The BulleTin • Wednesday, april 14, 2021 A7
SPORTS COMMENTARY
DEAR ABBY
Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com
or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Dear Abby: My best friend
(since we were babies) and I
are having a disagreement.
She had two kids when she
was 16 and 17 who are now
in their early 20s. One of
them still lives rent-free un-
der her roof.
My friend struggled her
whole life but got a college
degree, bought a house five
years ago and owns two cars
all on her own. She has re-
cently started having friends
over on the weekends and
drinking. While I don’t do
that, I understand she had
kids early and wants to have a
little fun now in her 40s. She’s
very responsible and pays her
bills.
The other day I walked
in and her daughter started
screaming at me that I need
to tell her mom to stop and
saying that she was moving
out. I was shocked that she
spoke to me that way.
My friend started crying
because she loves her daugh-
ter and doesn’t want her to
move.
I say, let her go. She needs
to learn to respect her elders,
and she’ll soon realize liv-
ing on her own isn’t easy. My
friend didn’t agree and hasn’t
said anything to her daugh-
ter about how she spoke to
both of us. I want to help my
friend because she comes
to me for advice, but I don’t
know how.
— Disapproving Friend
Dear Friend: People often
say things in the heat of an-
ger. You walked in on a fight
between your friend and
her daughter. You have no
idea what started it, and you
shouldn’t have inserted your-
self. When you tried to “help,”
your input was rejected.
You have already said
enough. Now, resist the im-
pulse to stir the pot and step
back so your friend can han-
dle this herself.
Dear Abby: I come from a
family with incest and phys-
ical and psychological abuse.
I need to talk with my little
sister about it. How do I get
through it without breaking
down before I can help her?
My little brother died by sui-
cide six months ago. I have
been having nightmares over
it. How do I go about getting
through to her about it all?
— Bad History in Idaho
Dear Bad History: Before
attempting to do that, it’s im-
portant that you talk with a
licensed therapist about what
happened to you in that un-
healthy environment. Once
that is done, ask if you can
bring your little sister to some
sessions.
It is tragic that your
brother was so damaged by
the abuse he received that he
could not go on, and I respect
you for wanting to prevent
something similar from hap-
pening to your sister. Groups
such as the American Foun-
dation for Suicide Prevention
(afsp.org) offer counseling re-
ferrals after a family member
takes his own life. You may
be able to find a qualified re-
ferral there.
Dear Abby: I usually send
special occasion flowers to
my wife at work. I was won-
dering if it could make some
co-workers who do not re-
ceive flowers from their part-
ner or husband feel neglected,
and worse, cause friction be-
tween them and my wife. If
you feel this could be a poten-
tial problem, I can have the
flowers delivered to our home.
— Excluded in Florida
Dear Excluded: If receiving
flowers at her job has caused
any tension in the past, you
probably would have heard
about it. However, you
should ask your wife what
she would prefer because she
may enjoy the public gesture
of husbandly love.
YOUR HOROSCOPE
By Madalyn Aslan
Stars show the kind of day you’ll have
DYNAMIC | POSITIVE | AVERAGE | SO-SO | DIFFICULT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021:
Animated, pioneering and fearless, show the world what sets you apart. This
year, you use your unique abilities to advance your professional goals. Volun-
teer those talents for a meaningful cause, and you’ll see the world through
eyes other than your own. Don’t take financial risks. Make long-term invest-
ments and watch them grow. If single, be yourself and you’ll attract the right
person. If attached, renew your vows. AQUARIUS keeps you guessing.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
A high-tech gadget could be worth a small splurge. You’ll want to
bring the most cutting-edge device with you on warmer weather adven-
tures. Thank a friend for a favor. Pick up the tab for lunch or dinner. Tonight:
Be playful.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
Do things that make this day all about you. Change something about
the way you look that makes people take notice and comment favorably.
Someone with a carefree, fun attitude will win you over. Tonight: Confide in
a close friend.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
Seek out quiet time and put inspirational thoughts to paper. That
could include a journal entry, composing a poem or writing a song. You can
keep it to yourself or show it to someone you trust. Tonight: Zoom call with
relatives.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
Dive into a group activity and show off your skills. Being part of a team
lets you do things that have far more impact than when working solo. Avoid
mixing work and romance. Tonight: Meet with former co-workers.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
Let people show you their appreciation. You’ve been doing a stellar
job, and those around you want to offer their thanks and shower you with
compliments. This will most certainly make you smile. Tonight: Plan your
next major project.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Your studious mood will lead you to learning something meaningful.
