Wellspring of joy, another of disaster

The spring of Caitlin Clark and the Trump trials or legal messes continues. One of these things has been totally joyous. We might thank God for this. It counterbalances the disturbing stuff. 

Oh I suppose I could throw in the bombshell Kristi Noem story. You probably know she's the governor of the bright red state to the west. Remember the saying promoted by "Andy's Pop Store?" "Johnson Minnesota where the pavement ends and the West begins!" 

Civilization might be a little sketchy out there. And be careful if you're walking along a roadside in our state to the west. Look at the horrible catastrophe of when the then-South Dakota attorney general was driving at night. Coming from a Republican fundraiser of course. (I initially wrote "GOP" instead of "Republican" but many people might not know what "GOP" is.) 

We're awfully close to South Dakota here in Morris. I cannot assume any level of refinement, certainly not among the men. The women bear our only hope for trying to avoid the existential dilemma of Trump actually getting back in power. 

I seriously think Noem's apparent tough sledding now only increases her chances of getting the VP selection. Trump's outrageous personal predicaments are not dropping his stock at all. Perhaps lifting his chances? I seriously think so. I was at DeToy's Restaurant at mid-morning today (Monday) and noticed the men holding forth in the middle section. We need women to turn out in force at the polls in November to counter the votes of these men. 

Women have lost the guarantee of  being able to make decisions to control their bodies, thanks to Trump and his three Supreme Court nominees. Brett Kavanaugh actually lied to Senator Susan Collins re. the "Roe" matter. We know what we are up against, all us sensible types who really want to weigh factual data and not just tune in to AM talk radio. I monitor radio out of personal curiosity. 

You can follow all the Trump legal news which will go on forever. Why are we seeing this phenomenon with this president and not others? Is it because a normal president sees himself as a public servant? So when a true public servant has something pointed out in his actions that was not according to Hoyle, he'd admit it and agree to remedial action. The motive is to serve the public. 

Otherwise get out of politics and go seek sexual satisfaction with the porn star and Playboy bunnies or whatever on your own private terms. You have the money so go do it. But what happened to Eliot Spitzer when he tried the very same thing? Wasn't he "busted?" 

Paying a woman to stay silent after a sexual tryst or simple "sex session" is the same as paying a woman to have sex. In the old days we'd use the term "prostitution." Has this term been shelved in the present day? Is it quaint to use? Can't sex just be transactional? Why not, if it's two consenting adults? Trump apparently thinks it's perfectly proper. 

Would it have really mattered if we had known about Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal leading up to the 2016 election? We did in fact know about "Access Hollywood." I guess that hurt Billy Bush, but nothing, absolutely nothing, hurts Trump. Just listen to talk radio. 

And now we'll see if Noem being a dog killer will hurt her. Or maybe even help her? In this age of Trump, we cannot rule out the latter. 

What about Trump and his autocratic aims? It's out there in full view.

I quote from an email I sent to a friend this morning:

 

Very seriously, if Trump takes over the Federal Reserve as reports indicate he wants to do, it is all over for this country. It will disintegrate. We will start seeing factions or mob rule taking over here and there. Law enforcement will devolve totally. It'll be like every man for himself. The Fed is a very delicate institution and Americans generally do not understand that. And Trump's supporters just want to let him do anything he wants. They won't question him on anything. The more trouble he gets in, the more they support him. The fact that Kristi Noem is in so much trouble for shooting her dog just raises the odds of her being the VP choice, seriously.

The middle section at DeToy's was filled at mid-morning today, all those guys who are in the category of total Trump supporters. Really I think it's just a macho thing for them. You're a "wuss" if you support Biden and even worse if you like Kamala. Of course Kamala is not a terrible person at all. Newt Gingirich says her laugh is a disqualifier. Really?

 

Know what's at stake

Here is a comment I posted to a Yahoo! News article this morning:

 

The only Trump news that interests me on this Monday morning is follow-up on his intentions to make decisions for the Federal Reserve, (wink) with interest rates. Odds appear good of Trump winning and then of essentially taking over the Fed, and I hate typing "essentially." Trump wants power. The reason the Fed is independent is that sometimes it has to make decisions that are bad in the short term but good in the long term.

 

"Jack" responded:

He won't win, people will flock to the polls to shut him out.

