Category: Indiana University Hoosier (I.U) Sports (Page 29 of 31)

Indiana University Hoosier athletics

Old Sport Shorts: Bear Down #796

January 5, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

The Bears are up – not down – although it’s time to “Bear Down.” No one does it better than linebacker Khalil Mack, the “Black and Blue Man” version of a Mack Truck. He has 12.5 quarterback sacks this season, six forced fumbles, and one interception for a touchdown. #52 led the “Monsters of the Midway” defense to an 11-5 record and the NFC North Title. This effort even caused me to buy a new hooded sweatshirt, after many years of frustration. Although the transaction at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport last Sunday morning may have resulted in my credit card being compromised?

I would probably have more confidence in my Bears against the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles tomorrow if the offense was equally effective. The Eagles were fortunate to earn a Wild Card berth after a bit to much off-season bragging. Da’ Bears, on the other hand, haven’t won it since 1985, when I was half as old as I am right now. That was a special year with a sole loss to the Miami Dolphins, who in the process were able to secure their still-standing “Perfect Season” accomplishment of 1972.

I would like to be comfortable with Bear’s quarterback #10 Mitchell Trubisky. I already have a place in my heart for his uniform number thanks to my baseball idol Sherm Lollar of the White Sox. A few weeks ago I also bought a “Sherm Freakin’ Lollar” t-shirt to muster a few yuks out of my fellow baseball card collectors. They know me as the only guy in the world that collects his cards and memorabilia despite the fact that he’s not even a Hall of Famer. My justification is that the cost of collecting is not as high as the super stars, and he was my true connection between baseball and childhood. This was simply the result of the televised 1959 World Series. The White Sox lost to the Dodgers, but Sherm won a fan for life.

Walter Payton of the Bears has a place on my office wall. “Sweetness” was part of that ’85 Bears Championship. When the team finally returned to the elusive Superbowl of 2007, my allegiance was fractured between the Bears and Colts, dating back to another childhood hero Johnny Unitas. I was a Baltimore Colts fan long before I was a Bears Fan, and when they moved to my then hometown of Indianapolis I was a big supporter. I attended training camps, sold advertising in their games, did promotions & commercials with the team, had personal relationships with coaches & players, and was frequently on the sidelines or a suite. Ironically, I had transferred to Decatur, Illinois, home of the original Bears franchise, when they clashed in Superbowl XLI. I could not pick a favorite.

I’m following the Colts game as I write this; fascinated with Andrew Luck’s return and T.Y. Hilton’s resilience. Plus, they have a Mack of their own. The remarkable Colts are also the first team in history to make the NFL Playoffs after a 1-5 start. I just hope that both the Bears and Colts don’t reach the Super Bowl again, even though I don’t want either team to lose. The Bears game tomorrow is on at the same time as the I.U. vs. Michigan basketball game. I will have to split my time watching. Or, I might get stuck going to the King Tut exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The sad thing is that the Bears are finally televised in Portland after weeks of being forced to follow only bits and pieces of their drives on the Red Zone telecasts. It was frustrating that they were having such a great season, and I could never watch them. They may have to last another week just so I can concentrate solely on watching a Bears game this year, as opposed to dividing my afternoon between I.U., King Tut, and The Bears.

I.U. basketball is also having a good season with a deceptive 11-2 record, 3-0 in the BIG. The concern is that their victories have been against the bottom three teams in the conference by narrow margins, along with a thorough thumping against Duke. Tomorrow they will face an undefeated Michigan team that is both leading the BIG Ten and nationally ranked. Indiana doesn’t seem to have the muscle (a.k.a. thugs) to handle the interior. Their next six conference games are on the road against top opponents, so we’ll be fortunate to win even two of those games. By the end of January, I could have a sour impression of this year’s version of the Hoosiers. I’m also worried that I may end up watching much more of the Bears game, if the I.U. team gets off to another bad start. Unfortunately, I could end up turning off the TV all together if either team doesn’t “Bear Down.”

