It’s seems like a long time has passed since we’ve traveled somewhere, when in reality it’s only been four weeks. On one hand, it feels like the days go by in the blink of an eye, but the pace has been slow. The rain has kept us indoors, while movies and television series have been the sole forms of entertainment. Other than my daily run and taking the dogs out, I rarely leave the cramped apartment. “Leadership Meetings” have been sporadic and my wife’s foot injury has limited her activity. We didn’t even have or go out for a Superbowl party. In fact, the only visitors we’ve entertained are my wife’s daughter and her dog. “We Gotta Get Out of this Place.”
I’m sure I’ll feel the same about Las Vegas after a full week there, although I can hardly wait to get on z’plane in a few days. It’s one of those cities where four days is typically more than enough, like unwanted overnight guests. I’ve never stayed this long in “Sin City,” but we have a good deal on a time share. As a result, we’ve tried to schedule numerous activities to keep us out of the casinos. A Grand Canyon day-trip, two shows, pool time, the monorail, dinners and the Neon Boneyard museums are the foundation of our non-gambling plan. There will undoubtedly be some gambling and probably many hours in the Westgate Sports Book watching basketball games. I.U. plays Purdue the morning after we arrive and Iowa the day before we leave. I just hope we, including I.U., can limit our losses, otherwise it will be a very long week.
I’ve had some winning moments in Vegas but honestly have never taken any of it home with me. I even hit a slot machine jackpot that nearly caused me to be late for our Bellagio wedding nearly nineteen years ago. My wife and I have many good memories of The Strip, but as is the custom, they will stay there. There’s always a great sense of anticipation when you arrive, but the crowds, noise, bright lights, heat, rich food, alcohol, tempting stores, and related expense quickly take their exhaustive toll. This is especially true for a couple of retired old farts in a city designed around youthful enthusiasm. Hopefully, we won’t be singing this song halfway through our trip:
“We gotta get out of this place
If it’s the last thing we ever do
We gotta get out of this place
’cause girl, there’s a better life for me and you.”
Source: LyricFind The Animals
Songwriters: Barry Mann / Cynthia Weil
We Gotta Get out of This Place lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
I hope to get a few paragraphs in before the I.U. vs. Ohio State basketball game starts this morning. I’d like to have Buckeyes for Breakfast but I’m sure they will be a tough nut to crack. As I.U. goes into another of their notorious scoring droughts, I’m sure my anger will start to flair and hands will start to shake. Our poor pup Tally will cower in fear as the sound of my voice starts to express anger and frustration. In the meantime, I’ll spend some peaceful minutes recounting my daily thoughts.
We had a great dinner at Morton’s this past week, taking advantage of a steak and lobster special topped off with their legendary Hot Chocolate Cake and ice cream. We were there early before the Broadway Series presentation of Dear Evan Hanson, a Tony Award winner that we saw a few years ago in New York City. My wife is such a fan of the theater so I was surprised when she wanted to leave at intermission. It was a good show but still a replay of something we’d already seen on a bigger stage. It’s the second-straight show where we’ve left early. This is a clear sign of old age.
Intermission and bed time arrive about the same time any more. A big dinner and a couple drinks followed by a dark room often leads to nodding-off, with no disrespect to the performers. Sometimes it doesn’t even take the lights-off to result in eyes-closed. This happened at the Old Timer’s Baseball Banquet the other evening. It certainly didn’t help that there were four windy speakers. Last month, it was Fiddler on the Roof that caused an early exit. At least, it’s been a long time since I fell asleep in the middle of a movie, but most of those have been in the afternoon.
I’ve never been a fan of the intermission. In my option, if something is too long to need a break then it’s probably not worth seeing. I do, however, understand the need to bolster concessions, network with fellow theater-goers, use the bathroom, and perhaps make a fashion statement. I just don’t have the attention span to handle all these interruptions. It seems to get worse as I get older. To me, intermission is interruption! Even a basketball halftime is tough for me to handle. Let’s just get it over with and all go home!
In retirement, we may have to limit our live theater experiences to matinees so we can see the whole show. When we’re in New York we do two shows a day without a nap. However, we’ve always come from an earlier time zone. While living in Portland, New York shows often end at 8 p.m our time. I’m usually still awake, but when the clock strikes ten here at home after an intermission, I’m ready for bed. It’s also a big waste of money to walk-out halfway through a show. Maybe intermission should extend into the next day? That way we could rest and come back tomorrow for the rest of the show.
