Voice of the Bluestreaks

The Chisholm basketball program can be difficult to describe to an outsider. Nowhere else in Minnesota will you find the tradition and storied history found in this small town. A town pure from the transfer sagas of metros yet dynastic in it's dominance of the Iron Range over the years. With such great history comes a closeness of the characters involved whether they be fans, managers, coaches, or players. This closeness is like that of a family. Chisholm lost a member of it's family today.

Howard "Howie" Janesich passed away today. Howie had the distinction of being a player, coach, and play-by-play man for the broadcasts of the Chisholm games. He's been a staple in the program for a countless number of years, often volunteering his time to help coach the B team. I can't even begin to imagine the number of hours he put into helping the young men in the basketball program.

I am stricken with sadness over Howie's passing. He kept himself in tip-top shape whether it was walking or biking. I recall mowing the grass around the lake this past past summer and talking to Howie as he walked by. He always wore a smile on his face to greet me and I could tell he loved running into his former players. As a coach, he treated me with utmost respect. He knew our teams were capable of great things and wouldn't allow us to underachieve.

Broadcasts of Chisholm's games will certainly never be the same. Through the years both Chisholm and opposing teams in the area knew no other voice calling Chisholm games than Howie Janesich's. He rightly called himself the "Voice of the Bluestreaks". With color-man Tom Gornick, the two formed a duo that was both entertaining and informative. Us players were always interested in hearing some of the "old-school" phrases that Howie would utter during the course of the games.

Above all, I believe Howie tried to instill respect and honor in us. He was the first to let me know if my hair was getting long and the last to give us a break in workload. With Chisholm's full press strategy so dependent on fitness, I can certainly understand why. I distinctly remember the times that Howie would tell us about what being a Chisholm player was all about. It was a sense of honor and discipline that wasn't found in other programs in the area. This was what Howie tried to instill in us from 9th grade on.

The main reason I wanted to write this is to thank Howie for all the time he put into us. He volunteered his time simply because he loved the Chisholm program. It's not fair that someone who worked so hard to keep in shape gets unlucky with cancer. I know he fought as hard as he could. I am so proud that Howie got the chance to see his hard work pay off in the form of multiple successful seasons, including two trips to state for our team. I wish I could play one more year just to dedicate the season to him. He deserves it.

Rest in peace Howie. Thanks for all the good times. We'll miss you.

Brad Childress reveals true intentions.......

After years of head scratching decisions culminated in the release of Randy Moss a mere four weeks after trading for him, Brad Childress has finally revealed his decision making process to the fans.

"My initial intention when I got this job was to win a Super Bowl here in Minnesota, then I noticed that Los Angeles doesn't have a football team. Can you believe that? I knew I had to do everything in my power to fix this travesty. It's such a big market!"

Childress finds himself under fire after starting the season 2-5 despite having what on paper appears to be one of the most talented teams in the league. It appears that the tumultuous start to the season is no coincidence however.

"It's all part of the plan. I don't want to just hand wins away, but here and there I chip in to make sure we lose. Whether that means wasting time outs on bad challenges or wasting draft picks, I try my best."

Yet the Vikings have had some success under Childress, with multiple playoff appearances and a near Super Bowl berth. How did Childress explain that?

"Hey we have one hell of a team. They amazed me with their ability to win despite my best efforts to steer us down the tubes. Not that I mind it. I have to make sure we win just enough for me to keep my job."

It's thought that a relocation to LA is possible for the Vikings if they don't get a new stadium commisioned in Minnesota. The commision of the stadium is much less likely to occur if the team is struggling. Childress has had a series of decisions and incidents to make sure that the Vikings struggle. The latest incident is perhaps the most curious decision of the Childress era. Randy Moss was let go after just four weeks, after never being incorporated into the offense. Childress has said that even he didn't plan on this move.

"(Releasing him) wasn't my initial plan. Originally, I planned to just never incorporate him into the offense, and it was working, but then he called me out in a press conference. I can't tolerate anything like that. It's one thing for me to call out Brett Favre, but when someone does it to me, not ok."

So it appears that Childress is actually doing a really great job, providing you want to see football in LA county in the near future. Does Childress have any regrets for the ongoing suffering he heaps on Vikings fan?

"No not really. I have a cold heart, probably because of the cold weather. You know what can warm a cold heart? The hot sun of California!"

So there you have it, Childress isn't the dolt that Vikings fans believe him to be.