As BIG Conference play resumed to bring in 2024, the late-night game against Nebraska was the worst I ever watched (and turned off out of frustration). Xaviar Johnson returned from injury but showed a lot of rust. The Huskers dominated 86-70, with 12-threes and 15-steals. They had a 61-47 edge on two Sam Hoiberg free throws at the 11:41 mark. Keisei Tominaga had a season high 28-points (he then scored 19 to top #1 Purdue as a follow-up) while Kal-el Ware managed 20 for the Hoosiers. The loss dropped I.U. to 2-1 in the BIG and out of all the tourney projections.
The Hoosiers were then grateful to be back home, licking their deep wounds from the nightmare in Lincoln. They stumbled through the first half, falling behind at halftime 39-38 after a brief lead. They then came out if the locker room flat and gave up 8 straight points before responding to tie the game at 48. Ohio State trailed 60-54 with 6:11 remaining on a CJ Gunn trey, as the Hoosiers began to remember “The Magic.” I. U. only had 4 turnovers total versus 19 miscues for Nebraska and this led to a much-needed 71-65 victory over a Tier-2 tourney team. Malik Reneau was the leading scorer, amassing 19 of his 23 in the second half. Xavier Johnson had 18 and C.J. Gunn 10.
Indiana has lost its last four games in Piscataway, N.J., while scoring just 54.8 points per game and losing by an average of 10.8 points. Historically, I.U. Is just 2-8 against Rutgers dating back to the 2017-18 season, and they snapped a six-game losing streak last season. However, the Scarlet Knights have yet to claim a BIG victory this season, sitting at 0-3 in conference play and 8-6 overall.
Make that 2-9! Rutgers defeated Indiana at Jersey Mike’s Arena by a final score of 66-57, once again losing the race to the “Magic Mark.” The Scarlet Knights led 30-27 at the half, while the struggling Hoosiers were led in the game by three players with 13 points — Kel’el Ware, Mackenzie Mgbako and Malik Reneau. 18 I.U. turnovers led to 18-points, the difference in the game. Xavier Johnson had five of those before he was ejected with a flagrant foul, hitting below the belt. Fellow Hoosier supporters were embarrassed by his immature actions, reminiscent of the speeding incident back in 2022. Can I.U basketball sink much “lower” than the already reduced expectations?
Shooting and rebounding once again raised their ugly heads. The Hoosiers were a pitiful 4-15 from the line, 39.7% from the field, and 26.9% from three. Rutgers rebounded 19 of their own misses that resulted in 12-points. Overall, despite our size advantage, the Scarlet Knights achieved a 51-40 rebounding edge. The ball was not bouncing our way and clanging off the rim, if they even hit it! Air ball! Indiana (11-5, 3-2) will host Minnesota next.
It took every bit of resolve to complete the minimum mile this morning. I got up early, did my pushups, sit-ups and stretching, took my wife to work, and drove Tally to the dog park. She is currently curled up in my office chair, seemingly content. I could feel the absence of Tylenol in my system as old age stiffness was more pronounced than ever. I wanted to quit in that first Fassio Street stretch as a strong headwind pushed me back a step for every two strides I progressed. My plan was to run 2.1-miles, but my heart was racing. Coordination and balance were difficult, as the 1.1-mile distance I covered felt like a marathon. It looks like I’m destined to finish this 15-year running streak in misery, as I huff and puff along.
There’s an I.U. game tonight at Rutgers, and I hope the Hoosiers find the stride that I couldn’t this morning. A neighbor and Rutgers alum is coming over for some pre-game chicken pot pie and to watch the action while I wives are at book club. We’ll set our sights on a couple bottles of wine, since one of us will be the loser. Former I.U. quarterback, Michael Penix, Jr. did not set a good example of competitive play in the Washington loss to Michigan in last night’s National Championship. I send this important message to our basketball team: Don’t be like Mike!
