alexandriacardinals

[This was June 18, 2008.  “The cruisers” had just arrived in Fairbanks.  As a geography major, I was delighted to know that I was only 160 miles from the Arctic Circle.  (It was rumored at the time that several members of the party were here in their new capacity in the witness protection program.  I have, as yet, been unable to confirm this.)  From here, it would be south all the way.]

It’s late January.  The supervisor has been moaning about our lack of winter.  We’re having late March here now – icky (a technical weather term), foggy, humid, slushy, dirty, or why we try to leave here in March.  We yearn for the days of 10 degree temperatures, sunshine, and a white snow cover!  I’ve been moaning about of lack of games to cover – our girls’ basketball and hockey teams are on extended road trips.  In the absence of anything better to do, I bring you Alaska.

Actually there has been some mention of this before.  I had sent the pictures out at the time, of course, but I’m surprised how little I wrote in the e-mails about what we were doing.  So, I’m just going to have to make a lot of stuff up – in other words, lie.  Fortunately, the supervisor “scrapped” the entire adventure . . . an in house Google.

The supervisor’s plan of attack was that on June 15 we would take the train from St. Cloud to Seattle, and then fly from Seattle to Fairbanks to join the cruise party.  Amtrak was three hours late arriving in St. Cloud (it happens) – so by the time we arrived in Fargo, the sun was up!

[We crossed the northern plains, discovered water again in western Montana, and eventually the Cascades.]

On the 17th, we flew Alaska Air from Seattle to Fairbanks.  On the 18th, we headquartered out of Fairbanks Princess Lodge and began our walking tours of the city.

[The Chena River]

[Ruthie and Beryl immediately get into trouble in the lodge lobby while Crazy Dave keeps an eye out for the local constabulary – i.e., Dudley Do-Right and the RCMP!  (OK, they have jurisdiction by treaty because Alaska is just barely within ham radio distance of the lower 48.)]

[The supervisor performs her civic duty.]

[Howie,  Donna, Crazy Dave, Rita, Ray, Ruthie, Don, Mary, and Beryl . . . all somehow managed to elude apprehension the entire trip.]

[We think this was in homage to the supervisor and her snow shoveling abilities!]

[Golden Heart Plaza]

[And they hadn’t even gotten into the schnapps yet!  😉 ]

[Doyon, Ltd. headquarters, native arts & crafts]

[The Biddies at a church whose import I have forgotten.]

[Ray forever became Big Ray from this day.  Ray’s last name, incidentally, is Dillinger – and yes, he is related . . .]

[Downtown Fairbanks]

[Where we were in the world.]

[Bill and Anne have now joined us – The Generally Hygienic Dozen.]

[Finally . . . the SCHNAPPS!]

Thus endth the first posting on Alaska.  There will be several more, so make sure you get your rest.  This is dedicated to my diary, The Traveling Wilburys, and El, who told me at the gym this morning that he has guided four tours in Alaska.

Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair.
Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen.
Give me down to there hair, shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there, momma, ev’rywhere, daddy, daddy.

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Hair, hair, hair. Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair.

Let it fly in the breeze and get caught in the trees, give a home to the fleas in my hair.
A home for fleas (yeah) a hive for bees (yeah),
A nest for birds, there ain’t no words for the beauty, the splendor, the wonder of my:

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair.  ~ James Rado and Gerome Ragni

But I digress.  Every once in a while I have fantasies about . . . combs.  But you will notice the accreditation for the song, Hair.  Because it is the right thing to do.  Because SOPA and PIPA are currently under Congressional consideration, and, under such, absent proper accreditations the blog could be sent to GITMO . . . and I would be unemployed!

[Whitney]

But back to the subject.  The girls’ hockey and basketball teams are on extended road trips – the hockey team was at Willmar on Thursday and won 3 – 0, extending their winning streak to four.  Our on-site stringer reported that Becca had two goals, one shorthanded and the other apparently just as the Cards returned to full strength, and Britni had the other.  Shelby assisted on all three goals and Becca assisted on Britni’s.  The bad news was that Kalley apparently suffered a concussion the previous game but was not aware of it until the next day.  We hope her a speedy recovery, but they rightfully are very careful now days regarding concussions.  Taylor Ellingson moved up to forward (now just using 4 defensemen) and got good reviews, in this game and . . .

