I experienced a little mild dizziness on this morning’s run, #4,369 of The Streak. Hopefully, it’s nothing to be concerned about, most likely dehydration. I’m always worried that I’ll have another episode like two years ago (See Post #808) where I ended up in the Emergency Room after nearly passing out. Nothing serious was found in the tests that they did, but I do have a small aneurysm that I need to continue to monitor. It’s shown little change in many years but makes me feel vulnerable. Like everyone else, I’m just grateful to have survived 2020, with only 17 days remaining.
Every little ache and pain gets magnified in these viral times, with thoughts of Covid symptoms. I couldn’t possibly count the number of times I’ve had a scratchy throat, cough, or upset stomach this year that was surely the onset of the worst. What professed pessimist like myself isn’t also a hypochondriac? I can’t help but think of Fred Sanford’s famous line while grabbing his chest, “It’s the BIG one!!!” Around Portland where I now live it also refers to the inevitable earthquake. When I move to Florida in the spring, it will be the next hurricane. Fortunately, having grown up in the Midwest, I’ve survived many tornado threats. There’s always something to fret. “You hear that, Elizabeth? I’m coming to join ya, honey!”
“Big Ones” can also refer to football games. I was so disappointed when the Old Oaken Bucket game was canceled last weekend. It was a chance for the #8 Indiana Hoosiers to really shine against their biggest rival, the Purdue Boilermakers. Well. thanks to the divine intervention of the BIG10, the two were pitted against each other again this week. The game, The Big One for The Bucket, is traditionally held around Thanksgiving, but was delayed along with the season due to Covid. The virus reared its ugly head again in the cancellation, but we’ve been given a third chance for it to happen. Purdue fans probably thought they had dodged a bullet, but like a cartoon that sees it magically change direction, here it comes again! The Big One is back!
There was a Border War yesterday, but it only took place on the basketball court. Oregon beat Washington 74-71, claiming their fourth straight rivalry victory. Earlier in the day, both football teams were unfortunately stuck on the sidelines due to Covid, which now raises a controversial issue. If the game had been played, Oregon might have had a chance to play for the PAC12 Championship and potentially redeem a disappointing season. Instead, the Huskies failed to field a team yet claimed the North division with a better record, without even having played a road game. The Ducks are just another casualty of the virus.
Meanwhile in the BIG10, match-ups for Saturday’s games have yet to be announced, though it seems likely that IU.’s next football game will be against Iowa. Football continues to be the shining star in the I.U. athletics program, but sadly never got the chance to play Purdue. Oregon is now waiting to see if Washington can put together a team to play U.S.C. in the Championship. Otherwise, the Ducks could play again in their stead, since it’s unlikely they will be in a bowl game unless they get a shot at the undefeated and 15th ranked Trojans. Ohio State and Michigan also never got a chance to compete, so the BIG waived the minimum game rule to allow them to play Northwestern for the title. The two conferences have been a cluster of confusion.
I.U. basketball stands at a mediocre 3-2 after the disappointing overtime failure at Florida State. Both losses have been to Top 20 teams, keeping The Hoosiers from joining this evasive, elite group of college programs. If they continue to fall short, they may not make the tournament again this year. They’re also looking sloppy against North Alabama, while next week’s game with Butler is in Covid jeopardy. An impossibly tough conference schedule then looms ahead. All is not well with Archie Miller’s underperforming team – another cluster of confusion.
There is no Bucket or Border War to win today. Both rivalries have succumb to Covid. The teams were already three weeks behind schedule as both conference seasons were delayed and shortened by the dreaded virus. Dead. Games today will decide who plays who next, although it has already been determined that #4 Ohio State will play #14 Northwestern for the BIG10 title, #1 Alabama will face #6 Florida for the SEC crown, and #2 Notre Dame will meet #3 Clemson in a rematch for ACC bragging rights. I’m waiting to see what BIG10 team #8 Indiana plays next Saturday and whether the Oregon Ducks will get to compete for PAC12 honors or if the Huskies will automatically get the nod?
1942 was the first Old Oaken Bucket game where Indiana or Purdue entered the contest with a national rating. That year the #18 Hoosiers won 20-0. The following year #3 Purdue got revenge 7-0. In 1945, it was #4 I.U. prevailing 26-0. It wasn’t until 1960 that ratings once again became a bucket factor as #13 Purdue won in West Lafayette 35-6. 1967 went to #4 Indiana, while the 1968 #12 Boilers took home the bucket, and added another P-link in 1969 as the #17 team in the country. 1978 and 1979 also went to ranked Purdue, and it wasn’t until 1987 when the ratings tide changed as #20 Indiana won 35-14, followed by similar success by the #21 Hoosiers in 1993. After that it was all Purdue with nationally recognized teams in 1997 (#23), 1999 (#19), 2000 (#17), and 2003 (#16). Following this stretch, both programs had been in a serious ratings draught until the 2020 #8 Indiana Hoosiers took the field.
