Easter has its secular side too

Gene Autry

More than a light dusting of snow on this early April morning. April! And to think we look forward to this time of year so much. It's a great selling point for the RFC in Morris: an escape from the dreariness of the snow season. 

As I walked into Willie's this morning, I could imagine the sound of Christmas music over the sound system! But it is Easter time and not Christmas. It would be fun to listen to "The Snoopy Christmas Song" but instead it's time for "Peter Cottontail." Novelty songs like that rather amuse me. Such simplicity or even nonsense and yet it's captivating. 

Did Gene Autry give us the most famous version of "Here Comes Peter Cottontail?" "Hopping down the bunny trail." Of course I'm thinking of the secular context for Easter. The Christian faith alas has gotten rather stigmatized in America. Very unfortunate but there is such a political tinge. This has persisted for a while and it appears not to be letting up, at least with a significant share of our population out here. 

My former church of First Lutheran has been doing a lot of soul-searching or introspection lately. And so the results of the recent survey have been revealed. This as the church sort of flails away as if a drowning person in the water. Indeed the church no longer offers weekly Sunday services at its own building. 

Because I no longer am a member, a friend emailed me the survey results which were extensive even if somewhat confusing. The point was made that the pastor - whoever that is - should not be "political." Well I can't imagine anyone coming forward to say the pastor should be "political." 

Frankly I think Pastor Matt tries as hard as possible to achieve this aim. However, the matter is not so cut and dried, hoo boy. In the eyes of so many of the Neanderthal conservative folks - you should know who you are - a pastor can project or presume ideas that are in line with "conservative" politics and many people will think that's quite fine. Pastor is not being "political," he's just asserting very Christian things, these people would say. 

But people like me would say that pastor is being quite political. 

 

Different strokes 

If a pastor would be inclined the opposite way and maybe simply share progressive or liberal ideas, well my, that guy would be at great risk of having the people of rural western Minnesota get up and walk right out during the service. That pastor would be "political." 

Jesus Christ Himself, in case you place credence in him, could be political in this manner with his Sermon on the Mount. Pastors who simply seek to preserve their careers have learned to avoid certain quotes from Jesus Christ. 

The terms "liberal, progressive and conservative" can in themselves be problematic. Oh, and so can the term "evangelical." Chris Jansing of MSNBC would look into the camera and ponder how a state's "evangelicals" were going to be inclined, going into a primary vote. I'd scratch my head. What or who are these "evangelicals?" Shall we just exclude all ELCA Lutherans? 

The time may be past to even try applying CPR to the ELCA. The tumble began in 2009. You probably know the background. The problem is not at the local level with all the LGBTQ stuff. (Oh, maybe it is to an extent in the big cities, but I'm too separated from that whole milieu.) 

I did sense that all ELCA pastors were more or less required to give a sermon on gay rights at the time the matter became contentious - to make clear we're a "big tent." We had an interim pastor at First Lutheran who used levity: he compared the acceptance of gays to the acceptance of Swedes by Norwegians or vice versa at an earlier time of our history. Charming way to put it. 

But the matter would prove not to be trivial or passing. We might use the current buzzword "existential" like the future of the denomination would be threatened. I chose "would" over "could." 

First Lutheran Church

And now First Lutheran in Morris with its rich history of spiritual leadership may already be gone. Oh I can live without it. 

Morris has one other ELCA church: Faith Lutheran. Faith is so proud of all its "young families." And rightfully so. 

The decline of the ELCA makes this arrangement of two ELCA churches here steadily more untenable. If you're new in town and choose one of the two, people will wonder what you have against the other one. They have to. 

And even worse, if you switch from one to the other, it is rather a spectacle as people naturally assume you had a grievance! "People talk," as I mentioned to Kelvin Tschetter. And Kelvin wryly responded, "well, they have to talk about something." Amusing yes and with insight to boot. 

Faith Lutheran Church

But whither the ELCA in Morris? Mainstream Protestantism is handicapped to begin with in Morris because so many people choose the Apostolic churches. I can't help but think of this element as a cult. Oh, I like these people personally. But if so many people are scratched off the list, as it were, makes it much tougher for the mainstream Protestants to properly support their churches. 

The Catholics? Never in my life have I found a reason to have anything against the Catholics. When I was with the Morris newspaper I only enjoyed my relationship with the local Catholic leaders, perhaps especially Fr. Wielinski. 

But I grew up ELCA Lutheran. I was confirmed before I even understood what confirmation meant. Typical boomer: we were handed so many things and privileges by our indulging parents. They had been through the Depression and WWII and by golly they were going to see to it that their children had their path eased. 

 

Reckoning

The Christian faith is going to have so much to answer for, once the alarm bells start ringing about the consequences of the Donald Trump presidency. I have friends or former friends who will scowl at me for bringing up Trump in this manner. They do not budge. Many of these people appear to have been hypnotized by conservative media like Fox News. They look upon me as pathology. 

Federal spending is higher now than when Biden was president. So how is Trump so "conservative?" Immigration? God is going to punish us because of the conduct of Trump's ICE. 

Here's a headline I'm looking at on my laptop screen right now: "Oil surges and stock futures fall after Trump offers no clear timeline to end war in Iran." 

You know what I pray about? I pray for all the souls of schoolgirls who were killed by the U.S. Tomahawk missile at the start of hostilities. I pray for the soul of our nation because of the ship that our military forces sank and then we did not even rescue the survivors. Looks like we might be no better than a certain German autocratic regime of the 20th Century. 

And God blesses all this? Not my God. Not my Savior. Contact your congressperson. She is joined at the hip with Donald Trump. 

