Category: Purdue University Boilermakers (Page 9 of 10)

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Old Sport Shorts: March MAD #447

March 2, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

It’s March and I want to be excited and feel the Madness. However, I wrote about February Sadness (Post #421) but now I’m just March MAD. I love this time of year associated with basketball tournaments. This dates back to childhood and playing the Indiana High School basketball tournament in my basement with a bottomless Quaker Oats canister for a basket and a tin-foil ball. I would set a timer for each quarter and run plays for each team, keeping score and moving the winners through the bracket. If the driveway was clear of snow, I would use a real ball and 10-foot-high basket to play the tournament game-by-game until I had a champion. It was hours of fantasizing about being in a team uniform after watching the Sectionals in the school gym, since basketball was rarely on TV at that time. I would listen to the games on our local radio station, where I eventually went to work. It was like a holiday when all the area teams would come to town and they would close the school as if it was a treasured “snow day.” That was long before “March Madness, when “Hoosier Hysteria” was king, and my very first tourney brackets were sponsored by the Peter Eckrich Company of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. They closed in 1972, just as I began to attend basketball games at Indiana University.

When I was back in Indiana last week, the Sectionals were underway, except they do it in classes now by enrollment size, as opposed to the single-class tournament of my childhood where “David” often met “Goliath” on the hardwood. I couldn’t help but order the book, History of Our Hysteria: Indiana High School Basketball, as presented by the Indianapolis Star newspaper I was reading. It will be here soon and will hopefully pick up my spirits in what will likely be a disappointing round-ball March. It will be MAD rather than Madness for me this March, as my basketball is badly deflated.

I watched last night as my Indiana Hoosiers blew a 16-point lead and lost to Rutgers in the BIG tournament. Rutgers finished last in the BIG conference regular season, but got the benefit of the home crowd in the misplaced MADison Square Gardens game. Just before I ordered the “Hoosier Hysteria”book, I was reading an article about the “greedy, money-motivated,” expansion of the Big Ten Conference into Maryland and New York City, with most of the fan interest back in the Midwest, so attendance was suffering. I guess I’m bitter that Indiana drew the home town favorite, after a season of let-down after let-down. If the Hoosiers had won, they would have faced Purdue and have been eliminated anyways, but a victory might have earned them a consolation NIT invitation. Instead, I feel confident that the season is over. and it’s only the first day of March. This makes me MAD. I’ll probably be MAD next year too, until Coach Archie Miller puts a competitive team on the court and resumes our streak of NCAA tournament appearances that once stood at 18 under Bob Knight and Mike Davis.

The Wisconsin Badgers consecutive NCAA appearance streak ended last night at 19 with their loss to Michigan State, who will undoubtedly extend theirs to 21, even if they don’t win the BIG tournament. Outside of the BIG, Gonzaga will probably extend theirs to 20, Duke to 23, and Kansas to a record 29, while North Carolina (27) and Arizona (25) will make the field, but have missed a few years recently. Kentucky had a 17-year streak that ended in 2008 and UCLA’s 15-game run from 1967-1981, round out the top-10 tourney teams of all time.

Yes, I will rebound from the disappointment of Indiana’s absence from the “Big Dance,” and continue to follow the high school tournament and Purdue throughout the month. I will also dutifully fill out my traditional NCAA bracket, and undoubtedly lose a few bucks to friends in the process. To make matters worse, I will out of the country for most of the NCAA tournament, but that is by choice. I will return to the states for the Final Four and the opening of baseball season with lots of great memories of Amsterdam, Venice, and Athens. So, it will be a very memorable March, and I will get over being MAD.

Old Sport Shorts: Surprise #436

February 20, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

This is post #56 of the new year, maintaining my one-a-day writing pace despite all the travel. I got to see my first baseball game of the year, as Oregon State predictably pummeled Cal Poly at the Texas Rangers/Kansas City Royals spring training facility in Surprise, Arizona. For me, it was a Surprise visit, but as Beaver’s fans might say, “it was no surprise in Surprise!” A new winning streak of 4 is underway, hopefully keeping pace with last year’s season where we saw them win 28 of their first 29 games and go into the NCAA tournament with another 20 game streak. (See Post #132). “Chester the Molester” is back in uniform, as the controversy over pitcher Luke Heimlich continues, after posting his first win of the season against New Mexico. The Beavers are back in action against Nebraska later this week, as the administration and coaching staff continue to support the kid, who failed to register as a sex offender after moving to the Corvallis campus. The reputation of the school being questioned by the media, but I saw no evidence of parental protest around the Surprise diamonds.

It’s a tough call, considering his age and the fact that he’s served his sentence. Does banning him from baseball make as much sense as allowing his potential star-power to help others avoid the same mistakes? After all, the whole purpose of a university is to provide education. It has to be tough on President Ray and his leadership staff, in lieu of other recent sex-abuse related incidents at major universities. There must be circumstances involved that we are not fully aware of, in judging the character of this young man. I suppose Luke could quietly hide in shame from the public, but he has chosen to face this awkward controversy every time he takes the mound. Also, there apparently has been little objection from his teammates.

