It’s been since 1987 that I.U. basketball ended the season with a tournament victory. I was there in New Orleans when Keith Smart hit the winning shot for our fifth national championship. Sadly, I took it for granted, feeling that many more would follow. Well, even more sadly it finally happened again, 33 years later but only because COVID-19 changed the game. First, just the fans were banned from attending, then the tournaments were CANCELED, along with every other event around the world. We’re now waiting to see how it affects the Olympics!
As far as I’m concerned, Christmas has been CANCELED. I can’t imagine how the student-athletes feel that worked so hard to finally earn their chance to go dancing; not to mention, those whose sports will never happen this year. To me, the greatest time of the year is March Madness which is now nothing more than March Sadness. I especially feel sorry for the IU seniors, Devonte Green and De’Ron Davis. They have the dubious honor of being the first 4-year IU players in the history of the NCAA tourney to never get an invitation. They are, however, part of the first team to go undefeated (1-0) in the BIG Ten tournament, a bracket-challenge an IU squad has never won. Any further advancement has been forever CANCELED!
I’m sitting in a hotel room in Phoenix with CANCELED plans to attend today’s originally scheduled game between the White Sox and Cubs. Instead, I’ll be going to an auto auction as the consolation prize. Baseball at least has been delayed…not CANCELED, as has The Masters and other major events that don’t involve students. I think we might also CANCEL our hotel room tomorrow night and go to Tucson early. I also CANCELLED my flight to Dallas next week for another Spring Training game that was CANCELLED. Where’s my rubber stamp?
When you navigate the sidewalks of downtown Portland and the surrounding neighborhoods as I do every morning, you have to keep your eyes focused on the uneven concrete. I’ve had an occasional stumble and certainly don’t want to break my mother’s back. (See Post #1159). It’s often boring to stare at the ground, but precaution is necessary, so mind games come into play. I see the sidewalk as a giant checkerboard or patchwork quilt, maybe hopscotch is in order. Each square of concrete has been poured separately to facilitate replacement if a root disrupts the originally level surface. As a result, the sections are different shades of gray. I like to hit all the newer, lighter squares as I run my course. It keeps me safe and entertained.
I just completed consecutive day #4088, despite some hip problems, a cough, and last night’s time change. Despite the hour difference, I tried to stay on the same schedule, but psychologically it affects my daily routine. It was still relatively dark when I woke up with the sunrise now at 7:30 a.m. and sunset at 7:08 p.m. It gives us an extra hour of evening light, but is also a big disruption in everyone’s internal time clock. Even Google seems to be struggling this morning, stuck in a useless loop. I’m all in favor of eliminating this biannual adjustment. It’s time for a change!
“Date Night” was last night this week, a Saturday for a change. Both of us are recovering from colds, so our ambition has suffered. We did go out to see Emma at the movie theater and the Frozen musical, but found little other motivation to go out in the rain. We also did some dog sitting but even their outside activity suffered because of rainy skies. It will be good to soon be sitting in the dry Arizona sunshine and watching baseball. I suffered a bad sports day yesterday watching both the men’s and women’s IU teams stumble badly. The men’s tourney hopes were dashed, as surprise BIG Champion Wisconsin once again spoiled our sacred Senior Day. I remain in a sour mood, as I think about how the Badger Cheeseheads have dominated the Hoosiers over their last 25 match-ups. It’s also shocking to note that IU finished 11th in what was once the Big Ten Conference. It’s more than a “rough patch” that can only be repaired by restoring our tarnished reputation.
Will it be March Madness, Badness, Gladness, or Sadness? One sad note is that my Elkhart High School Blazers have played their last basketball game forever, eliminated in the Indiana 4A sectionals. From this point forward, they will be known as the Elkhart Lions. My son’s high school team, #1 ranked Indianapolis Lawrence North, escaped defeat by legendary Indianapolis Crispus Attucks last night to make it to their sectional title game. Their girls team already claimed their first state title last week. Ever since I was a little kid playing with an aluminum foil ball and a bottomless Quaker Oats container, the Indiana high school basketball tournament was always the first sign that spring has finally arrived.