And have a chocolate bunny for Easter. Listen to Gene Autry sing "Here Comes Peter Cottontail."

Chocolate bunny for Easter

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

Cougars take the diamond on fine day

What tremendous luck for the UMN-Morris athletic program. You usually have to do a hail Mary in order to hope that a scheduled outdoor season opener can even be played. I was taking my standard walk east of Morris Sunday when lo and behold, I heard sounds of activity from the "softball complex." (Maybe I put it in quotes because I'm not a fan of the place.) 

I covered sports for many years with the Morris newspaper. And I was so accustomed to seeing the initials "PPD" with the date of early-season games. "Postponed." In fact I have written several times about the letdown of early spring sports after all the gym-based activity of the winter sports. Not only are basketball games guaranteed to be played, the fans sit comfy in the bleachers. 

However, I have learned at age 71 to be careful navigating the wooden bleachers at our P.E. Center. No handrails. Best advice is to show "situational awareness." I think that's an actual medical term. 

When basketball ends each year, I expect the "letdown" for spring sports. Questionable game dates with the weather, and when games are played the parents/fans often look kind of forlorn as they are huddled wearing warm outerwear. Ground can be muddy. 

There, have I painted a good enough picture for you? 

I'll bet Sunday was the first day when a game under reasonable outdoor conditions could have been played. And wouldn't you know, Cougars not only had a game set for here, it was a doubleheader! Hitting the jackpot. So I heard the sounds coming from the softball complex and eventually learned this was collegiate action. No "PPD" for this game(s). And the weather was not just "adequate." It was downright enjoyable. 

I enjoyed my long walk following my standard route east of Morris. I came back into town using the shoulder of the bypass. Nice wide shoulders. The average temperature for this time of spring is low 40s. Temperature will stay pleasant today (Monday),, then I guess we'll head back down. But for the meantime, softball players and fans enjoyed the Sunday outing even though UMM was on the losing end. And a good number of fans were there. 

I'll bet the ground is still muddy. I am waiting to set foot on my yard until things really dry out. Recently I found that mud just "cakes" onto the bottom of your footwear - a hassle to remove. We still see "snirt" here and there. 

Ginger Ann Lucas

On to the game action: The Cougars hosted Bethany Lutheran. The Cougars fell by scores of 11-6 and 5-0. This was UMAC action. 

Let's get familiar with some of the Cougar names. Oh, look at Ginger Ann Lucas at the top of the lineup: four-for-four! She scored three runs. Below her name is Oliva Losee and she rapped two hits in four at-bats. She scored one run and drove in two. 

Alyssa Thornton had a two-for-three showing and drove in a run. Mary Landherr picked up an RBI. Jillian Anderson went two-for-four with an RBI. Kendra Schmitz added a hit to the mix. Morgan Wilhelm crossed home plate once. So did Taylor Johnson. 

It was Wilhelm pitching the whole way. I remember the great MLB relief pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm from when I was a kid. Threw the knuckleball! 

Against Bethany, Morgan Wilhelm gave up nine hits, struck out three and walked two.

 

And in Game 2

In the 5-0 Game 2 loss, hits were pretty scarce. Just one Cougar had two hits and that was Jillian Anderson. These Cougars each had one: Mary Landherr, Kendra Schmitz, Ro Diver and Taylor Johnson. 

Cougars were up against the top-notch pitching of Emily Meyer. UMM had Alyssa Thornton in the pitching role and she went the whole way. Thornton gave up eight hits, struck out four and walked three. 

Olivia Losee

Great to see action under pleasant conditions at the "complex" even though I am not a fan of the place. And what will the near future bring? Hey we're still in March. 

I remember the year when I was out walking and heard commotion from Big Cat field. It was a Cougar softball game when the weather and conditions were not cooperative, not even close. Big Cat Field was set up perfectly for softball. This was really revelatory. I was greatly impressed. 

I subsequently wrote that it would be fantastic for UMM to get an inflatable cover for Big Cat Field. St. Cloud State has this asset and it is really an asset. Meanwhile, seems like about half of the buildings at St. Cloud State are set to be torn down. And they are even doing fundraising among donors for this! Imagine giving money so that half the campus can be torn down. St. Cloud State had a new football stadium built in 2004. Now they don't even have football.

 

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

Alexandria bows to Wayzata, finishes 21-9

2026 was not to be a repeat of 2025 for Alexandria boys basketball. The '25 story ended with the Cardinals as state champion. Well, the 2026 edition did mighty super too. They made state. But victory at the state level proved elusive for the Cardinals. 

The just-concluded season ought to be filed away as significant and historic in Alex sports annals, even with the 0-2 showing in state. The state is cream of the crop all the way around. 

You probably know that the Witts have their imprint all over Alex hoops. In fact, Morris connections are pretty noticeable all the way around. The Witts are quite high-profile led by two of the top players Mason and Talan. They are grandsons of our former long-time football coach in Morris, Jerry Witt. 

Jerry was an athletic asset all the way around. He got established in Motown sports when he was a Cougar with UMM. He's married to Holly. And what a legacy they are watching with their grandchildren. State champs in 2025. State qualifier in '26. What would Alex do without its Morris connections? Probably should not ask that, is purely speculation. 

The day will come when Alex will take the floor without the Witts. We can assume that Mason and Talan will have impact somewhere at the collegiate level. They are probably looking higher than UMM. UMM plays Division III. 

A top star with last year's Alex team, Chase Thompson, is established at the highest level of collegiate ball now, playing for none other than Clemson, the Tigers. 