Colts Win! A good Luck and Mack attack prevails!

Retirement is not without Hassles: Spring is Here #794

January 3, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

Spring is here, however in no way related to the weather. It’s cold and rainy here in Portland – standard for the course this time of year. Yesterday, I heard a loud crash in the house and searched everywhere for the source. It wasn’t until I took the dogs out and hit the switch to open the garage door that I realized what happened. One of the two springs had snapped in two, so there was no access in or out. Spring has Sprung! It’s a heavier commercial door, installed by the former owner to allow him enough clearance to park a Hummer inside. As a result, even after releasing the tension cord I didn’t have enough strength to lift the door, and my wife had to park her car outside for the night.

It’s a costly repair to start the New Year, but it could have happened during our recent travels and put the problem in the hands of our pet sitter. As it is, I’m usually home all day to wait for a repairman, as opposed to my working days when I would have to make arrangements to meet them. They arrived promptly this morning along with the Spring, and we’re now back in business. I wrote a check for $325 that made a painful dent in my retirement budget. At this stage of life, every dollar spent on expenses and repairs means less for travel.

I spent some time copying some Banister files from my newly found half-sisters. We now have a shared file to exchange information on the family. It will help us all stay in touch. I have no current plans to contact my birth-mother or her family again as yet. She continues to avoid my relationship claims, but now presumably knowing the birth-father’s identity there seems to be less curiosity about her at this point. It seems there is only so much I can absorb at one time, so I’ll remain patient about solving the adoption puzzle.

In the meantime, I will remain in my fantasy cable TV world of treasure hunting (Curse of Oak Island), time travel (Outlander), conquering the world (Vikings), and gangsters (Narcos). It’s a good combination of history and nonsense to keep my mind occupied between travel dates. Today, I’ll actually leave the house other than frequent walks with our dogs to watch an I.U. basketball game at our regular hangout Buffalo Wild Wings. Tomorrow is another “Leadership Meeting” meeting at the same place. Maybe I’ll order some “Spring” Rolls?

Retirement is not without Hassles: What day is it? #793

January 3, 2019 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

I’ve often written that in retirement one begins to lose track of what day it is? The traditional days of the week don’t work any more because weekends, vacations, and holidays all blur together. I’m basically free to do as I please every sunrise without a fixed schedule of places to be and people to see. At first, I began to invent new names for each day depending on the activity such as “Trash day,” “Leadership day,” “Date Night day,” “Errand day,” and “Movie Night day.” The one thing in common with each day is my morning run – that has not changed in ten years.

My younger, working wife is unfortunately still on a Monday thru Friday regimen, while still looking forward to weekends and holidays. I often have to remind her that she still enjoys her career, and that perhaps she isn’t quite ready for the sedate days of retirement. Today was her “Hump Day,” after a rare Tuesday off. She also went into the office on Monday, as the holidays played havoc with the usual work week. Christmas and New Year’s day both fell on Tuesday this year and will be on Wednesday next year. Thanksgiving at least remains consistent, allowing for a four-day weekend. It’s particularly confusing to me as I try to hold-on to my “everyday is the same” attitude.

Today’s calendar highlights Odeon of Herod Atticus that crowns Athen’s highest spot. My wife and i were able to visit the historic site in March. I had just had my jacket ripped away from my body during the morning run on the cruise ship, so the weather was not great for travel. Nonetheless, we visited the beautiful island of Santorini and were able to look out over the city of Athens from the Acropolis or “upper town.” Only an excursion to the ancient city of Olympia was diverted because of the high winds and rain that followed us from Venice. As a result, the Temple of Hera where the Olympic Games originated still remains on my bucket list, but at least we were able to cross-off the Parthenon.