The second sign of spring was if I.U. was still playing basketball and Purdue wasn’t. However, that hasn’t been true for years. The two Hoosier seniors, De’Ron Davis and Devonte Green, have an opportunity today to at least get in the NCAA tournament for the first time in their college careers. Coach Archie Miller has also yet to produce a tourney-worthy team. Purdue has been there every one of those frustrating years, but find themselves in a bubble game today against Rutgers. IU has to beat Wisconsin to officially make their dreams come true. The game starts in a few minutes and will determine my mood for the rest of the day. If they fail, they at least have the BIG tournament next week to try to make the elusive field of 68 for the first time in four years. The IU women made the quarter-finals of the BIG tournament and play Maryland later this afternoon. Purdue has already been eliminated, another positive sign of spring.
With the clocks “Springing Forward” tonight, it’s the start of an ominous week that also includes a full moon, Friday the 13th, conference tournaments, and Selection Sunday. We fly to Phoenix on Thursday for Spring Training games and additional fun in the sun, so regardless we’ll escape from the Portland gray skies and rain. Typically, Friday the 13th has been lucky for me, so I really can’t lose when we see the Sox playing the Cubs, my two favorite teams. I’d then like to see the week end with I.U. men in the NCAA tournament and Purdue on the sidelines – the true beginning of spring.
Yikes! Our 401k statement arrived today. I was not surprised – just depressed. I also know that stocks have rallied this past week, so this is really old news, but doesn’t often sink-in until you see it on paper. In my mind, it’s the equivalent of losing a two-week long luxury cruise. I also got a payment due notice on our now 15-year old mortgage that went underwater. I’ll be dealing with this investment mistake until I’m 80, a monthly reminder of our years in Illinois. We’ll at least be seeing old friends from Decatur next week in Phoenix, so there was some upside to our time there. In fact, a majority of our long-term friendships originated there.
It was raining cats this morning as I took the dogs outside. We have Falco visiting today so it was extra hassle getting the two dogs dressed for the weather and drying them off afterwards. Yikes! I did get my normal three-mile run in once I got them settled, so my hip was feeling better. I had to cut-back a bit yesterday with the soreness, and will make a return visit to the chiropractor later today for further adjustments. Also, sleeping on my side was considerably more comfortable but shorter than normal because of theater tickets. We went to see Frozen at the Keller Auditorium and didn’t get se ttled until after 11pm. Falco also had a puppy accident that kept me up even later. I considered it practice for “Springing Forward” this weekend and the associated disruption of my sleep clock. Yikes!
I’ve had my share of hassles this week including the hip pain, continued congestion, reward point issues, streetcar delays, dog care expenses, and travel modifications. Yikes! I’m ready to get out of this rain and soak-in some Spring Training sunshine. We’ll be in Phoenix a week from today at the Cubs vs. White Sox game. While we’re there, the BIG Tournament will be happening and the NCAA Selection Show will determine the fate of IU basketball. Tomorrow’s regular season finale against Wisconsin will also have me on the edge of my seat. Yikes! In addition, this time away from the apartment will be a “dog”cation, temporary freedom from the responsibilities of early morning and late night outings. I’ll also miss my cooking night, as we then make the drive from Phoenix to Tucson to further escape from the everyday Yikes!
I needed to get this off my aging chest. Why is it that when a senior has a computer problem it’s assumed that it must be user error? I’m a frequent visitor to Buffalo Wild Wings, hardly a renowned senior hangout. In fact, they don’t even offer a senior discount, but they do have a rewards program. I’m in charge of accumulating points from our once weekly “Leadership Meetings.” The way this works is that our entire order is put through on my account and we split the check equally. All the points then go to one central point – my Buffalo Wild Wings app. We get points for checking-in, ordering food & drinks, and participating in store promotions. At the end of the year, we initially agreed to use all the points to pay for our group holiday luncheon.