 

The "Cardinals!"

Outdone at end

Alexandria concluded its season with a loss to Wayzata. It's the well-known and high-class suburb of the Twin Cities. At this point it occurs to me to remind you all that Alex entered the 4A classification for this past season. AAAA is the largest schools. We can presume that many of these schools are going to be powerful. But we cannot generalize that way. 

Wayzata came at the Cards with firepower, yes the "real deal." The score was 89-60, alas, as Alex got outdone by the boys from the rich suburb! Alex was seeded No. 6 for state, Wayzata No. 2. Game site was St. Paul's Gangelhoff Center. Wayzata has the "Trojans" nickname. 

The Cardinals can look back on a highlight-filled 21-9 season. Their state tournament appearance was their fifth in a six-year span. 

Let me remind you here that Mason and Talan Witt are not brothers, they are cousins. Jerry and Holly are parents of three sons who had great impact in our MAHS athletics: Zachary, Forrest and Taylor. 

Jerry had my father Ralph as a music teacher at UMM! Jerry recalled with a smile the class where he was required to prepare an elementary music lesson! He must have done fine. 

 

Chase Thompson

Thompson at Clemson 

Let's take a look at how Chase Thompson is doing in the big-time collegiate hoops wars. I had to look up where Clemson is located. Clemson University is in fact located in Clemson, South Carolina. Can we assume that Chase made the cultural adjustment to South Carolina of the full-fledged "South?" This was the first state to secede in the U.S. Civil War. Lindsey Graham is a U.S. senator from there. Shows up a lot on Sunday morning TV. 

The culture has contrasts from here but I would assume Mr. Thompson has made friends and gotten along fine. Still, I might have preferred that he stayed in Minnesota. I wonder if the Gophers pursued him. Oh, here's a neat headline I see in the "news" portion of the Clemson hoops website: "Chase Thompson's breakout performance provides spark in win." 

So in his first year, Mr. Thompson must be getting some accolades already. I sure got the impression last year that he was one of the "talented ones." So his name is already crossing the lips of the "Tigers" faithful. That's Clemson Tigers of course. The logo is an orange paw print. 

Clemson "Tigers"

Chase Thompson's "breakout performance" was in a 71-62 win over Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. The freshman from the lakes country of Alex scored nine points and had three rebounds, "providing a spark with his energy and physical play during the matchup," the summary noted. 

Thompson in his post-game comments credited the team's depth for much of the positiveness. "It can be anybody at the right time." He played 19 minutes in the win over the "Demon Deacons." He shot 57.1 percent. 

 

Root for the Gophs

Looks like the U of M women's team will play UCLA today (Friday) in the "Sweet 16" of the NCAAs. It is a super accomplishment to reach the Sweet 16.  Today I'm afraid the Gophers under "coach Dawn" will have an uphill battle. I refer to her as "coach Dawn" because I have trouble with her last name! 

The Iowa women are done. I have followed Iowa closely because of Caitlin Clark and her transformative impact on the sport. Iowa remains a charming team. The Hawkeyes got stopped by Virginia in the NCAAs this year.

 

Addendum: I acknowledged some of the Morris connections with Alexandria in a previous post I wrote on "Morris of Course." That included Blake Scholl, son of Heather (nee) Lucken who played for MAHS Tigers. Jerry Witt and I have since communicated with emails. Nice cheery response from him and he expanded on the "Morris connections" to Alex. I'm pleased to quote from his March 15 communication:

 

Good morning, Brian!  We always enjoy reading your articles. Thanks for sharing them with us. I’ll pass them on to Zach, Forrest and Taylor so they can enjoy them as well. Just came in from blowing snow from yesterday‘s blizzard. Are you guys buried down there as well in snow?

On another note, Alexandria has one more Morris connection on our team. A boy named Miles Grey, who is a senior, is the son of Dan Grey and Tracy Lesmeister from Morris. Dan is the son of Wes Grey who worked at the UMM research station. Wes was my gardening expert who helped me out often. Dan played point guard for us during one of my first years at Morris as an assistant coach for Bob Mulder.

 

Below is another photo that features nicely Chase Thompson of the Clemson Tigers of South Carolina:

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

Tiger fans can be amazed by Albany

I guess the number "one" is what stands out in the MACA boys basketball record. The 28 wins looks oh so super. And it is! The one loss, alas, is what ended our season. It was at the hands of one of the schools to the south of here. 

I often associate Jackson County Central with spring softball because those southern MN teams have been a nemesis for our softball Tigers. Man, the Tigers go through the regular season in such a stellar way, then they butt up against a southern MN foe and it can end. 

Jackson County Central sure got our attention in boys basketball this past winter/spring season. You have to climb pretty well to get to play JCC (the Huskies). You also have to travel to Marshall MN to watch the game. 

I have never been to Marshall to watch sports. I was there once in the early 1980s for a Maynard Ferguson music concert. Ol' MF was in his prime with his "embouchure!" You remember the guy, right? He is deceased. I saw him for the last time in 2005 when he and his band performed in Dawson. He never had a problem playing in out-of-the-way places. Bless his memory. 

Well, right now our indefatigable MACA basketball fans have rich memories of so many wins in the 2025-26 season. Yes, we had our hearts broken at Southwest State University. We lost to the JCC Huskies 59-54. Such an abrupt end to the season. So it was the Huskies taking the 3AA banner into state. 

Anything can happen in sports. So the Huskies tasted the agony of defeat. 

