HOF Plus One

If you’ve ever turned on the TV on a Saturday afternoon, surely, you’ve caught a little of the madness that is college football crowds. Young men and women in various stages of sobriety, hollering and mindlessly rooting for their mascot and college of choice. Ravenous fans are traditionally adorned with face paint, beads and necklaces and a complete assortment of accessories all based on the war color patterns of their institutions. The Blue and Gold of the Michigan Wolverines– The Maroon and Gold of Goldy’s Gophers – heck, the unmistakable Tar Heel blue even has its own name, Carolina Blue. I envision giant foam fingers and striped overalls. I picture each superfan losing their mind to defend the honor of the home team.

This is what I’ve tried talking Michele into. She threatens to not invite me.

On Saturday October 14^th, 2023, Bemidji State University will enshrine six new individuals into the BSU Athletic Hall of Fame. Michele is one of those six. These six inductees will join the other 202 members “that have excelled in their field and brought acclaim to the University.” Do the math. Over the entire course of all athletics at the college in Bemidji, after next weekend, there will be 208 people recognized as Hall of Famers… and my wife is one of them! In 1921 Bemidji State sent a basketball team to the hardwoods to compete and since that time there have field hockey players, swimmers and divers, baseball and softball, soccer players, volleyball players, both men’s and women’s basketball and hockey players, thousands of Track & Field athletes, national championships, and conference champs – the list is seemingly endless….and yet only 208 Hall of Famers up to this point.

There’s a weekend full of activities planned to recognize the inductees. We’ll have luncheons with alumni. We’ll rub elbows with benefactors. The class of 2023 will be saluted at the Beaver Hockey game on Friday night. Saturday is the official induction ceremony, and our delegation will end the weekend watching the volleyball team take on the St. Cloud State Huskies in what is being dubbed, “the Hall of Fame game.” Truthfully, Michele doesn’t want this much attention. I know she’s proud of her accomplishments. She worked hard to be good at her craft and it’s nice to be recognized for your efforts. She’d much rather this be a team award. Michele knows that every one of her personal stats mean nothing without the contribution of some fantastic teammates and super coaches along the way. She’s been an athlete her entire life. She knows the Company Line – defer and deflect attention and praise to your teammates. Thank your coaches for putting in you in a position to succeed.

Through it all, Michele rates a Plus One. I thought 20 years of marriage would make me a shoe in. I think my over excitement and the thought of me in Beaver Green body paint with a giant M painted on my chest has Michele afraid to have me along. Even though I think I might look decent in a pair of those striped bib overalls, I know this weekend is not about me, I swear. It’s about celebrating my wife and I’m good at that! I want to scream her praises from the mountain tops. I’m so stinking proud of her but I know I’ve got to be somewhat muted and help ease her introverted ways.

She’s threatened to make Logan her plus one. He’s the observant, quiet and humble one – like his Momma. She’s offered to make it a girls’ weekend and only bring Emma to the festivities. Two tall leggy blondes – a perfect reflection of one another. Maybe she should make Tyler her plus one. After all, he was there with her after her freshman year and spent his fair share of days at the gym when Mom was setting the stage and running the show. All humor aside, to the games and banquets we rate two tickets to each event. The others we’ll begrudgingly pay for because having the kids along for this special event is a no brainer.

But…

Given the chance.

I know Michele misses her Dad. Poppa Ray was her biggest fan. Living off of pennies and love, he made it to as many games as humanly possible and cheered as loud as humanly possible. One year, Ray Dinius was recognized by the Bemidji Volleyball team as their official Super Fan. Truth is, he was always Michele’s Super Fan. And when he got grandkids, he took it to another level. At all of Tyler’s basketball games, at little Emma’s brief gymnastics career and into her blooming high school days, and at Logan’s tball games and even a hockey game now and then – Poppa Ray was happiest when he was cheering for his family. Michele thinks I eat popcorn like Grandpa Ray. I hope I love and root for my kids they way Grandpa Ray did for his.

He's her Plus One and although he left us a few years ago, I can only imagine how proud he is of his Hall of Fame daughter. I wish he was here to take bad pictures with his upside down camera and I know that Michele has been thinking about him often since she was given the news that she’s a – Hall of Famer. Poppa Ray and I always knew, #5…we always knew.

I love you.