Yesterday the Cards went to North Dakota to take on undefeated Fargo South (16 – 0).  The Cards gave them every thing they could handle – South won 7-6 in overtime!  Shelby had three goals, and Becca, Alia, and Melissa had the others.  Apparently at least 3 of their goals were on power plays, including one on a 5-on-3 – and their star player had 4 goals.

[Two Cardinals, Jess and LT, attack an Eagle.]

So, you may be wondering why we led with a girls’ basketball photo.  Because the staff photographer goes on the road with them!  🙂  This 1st batch is actually his from the home game against Apollo (we went to the Fergus hockey game that night).  The Cards led the overmatched Eagles 33-3 at one point, so Greg got to feature many players other than the starters.

[Dani]

[Cara]

[Whitney likes this shot.]

[Kalli’s healing continues apace.]

[Whitney & LT]

[LT & Dani]

[Hmmm, seems to be a dearth of Super Fans at this game.]

[Amanda C & Dani]

[. . . and the other starting 5!]

[Jaylen Olson-Rodel (54), 5’8″ sophomore guard; Emily Thul (31), 5’10” sophomore forward]

[Karly Betterman (21), 5’5″ sophomore guard]

[Abby Hlinsky (11), 5’7″ junior guard]

[Karly impersonates LT!]

[Abby]

[Sarah Bruzek (15), 5’7″ junior guard]

[Alyssa Frederick (51), 5’11” sophmore center]

[Abby]

[Sarah]

We interrupt basketball reporting for . . . Hockey Day in Minnesota!  Yesterday was hockey morning, noon, and night.  Beginning with the TV game between Grand Rapids and White Bear Lake – the Rapids won 4 – 3 (the Bears scored 2 goals in the last 2 minutes).  Then I really wanted to see the next TV game between No. 1-ranked Duluth East v. No. 2 Minnetonka.  There was a potential conflict – the Velines were performing at the winery.  But the supervisor nixed further outdoor adventuring – she had been to a 3-hour meeting in the morning and said it was incredibly uncomfortable outside with very strong winds.  We decided to stay in.   Minnetonka won big, 9-3, reversing the previously undefeated Greyhounds win against them, 6-2, in the Schwann’s Cup.  The Greyhounds were missing some players, but even so, if there is a rubber match, Duluth East looks like the more talented team.  We really didn’t need that extra “help” at 4:00 – Abby was going to be on TV!  Abby Williams’ Bemidji State Beavers were playing my No. 2-ranked Gophers at Ridder – but I had to cheer for Abby.  She played a terrific game, and the Beavers Slovakian goalie was outstanding.  The game went into overtime, and then to a shoot-out – the Gophers won the shoot-out 2-0, in the 3-3 game.  A fun game to watch.  The Cardinal boys’ hockey team was also playing at 4:00 at the RCC v. the always good St. Cloud Cathedral – I would have otherwise gone except for the Abby game.  The Cards lost 8 – 1.  Later that night, the boys’ basketball team lost a close game at home to New Prague.  So, back to basketball.

The following photos by Greg are from the Cards game at Sartell Friday night.  Sartell was a pre-season top ten team, but we had beaten them earlier in the season at our place.  Absent a healthy Kalli, however, this would be a very tough road win.  The Cards gave it the good ole high school try before falling 46-44.  We should be favored in our remaining games until the home finale against Fergus.

[“So, Harris says he knows you?”]

[The coaches, who are thinking, “I wish we could teach height!”]

[The team looks tight – not!]

[Hmmm, she’s 6’5″, I’m 5’9″ – “Stilts, please!”]

[LT]

[Kalli still has the bad wrist, too.]

[Kohler signals “Touchdown.”  A 6-point play?]

