The last few days have started with two wild and crazy dogs, as Tally’s doggy niece Falco is visiting. There are nine years difference in their ages but Tally always revisits puppyhood in her presence. They are also much braver as a pair, barking in tandem at every other dog in the neighborhood. Falco is always impatient to go outside once I get up, accustomed to living with a younger, working couple used to getting up earlier. I have to alter my routine to accommodate her demands, so push-ups and sit ups have to wait until she’s done her duty. Then, finally, I get a peaceful hour of running, free from any dog responsibilities. This makes my morning trek more of something to look forward to rather than regret.
As taking care of two dogs takes extra time, so did yesterday’s I.U. basketball overtime victory. They squeaked by a marginal Northwestern team after what looked like certain disaster. The team was getting heavy criticism about a 2-9 record following wins over rated teams, a sure sign of letting down. The surprising home and away upsets over #8 Iowa last weekend had them only slightly favored over the Wildcats yesterday, who had lost nine straight games, so certainly the Hoosiers weren’t underestimating the importance of this road game. Also, Northwestern had already beaten them in December at Assembly Hall. It took double overtime to seal the victory, after Indiana struggled for most of the game, only leading for a total of 14-seconds in regulation and at one point falling 14-points behind, including six straight missed free throws. I.U. didn’t score in the first five-and-a-half minutes and only had seven points in the first thirteen, limping into halftime with a controversial twenty-points after a replay ruled that time had not expired on a fast shot clock violation.
In games this season, the anemic first half offense has not clicked with only 19 against Texas in the opener and 21 versus Maryland. Without the favorable replay, this would have been the lowest output of the year. The reversal also accounted for Trayce Jackson Davis’ only points in the first half. Plus, just like the Iowa game, I was constantly on the edge of my seat after so many failed opportunities to close out the game. It took a career scoring high 24-points from Armaan Franklin, a critical three from just out of the doghouse Jerome Hunter, and a 7-0 personal run by Al Durham, including critical free throws, to stop the 2-9 bleeding.
The edge of the chair awaits again this weekend with a visit to #4 Ohio State. We’ve got to find a way to score, cut down on turnovers, and hit some free throws to have a chance. These are the three factors that have plagued us all season. Two straight victories is the longest streak the Hoosiers have been able to manage this season, with only six match-ups left to play. Covid has prevented road games against both Michigan and Michigan State, but both teams come to Bloomington before this year is over. I still think we’ll be fortunate to go 3-3 in this final stretch for a mediocre 9-9 conference record, as I’ve predicted from the start. I also foresee more Overtime nail-biters in my future. The once dominant Cream & Crimson are going to the BIG dogs!
Just another Sunday in February. “Sunday” Brunch on the radio and a much too early 9 a.m. I.U. basketball game against Iowa. Another sloppy start by the Hoosiers on the verge of losing an unheard of four games straight at home, and I need whisky to cope, although a Bloody Mary would be more appropriate. Oh yes, and the Super Bowl is this afternoon…Ho Hum. Brady vs. Mahomes – I can’t say I really care. Not even some good commercials to watch or a decent half-time show.
Clang…Clang…Clang… go the baskets – and frustrating turnovers to boot. Missed free throws and long scoring draughts add to the misery. It’s like a reoccurring nightmare, dating back too many years. Then, suddenly, a brief moment of competency and an unexpected half-time lead. It’s hard to figure out this Hoosier team, but Garza on the bench for Iowa certainly helped. By the way, we had the halfway lead against Illinois on Monday night and that didn’t turn out so well. We need another marquis win to make the tournament and it doesn’t matter if it’s against the same team twice.
Tom Brady changed uniforms this year, but will still be playing in his tenth Super Bowl today. Since I’ll soon be a Florida resident, I should probably support his Tampa Bay team. It’s incredible in life how some people get all the glory, while others get none. Patrick Mahomes is the defending champion, so it’s hard to see either as an underdog. I’m sure I will waver back and forth on which team to support. Without a party, the Clydesdales, or a star musical performance, it’s hard to get excited. However, there’s little else to watch. I’m not encouraged by the Hoosier start to the second half either. It could be just a another long day – not necessarily Super!
