Darrell, I really enjoy your FSW posts! They are at different times interesting, thought-provoking, inspirational, and humorous, and often all at the same time! Thanks for including me

Ed Langsdorf, former Cobber FB coach, HC at Linfield College, retired NFL scout, Chargers.

It's all about making great memories and your weekly prose stirs the memory bank. I really enjoy your Concordia stories. Small-college greatness. I am a St. Thomas grad, but wonder if I missed out on something really special by not becoming a Cobber. In my work with the League, I cross paths with many Concordia (Moorhead) grads that really cherish their college days. My response: "At least we all were smart enough to go to MIAC schools."

I just finished my 30th year of officiating college and high school basketball. I worked way too many games, but in the interest of helping out during the shortage of officials that opted out because of COVID, I felt called to do so. 

Thanks again for sharing some awesome stuff. 

Take care, be safe and healthy

Tim Leighton, MSHSL

Friday Sports Wrap has been sent as a weekly email since 2015.  Issues 1-50 are listed here.     Note, that issues are in descending order.

Friday May 11th, 2018, #50

Kissing your sister through a screen door was the pat line to explain a game that ends in a tie. The NHL used to deal with it, but now the shootout is used. Football had ties at each level until they placed the ball at 10 or 25, in HS and College respectively The NFL changes the rules so often it’s hard to remember all of the iterations regarding ties. Now the timeless sport of baseball is using a new plan in the minors. Put the previous batter on second base, in the top and bottom of the innings. Fastpitch softball has used this as a way to keep a tournament on time. In my memory, when the visiting team didn’t score, a pretty set sequence followed. The visitors would walk the next batter to set up a force at any base. When the home team advances them with a , the visitors would walk the next batter to load them up. It was a great cat and mouse game. I would offer just start the bottom of the inning with the bases juiced and one out, and eliminate all the routine mentioned above.

In the Swedish culture, a long time phenomena from the Swedish culture is making its way into the baby boomer world. It is ‘Döstädning’ (death cleaning). Instead of, “cleaning up after yourself”, this is cleaning up before we leave this mortal coil. My father was 19 and my mom was 13 when the Depression changed everything. They didn’t have anything, so when they got a chance, they kept everything. I got that gene as well. Comic books, SI magazines, Topps baseball cards, campaign buttons, 1961 World Book, class lists, etal. Who keeps those maps from National Geographic? I did. During my personal Döstädning last month, I brought a stack to a social studies teacher who has several maps hanging in his room. Today he invited me in to see his display. He really liked the world map I gave him because the old Soviet Union was intact. My mom would be smiling. 

I am in the middle of conducting an informal survey. I am often driving by elementary and middle schools at the start and/or close of the school day. Some ISD 279 west side schools have had to develop a plan to manage a plethora of parents picking up/dropping off their children. A Disney like queue is formed because it would be a shame to have their child have to walk further than directly out the front door to the waiting car. I counted 31 cars outside an elementary school in Maple Grove this week. If the line on how many of those moms were holding a Starbucks product was 25, I’d take the over. 

Friday Sports Wrap May 4th, 2018, #49

Every sporting team has its degree of fans, zealots, parents, groupies, and critics. I witnessed by first Division I college softball game this week when NDSU played the Gophers at Cowles Stadium. Sure enough there was a large contingent following the Gophers. Whenever the Gophers score, their fans stand and a do knockoff version of chant at TCF stadium when The Elite score. I did observe another phenomena, the ALP (aging lesbian population). I cannot determine what links this game and that lifestyle. It will always be a mystery. The ALP was in force at Cowles Stadium. Besides aging, the ALP is growing. I didn’t know cargo shorts were made that big.

Every Sunday for the last 38 years Jim Gilbert has used that buttery voice to describe the phenology of Minnesota. Last Saturday, I was one of four who were treated to a private walking tour of the Aborateum. At one point we walked to a pond overlook where he recalled standing 60 year before when he worked there in 1958. He made the natural history of the area come alive. It was a true honor. 

It is an honor today to recognize Paul S. Peterson as his age matches a perfect square. 

Friday Sports Wrap April 27th, 2018, #48

Games aren’t always like hurricanes. We don’t name all of them. They often take on a life of their own and we give them a term to help remember the events. For example: Walsh wide left, 41-donut, Minnesota Miracle, Pearson push off, Twins vs Tigers game 183, etal. Another one just got added this week. Early in the second quarter Monday night, the Wolves led 36-29, and there was joy in Mudville. Then reality hit and they were outscored 71-33. It must have been akin to a trainwreck, you couldn’t watch, but couldn’t look away. 

A fella has to love sport sayings that apply to actions. A good reliever can, ‘put out a fire,’ a good defender can, ‘shut off his water,’ a scorer could, ‘fill it up.’ If you played hard, you ‘emptied the tank.’ The Twins bullpen can be dubbed the Arsonists, they ‘pour gas on the fire.’

Pictured below are sons of famous fathers. Harold Willis was a long time teacher and coach at Wadena from the early 50’s to the late 80’s. F. Melius Christiansen directed the St. Olaf choir for 30 years, concluding in the 40’s Harold’s son, Greg played FB at Cord in the early 70’s, teaching and coaching at West Fargo, retiring in 2011. He is shown talking with one son of F. Melius, after a 1987 Cobber game in Collegeville. Jake coached at Cord from the 40’s to late 60’s. He is one of a few that coached in a stadium named after himself. Sports bring people together in ways that can’t be expected or planned. Greg never played for Jake, but couldn’t resist engaging him, holding his letter jacket while Jake holds a Cord blanket. You can’t make it up.

Friday Sports Wrap April 20, 2018, #47

“The Waldos” of Louis Pasteur High School in CA never envisioned back in 1971 how 4/20 would become an infamous cultural iconic date. What started in the drug subculture, has now become mainstream in other ways. Columbine, Oklahoma City, Hitler. During Tour deDoubleday VI, Palmer, Stork, Andy and myself were on Venice Beach, CA on 4/20. Four Minnesoootans witnessing the reality of this date. Travel is always a great teacher. 

Also on this date, Julio Franco, 47 hit a home run, setting an MLB record for being the oldest player to go yard. Guys our age love it when someone long in the tooth does something special. But, consider this, if Franco had doubled his age, he still wouldn’t be the age of Sid.   

Today’s Cobber picture is from the 1983 Johnnie game. Finn is heading up to the press box, and Martin Lutter, is holding court with the top rows of Section B. It was common for “The Good Doctor”( his handle in the mid 70’s), to show up in the locker room, with the trench coat, Sherlock hat, and a rolled up program, reminding some of us about his “two undefeated football teams in South Dakota.” Players noticed his MO, as he would unroll his program to check a player’s number, walk up to a player he didn’t know 5 seconds earlier, pat him on the back with a, “Good luck today, Orvik.”... If you never had a class from Martin, tell Cord you want some money back. He spent over 50 years in a classroom, making History come alive. 

Friday Sports Wrap April 13th, 2018, #46

The Wolves are in the playoffs. A work friend of mine bought a ticket for Game 6. Will he use it?

Football coaches are prisoners to their obsession to control of every team variable. Last night they held their spring game, a chance to recreate the routine leading up to, during, and after the event. All aspects are accounted for recorded, replayed, and evaluated. They want to have it be as close to a regular season game as possible. You have to hand it to the Lead Rower, even the estimated crowd of 2500 might match a non-conference tilt in September.

Cord photo of the day. Cord at St. Johns, circa 1983-86? Muddy day at Collegeville. Sonny and OL. He could be heard barking out the cadence when you opened your car door in the parking lot. Jimmy Gotta is in the orange hat. Coach Gotta had enough cred to stand next to Sonny during the warmups. Greg Willis and I attended that day, driving down from West Fargo. 

Friday Sports Wrap March 30-April 6th, 2018, #45 

Twins open at home yesterday with a win. The ing adds to the magic of the day 

The Villanova victory confirms that teams often beat talent. You can’t deny that the 6th man, ‘got off early,’ and couldn’t be stopped. With Donte in the zone, and playing good D, they were tough to beat. I remember when Howard Porter and Hank Siemiontkowski played for Nova in the early 70’s. I am hoping that they have continued success.