I’m headed to Chair Yoga yet this morning, an eye doctor follow-up this afternoon, the chiropractor tomorrow, a tele-video conference with my surgeon on Thursday, and the Saturday night Borrego Bash before the drive to Tampa on Sunday. Maybe we can get in a movie, Date Night and a haircut? All of these routine activities, fun and not so fun, will come to an end on Monday as my new life begins. In the meantime, the struggle of anticipation continues.
It was Christmas Day when I posted my last story here, one of my longest stretches of inactivity since I started this blog. Everything seems out of sorts as I anticipate next week’s surgery. I finished all my pre-op tests this afternoon, after a long drive to Tampa General Hospital. This Sunday my wife and I will motor there again for her stay at the nearby Westin Waterfront. I will be in Intensive Care, much pricier accommodations. She will come back on Wednesday for her tap class and to check on Tally at Schnauzerville, returning the next day to check on my progress. I doubt that I will remember much of my time there, at least until I eventually am moved to a room. The last time I visited was well over 20-years ago, following my son’s accident. He’ll get to visit me this time.
In those two weeks since Christmas, we’ve gone to several parties, hosted some good friends, spent an afternoon at the Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens, watched some movies, had a cavity fille, dined at several restaurants, entertained neighbors over cocktails, and traveled to Orlando for the Mecum Auction and Disney World. I’ve, of course, managed to get a short run in every morning despite some uncooperative weather and a lack of motivation. In stepping on the scales today, I’ve beefed up a bit, devouring all my favorites before I’m cut-off in favor of a healthy diet. Knowing that my 15-year running streak is coming to an end is discouraging, while every mile has been a chore. Winds, rain, shortness of breath, stiffness, darkness, heavy legs, and even a mechanically challenged resort center treadmill have made things difficult. I don’t really know if my breathing issues are just psychological or a factor of these heart conditions. I’m naturally hoping to feel better overall after this surgery, once the pain of a severed breastbone subsides.
I will probably use a treadmill in the middle of the night to get at least the last mile in before my 5a surgery block begins. “The Streak” will end on day #5,496, temporarily156th in the world on the U.S.R.S.A. all-time retired list. The surgical team has six-and-a-half hours reserved, but hopefully won’t need that long. The part where they stop my heart is a bit scary, and I’m glad that the anticipation will soon be over. Good drugs and bedrest will become my new routine. There will obviously be another pause in my posts until I get settled back here at home. Rehab will be determined based on the extent of the incision and how I respond. I will definitely be shirking all my duties!
It’s Christmas 2023, while fifteen years earlier (December 29, 2008) I was contemplating the start of a running streak that was originally planned for New Year’s Day. We flew into Indy from Austin, drove on icy roads to Elkhart to see my folks and had Christmas dinner at my wife’s sister’s home at Geist. We then traveled to Decatur to check on our unsold house and went to Bloomington to watch I.U. basketball lose in embarrassing fashion to unheralded Lipscomb. These were the days when Christmas was an absolute hassle, trying to spread our time between friends and family in three different states and four or five different cities. The bigger nightmare, however, was finding the Decatur home flooded from a broken pipe. I think I started my running streak a few days early to help deal with the stress of all this. I haven’t missed a Christmas morning jog since, still running away from my problems.
This year’s Christmas was easy. Brunch at a neighbor’s and dinner with family at home. It rained during my morning run, but it was my son who was rushing with the kids from place to place instead of me. It’s, in fact, the very first time that my son, his wife, and the grandkids have been with me in our home on Christmas Day – a monumental occasion! I’ll get to see the look on my five-year-old granddaughter’s face when she beholds the Barbie Dreamhouse that I assembled in our garage.
Earlier today, my wife opened her traditional Limoges box gift, a memory from our visit to King Tut’s tomb. I enclosed the following poem:
These Moments We Share
We’ve seen the world,
And Buddha’s butt.
And visited the tomb,
Of pharaoh King Tut.
Our first might have been,
The Twin Towers on high.
The lights of Times Square,
And fireworks in the sky.
We’ve cruised the Nile,
Stayed in an overwater hut.
And at luxury resorts,
Shaded by the coconut.