Wait a minute, this is perplexing. Let's try to figure the following. Wait a minute, there is no figuring certain things. Our MACA Tigers defeated Albany 80-76 on February 2. Albany was the opponent for Jackson County in the opening round of state. Odds good for the Huskies of JCC? Let's note that both Albany and JCC go by the nickname "Huskies." Well, would you believe the Albany version defeated Jackson County? But more surprisingly, it was not close. Albany got JCC by the (insert part of anatomy). So, those Albany Huskies that had tasted defeat against our Tigers defeated the JCC Huskies 85-49!  

Ah, the mystery that can be presented by comparative scores! Part of what makes high school and college basketball fascinating. Albany advances now to play Goodhue. That game will be on Friday at Williams Arena. Albany has a 25-6 record. 

"Mercury" Morris of the famed undefeated Miami Dolphins NFL team once said that the big number from the historic season was "zero" under losses! So to repeat, the "one" under losses for our Tigers ended up carrying the most weight. 

I feel for all the MACA fans who were not only emotionally crushed by the outcome at SSU, they had to drive back here very late at night. You know, I am often concerned about this sort of thing. And it's not like the Interstate highway is available. And why can't more post-season games be played here at UMM? We used to host far more.

 

Alexandria boys bow

First of all, thanks a million to the "Voice of Alexandria" website. "Voice of Alexandria" gives us nice free-access coverage of the Alexandria Cardinals' state tournament games. I gush with appreciation. The Alex newspaper has its coverage behind an infernal "paywall." Maybe newspapers can be forced out of the whole mix at some point. 

If papers like Alex and Willmar could make their sports coverage free online, I'd tip the hat to them. Oh, they have to make money? Oh no they don't "have" to. They can insist on continuing to charge - that is their right of course - but new media players can always come along that are not "motivated" by money. And that is certainly their right. 

At the end of my time with the Morris fishwrap, management had the idea we were going to shoot video at sports events! Little snippets or samplings really. Well, the students themselves figured out pretty quick that the paper was not going to have this role reserved for themselves. Of course not. So the "YouTube geniuses" were born! 

I might suggest one extra little element for what the "geniuses" do. How about periodic video podcast reports with an "anchor?" Perhaps some interviewees? But they're doing great! 

Well, the Alex Cardinals of boys hoops came up against a buzz saw name of Max Iversen. Iversen of Maple Grove scored 41 points as his team defeated Alex 82-65 on Tuesday. Target Center was the venue. We're talking Class AAAA, i.e. the "big dogs." Maple Grove advanced from the state quarter-finals. 

Iversen made 15 of 23 shots from the floor. In 3's he was six of ten. Maple Grove is known as the "Crimson." 

Let's see, which of the Witt boys shone the most on this night? If I had to guess I'd say Mason, but no it was Talan. Talan paced Alex with 24 points while Mason put in 17. Gavin Roderick had a point total of 13. 

Maple Grove will face Apple Valley in the semis on Thursday. 

The Alex Cards are not done. They will play Wayzata on Thursday afternoon in the consolation semis. The Witt boys and their mates now have a 21-8 record. 

Thursday's game will be at Concordia of St. Paul. Game-time is high noon.

I wrote this whole post without even having to go to the Alex newspaper website!  They'll get their comeuppance.

 

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

VIP from the media at Tigers game

The higher your team goes in the post-season, the more you are likely to see media "celebrities" show up. In the Kevin Loge era we saw the late great Ed Schultz at the media table at Concordia-Moorhead.  

Schultz was so much more than a sports guy. He did not look like a former college quarterback but he certainly was. He played his college ball at Moorhead State in fact. 

Turning to the present, we had Patrick Reusse the iconic newspaper columnist present when our MACA Tigers played Jackson County Central. Reusse can have sharp opinions and he can be scathing sometimes, scathing with sarcasm sometimes. Because of that I sometimes think of him as a "dinosaur." And by that I mean his attitudes might be associated with a previous age. 

And what do I mean by that? Well this gets personal and Reusse has a cynical side that my boomer generation well understands and can relate to. Not so much the more recent generations. Oh my, we have taught our young people moderation, respect and modesty. My boomers loved "parody" humor. Best reflected in movies like "Airplane" and "Young Frankenstein." Even at the time I was a little troubled by such movies. Can't we take anything seriously? 

Society as a whole had misgivings about all the deconstruction, I felt. And IMHO this is how we got the movie "That's Entertainment" with Frank Sinatra as narrator. The movie tugged at us to pine for the days when movies were grand and serious and not like "Blazing Saddles." 

Reusse showed the smart-aleck approach when he introduced his "Turkey of the Year." That was a Thanksgiving feature. Then it was "Herschel the Turkey." It poked fun at a lot of people, successful people. My generation was apt to eat it up, as they say. 

But didn't you sense the zeitgeist change as time went along? I sensed the new generation's arrival that would have been puzzled at the "Turkey of the Year." Regardless, Reusse is a "survivor" in the stressed newspaper field. He's an opinion guy and that can be dicey. 

Reusse has personal ties to southwest Minnesota. I hope he enjoyed his evening watching our Tigers play Jackson County Central. The Tigers of course were defeated. 

Southwest State was the "consolation prize" offered for southwest Minnesota after they lost in the competition that was won by. . .us of course in Morris! The Morris area jockeyed to get the plum known as UMM, the full-fledged coordinate campus of the prestigious U of M. 

I do sense some irony now or at least surprise. Do you sense that maybe Southwest State has a more secure future than UMM? Certainly we are on our heels here in Motown as we ponder the status of our campus. I think some of this travail is self-inflicted. But all I can do is observe. 