An apparent wrinkle in time has occured in the Red River Valley. Last July at the Finn Golf Tournament, Jeff Bretherton stated that he was so happy to be the Cobber AD, that he could see himself working there for the rest of his career. So the wrinkle in time has compressed the rest of his career into 11 months. Behind this whole metaphysical event is a single governing law. Never hire a Johnnie.

Friday Sports Wrap March 23rd, 2018, #44

Al McGuire Marquette coach loved Dean Meminger. He nicknamed him Dean The Dream, because he was too good to be true. Dean is credited with the quote, “If you don’t play ball, you can’t hang out.” Some of his other quotes:

○ “My rule was I wouldn’t recruit a kid if he had grass in front of his house. That’s not my world. My world has a cracked sidewalk.

○ Dean Meminger was quicker than 11:15 Mass at a seaside resort.

○ Remember that half of the surgeons in the world graduated in the bottom half of their class.

Tour de Doubleday is a locally owned baseball stadium tour business, that opened in 2003. In 2005, The Tour made a stop in Baltimore during the 2005 season. Baltimore was one of the first stadiums to incorporate the retro look. Brick, steel girders, all built right next to an office building, two blocks from the harbor. During construction, wood from a bar owned by Babe Ruth’s mom was unearthed in what is now center field. Griffey hit a bomb during the home run hitting contest that did hit a window in the office building. No word on whether everyone in that area ran and hid like we did growing up in Halstad. 

Malcolm Gladwell in his book, David and Goliath, details elements of when the underdog overcame the odds to win, using the details of the battle of David against the giant. Congratulations to Columbia Heights High School for knocking off DeLaSalle, who had won 6 previous state titles. Shortly after moving to Maple Grove from Pelican Rapids, I officiated Columbia Heights and Como Park. We only had two officials at that time, and I can still remember the feeling of the game being so much faster than I had ever seen. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

Baseball begins again next week. Pay attention to the bunting when you see it. 

Friday Sports Wrap March 16th, 2018, #43

Now that my officiating season is over I think about all the rule changes that have taken place over my career. A guy has to constantly be reading the rule book and case book. You don’t want to get caught not knowing the rule. There are 15 un-written rules that I have learned while officiating. They are listed here with the official that taught them to me.

1. The guy further away from the      game always drives, buys any pre-game candy bar, and buys the beer after      the game. (Arlin Prochnow)
2. Always park your car under a      light in the school parking lot. It      makes it easy to find your car after the game and the light might help      identify the parent who chases you. (me)
3. All coaches are nice guys until      the ball goes up, then they turn into jerks. (Ed Askegaard)
4. Be sure to have shined shoes      (Bucky Burgau)
5. Make the players smile during      the pregame (Darby Carlson)
6. When the last girl on the Thief      River girls JV goes to the line in a blowout, and her jersey is untucked,      be sure to rip on her to ‘tuck it in’, bring all of the attention in the      gym to the fact that she couldn’t get it tucked in when she got dressed      before the game. (Dave Grinaker)
7. B game never goes into      overtime, and last whistle in the B game buys the beer. (Dave Grinaker)
8. Let your diesel truck run all      night when its -25 at Thief River on a Tuesday night in February. (Dave      Grinaker)
9. Remind the assistant coaches      that “their job ended when they turned off the bus.” (Ed Askegaard)
10. At halftime, wait across the      floor from the table, until both coaches are heading to the locker room.      (Darrell Olson)
11. You make 5% of the game fee in      the first half, and 95% in the second half. (Steve Makowske)
12. Never leave a T in your pocket.      (Greg Grooters)
13. People didn’t come to this game      to watch us. (Craig Samuelson)
14. Don’t make eye contact with      anyone when leaving the school after a game. (Bucky Burgau)
15. When cashing your game fee      check at the local VFW, try to get a $50-dollar bill. (Ed Askegaard)
16. 
    

Maple Grove lost in overtime when a Lakeville girl got a defensive rebound with less than two seconds to play and was fouled by Maple Grove. She made a free throw with .3 seconds to play and the game was over. I asked a coach about the play the next day. 

“Did the official call a foul on Maple Grove when the ball was 60 feet from the basket at the end of the first overtime? His response was, “no, that is not correct, she was 70 feet from the basket. (See rule #13)

I read an article in which the author described how our metabolism creates oxygen radicals, that we need to pay attention to. In essence our bodies are always in a state of oxidation. A guy could say we are rusting out. That is not the case for Kent Stadum, (1977 Spud-Cobber), currently recovering from rotator cuff surgery. It seems he was skiing in Canada when his group decided to take a trail through the trees after a big snow. His hands were inside the straps when his pole caught on a tree branch and the result was a messed up right shoulder. Stad wasn’t rusting out, he was wearing out, sucking that proverbial marrow that we all need on the far side of 60.....by the way, he only skied 10 more times before his surgery. 

Friday Sports Wrap March 9, 2018, #42

One advantage of working in an urban school is you get to hear about basketball players.  Zion Williamsonis the latest name to populate YouTube clips. His mother was a world-class track athlete and his father was an NFL lineman. Once you see this guy, you would have to agree that genetics does indeed work. Gregor Mendel was on to something. This kid’s intent is Duke and then the NBA very quickly. Kind of like those girls at Cord that declared their Mrs. degree early on. 

Speaking of subtle humor, I can’t help but recall the magazine that Cord put out with all the new freshmen and transfers. The same type of publication that spawned Facebook in the Ivy League. It was called, “Who’s new” or “Who Knew.” The title that passed by Prexy Joe unnoticed, had the image of a guy in a sailboat on a lake. The title was, “Who’s Cruise?” 

This weekend will find Cord’s Memorial Auditorium, aka Mecca, hosting 6 boys section playoff games.  The sound echoing off those brown bricks, and the smell of popcorn in the North gym set the stage. The teams run up from the bowels, with the narrow hallways, turn the corner and take the floor. When Olberding was playing for Melrose, the fans waited outside the doors before they opened. The sound of go CI go...go CI go.... It was a great time to get a job from Art Lysne. Punch in early, hang around late. 

Friday Sports Wrap March 2, 2018, #41

Last Sunday afternoon found the Bethel gym filled with Royal and Augsburg fans for the MIAC championship game. Bethel was the defending champ and had knocked off the Oles two days before. I ended up sitting with Paul Dalton a ‘75 grad, and Rich Mies, who was just awarded the Mike Augustin award for his over 500 profiles of MIAC athletes. Dalton, the definition of style when I was at Cord, has been sipping from the fountain of youth. He looks like he could still play for the Wooly Men. At halftime, the Bethel custodial staff was checking all the lights. The Olmscheid kid from Buffalo had shot them out. He had 23 at the half as the Lutherans breezed to their first title in a long time. Olmscheid drew good ‘buzz’ in the first half. Buzz is the term for the sound created by fans who are talking about the game to each other, not a roar, just loud enough to be heard in a visiting gym when an opponent is on fire. Olmscheid was. 

Tonight, is the end of the boys basketball regular season, my 33rd as an official. My top five players are: 

1. Todd, the PG from Monticello
2. Wiesart, the PG from Delano       (presently living in Buffalo)
3. Thomas-Omersa, the Gopher       recruit from Orono. Deadly from 3       feet and in.
4. Whitten, sophomore from       Buffalo, 21st century Rick Mount.
5. Strong, PG from Champlin,       man-child body, good shooter.

February 9th-23rd Triple Issue, 2018 #40

Darrell Naugle was a freshmen FB coach at Cord. I think he and Ron Offutt were teammates. The story that we heard was that when Naugle and Offutt were freshmen, they taped the upperclassman.

School Boards are required to list personnel changes each time they meet. Check out the employment date of the second name. 7 decades, 9 Presidents, filmstrips to SMART boards. Legend has that of those 50 years, numerous years of never being sick. Wisconsin native, big Packer fan. 

The Lexington leader ran this story Thursday.

“The Shakespearean tragedy that is Rick Pitino’s career in the commonwealth of 

Kentucky reached its crescendo Tuesday.” Did the punishment fit the crime?