"Ron" echoed this:

It’s a moot point! Trump will never win the general election! He will get beat like a red-headed stepchild!

 

"Warren" responded:

The only news I am interested in hearing this Monday morning is that Karma has finally visited "Dump" once and for all.

  

"James" was skeptical toward me:

Not a lot of critical thinking going on here. You know they could use some volunteers in the Ukraine.

  

"Bonnie" offered a response:

Since he can't do that, would be interesting, but he does want to destroy the country, did a good job, million dead from covid, a virus he admitted was deadly and downplayed, more people out of work since the '30s, 8 trillion in debt, telling people to inject bleach, treason, a tariff war that cost us billions, trashed our allies, wrote love letters to our foe.

"Steven" responded:

Housing is just NOW starting to soften because of the interest rates. The FED will manage it. It's POOR management like Trump did, that started all of this in the first place. Trust smart people. Distrust elementary minds like Trump's.

 

Jerome Powell

"Ted" responded:

Trump replaced Janet Yellen as Fed Chair with Jerome Powell in 2018. Read about it. He said Powell was the "man for the job and will do great things to boost the economy." Now Trump wants to get rid of Powell.

"Dickie D" responded:

You realize the Federal Reserve is private. Those families will not let Trump anywhere near their operation, unless it makes them money, but stability is more important to them.

 

Kristi with the pretty face?

Here's a comment I posted to Yahoo! News about Kristi Noem before the dog incident got out there.

Is her biggest strength this commonly-heard perception that she's "good-looking?" It's not me saying that, I'm citing the "meme" or whatever. So a fair number of people must subscribe to it. Standards on judging women by this yardstick evolve. It is no longer so important to be "thin." Noem is quite thin of course. Then again, we could simply throw out the yardstick. IMHO the governor looks a little anemic.

 

Kristi Noem (facebook)

"Isk8ill" responded:

She's a 50 year old having a tough time accepting that she's 50.... Half the women in their 50's today struggle with this issue from what i can tell. Then when they don't have makeup on, they look like a 21 year old aging lizard. Its weird. They look weird.

"YasGoddess" responded:

Both times I voted at the civic center and Kristi Lynn was on the ballot, the overwhelmingly male crowd (I guess most women aren't allowed to vote here) unanimously agreed "she sure is a cutie!" Some of these highly evolved beings audibly described what they'd like the Snow Queen of Aberdeen to do to them; the few women there just treated it as any other day in this enlightened state.

 

"Riley1981" responded:

It's all makeup and hair and dental work. Lipstick on a pig. She still looks like a man.

 

"Wild" responded:

Wonder if she is the orange racoons type? That is the only thing he judges women by. Gross.

 

"TurtleBlue" responded:

Yeah well. . .we know Donnie Bamboozle wants beauty near him to make him look better. Bhim bhos allowed.

"Chuck" responded:

Sounds like something a guy with a chubby wife would say.

 

"Philip" responded:

Tell us, since you are obviously against identity politics, why was Harris chosen as VP?

Oh my, here's "Todd":

IMHO you are the same two face hypocrite that you complain about!

The "hush money" trial

Here's another comment I posted to Yahoo! News this morning:

I think the media has adjusted its wording in one aspect of this case. I now see the term "sexual tryst" instead of "affair" (Trump with Ms. Clifford of course). Legal proceedings require precise definitions and "affair" has bothered me. At present I think "sexual tryst" still obscures too much. Can't we deduce what Trump was after? Same thing as with Eliot Spitzer? Didn't he get in trouble?

 

"Bosh" responded:

Trump used the proper wording when he said he could grab women by the kitty and get away with it because he was famous.

 

"Robert" responded:

Karen McDougal had a ten-month "affair" with Donnie and she is a part of this trial. As for "tryst," he definitely had one with his Trump tower maid (who had his child). . .

 

Thank you

And there's a million stories in the naked city.

 

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

MACA softball climbs to 8-1

The MACA softball express rolls along. Following the three wins the team notched on April 20, it was more of same for April 25 action. The Tigers took to the diamond Thursday to face Benson. Shall I assume Benson is still the "Braves?" Not sure what I should assume. If Benson still goes by that, it would contradict the spirit of state law. So I wonder if the P.A. announcer for Benson home games still uses the long-established nickname. 

The argument against such a name is that "Native Americans are not mascots." The matter appears to be bogged down now. Remind you of anything? Donald Trump's legal escapades maybe? Never any light at the end of the tunnel? 