I traveled to Eugene, Oregon yesterday morning and by the time I got there, life had taken some bad twists. In perspective, of least significance was probably the Indiana Basketball loss to Maryland. I started watching it at a friend’s house and early-on had written it off in my mind as a loss. However, in the two-hour drive the Hoosier rallied and looked like they might pull it off. Instead, a late turnover led to a Terp three and eventually a disastrous one-point home loss. It was quickly overshadowed by the shocking announcement of the passing of basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his young daughter.
Both Kobe and Gianna were supporters of the #4 ranked Oregon women’s basketball program. The team was playing rival #7 Oregon State just down the road in Corvallis and sadly got the word just before tip-off. We watched sections of that game in the hospitality suite before the Duck men battled conference foe U.C.L.A. It was a double-win for both top-rated Duck squads on a day that will be forever remembered.
No one can really think of a comparable tragic loss of a sports legend. There have been plane crashes that have claimed entire teams, but none of the players were as well-known and worldly respected as Kobe. In fact, he’s in that class of super stars that are recognized by their first names alone. I was never a Lakers’ fan but indeed a basketball fan, and am still struggling with his death. It has as much or more impact for me than JFK, MLK, or Princess Diane. In each case, they left close family members behind to pick up the pieces. John Lennon and Michael Jackson were also deaths where the world stood still. Sports figures die every day, but most get to live-out their years. Kobe was only 41.
I woke up this morning with a heavy heart. Even without the news of Kobe, I would have been in a bad mood with the I.U. loss. I met-up with the same two I.U. friends to help haul grape vines to the dump. I cut my morning run short to make our 9 a.m. start. Two hours later I was tired and muddy from loading and unloading, as discussion continued about basketball in general. Our friendships are longer than Kobe’s life, stretching back to high school. Sadly, with all his money and fame he will never have what we have – over 50 years of friendship.
As I run every morning through the streets of downtown Portland, it’s hard to ignore those sleeping on the ground, rooting through trashcans, and staring off in space. It’s in my nature to try to do something nice – to make their day a little better. We’ve tried leaving leftovers on a nearby park bench, making donations to the local shelters, and passing out cash. With the latter, you never know if you’ve given to a worthy cause or if they’re headed directly to the liquor store. However, if it makes you feel good it’s certainly worth the chance.
Last night was “Date Night,” moved from its traditional Wednesday slot to Thursday, just as “Matinee Monday” was also rearranged. We tried to do both on Thursday night since my wife was finally feeling up to going out after injuring her foot last weekend. We went to see Little Women at the theater via streetcar but then barely had enough time to let our schnauzer Tally out before a dinner reservation at Montesario Pinseria. Public transportation was running behind because of the rainy weather, and after a long wait we finally called an Uber. In the meantime, I’m monitoring a key I.U. basketball game against Michigan State, as update messages come flooding into my phone from friends. My wife, of course, hates it when I’m paying attention to my phone at the dinner table, especially on “Date Night.” Dinner included pizza, one of my favorites, but I was forced to pick-off the broccolini that in my opinion was a strange topping. Going along with my wife’s choice seemed like a small sacrifice considering that I was cheating on her with the phone. It was a close game but the Hoosiers prevailed, otherwise I could have been in a bad mood and ruined the evening. Just to emphasize, broccolini does not belong on pizza nor does anything else healthy!
After dinner, my wife slowly limps along beside me in a boot designed to stabilize her injured foot, as we once again patiently wait for a streetcar in the rain. Out of nowhere a guy pulls up in a wheelchair wearing a Veteran’s cap and begins to commiserate with her injury. She replies that “it’s only temporary” and he nods sadly and bemoans that “he will never get out of the chair from the injuries that he suffered overseas.” He’s puffing on a cigarette, and politely “out of respect” wheels slightly away and into the rain so as “to not subject us to the smoke.” I thank him for his service and pull $20 out of my wallet, as he goes on to tell me that he needs laundry money to get out of the filthy sweatpants that he’s worn for 11 weeks. As the streetcar begins to pull up, he suspiciously pushes off with both feet and heads in the opposite direction. As we climb aboard, I see him actually running full speed behind the wheelchair across the street directly in front of us. I’m doubting that he was rushing to the laundromat! I guess we should have known better after just watching the second season of Better Call Saal.
The scam actually made me feel better after the guilt every morning of not being able to help everyone in need. Just the other day, there was another guy that stopped me in need of a couple bucks to assist in getting his life back in order. It’s a day-to-day occurrence here in Portland, home of the homeless. I will think twice the next time I’m asked for a handout, with the vision of them laughing behind my back about the success of their little scam. Too bad for all of those that really need it!
