Outside the Lines

Wins and losses
Last week the girls’ basketball team clinched at least a tie for the Gopher conference title with two league wins, and a victory in either one of their last two conference games will hand them the championship outright. They will supplant neighboring NRHEG as the titleholder after superstar, Carlie Wagner, and the Panthers have had a stranglehold on the conference for the last three years. A tip of the hat to the Blossoms girls for their continuing fine season.
After a couple of games of sub-par field goal shooting, the team got back to a more normal percentage when they made 39 percent against USC. That is still slightly below the season average, but it marked a respectable number. Anyway, the team will be favored in both of the remaining conference, and I don’t think they will let down now at this stage of the season.  We will hope not anyway.
The boys, on the other hand, played well against Medford earlier in the week, but then stumbled against a very good USC on the home court.  I am sure there is some bias involved, but I certainly thought that the Rebels got every break in the foul department.  Three Blossoms fouled out, and another starter finished with four.  The visitors shot 36 free throws, compared to just 16 for the home team.  It didn’t help that the locals had a cold-shooting night as well.  I give them a lot of credit, though, as the team gave great effort and played hard the whole game.  That is the important thing at this point of the season, and they still have some games to go.  Keep working, guys.
A goal reached
A big tip of the hat this week goes to senior wrestler Zach Nirk, who reached his ultimate goal of 100 career dual wins last week.  He admitted to me in an interview that this has been his goal ever since he first took to the mat.  I know that an achievement like that takes a lot of intense training, weight lifting, running and other sacrifices, which makes the success that much sweeter. Well done, Zach, and best of luck in the upcoming section tournament.
Gala now here
After weeks of my encouragement in attending the annual Boys and Girls Club Gala, this is the last time for me to invite residents to that worthwhile event.  An article elsewhere in this issue of the Times gives more details about the Gala, and it is shaping up as an entertaining evening for families and bidders at the auctions.  Come and enjoy the activities.
OFF90 broadcast
For those who missed the broadcast on KSMQ Public TV last week, the program is also posted on You Tube. This particular program features our own Steele County Times newspaper, and publisher Rick Bussler does an excellent job in explaining our success and the obligation to our community.  On You Tube, search for “OFF90” and then find episode 605. The telecast gave a pretty accurate explanation of the Times and was well produced and edited.  KSMQ is channel 15 on your TV set. Enjoy the show.
Odds and ends
I have a couple of female relatives in the West, who are usually not staunch sports fans, buy they have suddenly become rabid Seattle Seahawks fans.  For me, it is immaterial as to which team wins this 49th Super Bowl, but I will watch the game and also be entertained by the commercials. 
That game gives us kind of a welcome break between all the awards shows that occupy TV time at this point of the year.  I will confess to be a fan of those shows, as well, although I usually have not seen any of the movies nominated for Oscar honors, nor do I have much knowledge on some other awards shows to which viewers have already been subjected.  That is just my opinion. 
After almost three weeks of above temps, it looks like we are back to considerably colder weather, at least for a week or so. Like most of the rest, I am already a little tired of winter, but the lack of snowfall this year seems to affect my mood.  We don’t need a winter like last year, but I certainly don’t mind a layer of snow on the ground to cover up the drab soil and some of the germs that float around on a snowless landscape.  
The other thing that comes to mind at this time of the year is the thought that baseball is also emerging in our conversation.  With the appearance of the Twins caravan at area locations, the eternal theme song that this year will be a better one rings loud and clear. 
 In less than a month, pitchers and catchers report to Florida for the start of spring training, and all eyes will be on Twins’ pitchers for the coming season.  An improvement there will certainly mean an improvement in their overall record. That is almost a must after the miserable past seasons of 90-plus losses.   Hope springs eternal, I guess.
My daughter and I saw the stage version of “I Love Lucy” two weeks ago, and it was produced as if one were in the audience when the show was being filmed.  I am glad that I don’t pay attention to drams critics, as it got poor reviews, but both Teri and I thought it very entertaining and well-acted.  So much for paying attention to critics. 
Enough for this week.  Celebrate winter with a couple of misguided notices from church bulletins: “Thursday night- Potluck supper.  Prayer and medication will follow.” And this one – “For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.”  Think on those, and we’ll talk again.