Oh, I observe that Reusse in his column referred to our team as "Morris" and not "Morris Area Chokio Alberta." Erratum? Need for a correction? Well on the latter point, no. But certainly it shows that the general public really wants to refer to us as "Morris." 

The argument for the elongated "Morris Area Chokio Alberta" seems more like a legal or technical argument. OK so who gives a rip? Reusse called us "Morris." It really just makes sense, no disrespect intended for any of the smaller communities. 

I remember being at a state track meet one year when the P.A. announcer recited names of various teams as a succession of town names to the point where I heard some laughter. 

Reusse in his first reference to us did the West Central Tribune thing of "Morris/Chokio-Alberta." After that we were "Morris."

The Tigers lost to Jackson County 59-54. Some heartbreak, yes. I tried to do justice to the game online. Ahem, my writing style is highly personalized now. I have the license to do that. I can't be certain how many readers I have, But I know I have some. Well, I could either be doing this or running a model train, I guess. I do thank any and all for noticing my writing. 

And yes my "boomer" sensibilities come through. I'm sure it's hard to shake those. A popular "meme" on the Internet is that "Blazing Saddles could not be made today." 

The best window into a boomer's soul is "Airplane." 

I did check out the current Morris newspaper. I shared in an email to Jim Morrison on Friday:

Jim - I remembered to look at the Morris paper today at library. Did you see the banner headline at the top of front sports page? It said the Morris boys' season ended against "Jefferson County Central." Of course it was Jackson County and the article has it right.

Now, what if I had made a mistake like that? How many kinds of stupid would I be accused of being?

I sat next to Randy Bannick at Chris Jueregensen's funeral. He told me what the paper charges for an obit now and it has gone into orbit. Sorry I can't remember the exact figure, I was not there to take notes. But it's an incredible jump from several years ago. What is the limit for this? Of course the paper does not directly charge the families. Cost is absorbed into the funeral fee but the funeral home must realize this cuts into their profits. The funeral home does not exist to do favors for the newspaper business. The charge is sure not "token" anymore. 

Randy also told me that the paper only runs letters to editor from SUBSCRIBERS. Holy cow, there's a big problem with that. A lot of people "support" the paper but they do it by buying paper at a place like Willie's. This is the best way to go now. You have the convenience that if you're going to be out of town some weeks, you don't have to make arrangements or have the paper piling up. There might be some savings in subscribing but who cares about money anymore? I mean when you consider what people pay for coffee at a place like Starbuck's. Charlie Glasrud told me he buys the paper at the newsstand and "I buy it if I want it."

Will the day ever return in America where people get real nervous about every dollar they spend? Like our fathers did?

Maybe the letters policy is why we don't see nearly as many letters to editor anymore. I told Randy about the zero letters after the school board meeting with 125 members of public there.

Maybe the paper is going to try "squeezing" people more, for example to have sports boosters support sports coverage for which there is way too much now. Everybody knows that small town papers get carried away with sports. We just accept it. There is no need for the paper or its website to do anything on UMM sports. UMM's website is 100 percent effective all the time, part of their recruiting efforts.

One big question is whether the paper will finally start putting more "oomph" into its website. We saw the Jackson County game summary on day after game was played, which was a stunning surprise. I am sure Shelly A. gets comments, or I'd be shocked if she did not.

 

More re. Reusse

I remember Patrick Reusse reminiscing about an earlier age of sportswriting. This might be eye-opening for you. But it is absolutely true. There was a time when your average sportswriter would grapple with the "moral" question of whether it was OK to refer to a place like Target Center as "Target Center." 

The problem was, the tone of society at the time had a fair amount of skepticism about "capitalism." Was it really just a way for businesses to "rip off" the public? Well of course this is not at the root of capitalism at all. Even though various players can certainly get carried away. But capitalism is the key to the optimal standard of living. 

So if I write "Target Center," is this to be judged a "plug?" That's how many in my generation would have derided it. But we have seen a total sea change in thinking. So much so, young writers in recent generations would hardly have any idea what you're talking about. 

I can share a local angle. Our own humble Morris paper had an editor for a short time whose last name was Coughlin. I never met him. I was in a casual meeting - OK a couple drinks at "the Met" - with a former Sun Tribune columnist who was well familiar with the editor. And I remember him saying that the editor "took all the plugs out" of material crossing his desk. I will repeat that such an attitude was not unusual at the time. I have to keep repeating this because you might not believe it. 

This is so anathema to what has taken over since. I imagine the transition began setting in with Ronald Reagan being president. Ronald Reagan, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you. He was conservative but he also had experience with a union. He saw the big picture. Whereas now? I have written plenty on that. 

Anyway, it is so routine these days to identify sports venues by their corporate names, people would be puzzled to even assess the practice. In other words, we simply refer to places by what they choose to call themselves. But what about "Atlanta Braves" from baseball? Well that gets into a whole other sphere I suppose.

 

Vinnie Testaverde

Reusse and irreverence

I should provide an example of Patrick Reusse's rather old-school trait of being irreverent or sarcastic or whatever other word you want to use. So I remember this print icon writing about the quarterback Vinnie Testaverde when the QB was new in the NFL as a highly-touted guy. He was a blue-chipper as an NFL prospect. But you know how that can go. 

So he was struggling and getting fans of his team highly aroused with disrespect and even anger. Reusse concluded that the alienation was rather excessive, so he used sarcasm in one of his references to Testaverde. He referred to Testaverde with mock scorn, the way many fans would have been inclined to do. Reusse referred to the signal-caller as "this oxygen-consuming waste of the Earth's space." 