It was the Joe Tiller era from 1996-2008 when the dominant Black & Gold went 10-2 against the bucket deprived Cream & Crimson. Going back a little further, the rivalry’s biggest upset was in 1989 when Bill Mallory coached I.U. was a 15.5 favorite, but underdog Purdue led by Fred Akers pulled off a 15-14 victory. It was their only Big Ten win that year and proof that anything can happen in a rivalry game. With the death of the bucket this year, we’ll never know if lightening could have possibly struck twice?
Santa started making deliveries this week, getting a head start on Christmas morning. The electric scooter arrived in Florida for my granddaughter. A Gamemaker2 program showed up on my grandson’s computer, and a kids table & chairs set is on the way for my youngest granddaughter. However, I did not get any of my holiday wishes granted yesterday. Santa, dressed in cream & crimson, did not deliver a basketball win at Florida State, a Bucket Game this year, or a top spot in the BIG10 Football Championship. The Buckeye Santa, also dressed in red & white, swayed conference representatives to allow his team to play for the title against Northwestern. Honestly, they deserve it after their 42-35 victory over Indiana and an undefeated record.
It was not a good day for I.U. or P.U. athletics as Covid once again has taken its toll. The Old Oaken Bucket rivalry (See Post #867) has existed since 1891 but games in 1895, 1896, 1903, 1906, 1907, 1918, 1919, and now 2020 did not happen due to various circumstances. The game this Saturday would have been the 100th consecutive in the series but has been officially cancelled. Overall, Purdue leads 74-42-6, but the #8 Hoosiers had hoped to narrow that wide gap as a heavy favorite. Thanks to Covid, The Boilermakers may have dodged a bullet! Up next for I.U. will probably be Iowa if Champions Week goes as planned. As we all know, nothing is certain in these viral times!
Santa is still coming to town, although there will be only one limited family get-together. My wife’s daughter and husband will be over for a dinner gift exchange next week, but all other family meetings will be limited to phone or Zoom. Kauai was cancelled and any travel into San Francisco for the other daughter is delayed. We will get together with my son’s family in mid-January with a trip to Florida and The Keys. We’re still waiting to see what happens with any home construction delays and the cruises we have scheduled for 2021. Santa is putting us in a new Florida home this year.
Yesterday’s errands turned out to be less of a hassle than originally expected. This is the plus side of being a pessimist. I didn’t have to deal with the garage hydraulics, traffic was light, parking was easy, appointments went as scheduled, and travel between them was smooth. There were no wrong turns and not once did I go out of my way. This is a rare accomplishment. The Social Security office was closed, so I put my paperwork in the mail, hoping that it will still get immediate attention. There was one extra unexpected task when the low-air indicator popped up on my dashboard. It required a stop at Les Schwab Tire, but they got me in right away. I will need two new tires before we head out to Florida, but that will wait until after the first of the year.
I was surprisingly home by noon, expecting all my tasks to take most of the day. My wife then offered to let me put-off cooking for a few days, allowing even more time for play. As a result, I watched two more James Bond movies – Diamonds are Forever (#7 1971) and Her Majesty’s Secret Service (#6 1969). Today, I’ll be home all day with more Bond movies, Big Sky, and Suits on the television viewing plan. This sadly is the new daily norm for me – run, blog, watch. Tomorrow, it’s back to the dentist for a crown and a filling, another deviation from the apartment routine. I’m glad to have something to do, but who really wants to go get drilled?
I.U. basketball is on TV tonight, with the ACC-BIG10 Challenge against #22 Florida State. BIG teams dominated yesterday’s action with a 6-1 record, with the only loss by Purdue against Miami. A Hoosier victory would be a positive step into the Top 25 after a mediocre performance in the Maui Classic. The other big news today will be the BIG10 Conference decision to wave the six-game minimum on playing for the title. With the cancellation of the Michigan-Ohio State game, the Buckeyes at 5-0 have not played enough games to qualify. Indiana at 6-1 could by-pass Ohio State, despite the earlier 42-35 loss, and play Northwestern for the championship. However, the vote could pander to the Buckeyes, allowing them to also compete for a National Championship. This would unfortunately knock the Hoosiers out of contention for the BIG title, despite the rules. One way or the other, it will be a very controversial decision. The Old Oaken Bucket game against Purdue is also in jeopardy this weekend due to Coronavirus concerns, although it has little affect on Hoosier post-season destiny. Even though it might benefit I.U. football – Covid Sucks!
