Ten Years of Insanity

 It has been ten years since the Green Bay Packer last went to the holy grail of football. They won that game. Two weeks ago in a blog post I talked about football fundamentals. The lack of fundamental and situational football was obvious in the Packer loss to the Buccaneers this past Sunday. The Packers last won the Super Bowl as the NFC's sixth seed in February 2011.  Since that victory they have made eight appearances in the playoffs, and of those eight they have made the NFC championship game four times.  All four times they lost. Many argue that they have the best quarterback in football and have wasted his talent over the ten intervening years where he is now 37 years of age and entering the twilight of his career.  Rodgers may well be the league MVP this year. The best definition of insanity is the adage where you keep doing the same things over and over and expect a different result.  The inability of the Packers to get over the hump to get to another Super Bowl, I believe, is inherent in organizational failure. Let me explain the ways.

Matt LeFleur, Packer Head Coach

The term gut-wrenching was used describe the Packer loss in this morning's paper, and on the radio.  The problem is many point to the last interference call on Kevin King, as the reason why the Packers lost.  It was not a gut-wrenching loss, poor coaching, poor fundamentals, poor judgments made for the loss, that one could see was coming from early on in the game. The "gut-wrenching" argument is based on the adage of the last seen, forgetting all of the other things that went wrong.  The loss to Tampa Bay was based on several factors--both offensive, defensive and special teams.  Kevin King gave up a 20 yard TD pass on a poorly timed jump, instead of moving back to cover the receiver.  He of course also gave up the long TD pass with 8 seconds remaining in the first half to send the Buccaneers to large lead. He also was made toast out of running back on a 20 yard TD run.  (Ground Hog day to the 2011 season when the 15-1 Packers gave up a 37 yard TD pass to the NY Giants (Jan 2012) right before halftime to give them a 20-10 lead; failure is inherent in this franchise.) King, of course, was the one who made the infamous jersey grab to obtain the pass interference near the end of the game. The thing is, with Tom Brady at QB, who gives autographs to refs for their kids, to high giving high fives to the same refs, the Packers should know the refs will make a call in his favor. Kevin King, who was arguably Tampa's MVP for the game, of course had a terrible scheme thrust upon him and the defense for the right before halftime TD throw, but he still lacked fundamental football-he let the receiver get behind him. He is the poster child for the Packers draft and develop philosophy.

Kevin King's Mis-jump, ball is circled

Now, there is nothing wrong with looking down the future in building a team, and it can pay dividends, but for ten years Packer fans have always been waiting for that next Super Bowl and it has always been out of reach. Fans have always been waiting to get to the promised land and have been told time and again that it is within reach, only to, time and again, to have the team fall short. The draft and develop philosophy is predicated on two main points: first, being able to properly draft, and second keeping those you draft and develop. Kevin King, was drafted in 2017 by former GM Ted Thompson. The Packers have failed at making a number of draft picks that would produce over time, and also have lacked the ability to keep some of the good players they developed. Looking to the most recent year past the usual four year rookie contracts, the Packers have only 2 of the 7 players selected in 2016 still on their roster. Not much draft and develop at work there. They have paid too much to a few players who have under performed at critical times, think Mike Daniels a couple years ago.  

As if the Mis-jump was not a sufficient failure,
you get this right before half time

College football is the breeding ground for the NFL, and many teams expect their draft picks, particularly high round picks, to be able to perform in the first year, including quarterbacks. The Packers say they do not draft for need, but pick the best player available. Well, to them the person may be the best player available, but that does not always turn out to be the case.  The Packer draft in 2019 did provide what seem to be decent players, certainly third round pick Elgton Jenkins, and may be  second round pick Darnell Savage.  Of course, the jury is still out on first round pick Rashan Gary, out of Michigan, who had some good plays this year, but was not consistent. Kevin "Tampa's MVP" King was a first round pick in 2017. His play Sunday showed how out of his league he is. At a time when a player should be reaching his peak Tampa's MVP left much to be desired.  The sad thing is, they kept him in the game, showing that they thought no one else behind him was likely any better, including recently added Tramon Williams.

KK again. Holding? Perhaps a garment malfunction

Of course, the offense failed to produce at critical moments.  They had first and goal at the three yard line and settled for a field goal.  They had first and goal at the eight with just over two minutes, down eight points, and needing a TD to win regardless, left and settled for the most infamous Packer offensive play call of the game, a field goal, because to Matt LaFou "it felt right".  Six consecutive passes on those two near goal line plays, six passes all incomplete. There was an opportunity for Rodgers to run on third down, but he tried the pass, thinking he would have fourth down.  He was wrong. Even if he did not get in the end zone, he would have been much closer to it, and maybe LeFou would have made a different call on the next down.  In fact, the inability to run, and the passing game failure probably led LaFleur to the now infamous call. The defense, uncharacteristically, intercepted Brady three times, but the offense could only produce six points, whereas Tampa got 14 points off of two Packer turnovers. 

Then of course there are special teams, and the failure of Mason Crosby to get a kickoff in the end zone and with their poor coverage allowing Tampa good starting field position (better than the 25) on most all kick off returns. Then of course there is Mr Scott, a punter who cannot seem to get the great punt when required (he tied for 28th in the NFL for pinning a team inside the 20).