It was parody humor. Parody, irony and sarcasm can be risky tools for a writer. The problem obviously is that many people read things at face value. We can be stunned by this but it is reality. 

I know Reusse has taken some criticism through the years. But his writing for the Star Tribune has stood the test of time. We hope he was impressed by the talent on our MACA boys basketball roster. We just couldn't beat Jackson County Central, those "Huskies." Yes Jackson County and not "Jefferson County." Two great presidents? I'm not sure Jackson was so great. Didn't he abuse Native Americans almost criminally?

This is not the sign on the edge of the UMM campus but it's essentially the same. I wonder if UMM will have to consider having it removed and replaced. I have to wonder too about everything named for George Washington - Washington owned slaves. 

 

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

Maybe time to rethink the "MACA" name

Chokio-Alberta was the "Spartans!" Always remember. 

 

We are fresh from the section basketball phase of the high school post-season. So invigorating of course. Therapeutic, you might say. 

I awoke to fog this morning (Thursday). Another day for a funeral for yours truly. It's Chris Juergensen for whom I'll say "rest in peace" today. Guy was quite close to local athletics. Supported the UMM Cougars for sure. 

On the high school front, isn't it maybe time to consider simplification of our sports identity? I mean, to shift away from the cumbersome "Morris Area Chokio Alberta?" Any hyphens or slash marks recommended in there? Is there a standard form? "MACA" is the short version. The West Central Tribune has never bought the shortened version. It sure has not been effectual that I have directed messages to them in my blogging.

 I mean no disrespect to Chokio-Alberta here but maybe it's time to remove that reference. Oh, I know there are reasons behind the terminology as it now stands. Should I say "nomenclature?" You see, "Morris Area" has a history by itself. We used the "MAHS" reference for a long time. 

Yes there is logic or reason behind the "MACA" thing. Chokio-Alberta continues to have its own school in Chokio up through the 12th grade. So it's essential to make a gesture toward them? I fail to see what is really being accomplished. It is well understood that schools in towns as large as Morris in rural MN aren't just "local." When you hear "Morris" you can assume there's an umbrella that takes in not only "Motown" but Cyrus and Donnelly in addition to Chokio and Alberta. 

Do we really have to get caught up in all these town names? Do the very small towns really want to clutch their "town identity" so much? In a past time maybe yes, to an extent. Those were the days when "mom and pop" businesses prevailed on your typical main street. The local bank president waved the flag of community. Today the banks are headed by "managers" who answer to higher-ups heaven-knows-where. And isn't it almost funny how the banks in our Motown are changing hands so often? Such a fluid world in our digital age. 

In a past time you had special status in your town if your family was established there a long time, like decades. Think "Peyton Place." Think of the local cemetery where names on stones are reminders of old iconic people. That had its charms. But it might be tough for newcomers or people just passing through. 

Remember the scene in the movie "Hoosiers" where a referee berates the Hackman character who was trying to protest a call? The ref said "you haven't been around here long enough." (That was just before a fight scene, if I may jog your memory.) IMHO the movie scene illustrates perfectly the point I seek to make. 

So, in those past times it made perfect sense for very small towns to be, well, parochial to the extent that they guarded "town identity." 

Our Morris school system once went by "Morris-Donnelly." But I was eventually elucidated how this was never "legal." Rather, the name was just a "gentleman's agreement," I was told by an insider. Gentleman's agreements don't fly so well today. So long to "Peyton Place" I guess. For the better? Well in some ways. 

I have read that people are drifting away from traditional funerals and burials because "we live in a more mobile society today," i.e. people "come and go" and there is no handicap associated with this. 

Maybe if Chokio and Alberta sought real meaningful commercial activity, well the identity would mean more. As it stands I don't think it should matter. 

Maybe the West Central Tribune avoids our sports teams these days because they are befuddled by "Morris Area Chokio Alberta." It's no excuse but at least I can understand it some. I have some prejudice about that paper's owners. Just think of a word that Donald Trump uses for people he does not like. I'm too civilized to want to type such a word here. But that's how I'd describe the newspaper outfit in Willmar. 

The WC Trib dropped us. But they report on games all the time where the Tigers are competing. I mean all the time. Mostly they put "stats not available" for MACA while the opponent gets the full meal deal. All I can do is comment about that. But I think it's time for our sports teams to simply be known as "Morris" again. 

No offense to C-A where I devoted lots of attention as a sportswriter once. Worked with Neal Hofland, Paul Daly, Jill Willis and others. The C-A Spartans! I remember getting on the motorcoach bus at an ungodly early hour at the Old Lumber Yard to make the trip to the Metrodome for Prep Bowl. Glory days of the Spartans! 

But hey, we can be the "Morris Tigers" again. Just like when our basketball team made the state tournament in the one-class system in 1955! Forget that the Tigers did poorly in state, it was phenomenal getting there!

KLQP Radio posted this photo of Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse with notable Morris alum Bart Hill. Photo was taken when the MACA Tigers played for the Section 3AA title at Southwest State University. Bart had a tremendous baseball coaching career at Lac qui Parle Valley. I remember covering him in his MAHS athletic career. This photo was provided by Paul Raymo of KLQP. Thanks to Del Sarlette for making me aware of the photo. 

 

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

Government attempts to seize media

It is getting increasingly hard for me to wrap my arms around the American persona of 2026. Of course this goes back a few years. It really did not develop slowly. Once DJT got on the national stage as a political hopeful, you might say the dominoes started falling. 

The big city people were not so quick to get on board. The big cities continue to be a bastion against what is happening. Certainly the incidents connected to ICE in the Twin cities reflected that. 