People my age remember the "light at the end of the tunnel" expression from when the U.S. was involved in the Vietnam war. Don't ever bet against cynicism. I am a cynic and not necessarily proud of it. When I gather evidence to change I will change. Right now the daily headlines are an endless mish-mash about Trump, making him front and center still. 

And he would not be in this position if a whole lot of grassroots support was not available for him, like what we see in our Morris area. The current Trump trial news appears to have the MAGA crowd more agitated than usual. Will they become prone to violence? Will these people continue to fill our local church pews? Good Shepherd Church? What is all this going to do to the long-term image of Christianity? 

I happen to care about this. I write more about the political mood I sense around Morris on my "Morris of Course" companion blog site. Here is the link. Oh and thanks so much for reading, for checking in here. - BW

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2024/04/trump-trial-makes-local-supporters-ugly.html 

 

Tigers 15, Benson 0

I shall just refer to Benson as "the Benson softball team." Actually that's a nice way to do it, isn't it? Do we need "nicknames?" 

Benson was no match for MACA softball Thursday. Coach Mary Holmberg's Tigers took care of business most decisively. The score was 15-0 in abbreviated action. They'll go on the road next Tuesday at Litchfield. 

One-sided games are nice, right? Not so fast. Because, maybe the Tigers would benefit from playing more challenging competition. Sharon Martin told me once "we're in a weak conference." The Tigers have a pattern of doing so outstanding in the regular season but then, too often, their climb seems to be stopped prematurely in the post-season. 

The Thursday game was a perfect example of the Tigers not being tested well enough. 

Remember all the years when Benson was with Hancock in softball? I remember back in my earliest years with the Morris paper, so much talk "on the street" was how Hancock was on its last legs as a school. Such dispiriting talk. And now today, business is booming over there! 

Back when I started with the paper, the Democratic Party was strong out here. Just think! Today it is risky in the Morris area to even be known as a Democrat. "Make America great again." We'll see the flags on the back of pickups driven by the Apostolics again (the Apostolic men). All I can do is observe. 

The MACA softball Tigers scored 13 runs in the very first inning Thursday. You know what? Maybe the Benson school administration has bigger fish to fry than to fight for their school nickname. Can't their AD push for a little higher standards? 

The Tigers scored their other two runs in the second. Whew! We played errorless ball. The West Central Tribune reports that the game was played "in Morris" but I have seen the paper make mistakes with this kind of info before. 

Nora Boyle was a prime individual in our win. She pitched a three-hitter. She was only required to pitch four innings. She struck out seven batters and walked just one. The losing pitcher was Presley Nygaard. Oh, just six of the 15 runs that Nygaard allowed were earned. She struck out two batters and walked four. 

Let's move on to the hitting category. The Tigers had ten hits in all. We can count on Lauren Hottovy for pretty solid hitting. She came at Benson with two-for-two numbers. She drew a walk, scored two runs and stole two bases. 

Brianna Marty had a hit, scored twice, drove in a run and stole a base. Amaya Raths had a hit, drew a walk, stole a base, scored two runs and drove in three. Cate Kehoe hit a home run as part of a two-for-three line. She stole a base, scored two runs and drove in four. Boyle walked and drove in two runs. 

Makenzie Konz socked two triples plus she scored two runs and drove in two. Piper Swanson doubled and drove in a run. Haley Kill had a hit, stole a base, scored a run and drove in a run. Sophie Anderson stole a base and crossed home plate twice. Kaylin Steen walked, stole a base and crossed home plate twice. 

What a parade of offensive contributors! 

Benson's hits were by Mya McGeary, Paige Wrobleski and Megan Wrobleski. 

The MACA won-lost mark is a sterling 8-1. We're 5-0 in section, 5-0 in conference and 6-1 at home. I'll bet our "softball complex" is a mighty wet place today (Friday).