Mark Murphy, the one responsible for 
the Institutional Failure of the Packers

Matt LaFleur has admitted that he was not prepared for the game, admitted that the fourth and eight call was not the correct call, admitted he did not bring his A game, and he admitted he was out coached by Ted Bowles, the Tampa Defensive Coordinator. Just like he was out coached by Kyle Shanahan last year. See a trend? Tampa's 6th ranked defense faced the top ranked offense, and the defense won the game. Defense wins championships, and that certainly showed in the NFC Championship game. But, the Packers have yet to figure that out. I think the Packer win over the #1 Ram defense produced some arrogance on the part of the Packers, thinking they were invincible. Tampa shut them down in the regular season and did so again on crucial drives in this game, turning an offense with 80% efficiency in the red zone to 50%.  Not to mention the three and outs after two interceptions. That was crucial to the game. Of course, the offense had its characteristic drops, Adams failing to haul in a TD pass, St Brown dropping a two point conversion attempt, which should never have been attempted at that point in the game. A safety dropping an interception in the end zone. What to make of this?  It is all part of the next aspect of institutional failure--coaching.

The Packers selected Matt LaFleur has head coach with only two seasons as offensive coordinator, but one of those years was under Sean McVay who called plays for the Rams. This coaching selection is fully on Mark Murphy, and an organization that rests on past laurels of being Titletown while other teams now take over that mantle. For many years I have said that Murphy was more intent on building the Titletown district in Green Bay than in building a football team that can compete for the Super Bowl. What Murphy does not seem to understand is that as go the Packers, so goes Titletown. Two Super Bowl victories in over 50 years does not a great team make. Matt LaFleur needed to bring his top game and has admitted not doing so, and worse yet, to being out coached.  Those failures cannot be excused, and he should be relieved of his duties. And so should Mark Murphy. Enough of this incompetency.

Aaron Rogers running lane to the Pylon
3rd down just over two minutes in the game

With LaFleur saying that King was not to blame for the 39 yard TD pass by Mr Brady, but Mike Pettine, what does that say about a coach and his selection of subordinates?  Of course, the Packer defense, even though it came out ranked as the number nine defense in the league, was suspect all year. I think the Packer defensive stats were padded by playing a lousy Bear's offense twice. Think of all the money and draft picks the Packers have spent on defense only to continue to see mediocre success when it counts. 

Top 15 paid Packer Players, Nine are on Defense

Then of course, we get to the 2020 draft, of the nine players selected in the draft only one played in a post season game this year and that was No. 2 pick AJ Dillon.  Brian Gutekunst had to move, just had to waste a good mid round draft selection to pick Jordan Love as heir apparent to Aaron Rodgers.  Apparently Jordan Love was THE BEST Player available at number 26 of the whole NFL draft.  Jordan Love is such a top-notch player for the Packers that he did not even make the second string QB position this year. I submit that this is an institutional failure on the part of Mr Gutekunst.  

The Packers were not prepared for this  game, and quite frankly lack of preparation and zeal showed in other games.  They were lucky to come away with victories against many less than middling teams this year--think Jacksonville, Philadelphia, or their loss to Minnesota.  They were fortunate to play in a weak division.  Heck, when they played Tampa Bay in week 6 it was right after a bye week.  So much for an extra week of preparation.

Matt "It felt right" LeFou
The Real Packer Head Coach?

In selecting Jordan Love, Mr Gutekunst was sending a message to Aaron Rodgers, who had a very good season, perhaps to be MVP of the league.  Given the lack of talent around him, one can say he was truly the MVP. Rodgers now says he has to think about whether he will be back with the Packers next year, and who can blame him.  The team has a number of decent and good players with contracts that expire this spring, then again some not so good players--like Kevin King.  They have center Corey Linsley, who probably will not see a payday from Green Bay after the millions given to LT David Bakhtiari (who promptly tore his ACL just days after signing the large contract in a non-contact practice), Aaron Jones (who did not accept the earlier terms presented by the Packers (wanting more upfront cash), and now may well have fumbled his way off the team), there also exist Jamal Williams, Alan Lazard, and Robert Tonyan. The team may well be in free fall this off season, which will leave us to see how well that draft and develop philosophy will work for the 2021 season. Maybe the Packers were a corner back away from a victory, a corner back that could have been selected with a pick used on Jordan Love. Lost opportunity is part of the failure of this organization. 

The institutional failure, this ten years of insanity, by the Packer organization of doing the same thing over and over for a decade to expect a different result, simply produced the same expected result. A failure at critical moments, by executive staff, coaches and personnel who just cannot seem to get their heads in the game. They can change coaches but a coaching change will only help with a knowledgeable coach, and Matt LaFleur showed, and has admitted, he was not up to the job in the one important game of the season. In selecting Matt LaFleur, Mark Murphy failed the organization going with the in-picks that year of mimicking the Sean McVay choice in LA.

We Packer fans have been chumps to Mark Murphy and an organization that, quite frankly, is willing to settle for third of fourth best. Does a 13 and 3 record mean much if you don't get to the holy grail of professional football? Two years ago Murphy failed to find the next Vince Lombardi.  Matt Fleur is not him. Murphy has become too complacent, and willing to settle for an advanced level of mediocrity. Mark Murphy failed. His Titletown District is looking more and more meaningless as the Packers continue to fail. Draft and develop has failed, Brian Gutekunst has failed. This is institutional failure. Lombardi only lost one playoff game. In two consecutive attempts in the NFC Championship game Matt LeFou has failed. We as Packer fans  deserve better than to be taken for granted by an organization who is committed to ten years (and counting) of insanity. 