The people aligned with Trump push back by essentially condemning the big cities. Full of sin I guess. While the people out where you can hear the coyotes howl - that's us in Morris - are to be made exemplary. Jason Aldean had a hit song, remember? Did Aldean grow up in a small town? Does he live in one now? Did he write the song? "No" on all three. 

The rural areas of the U.S. have out-sized power in selecting the president. The electoral college accomplishes that. Look at the mojo of voters in Wyoming compared to California. Isn't this prima facie unacceptable? 

 

The Electoral College acted as a mechanism during the Reconstruction era (1865–1877) that allowed Southern states to bolster their political power while disenfranchising Black citizens, reinforcing white supremacy. 

 

Well, Lindsey Graham is happy.

To compound, we have stereotypes of the progressive blue state people pushed by the ruling regime. Of course stereotypes are always dicey. They can surely be useful for people in power. Stereotypes can at least be based on some facts. 

But right at the present, on this cold mid-March day, we learn through open reporting that DJT and his people want to intimidate and literally control the news media. It would be fair to ask "Well, what exactly is the news media today?" 

Oh my God it is stupefying to realize the night-and-day difference in the media between now and yesteryear. Let's suggest the time for when my boomer generation was growing up. In that "yesteryear" the network TV news had such tremendous reach. And at the time, this was a tremendous blessing. Because, "left and right" in America's political sensibilities was a more even proposition. My, you had people filing into our Christian churches here on the prairie who were unabashedly Democrat. 

Spiro Agnew

Most importantly, the media developed sharp skepticism about the Vietnam war after initially being used by the government. Voices rose up within the media. It sought truth as the media always should. And it was unfazed even with then-president Richard Nixon or his sideman Spiro Agnew expressing rage. 

Of course Nixon ended up getting totally hung out to dry. He was judged fairly. He was allowed to resign from office. Something like 60,000 young American men had been killed in Vietnam. We lost the war so badly, servicemen were told not to wear their uniforms on the way home. Welcoming ceremonies were not awaiting them, not like when our National Guard in Morris came back from Iraq. 

For a time, Trump assailed Liz Cheney as a war monger. Now it is DJT issuing the drumbeat of war as much as anyone has. Some within MAGA did back off some from support. But this never lasts! It never lasts! Could a psychologist please explain this to me? 

On Easter our local Christians will gather at their church buildings to celebrate the risen Savior. Mostly these people support DJT and voted for him all three times. Is the percentage close to 100 percent? Is it 100 percent on the nose? It may not be in the ELCA churches. But that once very dominant faction of local Christians has been totally sent on its heels. Spasms of decline. Mainstream Protestant churches of the Midwest have actually all been feeling this. 

But look at our First Lutheran Church in Morris. It would be best now if it just dissolves. Get it over with. And to think how prosperous that church once was. The bleeding started in 2009 and it was rapid. 

The "conservative" churches of our area are reflexively pro-Trump. Again, I would like to have a psychologist explain. 

The headlines right now are totally up-front in telling us that DJT wants control of the media. And we don't care. Well, network TV news sure looks like it could be on the verge of extinction or irrelevance. Trump's FCC chair is threatening the old TV networks. I mean overtly. And he would not be doing this if he felt the public pushback would be significant. Brendan Carr has threatened to revoke broadcast licenses over news coverage of the U.S.-Iran war. He called media organizations "corrupt and highly unpatriotic." 

I thought patriotism meant the cause of ensuring free speech and unfettered discussion. We cannot count on the Supreme Court to hold the line on our home base values. So many of the people I observe around our Morris simply want the values as set down by DJT who I happen to view as a very flawed and dangerous human being. 

People should dismiss their political thoughts when they go to church on Easter Sunday. Such an ideal. But I see no sign of it. 

In the '60s it was John Wayne, today it's Donald Trump. So we apparently are forgetting the lessons of Vietnam. Barack Obama dealt with Iran with the "Iran nuclear deal." But DJT had to trash that because it was Obama getting credit, just like DJT had to deface the Kennedy Center by having his name put alongside JFK's. 

And the public has not risen up to just totally reject this? To say it is an abomination? To suggest impeachment? And why would impeachment be such a terrible thing? Why? Years have gone by as we have dealt with the dysfunction. 

 

Matt Drudge

Look to Drudge 

Getting back to the subject of media evolution, we can be thankful today for "independent media" such as the Drudge Report. Maybe Drudge and like entities could have gotten the U.S. out of Vietnam faster. Eventually the TV networks took charge with reporting that promoted skepticism, lest the daily numbers of U.S. servicemen killed weren't doing the job. 

So Morley Safer who you all associate with "60 Minutes" gave us the "Zippo lighter" story for Vietnam. Morley held up a simple Zippo lighter and suggested we be amazed how such a simple little device could be used to burn down an entire Vietnamese village. 

And today, look at what a simple Tomahawk missile can do to instantly destroy a girls school in Iran. But with that many killed, I guess it's just a "statistic." Ah, one death is a tragedy, several hundred is a "statistic." 

Will we repeat the mistakes of Vietnam? Well, first we will have to start sensing a wave of anger and skepticism about DJT. And I'm not seeing it yet here around Morris MN. Where the coyotes howl. And we'll never see it from our congressperson Michelle Fischbach, mercy. 

I will celebrate Easter with a chocolate bunny. I am not a sadist so I want nothing to do with "Good Friday." 

Maybe the best way to deal with Easter is to go to YouTube and call up the closing scene from the Monty Python movie "Life of Brian." I say this as a "Brian" myself.