I have always refused to clip coupons but for some reason have always loved points. In fact, my wife claims that I love my Marriott points more than her. I also have the Landry restaurant app, along with Outback, Starbucks, and Open Table to further accumulate dining-out credits. There are also the airline mileage programs that operate through an app that I take advantage of using. What’s the point? Points! They get you free stuff with little effort other than sometimes providing a phone number when you order. In most cases, it’s mostly hassle-free and can save a few bucks on a retirement budget.
“Leadership Meetings” of late have not been as regular. One member now lives near the coast, while another has a new job that does not allow lunch flexibility. As a result, our Wild Wing meetings have shifted more to late afternoon to watch basketball games and drink beer. This now happens only every couple weeks, rather than on Fridays like clockwork as they used to be. We had a lot of points sitting in the app bank with no plans for a holiday party and uncertainty on when the next get-together would be. We decided to splurge his past week for the Indiana vs. Purdue game.
I checked in on the app and placed an appetizer order for Ultimate Nachos. The game was not going well so our mood at the table was impatience coupled with frustration. We had close to 15,000 points to use, a majority of which was intended for our dinner order. The company had updated their app so I had trouble both logging-in and placing the order. Keep in mind, I’ve used it hundreds of times through the past couple years. I mention this because what happened next was not a “Senior Moment.” I placed the single order and then noticed that most all the points had disappeared. The app had quadrupled my order. I called the familiar manager over and explained the problem, so he immediately sent an e-mail to the corporate webmaster asking them to reinstate our points. However, it would take some time to correct the problem, so we had no points to use for dinner.
I’d had a few drinks and proceeded to remain calm, but just knew that this was going to be a hassle. The score of the game only added to my anger as I read his e-mail. “A guest of ours accidentally redeemed four ultimate nachos when he meant to redeem one.” Why was it suddenly the old guy’s fault? I didn’t do anything accidentally! In my mind, there was clearly a glitch in their program. Isn’t the customer always right? Instead, I’m now trying to communicate with a computer geek thousands of miles away, while having paid for our meal that was supposed to be free. This morning, I finally got a follow-up e-mail from the webmaster (wingmaster). It was nothing more than canned instructions on how to “log-on’ properly to correct my “log-on” issue. I could in no way blame this on age discrimination or elderly incompetence since there’s no way he could know that I’m retired with a feeble mind. He was just trying to get an e-mail off his desk and blew me off with a form letter, while I’m no closer to getting my points reinstated.
I wonder how long it will be before I get my points back and the associated free meals? I do know that the manager will eventually take care of us, but I’m not sure when we’ll be back for the next Leadership Meeting? Whatever happens, I’m sure it won’t be worth the hassle. In the meantime, I’m still wearing the label of elderly incompetence and hungry for free wings.
Like a true masochist, I’m back in front of the television for another chapter in the “Season on the Stink.” The Season on the Brink was the John Feinstein book about Coach Bob Knight and the 1985-86 I.U. basketball team that lost to Cleveland State in the NCAA Tournament and finished with a 21-8 record. The 2019-2020 version of the team has played some really bad basketball but could still get to that respectable 20-win mark. They’ve been particularly bad on the road, with a trip to Illinois today. Fortunately, my wife and Tally are not here to witness the frustration that is sure to overcome me. Tally will not have to cower in fear as I scream about turnovers, missed lay-ups, poor free throw shooting, and off-balance bricks. I’ve already documented about how much they “stink” this year. (See Post #1237).
It’s been a build-up of tension that began with the dismissal of Coach Bobby Knight 20-years ago. Twenty seems to be the magic number in this sequence of events that began in 2000. It wasn’t until 2020 that he returned to the court. Twenty regular season wins this year would be remarkable considering double losses to a mediocre Purdue team that foiled Knight’s big day. Instead, it was arch-rival Gene Keady that left with a smile on both occasions. There are three games left to get two victories, but today’s game at Illinois is the biggest opportunity to return to tournament glory. The team lacks confidence in a hostile environment, so “winning ugly” is their only chance. Otherwise, it will be another blowout loss, adding to the stink that already prevails.