The Cubs and White Sox start spring training this week, and college basketball is soon headed to tournament play. I’ve been pretty hard on my Hoosiers this year, but I can see the outstanding coaching influence of Archie Miller on their defensive play, something that’s been missing since the Bob Knight era. They finally could get a win against an upper tier BIG opponent with a road victory over Nebraska, extend their conference winning streak to 5 and perhaps pass Penn State in the standings. The Huskers already have 20 wins, are on the verge of earning a potential double-bye in the BIG tournament, and will probably receive an NCAA tournament bid. The Hoosiers have already lost twice to both Michigan State and Purdue, and hope to even the score against Ohio State on Robert Johnson’s Senior night, although that would be a huge surprise. They can’t score with any consistency, fail to convert under the basket, are terrible from the free throw line, and still turn the ball over too many times to be competitive. It’s been a tough season, but they still have a chance for a NIT consolation finish – not in tournament but much more than expected earlier in the season. It may not be total “Sadness” in March, but certainly no “Madness.”

Purdue has had a disappointing finish to the conference season, just as I took my first step on the band wagon. The Boilers have the potential for a magic March, but the league leading Spartans have stolen the BIG spotlight. Michigan seems to be peaking at the right time again, and Ohio State is just a slot above them in the national picture. That’s four BIG teams in this year’s top 20, already accounting for 6 Indiana losses this season between them. The biggest disappointment in the league is probably Wisconsin, who will need a BIG tournament championship to extend their NCAA tournament streak to 20. Despite their worst season this century, they still managed to beat the Hoosiers again in Madison this year. (See Post #383). It will be no surprise when Michigan State plays in its 21st consecutive NCAA tourney next month.

Old Sport Shorts: February Sadness #421

February 4, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

In another short month,

it will be March Madness.

While I suffer through,

More February Sadness.

March is usually a month I look forward to, as college basketball teams vie for those 68 precious slots on the NCAA Tournament bracket. It used to be only 64, but the “Big Dance” is always expanding to accommodate less disappointment. For those teams that don’t make the field there is also that NIT (Not in Tournament) option. Unless, you’re an Indiana University fan, in which case your only option may be to sit home and watch.

I’ve tried very hard to remain loyal to the program, after all those years of success, but I’m now beyond just disappointed. I cannot believe that a college team can shoot a dismal 18% in the first half of a BIG Ten game. Granted, it was a great defensive team, Michigan State, who may very well go on to win it all. However, grade school kids shoot better, even I could shoot better than 18%. These are scholarship players, receiving a free education, who practice every day, and have been doing this all their lives. How is this possible?

The team can play outstanding defense, and it was this reason only that they stayed in the game through the first half. I will give Coach Archie Miller credit for bringing that basic fundamental back to I.U. Basketball. It’s been missing for years, and the one thing in basketball that you can control on the floor. We all know that teams can have a bad shooting night, but you can still be competitive if you don’t allow your opponent to score either. Ultimately, they only lost this game by 3 points to a Top Five team, while finishing at 28.8% from the floor and 21.1% from three point range (4-19). Michigan State was 48.9% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. Somehow, the Hoosiers managed to hit 72% from the free throw line, despite being one of the worst teams in the country at this basketball fundamental. Unfortunately, they couldn’t hit their free throws when the game was on the line, as has been all too common this season.

To make matters worse, Indiana’s biggest rival, Purdue, is now 12-0 and ranked third in the nation. This is like salt in the wound to any devout Hoosier fan. Also, Michigan State‘s success this year is the result of recruiting in Indiana’s own back yard. Jaren Jackson Jr. is from Carmel, Indiana and went to school at La Lumiere in LaPorte, Indiana. I’m convinced that most any kid from Indiana, where hoops is king, can shoot better than 18%. Zach McRoberts is the only native Hoosier in the I.U. starting line-up, and up until this year he’s been sitting on the bench. He is also a walk-on, known primarily for his hustling defense and rebounding ability. I.U. Basketball has definitely lost its way!

The Hoosier record stands at 12-12 and 5-7 in the BIG after 4 consecutive losses, giving up the only victory for Illinois in the conference to date. Two of those losses were to #3 Purdue and #5 Michigan State, where the same disturbing patterns emerged in both close games. The shooting was abysmal, the turnovers untimely, and poor defense against the three-point shot costly. The threes and free throws wouldn’t fall, sloppy shots went in for the opponent, and their three pointers with the shot clock about to expire were all too frequent. The I.U. offense missed open layups, clutch free throws, and threw the ball away with consistency.

In 2008-09, after the dismissal of Coach Kelvin Sampson and the resulting NCAA probation, I.U. experienced some bad years under the direction of Tom Crean. They went 6-25, 10-21, and 12-20 respectively. With one more win, Archie Miller will have won more games than each of those “Crean & Crimson” teams, so we haven’t taken as big of a step back with this coaching change. Crean favored a run-and-gun approach that put little emphasis on defense. I like the fundamentals he’s brought to Bloomington, but Miller needs some shooters to give his team balance. Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou? (See Post #369).