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

Jackson County turns back our historic Tigers

JCC celebrates (KKOJ)

Say it isn't so: the BBB Tigers losing. Well that's a fact. I opened laptop early this morning and noticed immediately that the MACA won-lost was 28-1. That said it all. One loss at the section level and you're out. Can it be? The Tigers had the "zero" under losses all the way through the season. Until last night (Thursday). 

We're singing the blues in Motown. Added to that is the melancholy caused by the absolutely roaring wind all night long. Roaring! Another morning to notice garbage containers blown over around town. And the signs of spring are slow in surfacing. Everything is still brown. Patches of dirty snow, black in some places. I've never seen so much black dirt mixed in with melting snow. 

Really, the conditions right now are inferior to what we see in the heart of winter. But this is Minnesota, be prepared for anything. 

The St. Mary's fish fry is a sign that spring must be nigh. So is a letter in the mailbox from your tax preparer. We will all have to pay for this new war with Iran. A tomahawk missile struck a girls school there, killed so many. Is all of this with cause for us? Didn't Obama negotiate the Iran nuclear deal? Which the current president pulled us out of? And why did he do that? It was because it happened under Obama. 

Trump wants to take credit for everything just like he wanted to put his name on the Kennedy Center. His is the only name that matters. You haven't woken up to that yet? Well, Morris is well-ensconced in bright red Trump country. 

Watch the Trump-supporting churches like Good Shepherd fill up for the services leading up to Easter. Watch the reverence on Good Friday when I suppose our Morris Public Library will be closed again. I have complained about that. Good Friday is a totally religious holiday and one that I find disturbing. So many Christians become ghouls as they hang out to dry this grisly death-by-torture story of Jesus Christ. And then, presto: on Easter Sunday he appears with triumph. Triumph over sin, as they say. 

I still find it hard to accept the very dark atmosphere of Good Friday, made worse by the Mel Gibson movie. I'm not even convinced that Jesus Christ was a real person. He may have been a composite. He may have been a product of mythology. He may have been put forward by a political regime which felt the Christ story would further its ends, and I can't even fault them for that. The Christ story has a lot of benevolence and peace in it. Don't wallow in your problems or grievances, just look to Christ for salvation, the triumph over sin. 

Those are worthy aims. But I can completely put aside the "triumph" represented by Christ and instead feel sorrow about what Donald Trump and his minions are doing overseas. And, about how all that will spill over domestically for us. For sure another wave of inflation to make life even more stressful for us. We had enough stress already. 

But we voted this guy Trump into office twice. He almost won in 2020. We can only cross our fingers at present. But why have we chosen to bring all this risk on ourselves? Don't we realize how fragile the world is, and even our own country? Trump has an addiction to being the center of attention. Like we need him to do drastic things every day. Literally every day. 

Oh, to have the peace and wisdom with Obama again. But it is not the course we have chosen. 

On this Friday after our MACA Tigers' loss to Jackson County Central, I can only mourn the deaths of those poor girls in the girls school in Iran. Destroyed in a missile attack due to tax dollars paid by us all. Everything else pales in comparison to that incident. 

Triumphant Huskies (KKOJ)

But for the record, the MACA boys were defeated by JCC Thursday night, late at night actually, by a score of 59-54. So the JCC boys from southern Minnesota take the 3AA title and will now play in state. MACA fans will not have to make the substantial commitment of time and money to make three trips to the Twin Cities. Back to normal life. But they'd sure enjoy being in the opposite position. 

I covered the MAHS Tigers in the  state tournament back in the day. Minnesota had the two-class system back then. We took second in state. I covered the boys in their section games at the Concordia Fieldhouse. Every time I mention that, I have to remind how I loved the Polish sausage at that place! 

On Thursday night the JCC Huskies never trailed. JCC coach Alex Hein was proud of his team's defense which made "nothing easy" for our Tigers. 

I was not completely surprised by the outcome. I did some writing on JCC going into Thursday. They have weapons. Like, Roman Voss who scored 27 points on Thursday. Game site was SSU of Marshall. Yes, this meant a long drive home for MACA fans. 

Voss scored 17 points in the first half. He made a '3' at the first half buzzer. Not only was this a "statement" basket, it gave Voss a new school record for 3-pointers. 

Blaise Rowe scored 12 points on four of five shooting. His baskets were all 3's. Ben Gallagher provided six assists and scored three points. Weston Rowe had nine points, five rebounds. Sullivan Hall and Carter Buhl each scored four. Hall blocked two shots. 

Yes the Tigers were hot all season but look at JCC now: winners in 17 of their last 18 games. We do wish them well, don't we? 

I might suggest that y'all contact our congressperson but I fear it is too late for that. Besides, she is 100 per cent MAGA with her eyes glazed over. Will God rescue us? Will God rescue the world? 

The kmrs website has a short paragraph of information. So we see that Alex Asmus scored 17 points. Jonah Huebner had ten points, seven rebounds, five steals. Jack Kehoe had ten points and seven rebounds.

 

A real surprise 

Hey! It's almost never worth the trouble to check the Stevens County Times website because it does not prioritize timely info. So why bother checking? But hey, I just did, and would you believe that on this Friday morning there's actually an article there on the JCC game? Written by their sports guy? Many people won't see it because they won't bother checking. 

So is this an aberration? If I had known it was going to be there, I might have checked for it right away. It's hard for me to interpret all that is going on. "Mongo just pawn in game of life."

  

Congratulations to the Jackson County Central Huskies, No. 1 in Section 3AA. (KKOJ)

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