P.S. Super lucky win by IU 67-65 on an Armaan Franklin last second shot, despite shooting 23-64 (35.9%), 6-23 from 3, and 15-24 (62.5%) from the free throw line. Trayce Jackson-Davis had an impressive double-double with 17-points and 12-rebounds. Looking at these horrible stats, it really was a miracle victory! We needed a break – but it’s too bad we can’t play Iowa every week.
It’s been quite a transition from blue skies and t-shirts to darkness and a hooded rain coat. I’m also getting up an hour earlier, dealing with the 3-hour time shift from East to West Coast. The TV is again providing background noise as I busy myself with taxes, writing, finances, and phone calls. We met with our home finance representative yesterday with instructions to file more forms and received a delay notification on a closing date with our Florida home. This interferes with a cruise planned for early April, so we’re panicked on establishing a move date and whether or not to cancel these trip plans.
Today, I have to see a notary at the bank, go to the dry cleaners, take my I-Watch in for repair, and have my new front tire checked for a leak. I’ll also take my wife to the grocery store, so I’ll be out and about, further exposed to the dreaded virus. The Miami terminal and our flights home were very crowed, while only eighty-year-olds are eligible for vaccines in Oregon. It will be awhile before we can feel safe, and in the meantime we’re keeping our distance from friends and family. We both feel fine after two weeks in Florida, but a bit depressed by the rainy weather.
As far as sporting entertainment, I was able to watch a live You Tube streaming of my niece’s Team Illinois victory in the Mrs. Hockey tournament championship, going undefeated against seven other national contenders to bring home the hardware. Tonight, it’s I.U. Basketball against Illinois. Hopefully, they’ve been practicing their shooting during the last two idle weeks as opponents have cancelled due to Covid. They need a victory to stay in contention for a tournament berth, but I still don’t have high hopes for their success. The televised game will at least buy me a delay in my night to cook. Superbowl Sunday, I.U. vs. Iowa, and a possible baseball card show are also on my sports menu for the remainder of this week.
Yes, we’re back to the hassles of reality after a couple weeks of paradise. It’s time to face the bills, the boredom, and the bleak forecast. My Florida glow is starting to fade along with the ink in my printer. Important decisions about our move, cruise, and budgeting will need to be made in the next two weeks. I also want to take the time to recognize the 100th anniversary of my parent’s birth (born one day apart), although they are no longer here to celebrate. Thoughts of them are a nice distraction from the decisions that need to be made. It hurts to use my brain again after lazy days on a sunny beach. Here’s to our future, the love of my parents, and hopes for some I.U. basketball wins, as we once again deal with reality!
It’s “Hump Day” in Hawaii, the half-way point of our South Beach retreat. Sunshine has been the common theme since we arrived in Florida last week, with more blue skies in the forecast. Meanwhile, back home in Portland there have been signs of snow in Facebook posts. As a side note, I was reunited this morning with my lost sock, left behind in efforts to do laundry in a few days ago. I think I left more socks at my son’s house last week, like a trail of bread crumbs throughout the state.
Florida has put in a bid to host the Olympics in six months, citing their success with other sporting events during this pandemic. Tokyo may not be able to handle this commitment that was already delayed from 2020. Another year setback would jeopardize the ability of some athletes to compete. With all the uncertainties, it must be difficult to maintain focus and be motivated to train. Regardless, I will once again not be competing. It was hard enough to complete my 3.1 mile run this morning, but day #4,316 is officially in the books. On our way to dinner at Joe’s Stone Crab tonight, I may even get to see the start of Robert Kraft’s bid on 16,829 consecutive days.