Osseo School board chair, Bob Gerhart, currently positioning himself to run for Mayor in the next election. The Mayor of Stupidville.

February 2, 2018, #39

The Phoenix Open has a reputation as a party that includes golf. Yesterday, apparently some guy broke the fun meter and after shucking his clothes, gavotte on the fairway right by the 16th hole. Film of the event prevents proof of Jewish faith. It reminds me of talking to Sonny after a Cobber golf event. When I asked him how he played, his reply was, “Oly, the only two balls I hit good all day, is when I stepped on a rake.”

The 1981 death of Natalie Wood has now been reopened. While her husband at the time, Robert Wagner, claims he knew nothing of her death, new reports claim there was shouting taking place that night. On a related note, science is also interested in reopening a similar investigation. Apparently, the case is of interest to the science community for the rather discrepant event surrounding her death. Science is really trying to learn more about the only type of wood that didn’t float.

Chuck Taylors are making a comeback. White night tops, or as Rich Haley calls them, limousines for the feet.” Cord used to wear them during the Bob Laney, Jim Hurhusky, Peterson twin’s era. Kent Stadum claims he say the one Peterson stumble, fall and had his glass eye pop out onto the floor. He just popped it back in and kept playing. 

January 26th, 2018#38

My father used to describe a man he met as a “stand up guy.” He didn’t get to know Jim Thome. In his absence, I give Thome that handle. Mike Cuddyer shared a story about an at bat in Cleveland one Sunday afternoon, when he was batting ahead of Thome. If you haven’t read it, find it and read it. I can’t do justice be retelling it.

The game of baseball uses “stand up” to provide insight into the box score. When a guy cruises into second after lining a ball down the line, he hit a stand-up double. About ten years ago, there was a baseball player from Hutchinson who had 3 standup triples during the season. The best part of the story was he was 6’9’, 290 and played OL for Nebraska.

Lastly, ‘stand up and cheer, stand up and cheer for old Concordia...for today we raise the maroon and gold above the rest......

January 19th, 2018 #35

In 1968, before the start of 8th grade, I moved from Halstad MN to Moorhead, MN. Both my sisters, Arlene and Linda Olson, were at Cord, and I saw my first game in 1966., Perry, Backberg, Chuck Olson etc. I still remember going to the Cobber/Dragon game when the Owls from across the cemetery decided to have a throw down. I had never really seen men fight before, so it was part of the experience. Joe Langemo was a name I remember from that game. I wasn’t at the 1970 game when Dale Hertel brought the Cobs down the field only to have the game winning conversion blocked by LeRoy Spears. Twenty years after that game, Kent Stadium told me he was standing in the end zone when the Cobs scored. He said Spears was pissed.... really pissed. He was going to get beat by the Cobs, only settle for a tie.....sorry to digress, my point is that today’s Sports Wrap now includes some of those Cobbers that played at the end of Jake’s career and the start of Christophersons. Welcome to Friday Sports Wrap.

Vikes and Lazarus, you draw the comparison. Mine is this, Lazarus was in the tomb for days, news of his re-birth traveled only by word of mouth. Nobody tweeted that, “The L man is back.”

Reggie Lynch, proximity to Louisville? Perhaps Richard the Slicker told his son, “you have to get Reggie out of here, he is going to wreck this whole thing I have going.” 

Jan 12 Friday Sports Wrap, 2018 #34

Bison win again. The biggest cheer of the pep rally the night before took place when the mayor announced the parking lots would open at 5:30 instead of 7. When we got to the parking lot at 6:30, the music was blaring and breakfast was being served.

Reggie Lynch has apparently fallen prey to that evil thing called friction.

I was at home when Drew Pearson pushed off

I was in Brines overlooking the St. Croix when Darren Nelson dropped the out

I was at home with Erik and Peder when Gary Anderson missed.

41-0...12 men in the huddle.... they all run together.

Dec 22-Jan 5th Double Issue Friday Sports Wrap. 2018 #33

Traveling to Frisco for the 4th time. Chance to be part of 4 National Championships. By the time you read this, Kris, Peder and I will be in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is Edina on steroids, but with two generations of the finer things. With bars that range from Seedy/Sultry or Calm/Chaotic the city has cashed in on loving the Bison. Some have even joined Team Makers. Green and gold is everywhere. Jackets are a sub-culture in themselves, with coats that range from the Rajahs of the late 60’s to the latest version of 5 in a row. 

James Madison was the only team I have seen in the last 5 years that were superior to the Bison. Bison D had a bunch of guys hurt up front. It really is a simple game...........stuff the run, match up on 3rd and long, fair catch or return everything (to your bench), run the ball, chew up the clock, score in the red zone, protect your inside gap on the extra point, directional kick, stay in your lanes, break down, gang tackle, repeat. 

Last night, c--c- game[1] for the St. Michael (4A) vs Big Lake(3A) Reality check last night. When I walked to the scorer’s table to shake hands, the timer, stood up and said, “Hello, Mr. Olson.” (former student West Fargo, circa 1981?). Then there was the hat trick. I worked with a lady who was there to see her granddaughter play for St. Michael. The player’s uncle was a Packer from the late 80’s. We had to work the first half of the JV game with 2, because partner trusted his GPS, but didn’t count on a quick snow. We let him keep that part of the check.

“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you was?” Satchel Paige

December 15th, Thursday Edition, 2018 #32

Bison are in the semifinals against Sam Houston State on Friday night. Big games need big players to step up and make big plays. Tailgating will have to be under the light of the moon. There seems to be an informal competition between tailgating groups. Groups in this case mean mostly post-baby boomer men, cooking lots of good food, to go with well stocked liquor tables, displayed under well-heated tents of various signage. Some people say it is akin to public masturbation, but I will not go that far. Fan support for a NDSU FB championship takes on all forms. You can’t deny someone’s passion. 

I loved pickup basketball at Cord. A guy could always find a game and if only 15 guys showed, it was perfect. Play to 11 winners stay. Defense was an afterthought, everyone wanted to get theirs. It depended on your Friday schedule, when you could start. Faculty noon-ball league was always a good show, with Roger Spilde, resplendent in his black socks, ran the court with ‘Mouthguard’ Morrie Lanning. When they left, the true gym rats would emerge. Count and his buddies would sit in Section C and make squeaky noises, just to give guys like me the needle. 

I am into the first month of year 32 as a BB ref. I have great stories from nights when I lived in Pelican Rapids and worked with Dave Grinaker, circa 1992-1997. If you have heard this one, it bears repeating. The girls B coach at New York Mills was on his ass most of the B game. Grock whacked him quickly in the second half after he announced it to me at halftime. During the A game, this same coach couldn’t let it die, and he was a bug in Grock’s ear once too often. “Coach,” Grock said, “your job ended when you turned off the bus.” The coach looked like the Wicked Witch when she got the pail of water. He was reduced to a shell of himself. Grock loved it....

December 8, 2017 #31

A story on that tragic and fateful day........never return

A guy would have to be the sports guy on the old channel 11 news team to not know about the the plethora of allegations of men in power being accused of harassment linked to that power. My buddy Palmer, who made a transition from the locker room to the training room without missing a beat, often mentioned the realities of the cube culture. It went something like this, “never fish off the company dock......never dip your pen in the company ink......never biblically know the help......

When the shelf life of a story drops below a day, a fella has to draw back and look at what has gotten us here. I️ use the analogy of an inanimate object like machine. Since the invention of the machine, we have been constantly trying to make them more efficient, but always fail. Yet animate man, with our highly developed brain, has fallen victim to that same force we want to eliminate in the machine. the force that has destroyed a reputation that might have taken years to build. The single word that has caused men to behave so poorly,.......friction. 

Last night the Gophers fell prey to that storied basketball program, Nebraska. That win reminds me of a guy I met in 1995, when he was at Pelican Rapids recruiting for Mayville State. He was humble, personal and gregarious.
It was Tim Miles a few schools removed from his current position as the Husker head coach. When it comes to a guy like Miles, coaching against a Richard the Pompous, it is a no-brainer. 

