It was actually most notable in girls basketball. The girls basketball issue should have shaken Morris community proponents. I tried nudging them in that direction only to find that huge enmity arose toward me. I don't think I have fully shaken that to this day, sadly.
Beyond that, there was a time when Motown had at least one "big game" against Cyrus in boys hoops. I am chagrined even having to write about this. Cyrus is a warm but tiny community. Today it is totally distant from anything akin to a school-based controversy. There were times in the past when the school there could be a flashpoint, as the realization set in that the school wasn't going to exist much longer. I'm talking about the senior high through grade 12. I covered graduations there. Seems quite the different era, eh?
Make no mistake, the times were exciting and fun. And certainly, Cyrus could enjoy and savor rivalries with similar-size schools. But I couldn't quite fathom, even once, how Cyrus could be at the same competitive level with Morris. It didn't compute in my head. I understand any small town can be blessed by 2-3 talented kids who can make a difference in basketball. But we'd still expect the bigger town, certainly Morris, to have abundant depth that in the end would roll over the likes of Cyrus. Would you dispute me?
I remember being at the UMM P.E. Center one day for a big game between Morris and Cyrus. Many anxious fans were there. And I thought, "well, this is fun, a highly-anticipated prep hoops game - makes the winter seem shorter." But, Morris against Cyrus? I had a personal friend in Cyrus school administration who I had known before he came here. Having breakfast one day at Don's in Morris, the two of us focused on the illogic of these "big" games between Morris and Cyrus. Obviously he was proud of what his Cyrus kids could accomplish, bursting his buttons. At the same time he was frank and showed candor, saying of the Cyrus roster compared to Morris or Morris' potential, "we don't have s--t."
Thank you, sir. It's nice to talk to someone who doesn't have the typical Morris blinders on. Those blinders suffocated me and disturbed me for years. There was a cafe owner in Morris whose daughter played for Hoffman-Kensington, a typical ebullient small school with old-fashioned enthusiasm. I mentioned to her one day the difficulty in trying to discuss some Morris-related school issues with important people around town. And she responded with a look of earnestness in her eyes, "they don't want to hear about it."
We had an "activities director" in Morris during the 1980s who frankly ended up as a flashpoint. I guess that was too bad because really the buck stops at the top, and if it's not with the principal, it's with the superintendent. I found the activities director to have some pleasing personal traits. So when the time came to make an issue of some festering problems, it was uncomfortable making him or other lower-level people the targets. That individual was the head boys basketball coach when we lost to Herman in the post-season. I was there at the UMM P.E. Center.
The automatic reaction of so many people would be "oh, it was just one game." As a fact, yes. I still am befuddled why the status quo had so many apologists back then: the 1980s. It was like an episode of "Twilight Zone" where I was the only person not affected by some weird phenomenon taking over people's heads. My Cyrus friend was immune too, but he was Cyrus and not Morris. Morris could be a strange place in the 1980s.
Eventually there was a groundswell of concern and it was anything but pretty. Businesses got boycotted. It was a small town controversy with the predictable scars in the aftermath. I haven't shaken it even now.
Unions, how they grinded away
I have always felt that teachers unions had too much power in that stage of our Minnesota history. I was reminded of that the other day as I read about the Austin MN meatpackers issues of the mid-1980s. Sigh, the most ugly management vs. labor dispute you could imagine.
I feel it is absolutely unconscionable to countenance a situation in society where such bitter antagonism exists. To hell with it, I say emphatically, and I'm similarly tempted to feel bitter about teachers unions of that period roughly defined as the '80s. I didn't join the Morris paper until 1979 so I didn't personally observe a lot until then.
I realize that some of the Morris teachers were just bad people. Some community leaders were less than objective and tending to be influenced by their personal friendships which could be aligned with teachers' parochial concerns. I guess I won't name names at this time. I was determined not to be kow-towed. And boy, did I get hurt by all that. I had a lot to offer - I always did.
Why do we not hear about meatpackers disputes any more? Is it because immigrants are so happy to take such jobs and to defer to ownership? I'm just speculating. I actually learned to be anti-union in my attitudes - too much enmity - even though I consider myself a political progressive today. Life is too short for such pitched battles.
Arndt shoots the lights out
Our MACA Tigers played the Hancock Owls in a Saturday, Feb. 9, showcase at UMM. Camden Arndt came to the fore for our Tigers as he put in 29 points, making 12 of 16 shot tries. He also led in rebounds with eight as the orange and black turned back the Owls, 79-77. It's deja vu: Morris getting challenged by a markedly smaller community. Well, congratulations Hancock.
I was told in the old days I should just be happy for the small towns rather than focus on shortcomings with Morris. I once wrote that Morris was a "sleeping giant" in girls basketball. I put that in print in the Morris paper, oh yes I did. I'm fortunate I wasn't assaulted. Why was such a statement considered so "edgy?" We were totally a sleeping giant in girls basketball while Hancock and Wheaton were thrilling packed houses at UMM for the post-season.
Those were the days: the P.E. Center getting filled time after time for tournament hoops. I remember standing up along the concourse one day with Skip Sherstad and we were marveling at how the small schools could show so much enthusiasm. These days, it seems Morris fans must immediately head south for post-season hoops, to places like Granite Falls and Marshall. I think that's regrettable. It's also a road safety issue, so many fans driving home late at night after a game. But that's our reality.