On a frustrating note, there will be no one elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year for the first time since 1960. Curt Schilling fell sixteen votes short. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens continue to be excluded from this club despite their credentials and will have one more chance next year. Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson were not on the ballot. They need to add a “bad boys” wing of the Hall to accommodate these controversial personalities. There are also so many others that could have been added like Saturnino Orestes Armas Minoso of the Chicago White Sox and other Negro League players that were crippled by discrimination. A friend just sent me an article claiming that “it is utterly inconceivable that “Minnie” Minoso is not in the Hall of Fame.” The same can be said for Satchel Paige and countless others.
I once again make a plea to the Hall of Fame to reconsider the “Lost Sox” like Minoso, Sherm Lollar, Shoeless Joe, Billy Pierce, Harold Baines, Dick Allen, and Tim Raines. It still bothers me that a majority of HOF players are pitchers, while their supportive catchers and fielders have been overlooked. Their accomplishments have been forgotten over time and their votes misplaced like my running socks – missing soul mates!
“Dodgertown” in Vero Beach was closed and extensive renovations are being done by MLB, so the closed I could get was the front iron gates. Our friend grew up there, her dad a pitcher for the 1955 World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers. He set a rookie record for 27 strike outs in two successive games before an injury ended his career. The park’s historical significance also reflects the 1947 signing of Jackie Robinson. Corona also affected visits this year to Cubs/White Sox Spring training in Phoenix and a Cardinals/Rangers exhibition game at the new Globe Life Park in Arlington.
I found myself in front of the TV again last night with the Chiefs and Buccaneers headed to the Super Bowl. I also monitored another IU Basketball loss, this time to Rutgers after the surprising Iowa victory. The game against Michigan State this weekend has already been stomped out by the pandemic, so we’ll have to live with this disappointment for at least a full week before Illinois comes to town. That game will then likely lead to further despair, as tourney chances once again have been sadly derailed.
We returned our rental car to the airport last night only to find a dent in the hood. I remember parking at a Cracker Barrell restaurant the other day under the shade of a coconut tree. Could one have fallen and caused this costly damage or was it like that when we picked it up? It’s just another hassle we’ll have to deal with on this journey. I’ve run the beach path and street in front of our hotel the past two mornings past all the Art Deco hotels in our area. The once heavily congested Ocean Avenue has been shut down to traffic, so the restaurants have all expanded into the streets. It’s now a much more pleasant atmosphere on the beach front if there’s such a thing as a plus-side to the Coronavirus outbreak. Running near the water and in the sun is always a nice distraction from the dreary streets of downtown Portland.
As part of today’s retirement journey, we move on to Vanderbilt Beach and more old friends to see. It was usually the ski slopes where we’d meet years ago, but now it’s the surf. It will certainly be another afternoon of laughs recounting the memories. More fellow Hoosier Snow Birds taking advantage of the sand and sunshine. My last two lunches were at beach bars with friends from Fort Wayne that I hadn’t seen for seven years, while today’s reunion over drinks will be three years for him and sixteen for her. We’ll spend the night in Naples and drive to Miami tomorrow.
My wife can’t bear to leave this morning without one last trip by the house, hoping that the front door is being installed and the roofing tile is completed. We’ve been by every day to check on its progress, still targeting mid-March completion. This will be our last opportunity before we move in. We also leave behind the grandkids until that moment when we become permanent residents. After the first night on South Beach we’ll then drive up to Vero Beach to visit with another Hoosier friend for the day, and back to Miami for the rest of our Florida stay.
I was excited that the I.U. Hoosier basketball team was able to redeem themselves last night with a victory over #4 Iowa. I was at a low point with the team after the Purdue embarrassment last week, and glad that I wouldn’t be able to watch last night for fear of more shame. In fact, I fell asleep at halftime and was shocked by the 81-69 final score. Somehow, the Cream & Crimson were able to overcome a twelve point deficit and win by thirteen. Iowa did not score for eleven minutes, so great defense and some much needed good fortune prevailed. The victory also gives them some tourney credibility that was certainly in doubt last week. Rutgers is the next match-up that I will also miss by being a Florida Snow Bird.