With just over a quarter of my birthday year completed, I have been able to pare my original list of “67 things to do before I’m 68” down to 56. Many of these items are monthly or weekly commitments, so they will remain unfinished until my next birthday. (See Post #642). Some of these plans are also listed as part my resolutions and bucket priorities. I feel that I am on target with all my goals and travel plans.

To add further confusion to my days this week, I will have two “Leadership” meetings, including an I.U. basketball game. We also hope to visit the King Tut exhibit before the week is over and see at least one movie at the theater thanks to some thoughtful Fandango card gifts. “Date Night” was actually New Year’s Eve, replacing “Meatless Monday.” Our dogs are also mixed-up on days, since their “Schnauzerthon” was on New Year’s Tuesday instead of the usual Saturday & Sunday, while we were still traveling. They do not have the benefit of the “1000 Places to see before you Die” calendar that now allows me to cheat on what day it actually is, thanks to another gift from our good friends in Colorado.

Old Sport Shorts: Streak Stoppers #775

December 16, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

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?

Retirement is not without Hassles: Holiday Parties #773

December 15, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

It’s been an unusual week, centered around the flu and a doctor’s appointment that literally made me sick. We attended my wife’s company party a week ago, completing the first leg of our holiday journey. Tonight, my wife plays the role of gracious boss by cooking for her co-worker and his wife. As this endless string of parties continue, a week from now we’ll gather with a group of friends for our annual get-together for dinner. We chose El Gaucho Steakhouse for this year’s feast. The following day we’ll fly back to Indiana for this year’s grand finale. It’s no wonder that we’ll need a quiet New Year’s Eve to properly recuperate.

Both my wife and I went into the holiday rush this year feeling sick. Imagine how we’ll feel if we somehow make it to New Year’s? She missed a day-and-a-half of work and a corporate dinner, while I missed two days of retirement. In my case, I was just trying to be proactive about my health, and regrettably reminded my doctor of an overdue pneumococcal vaccine. In fact, I had just completed a successful exam and was ready to walk out the door when I pointed out the oversight. It was the second of the vaccines recommended to senior citizens over 65, supposedly designed to avoid pneumonia and save lives. It made my arm swell-up around the injection point and took me out of commission for two days. I have never had an allergic reaction this bad to any form of medication, so I immediately began to think that it was some sort of genocide conspiracy against the aging. One shot and it eliminates Social Security and pension payments, plus ultimately saves on medical costs to society. Merry f***** Christmas!

A healthier kick-of to the Holidays began for my wife and I at Disneyland a few weeks ago. Seasonal music and festive holiday decorations added to the Disney magic. My favorite holiday moment so far this year was watching the endless stream of performing choirs unite in a candlelight processional. “Believe…in Holiday Magic” filled the skies with fireworks. The Park is particularly impressive during the Holidays, creating vivid memories, although it seemed long in the past as I fought off chills, fever. stiffness, headaches, and loss of appetite. I did, however, still manage to do my exercises and run a mile, but only slightly over, to barely maintain The Streak before I took another 3-hour nap.

I got an early Christmas gift this afternoon, an Indiana basketball victory over state rival Butler. The men in red and white needed a last second, off-balance shot to earn the victory, as the ball somehow dropped down the chimney. HO HO HOW? Santa should be delivering a lot of I.U. apparel this year after Freshman Rob Phinisee DID IT and not THE BUTLER. Tomorrow, on the 3rd day of Christmas, I’m hoping for a Chicago Bears win over the evil Green Bay Packers. Gotta go – our next Holiday Party is about to start – our dinner guests are arriving!

Retirement is not without Hassles: Prime #769

December 12, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

Infinity/Comcast finally added Amazon Prime to its lineup, giving me the freedom to watch their movies on my big screen TVs. Before, I could only view shows like Bosch and Tin Star on my computer, but with my new set-up I now have access to Goliath and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in the bedrooms, living room, and office. I’ve always used it for shopping and buying collectibles, so this makes my subscription even more practical.