We’ve heard prayers in mosques,
Synagogues and Churches.
And stood atop,
Some precarious perches.
Rocamadour comes to mind,
Or a rollercoaster ride.
I’m always much braver.
With you at my side.
Even at sunset,
It’s always proven true.
There is no better view,
Then looking at you.
We’ve been to the Pyramids,
Admired the Sphinx.
Stood in Monet’s Garden.
And by the statue that Thinks.
The Beatles and Big Ben,
Bourbon Street pubs.
Michelin Stars,
Vacation Clubs.
Nantucket to Napa,
Hood to Coast.
Key West to Mackinaw,
All Bucket stops we boast.
Coronado Island,
Caribbean getaways.
Hall of Fame museums,
San Francisco Bay.
Traveled on cruise ships,
Flown in First Class.
Marveled at Glaciers.
And Chihuly glass.
Normandy’s white crosses,
Or atop the Eiffel Tower.
A slow Positano ferry ride,
To fast Hydroplane power.
Castles and Temples,
Too many to mention.
Or Palace Guards,
Standing at attention.
A Maui Luau,
Huatulco waves.
Mountains and Oceans,
Crypts and Caves.
From Route 66,
To the Champs-Elysées.
I sometimes take the wheel,
But you always point the way.
Amsterdam and Rome,
Santorini blue domes.
Overall, in five states,
We’ve owned homes.
Petra and the Dead Sea,
Night Life on the Strip.
Our Bellagio Wedding,
It’s been quite a trip!
Planes, Trains, and Auto,
Ubers, Taxis, and bikes.
Despite my reluctance,
Even cliff-nics and hikes.
Stonehenge seemed tiny,
After all that we’ve done.
And soon we’ll be basking,
In the Mallorca sun.
But the best place of all,
Is in your arms.
Beholding your beauty,
Admiring your charms.
All would be meaningless,
If you weren’t there.
To hold me hand,
In these moments we share.
Christmas 2023
Copyright 2023 johnstonwrites.com
Sorry about all the formatting issues.
I honestly didn’t do much travel in my first marriage, except business trips to Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Boston until Marcia’s company arranged award travel to London, Hong Kong/China, Greenbriar, and The Breakers. As we were trying to raise a family, it was too expensive to see the world. However, as we settled into our careers, we were soon anxiously hooked on adventure, and prior to these international excursions, her friend Karen coaxed us for the first time abroad to experience regions like Tuscany and Burgandy. With Oregon friends we tackled Rome and the Amalfi Coast.
Being in the media business and doing promotional work took me to some out-of-the-way places. For example, we organized some day trips for listeners out of Indy to the Bahamas (hot) and Stowe (cold) on ATA. Viewer ski trips took me to Breckenridge two years straight. In addition, our friends Tim & Irene suggested Isla Mujeres for a taste of rural Mexico, and we ventured to Las Vegas many times through the years, especially after our son left home. We did take him there for his birthday one year. I remember visiting some of her distant family in Arkansas and a night at Hot Springs, numerous ski junkets including Big Sky in Montana, touring Washington DC, and staying closer to home with weekends in Ann Arbor, Louisville, Cedar Point, Brown County, and Chicago. We fell in love at Mardi Gras and out of it in Honolulu during our 25th wedding anniversary. As a side note, we did take the sheets and blankets from our hotel room, trying to keep warm while waiting for the sun to rise on Oahu’s Haleakala. I wanted to bike down – she didn’t.
In the second marriage, we were constantly on the fly and dined at many famous chef restaurants. Conventions and business meetings in NYC were common along with frequent dealings in Chicago, Detroit, Cape Cod, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, Providence, Buffalo, Boston, Orlando, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Atlanta, the Big Island, and even Dayton. Vacations included Saint Lucia, Napa, San Francisco, Barbados/Jamaica, Dominican Republic, a Carnival cruise to Cozumel, and career moves to TV stations in Austin and Portland, following stints in Lafayette and Central Illinois. European stops were Paris, Rome, Positano, Cannes, Montpelier (where a daughter studied), Sorento, and Capri.