Grandma Hovel

It was on this date, 16 January 1890, 130 years ago that my paternal grandmother was born. Many of us have memories of our grandmothers. I think one could say that Grandma Hovel's mannerisms, ventures, activities and beliefs, in other words her way of life, was quite common of farm grandmothers of that era. Given that she was born 130 years ago I thought I would do a blog post about her life. 

1886 Plat Map, Section 20, Washington Twp, Winneshiek Co. Iowa
Farm on which Ida would have grown up
Source: Ancestry.com

Ida Pitzenberger, was born at the start of the last decade of the 19th century, in the middle of January on the cold plains of northeast Iowa.  Her parents both immigrated to the United States. She was the sixth of seven children born to Mathias Pitzenberger (born 1843) and Theresia Kamen  (Kamenova in Czech) Pitzenbergr (born 1848). Many of the census forms list the Pitzenbergers as having emigrated from Austria, but Austria, was the first part of the title of Austro-Hungarian Empire, and occupied parts of what we know today as other countries. (Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, to name some. The Austro-Hungarian Empire would be broken up after WWI.) Mathias' father, Andreas, was naturalized in about 1858, and it appears that the family likely moved to the US together, but I lack any record of their arrival, or their actual location from what part of Europe they descended. An 1891 biography of John Pitzenberger indicates that the family emigrated to the United States in 1846, first to Freeport, IL and then to Winneshiek County, IA.  Ida's mother, Theresia, however, arrived from Bohemia in June 1872, and, it appears, alone. One year and four months after Theresia arrived in the United States she married Mathias Pitzenberger (20 Oct 1873) in Spillville, IA, according to a summary on Family Search. 

Pitzenberger Farm 

Spillville, Iowa is a rather non-descript small crossroads, sharing many commonalities with other small towns dotting the Iowa prairie in the latter part of the 19th century. If Mathias and Theresia were married in Spillville, Iowa it was most certainly at St Wenceslaus Catholic Church. Spillville is best known as the 1893 summer home of the great Czech composer Antonin Dvorak walking along with a bucket of beer, and drinking as he liked (this apparently was common at that time).  He strolled along the shores of the Turkey River, and played the organ at St Wenceslaus Church. While in Spillville he wrote his string quartet, generally known as the American Quartet. Prior to coming to Spillville, he had directed some works in New York. He would travel to Spillville as the antidote for hectic New York City, finding commonality in a  community that was a cultural lifeline to his Bohemian roots.  He would put his final touches on his famous New World Symphony, before conducting the debut of this major work in New York in December of 1893. 

Rudy and Ida, Passport Photo

In 1880, thirteen years before Dvorak went to Spillville, Mathias and Theresia were farmers, farming adjacent to Mathias' brother Peter, near Festina, Iowa, (postal address of Fort Atkinson, IA).  Festina was formerly known as Twin Springs, but its name was changed to Festina in 1863. Showing the devout Catholic nature of the settlers, Festina is a variant of a Latin derivative of a vesper, and translated it means "Make haste slowly." Mathias, in the 1895 Iowa census, is identified as "merchant farmer". I therefore conclude that at some point between 1880 and 1895 Mathias opened his general store in or near Festina, IA. Unfortunately, I know little of Ida's early years. I do know that the 1905 Iowa census, at age 15, she is not listed as either being in school or having any occupation. I suspect she was assisting on the farm and at her father's store. An extra set of hands would not go idle. The 1915 census, indicates her having completed nine years of schooling, ending with her freshman year of high school. In 1910 at age 20 she is living at home with both her parents and two other siblings. My aunt Anita once told me a story that shows the pioneer nature of Iowa at that time. The story goes that Native Americans would often come by the store and that my grandma would provide some food and other essentials free of charge. Both grandma and grandpa would assist hobos and others who would come by the farm in Sun Prairie during the great depression. Charity began at home, and at work, for Ida and Rudy. The 1910 census lists her as having the occupation of "clerk" and I suspect she is working at her father's store (his occupation is listed as merchant) in or near Festina.  Her older sibling, Mathias Jr, then 23 is running the family farm, and the youngest sibling, Tillie, is doing housework.   

Theresia Pitzenberger, Ida's mom,
 with grandson Roy Bernard

At some point two of Ida's brothers took up the family business of being a merchant. However, this store was located 84 miles west of  Festina in Manly, IA. My Grandfather, Rudy, was born on a farm just south of Manly, IA, and would eventually take over his father's farm. According to their wedding announcement, in a local paper, Ida "is well and favorably known in Manly, having been employed as a clerk in her brother's department store for the past year." What about Rudy?  The same article says that "The groom needs no introduction to the Manly people as he has grown to manhood on his father's farm about one mile south of town.  He is one of Worth county's most prosperous young farmers." 

Ida and Rudy Wedding Photo

How did Rudy and Ida meet? The couple may have met at the Pitzenberger Brothers Store, or at Sacred Hearts Church, or perhaps a shindig. My grandfather played guitar and we know he had a violin.  Perhaps they got together at a church social, Rudy playing his guitar and Ida becoming smitten with him.  Or Rudy became smitten with her. Or maybe it was love at first sight between the two of them. Ida, per the wedding announcement was in Manly for a year, making it a fairly quick courtship by today's standards, although that time frame was fairly common at that point in history. Of course, maybe they met in October of 1912, but I suspect it was probably earlier in 1912.