 

The macro picture

"Fake electors" for Trump in Arizona? Now they're indicted? When it rains it pours? Here's a comment I posted with a Yahoo! News article in the last 24 hours:

 

The Arizona news pushes all of the developments with Trump to a new level, a disconcerting and embarrassing one, as if it wasn't bad enough before. Gerald Ford responded to a situation like this with his pardon of Nixon. I feel something comparable is coming and it will be sudden, leave many people breathless. Could happen in next couple weeks. Trump will be guaranteed a reasonably comfortable life for the rest of his life. He will not be able to run for office again or even give quotes to the media again. He will agree to this if it serves his own interests, and he has always put his own interests first. A wide swath of wrongdoers will simply be set free or forgiven, the idea being they were just following Trump's wishes from the top. Outlandish? It will be interesting to see if I am right. Anything to put this whole national mess behind us. The deep state will get it done.

 

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

Tigers thump "Braves" or whoever they are

Is Benson still the "Braves?" Do the P.A. announcers there still intone that? Braves? It's contradicting the Minnesota legal intentions at the present time. But who knows? I am only wondering, asking questions.  

"Braves" or no, the Benson athletic cause was quite futile on Tuesday. Native Americans would not have wanted to answer for Tuesday's athletic performance. The action was in Benson. Their opponent was our Morris Area Chokio Alberta Tigers.

This game marked the start of a road stretch for the baseball Tigers. "Minnesota Scores" reports that we're in a series of four road contests. Sauk Centre is the foe for April 25. And then, Melrose for a doubleheader on April 30. We own a 4-4 record but are 0-4 in section. Conference play has the orange and black sitting at 2-2. At home we are 3-4. We're all hoping for continued cooperative weather. 

Click on link below to read about the MACA softball team's 14-0 win over KMS. This post is on my "Morris of Course" companion blog. Thanks for reading.

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2024/04/lauren-hottovys-bat-packs-punch-in-14-0.html 

 

Success vs. Benson

The "Minnesota Scores" site has the MACA Tigers defeating Benson 20-0. But the West Central Tribune reports that we won 21-0. Brings back memories from when I was in the community press and I'd get game information from two different sources sometimes. And of course in many cases their information was not going to match. 

It gets to the point where you'd feel shocked if the information did match! And of course readers can be so unforgiving. Writing as I do today, online-only, if I feel I really have to make a correction, I can do it by just going in and making a change. With print it's a whole different story, so for example if you write "Human Society" instead of "Humane Society," it is there forever. 

The West Central Tribune of Willmar tells us that the Tigers had 20 hits in beating Benson. We displayed a constant onslaught of scoring runs. So let's review: three runs in the first, one in the second, two in the third, eight in the fourth and seven in the fifth. We complemented our offensive onslaught with a mere one error. 

Oh my, not only did the "Braves" have zero runs, they were held to three hits and committed seven errors. Looks like maybe the Benson school administration has bigger fish to fry than sports nickname. 

Our winning pitcher was Alex Asmus who worked 3 2/3 innings. He gave up two hits, walked no one and fanned five. Ozzy Jerome finished up with 1 1/3 innings. He was mighty effective as he set down four batters on strikes. 

The pitcher of record for Benson was Alex Claussen. 

The Tigers had a parade of offensive contributors. Let's start with Andrew Marty with three hits in four at-bats, two runs, two RBIs, a walk received and a stolen base. Riley Asmus had a two-for-four boxscore line with both his hits doubles. Riley drew a walk, scored three runs and drove in one. 

Jerome came through at two-for-five with two runs scored and three ribbies. Alex Asmus was a major force at the plate at four-for-four including two doubles and a triple. Alex scored two runs and drove in one. Also batting a thousand on the day was Owen Anderson at three-for-three including a double. Owen scored three runs, drove in one and stole a base. 

Kleindl (first name not available) scored a run and drove in one. Justin Giese had a hit in his only at-bat, plus he scored a run and drove in one. Jackson Hallman delivered two hits in as many at-bats, one a double. He drew a walk and stole a base. He scored two runs and drove in three. 

Landen Gibson had a hit, scored two runs and drove in one. Ashdon Hacker was two-for-four with a run scored and an RBI. 

Hey the individual hit totals add up to 20! Sometimes things do go right.

Benson's hits were by Alex Claussen, Garrett Lenz and Noah Grossman.

Addendum: Just to remind, the main argument against Native American-themed sports nicknames is that they suggest Natives should be mascots.

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

When grandparents depart too early

Carrie Williams

How many of you never had the opportunity to meet one or more of your grandparents? Doesn't it sort of gnaw at you - the mystery. Would I feel a true family bond with that person or not? Would it be like oil and water? Or like we're best friends? 