Retirement meant the means of traveling more luxuriously and for longer periods of time. Viking Ocean and River Cruises became the staple with voyages to Normandy, Venice, Croatia, Santorini, Athens, Amsterdam, Vancouver, Alaska, Hawaii, and soon to come, a cross-Atlantic tour of South America, Africa (Casablanca), Gibraltar, and Spain/Mallorca. Marriott Vacation Clubs and Hotels took us to Wailea, Kauai, NYC, Washington D.C., Phoenix, Palm Springs, Tucson, Napa Valley, Las Vegas, Alabama, Orlando, Hilton Head, Cleveland, Nashville, Indianapolis, Austin, Miami Beach, Marco Island, Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Atlanta, The Keys, and many “points” in between. Long drives to Florida, Glacier National Park, Marfa, Walla Walla, and Mackinaw Island’s Grand Hotel, along with Hall of Fame Tours filled in the gaps.
Movies keep us entertained when we’re hungry to get away from it all but don’t have the means or time. I don’t typically like to watch movies for the second time even though I never remember what happened the first time. Of late, travel documentaries have become more important in determining where to go next, plus the thrill of seeing the places on the big screen we’ve been to through the years. It always brings back great memories.
With the world at our fingertips, I think back to childhood when all I knew was the neighborhood around me. We did some family trips to Florida, Yellowstone, the Black Hills, and Upper Michigan, but I had no idea how vast the world was or how much I needed to learn. As I learned to speak, there were odd phrases that I picked up from my parents that were mostly adaptions of “dirty,” profane, or cuss words. My Presbyterian Church upbringing made these words unmentionable, even in private conversation. I’ve since learned to cuss like a champion. They were often words you could switch to after the first syllable came tumbling out of your mouth or silly terms used instead of swearing:
“Go…sh da…rn, Holy Cow, Da…rn it, Pee-pee, Da…ng it, Jee…z, Sh…oot, Cr…ud, Tinkle Dance, Hamburger, He…ck, Fu…dge, Bottom, Cr…ap.
Writing stories like this gives me peace of mind. It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come in life. Like everyone else, my life is unique. It’s rewarding to recap all the places I’ve been and the related experiences. It feels good to get this all on paper before I’m gone someday. Hopefully, the grandkids and their children, if they read this, will see the world through my eyes as I try to recap my childhood, career, marriages, and adventures through these spontaneous trivial tidbits.
As I finish the final chapters of my personal memoirs, Storyworth, the publisher, prompted me to list my favorite possessions, assuming that spouses and family members are not considered as such. I’ve made a list (not necessarily in order):
Antique 1915 National Cash Register – last compensation from the bankrupt Middlebury Independent, my first job out of college. They couldn’t make payroll, so I grabbed it from their adjoining restaurant, the Square Nail.
1955 Sherm Lollar jersey – rare to find from this era and a gift from my wife, secured by our collector friend, Bill Allee.
Steuben Glass water pitcher – gift from foreign business acquaintances of my father when he worked for Miles Laboratories in Elkhart.
Dad’s Miles Lab 15, 20, 25, and 30-year service pins
1965 Mustang convertible model of Dad’s car that I drove to get my driver’s license in 1967.
Cuff Link box collection – sports, novelty, and antique that I stylishly wore to work each day along with a pocket scarf and suspenders.
Framed 2016 Cubs World Series tickets.
I.U. Assembly Hall replica – gift from Adam & Eliza.
1911 Tobacco Cards including Cubs double-play threats Tinker, Evers, and Chance featured in the poem Baseball’s Sad Lexicon.
Framed photo of Lincoln Hot-Air Balloon trip with dad as part of the Indy 500 Festival.
Memory Box from 2017 Daytona 500 Race w/grands.
Mark Buehrle autographed ball from perfect game on July 23, 2009.
Coins and baseball cards – memories of my childhood Herzberg neighbors on Carolyn Avenue.
Awards & Certificates – Running, Detroit Marathon, Crystal Business Journal Sales Eagles, and Toastmaster Honors.