A friend from another part of the world might be ready to plan a visit. Be
sympathetic and offer to help someone who needs an advocate. Tonight:
Relax and read.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Your intuition could tell you not to trust a co-worker. Watch what you
say in casual conversations and keep it professional. While it is disappointing,
always trust your instincts. You can never go wrong. Tonight: Envision your
summer activities.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Ask for feedback from a practical person you truly respect. It’s always
good to find out what other people see, just in case you’ve missed some-
thing. Set aside one-on-one time with someone you love. Tonight: Start a
challenging word game.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Put one foot in front of the next and do one activity at a time. Focus
makes the most annoying and complicated tasks go by much faster. Go for a
walk or run to vent frustration. Tonight: Work up a sweat.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Let your inner child loose and have some fun. Telling jokes could
become a team-building tool to encourage cooperation. If you are struggling
with a task, take a deep breath and your ideas will flow. Tonight: Sweet-smell-
ing candles and incense.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Make your living space clean but cozy. Organize files, rearrange
furniture and fluff up the couch pillows. An emotional text from family will
touch your heart. Return the thought with a call or Zoom. Tonight: Add oldies
to your playlist.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
A spontaneous road trip sounds appealing. Make plans for a quick
overnight with a friend or sibling. You do not have to travel far to get out of a
rut. Be an explorer. Tonight: Call someone for a special occasion.
Don’t count on A-Rod to bring back the Sonics
BY MATT CALKINS
The Seattle Times
We’ll start with the fun part:
The Fantasy.
Multiple outlets have re-
ported that a group involving
former Mariner Alex Rodri-
guez is finalizing a deal to pur-
chase the NBA’s Minnesota
Timberwolves for $1.5 billion.
Anytime an NBA franchise
sale takes place, the reaction in
Seattle is, “Does this mean the
Sonics might come back?”
It’s an irresistible reaction for
a fan base still smarting from
the team relocating to Okla-
homa City in 2008, and one
that was likely amplified by
this quote from ESPN’s Adrian
Wojnarowski: “Rodriguez’s ties
to Seattle and that city’s desire
for a return of an NBA fran-
chise could become an issue in
the long term.”
Intrigued yet?
If you’re looking for the ul-
timate redemption story in the
Emerald City, this would be
it. Upon spurning the Mari-
ners after his first five full sea-
sons and taking a deal with the
Rangers, A-Rod unofficially
became Seattle’s most-hated
athlete — a title that stuck over
the next two decades. He was
an automatic, enthusiastic boo
whenever he came to T-Mobile
Park.
But what if, in an instant, he
joined the likes of Ken Griffey
Jr. and Edgar Martinez as one
of the town’s most beloved fig-
ures? Bringing the Sonics back
would do just that.
On the villain-makes-good
front, only LeBron James re-
turning to the Cavs and bring-
ing Cleveland a championship
would top it. Rodriguez would
go from loathed to loved and
AP file
A group involving former Seattle Mariner Alex Rodriguez is finalizing a
deal to purchase the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves for $1.5 billion.
would receive an ovation in
any venue around in the Puget
Sound area. A-Rod would be
A-god.
Which brings us to the not-
so-fun part: The Reality.
Most of the time Wojn-
arowski writes a sentence or
tweet, it’s considered gospel in
the sports world. His reputa-
tion among journalists is prac-
tically peerless.
But his line about Rodri-
guez’s Seattle ties potentially
prompting him to return a
team to a jilted fan base seems
purely speculative. Yes, he does
have ties here, but Bill Buckner
also has ties to Boston. It’s not
as though his relationship with
Seattle is warm and fuzzy, and
it’s no sure thing he has any
desire to renovate his Emerald
City reputation.
More significantly, Timber-
wolves team owner Glen Tay-
lor told the Star Tribune that
fans have nothing to worry
about after the sale — the team
is staying put.
“They will keep the team
here, yes. We will put it in the
agreement,” Taylor told the
paper he owns. “At this point,
we have a letter of intent, but
when we make up the contract
we’ll put that in there. That’s
no problem. That won’t be a
problem.”
Granted, former Sonics
owner Howard Schultz ex-
pressed similar confidence that
the Sonics would stay in Seattle
upon selling the team to Clay
Bennett. Putting it in writing,
however, is a different matter.
And though it’s true that le-
gal experts told the Star-Tri-
bune that a “no move” clause
“would be tricky to enforce,”
do you see the NBA allowing
an ownership group to break
the hearts of T-wolves fans the
way Schultz and Bennett did
the Sonics? Probably not.
The best case for a Sonics
return is still expansion. And
if there’s a silver lining to the
pandemic from a Seattle sports
perspective, it’s that the NBA is
taking a closer look at expand-
ing to make up for billions in
lost revenue.
Said NBA commissioner
Adam Silver a few months
back: “I think I’ve always said
that it’s sort of the manifest
destiny of the league that you
expand at some point. I’d say
(the pandemic has) caused us
to maybe dust off some of the
analyses on the economic and
competitive impacts of expan-
sion. We’ve been putting a little
bit more time into it than we
were pre-pandemic, but cer-
tainly not to the point that ex-
pansion is on the front burner.”