December 1, 2017 #30

On a fall night in 1974, I️ talked a few of my friends to get out of the library and attend a radio show with me. “The Last Live Radio Show,” was the billing. It was Garrison before he named his show after the cemetary across from Prexy’s Pond. News flash, “DNA evidence now shows that Alexander Graham Bell fathered several children with a co-worker. With that news, Apple has announced that the term ‘phone’ will no longer be recognized. 

Pitino the Elder is continuing to show his class. A lawsuit for 37M will be brought aginst the University of Louisville for being fired without reason. Teflon Don isn’t as slick as this guy.

So in return for running this brothel disguised as a dorm, his actions allow him to survive. Here’s hoping a mom accused him of harassment when shaking his hand.

November 22, #29 2017

I was in Mrs. Lomsdalen’s class, we were just getting ready to head to the Senior Class play. We didn’t have intercoms, so the news that he had been shot came via a conversation with the superintendent through a slightly ajar door. History suddenly came alive for me.

The Metro Player of the Year is from Eden Prairie. His father is a Spanish professor at Normandale and the player just finished reading “Brave New World.” Athletes that are excellent students, coachable and grounded are steadily becoming the norm. Carson Wentz, Brad Davison, etal. We need it

. 

(Note: Originally appeared in Friday Sports Wrap, 2016) Lastly, as we sit down on Thursday to the spread of food, I want us all to examine that one item on the table that will be passed with extra care.  It might have been the same one used in the days when some of you were listening to Boone and Erickson in the background.  Recall Sonny's famous speech exalting Freckle as "Good China."  I would say that a fella doesn't have a lot of close friends, fox-hole buddies, guys that held your forehead when you broke the fun meter, guys that knew parts or all of your 'dark side' and still stayed your friends.  So when that special piece of china comes around, the gravy boat, take care of it and spread the gospel of the gravy boat with your group......  You guys are more than just good china, you're the gravy boat...

November 17th, 2017 #28

I coached my first FB game in the fall of 1978, when West Fargo played Wahpeton. I have probably been a coach in over 350 games. During that time, there is nothing that compares to the series of events that took place in the last minute of the Maple Grove/St. Michael game last Thursday. Everything had to fall into place. Which included: The QB and WR, who both struggled in the first 47 minutes, made big plays; we were able to recover two onside kicks without being flagged for the second one; we were able to score from the one with 5 seconds to play running an illegal formation. There are no do-overs in high school FB. After the game the coaches looked at each other and tried to piece together the ending. The St. Michael coach handled it with such class at the moment, knowing that the film would prove him right. Jerred Essler has it going in St. Michael, watch for their continued success. 

The Cobbers came within an official’s call of making it to the DIV III playoffs. Simultaneous possession should go to the offense. Judgement went the Johnnies way. I saw that a number of former Cobbers were in attendance at the game. Somewhere on line I saw a picture of Greg Willis? in his letterman’s jacket. He still looked like he could play tackle and has maintained his ovine[2]closing speed.

On the night of November 4th, Erik and I went deer hunting outside of Dorset MN. He had the hat trick. First time hunting, first time shooting a rifle during a hunt, and his first deer. The night before, as we drove from Brookings to Dorset, I got my deer with the front left bumper. That was followed by about 10 cars who couldn’t miss the carcass. Being in a truck and having the airbags deploy is surreal. We are happy they worked. When it was over, I had to recall all the events of the span from 7 pm Saturday until 8am Sunday. The attachment is my memory of the events.

November 10th, 2017  

No wrap

November 3rd,  2017 #27

To survive and/or thrive in a school you have to develop a banter with other teachers. I have engaged in this ongoing game for quite a while. It involves walking into a class at the start and asking the teacher if they have seen a particular student, using the name of someone important to that discipline. “Have you seen Francis Crick today,” I might ask a Biology teacher. A few days back, I asked a social studies teacher if he had seen Eli Whitney. When I walk through Phys Ed, I wonder if the teacher has seen Roger Bannister.

Baseball continues to be the greatest game. Last night included the Cinderella Story of Morton, the Houston reliever. Washed up, traded, injured, etal. Sports has the greatest or worst timing in the world. You choose.

Cord is celebrating its 100th year of football, with three coaches over the last 76 years. Jake is one of the few football coaches in the history of the game to have coached in a stadium named after himself. Of course the legend of Jake became legendary not for his success in football, but for an event that occurred shortly before his death. One fall night his wife could not find Jake and asked around for help. The story is that he was found walking on the football field alone in his thoughts. The thoughts of the people who found him was, “How did this 88-year-old get into the field when the gates were locked shut?” .......

October 27th. 2017 Friday Sport Wrap., #26

John Smoltz, despite having to work with Joe Buck, is a skilled color man. Breaking down where and why the pitcher toes the rubber, describing the mechanics behind pitching, and providing any of the inner workings of the greatest game in the world, makes the broadcast so much better. Someone should tell Burt that reading from the Media Guide doesn’t require real insight.

In 1973, the Moorhead Spuds, led by Face, Grok, Rupe[3] Bauck, etal, played for the state championship. As Hales, always reminds me, Osseo had won the mythical state championship, the year before. 44 years later, 6 of the 7 FB classes started their playoffs last night. Congrats to my former school, Pelican Rapids, who like the Phoenix, has risen from the ashes to win their first playoff game in quite a while. On the other hand, Osseo, winners of the 6A State Title two years ago, will put away the pads after losing their first game in 5A. 

On Friday morning at 9, Stan (Killer) Kowalski will be remembered at a Brooklyn Park church. Who comes to pay their respects? The Crusher, The Bruiser, Edwardo Carpentier, Capable Kenny Jay, Baron Von Rashkey, Black Jack Lanza? I just hope that sometime during the service, someone will stand up and stay, “......uh oh, he has him in The Piledriver, ......it should be banned......it is in most states.”

Friday Sports Wrap has been sent as a weekly email since 2017.  Issues 1-25-present are listed here.  Issues are listed in descending order.

October 20th, 2017 Friday Sports Wrap, MEA Edition., #25

Today marks an ironic day of the school year. For some students it is the last of the three days of school they missed because last week their family flew to _____, while missing the 3 days this week. Of course, they wanted to get all their homework before they left. For others it is the end of the week and the beginning of an uncertain time regarding breakfast and lunch. All they want is to make sure they get stuff to eat when school is not in session. 

How about the progress we have made with the school calendar? I remember in (circa, 1963) when my mom, left Halstad on Wednesday night to drive to the Cities for the convention. The third Thursday and Friday remain in place over 50 years later. Our calendar still reflects the impact of the seasons, thumbing its nose at brain research about loss of learning during the summer.

Last night trailing by 14-18 with 5 minutes to play at Wayzata, the top sophomore team in the conference, we are forced to punt from our 35. Our punt is blocked, but the ball takes a Sunday Hop right to our punter, who sprints down the sideline to the other 35. We end up scoring to win by the final score of 22-18. Athletics provides moments that you can’t even make up, but still happen. Football remains the greatest team game in the world.

Oct 13th, 2017, #24

When I was a kid growing up in Halstad with two older sisters, I had a lot of free time. During that time, I taught myself how to juggle, solve riddles and do magic. On Fridays in the lunchroom at my school, North View Middle, I go from table to table doing tricks that require a little skill and mostly banter. It is a blast, especially when a 6th grade girl today, who didn’t know how the coin reappeared, shrunk away from me and in a loud, 12-year-old voice, said, “What the _uck, Mr. O.”

Last Saturday, a few 77 Cobbers ran into some 73 Cobbers at O’Garas. It was good to see that fellowship is alive. This group gathers at the Pickle Factory in Winona. Russ Benson, Jamie Smith, Neil Jepson, to name a few. Jamie Smith is the brother of Dave Smith of Slow Talking Smitty Fame... 

The Cobber/Tommie game had a big crowd. I felt for the Kragness kid, when the Tommie stuffed the read option, they had to throw and it wasn’t pretty. Stad said it best, that game was Fergus Falls vs. Cretin. 

October 6th, 2017, #23

Last weekend found Mick’s Office the central meeting spot of the class of 1977 and others. Fellowship made a comeback for that time. Randy Frisk said it best, “look at your friends to know what kind of person you are. If you hang with good people, they reflect you.” That was right before we saw the picture of Jim Kallevig, Dan Storrusten, Dan Nauman returning from a Smelt Run.....If JCPenney’s only knew.