There’s little hope for the remainder of this year, as I expect nothing but February Sadness from the Hoosiers. Only Purdue gives the state of Indiana some potential madness. They have the longest winning streak in Division 1 basketball, but I do not expect them to go undefeated in the BIG Conference. I’m just glad that I have some association with the university, so that I have someone to cheer for in March and early April. In the meantime, I’m throwing in the white flag, with expectations of more bad basketball these next two months. Please, don’t let it extend into next year – put some Madness back in my life.!

Old Sport Shorts: Boiler Up! #414

January 28, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

It’s a new school record! 17 straight victories for the Purdue Men’s Basketball team and the eighth longest winning streak in Big Ten history. Unfortunately, it came against my underdog Indiana Hoosiers. I think the most people were expecting a lopsided Boiler win, but IU hung in there until the end. It was a great national TV showcase for the state of Indiana, but another frustrating loss for a once proud Cream and Crimson program with five National Championships. Now, it’s Purdue’s turn. In actuality, Purdue leads the 117 year rivalry 118-89, having dominated in the early years, earning 51 or the first 62 games through 1939. They’ve won the BIG 10 Conference Championship 23 times to Indiana’s 22. Overall, Indiana is the 11th all time winning Division 1 program, while Purdue is 19th, but Indiana has had better success in the NCAA tournament. In my lifetime, the joke has always been that Spring was officially here when IU was still playing basketball and Purdue wasn’t. That likely won’t be the case this year. Boiler Up!

Purdue has captured a NIT (Not in Tournament) Championship back in 1974, but so did Indiana in 1979, over Purdue on a last second shot. Ejections, technical fouls, a sucker punch, tirades, double overtime, a thrown chair, and a jackass have all played a role in the storied basketball wars between the two schools. Legendary coaches Bob Knight and Gene Keady added to the madness. IU has been ranked #1 in the country many times throughout the years, while Purdue has never been there or finished there. The closest the Boilers have come was #2 in 1987, defeating the soon to become National Champion Hoosiers that year in West Lafayette. Purdue has advanced to the Elite Eight four times, the Final Four twice (1969 and 1980), and to the National Championship in game in 1969 losing to UCLA and Purdue alumni, John Wooden, along with his super-star center Lew Alcindor, a.k.a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Rick “The Rocket” Mount led the Boilermakers. Purdue lost its only other Final Four match-up in 1980, again to UCLA, this time coached by Larry Brown. Purdue’s Joe Barry Carroll was the tourney top scorer that year.

Could this finally be Purdue’s year? They have already secured the #2 National ranking, after wearing down unranked Indiana. Could 7’2″ Boiler big man Issac Haas be the next Joe Barry Carroll? He has the advantage of 7″3″ twin tower teammate Matt Haarms. They only have to get by Virginia to achieve the elusive rankings pinnacle. It’s reminiscent of the 1980’s, the last time these two universities were basketball dominant. Virginia also has not won a National Championship, but has appeared in both the 1981 and 1984 Final Four. They lost to North Carolina in 1981, while North Carolina than fell to National Champion Indiana. It was IU’s fourth title, with Isiah Thomas leading them to the Promised Land, if I could just sneak in another plug for the Hoosiers in this PU year (they won the Oaken Bucket, too). The 1981 Virginia Cavaliers were led by 7’4″ Ralph Sampson, who left the program in 1983 for the NBA. Somehow, the #7 seeded 1984 Cavaliers, without him, advanced to Seattle’s Final Four, but lost to Houston and Akeem Olajuwon.

More than thirty years have gone by since Purdue and Virginia have been national basketball powers, but they’re both back in the spotlight this year. Will we see them both in San Antonio, host of this year’s Final Four? Will Indiana even make the NIT? If not, I will be on the Purdue bandwagon. I think that I deserve to ride their coattails. After all, I was a 2000-2002 John Purdue Club loyal member, I have a Gene Keady signed jersey in my office (it’s not in a frame as big as the one that holds my 1976 IU jersey), I was the landlord for Black & Gold Magazine for three years; I provided the television studios for the weekly Coaches Show with Gene Keady; I formed a television partnership with Purdue University through a T-1 connection, allowing coverage for all Purdue athletics; I was a Purdue season basketball ticket holder and attended the banquets each year I was running the TV station in Lafayette, Indiana.

I can’t help it if both my parents went to Indiana University, and that they made me wear the IU logo as a child. They made me a Purdue hater! I only spent two years at Indiana University, but do hold a B.S. degree from there. All I did at Indiana was spend my dad’s money. I was never a Indiana basketball season ticket holder, only football (they were less expensive and easier to get). I think I actually have more ties to Purdue. Plus, a couple of Purdue grads have agreed to let me on the Boilermaker Express for the rest of this season, as a trial only. Boiler Up!