Manly Iowa, 1928
Source: Google images

Rudy and Ida entered into the sacramental bond of marriage on a winter day at a small, but "most beautiful wedding of the season" at ten in the morning, at St Mary's Catholic Church in Festina, IA on 4 February 1915.  Father Rubley, not to be confused with the Barone family priest, Fr Hubley, was the celebrant. While it does not show in the wedding photo, the news article of their marriage relates that "The bride wore a gown of red lace over a white messaline, and carried a bouquet of bridal roses, a gift of the groom." Wow, what a caring guy, able to procure roses for his bride in northeast Iowa in the dead of winter. The wedding itself was followed by a small family dinner at the home of the bride's mother, Theresia Kamen Pitzenberger. Out of town guests included Messrs and Madames Edward Hovel, Martin Hovel, John Pitzenberger, and Mrs Anthony Hrubetz (her oldest sister) and children.  Ida would not be able to have had her dad walk her down the aisle. He he died in 1912.  

Rudy and Ida

Ida was marrying a very eligible young man who shared similar values of the importance of hard work, faith and family. I am not sure when Rudy bought the farm from his parents, but a 1913 plat book shows him owning the 80 acre original home farm, but his dad retaining ownership of an additional acreage kitty corner, to the southeast, from the home farm. Ida and Rudy would establish themselves on the farm south of Manly, on land cleared and first tilled by his father, Martin. Our family's version of  "Little House on the Prairie." Ida, a clerk and farm girl, would be involved with her husband doing the never ending tasks involved in a small family farm.  As noted by agricultural historian John Shrover, the men did the field work and handled the large livestock, the farm wife did the work putting up the produce, making the butter, and taking care of the chickens, and of course the children.  Shrover would go on to say that often it was the income from sale of eggs or other produce grown nor gathered by the farm wife that assisted in keeping a farm afloat. The 1915 Iowa census gives a look into life of this early 20th century farm family. In 1914, there first full year of marriage, their earnings were $458, they owed $4,500 on the farm valued at $15,600.  Not a surprising amount of debt, but not a great deal of income, either.

Pitzenberger Bros Store, Manly, IA 1913
Ida Clerked in this Store

Income production from the farm was varied, although mostly in milk production as they had 11 milk cows, with some steers and five pigs. What strikes me, is if Shrover's statement held true to this farm family, that there were 160 fowl--of all types. According to Shrover, the fowl were the responsibility of the farm wife. That is a good number of fowl, at least in my opinion, for one person to care for. Unfortunately, the census does not break down income by type of earning, or information on field crops, but I think it is safe to say that egg production was important to the farm operation. The fowl had a total reported value of $64, which compares to the $50 value for the five swine.  

1915 Iowa Census, Animals on Farm

In 1918 Ida gave birth to the couple's first child, my Dad. Dad was born in the same house as his father. The house still exists today, but is now located in Manly, IA, having been moved from the family farm a mile south of town. In the early part of the 1920's my grandparents moved to California for a short time. There is a legend, that my grandmother wanted to give birth to her second child in California, so the child could be an actor or actress. My aunt Anita was born in April 1924 in California, and quite frankly Anita, shared the traits of the other three family members of being level-headed, too hard a worker of the land, too down to earth, a person of faith and duty, and too good of a cook to be an actress. I am not sure what Rudy did while living in California.  My cousin noted that Ida had recommended that grandpa Rudy purchase some land in the area, but he did not take to the idea. The land she recommended that he buy would later become the site of a major motion picture studio. Rudy was a farmer not a tycoon. While in California, they still owned the farm south of Manly. The 1930 plat book shows Rudy still owning the farm just south of Manly, even though in 1929 Rudy and Ida purchased a farm just north of Sun Prairie, WI.  

Ida and son Roy Bernard

Rudy's mother, Amelia Duscheck, hailed from Sun Prairie, actually the town of Bristol, and the land her father farmed was then farmed by some her brothers and sisters. Rudy and Ida would purchase land from Alice and Robert Davison in the town of Bristol along County N. Amelia and Martin (Rudy's parents) were married at St Joseph's Church in East Bristol, WI some miles north and east of the property Rudy would purchase. Alice and Robert Davison, had a guardian making the decisions on the property. A court authorized the sale of the farm to my grandparents in March 1928.  The sale occurred a year later in March of 1929. The value owed on the purchase was $3,750.  They purchased 160 acres of land in the town of Bristol, just seven months before the onset of the great depression. The mortgage was satisfied in April 1936. The family, from what I recall, moved to Sun Prairie so their two children could attend a Catholic school. Yet there is the possibility of a new wrinkle in this story.  My brother Joe recalls hearing grandpa and his brother Ed talking about the prevalence of the KKK and its resurgence in the US in the 1920's, particularly in rural areas. They talked about how Catholic churches were burned, and other activities against Catholics. The Netflix show "Damnation" recounts the tale in Iowa of the KKK (this show triggered Joe's memory). During the early part of the 1920's the nation was in a recession which hit rural areas particularly hard, perhaps explaining part of the resurgence of the KKK. The migration to Sun Prairie may have involved the pull factor of a Catholic education for their children, but also the push factor of the KKK and its activities in northern Iowa.  Winneshiek County, probably due to its strong Catholic roots, would be the lone county in Iowa to condemn the KKK.

Ida with Children Anita and Roy Bernard

The Rudy Hovel family would engage in the Sun Prairie community. In 1930 they are farming on the property purchased from the Davisons.  A property value is not listed, but we do know they do not report owning a radio. (A May 1931 WI State Journal news article lists Amelia Hovel, Rudy's mom, as having taken a car trip, with Ed Duscheck and Mrs Early to Iowa to visit relatives, Ed and Mrs Early returned Tuesday, but Amelia stayed for a longer visit with relatives. Amelia lived in Iowa, but her husband, Martin died in 1928, so perhaps she lived in Wisconsin for a short while, before moving back to Iowa. Amelia was living in Manly at the time of the 1930 census.) In November 1933, Ida is in charge of the meal at the harvest festival, which was served on Sunday and Monday.  In 1939, both Ida and Rudy were involved with a Birthday ball for Sun Prairie. In 1939 Rudy was helping to organize peace marches, going against the common strain in the country at the time.

