Minnesota Vikings Quiz: 1) Rushing yards, career? 2)
Interceptions, career? 3) Passing yards, season? 4)
Touchdowns, season? 5) Rushing, game? [Hint: 200] Answers
below.
North Dakota
Just a quick note on where your editor is writing this from…
Medora, North Dakota, at the entrance to the Teddy Roosevelt
National Park. It’s a gorgeous spot, except the whole place is
closed for the season, everything but my motel and a little
restaurant/bar. Guess where I’ll be? They don’t call it Bar Chat
for nuthin’!
The Fetterman Massacre
Time for a little history, boys and girls. Back in 1866, the U.S.
Government decided to build a series of forts along the Bozeman
Trail, which ran from Wyoming up through Montana, to the gold
fields founded by, you guessed it, Mr. Bozeman.
The forts were built not only to protect the settlers/prospectors,
but also to distract the Indians from bigger business taking place
to their south, that being the building of the transcontinental
railroad. The Army figured that the Indians would prefer to
harass the soldiers in the forts, as opposed to those working
on the rails, and they were right.
You see, the Indians had previously been told that the lands in
Montana Territory would be undisturbed by the white man.
Instead, 3 large forts were built, one of which, Ft. Phil Kearny
(named after a Union General killed in the Civil War) was
manned by 250 U.S. Cavalrymen.
These forts weren’t easy to build. Ft. Phil Kearny, for example,
used 4,000 logs, and so the Indians used to enjoy attacking the
“wood trains” that went out and gathered the building material.
Then one day, December 21, 1866, word came that there was a
wagon train that was disabled along the Bozeman Trail and
Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Fetterman was sent out with 78
soldiers and two citizens to aid them. Under no circumstances,
he was told, should he engage the Indians.
In the area were thousands of Sioux and Cheyenne, under the
direction of Red Cloud. Well, they were waiting for such an
opportunity, so when Fetterman set out with his rescue party, the
Indians countered with some decoys.
Now you have to picture that Fetterman was a frustrated Colonel.
There he was, stuck out in the boonies and with his career going
nowhere, yet he knew that if he could kill a bunch of red men,
he’d probably get a promotion back to Washington. So he fell
for the trap.
Now I’m telling you this story because I was at the site of what
was to follow just this past Saturday, and it really is spectacular.
Lush, rolling hills…perfect for an ambush and just like the
movies.
Fetterman took his men after the decoys, right up a hill, into a
ravine…when… “Oh s—!” he must have said. Over the other
hills came 2,000(!) Sioux and Cheyenne. It was over in 30
minutes, folks. All 81 in the party were killed. [The Indians
supposedly lost only 20.]
Of course the Indians mutilated the bodies, so that when they
were discovered by others sent out from Ft. Phil Kearny that
same day (which was less than five miles away from the
massacre), it was a pretty unsightly scene.
But there is more to this story. That evening, a man by the name
of John “Portugee” Phillips left the fort to deliver the bad news
back to the territorial headquarters in Laramie. A blizzard hit,
yet Phillips rode all 236 miles (it’s now about 320 by car,
incidentally, if you take the scenic route, that is, but then Phillips
wasn’t concerned with such matters) in this blinding storm and
arrived on December 26. Since he was going through hostile
territory the whole time, he hid by day (so the storm actually
helped him) and rode at night.
There are those who say that Phillips’s ride is one of the most
underrated events in American history. Since I’m scared to death
of horses to begin with, I’m in awe, quite frankly.
Anyway, where were we? Oh yeah, the Fetterman Massacre
would prove to be the second highest loss of life suffered by the
U.S. Army in any single conflict of the Indian Wars, next to
Little Bighorn. And by 1868, the Army abandoned the 3 forts
along the Bozeman Trail because the transcontinental railroad
had been completed. In addition, the Government signed some
new treaties with the Sioux, Cheyenne and others concerning
Montana and Dakota Territory and the Indians thought all was
finally settled. Hah! Far from it, Red Cloud. You didn’t realize
White Man was such an a-hole, did ya now?!