The Illini are 13-3 at home this year, so our chances are slim. In fact, IU only has 33% chance for victory, while it’s closer to 90% that the visiting Hoosiers will stink up the place and retired Chief Illiniwek will dance on their tournament grave. I’ve sat in only five different BIG venues in my lifetime, including I.U., Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State, and Illinois. Illinois is by far the most hostile, with memories of Eric Gordon’s rude reception after flipping his commitment across the border. He thrived on the controversy and it will take a similar performance from someone like senior Devonte Green to keep us in the ballgame. We can only hope.
it was the most consistent half of basketball that the Hoosiers have played all year. I kept waiting for the wheels to fall off – but they never did! Does this mean that it will all catch up with us the second half? Can struggling coach Archie Miller lead his team to a strong first five minutes out of the locker room, or will they come out flat like they did in West Lafayette a few days ago? Then came the 7-0 Illini run, but IU countered with threes and got to 50 first. The race to get to the key 60-point milestone would determine the winner. Unfortunately, back-to-back turnovers destroyed any chance for Hoosier momentum, failing miserably to get us there first, while giving up one of our devastating 9-0 trademark runs. It was all seven feet of Kofi Cockburn down the stretch, as Trayce Jackson-Davis faded in comparison. Indiana played well and hit back-to-back threes before the broadcast signal went out and the screen turned to black. I had to quickly switch to my phone to watch the final :30 seconds. It came down to free throws and Indiana missing their first two of the game, as Trayce blew the chance to tie. From what I could see on the small screen, IU guard Rob Phinisee somehow muscled-away the rebound but slipped in the process, and Chief Illiniwek & Company put the game away at the charity stripe 67-66.
The only thing that “stunk” today was the outcome, although it was a valiant effort. Indiana has lost heartbreaking one-point games to both highly-ranked Maryland and Illinois, while nipping non-conference foe Notre Dame by a bucket earlier in the year. The other games haven’t really been competitive win or lose, while they are certainly overdue for a last second break. It’s tough to be both bad and unlucky in the same season. Also, TJ-D not only missed the clutch free throws, but also the head-to-head battle with Kofi for BIG Freshman of the Year. Will he come back another year? More importantly, will team fate change as they go into tournament play or does The Chief come back to haunt us on Selection Sunday?
P….U…. is the only way to describe how Indiana played against Purdue last night. I gathered with friends at Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the stink-fest, trying to think of it is as just simply another “Leadership Meeting.” I did not want to contemplate a seventh straight loss to the Boilermakers, especially considering they aren’t very good this year. A Hoosier victory would surely save Archie Miller’s job and guarantee an NCAA tourney bid. That seemed too good to be true! I was in fact prepared for an I.U. loss, but the overall effort was an embarrassment. We could not hit the broad side of a stinkin’ barn.
Archie had already secured more years at I.U. with the announcement of another 5 star recruit. I’m still trying to figure out why he was drawn to the program? He made his announcement after attending the Penn State victory where the team showed hope, especially after just ending their road woes with a win at Minnesota. Two straight away wins was just too much to ask! Purdue had already experienced an uncharacteristic double home set-back, adding to the reasons why they would rebound against their in-state rival. And rebound they did 40-37! However, it was the 33% 3-point shooting that caused the biggest I.U. stink!
As expected, Purdue big men double-teamed Trayce Jackson-Davis and held him to 6 points and 4 rebounds. Back-up Brunk stunk once again, and De’Ron Davis didn’t get a single rebound. At the same time, I was having trouble with my Wild Wings app to add to the frustration. It inexplicably quadrupled our nachos order while I.U. fell apart going into halftime and started the second period scoreless for over 6 minutes. I had little appetite when all was said and done. I woke up this morning with a bad taste in my mouth with nightmarish thoughts of the stinking ugly loss. I.U. basketball is becoming a joke, with yet another road game at Illinois to go and two tough home games. To get to the Big Dance, we’ll need to win at least two, even though this is not a team that is worthy of a post-season bonus. In fact, they may not win a tournament game, and face the risk of more stinking embarrassment to end the season.
