Maybe there's an element in the Morris community that feels we should just get the sports season over with - no hassles with long trips, trip expenditures and investment of time. No entering a gym somewhere where the sound of a pep band will split your eardrums. I have spent countless hours in such situations. I loved going to Concordia and hearing a pep band do a neat arrangement of a Blood, Sweat and Tears tune. I also remember a band version of "Centerfield," the John Fogerty tune, a tune I wish our own band played.
Jerry Witt used to kid me about how much importance I put on pep band repertoire.
Our basketball teams haven't made a significant splash in a while. Last year it was one-and-out for both. This year, we have seen the boys get cut down right away. I'm rather astonished. I'm told the Tigers were seeded second, so I suppose we played the No. 7 seed: Paynesville. Let's see, we had a record of 16-10 going in? And Paynesville had a 6-17 record? Correct me if I'm wrong on anything here. Send an email or post a comment. Please don't just lecture me on how "winning isn't everything."
Did we get out-coached? We led 34-28 at halftime. Paynesville must have made adjustments for the second half. We got outscored 46-37. So, we lost 74-71 and the curtain comes down. Ugh. It's not right.
Other seasons have ended in similar disappointment. Last year our girls team beat Minnewaska twice in the regular season, handily in fact, and then we lost to them by about 20 in the post-season opener. What's up? I'm serious. What's up?
There has always been an element in the Morris community that will diss me and mock me for making such assertions, and asking such questions. They'll say "it's only sports." But that's exactly the statement I would make: "It's only sports." If a coaching change would stimulate hopes a little, let's try it. No one is going to lose his breadwinning job. It's just a coaching appointment.
I have been trying to suggest this for years. Problem is, there is a social network in Morris that asserts that things have to be a certain way. Meanwhile I'm left out in the Twilight Zone, as it were.
Paynesville 74, Tigers 71
This was the Section 6AA playoff opener. The green-clad Bulldogs are playing today (Saturday) against Litchfield, at St. John's. (Hey, Litchfield is "green" too.)
For the record, our Eric Staebler scored 26 points Thursday against the Bulldogs. He worked hard to collect 19 rebounds. These seem like meaningless stats now. Noah Grove did quite fine, scoring 20 points. Andrew Goulet scored ten, and here's the rest of the list: Jacob Zosel (7), Sean Amundson (4) and Riley Biesterfeld (4).
Grove nailed four 3-point shots. Again, a meaningless stat. Zosel and Staebler each made one '3'. Zosel was nifty with eleven assists while Grove had seven. Grove, Biesterfeld and Goulet each had two assists.
Our field goal shooting numbers were 29 of 59. In freethrows: seven of 13.
Mitchell Weidner was a force for Paynesville with his 28 points. He connected four times from three-point range. Hayden Hengel made three 3-pointers and Toby Flannigan made two. Weidner was followed on the scoring list by Flannigan (16), Matt Quade (14), Brandon Schleper (7), Hengel (4), Tucker Wendroth (3) and Alex Kranz (2).
Morris Area Chokio Alberta fans will not be "burdened" by making the trip to Collegeville today. Seeded No. 2, we should have gotten at least three games in post-season. In theory we'd play the top seed in our third game, right? Wouldn't that be fun? I'd say so.
There are people in Morris who will gnash their teeth about the kind of assertions I'm making in this post. Go ahead, kick me when I'm down. I'm at the public library right now and just heard someone say "the officiating wasn't consistent." Oh. So the fault lies with the officiating? Was the "fix" in, or what? The coaches' feet are never held to the fire.
And I remain in the "Twilight Zone."
Leonard Nimoy, RIP. My first thought upon hearing of his death was to remember his charming song "Bilbo." I invite you to click on this YouTube link to hear this old song:
BTW I have written my own song about the great Minnesota Twin Rod Carew. Please click on this link to give this a listen, and God bless:
- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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