I’ve now completed 4,400 consecutive days of running, another milestone in The Streak that started over twelve years ago. This daily routine has consumed 17% of my life, but it’s hard to remember those times when I wasn’t doing it every day. It’s a meaningful accomplishment, especially when it’s crossed off the daily checklist, and I can sit and write about it. My feet have felt heavy this past week, while my muscles remain stiff from the cold, damp weather. I can’t seem to warm up, so I’m looking forward to two weeks of hot Florida sunshine. I’ll see my son, grandkids, and a few Midwest friends in the process. We’ll also get to see firsthand the progress on our home.
Today is what I like to call the basketball bucket game, although there is no trophy like football, just bragging rights. It’s the first of two IU-PU annual matchups that always stack-up to be the most important games on the schedule every year. There have been 211 meetings in total with the Boilermakers leading the overall series 122-89. Purdue has also won the last seven, so Hoosier pride is on the line. Both teams are currently 3-3 in the BIG, hoping to escape from mediocrity in the conference. Even though tonight’s game is in Bloomington, there’s not much of a home field advantage with limited crowds due to Covid. The Hoosier teams have not been good from the free throw line or any other spot on the court in recent years, so they need to find a way to score. They can win by scoring 70 points or more, with their only loss at that level to Wisconsin in double overtime. A low scoring game with lots of fouls will spell disaster for the Cream & Crimson. Purdue, on the other hand, has just proven they can win in a low scoring battle, beating favored Michigan State 55-54 on the road. They will jam IU efforts to score inside and force us to take the 3, especially with our best outside shooter on the sidelines with an injury. It will probably be ugly!
Fortunately, I have a Flaviar whiskey shipment due to be delivered today. I will need it to calm my nerves, as I text with friends that will be rooting both for and against me. This is the beauty of the rivalry that can only be appreciated with a victory. IU is favored by 3.5 with an over/under of 130. This supports my “Magic of 70” theory. We have a much better chance of winning if we can score 70 points or more in regulation. The teams appear to be evenly matched but according to oddsmakers IU has a 65.2% chance of winning. Purdue won last year 57-49 and 74-62. The year before it was PU 48-46 and 70-55. These pathetic scoring efforts by the Hoosiers will have to end tonight to stop the bleeding. We need buckets of baskets!
I came in from my run this morning looking like a drowned rat. The rain was coming down and the wind was blowing in my face. I tried to dodge the puddles but the passing cars sprayed me with muddy water. It was day #4398 of The Streak and I’m glad to now be sitting in warmth. Next week I’ll be complaining about the Florida heat. Our schnauzer Tally was not happy about the rain either and stalled before getting out of bed. She ran away from me as soon as I tried to put on her coat and took the shortest route possible to do her business. The only thing tolerable about wet weather for her is to be thoroughly toweled-off afterwards.
I got two new tires yesterday as further preparation for our upcoming cross-country drive to our new house. There was a slow leak in the front right that was easily patched, but I decided to look out for our overall safety. The back two tires were previously replaced, so only and an oil change/tune-up remains to be done before March. That’s when we expect Florida construction to be completed. We’re all looking forward to getting out of this rain when we go down to check on it next week. It will be two much anticipated weeks of sun and surf.
We caught up on the latest episodes of Your Honor and Shameless yesterday. and I watched The Tide Roll over the Buckeyes for the National Title. My entire focus will now be on basketball starting with the Indiana vs. Purdue match-up Thursday night. Tomorrow evening we agreed to go to a friend’s house for dinner. It’s the first time we’ve dined out for months and the first time in ten months that we’ve broken bread with anyone other than family. Once we get to Florida, the restaurants will be open and we’ll not be cooking. It’s my turn to prepare tonight’s meal. Hopefully, I will have dried out by then with only faint memories of the splash I made this morning, running like a drowned rat!
