Hair-raising Experience

THE STREAMLINED LOOK

Earlier this year the Spirit Lake boys basketball team beat Sheldon in a home game. As they were preparing to play Sheldon again, this time at Sheldon, I mentioned to (Spirit Lake) Coach Walz that the last time the Spirit Lake boys (varsity) basketball team had won at Sheldon was in 1997. I remember that game well. We had lost 7 games in a row at that point of the season and had lost our best player, Todd Gengerke, to knee surgery the day before the game. The team decided to dedicate the game to him. Sheldon was 14-2 going into the game and was ranked #9 in the state at the time. However our guys played with great purpose and excellent focus throughout the game. It was close all the way. We shot eight for eight from the free throw line in the last minute and a half and ended up winning 55-53. We asked the Sheldon people for the game ball and took it back to Spirit Lake. The team, managers, and coaching staff went out to the hospital that night and presented the game ball, with all of our signatures, to Todd. It was a great moment for all of us, and we asked the photographer and sports reporter for the paper, Mike Early, to take a picture of that presentation. I have that picture framed and in my house.

After I told Coach Walz that story, he asked me to relate that to the current team on the night before they played at Sheldon. I said I would do that and as I thought about it, it seemed to me that I needed to add something that would give the players some extra motivation since they didn't have a teammate in the hospital having knee surgery. I told them that it would be the first time in a long time that we had beaten Sheldon twice which should be motivation enough but, if they did win, I would have my barber cut off my hair – military style. Yes, it was a moment of temporary insanity on my part but I have kept my word. Spirit Lake beat Sheldon on Tuesday night 52-47 in overtime. The morning after the game I went in and got my “induction cut.” I'm not going to be needing my comb for a long time – not that I miss that.

I stopped by Wal Mart and picked up a stocking hat and a baseball hat. Hopefully that will stave off pneumonia during this Iowa winter. After my trip to the barber I stopped by the library and did a little research. I found out that the previous time Spirit Lake had beaten Sheldon twice in the same season was in 1993. Now that they have done it again in 2008, I won't forget what year it took place. Spirit Lake is now 10-3 and is having a very fine season. They have a big game this Friday against LeMars. Spirit Lake is in fourth place right now, just behind LeMars. I am going to see the team this afternoon at their practice and let them see what their win last night accomplished. And I am going to tell them that against LeMars, they are on their own, since I don't have any more hair I am willing to have removed.