude. Not sure I'd feel comfortable at a Hancock game where the "Owls" are so completely sinking their talons into an opponent. Like in the most recent game. 

I'd want to leave early. 

Men believe in destroying things while women are empathetic and caring. This helps us understand why so many men stick with Donald Trump. Maybe you're amused by that observation. We may all stop being amused come November. Oh we pray we can have a normal election. But the possibility exists that virtual hell could break loose even with violent conflict. 

We got a taste of the conflict in 2020. And our own congressperson appeared to sympathize with the insurrection attempt. She voted against certifying the election results. So she wanted to see a violent overthrow of the Federal government. We can surmise that. But we'll probably elect her again. And, she's totally "pro-life." "Pro-life" is not such a simple proposition. 

But I know a lot of you don't want to have your brains taxed too much. Just keep your "Trump" signs up and then try to "report" the people who have the Harris signs. This is happening, more down South than here. 

Our Tigers of MACA took charge totally in their Friday game for the 2024 Homecoming. A happier atmosphere could not be found anywhere, for sure. I again took advantage of the $8 "burger basket" offering just outside the grandstand. What a reasonable offer! A meal for 8 bucks. Will it be back next year? I sat at one of the picnic tables. 

I remember that for years I'd see Sharon Martin watching over all the junior high kids that gathered north of the playing field, close to the P.E. Center. Big Cat Field is old enough to have its own history now. Sharon's presence over there is a part of that. And as I've told her several times, it's a special gift to be able to work with junior high kids. Adolescents! I'm not sure I even survived that. 

A good movie for appreciating the junior high phase of life is "Bad Teacher" with Cameron Diaz. The movie has some Hollywood taste issues but just try to ignore that. 

 

Idyllic

The whole day Friday was perfect for the Morris Area Homecoming and the football game. The 24-0 score could not have polished things off better. 

The MACA and Hancock teams are just making things look too easy this fall. Some of our past coaches would give their right arm to have a season like this. What gives? All our kids are maybe "above average?" Maybe that's it. Only Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton has really challenged the Tigers. We have won by shutout twice. Thief River Falls and East Grand Forks have been our shutout victims. 

Two games remain on the slate. Both will be on the road vs. Perham and Fergus Falls. Someone told me this morning we'll get a stiff challenge from those Otters of Fergus. 

 

Thanks and God bless

The person who took my $ for the burger basket remembered me from my newspaper work locally and was hugely complimentary toward me. She attended high school in Chokio-Alberta, and of course I was always enthusiastic about C-A sports activities. 

It has been so long since the newspaper phase of my life which was the absolute defining stage of my life. I have really just drifted ever since. I'm left to wonder why/how it disintegrated. We cannot always find logic in such things. That's because we're in a desperate jungle so much surrounded by "beasts" that are acting on instinct. 

The company that owned the Morris and Hancock papers at the time I left ended up leaving town. They weren't so smart after all. Sue Dieter was actually not my biggest problem at the end, may not have been a big factor at all. She could be generous in some ways. The dagger was applied to me by someone else in management. I'm not sure he even answered to Sue. He may have answered to someone higher up. 

The Forum had some well-known "headhunters" in the upper realm of management. Well congrats Forum Communications, you demonstrated that even a multi-tiered company like yours can be a failure: you sure left a turd here in Morris. 

Now the Hancock paper is gone and the Morris paper under different ownership has shriveled greatly from what it once offered us. I ask y'all to go online today (Saturday) and look for highlights of the Homecoming football game. Click on "sports." See what the paper's priorities are now. MACA is almost invisible. Why do you accept this? 

Our kids might all be above average but the adults aren't - so many still support Donald Trump uncritically. You are lemmings! Trump chased off the foreign students from places like UMM and now many of these places are hanging by a thread. The foreign students were UMM's "cash cow." Doesn't money influence your priorities in life? Or are you more concerned with sending the Haitians home from Springfield, Ohio. 

Again, you are lemmings. 

The Tigers surged on Friday largely by being able to take advantage of "short fields." We set the tone early as Jack Kehoe deflected a pass and made an interception at the 12. Kye Suess then scored two plays later. The Green Wave had no first downs in the first quarter. 

Drew Huebner, whose mom was the one who complimented me pre-game, passed to Riley Asmus for a big chunk of yardage: 43 yards. Riley Saito capitalized on the field position to kick a field goal. So we're up 10-0. Our defense stopped an EGF threat just before halftime. 

The Wave's problems with turnovers would continue. One of these was on a gimmick play attempt by the Wave: the "hook-and-ladder." I immediately think of former MACA coach Jerry Witt and his wizardry with this play! But the execution wasn't there for the Wave. The lateral was high. The orange and black took advantage. Huebner carried into the end zone. 

Asmus intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter. Our final TD came on the "Huebner connection" of Drew and brother Jonah. The play covered 15 yards. So it's 24-0 and fans could file this game away as yet another 'W'. 

MACA fans are now ready to go on the road. Then it's playoffs!

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