[Jess Syvrud was player-of-the-game.]

This final piece is offered as inspiration to the team, as all starters are 5’9″ or taller.  No less a roundball expert than Basketball Dan sent the following:

The Providence Friars [a long-time favorite of ours for reasons to involved to get into here] have a top 10 recruiting class for next year (rarity that 2 guys in the top 30 are from New England high schools). But the real reason for sending this is to suggest (in a time of snowy boredom) you Google ‘Kiwi Gardner’.  He’s a 5’7” from Oakland who was their star recruit for this year. Shockingly, the NCAA declared him ineligible for this season, not liking his transcripts from the 5 high schools he attended in the last 2 years.  You’ll find a YouTube of him scoring over 50 pts in some San Fran summer league game. Supposedly he’ll be a Friar for next season.  ~ Basketball Dan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m6uUJNjOk4&feature=relmfu

The above video shows Gardner dunking in a high school game.  So, next game we expect to see all of you throwing down two-handed tomahawk dunks!  🙂

[Always loved this photo of you – your natural jauntiness, your signature bare feet, with a pipe in your mouth at age 18.  Maybe it’s just as well that it was physically abused at the bottom of a family photo box – it fits the image.]

Just wanted to let you know that two years and nine months after we said our final good-byes, we finally sold your house yesterday.  Yes, it was a long, tortuous process that continued to the end – even closing was delayed five hours by yet another paperwork snafu.  Your eldest son has drafted a long missive for the Echo regarding this latter day version of Jessica Mitford’s The American Way of Death, the bureaucratic labyrinth families must endure to close even an unambiguous estate.   But it’s done now.  Angie and Tom Anderson bought the house – you would like them.

We celebrated, of course.  And offered a toast to you.  To let you know that finally – finally – you were able to pass on your assets to your “kids.”

 

 

January 17, 2012:  The Mississippi Valley Delta Devils beat Southern last night in Itta Bena [Mississippi], and I was at Grambling Saturday night, so the 347 D-1’s are complete….now I can turn to solving the world hunger problem.
We tried to see this [Tyus] Jones kid last summer at the Pulley league games, but he never showed up despite being on one of the rosters. My bold prediction is that Tubby won’t get him, given his shaky track record with not getting along with his point guards (Rondo and Devoe Joseph being the most publicized). ~ Basketball Dan

There is only one thing that could have upstaged the most important basketball game in the state last night.  And that is the above report filed by Basketball Dan.  If you are not yet a fan of Basketball Dan, it behooves you to become one [type “Basketball Dan” in the blog’s “search” box].  Monday he completed what I’m pretty sure has never been accomplished before – in Itta Bena, Mississippi, his goal of attending a men’s basketball game at all 347 Division-1 colleges and universities reached its denouement.  The Great One did not do this out of a sense of personal aggrandisement – in fact, he turned down an oppportunity to be interviewed by Minneapolis StarTribune sports columnist, Jim Souhan.  He did it because . . . it was there!

The Game.  Gretchen and Don Nelson joined us on our trek to Fergus Falls last night to see the match-up between the No. 1 (Fergus) and No. 6 (Alex) ranked teams in Minnesota girls’ basketball, class AAA.  It has been quite some time since we partook of a road trip, thus was the magnitude of this game.

We began with a lovely repast at Mable Murphy’s – a petit filet, hashbrowns, a nice glass of cab . . . now, where were we?  Oh yeah, we arrived at the school an hour before tip-off – plenty of time we thought, plus we could watch the JV game.  The parking lots were already packed!  From our finally discovered spot in Lot ZZ, we were able to catch a dog sled back to the school.

[“Not another Kardashian sighting?”]

We walked in on the JV game about halfway through the 2nd half – our only twice defeated baby birds were down almost 20 points!  What could have happened?  Right away, we could see the Otters have another tall, good point guard coming up.  But then the baby birds started to do what baby birds do – we turned the game into a basketball version of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.  Every Otter who touched the ball was immediately double or triple-teamed.  We all but caught up at the end – and if we had made our free throws???  [Reminder to the team:  Your blogger is 64, bald, fat, near-sighted, with bad feet, and yet this year managed to make 36 free throws in a row.  You can do it!  They’re free!]  The final score was 47-42.  Karly came out at one point with a bloody nose – there was also bloodletting in the varsity game.