50th Wedding Anniversary Part in Florida

We also know from the 1940 census that Rudy reported working over 80 hours per week on the farm in 1939. In 1939 their oldest son would graduate from Marquette University and would enter law school at UW-Madison, commuting from the home farm to the law school. His career would be disrupted when he was drafted into military service. Dad would be assigned to the Counter Intelligence Corps, first working in Detroit to investigate the potential foreign involvement in the 1943 race riots, and later would serve overseas. Letters home indicate that his mom would regularly send treats and some personal items. They also sent some garments for his Belgian girlfriend. Ida wondered why he was not being promoted, not realizing as we know today, that Congress set a limit on officers in the CIC, since most of its members were officer material. His rank of Technical Sargent was actually quite good since the CIC came to be known as the Corps of Indignant Corporals. Ida also fretted when she did not regularly receive a letter from him, most notably in December 1944 when during the battle of the bulge a bullet went right in front of his eyes, causing him and his interpreter to jump out of the Jeep, only to have the vehicle blown up by a mortar.  His Jeep may well have been the first piece of American equipment knocked out by what would become the Battle of the Bulge  Dad would make his way on foot to Bastogne, which he exited right before the community was surrounded by the German army.  He was delayed in writing home for several days. Ida would be happy to know that her cookies, which flew out of the Jeep broken but still edible, helped give him and his companion some sustenance as they first sat in a culvert for some time to avoid detection and then made their way to Batogne. He would refer to that experience, in a letter home as one of the most harrowing time of his life. He would later comment that his guardian angel was looking out for him.

Ida and Rudy

After the war, Ida would see her son, Roy, married in January 1947, to Mary Jeanne Sweeney, a classmate of Anita's at St Mary's Academy in Prairie du Chien, WI. Anita would marry Dr Walter Thiede in September 1949. Ida would become a grandmother on January 5, 1948 with the birth of Stephen B Hovel. In all, Ida would become a grandmother to eleven, unfortunately outliving one grandchild. Grandma Hovel was the quintessential grandmother.  One trait she had was to pinch the cheeks of her grandchildren. She especially liked to pinch the cheeks of my twin brother. For much of my childhood grandma and grandpa were snowbirds, moving to Florida in October and returning in May. In the summer we would visit them on the farm, and after grandma greeted us, and gave Greg his check pinch, the next thing offered was ice cream.  She would pull a big bucket from the freezer in the summer kitchen, and we would eat to our hearts content. I recall a time or two being with my grandpa on the farm, not sure if I was helping or hindering at that fairly young age, but I marveled at the large lunch grandma always made. It was a lunch made like a supper. I was in heaven.  Having supper for lunch and get home to have supper again. I am sure my siblings, and my cousin, have many more memories of life on the farm and about grandma.

50th Anniversary photo with 
Anita and Roy Bernard

Ida and Rudy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Florida, their now winter home. My Aunt hosted a luncheon for 25 persons at the Clipper Room of the ocean front Yankee Clipper Hotel. The event was attended by 25 persons. This amount likely surpassed the number of persons at their wedding on that Tuesday morning on the plains of Iowa and was certainly more than those who attended a luncheon at her Mom's house for some family members. I am not sure when they first started going to Florida, but their Hollywood, FL home was purchased in 1965. 

1955 Air Photo of Sun Prairie Farm
Source:  DCI Map

Grandma was active at church being involved with St Anne's society, St. Elizabeth aid, and also assisted with the harvest festival. My grandparents, with at least my brother John, would visit the varied parish festivals in the region to support other local churches. Grandma wore what would now be retro chic eyeglasses, the envy of many a gen Xer or millennial. Back then, they looked like a pair of glasses a grandmother would wear. My grandparents often attended mass on weekdays, and were scheduled to attend the morning mass at Sacred Hearts on Friday, July 3. I was an altar server that day. Grandma and grandpa never showed. Grandma was ready for church and sat down while grandpa finished getting ready. He found her dead in the chair. Greg and I served at her funeral on 7 July 1970, our youngest sisters eighth birthday. 

Grave site Sacred Hearts Cemetery
Sun Prairie, WI

Grandma Ida had the grandmother duties down pat. She looked the role of the matronly grandma.  More importantly, she played the role of the matronly grandmother never missing a beat, particularly when food was required. To a twelve year old boy, the world revolved around being busy and food. The farm provided a large barn and a grainery both with a number of trap doors to a variety of levels, just ripe for exploration. Following exploration came a big meal. The meal of course was topped off with a big dish of ice cream. Fifty years after her death, and this the 130th recognition of her birthday, I cannot help but think of ice cream, and of course her cheek pinches.                                                                             

Unless otherwise noted, all images from author or family archives.

