I hope there’s no one out there hoping that my personal running streak comes to an end, but I was certainly glad to see a couple other athletic streaks come to an abrupt halt this weekend. It started with a I.U. alumni game-watch at the Ladd Tapp as the improving Hoosiers battled the formidable Butler Bulldogs in the Crossroads Classic. Notre Dame beat struggling Purdue in the opening game as our small group of fellow Hoosier supporters ordered some adult beverages to settle our pre-tip-off nerves.

The last 18 years of Indiana basketball have belonged  to the Butler Bulldogs. It’s a basketball state and the Crossroads Classic is a showcase of the perennial top programs of the beloved game, now led by Butler. Since the 2000-2001 season, Butler has appeared in the NCAA tournament 13 times, ND & Indiana 11 times, and Purdue 12 times. Once this 4-team classic started in 2011, IU & Butler have 5-3 marks, Notre Dame 4-4, and Purdue 2-6. I should point out that the games are laid out so that Butler never plays ND and Purdue never plays Indiana to avoid conflicts with their respective conferences. In reality, it’s a Big East vs. Big Ten competition, even though it’s hard for me to picture the “crossroads of the Midwest” included as part of the East. Any way you look at it, however, the Big East is the big winner in this Indiana state showdown 9-7.

An un-ranked Butler team upset #1 nationally ranked IU 88-86 in 2012 and did it again in 2016 against the ninth-ranked Hoosiers. IU managed to tie their head-to-head battles 2-2 yesterday and prevented any possible Bulldog streak from developing. Throughout history, the Hoosiers maintain a dominant 22-7 record dating back to 1949-50 when both schools were classified as major. Their first meetings goes back to 1901 with two Butler victories. Indiana claimed its first Butler victory in 1903. There was a time that I remember when the Butler game was a sure victory, but that simply isn’t the case anymore. Yesterday’s buzzer beater by Freshman Rob Phinisee (#10 by the way) erased a fairly dominant Butler afternoon. It was also doubly special for Cream & Crimson fans because Phinisee was stolen out of Purdue’s backyard. In addition, the game was played with former IU star Victor Oladipo in attendance fresh from rejoining the streaking Indiana Pacers’ 6-triumph surge.  Similarly, his Alma Mater now has an impressive four-game winning streak of narrow margin victories. The heart-stopping close-calls can certainly cease happening at any time, but I’d love to see the string of W’s continue to grow. 

That was just the beginning of my magical weekend of sports. The red-hot Indianapolis Colts handed the Dallas Cowboys their first shutout in 15 years and squashed their momentum of 5-straight wins, speaking of impressive streak stoppage stuff. At the same time, the Chicago Bears defense ended Aaron Rodgers’ bid for another fourth quarter comeback with a timely pick-off in the end zone. It stopped his NFL record-breaking streak at 402 straight completions without an interception, and earned the “Monsters of the Midway” their first NFC North title in 8 years.  I couldn’t ask Santa for a much better winning weekend, and look forward to once-again following at least one football favorite in January and maybe even February?