A few days ago, I was in Santa Barbara enjoying a half-day of California sunshine. Pleasant weather has not been the case in Portland these past few days. It also turned out to be a bad soccer weekend with two disappointing losses from my teams, but I.U. basketball and the Bears gave me fresh hope despite the clouds. I got back in time for my wife’s Holiday Party and have now settled-in for a couple weeks at home. The next airplane will take me to Chicago for Christmas Eve, Eve.

Today was filled with errands, including a scheduled doctor appointment and shuttle service back-and-forth to the Dog spa. Yesterday, I was feeling poorly, spending most of my time on my butt watching Amazon Prime. This morning was even worse as a stomach ache transitioned into a gross touch of flu. After paying homage to the porcelain god, both sitting and standing, I struggled through day 3,615 of “The Streak” with one of my slowest times of the year. There was little energy left for the rest of the day, and my blood pressure registered at one of the lowest levels I can ever remember – that’s a good thing!

I also tried to tackle a do-it-yourself project and found myself with even less patience than ever. My wife allows me to do electrical work, having proved my worth on several occasions. I do not have her permission to work on too many things around the house, especially if there’s paint involved. In this case, she ordered three sconces for our hallway that were sitting in their shipping boxes awaiting my attention. I stared at them a long time before I felt good enough to take any action. They now elegantly cover three not so attractive electrical boxes that were left by the former owner four years ago. Tonight, the lights are shining, so I accomplished something constructive despite my puniness.

My friends are busy organizing a college baseball trip to Seattle in early March, but my wife is caught-up in budget meetings and may not be able to go with me. At that time, we’re just returning from some business meetings in February and just a couple of weeks away from a trip to Thailand. It’s unfortunate timing, but involves both Indiana University and Oregon State, two of my college baseball favorites. If you’ll remember, last year I watched the Beavers play in the College World Series. They are the defending champions! If I book now, I can do better than a Motel 6. (See Post #766). In the meantime, it’s Prime Time!

Old Sport Shorts: Futbol #765

December 9, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

Are you ready for some Futbol? It’s that “foreign” brand of action focused around maneuvering a black-and-white round-ball rather than an oblong pigskin with stitches. Furthermore, it’s decided on a pitch rather than a gridiron, and is designated a match as opposed to a game. There is no trophy or Super Bowl; instead a cup, plus your team can never get more than one point at a time. It’s top-of mind for me these next few days with the College Cup in Santa Barbara and the MLS Cup in Atlanta.

This year’s College Cup developed into primarily a BIG Ten tournament plus the Akron Zips. My Indiana Hoosiers are the the top remaining seed, so I had to see them inaction. They’ve won this 8 times already and I’ve followed them on TV and radio, hoping to make up for recent dismal I.U. basketball and football seasons. My Alma Mater was also once a powerhouse in swimming, diving, and track, with many Olympic Gold Medal conquests. I tend to follow the sport that favors my chances of winning; a true fair-weather fan! That’s also why I’m in sunny Santa Barbara. Go Hoosiers!

Futbol, in general, has gotten much more respect in recent years and certainly after the advent ofcable and conference networks. ESPN will carry these games, so watch for me in the IU crowd. I’ll be dressed in red, but so will Maryland fans. An undefeated I.U.squad got to the finals last year and lost to Stanford in a painful kick-off. Can we flash the Victory sign and make it 9?

Other Portland Futbol fans are headed to Atlanta, and 72,000 seat Mercedes Benz Stadium. TheTimbers have sent a long log ahead of their fans, hoping that many slices will be sawn off by Timber Joey’s chainsaw. Slice equals Goal for those not familiar with this ritual. Unfortunately, the home pitch makes the Atlanta United a heavy favorite, but the match still has to be played.