How would grandma or grandpa judge me? My friends know that I'm always worried about people judging me. I have to wonder if I'd click with my grandma Carrie. That's the grandma on my father's side of the family. An air of mystery has always pervaded in my head because I never got to meet her or her husband, my grandpa Martin. 

Martin and Carrie Williams of Glenwood. Actually they lived along the shoreline of Lake Minnewaska outside of town. It was not a lakes recreation type of place. My family could see the old house on many trips to Glenwood. In Glenwood we visited my uncle Howard and his wife Vi. 

My father Ralph and Howard were among five sons of Martin and Carrie Williams. Carrie obviously deserved a medal for guiding five sons to adulthood. This period of time included the Great Depression. It included the John Dillinger gangster period. Dillinger was tracked down and killed in the summer after my father's graduation from high school, 1934. Hardscrabble times for all. 

Martin was a plasterer. He died too young of course, in 1933. Upon seeing the doctor at the onset of symptoms, the doc first responded "how's your soul?" So much less that medical science could do in those days. 

Carrie lived until 1949. She was felled by a stroke. I was born in 1955. So, my father was a Depression kid and I was a boomer kid. Such a huge contrast in the tenor of the times. I was able to grow up with TV. 

The house where the Williams boys grew up is no longer there. I think I could pinpoint the place if I drove to Glenwood. There was a lot of swampy land on the other side of the highway. 

My father got attracted to music and built his professional life around that. There were many elements to it outside of his involvement here at UMM. I think he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. I was not cut out for that. If I were to live life over again, I would want to try the most menial occupation beginning at age 18. Experience normal maturation and development. I can only imagine how this would have gone. A psychologist would have greatly pushed me in that direction. 

 

Haunted, perhaps

I think Martin's death was hard on my father. I had no recollection of ever visiting the cemetery in Glenwood until 2018, shortly after my mom's death. Perhaps Mom didn't want Dad to go out there. Would have made Dad distraught. Dad wasn't yet done with high school when Martin died. I heard it was a painful cancer death. I think it's likely he was exposed to materials in his occupation that led to his cancer. 

Grandma Carrie was age 63 when she died. I have a couple photos on display in my home that show her in her older years. And she looks older than 63. You might know that people tended to look older in long-ago times. So I am reminded of that. But Carrie looks so gentle and loving. 

Martin and Carrie won the highest respect in their community. But I am puzzled by how I heard such little interesting background about their personalities when I was young. I heard good things but no substantive things. No interesting stories. Outside of learning about how and when they died, there was really nothing. 

And then in communicating with my cousin Robert a few years ago, he shared with me the same observation from his perspective. Robert was the son of the oldest of the five sons, Clyde. And Robert told me that his parents never said very much about Martin and Carrie. No stories to give color to their personalities? Well I guess not. 

So I have formed some resolve, in the event I go to heaven when I die, to meet up with Martin and Carrie and really get a feel for them. Oh but my, what would they think of me? Yours truly, an indulged boomer kid who grew up in the late '50s and '60s. Look at it this way: at least I wasn't sent to Vietnam. My father was a lieutenant in the Navy in World War II. That was a necessary war, at least we seem convinced today. I don't know. 

I think Martin was a young man when his services weren't needed for the military. So fortunate. Man, to raise five sons to manhood during the challenged era that included the Great Depression! It inspires awe. But I never could meet him. Neither him nor his wife Carrie. So I have always just wondered. 

The Williams family lived between Starbuck and Glenwood. Howard's big claim to fame as an adult was to be the well-known banking big shot in Glenwood! With Glenwood State Bank. I continue to have accounts there today. I sure hope CD rates can stay reasonably high through the end of this year. Americans have pushed so hard for low interest rates. I guess they need loans. 

As for me, because I grew up in a family so strongly influenced by the Depression, I have always prioritized saving money and I have NO faith in the stock market. We'll see if my attitude is vindicated, won't we. 

I am pleased to share in the remainder of this post the newspaper obituary for my grandmother Carrie who went to her eternal rest in 1949.

 
A large number of relatives and friends of a long-time resident of this community gathered at the Glenwood Lutheran Church Friday afternoon, June 17, at 2 p.m. to pay final tribute to Mrs. Carrie Williams of Glenwood, who passed away early in the morning of Tuesday, June 14, at the Glenwood Hospital, where she had been brought immediately upon suffering a stroke. 