Once again, a lone man shows malice to all in another tragedy. While it needs to be mentioned, it isn’t worth any more space here.

Saturday is the Cobber/Tommie game at the corner of Summit and Cretin. When I was a junior, we played the Tommies in a night game, winning 10-7. Pat Bradley was on fire, hitting 80 Z Hook all night. Pete Johnson was the Z. We returned to The Curtis Hotel to stay after the game. I don’t know if any Hoovers died of broken necks that night, but if the over/under was 2, I’d take the over. This year’s game has an interesting twist. I will watch this game as a parent of a Tommie. 

This marks a 15 month gap in FSW. I took a job as an instructional coach at a middle school with 90% non-white population. 

I kept a journal of my time at North View Middle School, a school on the east side of the Osseo Area School District.  It is an honest, frank look at this school on Zane Avenue, Brooklyn Park, MN

See Tales of Zane Avenue

June 10, 2016

June 3 FSW, #22

1. Longest homerun at Metropolitan Stadium.
2. http://nationalpastime.com/site/index.php?action=baseball_team_search&baseball_team=All+Teams&fact_Month=06&fact_Day=3
3. Harmon’s home      run…..He hit one the following day, a line drive that hit off the facing      of the second deck.
4. http://www.twincities.com/2011/05/16/eyewitness-to-history-this-harmon-killebrew-home-run-made-a-sound-like-no-other/

May 27th, #22

Baylor FB has found itself in the midst of a real mess. Allegations of “doing the wrong thing,” are pretty lurid. This is another example of the known situations. I have always stated that only 10% gets reported and 90% leads to increased season ticket sales.

About 5 years ago, during a celebration of Palmer’s birthday at the old Maple Grove CHAMPPS, we were witness to a one-on-one conversation that we could only see, but could imagine what was being said. In a tucked away portion of the restaurant, they were having a discussion that looked pretty emotional. A younger woman, dressed to the nines was very sad. Sad to the point of sobbing, dabbing her makeup to avoid a mess. The man in the conversation was probably 20 years her elder, stoic as an Easter Island statue. He would do most of the talking behind these pursed lips and prison-guard jaw as she openly wept. This went on for an extended time. If fact, they were at the table when we sat down and they were there when we left. The event was memorable because of roles being played, as well as the man at the table. This stoic male was the current Xanax czar of the Gopher wrestling, J Robinson.

In the world of coaching, sometimes you hear a coach say, “I tell you what, our pitchers are so bad they are going to drive me right to the bottle.” Someone did not tell Neil Allen it is just a metaphor.

May 20th, 2016, #21

Erik, Peder and I went to the Twin’s game last night and saw Santana pitch 8 great innings. The game went into extras. Twins have Danny Santana at first with one out, Dozier up. With the pitcher set, he decides to go early break to second like he did earlier in the game. This time, the pitcher steps off, and throws him out by 10 feet. Two pitches later, Dozier swings at a 58 foot yacker, the ball kicks two feet from the catcher and the few faithful left in the stands watch Dozier get thrown at a first. In a 20 second span, we watched hope turn into hopelessness. 

During the 6thinning, we make our way into some great seats up from the Twins dugout. A few batters later, I get my second foul ball at a baseball game. After a mini scramble and a lucky bounce I have the ball, take pictures and give it to a second grader behind us. It was a different experience than I had with Barry Bonds’ #740 in San Francisco. I’ll talk more about that another Friday.

If you haven’t been to Target field this year, they have another sweet spot added in center field right below the Minny and Paul sign. There are more and more chances to eat, libate and converse and have the baseball game be a look-away. In light of 10-30, that is probably smart marketing.

May 13th 2016, #20

During the entire time of Joe DiMaggio's 1941 56 game hitting streak, it was big news as he went past 20 or 25 games. Keep in mind this was the same year that Teddy Ballgame hit .406. I see something underway right now that might have a life of its own. On April 21st, The Artist formerly known as Prince passed on. That event, might have the staying power of Joltin Joe’s streak. Today we are at 22 days. 

My favorite line from Jurassic Park is from mathematician Ian Malcolm, played by Jeff Goldblum. 

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” Technology has provided new uses and applications that we did not even think of a few years ago, and I am often in support, but I draw the line (no pun intended) at the news this week about perhaps using robots to call balls and strikes in baseball. The human element has to remain a part of the game. Besides, how the cob could you kick dirt on the shoes of a robot?

Richard, Richard, Richard. The U’s internal audit has revealed that he overspent the budget for his jet during recruiting trips. The AD formerly known as Norwood approved the overages, including the times Richard had to use the jet to fly less than 200 miles. At least young Pitino has able to land recruits that got him 8 wins this year. (By the way, I am making a prediction that Norwood approved the flights in exchange for the access code to the dorm in Louisville currently under NCAA review.)

May 6th, 2016, #19

Ted Williams was amazing hitter. He won his batting total 17 years apart I believe in 1941 in 1958 this was only after spending some time in the war.

 

Someone with lots of time on their hands went deep into the bowels of baseball trivia and came up with this. In the last 86 years there has never been a 1-run game that ended with a player trying to stretch a 2 out double into a triple. Last Sunday, Miguel Sano set a mark that will perhaps go unmatched.

 

In George Will’s great baseball book, Men At Work, he describes how the 1910 AL batting title race came down to the last few days with Nap Lajoie in a tight race with Mr. Nice Guy, Ty Cobb. On the final day of the year, a double header, the opposing third baseman played deep every time Lajoie came to bat, encouraging s. He went 8 for 9 on the day, pushing him past Cobb for the title. The commissioner caught wind of it and ruled those hits would not count, making Cobb the champion. Between the last game and his ruling, Nap Lajoie got a congratulatory telegram with eight signatures. It came from Cobb’s teammates. 

When I was growing up in Halstad, MN, my all-time favorite player was Willie Mays. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized how he played a key part in the 1951 playoff game between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Giants were down by two runs in the ninth with two on and one out when Bobby Thompson came to bat. Perhaps the Dodgers should have walked Thompson to set up the double play. They had to pitch to Thompson, because rookie outfielder Willie Mays was on deck. Willie turns 85 years old today. Happy Birthday, Say Hey.

April 29, #18

Stanley Cohen author of the book, “The Man in the Crowd, Confessions of a Sports Addict,” wrote, "The box score is the catechism of baseball, ready to surrender its truth to the knowing eye." The box provides all the insight you need to recreate or experience a game. If you are really interested, here is a resource that provides over 800 box scores. http://www.baseball-boxscores.com/

Last night when Carson Wentz selected as the 2ndplayer drafted, it was a step in the right direction. Erik lived in the same house as Carson last year. I would call the dwelling a shelter instead of a house. During times I spoke with him, he was the most down to earth, normal kid. He had a hunting dog that Erik would take care of when the Bison were on the road. In light of the knuckleheads that were on display last night, Wentz is a superstar.

Sunday, I read more news from the corner of 8thStreet and 10 Ave S. in Moorhead. 18 Faculty members have decided to retire. The list included Hank Tkachuk, 40 years, and Duane Siverson, 38 years.

April 22, #17

Face with the Ace. This week, Brad Atchison, aka Face, Atch scored his second hole in one of his career, on #6 at Eagle Creek in Willmar. A 160-yarder using a 22-degree hybrid. I have two thoughts about this event. Either Face is a skilled golfer or it is the result of playing so many rounds. I would offer it is a bit of both. Secondly, I am wondering about the tradition of buying a drink for everyone in the clubhouse. In the early 80’s when a fella wasn’t armed with that license to spend money, cash card, we could only rely on what scratch you had in your pockets. Face was an advocate of the, “buy early,” mantra. He would get the first round and by the time it came back to him he was out of cash. 

In the mid 80’s, I went through a time period that my friends recall as when, “Oly was dead.” Due to some questionable judgement, I was dating a woman, who “didn’t like my friends or what they stood for.” This led to an extended time when I “flat lined,” (unresponsive to invitations from friends). She was a big fan of The Artist Formerly Known As Prince and insisted we see “Purple Rain.” This was the single culturally redeeming event I can recall from that forgettable time. Today, it seems ironic that I associate that movie with my, ‘Dead Years.”