 

Football Comparison

I have been ordered by a doctor, and more importantly my wife, to (try to) stay off my feet. That means I have more time. Therefore, I have been doing some genealogical research. As part of my research I came across photographs from my parents college yearbooks.  With college bowl games being played, I got to thinking that my Dad was with the Marquette team that played in the first Cotton Bowl as an 18 year old sophomore guard. He played football four years at Marquette, beginning with the 1935 season (documented in 1936 yearbook) and ending with the 1938 season (documented in the 1939 yearbook). I asked the Cotton Bowl if they could provide me a digital copy of the roster from the program and Charlie Fiss, Cotton Bowl historian, was kind enough to send me a copy of the Marquette Roster. Looking at the yearbook photos, one sees a very very different type of football team than we see today.  Eighty-fours years divide the University of Wisconsin football team of 2020 from the 1936 Marquette University football team. 

Program Cover First Cotton Bowl
Source: Cotton Bowl

One very noticeable difference is size. Size of the team and the size of the players. The 2020 University of Wisconsin (UW) football team roster, from ESPN, contains 113 players and it is divided by offense with 54, defense with 51 and special team players with 8. The 1936 Marquette University (MU) squad, counting from the team photo, had 40 players. The 2020 UW team has a minimum of 21 coaches, while the long ago MU football team, discerned from photos and yearbooks, identify two coaches. The UW team has a dietitian, five strength coaches, among a number of position coaches. The Marquette team support personnel appears to have consisted of one ball boy. Showing inflation in titles that is today common, the UW team has an assistant head coach who is also defensive coordinator. When I played football the coaching staff did dual roles and we had one to two coaches in grade school, and three to four coaches for High School.  To say college football today is big business would be an understatement. 

1936 Marquette Football Team
Source: 1937 Marquette Yearbook

The current football teams have a number of personnel who recruit, in addition to coaches, and the Football Subdivision Teams, which used to be called Division One, have their own residence hall(s) and dining halls. Notre Dame football was the remaining hold out of FBS teams on team dining, and only several years ago went to a football team dining. Former ND coach Charlie Wise used to complain about how his team had to rush from practice to get to the dining hall before it closed. Perhaps his practices were too long.  Nutrition, as seen by a dietitian on staff, is important today. It is safe to say that football players today are probably not seen as part of the regular student body as they eat, and live apart from the main campus community. I had a coworker who had a friend who played D1 tennis, and talked about how that person was coddled from a young age for tennis and how the person, was lost in the world when they graduated. When she married, I was told, her husband had a hard time coping with her inability to undertake basic tasks--such as paying by a credit card. It made me wonder how bad big sports like football are to their players in their ability to do daily tasks after being coddled for so long. Players 84 years ago were part of the student body.

1936 Marquette Football Team
Source: Marquette University

When Marquette traveled to the Cotton Bowl in Texas they went by train. My Dad told me that a number of players came down with the flu or some other illness on the trip south.  At one train stop they got out and had a short practice in a pasture. The Cotton Bowl had not made any arrangements for them, I suppose on the idea of home field advantage for TCU.  Therefore, Marquette had to find a place to practice, which they finally found in a person allowing them to practice in yet another cow pasture.  Today, teams mainly travel by air.  They have very nice hotels and accommodations, even for the Duke Mayo bowl. While MU lost to TCU that day, I doubt they would have received a crystal or glass trophy that they could dance around with and break.  Given the era, I suspect they would have been more caring of any trophy received. Apparently the Badger QB, lacked the proper hands at the appropriate time. 

Detail of Roy Hovel in 1936  team photo
from 1937 Yearbook

Nutrition helps maintain body size and weight, although it may not help with dexterity if the Badger QB is any indication. (There is indeed some irony in the guy with the "hands" dropping the trophy.) The variation of weight among the full 113 member UW team (57 members travel, except for a bowl game which can be up to 70), was from 166 pounds to 327 pounds.  The MU team of 1936, using the Cotton Bowl roster of 29 persons, had a weight variation from 155 pounds to 215 pounds.  Even at D3, which contains the UW system schools, the football team wants lineman over 300 pounds. I recall talking with a person in McFarland whose had a nephew who played D1 football as an offensive lineman,and said the nephew did not like having to maintain the weight required by his football program. People overall are taller and heavier than those who grew up about 85 years ago, but this difference seems quite dramatic.  

Roy Hovel
Source: Family archives

The size difference of personnel is even more dramatic when I compared the 2020 UW offensive line to the 1936 MU lineman.  MU's small roster of 29 persons did not differentiate between offense and defense. Back in that time, I suspect many played both ways, not to mention use of 5 to 7 man fronts, compared to 3 to 4 man front common today. The UW offensive line group consists of a total of 19 men (so about half of the total MU roster), with weights ranging from 286 to 327 pounds. The MU football team had 15 persons identified for line positions, with a weight range of 180 pounds (my dad) to 215 pounds.  The MU 15 line personnel, only had three young men over 200 pounds, or 20% of the total lineman.  The UW football team has 13 of 19 young men over 300 pounds, or about 68%.  The average weight for the O-line at UW is over 304 pounds, while the average weight of the MU team linemen was 191 pounds.  

Steve Hovel 1966 Stevens Point team
Source: 1967 Yearbook

There of course exist other differences. Back then the players had leather helmets with no face guards, Today the helmets are of space-aged materials and are designed to minimize brain injury upon impact, or so it is said. The helmet today is probably used, even with targeting now banned, as a weapon more than it was in the 1930's.  Offensive and defensive schemes are much more intricate and complex.  When I played football I had a coach in eighth grade who had played on a Knute Rockne ND team back in their glory days. My playing days were closer in years to the MU team than to the current UW team. He taught us on the line to zone block (I don't think it was called that, but it was very similar to the zone block technique of today), which has once again become more in use today, at both college and pro level.  We usually had three man backfields, not at all common today.  Many times there is no running back on the field for many plays today. Fullbacks, well that position is on the way out in professional football.  On defense my grade school coach liked five to seven man fronts, which makes me think that MU likely played a similar alignment. The assistant coach, who had been head coach the year before, was aghast at the defensive alignments we played. It was tough to run on us, but the passing game was another story. Yet, passing is rather a 50/50 (at best) proposition in grade school football, so perhaps the extra lineman on defense made some sense. 