Old Sport Sports: Final Four Memories #400

January 20, 2018 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

I continue to ease my frustrations with Indiana University basketball by dwelling on the past. I was at an antique show yesterday with a friend and bought a NCAA Final Four lapel pin collection for $20. There were ten pins from the cities that hosted the event between the years1977 and 1986. I recall being at three of these championships, and had I bought a pin at each site I would have spent at least $50, so ownership seemed worth it. There was only one Indiana championship in that 10 year period, and that took place in Philadelphia in 1981, with Isiah Thomas, Randy Wittman, Ted Kitchel, Landon Turner, Steve Risley, Ray Tolbert, Glen Grunwald, and of course Coach Bobby Knight. They lost 9 games that year, but the team seemed to come together late in the season. Thomas and Tolbert were both first round NBA draft choices, while Grunwald and Risley were drafted in later rounds, Wittman, Steve Bouchie, Tony Brown, Jim Thomas, and Landon Turner were drafted in subsequent years, but Turner was permanently paralyzed in an automobile accident that left him confined to a wheelchair, suddenly ending any hopes for an NBA future. The disappointing thing about my pin set is that Indiana won the National Championship the year before and the year after this collection was issued, so I will need to find pins for at least those two years, and some of the other years that I attended.

I went to my first Final Four in nearby Indianapolis back in 1980 at Market Square Arena when Purdue finished third and Louisville cut down the nets. The next year in Philadelphia was IU’s championship, and then the following year I traveled to New Orleans to watch North Carolina and freshman Michael Jordan beat Georgetown and Patrick Ewing. It was the only NCAA championship game to feature three of the NBA 50 Greatest Players (Jordan, Ewing, and James Worthy). The silly third place game had finally ended the year before, otherwise I would have seen Houston’s “Phi Slamma Jamma” play defending champion Louisville. It was indeed a Final Four for the ages! I returned to New Orleans in 1987 to watch IU’s Keith Smart hit “The Shot.” It unfortunately was the fifth and final championship for my Hoosiers in now over 30 years. I then had to watch Duke win it in Indianapolis at the Hoosier Dome in 1991 and again in 1992 in Minneapolis. That frustrating game was IU’s only loss in the opener of a Final Four, as they had won the tournament every time in their five previous appearances. In all honesty, we gave away our prime CBS tickets to the finale and got out of Dodge. It was Blue Devil and Coach K history that I didn’t want to see!

Indianapolis hosted in 2000, as Michigan State won over Florida, after North Carolina and Wisconsin were ousted. A good friend was a Spartan grad and hosted a celebration party where I overdid it on tequila shots. The TV station I worked for had a suite, so I was also involved in entertaining clients. The most memorable thing was that the hypochondriac wife of my boss was desperately trying to get a hold of him, and actually had them contact him through the scoreboard. I remember his name was flashed on the screen along with a message to call home.

Indiana then lost to Maryland in the championship game of 2002 in Atlanta. I was unable to go for some reason, probably because they had lost their tournament vulnerability ten years before. Mike Davis had replaced Bobby Knight that year, and somehow got that team to the championship despite 10 regular season losses and an additional loss in the Big Ten Tournament. They got some revenge on top-ranked Duke that year by upsetting them with in the Sweet Sixteen. They then went on to beat Oklahoma and Coach Kelvin Sampson, who would replace Davis and lead the team into NCAA probation hell. Jared Jeffries, Dane Fife, and Tom Coverdale starred for the Hoosier team that earned the dubious honor of losing the school’s very first NCAA Championship game. IU had won in their previous five appearances, and have not made it back since. Kelvin Sampson was the beginning of the program’s downfall, that experienced a brief surge under Tom Crean, and is now in the hands of Archie Miller. Maybe sometime in the future it will be “Miller Time!” (See Post #35)

In 2006, Indy once again hosted the event, so I was able to attend my 8th Final Four (and 7th Championship game). Florida won the title over UCLA, and we were able to attend all the CBS celebrity events that year. I remember spending a lot of time talking with an up-and-coming unknown named Ray Romano, so the parties were much more memorable than the games. In 2010 it was wife’s Alma mater, Butler, that beat Michigan State but fell short against evil Duke. We then followed Butler to Houston, Texas in 2011, or they followed us. My wife had been transferred to Austin, so coincidentally another Final Four with Butler was within easy driving distance. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs lost again.

I’m now stuck on 10 Final Four appearances in my lifetime, and will be out of the country for this year’s games in San Antonio. Although, it might have been a good excuse to revisit some friends in Austin. As much as I hate to admit it, I hope that Purdue makes the field. After coming home from the antique show and showing off my new pin collection, I watched my inconsistent Hoosiers stumble mightily to the Michigan State Spartans, another team that has the potential to make it to San Antonio. I’m tired of losing, and miss those aspirations of making it to the Final Four, so I’m beginning to lose my hatred of the Boilermakers, and falling back on memories of working with Coach Gene Keady on his weekly televised basketball show. The TV station that I managed for several years in Lafayette, Indiana was the home of the Black & Gold, so I slowly learned to shed some of my bias towards IU’s biggest in-state rival. It’s time to decidedly leap on their bandwagon!