In other words, the NBA is
closer to expanding than it was
a year ago, but it’s a long way
from a sure thing.
Estimates are that, if the
league does expand, it would
add two teams — each coming
with a $2.5 billion expansion
fee that would be distributed
evenly among the other 30
owners. Seattle could poten-
tially land a franchise in this
scenario, but so could other
hopefuls such as Mexico City,
Las Vegas or Kansas City.
It’s a waiting/guessing game
that has been ongoing since
the Sonics left 13 years ago,
and one that may continue for
years to come.
In the meantime, it’s fun to
fantasize about what someone
such as A-Rod might do down
the road. But if Seattle sports
fans learned anything two de-
cades ago, it’s probably best not
to count on him.
Running
Continued from A5
A pharmacy tech, Montoya
was helping with paperwork
for customers who were receiv-
ing COVID-19 vaccinations,
when she heard a loud noise.
At first, she couldn’t place it.
A dropped jar in an aisle?
Fireworks?
Her manager instantly rec-
ognized the sound of gunfire
and yelled, “Active shooter!”
Everyone scattered.
Montoya and four others ran
into the consultation room that
was right off the pharmacy,
with a door that locked to the
customer side.
“There was so much gun-
fire,” she recalled. “I just
thought, ‘I don’t know how
many shooters there are.’ We
were just waiting for the mo-
ment that they were going to
hop the counter in the phar-
macy and be able to get into
the room with us.”
She called mom and dad.
She then handed her phone to
her boss, who texted her hus-
band.
As they waited, Montoya
messaged her running coach,
Dr. Richard Hansen, who was
working nearby and provided
constant updates as he watched
a live broadcast.
That pharmacy phone out-
side their door, though. It
wouldn’t stop ringing.
About 20 times, Montoya es-
timated. Each ring made their
hearts skip faster, fearing that
could be the sound to alert the
gunman to their presence.
One of them held a chair,
just in case. It was their only
defense.
Over the store’s loudspeaker,
Montoya said she heard an an-
nouncement to the shooter to
surrender. She said the gun-
man screamed his response
with a closeness that startled
them. It sounded like he was
right outside their door.
Just before the SWAT team
entered the grocery store, Han-
sen alerted her.
David Zalubowski/AP
Olympic hopeful Maggie Montoya is shown as she ties her shoes to train with fellow runners at a park on the
east side of Boulder, Colorado, on Friday.
The warning helped.
“Because it was super loud
and very shocking,” she said.
“If I wouldn’t have known, that
would have been just really
horrible to hear without know-
ing that it was actually the peo-
ple coming to get us.”
She heard people conduct-
ing a sweep of the area, then
hop the pharmacy counter and
later a knock on the door —
the SWAT team.
Montoya and her group —
reunited with colleagues and
customers — were led outside
the store. On the way, Montoya
spotted what was believed to
be the gunman’s bloody foot-
prints near their room.
Waiting for Montoya outside
the store was her boyfriend,
Jordan Carpenter. They em-
braced.
Hansen felt a wave of im-
mense relief, too. He and Mon-
toya exchanged 60 or so text
messages during the ordeal.
Later, a thought hit Hansen
hard: “That at any point, those
messages could’ve stopped and
what that would’ve meant,” he
said. “It’s a pretty haunting re-
alization.”
The following day, Mon-
toya’s father arrived and they
drove home to northwest Ar-
kansas. Just to get away and out
of her apartment, which is near
the store.
While there, she went on
training runs she used to take
in high school. She was accom-
panied by her boyfriend, too,
so she didn’t have to reflect on
that day.
“I needed that time, to be at
home and to be with my fam-
ily,” said Montoya, who’s not
sure if she will work again at
the store. “To be somewhere
that’s familiar and just think of
good memories.”
She returned to Boulder
earlier this month to rejoin
her teammates with the Roots
Running Project and continue
training for the trials. A deco-
rated runner at Baylor, Mon-
toya has found another gear
over the last two seasons. She
will be in the running to earn
one of the three U.S. spots in
the 10,000 meters in the Tokyo
Games.
“What I hope from her mov-
ing forward, is that she’s able to
find some peace with her run-
ning,” Hansen said.
She recently took part in
“Run 4 Boulder Strong” — a
10-kilometer tribute event to
honor the 10 who died. The
bib numbers were all the same:
80305 — the Boulder zip code
of the store — and featured the
names of the victims.
With Montoya in the lead
group, the runners ran to the
top of a path with a view of the
city. There, they wrote notes to
the families of the victims and
first responders before heading
down.
On Montoya’s way back, the
pack of runners coming up
the road greeted her with, “Go,
Maggie!”
“It was nice to hear,” Mon-
toya said. “It meant a lot.”