Indiana is having the best football season since before I was born. A once mediocre to poor program has been resurrected by coach Tom Allen. For me, watching them beat Wisconsin yesterday was a near religious experience. The post-game interview showed the love of the players for their coach. It’s encouraging to note that his enthusiasm, energy, and respect will bring top players to Indiana for many years to come. Football will become THE Hoosier sport. Next year, even Ohio State will have reason to fear the Cream & Crimson.
The next step is beating Purdue next Saturday for the Old Oaken Bucket. Rivalry games like this tend to bring out the best in a mediocre opponent like this year’s Boilermakers squad. I’ve seen many a solid I.U. team fall apart in this game. Weather may even be a bigger factor with the December match-up three weeks later than normal. There’s been nothing normal about 2020, and I.U. football success is one of the irregularities. The Hoosiers now boast the most wins in the BIG Conference at six, with Penn State, Michigan, and now Wisconsin as their uncharacteristic victims. In order to qualify for the Championship game, Ohio State still needs to play one more game. If the virus gets in the way, as it often has this year, the Hoosiers could still win the evasive title.
In my lifetime, only the Rose Bowl season of 1967-68 compares with 2020-21 success. The Hoosiers under John Pont finished 6-1 in the Big Ten that year, 9-2 overall, and became the last non-Ohio/Michigan team to win the Conference, losing only to Minnesota. They earned a trip to the Rose Bowl, but were thwarted 14-3 by USC’s O.J. Simpson, the Heisman Trophy winner that year. The team featured wide receiver Jade Butcher, running back John Isenbarger, and MVP Harry Gonzo at quarterback: B-I-G. They were known by those three letters long before the Conference itself!
Virus willing – there will be at least three more games for the Hoosiers this year, including a major Bowl. Hungry Purdue at 2-4 will not qualify for post season play even if they pull-off the upset of I.U. – more reason for me to worry about next Saturday. My other hometown adopted teams are Illinois 2-4, Texas 6-3, and Oregon 3-2. Notre Dame stands at 10-0, with a chance for a National Championship. My heart is always with the Hoosiers. Behold – we are witnessing the resurrection of I.U. football!
The Hoosiers will need some breaks today to win at Wisconsin. Before the game even starts, they’ve already had a major setback with the loss of quarterback Michael Penix, Jr., tearing his ACL in last weekend’s victory over Maryland. Once again, history is not on our side, with Wisconsin leading the series 41-18-2. This time, however #10 Indiana is ranked higher, but this is primarily based on Penix’s achievements. They haven’t taken home the cheese in Madison since 2001. Utah transfer Jack Tuttle will start his first game in a Hoosier uniform with a ton of weight on his shoulders today.
Will football continue to perform better than basketball, or at the end of the day will I be supporting two middle-of-the-pack programs? The Hoosiers round-ballers are once again expected to finish in the midst of the BIG and finished in the middle of the Maui Invitational with a 2-1 record to start the season. The team simply can’t shoot and consequently relies too heavily on lay-ups and rebounds from Trayce Jackson-Davis. A second setback this week was an ankle injury to Al Durham. Sadly, misfortune of this nature may indicate that the athletic program is cursed with mediocrity. I can only hope that going forward that we show some resiliency.
A gridiron victory over Wisconsin today would vault us to the top of the conference, with a faint chance of getting to the BIG Championship Game for the first time since its inception nine years ago. Ohio State is struggling with Covid interruptions that could put them in danger of not playing enough games to qualify. Purdue is also in the way of this achievement, another dangerous obstacle, as the Bucket Game moved out of its traditional Thanksgiving slot to take place in the middle of December. Basketball, as well, plays important games against Florida State, N. Alabama, and Butler. BIG match-ups begin in two weeks. Hopefully, it’s not a mediocre month for Indiana sports! Go Hoosiers!
Today started like most every other day in 2020 with a run and a blog post. There’s little indication that it will change soon. I do appreciate this mild December weather with clear blue skies, a rarity in Portland this time of year. We also continue to remain healthy and active. Travel would be nice, but not likely the remainder of this year and probably into next. Today’s calendar features a trip to the dentist for a cleaning. Basketball on TV keeps me entertained. Sadly, there’s not much variety in my life these days and little spice to go with it. The words are from a William Cowper’s poem called “The Task,” written in 1785: “Variety is the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor.”
