We have a freshman running back, a hapless quarterback and you took advantage of a soon to be closed loophole to have our safety disqualified on the first play. He was standing still, holding his ground, when the runner initiated the helmet to helmet contact.
But if it means this much to you we could schedule to have you win one every 7-8 years.
My Goodness! Somehow I hadn't imagined that a determined sports fan lurked within that Lake Woebegon breast! But then again, you were a sports reporter in high school...
As a Dodger fan, it never seemed out of place to me, that Vin Scully's voice rose several octaves with a bases-loaded home run, or a spectacular double play.
I suppose, the sense of incongruity I'm feeling, is that the Woebegon stories were offered in the third person, by an "impartial observer". There was no impartiality at all in this piece!
Wasn't your brother a Wisconsinite in a portion of his adult life? Was there a rivalry there? I remember the day that I, an LA Dodger fan of some intensity, knocked on my brother's door in a suburb of Chicago. The door swung open and he jubilantly shouted in my face "We Beat You!" "Where in the heck did that come from?" I wondered. It turned that that The Chicago Cubs had recently beaten the Dodgers. The intensity of my brother's "victory cry" seemed really excessive. But then, I suppose there was some ancient sense of rivalry that had been festering in him for ages. If he couldn't "best me" in reality, then maybe he was feeling a sense of "superiority by proxy." Food for thought.
Good morning GK! I’ve been an early riser all my life. We are an elite club. Reading your column makes the morning that much sweeter. I just subscribed as a Founding Member as an early Christmas present to myself (I thought I was already but I’m a Luddite, so…). Rabbit!, rabbit!
This column reminded me of how much I think like Garrison.
For instance, getting up early. For many, many years I have gotten up at 5 o'clock or earlier. The time between 4 or 5 am and sun rise is the best part of the date. The coffee maker has a timer and comes on automatically at 5 am.
I don't really know or care much about football; but I do understand your feeling about Minnesota vs. Wisconsin. I love for Alabama to win. I don't follow football closely but football is a great reason to drink some beer and eat some good barbeque and to sit around and talk.
On the topic of enemies; I did not care for J. Edgar Hoover. But J. Edgar said something interesting: "People are known by their friends and distinguished by their enemies."
Does your church still sing hymns? If so, I would have gone to church. Many times in the past I would be in a bad frame of mind but if I went to church and heard them sing some of the great old hymns with the organ playing robustly, it would perk me up. Something about a congregation singing a hymn with the organ lifts me up. The modern "praise band" with guitars and drums doesn't do that. I love the guitar but it does not work in church.
I loved your use of "Teutonic culture" and had to investigate its meaning and history. Michigan born and bred with the ancestry of Teutonic culture I truly appreciate the reference. U of M and MSU had their victories in Big Ten Football last Saturday. Michigan was a happy place until the Oxford High School shootings yesterday. Victories and tragedies are the emotional tides of life. Anyway, enjoy the Nutcracker.
I think back to Anoka High School, 1959, and try to imagine a student coming to school and shooting his classmates, the trauma of it would change your life. He fired a couple dozen shots, was taken into custody, and asked immediately for a lawyer. Prison, he will discover, is a very grim school and his momentary celebrity will come at a very high pric. But good Lord, the poor classmates.
Again, everyone is a victim here. There are no winners except maybe the NRA and the gun industry. There are so many wrongs with this story that you have to wonder how it can't be some dark fantasy. My high school days were difficult and challenging but never once did I consider bringing a gun to school to resolve my problems. Why isn't that the case now? Twenty-eight mass shootings this year. A fifteen-year-old isn't mature enough to realize the consequences to themselves and the community for homicide but here we are again. When will this pestilence end?
I don't want to get on a soap box -- but people often speak of the military/congressional/industrial complex which some say encourages wars overseas in order to boost sales for arms suppliers and defense contractors. The same can be said in regard to gun manufacturers, the NRA, and some of the right wing media which hype violence and sow fear and discord in order to encourage sales of arms here at home. I don't know how people who profit from violence and destruction sleep at night. I am glad that we live in the backwoods in Alabama.
As a Wake Forest graduate I feel this way about UNC. As a pastor I know I shouldn’t, but…. There seems to me to be something healthy about locating all the evil in the world in one location. Not theologically correct, but works for me. It keeps me from having “floating evil” out there.
I think you should have your coffee, go to church and enjoy The Nutcracker.
We have a freshman running back, a hapless quarterback and you took advantage of a soon to be closed loophole to have our safety disqualified on the first play. He was standing still, holding his ground, when the runner initiated the helmet to helmet contact.