Steve Hovel Coaching Fort Atkinson
Source: Daily Jefferson County Union

The language of the game has also changed.  There used to be defensive ends, think Reggie White, today they are called edge rushers in effect an outside linebacker, think of Mr. "I like to go into the neutral zone" Za'Darius Smith of the present Packers team. Today you hear about wide outs, slot receivers, and other terms to describe wide receivers which were simply, ends in the 1930's, and in my era of play.  As the game complexity has increased so has the language evolved, or perhaps, devolved, to match the complexity.  The neutral zone infraction of today used to be plain off-sides. Penalties for holding or clipping (now block in the back) were 15 yards not the ten today. Back when I played defense if an offensive player moved before the snap we were told to go hard against the boy opposite us. Rules, particularly in the NFL have been changed to increase the passing game, and scoring. Quarterbacks are more protected than before. The kick in to the end zone now comes to the 25 and not the 20 yard line. Years ago the pros moved the field hash marks closer together, which helps with plays to the weak side of the field, and field goals. This seems to increase the entertainment value of the game. 

Marquette Roster for First Cotton Bowl Jan 1, 1937
Source:  Charlie Fiss, Cotton Bowl Historian

While the complexity has increased, the game still requires a similar skill set for many positions.  My oldest brother, Steve, used to play football at now UW Stevens Point, and with the Madison Mustang semi-pro team.  While playing for the Mustangs he was first a line coach at Fort Atkinson and later head coach for  number of years.  After he retired in the mid 2000's he coached defensive line at Milton, including a young man who went on to play at Nebraska.  At Fort he coached a few boys who went on to play in the NFL (John Offerdahl being one). Yet, Steve told me that the footwork and blocking techniques for offense, and the defensive line techniques he learned from my Dad, who played in the 1930's, were some of the most successful techniques he taught his players. Some of Dad's best techniques he said were learned when Dad played high school football at Campion High School in Prairie du Chien, WI. Steve was a big proponent of technique, and thought many of the serious injuries in football was due to poor technique.  For example, he never taught a player to lead with their head, and to always keep their head up. A player who did not listen to this would be benched.  Player safety came first.  Look at pro and college games today and men lead with their heads (even though banned, but only recently) and seldom keep their head up.  With the head level to grade or  down, the injury to the neck is high as the neck when it hits an object goes down toward the chest, causing trauma to the spinal cord.  Go with your head up, your core and body is moved backwards, better protecting the neck. He would comment that one should not look at pro football players for good technique on tackling, angles or other aspects of the game.

Campion Academy 1934 Team
Roy Hovel second row, 5th from left
Source: JR Sweeney

Some techniques, of course, have changed over time. Offensive lineman could not block with their hands out as we see today, we had to keep them in tight, up against the chest, we were told to grab our jersey in the center of our chest to avoid them getting out from the body which could lead to a potential penalty. On defense, hand use was encouraged. A linebacker could not hit a receiver as they can do today within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage.  Of course, some defensive players today get away with holding calls well beyond five yards. 

Steve Hovel coaching
Source: Daily Jefferson County Union

While players are stronger, bigger, faster than in the 1930's, it seems that technique and football fundamentals fall by the way side.  Steve used to watch UW football practices and was impressed with how the Badger teams under Barry Alvarez stressed fundamental football.  Fundamentals may not make a player as fast, but the proper angle can reduce the speed required. When I watch a Packer game I think of how much better they would be if they followed some basic fundamentals on angles, and footwork, over just relying on their unique athleticism. Running backs, and others, seldom hold the ball high and tight to reduce the risk of fumbles. There of course, is also tackling, and one does not want to look at they way the Packers tackle to find a text book example.  A text book example of tackling from that team is rare, although every now and then it occurs.

1937 Marquette, partial from 1937 Yearbook

What is surprising is that as football concussions have made people more aware of the dangers of the game (see movie "Concussion"), the game continues to get bigger and bigger. The NFL now owns more than Sundays.  It first branched out to Mondays, and now Thursdays.  College football now plays games on what was once a taboo day of the week, saving that night for high school football--Friday night lights.  Football used to be more a sport: testing skill, strength, speed, strategy and scheme. However, it is a paradox that as it has players speed and strength have increased and coaches have devised more complex schemes and strategies, the game has changed from more less sport to, in my opinion, more entertainment.  

Me playing 8th grade football*
Source: Family photo

*This game was played at Ashley Field, the high school sports field.  We usually were allowed one game at this field. Other games were played just beyond the front yard of where I grew up. My brother John, a WIAA official, was one of the referees for the game. I think it was a year later, when I was a freshman football player that the new head coach of the Sun Prairie team, Mike Hahn went over to my parents and asked why my twin brother, "Harold, or whatever his name is, doesn't play football."  My twin brother was much larger than me, but Harold stuck as a nickname, thanks to John who heard the remark.  Harold never played organized football.