With a little touch-up yesterday, I wrote three poems in one day, ending a nearly four-week non-productive streak. They were are variety of subjects including baseball, phobia, and love, with over 200 poems now listed on this blog. In fact, about 17% of all my daily posts contain a poem, a majority of which are humorous. I try not to get too serious about life, and my writing attempts to reflect this attitude. I also like to stay healthy so I can enjoy old age.
I’m out of the apartment this afternoon to watch I.U. basketball take on Rutgers, expecting another loss. They’ve proven me wrong several times already this year, but I still can’t help being my pessimistic self. I’m returning to Buffalo Wild Wings, once a weekly hangout, but it’s been just under two months since my last visit. We typically drink Coors Light but we’re now on low- carb diets that favor mixed drinks. I’ve mockingly suggested a drinking game of a shot for each I.U. free throw missed, as the team continues to suffer with fundamentals. We’re fortunate to have thirteen wins and three losses, considering the massive offensive swings that we’ve somehow endured.
Our typically consistent Friday “Leadership Meetings” at Wild Wings have been regularly disrupted by new work, travel, and holiday schedules. I’ve got a number of gift cards and points to use, but it’s difficult to get people together at this time of year. I even scheduled a follow-up lunch with a long-lost high school friend this Friday at Buffalo Gap in Lake Oswego because it’s close to his home. It looks like future Friday meetings will have to be organized around late afternoon and weekend games, as opposed to lunch. Also, I’m now out of town at least one Friday every month. In fact, I just scheduled a family trip to Kauai, Hawaii for December to fill-out the year. It’s Vegas in February, Phoenix and Dallas in March, April in San Francisco, Bali in May, Montana in July, and Egypt in October. That leaves June, August, September, and November for trips to Florida to find a permanent retirement home and visit my grand children.
This year of retirement looks very productive from a travel standpoint. We’ll not be able to keep us this pace without breaking the bank, but my wife has sudden freedom from work and wants to take advantage of the opportunity. We’ll both eventually settle into home life, especially if it’s close to the beach. This year we just want to get out of rainy, cold Portland and see the world while we’re still old but healthy.
I spent yesterday in baseball mode, despite the big games in other sports on T.V. As I was traveling to my baseball card luncheon, for example, I.U. basketball somehow beat #11 Ohio State, despite 1-17 shooting in the last ten minutes of the first half. It was better that I was in the car and didn’t witness the pathetic 20-36 free throw shooting. Later in the day, I missed both NFL Playoff games because of a lengthy Old Timers Baseball Banquet. A few beers, four speakers and two unavoidable naps later, I was ready for bed. I did however enjoy a short conversation with 82-year old Pete Ward, a White Sox teammate of Sherm Lollar back in 1962. I think that he was disturbed that I was wearing a Cubs shirt while claiming to be a Sox fan. I also won a book by Jack Dunn, From The Third Base Coach’s Box.
Today it’s raining buckets so I will definitely watch the Packers vs. Seahawks game. With the 49ers already in the winner’s bracket, West Coast fans are anticipating a Seattle vs. San Francisco match-up with the winner going to the Super Bowl. I’m also watching Purdue’s dominant first half performance against conference leader Michigan State. I’m not always a Purdue fan, but hatred is a relative thing. One of last night’s speakers was Mark Wasikowski, the new head baseball coach of the Oregon Ducks who was previously at Purdue. He talked of the in-state rivalry with I.U. In 2018 the Boilers finished 2nd in the BIG with a 17-9 record but were eliminated by Houston in the NCAA Regional. I.U. went a step further but lost to Texas, after a 14-9 conference season and a split record against Purdue. Texas failed to get through the first round of the 2018 College World Series.
I last saw I.U. Baseball lose to defending National Champion Oregon State at T-Mobile Stadium in Seattle last year. Back in 2013 with Cubs’ star Kyle Schwarber in the line-up, Indiana made their first College World Series but also lost in double elimination to Oregon State. I followed University of Texas while we lived in Austin, and the success of I.U., U.T., and O.S.U. inspired me to attend the College World Series two years ago in Omaha. Texas was there, but I.U. failed to return. Oregon State emerged as the Champion in dramatic fashion. It was a sports bucket list accomplishment for me to attend the games. It was a lot more exciting than last night’s speakers that included another pep talk on luring Major League Baseball to Portland. I have a sinking feeling that I’ll really be an “Old Timer” when that finally happens!