The master monument

The funeral service was conducted by Reverend David J. Quill. Mr. E.M. Wollan sang two solos, "O Morn of Beauty" and "Abide With Me," accompanied by Mrs. Edw. D. Smith at the organ. The church was beautiful by the many lovely floral gifts. Interment was made in the family lot in the Glenwood Lutheran cemetery. 

Casket bearers were Robert Winters, Carrol Savre, Ernest Pederson, Harvey Ellefson, Vernon Hegg and Herman Quist. 

Carrie Avdem was born in Lesja, Gulbandsdalen, Norway, Feb. 17, 1886. Her parents were Hans and Marit Avdem, who pre-deceased her. She was confirmed in the Lutheran faith in 1901 at Lesja Kirke in Norway. In the year 1905, she came to America and settled in Glenwood. She was employed in Glenwood and in Carrington ND prior to her marriage to Martin Williams of Glenwood on May 15, 1908. 

Five sons were born to their union, namely, Clyde of Duluth, a decorator; Howard, cashier of the Glenwood State Bank; Andrew of Minneapolis, who is engaged in construction work; Joseph, shop foreman of the Wright County Journal Press at Buffalo; and Ralph, one of Minnesota's contemporary composers of choral music and a teacher at the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota. 

Mr. Williams was a plasterer and mason and the family made its home north of Lake Minnewaska during all the time the boys were growing up, except for about two years when they lived in the city of Glenwood. Mr. Williams passed away June 22, 1933. 

During the last few years, Mrs. Williams did nursing work in Detroit Lakes, Minneapolis and Glenwood. Besides her five sons, she is survived by six sisters and three brothers, all in Norway except Andrew Avdem of Pekin ND. Two sisters preceded her in death. She is also survived by four grandsons and one granddaughter. A second cousin, Mrs. A. Ellefson, also lives in Glenwood. 

Those from a distance who attended the funeral service were Mr. Andrew Avdem of Pekin ND, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Leonard of Minneapolis; Mr. Albin Sather and daughter Norma of Oslo MN. All of the sons of the deceased were also present. 

In her passing, Mrs. Williams leaves among her family and friends memories of many happy times enjoyed in the hospitality of their home.

"Until at last, when earth's day's work is ended,

All meet Thee in the blessed home above,

From whence Thou camest, where Thou has ascended,

Thy everlasting home of peace and love!"

 

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

Snowless winter, a Caitlin Clark spring!

A friend concluded an email to me, "you order this weather?" We must resist grousing about the weather in this second half of April 2024. Weren't we all blessed by the snowless winter? No chagrin or disputes over snow removal contracts. Our previous city manager advised "if you have a snowblower and your neighbor does not, go and blow out his driveway." 

No such issues for this past winter, no suspense about how much of the biking/walking trail would remain open. A normal winter would have us trying to speculate on when the trail would be mostly open. And then - hallelujah - when it would be totally open. It is a joy to see all the dogs out there. They have frolicked all winter. 

But on this Friday of mid-April the weather is "blah." Zero snow issues, that's for sure. Again I wonder if this is the kind of weather they have all winter in Missouri. You'd think the mild conditions relative to Minnesota would be a plus. We do not hear people raving about weather and climate of the middle portion of the U.S., though. 

I read a definitive op-ed about this once. The writer noted that if you drive through the central U.S. in winter, "you don't see anybody doing anything outside." Conditions are largely wet and with no reprieve from that. That's what we have in Morris as I write this. Dirt trails and roads are muddy. Is there anything you'd want to do outside today? I'd say no. 

The temperature of 40 degrees would be a dream in the middle of February. One might want to celebrate by taking a walk. But 40 degrees right now just has a biting quality. Seems like a no-brainer to stay indoors. 

Staying indoors means we would likely follow media. I can't really help it, as media was the raison d'etre of my active years. So I was amused reading today the comment by someone on the story of the bumbling Indianapolis newspaper columnist. The guy behaved right out of the 1970s. The event was a press conference featuring Caitlin Clark. The writer made what might be called an odd overture toward her. It violated the ethics of our present times. 

An article today shared how the violator was not new to behavior at the edge for such things. A commenter came to his defense in an odd but amusing way: "Reporters can be crazy just like the rest of us." So we're sort of a cross section? Maybe so. 