Soon, White Man was bringing cattle into the area, and the stage
was set for the climactic confrontation of June 1876; Custer’s
Last Stand, the Indians’ final big victory, and the start of the road
to Wounded Knee.
World Series
Well, Johnny Mac and I couldn’t be happier that Barry Bonds
tasted defeat. And I think you’d all agree that Jeff Kent is
another a-hole, 24/7. The Angels, on the other hand, are a classy
group.
As for the Giants’ policy of allowing the little kids in the dugout,
what a freakin’ joke. I’m sorry, sports fans, but I wasn’t touched
by watching those crying babies at the end of Game 7. Spoiled
brats.
As for baseball’s “Top Ten Most Memorable Moments,” J Mac
and I are incredulous that Jackie Robinson wasn’t #1 for
breaking the color barrier. Cal Ripken Jr.’s streak just isn’t that
big a deal, in my book, at least not enough of one to warrant
being selected first.
And how could Bill Mazeroski not crack the list? Bottom of the
ninth, Game 7 of a World Series versus the Yankees, and he
homers to win the whole shooting match. It doesn’t get any
better than that. Kirk Gibson? That was in Game One of his
Series. Big freakin’ deal.
As for Pete Rose, I’ve said it a hundred times. Since he won’t
apologize like a man, the Commissioner should tell him, “Pete,
you’re in the Hall, when you die.”
Talk about idiots, Hal Bodley of USA Today wrote of Rose,
“Pete’s suffered for more than 13 years (and it’s time for Selig to
turn the page).”
Rose has lied for 13 years!!! He’s scum. Sure, he deserves to be
in the Hall, but under my guidelines since he can’t fess up to his
sins.
Stuff
–Saw where Michael Jordan had paid a woman $250,000 to shut
up about a 10-year affair. Well wouldn’t you know, she’s now
seeking $10 million. Jordan says this latest is a case of extortion.
I say, “You go, girl!”
–You gotta love those Knicks, or ex-Knicks. Chris Childs,
formerly of the Knicks and now with the Nets, was just
suspended by his new team for being out of shape. So that night
he goes to P. Diddy’s Manhattan club and promptly gets robbed
of $30,000 in jewelry and cash. His diamond encrusted watch,
alone, was worth $20,000. I have a $40 Citizen Quartz, by the
way, and it keeps time just fine.
–Congratulations to Emmitt Smith for breaking Walter Payton’s
rushing mark. Smith is really probably the 5th or 6th best of all
time, but he’s a class act.
–Arkansas’s football captain, Jermaine Brooks, was arrested for
possessing 10 ½ pounds of marijuana. Police also found $16,800
in cash in his apartment. But wait, there’s more…they also
discovered several rifles and handguns. Looks like Brooks was
going for the full college experience, wouldn’t you say?
–ESPN/USA Today Top Ten college football
1. Miami
2. Oklahoma
3. Virginia Tech
4. Ohio State
5. Georgia
6. Notre Dame
7. Texas
8. North Carolina State
9. Washington State
10. Iowa
NC State had an impressive win over Clemson, as did ND with
its victory over Florida State.
But as for yours truly, I missed a good opportunity. I was in
Laramie, Wyoming last Thurs./Fri., but opted to head up north
on Sat. I could have stayed in town for the Wyoming / Air Force
football game, but with 1-6 Wyoming going up against 6-1 Air
Force, I thought better of it. The two days I was there I asked all
the locals if they thought their Cowboys could pull off the huge
upset. No, they told me. But one kindly woman in the college
bookstore said, “You know, I hope they do it for the kids.” Well
damned if Wyoming didn’t win the game. It would have been
fun to be there and the Buckhorn Bar would have been hopping.
[Yes, I suspect only one or two of you know of this place…for
the rest, let’s just say it’s an interesting experience.]
–Saturday was the first day of big game hunting season in
Montana. 150,000 hunters hit the fields, and everyone said it
was too easy. [The animals were too tame, in other words.] On
the local television station, I saw an interview with Bill Sudan,
who is nonetheless very pleased. Bill runs the “House of Meats:
Wild Game Processing.” Business will be booming.