Purdue won the Old Oaken Bucket, what I sometimes call the Toilet Bowl, from IU in football his past season, and went on to win, in dramatic fashion, the lowly Foster Farms clash against Arizona. Back in 2001, while running WLFI-TV, I spared no expense to send a broadcast crew to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, to cover the Boilers and future Hall-of-Fame Quarterback Drew Brees. They lost to Washington, but gave me reason to include a few Boilermaker souvenirs in my sports collection. Since IU hasn’t even come close to being in a Rose Bowl since 1968, it’s been very easy to stray from any IU football allegiance. I’m growing tired of supporting losers like IU, The Colts, and Da’ Bears. I often wish I had gone to grad school, so I’d have other collegiate teams to support. I enjoy watching Butler win, except against IU, and have tried hard to root for the Oregon teams, but haven’t made that passionate connection, as yet. I felt sorry for Drew Brees this past weekend, losing a chance for his Saints to advance, due to a rookie teammate blunder. Instead it was the Minnesota Vikings who will play against the Eagles for a home Super Bowl appearance. They were once a favorite of mine because of the color purple. I once painted my Electric Football team as the Vikings, choosing them for some unknown reason over the Chicago Bears and the Baltimore (now Indianapolis) Colts. I’m jumping on their bandwagon, too. Boiler Up and Go Vikes – I’ll wear your pin!

Old Sport Shorts: Rather be Lucky Than Good #369

December 17, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

It’s been a frustrating year for Indiana University Basketball, trying to appease spoiled fans like myself. When victories were once the norm, they are now hard to come by. An Assembly Hall opening loss to Indiana State set the stage for mediocrity, yet competitive losses against #15 Seton Hall and #1 Duke showed a glimmer of hope. The BIG season, with an early start this year, began with a predictable loss in Ann Arbor and a much-needed roller coaster home victory over Iowa. Disappointment then reared its ugly head again against then ranked Louisville, with18th ranked Notre Dame up next. It was time for Coach Archie Miller’s first Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis, where I.U. faces N.D. or Butler on an every other year basis, and Purdue plays either Butler or N.D. in the other in-state rivalry game of the annual holiday double header. Was it “Miller Time” yet? (See Post #35)

Two years ago, I.U. Coach Tom Crean was badly wavering in terms of fan favoritism, There were great expectations for that Hoosier team entering the Maui Classic, but the wheels quickly fell off with losses to Wake Forest, U.N.L.V., and Duke. It was a comeback victory against Notre Dame in the Crossroads Classic that got the team back on track, and enabled them to win the BIG regular season title and beat Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. It also saved Tom Crean’s job for another year. I was at that game in 2015 and watched Troy Williams rally the Hoosiers from 15 down to beat the Irish 80-73. Yesterday’s Crossroads Classic game against the Fighting Irish had a similar outcome, but this year’s Hoosier team does not have BIG title talent, and Coach Miller will hopefully be given a few years to restore a perennial winner.

The timing of this year’s event did not work out with our holiday travel plans back to Indiana. In fact, the I.U. schedule does not even allow me to see a game in Bloomington, as is traditional with my longtime college buddy. He was at the game yesterday and also attended last night’s high school battle between New Albany and Carmel. Romeo Langford plays for New Albany and is a top national recruit that could greatly enhance the “Miller Time” era. Indiana, Vanderbilt, and Kansas are in the final running for the services of the five-star, 6″5″ shooting guard, although he’ll probably be a one-and-done player. The biggest criticism of former Coach Tom Crean was his inability to recruit from within the state of Indiana. Coach Miller already has two home-state bread stars on next year’s squad, Damezi Anderson, a 6’6″ small forward from South Bend Riley and Rob Phinisee from Lafayette McCutcheon. Wherefore art thou Romeo?

I’ll be attending the Les Schwab high school basketball Invitational later this month, and although there will probably be no potential Hoosiers playing, it is a premier showcase of high school talent. I hope to see Oregon’s top recurit, Bol Bol, 7’3″ son of the late Manute Bol, and Arizona’s commit Brandon Williams, as well as other potential college stars like Spencer Freedman and Keldon Johnson. The slam dunk contest is always a crowd favorite. Quite frankly, I had lost some interest in my favorite sport, following Indiana’s dwindling presence in the national college picture, but the Notre Dame victory yesterday makes me a little more excited to watch some good high school basketball. Admittedly, I was very jealous of being in the company of Duke, Michigan State, Florida, and Gonzaga fans at the recent PK80 event. They were into the games like I used to be, especially after three National Championships from Coach Bob Knight. I fear that I may never get to be that obnoxious again!

I probably will not get to another college basketball game this season, and I.U. games and even March Madness have temporarily lost their “appointment television” status. I reluctantly watched the Crossroads Classic on T.V. yesterday, fearing about another second half collapse. Instead, they did that in the first half with poor shooting and multiple turnovers but rallied to make it close at halftime. Early in the second half I was ready to turn it off, but then Juwan Morgan caught fire. He ended with a career high 34 points, including the final eight points in regulation and eight more in overtime. The biggest play however was from Zach McRoberts, who somehow grabbed Morgan’s missed free throw and while stumbling to the floor made a remarkable pass back to Morgan for the winning dunk. Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame’s star, missed a three quarter court shot as time expired, as the “luck of the Irish” turned into “Hoosier Hysteria.” It was a signature win for Archie Miller, but beware that a Ft. Wayne club that put one of the final nails in the coffin of Tom Crean, with a major upset last year is next on the schedule. Hopefully, there won’t be a let down from a team that has already let me down many times this year already!