Tom Thibodeau, Tracey Claeys and Mike Zimmer. What is common about these 3 head coaches? They are all single. In Zimmer’s case he is a widower. 

April 15th, 2016 #16

Sebastian Junger’s book, “The Perfect Storm,” details the events leading up to the 1991 mega-weather event that occurred near the Flemish Cap in the North Atlantic. Since then the term has come to mean every so often, things might line up in a similar way. Count, Palmer, Chopper and I saw the NBA’s version of it last night. Consider this:

a. It was the last game of the year between teams with 100 losses between them. 

b. Wolves coach had been whacked an hour before the tip. 

c. New Orleans, dressed 7 healthy players, including Cedric Perkins, former Celtic who hadn’t missed many meals since winning a ring with KG. 

d. It was a warm spring night in Minnesota. 

e. Defense was just a suggestion for Pelicans, as they looked like they couldn’t wait to get back to, and/or, had just closed down, Bourbon Street. The final score was 144-109 and the game wasn’t as close as the score indicated.

If you have heard the following story before, forgive me. I was encouraged by Count to share it. Before our senior year at Cord, Doug Boese (Count), organized a gathering of Cobbers at the old Met. A sunny, humid, Sunday afternoon in August was the setting for The First Annual Cord Day at the Met (FACDAM) as we saw the Twins sweep a double header of the hated Oakland A’s, replete with their World Series wins, white shoes and general smugness. The Twins were decent, but Carew was worth watching. (He hit .388 the following year, hitting over .400 as late as the 4th of July.) It was mostly a chance to hang with your buddies, as the fellowship trumped the baseball. 

The two games had a variety of events, including a 5-minute cloudburst that delayed the second game for a while. However, you never know when you will see something special. That something special took place in the 12th inning of the first game. The Twins, down by 2, scored twice on four hits by Cubbage, Brye, Braun, and Carew’s double, a rope to left center. The home team has runners on second and third, no outs. The A’s have to walk the next hitter. Gene Mauch, must have known this, and with his next decision, he provides my all-time favorite baseball game moment. Tony O, now 38, is coaching first base. The next thing we know, he is hobbling to the on-deck circle, grabbing two bats, and the pine tar rag as the crowd realizes that this Twin icon, long past his prime, was going to pinch hit. The crowd rose to its feet as he ambled up to the plate. When he was announced, the roar was deafening. Everyone watched him dig the hole on the back line of the batter’s box, just like we all did in 1965. All of us were 10 again, watching our hero. The A’s intentionally walked him. After he limped to first, Dave Goltz pinch ran for him, and Tony walked the 3 feet to the coaching box. I drew tear watching this unfold. Roy Smalley, in his second year, then walked and the game was over. The outcome was nothing compared to that romantic slice of Twins history. Tony O retired two months later, but on that day, when time seemed to stand still, he and Mauch provided a vivid memory for the guys at FACDAM.

April 8th. 2016 #15

March 31st was the final day of Kent Stadum’s (The Bird) work in the financial world of stocks/bonds/investments, etal. Graduating with a degree in Physical Education, Bird spent his career as a teaching tennis pro outside of Milwaukee. He made his way into the cut-throat, what have you done lately world, and always put up, ‘big numbers.’ Apparently, his boss left him a voice mail at 5:30 on the 31st with a vanilla message of pseudo-thanks. One thing about retirement in the world of education, is that during the retirement fete, at least half the flowers are real. Bird is now on the slopes of Montana, enjoying the Big Sky and après-ski. 

If science was able to measure the concentration of testosterone within a confined area, I am sure the high-water mark would be a football coaching clinic. This weekend, Jerry Kill is speaking at the Bison clinic in Fargo. I heard him speak about 20 years ago describing the game of football in simple terms. “This game is nothing more than angles, leverage, and separation.” Very true.

Twins, Twins, Twins. 35 K’s in 97 At bats. 6 runs. Enough for today. 

April 1, 2016 #14

I have been made aware that in many cases, some of the terminology used in a Friday Sports Wrap might be confusing. When there are many “worlds colliding[1]in a message like this, some argot will be lost on other people.

No fooling, for myself and many others, this is a great time of the year. The end of March and the start of April is my absolute favorite time of the year. Next Wednesday is birthday of Merle Haggard, Harry Houdini,[2] and Rolf Lund.[3] It is also my birthday. Not quite to that level, it is usually the week of the Masters, another sign of spring. But the best thing about this week is that soon, very soon, we will get to see the ing.[4] To me, that image takes me right back to watching TV with my Dad,[5] and talking baseball. What a great game.

It also takes me back to opening day in 1982 at Milwaukee County Stadium. It was a cool day, but it didn’t matter. The Brewers were in their glory. Cecil Cooper, Yount, Molitor, Gorman Thomas, Ben Oglivie. The parking lot was packed with people hours before the first pitch. Tailgating was expected as was passion for the Brew Crew. I can recall going into a parking lot bathroom and the line was out the door. Once inside, you saw every receptacle was being used, even the sinks. Then, a true-blue Brewers walked in, with a bladder as full as his cheek of chew, surveyed the scene and yelled, “Bases loaded and Cooper’s up, you better hurry.” Bert was on the mound for the Indiansand Mike Hargrove[6] was at the height of his routine. The Indians went on to win 1-0 in a game that lasted 1:59 won the game 1-0. The game time was 1:59. Why do the games you wait for so long, end so quickly?

March 4th/March 5, #12 

Thursday Edition of the March 11th Friday Sports Wrap.

Former New York Defensive End Jason Pierre-Paul has apparently been a highly sought-after free agent.  If you remember, he was the player who lost a portion of his hand due to a fireworks accident last summer.  The book on him is that he has an above average motor, is pretty skilled making tackles in space, but his real leadership is in the locker room.  Apparently, he is not one to point fingers at his teammates.

The ​King Mackerel is a migratory fish found along​ the east coast.  Last week, Erik, Peder and I were 10 miles south of Marco Island, FL,​ watching our guide throw bait fish on the water, followed by big boils of fish having breakfast.  For the next two hours, the bite was on.  When ​they​ hit, and take off​ the​ only sound is your​tightly set drag running out.  On one strike, a King flew 5 feet straight into the air.  All of the sudden I was back in Halstad, watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom on Sunday night with Marlin Perkins and Jim.  For a flat lander who spent most of my formative years in Norman County of the Red River Valley, it was quite an experience. 

The Boys MN State Tournament ended about two weeks ago, but I would be remiss to not put a cap on it. Right after the coaches and captains meeting, of the MPLS​North/Red Lake game, ​Larry McKenzie made sure he got a picture with the Red Lake head coach.  “This is a monumental event,” Larry said.  It did show how the game of basketball can bring together groups of people and give them something to rally around.  There were times during the game that it felt like I was watching a pickup game, making sure not to get in the way of the players.  One guy I remember for Red Lake was #11.  Because every North player wanted to send his shot into press row, he realized he could get them off their feet (aka ‘hanging guys’, made popular by Bill Schwankl at Cord).  After he hit his 3rd three pointer, all I could do was smile and think about Bill from Fergus.  Sammy (Cr​​aig Samuelson) ​did bring a light moment to the game when he was caught up against the scorer’s table and a ball hit him right in the beak.  The moment was even better when he ​snuck​ a peak at the replay on the video screen, complete with the crowd’s reaction.  It was just a pickup game any way. 

Perry Reinertson, former student teacher at West Fargo in the 80’s and now technology guru from Fergus ended up working the AAAA Final.  When teams don’t shoot well, a game can get messy in a hurry.  The second half was better and Perry was rock solid, bailing out his partner on an AT&T call. (long distance).  Perry was right on when they showed the replay.  No word on Perry’s fun meter status after that game. 

I watched the Villanova game last night and I am picking them to win the whole thing.  They move the ball, hit the pullup J have and I like their point guard.  He reminds me a little of Ernie D from Providence in the late 70’s.  He could fill it up.  However, his NBA career was short as he became known as Ernie No D.