Wrigley Field Brick – Three Generations: Mike, Adam, Gavyn – gift from my wife.
They also asked to briefly share some of what I remember about my grandparents Ross and Grace Hancher:
My mom was their only child, so we spent more time with them than my dad’s parents, who spread their time between their three children. The Hancher’s had a mobile home at Corey Lake in Michigan, and another in Englewood, Florida, plus a home on North E. Street in Elwood, Indiana, their pit stop between the two locations. The two of them were constantly on the go from place to place.
They took me to Benton Harbor Michigan to the Heathkit Factory so I could buy a walkie-talkie kit. However, they first forced me to pick blueberries with them before we could leave. I tried to speed up the process by stealing berries from their buckets to fill mine.
Hours spent playing Scrabble, Yahtzee, and Uno or going shell collecting. I remember making shell creatures and going to the Shell Factory near Ft. Myer/ for supplies, as well as a trip to the nearby Thomas Edison home.
Elwood Creamery and Mangas Cafeteria – buffet lunches together and ice cream.
Raking leaves for “Aunt” Edna Pulver every year and watching the assembly line action in her Corey Lake kitchen of baking and freezing apple pies.
I was shocked to hear my grandpa swear when he took me fishing and pricked his finger on a bait hook. Also, the stench of cleaning fish in the screened lakeside booths.
Late night trips through the woods to the Castle outhouse before they had flushable toilets in the trailer.
Photography was a hobby for both my mom and grandfather. They were never without a camera and used me too often as the subject.
Corey Lake Sundays – Chicken every Sunday on the grill, and visits to YMCA Camp Eberhart.
Grandpa was the Elwood Postmaster. We had to wait to open Christmas presents because he was working.
They took me to my first Florida beach in Englewood, near where we all now live.
My sister and I often spent time with their friends, the Kaufman’s, who also lived in Bay Palms Trailer Court.
Thanksgiving Day annual tradition with the Hizer’s in Frankfort, Indiana.
On my dad’s side of the family, grandparents William and Mildred Johnston were also a big part of my life:
Unlike the Hancher’s, they were homebodies who rarely left the city of Elkhart. Dad and Aunt Norma both lived there but Uncle Bill was in New York state.
After my grandmother died, I took my grandfather to the Indianapolis Speedway and to Gasoline Alley, followed by a visit to the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument. He liked Kellogg’s Corn Flakes for breakfast.
There were always large family reunions on the Fourth of July at Simonton Lake, Cook’s Ranch or Oxbow Park. It’s how I got to know all my cousins.
They lived on Maple Row house with big apple tree in the back yard that we liked to climb.
Grandmother loved to play Scrabble and card games.
She worked in the JC Penny store while he owned a laundry called Hoosier Cleaners.
These are all great memories and traditions that I treasure. I would not alter anything about growing up. My believe is that you can’t go back and change anything about life because it changes everything about the outcome.
Between my two marriages and raising a child we developed our own family traditions:
Siesta Key Fourth of July weeks with the McClure family games and special guests Julie and Kim.
Dining as a group at Phillipi Creek, the Oyster Bar, and Captain Curt’s.
Driving to Ft. Wayne every year as a family to celebrate Christmas or Thanksgiving until we eventually moved there.
Learning to ski as a family at Timber Ridge with the Clarks. Trips to Cannonsburg, Monarch, Swiss Valley, Steamboat, Mount Bachelor, and Indiana’s own Paoli Peaks.
Calmly watching or going to IU games.
Little league baseball games that lasted forever, BMX bike racing, and swim meets.
In my second marriage, nearly every Thanksgiving and Christmas were spent in Indianapolis at her sister’s house until we moved away to Texas.
Two Thanksgivings, one with each wife, were spent at the Maui Classic.
Cubs game outings to Wrigley, Pittsburg, and San Francisco. Indy 500 race adventures and memories like Mud Man, or Garage Tours with Beth, Derek, Grif and Jacque. A day at the Daytona 500.