I’m coming back early from Santa Barbara for my wife’s Holiday Party so I can’t make Sunday’s game, regardless of the outcome of the Hoosiers and Turtles. Does anybody need a ticket? I’ll also be in the air for the important IU basketball game against rival Louisville, another round-ball battle. I should get back on the ground in time for the Timbers’ game that is part of the evening’s entertainment at her company event. In fact, her TV station is carrying the match-up for all the marbles.

When I go to bed Saturday night I’ll know three answers: Will I be buying another Timbers scarf to hang on my office wall? Will I be ready for some more college futbol on Sunday or will our season be over? Finally, will the Hoosier basketball team be able to beat Louisville in my favorite collegiate sport?

Caleb Porter, who guided the Portland Timbers to the 2015 Championship game, played at Indiana,and coached at Akron. That is the extent of my soccer knowledge, inhibited by the fact that the game was even more “foreign” when I was a kid of the 50s and 60s. Indiana has already defeated both the Maryland Terrapins and Michigan State Spartans, the other two BIG contenders for the prestigious College Cup. I’m always up for good college sports hence the reason for my spur-of-the-moment excursion to Santa Barbara, the host city. The total cost was less than $400.

My first memorable soccer experience dates back to the mid-80s and a radio station promotion involving an exhibition match by the Chicago Sting? I had a hat autographed by all the players that I framed and gave to my son. He did engage in some soccer, but mostly raced BMX bikes, played rugby, and competed in swimming & diving. Soccer was not a big part of his life either. I’ve been to a couple of Timber’s matches here in Portland, but mostly try to tune-in. It’s the festivities around the game that sparked my interest with the waving of scarves, chants, songs, and chainsaw noises. I‘ll be interested to see how the college crowds compare?

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a long night for us Hoosier futbol fans. Despite numerous attempts, nothing got past the Maryland goalkeeper. The Terrapins scored twice to claim a spot in the championship game against Akron. The I.U pep band was the highlight of the evening, being the only team with this level of student support. Nonetheless, the tournament shutout or whitewash streak came sadly to an end, and Maryland will play again on Sunday, once I’m safely settled back in chilly Portland.

Old Sport Shorts: Knight-mares #759

December 3, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

I’m back in the saddle after a long weekend at Disneyworld, catching up on some programs I recorded while experiencing The Nightmare before Christmas at the Park. While I was gone, I also made plans to go to Santa Barbara this Friday to watch the College Cup, the soccer version of basketball’s Final Four, where my alma mater Indiana Hoosiers will make a 20th appearance. On fifteen of those occasions they won the first game and then went on to win the National Championship 8 times – will they make it 9? The program was finally established as a varsity sport the year I graduated in 1973, after being only recognized as a club sport since 1947. A friend of mine played on one of those untouted teams.

When I was in school it was all about basketball, with Bob Knight in his second year as coach of the storied program. The 1972-73 team was his first to go to the Final Four, but at a time when UCLA was still dominant. Swimming & Diving was also a big deal on campus, having just won a National title with Mark Spitz and John Kinsella. Soccer was a non-factor on my list of sports favorites, so it became important only when the Hoosiers starting winning Championships.

This morning I watched the ESPN 30 For 30 special that brought back a lot of memories. It focuses on a controversial “choking” incident during a basketball practice session with former player Neil Reid. It was initially released as a premium incentive for app subscribers, so I was not part of the first group of viewers to first see it. I’m a big supporter of Bob Knight despite his tactics of intimidation. I’ve also seen the media make much out of nothing with disturbing exaggerations of his behavior, including an accidental “head-butting” incident that was disceivingly presented as a reoccuring loop of over-and-over strikes to the forehead head.

There were no complaints about Bob Knight until he started losing. I met him at the Maui Classic one year, but was never able to really talk with him until July 26, 2012. I bought a $50 ticket for a political fundraiser in Dripping Springs, Texas where he was speaking. I expected a big crowd, but instead it was at a private home with few Indiana basketball fans. I spent about a half-hour with him in the kitchen, discussing one of his former players that is a friend of my wife and I. It turned uncomfortable when I mentioned another friend, a popular IU broadcaster that he apparently detested. I saw the dark side that so many talk about – that Jekyll & Hyde personality.