March ?, 2016 #11

The ‘Right Thing Happened’ chapter of high school sports, Hermantown just won their first hockey title after six consecutive losses in the finals.  To add to the sweetness, they defeated The Breck School, who in some people’s eyes, are the standard-bearer for the sense of entitlement found in some elite private schools.  Last night, Lake Park-Audubon won the first section title in school history at a raucous Memorial auditorium.  Congrats to them as they savor their victory.   The atmosphere didn’t match the early 70’s when Cord would host the section and regional tournaments.   “Go C-I, go, Go C-I, go, Go C-I, go,” was the chant I recall from the Crosby-Ironton faithful.  It was still was nothing like the mayhem and stunning upset that took place in 1969 when the mighty Spuds fell to Pelican Rapids.  

don’t know the outcome of the Gopher game today, I only know they were down by 25 early on.  Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse.

In an instant classic, Waseca beat Marshall in a game for the ages.   They will be riding high when they play Fergus in the opening game on Wednesday.   I don’t think Fridley will have the same feeling.  They open with DeLaSalle, looking as a favorite to win their 5th straight AAA title.  Fridley was edged by the Islanders 81-43 6 weeks ago.

Feb 26, 2016 #10

On a warm summer day in the early 80's I took a road trip to Ada, MN to visit my Uncle Arnie.  He was a grizzled WW I vet who started and built his own road construction business and built several roads in Norman and Mahnomen county.   He was in the last few months of his life, but was still mentally sharp.  I sat with him in discussing things in general and when the topic went to sports, I asked him if he liked baseball.   In his thick Norwegian brogue, he said, "It's the greatest game there is."  That event is etched in my memory, mostly because I was in a pretty selfish time of my life and might have benefitted from more conversations with him.  

 As the weather warms and baseball nears, I think about the pre-season for all sports and how pure baseball remains.  There isn't a system to install or a new defense to learn.  Teams don't need to learn a multiple plays out of multiple sets., defend the , pickoffs, relays, ground ball hit to the right side, turning two......the Brooklyn Dodgers did the same things in the 50s as the Twins are doing today.   It is a thing of beauty

Kudos to Hill Murray for a record of 7-2 over the last three seasons at the state tourney.   Laura Anderson was a big part of that and while it was tough on Friday night, she can look back with pride and a feeling of a job well done.

Section boy’s basketball is now unfolding.  Sometimes a section semifinal or final is just as exciting as  a state game.  High drama, mixed with the end of basketball careers makes for a passion, emotion and memories being created.  Just another strength of high school sports.

Feb 19th., #9

Sports writing is really a study in adjectives and verbs.  Grock loved to read the sports page, because he said, "there are winners and losers clearly listed and described."  Thumped, routed, crushed, edged, squeaked, rode over, slipped past...they all describe an outcome.     Adjectives on the other hand describe a player and/or play.    Despite my near addictive relationship with sports writing, I am still a novice regarding hockey.    That being said, I have read how goals are scored, but I have never read that a goal was "circuslike," until I read the Strib account of Laura Anderson's goal last night in their rout of Steven/Sartell/Rest of Granite County in the opening round of the Girls State Hockey tournament.  I can't wait to hear Andy's re-cap.

I have taken an informal poll of what people rank as the 5 Greatest Sounds in Sports.   Everyone has a different list that considers different sports, but there are 2 that exist on almost everyone's list.   The snap of a baseball/softball into a well-worn mitt, or the crack of a wooden bat on a baseball.   As we approach spring, don't take those little things for granted.  

The Run for None is over.   It was easy to jump on the, Gophers Are Bad, bandwagon.   It was easy to chastise and ridicule teams when they are bad.  For me, I can identify.  West Fargo was mired in the midst of a 25 game losing streak in 1990 when we beat Shanley.   Late in the game we used the old Cord, 'Punt after the Go' play to draw Shanley offside and keep us from punting late in the game.   That type of play was ruled illegal the year before, but Lyle Hokanson was the white hat and he let it go.   When we scored, our kicker drills the extra point after a week of line drives in practice. Things fell into place and we got a win.   It was an incredible feeling.   Congrats to the Gophers, I know what it was like.

Feb 12 2/12/16, #8

(Zoilo/Namath/Satch Sanders)

The term 'fan' is a shortened version of fanatic, a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal.  Fan club, fan base, fantasy leagues are all linked to this word of French origin.  At the same time these words were creeping into our culture, actions of these fans also developed.  From my chair, the actions are in direct proportion to the success of the teams or teams being followed.  I saw evidence of that last night in the Girls 5AA Section final played       

(Andy wore zubas last night)      

in Roseville.   Former calm, and reserved people/parents/counselors did things that can only be interpreted as fanatic.  I won't reveal that to you here, but let you read between the lines.  The Pioneers are returning to their 3rd state tournament, mostly on the back of #3 Laura Anderson.  

In the continuing saga known as Louisville Men’s Basketball, Rick Pitino states that he didn't know what was going on in the players dorm.  To me there are two ways to look at this.   1. He did know.    2. He should have known.  Apparently when reporters asked current players about their reaction to the post season ban, views were mixed:

Player 1, SR "I'm sorry I won't be able to represent my university in the post season.

Player 2, SO "I'll really miss the comradeship of my teammates"

Player 3, FR red-shirt "I know my dad is going to miss Juanita, that amazon from Memphis"

Despite the press that Cord has received in the last few weeks, I have a firsthand report from a current faculty member of good news.   Olin Storvick, now in his 90's, still holds an office in the library and looks like he could still put in a shift at the dig at Caesarea.  He attends Trinity each Sunday dressed to the nines, and pours coffee for the over 80 widowed women contingent in the fellowship hall.   Thanks Olin, we all needed that.

Post-game note of the Moorhead/Willmar double header in the Spuds gym on Saturday.  Despite times when Naismith might have been turning over in his grave, the games were uneventful.  It was hard to fathom that a Spud girl was the daughter of Richard Carney, a kid who used to bat boy for our fastpitch team in the early 80's.

Feb 5th

Friday Sports Wrap, Feb 5th, 2016, #7

1.  Tucked away on A2 of the Thursday Strib was a small note indicating the death of Bob Eliot of "Bob and Ray, the Two and Only."   Seinfeld had nothing on these guys.  They took the simple conversation and made it memorable.   One of my favorites was this one about the Komodo Dragon.  It reminds me of my friend Paul Rykken.  He was the first guy I knew to ever use the word 'archipelago.'​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZEyvwhjcFk

I am heading to ​Moorhead High on Saturday. For quite a while, Sammy has invited me into his inner circle to officiate the Willmar/Moorhead boys/girls doubleheader at either Willmar or Moorhead.  Two years ago, during Face's last year, a small crowd looked a bit confused when Sammy, Perry Reinertson and I took a picture court-side with our arms around Face before the game.  The most surprised guy was probably the Moorhead girls coach.   ​

Consider our situation.....most of us were in elementary school during the time frame from the death of the Kennedys, and MLK.  The Super Bowl started shortly after that.  While we avoided Viet Nam, Watergate was in our face during the early 70's.   It was an incredible time to be impressionable and see these historic events.   But all the while, when a girl visited our dorm rooms every other Sunday from 1-4, we needed to keep at least one foot on the floor.

Jan 22, #6

The state of Wisconsin is now preventing fans from chants that might be considered to be offensive.   It reminds me of the days when Mark Hall, former Gopher played at Northwestern.   At the time, the GPA of Northwestern's starters was somewhere north of 3.5.   When one of the Wildcats would catch the ball, the student section would chant...".3.6, 3.6, 3.6"......4.0, 4.0, etc.   When Hall, (who by most accounts was studying to be an astronaut because he was taking up space) got the ball, the chant was..."1.2, 1.2.....    

A muzzle of student chants should have been used during the Cord Hockey Band era.   When I first attended a Cord hockey game over in the Fargo Coliseum, the Hockey Band had their own version of the grand old song of baseball.   

            " Take it out at at the ballgame

             Shake it out at the crowd

             Buy it some peanuts and crackerjacks

             I don't care if you give it a whack

             Cause its shoot, shoot, shoot for the home team,

             If you don't come it’s a shame,

             For its, One, Two, now you're all through, at the old ball game."