In a few weeks, we’ll be in Las Vegas at the Westgate Resort. At first, I was disappointed that this was the best choice that I had when it came to timeshares near The Strip, but I was grateful to just be able to use my Marriott Vacation Club points at all. I had failed to properly bank them and after pleading with organization officials was given the option of transferring them to Interval International. It cost me $300 for a week’s stay at a resort that I was not at all familiar. However, yesterday, I was listening to the radio and they had on the director of their Superbook, the largest in the world. I was suddenly excited to be staying in a sports haven that also features Barry Manilow to entertain my wife.
I’m not much of a gambler, but you would think that I’ve absorbed some knowledge with all the games I’ve watched or attended. However, the teams that I choose to follow have not been very successful of late. The question is would I pay big bucks to see them win? Also, are sports for pleasure or profit? For example, I could bet on Indiana University Basketball to lose and knowing my luck they would win. In this crazy scenario, I would be paying for a victory. Certainly, if I bet on them to win they would lose for sure – the double whammy. This strategy reflects my overall pessimistic mindset with regard to sports. If I become personally interested in a team, they typically lose.
Last night, I became excited about Oregon women’s basketball team and their chance to become #1 after the University of Connecticut home winning streak of 98 consecutive games finally came to an end. The Ducks were poised to take their lofty position atop the polls with a victory over Arizona. Instead, they opened the door for in-state rival Oregon State to capture the cat seat. Thanks to my support – they lost. As further proof, with me on their side, the Bears, Colts, I.U. football, I.U. soccer, Oregon State baseball, Cubs, and White Sox all saw disastrous endings to their seasons. Could betting have changed some of these outcomes?
Right now, I’m watching I.U. Basketball off to a great start against Ohio State. As has been typical this year, they will soon go into a long shooting slump. I probably should bet on it! They barely got by Northwestern the other night and failed miserably at Maryland. It’s getting embarrassing to watch this team miss free throws, turn the ball over, and slack-off on defense. They at least have a chance to win at home, but on the road these problems compound. Before this game is over this morning, I’ll be in the car on my way to a baseball card luncheon. The good news is that I won’t have to watch them fall apart in crunch time. Odds are that they won’t disappoint when I’m not watching. Go figure?
I was so impressed with the Duck women last night. They played like a team, hit their shots, and took advantage of free throws. I wished the Indiana men could consistently perform like that. The I.U. women’s team is also playing well, ranked in the top 12. As I pay more attention to them, they will probably struggle, as did the Ducks in the last half. Right now, as predicted, the men have gone cold and their lead has suddenly evaporated. They’re missing free throws and are 1-17 with an air-ball from the field in the last ten minutes. Is this a self-fulfilled prophecy or just a sure bet?
As I look back over the past 21 New Year’s Eve celebrations with my wife, 2 have been spent in the hospital, 3 with family & friends, 12 in fancy restaurants, and 4 at home with the dogs. Allow me to reflect on just this past year of memories that have been both good and bad, in no particular order of importance. Only two, including tonight, have ended with a relaxing night in a hotel room.
The Year in Review:
My son turned 45
Two of my wife’s daughters wed great young men, so I’m now twice a step-father-in-law, joining my expanded family of a daughter-in-law of now over ten years
The two very different ceremonies were at The Presidio in San Francisco and Powell’s Rare Book Room in Portland.
Both newlywed couples took gift honeymoons from us in Hawaii, while my son and his wife enjoyed our time-share condo in Orlando
We sold our stand-alone Portland condo in twelve days and at a profit.
My oldest grandchild turned 12 and he took up golf
My middle grandchild turned 10 and we help her with dance lessons
My youngest grandchild celebrated her first birthday and I started her college fund
My wife joined me in retirement just a few months ago, while I just enjoyed my third full year
We traveled together to Thailand, Florida, Phoenix, Tucson, San Francisco, Walla-Walla, New York, Indiana, Maui, Vancouver, Chicago, Steamboat, Seattle, and McMinnville.