People today might want to boast about how they wouldn't even want to read my writing. If they did read it, they would want to clench fists, and why? All along, haven't I really been trying to be an advocate for Morris? Is that a sin? Are you all just such close buddies with certain coaches and their spouses/friends, partying and perhaps drinking cocktails with them, that you fail to think with clarity?
I know some people do take an interest in what I write today. I can still circulate in this town and have civilized relationships with people.
The Owls did well on defense vs. Tiger Jackson Loge in the Saturday matinee. Loge was limited to six points. When I write "matinee" I'm not being literal of course as this is a reference to movies. So I'm taking liberty, in the same spirit as one might say "gendarme" instead of policeman. "Gendarme" is a European term. I remember that after the storm clouds of contentiousness in this town, with my opinions becoming known, Jim Morrison at the paper got a formal-looking letter from someone, as if it came from a legal office, written by a soul with neck turned red, making it sound like anyone who'd use the word "gendarme" must be some sort of hopeless idiot.
Of course, it was just a case of someone venting who was on the other side of me in a community controversy. Exact equivalent of what happened in Austin with the meatpackers. We went through a period of time when Darcy Winkelman had to be shown the door in girls basketball. That was a real knock-down, drag-out. The board had an odd way of ultimately announcing her departure from the coaching position - I can report that because it was in the Morris paper.
We have now found in the year 2019 that "life simply goes on" after certain adjustments are made in school extracurricular, and everyone can be happy. The situation is never perfect. Today I sense basic contentment overall with these activities. And I'm happy to write about it, whether everyone approves or not.
The Hancock boys trailed us by just one at halftime. Bennett Nienhaus and Cole Reese were top Hancock scorers, reaching the mid-20s range. The Willmar paper misspelled Bennett's last name "Ninehaus" - I'm looking at it on my laptop screen right now. OK, so who is really the dumb s--t when it comes to writing - is it really me? No, it's someone else. The current issue of the Morris paper has the same sports article appearing twice on Page B1. We're paying for such a small paper to begin with. Way to go, Forum Communications.
Camden Arndt was one of three Tigers each making four 3-point shots. Jaret Johnson and Thomas Tiernan were the other two. Zach Hughes made one. Arndt led in rebounds with eight. Loge led in assists with eleven. Cole Reese showed hot shooting for the Owl crew as he made five 3-pointers. Connor Reese and Nienhaus each made two. Peyton Rohloff snared ten rebounds. Cole Reese and Connor Reese each produced seven assists, and Nienhaus had five steals.
Addendum: Obviously I could continue writing about many of the issues enclosed here. Apologists for our past superintendent would say he was beholden to various (pretentious) academic types in Morris - the UMM faction held sway - who'd stress how we mustn't place emphasis on athletics. It's all about academics, presumably rigorous academics. That attitude is dated now. For one thing, we are paying for all school programs and they should all be held to standards, not being made a sacrificial lamb to some avant garde outlook on such things. As for girls basketball, wouldn't high competitive standards be in line with "women's lib" which is what so many of the pretentious academic types actually pushed? I put that thought in print once and I think I drove certain people nuts. What I was writing made too much sense. I'm not bragging because I have no standing to brag, as I have been unemployed for 12 years. I will repeat that the situation in 2019 appears quite healthy and well-adjusted, so congratulations all.
Now, let's get back to some exciting "straight news" about recent MACA hoops!
The home court was the site for a boys hoops victory by the Tigers on February 15. It was win No. 12 for the orange and black crew, against eight losses. Benson meanwhile fell to 5-16.
Things were well in hand for MACA halfway through as we led 39-22. "Another day at the office." A great way to break up the winter blahs. Have we ever had the winter blahs so bad?
The second half was basically a stalemate. Fans enjoyed six different Tigers making at least one 3-pointer. Jackson Loge and Jaret Johnson each made two long-rangers. These Tigers each made one: Joseph Kleinwolterink, Zach Hughes, Kevin Asfeld and Durgin Decker. Those 3's always give spice to a game.
Loge was quite out front in the scoring with his output of 27 points. Johnson was the other Tiger in double figures with 12. Here's the list of the other scorers: Kleinwolterink 5, Hughes 3, Micah Aanerud 2, Camden Arndt 4, Asfeld 3, Decker 7 and Thomas Tiernan 2. Loge and Johnson led in rebounds with seven and six respectively. Arndt and Loge led in assists with four and three, and Tiernan led in steals with two.
The Benson story had Ben Peterson with the only 3-pointer. None of the Braves reached double figures scoring. The Braves who scored: Austin Ose 8, Matt Goossen 4, Cole Hedman 3, Peterson 5, Eric Hoium 2, Will Enderson 8, Hunter Gonnerman 6, Matt Ebnet 2, Matt Lenarz 4 and Devon Liles 4. Enderson collected five rebounds, Peterson had an assist, and Hedman and Liles each had two steals.
Things didn't go so well for the Tiger BBB crew on February 8. The Tigers made the trip down I-94 to Melrose. It was the host Dutchmen with the winning advantage with the 64-59 final. Even Jaret Johnson's four 3-pointers weren't enough on this night. Zach Hughes and Durgin Decker each made one '3'.
Johnson's 3-pointers helped put him atop our scoring list with 21 points. Jackson Loge came through with 18. Other Tigers with points: Jaden Maanum 2, Hughes 7, Durgin Decker 3 and Camden Arndt 8. Arndt attacked the boards for ten rebounds while Loge collected six. Arndt dished out six assists. Hughes and Arndt each stole the ball once. We trailed by one at halftime, 32-31.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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