But if it means this much to you we could schedule to have you win one every 7-8 years.
You're funny, Mr. Wisconsin.
My Goodness! Somehow I hadn't imagined that a determined sports fan lurked within that Lake Woebegon breast! But then again, you were a sports reporter in high school...
As a Dodger fan, it never seemed out of place to me, that Vin Scully's voice rose several octaves with a bases-loaded home run, or a spectacular double play.
I suppose, the sense of incongruity I'm feeling, is that the Woebegon stories were offered in the third person, by an "impartial observer". There was no impartiality at all in this piece!
Wasn't your brother a Wisconsinite in a portion of his adult life? Was there a rivalry there? I remember the day that I, an LA Dodger fan of some intensity, knocked on my brother's door in a suburb of Chicago. The door swung open and he jubilantly shouted in my face "We Beat You!" "Where in the heck did that come from?" I wondered. It turned that that The Chicago Cubs had recently beaten the Dodgers. The intensity of my brother's "victory cry" seemed really excessive. But then, I suppose there was some ancient sense of rivalry that had been festering in him for ages. If he couldn't "best me" in reality, then maybe he was feeling a sense of "superiority by proxy." Food for thought.
I am so glad you have not given up supporting your football team!
One of your funniest columns! I am a big Wisconsin fan but I loved it. Thanks!
You're a big man, Charles.
Thanks for making me laugh out loud!
Good morning GK! I’ve been an early riser all my life. We are an elite club. Reading your column makes the morning that much sweeter. I just subscribed as a Founding Member as an early Christmas present to myself (I thought I was already but I’m a Luddite, so…). Rabbit!, rabbit!
This column reminded me of how much I think like Garrison.
For instance, getting up early. For many, many years I have gotten up at 5 o'clock or earlier. The time between 4 or 5 am and sun rise is the best part of the date. The coffee maker has a timer and comes on automatically at 5 am.
I don't really know or care much about football; but I do understand your feeling about Minnesota vs. Wisconsin. I love for Alabama to win. I don't follow football closely but football is a great reason to drink some beer and eat some good barbeque and to sit around and talk.
On the topic of enemies; I did not care for J. Edgar Hoover. But J. Edgar said something interesting: "People are known by their friends and distinguished by their enemies."
Does your church still sing hymns? If so, I would have gone to church. Many times in the past I would be in a bad frame of mind but if I went to church and heard them sing some of the great old hymns with the organ playing robustly, it would perk me up. Something about a congregation singing a hymn with the organ lifts me up. The modern "praise band" with guitars and drums doesn't do that. I love the guitar but it does not work in church.
Thanks Garrison for the fine comments.
Best wishes and happy holidays to one and all.
Good morning and thank you
I loved your use of "Teutonic culture" and had to investigate its meaning and history. Michigan born and bred with the ancestry of Teutonic culture I truly appreciate the reference. U of M and MSU had their victories in Big Ten Football last Saturday. Michigan was a happy place until the Oxford High School shootings yesterday. Victories and tragedies are the emotional tides of life. Anyway, enjoy the Nutcracker.
I think back to Anoka High School, 1959, and try to imagine a student coming to school and shooting his classmates, the trauma of it would change your life. He fired a couple dozen shots, was taken into custody, and asked immediately for a lawyer. Prison, he will discover, is a very grim school and his momentary celebrity will come at a very high pric. But good Lord, the poor classmates.
Again, everyone is a victim here. There are no winners except maybe the NRA and the gun industry. There are so many wrongs with this story that you have to wonder how it can't be some dark fantasy. My high school days were difficult and challenging but never once did I consider bringing a gun to school to resolve my problems. Why isn't that the case now? Twenty-eight mass shootings this year. A fifteen-year-old isn't mature enough to realize the consequences to themselves and the community for homicide but here we are again. When will this pestilence end?
I don't want to get on a soap box -- but people often speak of the military/congressional/industrial complex which some say encourages wars overseas in order to boost sales for arms suppliers and defense contractors. The same can be said in regard to gun manufacturers, the NRA, and some of the right wing media which hype violence and sow fear and discord in order to encourage sales of arms here at home. I don't know how people who profit from violence and destruction sleep at night. I am glad that we live in the backwoods in Alabama.
As a Wake Forest graduate I feel this way about UNC. As a pastor I know I shouldn’t, but…. There seems to me to be something healthy about locating all the evil in the world in one location. Not theologically correct, but works for me. It keeps me from having “floating evil” out there.
I think you should have your coffee, go to church and enjoy The Nutcracker.
Is Wake Forest woke? I've been wanting to ask this for a long time.
Depends on the day!