We saw Elton John, Pink, Goo-Goo Dolls, and Train in concert
I grew my Ancestry family tree to include over 18,000 relatives
We helped free a Jeep stuck up to its front axle in deep Panama City Beach sand
I donated blood on several occasions
I finished with over 15,000 Buffalo Wild Wings points to use for future “Leadership Meetings”
We moved to a downtown apartment and started using public transportation
We lost cat Frankie and schnauzer Tinker to old age
We attended our 7th Outstanding In The Field in Vancouver, BC – our first international dining event
My wife’s mother sadly died at age 97
We saw Beetlejuice, Moulin Rouge, and Tootsie on Broadway
I missed my 50th high school reunion
I lost two college fraternity brothers
We saw the 60th annual Twilight Zone movie presentation on the big screen
I.U. soccer lost to I.U. Santa Barbara and failed to reach the National Championship like last year
We watched I.U. baseball win and lose in Seattle and Oregon State beat I.U. the same weekend. The Beavers were not able to return to the College World Series
I.U. football earned a spot in the Gator Bowl
I.U. basketball failed to make the tournament again
The Chicago Bears failed to make the playoffs
The Cubs did not win the Division or make the playoffs. The White Sox didn’t come close
The Portland Trailblazers enjoyed playoff success but fell short to the eventual champion Warriors.
I saw Oregon basketball beat Memphis at the Moda Center
Oregon earned a spot in the Rose Bowl
I’ve added to my Sherm Lollar baseball collection while drastically downsizing my Cubs memorabilia to accommodate our much smaller living space
I gave-up my once-framed I.U. jersey to its rightful owner Kent Benson #54
We had Portland visits from my wife’s Indy girlfriends, my wife’s youngest daughter, and our Decatur friends
We reconnected with many old friends around the country
We paid off all our credit cards and the balance on our Decatur, Illinois mortgage
We eliminated most of our wine club memberships
We invested in more Marriott Vacation Club points
We planned and paid for many trips next year including Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Spring Training, Alcatraz, the Great Pyramid, and Glacier National Park
We bought the Regal Unlimited movie pass for next year and can easily walk to the theater
My wife’s oldest daughter and husband bought their first house. They also adopted Falco to play with now lonely Tally, our 10-year old schnauzer
My wife’s youngest daughter took a new job with Stanford Hospital and moved with her husband to San Francisco
We’ll end the year and day #7,861 together with dinner at Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa and start the New Year with theme park visits with my grand children
We looked at retirement properties along the Gulf Coast of Florida
We celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary at Joel Palmer House in Oregon wine country
We met my cousin in Phuket, Thailand
I finished Game of Thrones
We went to the King Tut exhibit at OMSI in preparation for next year’s trip to Egypt
I completed the 11th consecutive year of my daily running streak
I had just one minor cold this past year
I just now finished my 1,178th blog post
Happy New Year to all!
The Florida weather has been similar to Portland with gray skies, cool temperatures, and rain showers. I think we were hoping for a warmer welcome. We’re in Panama City, witnessing some of the remnants of last year’s hurricane Michael. I’m sure the local residents are leery of anyone or anything named Michael – like me. The Sheraton Beach Golf and Spa Resort where we are staying just opened again after 10 months of repairs. There is no beach, just a lagoon, no openings at the spa, and we don’t play golf, so there’s little for us to do. This morning we meet with another realtor to explore some beach condos, and will end the year in this deserted massive resort with lots of pelicans. It’s also been two straight nights without a visible sunset.
I was excited to see the downfall of “The Ohio University,” in both basketball and football, with some personal issues at stake. In return, I got some of my own vengeful medicine through watching I.U. basketball fall apart against Arkansas. I was stuck trying to follow the game on my phone, since the BIG Ten Network was not available on our T.V. My wife watched Dirty Dancing and then Kingsman 2 out of boredom while I silently brooded about the ineffective Hoosiers and drank a bottle of Merlot. I got up and ran around the golf course this morning to take out my frustrations. I.U. football in the Gator Bowl against Tennessee is next on my sports agenda. Hopefully, that game too won’t be a disappointment, and I won’t be a double holiday loser like Buckeye fans.
It’s day 7,680 since I first got together with my wife nearly 21 years ago. Our relationship is almost at the legal drinking age. We’ll celebrate in Las Vegas, where we were also married at the Bellagio over 18 1/2 years ago. Our upcoming stay at the Westgate will be much less glamorous that our honeymoon night, but at least neither of us will have to attend corporate business meetings the next day. This will be our first trip there jointly retired, and we’ll do a side-excursion to the Grand Canyon. We also hope to see the Neon Boneyard & Museum where we’ll take in some of the colorful history of The Strip. My wife will soon book some shows, but unfortunately Lady Gaga is not in town. She has her sights on the Michael Jackson ONE Cirque Du Soleil performance.