Indiana did not play very good basketball against Notre Dame. They had 16 turnovers, including six from senior guard Robert Johnson. They shot less than 50% from the field and went 18-25 from the free throw line. Three-point shooting was at 38%, while Notre Dame was even worse. The Fighting Irish could have won in regulation, if Austin Torres hadn’t missed two free throws with less than a second on the clock. Even the most experienced, five-year Hoosier players did not show good leadership when critical, questionable fouls against Collin Hartman seemed to favor the Irish, and Josh Newkirk fouled out with no points and two turnovers. Indiana never led once until overtime, squandered several opportunities to put the game away, and ultimately had to come from behind again to get the victory. It was an ugly win, but a win nonetheless. As is often said, “it’s sometimes better to be lucky than good!”

Old Sport Shorts: Basketball Jones #353

December 2, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

It’s been several weeks since I’ve written about sports, primarily because my teams have not been competitive. The only exception has been the Indiana University soccer team that won on penalty kicks last night over Michigan State to advance to the College Cup (Final Four). I have been following them all year, as they remain undefeated in match play. The only blemish on their record was a penalty kick loss to Wisconsin in the final of the BIG tournament. Thankfully, that nightmare didn’t repeat itself, as they faced the other undefeated conference foe in a similar situation with a different result. I.U. has only given up 6 goals all season long, never more than one per match, and in fact had never been behind until the first minutes of last night’s battle. They managed to tie it up in the second half, and hold off the Spartans to get the victory. It would have been a tragedy to have never lost, and yet finish second in the conference, second in the conference tournament, and not have a chance to play for the national crown. They now have that chance in Philadelphia next weekend, in a quest for their ninth national championship in program history, tying St. Louis for the most in NCAA history.

College soccer has filled that gap between another miserable Indiana football season and the start of college basketball, my preferred sport. “Jonesing” is a word used to describe having a fixation or addiction over something. It’s origin apparently comes from Jones Alley in Manhattan, associated with drug addicts. In my case, the round ball addiction really started when I was in college and Coach Knight was hired. “Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces,” was a song by Cheech and Chong back in those days of 1973, as I was getting ready to graduate and an incredible string of victories was about to start. That’s when I got hooked on the game, and began to “jones” for the tip-off of each new season.

Basketball Jones – I got a basketball Jones – I got a basketball Jones oh baby oh

As an I.U. Basketball fan, I have seen three national championships and numerous conference championships, so I’m very spoiled. In recent years, however, I’ve seen nothing but frustration, including losses to Ft. Wayne and Indiana State, teams that were not even factors during the glory years. Today, it’s a fourth straight loss to the Michigan Wolverines. NCAA violations, new coaches, players leaving for the NBA, and lack of in-state recruiting has compounded this frustration. I’m simply not getting the satisfaction from the basketball drug that I’m reluctantly injecting in my system. As a result, I’m losing interest in the sport, and relying on baseball and soccer to stimulate some adrenaline. The Chicago Cubs, Portland Timbers, and I.U. soccer have provided temporary contentment, but nothing will ever replace IU basketball in my heart.

The IU Football team just lost the Old Oaken Bucket to in-state rival Purdue, and along with it any chance to go to a bowl game this year. More frustration! The PK80 Basketball Tournament that I just attended, only served to remind me how much I miss a competitive basketball team. To be associated with solid programs like Kentucky, Michigan State, Duke, and North Carolina makes me envious, especially knowing that as a Hoosier I was once part of something special in the basketball world. It’s now down to soccer and next week’s match against either Fordham or North Carolina. If we can’t beat them in basketball or football, maybe we can do it in soccer, and that will have to do for now. There will be another season to jones over, and until then other fans will get to enjoy the joy of victory that I once knew in the Bob Knight years.

Retirement is not without Hassles: Thanksgiving #344

November 21, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

I’m approaching the ninth anniversary of my running streak. Today was my 3,250th consecutive daily run that was completed in a rainy darkness. It’s hard to believe that “the streak” has continued this long, and even harder to imagine that it will ever end. Yesterday, it was pouring rain so hard that I had to use the treadmill in our upstairs foyer. I complained when my wife bought it a couple of years ago, but it comes in handy on inclement days, plus I can read a book at the same time.

I just dropped the dogs off at the spa, picked up the dry cleaning, and enjoyed a McDonald’s breakfast. My optician’s office was closed for Thanksgiving, and it made me think about those days at work when there really wasn’t much to do. Thanksgiving was always a great holiday, because there was no stress of gift giving coupled with a four-day weekend. There was usually a pot luck or pitch-in luncheon, and many offices were closed all week. Everyone at the office was in a good mood, as thoughts of turkey and gravy “danced in our heads.” In retirement, these holidays become less significant, because really every day is a holiday now.