‘Marc’s Party at Mike’s house’ was more about my work family at WISH-TV but still involved all of us.
Currently, we have weekly restaurant Date Nights and have started a new neighborhood tradition of celebrating the Chinese New Year.
I’ll pick this up in another post before I bore you with too many personal details. If you didn’t read this far then I’m sorry that I did!
I’m admittedly a bit bitter about this upcoming heart surgery. I want to feel sorry for myself and ask the question – Why Me? After all, I’ve sweated and strained all these years to keep myself in shape, and it seems all for nothing. However, my arteries were clear and weight gain controlled, even despite my reputation as the Cookie Monster. Diet has never been one of my strong points, since I eat everything in front of me, rarely close a snack bag once it’s open and ready for the trash and can’t get much satisfaction out of eating healthy vegetables. Give me ice cream, caramel, chocolate, or an Arby’s Jamocha Shake!
Outside of my parents and grandparents, who all lived long, healthy lives, I’ve never really lost someone close to me. If a friend passed away, they did so far away when they were not part of my day-to-day life. For example, I’m having trouble keeping track of the number of high school classmates that have recently died, but I haven’t seen or talked to them in years, outside of Facebook. All my cousins, aunts, nieces, nephews, kids and grandkids are present and accounted for. For this, I am very thankful.
There is at least a dozen of my neighbors and friends that are currently recovering from knee, hip, and rotator cup procedures. I’m not alone when it comes to repairs. It’s all a part of growing old, so it’s not surprising that the odds have caught up with me on having to go through major surgery, especially after proudly avoiding hospital stays all these years. I’m a little depressed, knowing that I will soon have to give up my running streak after fifteen years of strenuous strutting and go through painful rehab. This will be a new challenge.
I not currently comfortable in my sagging skin. I fight it with sit-ups, push-ups, and Chair Yoga, but I’ve gained some weight, especially after cutting my mileage back a third due to the hot summer mornings. Even though it’s cooled off a bit, I’m no longer motivated to go that extra mile. I’m also worried what will happen when the running addiction passes. Will I balloon into a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade attraction?
I’ve been advised that my diet will be forcibly changed after surgery. It’s probably best that I enjoy the Holiday trimmings before I turn into a skeleton. I’m thankful we have a pool that will be helpful in my recovery, and I won’t have to expose my scary scars to the public. I will have time for lots of reading, writing, and browning my relatively pale skin. It’s been cool of late, so I’m looking more and more like Casper the Friendly Ghost. A healthy tan, nutritious food, and swimming could turn me into an aging Greek God. I’m counting my blessings!
Purdue looked unstoppable, easily defending their new #1 status over Jacksonville 100-57. Everyone in the BIG seems to be routing their Holiday opponents but struggling I.U. just squeaked by Morehead State and couldn’t seem to pull away from North Alabama, leading 43-34 at halftime. Free throws continue to be an issue, finishing 9-14 from the charity stripe, while being matched by the less physical Lions in rebounding. Loose balls don’t bounce their way and the offense is subject to scoring stalls. The one positive was three-point shooting, a puzzling missing piece on this year’s team. However, North Alabama is apparently good for what ails ya’ as the Hoosiers hit a season-high twelve from behind the arc. It was the most in the Mike Woodson era, and only one off the mark from the last time the two teams played in December of 2020. It’s been three-years since I.U. has had that level of long-range production.
Hopefully this is a sign of things to come rather than a blip on the radar screen. Malik Reneau led all scorers with 25, a career high for him on 4-4 three-point shooting and 10-14 overall. He even made his only free-throw. Mgbako added twelve and Walker 11, but most importantly seven different players scored from distance. North Alabama was only 9-32 afar in retaliation, an indication of our defensive improvements.
The final score was 83-66, after a Kel’el Ware dunk moved them over that magical sixty mark, 61-42 with 12:36 remaining on the clock. The up-and-down Hoosiers stand at 9-3 overall, but most importantly still on top of the BIG standings at 2-0. They next play Kennesaw State in Bloomington before returning to conference play at Nebraska on January 3rd. The three losses are against teams that are a combined 28-5: U. Conn, Auburn, and Kansas, all sure NCAA tournament selections. I.U. is still precariously on the bubble, but at least have yet to have what the committee considers to be a “bad” loss.