Tomorrow, we’ll head to Tampa and more property shopping before our New Year’s Eve dinner at Bern’s Steak House. It was founded in 1956 by Bern Laxler and continues to stay in the family; currently operated by his son David. They also established the Epicurean Hotel across the street where we’ll be spending the night. We’ve been practicing staying up late, hoping to finish dinner at midnight and then conveniently stumble to our bed. (Even though it will only be 9 p.m. back home in Portland). This will be my third dinner at Bern’s, dating back to an Advertising Federation convention many years ago when I was President of our Indianapolis Club. My wife and I also had a meal there to honor our 2nd wedding anniversary. It will be a great way to celebrate our love, accomplishments, retirement, and the new decade ahead. As I think about it, today was my last day of work three years ago.
Panama City is showing some signs of sunlight and patches of blue sky. We’ll soon be touring a couple of condos in a beachfront high-rise. We can’t decide if a view of the ocean is a priority, but at least in this area there are places in our price range. It would be nice to step out in the sand every day, but we’d be living in a isolated area inundated by tourists. Today, that’s all we are here in Florida, as we continue to explore the Emerald Coast. The “Toes in the Sand” tour continues….
“On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me”….a last-second win over Notre Dame. The up-and-down Cream & Crimson are winning ugly, with gut-wrenching twists-and-turns that simply wouldn’t happen with a good team. This I.U. group will be lucky to return to the NCAA tournament after several years of frustration. It’s all I can expect in their quest for twenty victories. Win number eleven is now in the books with “pipers piping,” in celebration, as Arkansas awaits its chance to knock-off the undefeated home Hoosiers later this month. Unfortunately, a really ugly loss at Wisconsin is keeping fans like me more than humble. It clearly explained why Indiana is considered a second-division BIG conference team by most of the experts.
It was the “can I buy an extra vowel?” freshmen tandem of Armaan Franklin and Trayce Jackson-Davis that were responsible for today’s win, along with Butler graduate transfer, Joey Brunk. None of these three players were on last year’s squad, but the same shooting problems still haunt the team’s overall performance. We were comfortably in control and up by seventeen with fifteen minutes left, and then suddenly five down as the clock was winding down. Two three pointers by Franklin and a bucket by Jackson sealed the gift-like comeback. It was hard to believe that they lost that much ground, considering the slow pace of the game. Honestly, I expected it to be a close game between two mediocre teams, and certainly did not anticipate the I.U. bulge. We needed it!
On a football note, I’ve decided not to attend the Gator Bowl while we’re in nearby Tampa on January 2nd. The gridiron Hoosiers had unexpected success this season with 8 overall wins, but I was not enthralled with the prospect of a pricey ticket, long drive, parking hassles, and maybe even a loss. I’ve lost confidence in I.U. basketball, but have never had it for I.U. football. I’ve been to two other I.U. bowl games in my life and saw a Liberty Bowl victory and an Independence Bowl loss. Their opponent, Tennessee, has a rich football history, and I expect them to rise to the occasion and their fans to turn out in droves. Other than the Rose Bowl appearance in 1967, this is the most prestigious post-season invitation our team has ever accepted. My wife set up a dinner with a long-lost girlfriend that night, and they’ve promised to at least have the game on for me to watch.
I bought myself a new pair of I.U. socks for Christmas this year. That will probably be the extent of my Hoosier gifts under the tree. I consider the Crossroads Classic victory my best present so far, gift-wrapped by the two freshmen sensations. As my wife pointed out, if they hadn’t pulled off the comeback, I would have been in a “pissy” Scrooge-like mood for tonight’s holiday dinner with my hometown Hoosier friends. I had to watch the televised action with a lot of signal interference through our cable service that only added to the second-half frustration. It didn’t seem to bother me when they were pulling away just after the break. The last fifteen minutes were all Notre Dame until the final minute rescue.
I can end the year with one more basketball victory, and start the New Year with a bowl championship, along with an unprecedented nine in the win column. It’s the first time in many years that both sports are still in contention for January wins. In the second game of the Crossroads, Butler seems in control against Purdue. Even though the Bulldogs look impressive, I.U. actually has a chance this year to be the best team in Indiana, a small concession in the whole scheme of things round. The two rivalry games against the Boilermakers will likely end in a split, with each team prevailing at home. So far, a BIG conference team has yet to win an away game, and I expect that any road win will be considered a major upset. Will the Butler do it again? Can the Hoosiers do it again and go a “drummers-drumming” 12-1? So far, it’s been a “Christmas Miracle” of overtime and final-second gifts on the court.