It was shortly after our conversation and during his speech to the small group that his phone started buzzing. He tried to ignore it but the ringing persisted to the point where he took the call, promptly completed his speech, and left abruptly. It was later that night that I heard about Neil Reid’s unexpected death. Knight was under contract with ESPN as an analyst at that time and I’m sure the calls were regarding the nightmarish incident that changed both of their lives.

Knight left Indiana a bitter man and never returned to the campus. He has gotten together with his former players several times at the Workingman’s Friend in Indianapolis, but will always keep his distance from the Bloomington campus. For the most part, they continue to support him. The 30 For 30 special shows mostly his ugly side, but there were so many honorable things that he did behind the scenes for his players, the I.U. library, and the University in general. I felt many emotions as I watched the story unfold through the eyes of the camera. Most of us loathed Neil Reid and viewed him as a “snot-nosed punk,” but he gets long-overdue respect from reporter Robert Abbott. Bob Knight “The General” made his short life a Knight-mare.

Old Sport Shorts: Turkey Bowl #746

November 22, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

It’s been a few posts since I’ve covered the world of sports, and what better day than Thanksgiving? The turkey is in the oven and the Bears are in the Lions den. Here in the Northwest it’s a breakfast game with an early start, as opposed to an afternoon start back home in Indiana. Today, it’s da bird and da Bears!

Turkey Bowls started in 1876 with an annual clash between college foes Yale and Princeton, but games between the University of Michigan and the Chicago Maroons (University of Chicago) in the 1890s are credited for “the beginning of Thanksgiving Day football.” Professional football games on this day also date back to the 1890s with the Allegany Athletic Association of Pittsburgh. For the Chicago Bears, “Turkey Bowls” began against the Chicago Cardinals in 1922 and then switched to the Lions in 1934. For the Lions, owner George A. Richards organized games on Thanksgiving as a gimmick to sell tickets and to continue a tradition begun by the city’s previous NFL teams. Richards also owned WJR radio and was able to negotiate an agreement with NBC to carry his games across the network. This is why the Lions are still associated with today’s holiday.

The Bears last played on Thanksgiving in 2015 and beat the Packers after losing to the Lions in 2014. However, they never played in the 60s when I was growing up. As a result, during Thanksgiving dinners with my cousins, the TV was always on in the background but without the “Monsters of the Midway” the games rarely attracted my interest. We had our own version of the Turkey Bowl in my high school years, with memories of a dusting of snow on the field where we played. It was only a victory if no one got hurt. I’ve actually also been to a college game on Thanksgiving Day between the Texas Longhorns and state-rival A&M.

With regard to other sports, the Maui Invitational Basketball Classic brings back memories of round-ball and turkey. Gonzaga won last night over a Duke team that I thought might challenge the I.U. undefeated season of 1976, a record that has stood now for two-thirds of my life. The Zags still might do it, as they savor the victory with a Thanksgiving meal by the beach. I may return for this turkey tradition in 2020, along with the Hoosiers. Also, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving weekend without the Old Oaken Bucket battle. It’s been played annually since 1920, with Purdue leading the all-time series over Indiana 73-41-6. The Boilers have won the first and last meeting but Indiana will have home field advantage tomorrow. I like to refer to it as the “Toilet Bowl,” where one team or the other barely earns enough victories to qualify for a consolation bowl game. Tomorrow is no exception, with equal 5-6 records! Who will get the gravy?

Without much rest from the Sunday Night’s huge victory over the Vikings, an injured Mitchell Trubisky, and the home field advantage for the Lions, I don’t harbor much hope. In fact, it’s one of the shortest turn-around games in NFL history. Da Bears lead the NFC North with a 7-3 record and a 1.5 game advantage on the defending division champion Vikings. We’ll start our drive to Bend before the game ends this morning, but I’m glad I got a little taste of Bears football to start my 68th Thanksgiving.