We watched an old Bill Murry movie called Quick Change as a change of pace last night. It was slap-stick comedy and somewhat disappointing. A couple more episodes of Suits filled the evening. I broke out a bottle of WhistlePig whiskey that I received as part of a Flaviar subscription. Tonight, they’re attempting to break the world record for participation in a virtual toast. I’ve yet to decide whether or not to get involved in this tribute to Dean Martin. Too many of the TV shows I’ve been watching are centered around the office beverage cart. They’ve finally tempted me enough to make my happy hour a sip or two of whiskey rather than a glass of wine. Variety is the spice of life thanks to Flaviar.
I.U. finished third in the Maui Invitational after bouncing back from their poor performance against Texas to whip Stanford. Times have certainly changed to the point where Texas is now ranked higher than Indiana in basketball but lower in football. It’s always been the other way around as long as I can remember. Hoosier Football can take another giant leap with a victory over Wisconsin on Saturday. Injuries and Covid may be the determining factor. I do like the possibility that Ohio State may not be able to get in enough games to qualify for the BIG Championship. If I.U. somehow wins, it will be interesting to see if Michigan will thwart the rival Buckeye’s bid to compete for a title by simply not playing. In the world of baseball, former I.U. star and Cubs’ World Series hero Kyle Schwarber is now a free agent. Thankfully for me, there’s always variety in the world of sports when all else fails.
At last, a morning with blue skies in the mid-40s. No need for a hat or gloves to weigh me down on my morning run. I felt like I was going faster even though I really wasn’t. My thoughts wandered to the book I’m writing and a couple of new ideas to add. I played the alphabet game as I trotted along, like a kid on a long drive, trying to overcome the boredom. Traffic was light in the neighborhood, but I could hear the busy expressways overhead buzzing with activity. Otherwise, there was nothing eventful about day number 4,357 of The Streak.
It’s another day of little to do. Indiana Basketball will try to overcome a pitiful performance yesterday in the Maui Invitational, and attempt to salvage a third-place finish. After such a strong start a few days ago, it’s like the wheels came off, so I don’t know what to expect today. It’s my only connection to the outside world, as my college friends connect by text as the game unfolds. We’ll be back at it on Saturday, when the Hoosier Football team takes on Wisconsin. Leg injuries have hampered both athletic programs this past week, after signs of great promise.
The only appointment on the calendar this week is a trip to the dentist tomorrow. It’s almost exciting just to have something to do, even if it’s not what you might normally look forward to. Recent trips in the car have been limited to grocery shopping twice a week. My weekly cooking responsibility was honored last night with a grilled steak and creamed corn combination. My wife is still going meatless, so she had a crab cocktail. The pumpkin bars and ice cream are finally gone; thankfully leaving little to satisfy my sweet tooth. Maybe the scale will be happier tomorrow?
I’m waiting for the mail to arrive to be able to complete some tedious paperwork for Social Security and the mortgage company. These are my key responsibilities, as we await final approval on the new Florida house. I also have some baseball cards that are arriving today to keep me entertained. Otherwise, it’s another day in front of the computer watching television, without the anticipation of our canceled flight to Kauai. No choice but Home Sweet Apartment!
I tried to run faster this morning, but it was to no avail. With stiff joints and poor balance, I seem to have only one speed – slow. I do get the job done but it’s never pretty. There was something about the word “average” when it came to my running pace that struck a chord. It’s always been difficult for me to digest. I want to look younger and perform better than just average. I was always a “B” student and on the “B” team, so I’ve never been considered exceptional. There have been some “A” moments in life and rarely a “C,” so my achievement expectations continue in my race towards seventy.
The average life span of a white male in 75.3 years, so I certainly hope to be above average in this category. This means I have at least five good years left or or 1,825 running days. This would put me over 6,000 consecutive days. There was also a point where I was 6 feet tall, but I am quickly shrinking to average height. My weight is slightly over average but that’s not necessarily a good thing. I often wonder how my spindly legs have held up all these years when most of my bulk is in my torso. Yesterday’s Thanksgiving meal certainly didn’t help.
Today, college basketball and football will keep me busy. We’re up to date on Yellowstone with Season 4 not expected until mid-2021. Shameless has a final season airing in a few weeks, so the Suits series is now our primary evening entertainment. There’s also one last episode of Fargo to watch. Only 8 days until we land in Kauai, if all goes well next week with Covid testing. At one point, this Hawaii trip was planned with intentions of following Indiana basketball in the Maui Invitational. That event was of course delayed a week to start on Monday and moved to Asheville, North Carolina. I.U. football meets Maryland tomorrow, as the Hoosiers try to hold on to their #12 ranking. They fell short in their comeback effort against #3 Ohio State last weekend. I’m glad to see that I.U. football is no longer considered average.