Item last.... I am still in search for the one last great stand of Americana, the one image, that tells me things are good with the world.  If I have shared this with you before, act surprised....   Sometime before I die, I want to be in a gym during the playing of the National Anthem, and look up into the band and see a third chair trumpet, or even the kid doing the cymbals, and see he is still wearing his BB uniform from the B game that finished 15 minutes before he had to play in the band

Jan 17 2016, #5

In light of the Timber-wolves season to this point, the marketing department has announced a new promotion.   Each fan attending game in January will be given a chance to pick guess the date when the Wolves will be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.  The two people closest to the correct date will win tickets to the Wolves final home game in April.   First prize is 4 tickets, second prize is 8 tickets.

Bison 37, Jacksonville 10.   This one was over early in the second quarter.   Fans were reported leaving Frisco pubs 5 to 6 pitchers after the final gun.

Two of the top 5 teams in MN Girls Hockey will meet when Maple Grove and Hill-Murray square off in girl’s hockey, pitting the top ranked Pioneers, led by Hockey Player of the Year candidate Laura Anderson, going west to face the Crimson.  The Crimson won last year in OT on a slick wrister from the slot. The puck will drop at 5:00 pm.   Look for Hill-Murray parents to be posted up at 3 Squares two to three pitchers prior to that time.

Dec 18 2015, #4

I am heading to Fargo tonight for the game on Friday, hence the Thursday edition.   Sammy, I am not taking your name off this list.... get over it.

​So now each ball park will have a 7-foot netting extended to the far end of the dugout.  What the cob.... A few people get dinged and baseball pulls a hip flexor with its knee jerk reaction. Now not only does a fella have to pony up some major scratch to sit behind the dugout, he will have to watch this great game through a net.  I have always maintained that baseball is the game that few people can see, because they don't know where to look or what they are looking for.   Now, they can be on their phones the entire time, calling their buddies to look for them on TV, while not having to worry about having to go home with stitch marks on their cheek. 

Kent Stadum and his son Peter recently played in a father-son tennis tournament in California.  Stad is amazing, still playing the game at high level.   The Birdman, drinking from a fire hose attached to the Fountain of Youth.  Ponce DeLeon has nothing on him. 

I often run into coaches on Tuesday and Friday nights who pace up and down the sideline like they are the next coming of Mike Frattelo.  During a timeout, they feel the need to walk out unto the court so their 4 assistant coaches can touch the hem of his robe.  At the same time, I can't help but think about the retirement of Bo Ryan, who said "

I didn't get into teaching and coaching for the number of wins or the money. It was a passion for trying to help young people.”  Like Face used to say, "coaching isn't about X's and O's, it’s about Jims and Joes."

Dec 4 2015, #3

I am at a middle school conference this morning and the keynote speaker(s) are a group from Special Olympics.  Whenever I hear and/or see Special Olympic Athletes, I think about the greatest athletic experience I have ever been a part of.   Keep in mind, I was a coach of the Bison in 1988 when we won the national title, I was a coach at Pelican when we beat Mahnomen in 1995, and several other really big victories.  In about 1995, Sonny and Lowell Bolger helped host the state Special Olympics State Basketball Tournament, and I was able to officiate a number of games. It was hands down the most rewarding thing I have ever done in athletics.

Reusse had a rant this week that included a memory of how Jules Peralt, the fossil-like announcer for the Gophers, used to entertain by reading scores in reverse.  Well, one cold snowy afternoon at Memorial Stadium, Julie was trumped by someone else.   It was the early 80's so Stad, Face, Palmer, Andy, me and assorted others were in the midst of our.... single straight men.....no relationship....breaking the fun meter most Saturdays, era....This game was against Ohio State, with Art Schleister (sp) at QB.  To everyone's surprise, the Gophers made it a game, and were in the middle of a game winning drive with less than 2 minutes to play.  Everyone was on their feet, for every play, savoring this moment during the last season at the Brick House.   After an incomplete pass, with palatable tension in the crowd, Face yells, "stop the clock!!"...right in front of us, two hundred heads turned in unison to look at the scoreboard and see that the clock was stopped, and then turned to look back at Face, who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat...

41 degrees in December.....what a country....

Dec 11 2015, #2

The U of M has recently made public the news about spending within the athletic department.  Hairstylists, expensive dinners, et al.  I wonder if Art Lysne and Irv Christiansen had the same sense when they looked at time cards of Pat Bradley and Grock during the basketball season.   I suppose Grok wanted to get things ready by punching in at 2:30 for the 4:00 pm practice and certainly didn't finish his duties until 7:00.  But, cooler heads prevailed when Doug (Sniff) Hastad made it a salaried position.   Grok was never angrier.

Gopher men took it on the chin against the Coyotes and Jackrabbits.....I can see a Coyote begin able to handle a Gopher, and I must surmise the rabbits were like the one in the entrance of the cave in the, "Holy Grail.".....'look at the teeth!'

R5 is pulling the pin at the bank in Bemidji at the end of this year.  Hilda Swensen, Bertha Carlson, and Edith Bjornsdahl are already crying, as they will miss that sensible young man they saw at the bank all these years.   Bemidji will not be the same....

Nov 30 2015, #1

Once again, we are observers of an event that as Pat Bradley and/or Palmer's brother used to say: "its a sad, sad commentary on contemporary man."  The idiot in Colorado Springs goes postal and we have an all too often set of memorials, funerals, and anger.    Friends and neighbors of this person described him as, "a loner."

Don't forget about the power of fellowship.... practice it.... we are saving lives.

Nov 22nd has come and come without too much recognition.  I would say that all of us have that day etched in our craw.   Brain research describes a variety of ways that we recall information.   One of them is episodic memory, or thoughts we can recall based on an episode.

40 Bowl games? It doesn't seem that long ago that Rose, Cotton, Sugar and Orange Bowl were the big 4.   On a related note, the number of MN State High School League championships now authorized is near 90.   Look for that number to expand.

Nov 23 2015 #0 Pilot

The news of the death of Boone is a big topic today.  Although I did not grow up in an area where I could have heard Boone and Erickson, I am guessing they were a part of your culture at some time.  As a native of Halstad, MN, I was happy to have KFGO, the mighty 790, or as some of you are aware, "The Information Station," made famous by a joke told by yours truly in the wee hours of a cold February night in 1987, in the kitchen of Clara City MN.   Sorry I digress. 

Buddy Carney, a fastpitch softball player from Fargo-Moorhead used to say that a, "stiff dick has no conscious."  Evidence of that adage was revealed once again with the news of the MGSH track coach who has been accused of erasing the coach/player boundary in a idiotic move that will cost him big time.   After the event he told the girl, "don't tell anyone, or I will kill you."  It is always prudent to threaten death after being an idiot.  For me it reconfirms the famous line from Ben Franklin, "Three people can keep a secret if two are dead."  

Lastly, as we sit down on Thursday to the spread of food, I want us all to examine that one item on the table that will be passed with extra care.  It might have been the same one used in the days when some of you were listening to Boone and Erickson in the background.  Recall Sonny's famous speech exalting Freckle as "Good China."  I would say that a fella doesn't have a lot of close friends, fox-hole buddies, guys that held your forehead when you broke the fun meter, guys that knew parts or all of your 'dark side' and still stayed your friends.  So when that special piece of china comes around, the gravy boat, take care of it and spread the gospel of the gravy boat with your group......  You guys are more than just good china, you're the gravy boat...

[1] This phrase was made famous by George Costanza in Seinfeld

[2] Born Ehrich Weiss, created his name after famous magician Houdin.

[3] Spud/Cobber late 70’s pole vaulter, son of Religion professor. Still competes in the Cord Alumni Track meet with his brothers.

[4] Distinctive colored decoration that hangs over an infield wall on Opening Day.

[5] Wally D. Landed on Omaha Beach, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, returned in June of 1945 and got married that August. He lived his life treasuring the simple pleasures like good music, arguing politics with his buddies, and baseball.

[6]Dubbed the “Human Rain Delay.”