[Wishing Kalli good health!]

[“I have one word for you in today’s markets – gold!”]

[Full house – good contingent of Card fans.]

[“Kardashian!  Kardashian!  Kardashian!  It’s a distraction!”]

[Ms. Trumm meets Ms. Monke – let the proceedings begin!]

I never had a good feeling about this game.  The Otters had everything going for them.  Particularly, the revenge factor.  This is the same team we beat for the section championship last year.  And when Alex came out for warm-ups, Kalli was not only wearing her face mask, but also a brace on her shooting hand – not a good sign.  Kalli scored 4 of our first 6 points, but she really wasn’t able to play much.

[“I think it’s time for the “All Hands on Deck” play.”]

[Cara]

[LT]

[Amanda C was good at the stripe all night.]

[“Gold?  Really?”]

[No. 24 is their sophomore star.]

[Although hardly an expert in such things, I noticed several Cardinals had trouble keeping all their tresses within the confines of their headbands/ponytail thingees?  Is it weather related?  It was a cold night?]

[Let the mayhem begin!]

[“Final push, ladies!  Let’s do it!”]

[A ‘3’ here would have made it really interesting!]

On this night, the Otters were the better team – they are decidedly bigger and stronger than we are, so it really hurts not having a healthy Kalli to help offset some of that.  The Otter center has always been listed as 6’2″, though when she stands next to our 6’1″ Whitney, she seems more than an inch taller.  She must have had 10 blocked shots in the game – and good for her.  And good for the Cards for continuing to take it to her – but the refs weren’t making those anicipatory foul calls on attempted shot block attempts last night.

The Otters jumped out to a 21 – 6 lead early in the game as we got off to another slow start.  So, we spent the entire game trying to catch up.  Several times in the 2nd half we pulled within 6, but then Otters would stretch it out to 11 again.  Amanda was our best all around player last night with 15 points – and made all her free throws as I recall.  LT had 14 and two bloody knees.  Fergus had great balance – all five starters had about 10 points – and they can score inside and outside.

We play them again at home the last game of the regular season.  We can beat them, if:  Kalli is healthy and can play physical, we jump out to the early lead (so they can’t rest their big people as much), we can’t let it become a halfcourt game – we can’t beat them in such a game, their point guard (a 5’10” sophomore, physically talented, and tall enough to not be bothered as much as others by our traps) always GOES TO HER RIGHT – make her beat you going to her left, make them foul us – then make our free throws!

As is our modus operandi, we somehow ended up driving on about 10 miles of dirt road on the way home after the game.  We don’t know how, we don’t know why?  We eventually reached Underwood.  One cannot otherwise get to Underwood unless it is one’s ultimate destination.  But from there, we were eventually able to discover the interstate and made it back home none the worse for wear.

Once home, we had the following report from “Robo” regarding the girls’ home hockey game:

As I was the only Super Fan in attendance I guess I have to file a report. So here it is.

Final score – Cards 6 – River Lakes 3

Goals – DelCastillo from her linemates; Bartels from Kragenbring and Kopischke; Kopischke and Bartels again-both unassisted; Iverson from Illies ;and Iverson, again unassisted.

Shots:  Cards-42     River Lakes-22

River Lakes scored two goals in the last 30 seconds of the game. The goals were scored 6.9 seconds apart.

Oh yeah, a River Lakes mom won 25 dollars in the puck shoot.  [The Super Fans were sponsoring the Puck Shoot last night.]

Thank you, Robo – a new blog stringer!  The girls are on quite a roll right now, and I believe have claimed 2nd place in the conference and are probably in the lead for the top seed in the section.  The boys’ hockey team also beat River Lakes last night – 4-3.