It’s now day six since the crud first inhabited my body, attacking it with constant hacking fits. It’s the longest sickness I’ve endured in at least the last 20 years, but I should now be on the road to recovery. Running has been my biggest challenge every day since most of my time has been spent on the couch. I’ve cut back on medication and now actually have some brief periods of motivation. Tonight, we will go to a wine tasting with friends, ending a full week of reclusiveness. We might even go to a movie this afternoon?
Today is a working Monday for most of you, but just another day for me. Traffic was heavier this morning, so I could tell that the weekend was over. The only highlight of this “lost” week was two consecutive I.U. basketball victories to put them back in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament bid. I may even gather some friends for a Buffalo Wild Wings “Leadership Meeting” to watch them face Purdue later this week. Is it really possible to lose seven straight games to our in-state rival? The cold beer will help with any potential frustration, since this feels like an absolute must-win situation for either team to salvage any satisfaction out of an up-and-down season.
Another blue sky day, unusual for this time of year in Portland, should make for a pleasant walk to the theater. After this week, rain and the chance for more crud is once again in the forecast. Getting to the sunshine of Phoenix and Tucson cannot come too soon. I’m more than tired of the hacking, sneezing, and sniffling that has gone on in our house this past week or so. I need to dry out my lungs and feel like living again. The violent hack attacks must finally come to a peaceful end. Please pass the Kleenex.
There are 5 games left for Indiana in the BIG this year and a coaching jobs is on the line. It’s Crunch Time! My schizophrenic Hoosiers haven’t figured themselves out yet. Will they be the aggressive Dr. Jekyll that beat Minnesota on the road or the mild-mannered Mr. Hyde that stumbled at home against Michigan? It all comes down to the man–the-middle, the Freshman center with the hyphenated last name, Trayce Jackson-Davis. Oh, and making those free throws.
What has happened to the art of the free throw? In today’s game, the dunk gets all the attention and apparently most of the practice. Two free throws are worth the same as a dunk. Just ask former Hoosier Steve Alford who perfected the discipline and inspired a famous mantra from Indiana fans: “Socks, shorts, 1-2-3 swish”. Before releasing a free throw, Alford reportedly told himself, “Soft over the front edge of the rim,” and some people believed they could see his lips move. He was not as successful as a coach, although many would still like to see him replace Archie Miller, who has failed to get I.U. to the Big Dance in his first three years at the Hoosier helm.
It looks like formidable Dr. Jekyll has showed up to start the Penn State game, but there are two halves to play. All too often, Indiana has hit long scoreless stretches and squandered big leads in the Mr. Hyde mode. Although this game is important, it’s not quite as monumental as next week’s match-up at Purdue. Archie Miller has never beaten the Boilermakers and the loss in Bloomington a few weeks ago was crippling to his future. After yesterday’s Boiler loss to Michigan, Purdue has now lost two consecutive home games, and has failed to win at all since the Indiana game. They’ll be hungry for a Crunch bar when the Hoosiers come to town.
I.U. takes a 13-point lead into the locker room against the Nittany Lions, but have lost their inside game. Devonte Green caught on fire from 3-point range and they’ve forgotten about Trayce Jackson-Davis. He only has nine points to match Devonte’s triple-3. Fouls have been a troublesome issue on both sides and I.U. has only converted on five of eight attempts. Penn State is 8-14, otherwise it would be a much closer game. Please make sure that Mr. Hyde does not make a second half appearance. He allowed the lead to shrink to 8 late in the first half before Devonte countered. It’s still disturbing that a 19-point bulge with two minutes left has now shrunk to 13. Penn State has yet to hit a 3 in only 6 attempts, while other teams have thrived on I.U.’s soft perimeter defense. Adjustments will be made. Will Archie and team be able to counter? Crunch Time is here!