It’s a big weekend of sports, as I.U., Indiana University, battles Purdue University for the “Old Oaken Bucket,” with this year’s victor receiving a bowl bid and the loser going home empty handed. I.U.’s soccer team will play for a Third Round NCAA Tournament victory and hopefully continue their undefeated season. There’s an I.U. basketball game that could be part of our Leadership Meeting on Black Friday, and the start of the Phil Knight 80th Birthday celebration at the Moda Center. Sixteen Nike college schools, including the University of Oregon, will battle in this three-day round-robin basketball spectacle here in Portland. Since the event is all about shoe promotion, I propose that we call it the Feet Sixteen as a play on the NCAA’s “Sweet Sixteen.” My wife is upset that I’ll be at the games, rather than spending time with her during this span when she’s not working. Instead, I’ll be in the dog house, but at least it may be the Butler Bulldog house, as her alma mater is part of this turkey tournament.

We’ll break bread on Thanksgiving afternoon, walk the dogs each morning, spend a day in wine country, go to a movie together, and then go our separate ways once it’s game time. Her daughters are also not going to be with her this weekend, so she’s not very thankful about that either. Thankfully, this is a one-time event, so the next time that basketball might interfere with Thanksgiving will be in 2020 when the I.U. basketball team goes to Hawaii to play in the Maui Classic. We went a few years ago, but she at least had a sunny beach to keep her content while I went to the games. She does not enjoy most sporting events, but has also sacrificed several Thanksgivings to go to Indiana Pacers games while we lived in Indianapolis, and the Texas vs. Texas A&M game during our residency in Austin, Texas.

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and that your team wins. I offer this poem in honor of the occasion and the decoration on our front door:

The Sign

Every year in November,
A decoration on our door.
A turkey-shaped sign reads,
“Thanks” and nothing more.

It’s many years old,
Long past its prime.
Perhaps a bit rusty,
Replacement time?

So what do you do?
Just toss it away?
Don’t throw away Thanks,
What does that say?

Does it go back in storage?
Or in the trash bin?
It has a golden message,
Though it’s made of tin.

Can’t trash gratefulness,
Or discount gratitude.
You must always have,
A thoughtful attitude.

Give praise for what you have,
Many blessings to count.
Give to others,
Whatever the amount.

Don’t dispose of hope,
It’s the season of giving.
Show your appreciation,
Happy Thanksgiving.

Retirement is not without Hassles: Cable #268

September 22, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

I finally have gotten my money’s worth out of cable this week. I spend a lot of money on the service, but hate the thought of spending a majority of my retirement years in front of the “boob tube.” I enjoy watching sports, so during my working years most of my time spent viewing was focused on basketball, baseball, and football. Since I was in the television business for many years, a set or two was always on, whether someone was watching or not. Morning news provided background noise if I wasn’t in position to monitor the stories and weather of importance. Television screens surrounded me at the office, and when I’d get home, the news and game shows kept me entertained, as dinner was being prepared. If we went out to eat, I usually tried to position myself near a T.V. screen. Then, the “small screen” became a factor in filling my down time. Television has always provided a sense of comfort, like a babbling brook in the quiet of the woods. It is a friend, ready for my attention whenever I needed it.

Obviously, my viewing habits have changed with the extra time on my hands in retirement. I would like to think that at least half of my time is now spent watching educational programming. Documentaries such as the Ken Burns Vietnam War series give me a sense of history, when I’m not traveling. I don’t necessarily watch travel documentaries, but find myself studying the areas where we have plans to visit in the future. I’m not sure I want to make my bucket list any longer, but want to make sure that I make the most of where we do go. I’m surprised to discover a deep curiosity about war history, starting with our recent visit to Normandy, France. Interestingly enough, it was not on my list of things to see in France, but turned out to be one of my favorite side-trips.

I’m not a proponent of war, but rather find it perplexing. It’s a product of greed and ego, and unfortunately will always be a part of life. I was fortunate to avoid the Vietnam war as a young man, having been raised in an upper middle class family that did not want me to serve. My father and grandfathers felt that they had sacrificed enough for all of us, and urged me to “not even think of enlisting.” I also had a student deferment and a high draft number, so I never really came close to being “called-up.” Plus, as child, I was not fond of even toy guns or fist-fights, deferring to my tom-boy sister. I did not like the idea of going back to the buzz-cut that was fashionable in grade school, and not fond of perceived military formality. There was not a single incentive for me to join the ranks. However, I’m more than aware that there were many others who fought that war against their will, but did not have the economic and educational privileges that I enjoyed. I was a “Lucky Man!” (See Post #267).

I do remember the draft lottery on July 1, 1970 and my number of 232. I was with many of my close high school friends, as we took a break from a “friendly” football game and listened to the radio broadcast. (See Post #93). I never got involved in the politics of the war, although a friend’s older brother was a Purdue campus officer for the S.D.S., so I was aware of the dissent. We did not organize protests in high school or college, and vaguely remember the television news coverage. I kept myself well insulated from the reality of the situation. Some of my former high school classmates received draft letters, but they were mostly older kids. There were some members of my graduating class that were killed in service, while several others were proudly accepted by the Naval Academy and West Point, but I never once expected to go to Vietnam. I’m not sure I would travel there today, given the opportunity. I also can’t remember a single conversation about the war, outside of the draft broadcast, with friends or family, and have never talked directly with anyone who served.