 

All hail

This indeed has been the spring of Caitlin Clark, the basketball prodigy. I have thought daily about how this prodigy truly got to top of the heap. Talented yes but she was in the NCAA Division I world where top talent is everywhere. These kids are obviously highly motivated. 

College women's basketball has been established a long time. There should have been a list of Clark-like stars by now. Fans who are intensely focused could rattle off names I'm sure. We all need to be proud of all the progress. But Clark simply soared. It was a no-brainer that "Saturday Night Live" would go after her soon after the tournament. She was such an incredibly fresh face in our pantheon of celebrities, made me rather misty, really did. 

Talented as she is, she had to have some circumstances fall in place for her. A friend pointed this out at coffee at McDonald's a few days ago. Regarding Clark's propensity for making the very long shots, my friend Dale Peterson said "her coach let her do it." Even the best athletes need a coach who gets on their side with tactics. "Other coaches wouldn't have let her do it." 

Coach Bluder, Clark ("sportico")

Or, look at it this way: What if she had missed her first 3-4 very long shots - always a possibility? Would she then have been forced into a more normal game routine? She's not particularly tall, at least she does not rely on this quality. Oh yes she's a whiz at everything including assists and having the proverbial "eyes on the back of her head." 

Wonderful. But she was playing in the Big 10. Our own Lindsay Whalen couldn't cut it as a coach in the Big 10. Many of us might now wonder if the U of M might make the climb to the rarefied air of this past winter's "Iowa women's basketball team." It was a team for the ages with players we'll all remember other than Clark. 

But therein is a paradox. We think of the likes of Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, Hannah Stuelke and Sydney Affolter among likely others. I'd have a hard time rattling off names of the U of M players - yes the men - outside of one or two obvious stars. And right now I could not even do the latter. 

Of course I don't have cable TV. But in spite of that shortcoming, look how well I do with names of the Iowa women. A "first." Also, a true exhibit of the strides being made by college women's basketball. 

Caitlin Clark could have been held back by a coach that was less than awestruck by her. You know how coaches can be. Persnickety? Following whims, or reacting to individual players based on personal biases not necessarily grounded in talent? Oh, some might resent sheer "star quality." "Hey, we're a team." 

Remember the assistant coach in the movie "One on One" (Robbie Benson) who gave a haymaker punch to the undersized hero player because of a perception of the player being a "hot dog?" I think there's a strain of thinking like that among coaches. "No one player is bigger than the team." Sounds passable in theory. 

But take a look at the Iowa women's basketball team: clearly a superstar and yet there wasn't a hint of internal jealousies. If this existed it was totally masked. I doubt it existed, and I think in fact Clark's celebrity quality became a rallying cry for the team. If the players knew what side their bread was buttered on, then the way was clear for them: support Caitlin, complement her. 

Remember that each of these young women had been notable in high school, a superstar shall we say. And yet they really had to shelve their ambition some when playing around Caitlin. In the long run the reward was for many of them to become "celebrities" in their own right. Kate Martin got drafted into the WNBA. I wonder if this would have happened had she not played beside Caitlin. 

Some men can't resist rating players on their "looks." Gabbie Marshall did well with that yardstick, according to what I've been able to pick up. 

Nice to see a player of color in the top list: Hannah Stuelke. 

How many women's basketball teams have established their presence like this? Iowa the first? We'll remember the players years from now - I surely will. I hope Martin makes it in the WNBA. 

OK how will Clark do? It's not a slam dunk, so to speak, that she'll do a repeat of college. Maybe she'll have to accept being more of a complementary player. 

Clark was very fortunate with her college coach Bluder. Bluder "let her shoot." Bluder let her test the percentages for making the "logo 3's." Shots from the logo on the court? You've got to be kidding. But man, Caitlin let the the ball fly. 

I submitted a comment to Yahoo! News reminding that the women's ball is smaller. I wondered how Clark would do with a men's ball. Someone responded to me by wondering how Clark would do wearing a men's-size shoe! Rimshot. But what rarefied air memories we have tucked away now. It has been the spring of Caitlin Clark just like it has been the spring of Donald Trump's "hush money trial." Only in America?

 

Addendum: On the subject of an athlete benefiting from a supportive coach, think of the exhibit which represents the opposite of that: Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton and early coach Norm Van Brocklin! 

 

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