Once again, Archie did not have his team prepared for the second half. It started with a 12-0 Penn State run coupled with that 6-0 run to end the first, as Mr. Hyde unfortunately refused to “hide.” Sadly, it’s a whole new ball game, with only a first half victory! I.U. managed to rebound and win the next two five-minute segments, but stalled just before getting to the critical 60-mark. My theory has always been that in college basketball the first team to 60-points usually wins. The Hoosiers get there first in this one, but the concern is still free throw shooting. A friend of mine coined it “Hack-A-Hoosier,” where the opposing team intentionally fouls to take advantage of the disturbing percentages. Also, Penn State still hasn’t made a three! With a minute left, there are too many concerns, as Mr. Hide steps to the free throw line again. As it turns out, despite 17-27 from the charity stripe, they somehow win both halves and respond strongly to Crunch Time! Double-Double for Jackson-Davis. Go Hoosiers…now beat Purdue!
This morning’s effort to run was brutal, given all the chest congestion that had settled overnight. I’ve been on Alka-Seltzer cold medicine since yesterday’s shortened route following a sleepless night. I barely got in 5,000 steps for the day since most of it was spent on the couch underneath the warmth of my Cubs blanket, binge watching Narcos Mexico. At least, I did the full 3.1 miles today, although at a much slower pace and interrupted by a couple of coughing fits. I hope to stay on my feet most of the day and not have to cancel any appointments. All in all, I’m feeling better but nowhere near 100%. In fact, I’m struggling with what to even write about.
I’m certainly not looking forward to visiting the Portland Social Security offices, but it should expedite the delivery of my Medicare Part B application. I’m worried about long lines and hours of waiting just to turn in a form that they should have received in the mail already. To add to the hassle, I also have to stop by my wife’s former employer for a signature. I’ll drive my car for the first time in a week and try to enjoy the rare blue skies and sunshine. I’d rather be going to a “Leadership Meeting” that used to be a Friday noon tradition. I had to skip a rare Thursday get-together because of this crippling cold.
I’m getting reports from friends who are attending the first games of Spring Training in Florida and Arizona. I’ll be in Scottsdale myself in a couple of weeks to watch the White Sox and Cubs. It signals the end of winter, with warmer temperatures soon on the way. I’ve had it with foul weather, coughs, and colds. In the meantime, I only have my security “Blankie” to keep me warm and safe.
I was concerned on the drive into town, especially when I saw the “Congestion Ahead” signs. I already had head and chest congestion as a result of the cold. The last thing I needed was more congestion! When I finally arrived at the Social Security offices, the screening procedures were worse than at the airport. I even had to take off my watch in addition to my belt. The clerks were all hidden behind security glass with a pass-through window. I had to question the necessity for all this precaution as I waited for my number to be called. There were different categories of numbers issued, depending on your reason to be there. Like the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, it seemed to move very inefficiently, and I was angry to even be there, considering they had misplaced my paperwork. For awhile, I wondered if the “R” category of numbers was the best choice? I was also worried about getting a parking ticket since it was taking so long. Finally, I was summoned to a window and surprised to find out that they could process it right there. I should have gone there in the first place rather than trusting the U.S.Mail to get my package to the right place. He entered me directly into the system and provided me with a Medicare Part B processing number to submit to a supplemental insurer.
In the next 10 days, I should be good to go, so it wasn’t nearly the hassle or congestion that I anticipated. It was just like me to expect the worst and get all stressed out for nothing. I was actually back home within an hour-and-a-half, including a drive-thru stop at McDonald’s for a Diet Coke reward. However, the entire ordeal did take a lot out of me, so I’m glad to be back home writing again. Also, this nagging cough and the violent sneezes are exhausting. I obviously still don’t feel well and the Cubs blanket on the couch is once again calling me. “I Want My Blankie!”