I spent the past two days putting together the Barbie Dreamhouse for my five-year-old granddaughter. I was glad I had plenty of time, unlike years ago when you stayed up all night trying to get things organized under the tree. I ate my own cookies rather than save them for Santa Claus. I’m worn out from having to get up early since my industrious wife is substitute teaching this week. She does all the work, but I feel guilty enough just sitting at home watching TV, and certainly don’t want to lay in bed while she gets ready. It was too dark to let the dog out or run, so I checked all my news and sports sites and finished the daily Wordle puzzle. School is closed for the next week so there will be no early morning calls or scrambling to get ready. Our dog Tally will be back in her normal routine, and no longer depressed without “Mom’s” presence.
Gifts are wrapped, just a few gift cards to buy. We had a Winter Solstice party last night and have a cookie exchange on Friday night. She’s taking a neighbor’s family on a Christmas light tour of the edition on our golf cart tonight, while I have a Blue Breaks card shop Holiday party and Trade Night on Saturday. Date Night will follow. Christmas Monday will include a brunch and the Johnston family get together in the late afternoon. I still have several days to get the Dreamhouse finished and complete some last-minute shopping. Tis The Season.
Tuesday night I joined the Rinella Street gang for a Holiday toast at the Oak and Stone in downtown Wellen Park. These are guys that I see and wave at on my daily morning run, so I’d been invited as a welcome outsider. Even though I don’t officially live on the street and am identified as part of the next-street-over Borrego Boyz, I’m as visible as any of their neighbors. After a few drinks and appetizers, I stopped at a house just down the street from us for a “Stooge-A-Thon.” We watched several “Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk” short films together while our wives conducted their monthly Book Club meeting nearby. Curly, Larry, and Moe were a great diversion from the traditional Holiday songs and movies.
I’m pretty sure that everyone within a mile radius, if not world wide, is now aware of my upcoming heart surgery. It’s exhausting answering questions or discussing rehab. There are two last neighborhood get-togethers before they “crack me open like Humpty Dumpty.” A New Year’s Eve progressive dinner and a Clubhouse Meet-And-Greet will certainly mean additional good-spirited curiosity about my looming hospital stay. Fortunately, we have guests from Portland, Indianapolis, and Decatur arriving next week, so they will make the time pass quickly, as I count down the days until January 15th. My running streak will end early that morning at 15-years and 17-days. (5,496 consecutive daily runs). It’s been long, strange trip!
Some of this information I repeat from previous posts, but on November 1, 2023, the Hoosier Nation bowed their heads in acknowledgement of the passing of Robert Montgomery Knight, the original architect of my “Rule of 60,” that has never been the same since the Fall of 2000 following his ugly dismissal from the University after 29-years.
He went on to coach at Texas Tech from 2001-2008, resigning mid-season of the final year while putting his son Pat in charge. He showed some defensive magic in the first game he coached for the Red Raiders topping William and Mary 75-55. The team went on to finish 23-9 holding their opponent to sixty or less points seven times. Year two it happened nine times with a 2-13, while year three peaked at 11 times to end the season at 23-11. In total, 49 of his 138 victories at Texas Tech held the opposition to 60 or less.
Bob Knight, the defensive genius, had come to Bloomington from Army to coach basketball just after I arrived as a student, at an age of only 11-years older. I watched many of the specials on his life after his death. The most touching moment was his return to Assembly Hall for the first time in twenty-years to be honored at half time of the Purdue game in 2020. I was watching from a Las Vegas Casino, just before Covid shut everything down. Otherwise, it may never have happened!