As I continue to watch the Ken Burns documentary, certainly the subject of my posts for the next week or so, I’m trying to grasp just how naive I was about the the Vietnam War. It’s obvious that most Americans were kept in the dark about the “true story.” I’m about to revisit the late 1960’s, the years when the war would have directly affected my life, but I’m sure I remained disengaged with the situation. Sadly, I was not paying attention when I should have, because thousands of my contemporaries were dying while I was having a good time. It’s embarrassing to admit such ignorance, but government misinformation did not encourage my attention. I would like to think that we were the “good guys,” and were doing the right thing, but when it comes to war “we’re not the top species on the planet because we’re nice!” There are no winners in war, only losers, and I’m seeing that reality throughout this impactful series. To be continued……

Old Sport Shorts: Drubbing #251

September 10, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

What rhymes with Cub? Drub. That’s exactly what the Brewers did to the Cubs yesterday – a 15-2 drubbing. The Cubs had not lost a series since the All-Star break, and needed to continue this streak to maintain their once growing edge in the Central. Instead, the Cubs went sixteen straight innings before scoring against Brew Crew pitching, and can only salvage a game today to keep from being swept. Both the Cardinals and the Brewers are now within three games, a lead that was five just two days ago. Friday Night lights did not work out for the Cubbies who suffered a 2-0 loss, followed by Saturday embarrassment. The defending World Series champions have not shown the killer instinct necessary to put the Brewers away, and they have four more games later this month in Milwaukee.

The Cubs finish up with the Brewers today and then host the Mets and the Cardinals. The Cardinals are easily within striking range, and so far the “Friendly Confines” haven’t been friendly to the home team. Twenty games remain in the regular season, with half of those on the road, including four at Busch Stadium. Hopefully, the Cubs won’t get trampled by the Clydesdales, mugged by the Mets, and routed by the Rays or Reds, as we head into the home stretch. It’s time for a streak of “W’s” to secure a shot at the playoffs.

The Indians, who nearly stole the crown from the Cubs last year, have won 17 straight going into today, assuring their return to the post season. The White Sox are a whopping 30.5 games behind them in the standings despite a victory yesterday over the Giants who are a league-leading 37 games out . Houston has all but wrapped up the A.L. West, while the Nats seem to have secured the N.L. East. The Dodgers, who were once world beaters, have now lost 9 in a row, including eight straight at Chavez Ravine for the first time in 30 years, but still maintain command of the N.L. West. The Red Sox currently have a 4.5 game lead over the Yankees in the A.L. East, the only other division other than N.L. Central to not have a runaway leader.

Fatigue is a factor at this point of the year, so the Cubs will need to find a second wind. The Yankees, Twins, D-Backs, and Rockies have the edge in the Wild Card standings. The Brewers, Cardinals, and Cubs might have a role in that wild scramble, depending on who wins the Division. Chances are good that they will beat each other up, and only one team from the Central will make the playoff field. The Brewers have lost starter Jimmy Nelson for the season, with a rotator injury during his Friday Night lights gem at Wrigley. Jake Arrieta remains day-to-day for the Cubs with a hamstring strain. Maybe the rest will be good for him.

So much for baseball, as football season starts to take shape. I knew that Ohio State was probably not worthy of a vaulted position in the standings after their performance against my Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers are improved from years past, as evidenced by their domination of Virginia yesterday, and showed that they could hold their own against the Buckeyes. However, the Ohio State loss to Oklahoma coupled with the mediocre performance against the Hoosiers should push them out of the Top 10 and threaten their chances for a playoff slot. Indiana, on the other hand, has an opportunity to win 6 games and claim a bowl bid thanks to games against Illinois, Rutgers, and Purdue to end the season.

The N.F.L. season is officially underway, after the huge victory by the Chiefs over the Patriots. Apparently the Pats are suffering from the same hangover as the Cubs. I’m currently watching the battle of the Hurricane victims, as Jacksonville and Houston square off. J.J. Watt who championed the Texan’s city relief fund has apparently dislocated a finger, and the Jags have taken the half-time lead. They will undoubtedly not return to Jacksonville tonight, as storms will ravage that city this evening. Both of these cities will need a victory to help ease their painful losses. Houston has been forgotten these last few days, as the media focus has shifted to Florida.

A drubbing is defined as a resounding defeat in a match of contest. Synonyms like beating, thrashing, pounding, walloping, thumping, battering. pummeling, slapping, punching, and pelting will also describe the approaching storm. Hopefully, the Cubs can turn the tide today against the surging Brewers. Maybe the Pirates can salvage a game against the Cardinals and help the Cubs cause? Three games is too close for comfort, especially considering there was the potential for an 8-game lead before the Friday Night lights set-back. How about a drubbing the other way around today?