–Speaking of hunting, Tony P. first passed this along, and then I
saw it in the Billings, MT paper. It seems that Michael Murray,
42, was hunting for pheasant in South Dakota recently when he
was shot in the leg. It turns out he was lining up a photo of the
seven birds his hunting party had just bagged when his dog
stepped on Murray’s gun lying on the ground and it went off.
The hunter is just fine, after 15 stitches.
–Jumping around…it was said of actor Richard Harris that he
had a face that looked like “five miles of bad country road.”
–Adios…War Emblem. After you blew the Triple Crown, I
didn’t give a damn about you.
–This was kind of refreshing. In Laramie, the local television
sports was all about the high school girls volleyball
championship. No pro sports. Not even the World Series. They
did have a little high school football talk, though, and I learned
there are 5 divisions in the state (5A, 4A, etc.). Now this is
Wyoming, mind you. Not a lot of people here, so I’m wondering
what size team the 1A schools field. “Johnny, quick. Forget that
4H project, you’re playing in our game today.”
–Hey, Wake Forest fans…check this out. I’m cruising the roads
on Saturday and Paul Harvey comes on the radio. This is exactly
what he says:
“Wake Forest football coach Chuck Mills has the following
definition of a fan…”
Ahhh, Paul? Chuck Mills last coached in 1977!!!!! Goodness,
gracious.
–Speaking of cruising the roads, guess what? Your editor was
pulled over for the second time on the trip. [Another good
reason why I don’t sign this column.]
Yup, I was driving along beautiful Route 487 (a back way to
Casper, WY), no one is on the road, when suddenly, coming the
other way on this 2-lane highway is a trooper. I quickly glance
down…74 in a 65-mph zone. “Uh oh,” I muse. Sure enough,
after he passed me he wheeled around and I immediately pulled
over, license and rental car agreement ready for him.
“Editor, you’re a long way from home. Know how fast you were
going?”
“72…(being cute)…and I know it’s 65. I’m sorry.”
“Well, I’m going to let you off this time, but the next guy won’t
be so nice,” he said with a smile.
“Thank you, sir. I’ll be more careful.” [I haven’t exceeded the
speed limit since.] Actually, this guy looked like Wilfred
Brimley. So I’ve been pulled over twice thus far, but no
damage… yet. Stay tuned for more exciting auto adventures!
–Nice little tale in USA Today on Friday concerning Darryl Hill,
the first black to play for an Atlantic Coast Conference football
team. On October 26, 1963, Hill, a star receiver, was on the field
at Wake Forest (Winston-Salem, NC) as his Maryland Terps took
on the Deacs.
The crowd was vicious to Hill. [Wake was no different from a
lot of southern places, back then.] Hill scored two touchdowns
as Maryland won 32-0, but what he remembers most is the coin
toss before the game. As Darryl explained:
“The fans were riding me with racial taunts, and the Wake
captain said to me, ‘I’m embarrassed by the behavior of my
fellow students.’ He put his arm around my shoulder, and the
crowd fell silent.”
The Wake player was Brian Piccolo.
[Source: Michael Grieb]
–You younger folks missed the great Roger Miller growing up.
I mean to tell you, he was one talented artist: singer, songwriter,
playwright, and funny as hell. So this radio station in Colorado
the other day had a Roger Miller triple play, including “Dang
Me,” which includes the great line:
“Well I was sittin’ around drinkin’ with the rest of the guys…
six rounds bought, and I bought five.”
Top 3 songs for the week of 10/25/69: #1 “I Can’t Get Next To
You” (The Temptations) #2 “Hot Fun In The Summertime” (Sly
& The Family Stone) #3 “Sugar, Sugar” (The Archies)
Minnesota Vikings Quiz Answers: 1) Rushing yards, career:
Robert Smith…6,818 (1993-2000) 2) Interceptions, career: Paul
Krause…53. 3) Passing yards, season: Warren Moon…4,624
(1994). 4) Touchdowns, season: Chuck Foreman…22 (13
rushing and 9 receiving, 1975) 5) Rushing, game: Chuck
Foreman…200 yards, 10/24/76.
Next Bar Chat, Thursday. Stranded in Medora…or other tales of
mystery and intrigue.