Old Sport Shorts: Rainbows #720

October 28, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

I feel that my Sports fortunes changed today, so I experienced the overwhelming need to gloat or at least rejoice. I tuned into Indiana University soccer just in time to watch them win an overtime thriller over Michigan State. I had just sent a note to my college friends to remind them that the game was on and they, in turn, warned me not to watch in the interest of the team. I texted back that it was too late, I actually saw them win live, so my luck had certainly changed. I’m sure my skeptical friends were caught by surprise, especially after listening to me bitch about the misfortunes of my favorite teams, and knowing that I could could once again watch and win.

My good friend always speaks facetiously about rainbows. Seeing them in his mind’s eye is how he supposedly maintains his cool as our teams often falter. He always encourages me to “think rainbows” instead of spouting profanities, as I often do. He’s the optimistic alternative to my pessimistic ways. He follows similar teams that I do, and has watched our I.U. football consistently forget there’s a fourth quarter, our basketball team stumble the last ten years, and the University of Oregon Ducks fall short too frickin’ often; not to mention the Cubs, Mariners, White Sox, Pacers, and Trail Blazers, so there must be merit in his words. I, on the other hand, don’t see how it really matters how I react to a loss – it’s still a damn loss! Rainbows – Schmainbows!

We’ve all had to to go outside the traditional boundaries of our interest growing-up to end the losing drought of the past few years, although the Cubs brought some relief with a long-overdue World Series Crown two years ago. We put our support behind the Oregon State baseball team to celebrate a National Championship, and have had to find solace with soccer through the Portland Timbers and our Alma Mater. The problem is that Hoosier soccer has seen great success these past few years but there are few trophies to show for it. The Timbers won it all in 2015, while I.U. lost the National Championship with only one loss all year! I saw no rainbows in that! To make matters worse, despite 35 consecutive BIG Conference victories, it was the ties that cost us the hardware. How does a true competitor react to a worthless tie that only soccer sees as an appropriate way to settle a match?

The storm has apparently passed and today marked the first signs of a rainbow. The Bears, Colts, and Hoosiers all won today, and as icing on the cake, the Packers lost. I.U. won the BIG regular season trophy for the first time in eight years going a perfect 8-0. For 31 consecutive years, the team has appeared in the NCAA Tournament, and 10 straight years before that one off-year in 1986. They have not won the BIG tournament in five years, and have never won it in basketball, that finally starts again this week. I’m hoping this optimistic rainbow over my head leads to many victories in 2019. Unfortunately, the National League could not prevail in the World Series, so my Cub’s favorites were never really in serious contention. This will have to change in years to come!

Here’s to rainbows throughout the remainder of 2018 and into 2019. 2018 has been a tough year, so I’m looking forward to future prosperity in my world of sports. I don’t expect the Bears to win the Superbowl, but I’d like to see an end to the endless criticism about draft choices, and I’d like to see the Colts see a full year of benefits out of Andrew Luck. Maybe more in 2020? Furthermore, I’d like to see freshman Romeo Langford exceed all expectations at Indiana on the basketball court, and lead the team to a pot of gold. In addition, I would wish for another Hoosier NCAA soccer title, their 9th and first in 6 years. I’d like to see another I.U. football bowl bid, and back-to-back Oregon State College World Series titles. I’d also like to see the Timbers take it all, and the Cubs or White Sox back in division contention. The Ducks and Trail Blazers are not necessarily a priority for me personally, but local favorites certainly deserve success. At least, providing a fall-back if my other favorites fail. I’ve certainly seen enough rain here in the Northwest, but not enough rainbow aftermaths to make it all worthwhile. Show me the colors of the Rainbow!