I only talked to him twice in my life. The first was a short exchange during the 1998 Maui Classic that my wife and I attended. The last was a lengthy conversation at a private affair in the kitchen of a Texas politician that he supported back in 2012. It was the night that Neil Reed died, and his speech was abruptly interrupted by that urgent phone call. He quickly left the event without an explanation. A friend of mine who played for him remained close after graduation and attended several reunions with him and his teammates. He credits Coach Knight for getting his career started.
He was a complex study who was adamant with his players about attending classes and ultimately graduating (most did), supported the I.U. library, and numerous other educational causes. He was both tough and personally supportive of those around him. He threw a chair, hit a policeman, supposedly head-butted a player, and had his hands wrapped around Neil Reed’s neck. It was hard to defend these actions, whether true or not. The public perception was that he was a bully with a quick temper, but privately he was much loved. He expected to win, but never crossed that line of inappropriate recruiting or violated NCAA rules, as was too often fashionable at the time. At Indiana, he insisted his base salary not exceed that of other professors. At Texas Tech, he sometimes gave back his salary because he didn’t think he earned it. Coach Knight expected players to exceed expectations on the court and in the classroom.
He was a winner and a brilliant basketball strategist and described by most as larger-than-life, although he did not appear that way at that only Assembly Hall public appearance. He looked fragile, reminiscent of my father in his final days. as he tried to shake his fists to fire up the crowd. His complexion was ruddy and voice a bit hoarse, but it was still a great moment. We all knew that he wouldn’t be with us for long, and now just three years later he’s gone. He reportedly made some Mike Woodson practices, spent time with Gene Keady, and began to show signs of dementia. We were lucky to see him again in Bloomington after the way he was treated during the firing. It should have been handled differently and, if so, it would already be Bob Knight Court with a statue out front that would all have been celebrated with him. Instead, it’s Simon Skjodt Arena, with videos of Knight’s numerous achievements, and the players now wearing a RMK uniform patch.
Many more Coach Knight tributes will obviously come as time passes, but the last few decades have been miserable for me without his presence. These are honors that I care more about than he probably ever did, giving all the credit to his players while drawing all the attention away from them to allow them focus on winning, as they did a lot! We’ve gone through coaches like sand through the hourglass, have lost our winning edge, and can no longer find our way in even in the BIG Ten Conference, let alone become a factor in the national picture. Hopefully, Coach Mike Woodson, one of his numerous prodigies, can channel his presence and return the Hoosiers to former glory. He’s the future – Rest in Peace Coach Knight.
At this point in the season, there were seven teams practicing the Magic of Sixty. Ironically, at the top, allowing an average of only 49.7 points in 10 games was former I.U. coach Kelvin Sampson. Virginia was at 53.2 through the first nine, McNeese 56.5 in 11, North Texas 58.4 in 9, UCLA 58.8 in 8, Iowa State 59.2 in 10, and Weber State 60 in nine games. It’s still possible in the modern era of basketball to play Knight-like defense. However, according to sportsrec.com in January 2023, the NCAA DI average for men is 67.875 and women 60.937.
With defense in mind, it was time to the Hoosiers to regroup with a 7-3 record after the Kansas disappointment, but instead the wheels nearly fell off. If Coach Knight had watched the Morehead State game, something would have been thrown. Coach Woodson, however, appeared to remain calm while I could definitely hear some boos from the Assembly Hall crowd. It was 36-25 at the half in favor of the visiting Eagles, as the Hoosiers came out flat. After I.U. closed the gap to three, but Jordan Lathon was unstoppable. His 4-pt shot put Morehead State over 60 with a 14-point lead at the 8:47 mark and the margin grew to 15 at 9:29 for his 30th point but failed to score from that point on thanks to stellar defensive pressure from Trey Galloway. Miami transfer Anthony Walker had a breakout game with a team-high 18 and hit a layup at 4:11 to finally move the Hoosiers over sixty and once again within 3. It was part of a 17-0 run that led to a 69-68 victory, despite 10 3’s from the Eagles. Lathon had six of those, but his final attempt to score at the buzzer was blocked by Malik Reneau just after he missed 2 clutch free throws and leaving the team’s precarious single point margin vulnerable in the waning seconds.