This morning was about as exciting as it gets these days. The money was deposited in our savings account to cover all the closing costs on our new Florida home and the builder took us on a detailed tour of the exposed wiring, plumbing, and structure. Our new home is slowly coming together based on the model we selected and the modifications that we arranged. Ten-foot ceilings, eight-foot doorways, a larger garage, upgraded appliances, and a pool are gradually becoming reality. I will share the floor plan and some photos with my friends shortly in a Zoom “Leadership Meeting.”
This afternoon, I will then put together a plan for to tomorrow’s baseball card show. I want to fill in some lineups for the 1954-1972 White Sox teams. I also added some photos to my Sherm Lollar collection this past week with some E-Bay purchases. Switching back and forth between hobbies keeps things from getting too routine. Card collecting, genealogy, and writing have been the mainstays of retirement. It’s been frustrating not being able to travel, as well, but at least a trip to Florida is only a week away. We’ll check out the house in person, visit with friends & family, drive down through The Keys, and spend a week in Miami. Florida is the one place that has been consistently open this past year, so we’ve managed three visits, including the cross-country drive.
It was another frustrating finish for I.U. basketball last night. A chance to beat Wisconsin in Madison for the first time in 23 years fell short in double overtime. We were on the verge of winning in regulation and overtime, but the second extended period was all Badgers. The next game is Sunday at Nebraska, with must-win expectations. The new year has not been kind to the Hoosiers with key losses in both football and basketball. At least, I have a new home to look forward to in March since Madness may not happen again for this very average BIG team. Today’s home inspection, however, has lifted my spirits about the future.
It’s a New Year with hopes of an I.U. Outback Bowl victory. Last year, they fell short against Tennessee with a late game letdown. With last night’s Ohio State Sugar Bowl domination of Clemson, this Hoosier team is even stronger than I thought. We came so close against the Buckeyes, plus Northwestern throttled Auburn, so the BIG 10 has proven to be a very formidable league, especially against the highly touted SEC. Indiana can add to the 3-0 conference bowl record today with a victory over Old Miss in Tampa. This would set the stage for more respect when next year’s postseason slate is determined.
The Hoosiers should have played in the top tier Citrus Bowl instead of Northwestern but fell in the final rankings to #11 despite a convincing win over Wisconsin, the other BIG bowl representative. Clearly politics played a role, just as Notre Dame was awarded a playoff spot despite the Clemson blow-out loss. Coach Tom Allen has vaulted the I.U. program into the upper echelon of a powerful conference. They can prove their worth today! My other team, #25 Oregon, plays #10 Iowa State later today in the Fiesta Bowl.
Meanwhile, basketball continues to struggle, but did manage to pull-off an OT win over Penn State. Another W against Maryland next week and they can even their BIG record after an 0-2 start. Basketball used to be the big sport on campus in Bloomington, but surprisingly football has proven to be more successful in recent years. In the Bob Knight era it was “The Magic of 60.” If the Hoosiers got to 60 before their opponent victory was eminent. However, with the addition of the 3-point shot, 70 is now coach Archie Miller’s defining number. With his leadership, in conference play (including the B1G tourney) the Hoosiers are 18-7 when scoring 70 or more points and 10-30 when scoring below 70 points. 70 is the new 60 going forward.
Purdue basketball is off to a 7-4 start, but 2-2 in the conference. They play #15 Illinois this afternoon, after losing to #14 Rutgers. It would be nice to see a ranked Purdue or Indiana program. Unfortunately, both rivals will be in the lower half of the BIG since the league is loaded with 7 nationally ranked teams. Here on the West coast, the undefeated Zags are still the #1 team in the country while the Oregon Ducks (6-1) stand at #21.
On the baseball front, the Cubs continue to clean house with the trade of Yu Darvish and Victor Caratini to the Padres. Yu has been the pitching leader for the last two years, with Cy Young consideration. There’s also talk of dealing my favorite and IU alum, Kyle Schwarber. Rizzo and Bryant will soon become free agents, so the World Series Champions of 2016 are seeing their winning foundation deteriorate. Today, however, my concern is football the Indiana Hoosiers in the Outback Bowl.