Grounded

 I like to walk. I put on about 10,000,000 steps last year.  However, on doctors orders, I have been grounded. Planter fasciitis, which I have had since about 2014 or so, has acted up,in a big way.  It is painful and very difficult to walk.  It started getting really bad on about Dec 1, and it got so bad that I could hardly walk.  But, me, being me, I of course wanted to get my minimum 10,000 steps in a day, and that was painful.  There were only three days since Jan 1 of last year until Jan 5 of 2021 that I did not record over 10,000 steps a day, and those were Jan 1, 2020, which I got about 9,000, and two days in mid-December (14 and 15), in which I listened to my wife, and I reduced or did not take my walk to see what would occur. I am a patient man, so I thought let me see what happens in those two days.  The pain did not subside, so I went back to my near-usual routine, regardless of the pain and would got in my 10,000 steps each day since. If it is going to hurt, well, you may as well get something out of the hurt.  Playing football back in the 60's and 70's the mantra was no pain no gain.

From Google Images

I messaged my doctor on Dec 12, and asked, after explaining my foot pain and what I have been doing, if he would like to see me or get me to a podiatrist.  He wanted to see me first. On December 15, I saw my regular doctor, and asked if I should stop walking.  He said he is not one to suggest cutting down on exercise.  So, I started up walking again, regardless of the pain. My wife says that was his way of saying to stop. Now, I need to get this out early: my wife suggested to me, back when the pain flared up, that I should stop my regular walking, and give my foot a rest. She suggested yoga, but I had done a day of yoga and shortly after the pain flared up, so I chose not do it again. She had since suggested several times that I should lay off the walking, most recently on Monday of this week, when she said, "You can hardly walk, I don't know why you continue to do your walk."

My doctor, at the Dec 15 appointment, allowed me to see a podiatrist. I was given a list of a few different practices, and chose one, called and got the earliest appointment for Jan 5.  I thought that UW Health would have podiatrists on staff, but they don't. I guess podiatrists are like optometrists, in that they have a separate practice outside of UW Health, but are somewhat affiliated and take Quartz insurance. My podiatrists is at University Hospital every Wednesday. 

From Google Images

In 2015, I changed my shoe type and have been wearing special inserts.  That seemed to work, although I had a flare up while working at the garden center in May of 2019.  I switched, while working at the garden center, from tennis to hiking shoes which helped. I have worn hiking shoes for daily activity ever since. So, I now have the 2020 flare up.

"Consider yourself injured!" is what the podiatrist told me on Jan 5. I told her that I got a minimum 10,000 steps in since the flare up for all but two days in December. She noted that if I had a broken arm I would not continue to use that arm. (I thought, of course not, it would be in a cast.) We finally agreed that I could do a walk of about a mile a day, which is usually about 2,100 steps for me. My wife says that I told her that I should limit activity for twelve weeks, I said she misheard, that it was 12 weeks off the foot if a tear.  With the flare up I walk slower, use shorter steps and take more time.  My main 2.7 mile route I used to do in 5200 to 5300 steps, but since the flare up it has been taking me 5,900 to 6,000.  Getting say now 2,300 steps in a walk is a far cry from my normal first walk route of 2.7 miles, which was sometimes supplemented with the mile route, or a 1.7 mile route depending on how many steps I was getting that particular day, thee weather and other factors. Therefore I am grounded, like the Dreamliner, both due to a software issue. I did tell the doctor that the worst thing of all of this would be going home and telling my wife that I have been grounded, something she has been trying to tell me for a month.  I realized, I have listened to my wife, just a month late.

Insoles recommended by Podiatrist

My wife has (had?) planter fasciitis, so she knows what I am going through. The problem is going to be having to alter my habit of getting a minimum 10,000 steps a day, when I am used to walking.  I am sure I would have put on more steps if my foot had not hurt through the month of December. The problem now is that my right foot is hurting too. My feet, the doctor said, are lean and she could feel the ligaments and the bone structure as she palpitated each foot. Perhaps, if I had more fat on the pads of my feet, I would have had more cushion, and I guess not be as subjected to the pain I am now having. Why cannot the fat in my waste go to the soles of my feet?  It does not work that way, teh foot make up of arch and fat on the soles is genetics. Although, I am doing all the right things--icing, taping and having used inserts it still flared up--dramatically. I did, however, purchase a full insole insert suggested by the doctor as she believes it helps better distribute weight over the foot.

They X-rayed both feet, and found a small bone spur in the left, but the doctor did not think that was the cause of the pain.  I had and ultrasound today, and and other appointment on Jan 19 to review the results and find the course of action.  The team, a clinician and a radiology resident did my feet and left to consult with the radiologist to see if anything else was needed.  The radiologist who read the reports came in to do my right foot again. She told me no tears, but did not offer up much else. If my planter fascia is frayed, I could be in a boot for a 3 or so weeks.  My mouth dropped when I heard this comment. If neither frayed or torn, and depending upon the inflammation they may do a steroid injection to ease the inflammation, and prescribe custom-made inserts.  Now get this, the podiatrist also said if I do get the steroid injection, I will still be under limitations--to protect me from myself. I wonder why that would be the case.  I think my wife laughed and shook her head when I told her this.  My wife said if anyone needs to be saved from themselves it is me. My wife does not believe I ask sufficient questions, or fully listen to what a doctor says, glossing over the parts of being grounded, for example. I guess the injection makes your feet feel so much better that you want to get up and about and then over do it and worsen the situation. Would I do that?

Back of Box of insoles

As I am now grounded I now need to wait twelve days to see more on the results, and what course of action is prescribed, and find out for how long I am grounded.  Will it be just a few weeks, or is my wife right, it will be three  months? I now have to find some other method to get some exercise. There goes my resolution of getting more than 10,000 steps a day in this year.