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Old Sport Shorts: Michigan #2646

I had to let the Michigan game settle in a bit before commenting. I saw the vulnerability of IU’s undefeated season after admittedly being overconfident at halftime. The Hoosiers were clearly in control but not scoring at their usual high level. The Wolverines took the second half kickoff and were promptly stopped, relieving some anxiety that perhaps this was all a dream, too good to be true. Then Michigan “suddenly” took the momentum, using one of announcer Don Fisher’s favorite transitions when things turned on a dime. I was almost embarrassed by the end of the third quarter at the team’s performance. I saw this as a solid team, well balanced on both sides of the ball, but they quickly fell apart – turnovers, bad play calls, dropped passes, missed blocks. It was everything I was accustomed to after watching IU football for sixty-years. 

IU was up 17-3 at one point, but the Wolverines cut the lead to 17-15 in the fourth quarter. The undefeated Hoosiers bent but they didn’t break, never relinquishing the lead and adding a field goal to seal the victory, 20-15, and preserve perfection at 10-0, a historical first. The outcome was hardly with the ease shown in the first nine victories, but this was wounded Michigan, struggling in defense of its national championship. IU Quarterback Kurtis Rourke, a Heisman candidate, threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns, but he got no help from the running game and threw a very costly interception from his own end zone. Furthermore, he was sacked four times and pressured many more. 

Michigan had lost just two times against Indiana since 1987. The Wolverines lost in ’87 and again in 2020, so any kind of a win should have been satisfying. However, I don’t think any IU fan, team member, or coach was happy. The game really meant nothing because Ohio State loomed ahead and only that kind of victory would have turned heads. Beating Michigan was simply a big step in getting to Columbus and a real chance to prove themselves to the college football experts.

Winning against the Wolverines certainly didn’t matter much in the ratings! Even undefeated, the Hoosiers are still ranked fourth in the Big Ten and fifth in the nation. This is because people are used to seeing Indiana as a bottom feeder of the Big Ten, and while IU is a really good football team, Michigan lost the game because the Hoosiers couldn’t effectively close. Is this because there’s a flaw in coach Curt Cignetti’s plan or can’t his front line execute effectively down the stretch? I guess we’ll find out in two weeks against Ohio State.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Sport Shorts: Season Opener #2645

It’s basketball time again, the wait lessened by the unprecedented success of the football team. The 2024-25 Hoosiers took the floor against Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville (SIUE). Once again, Indiana connections played in role in scheduling, as coach Brian Barone, part of Tom Crean’s staff from 2008-10 came back to Bloomington as an opponent. There was not as much pre-game fanfare as earlier in the week when coach Pat Knight of Marian University bent down to kiss the IU logo at center court, but a second Hoosier legacy was in attendance.  One of Barone’s players, Kyle Thomas, son of Daryl Thomas, who played on Indiana’s 1987 national championship team, dressed but did not get a chance to play, an indication perhaps of how seriously the Cougars approached this game. 

Daryl Thomas passed in 2018 at the age of 52. He was the 120th overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft, selected by the Sacramento Kings, and played over overseas for 13 seasons and then with the CBA La Crosse Catbirds in 1992-1993, before becoming a coach himself for Montini Catholic High School in Lombard, Illinois. His entire family was honored at Assembly Hall, where he once starred. 

Once the formalities were over, IU jumped out to a 20-9, as Mackenzie Mgbako was hot early with 13 points in the first 7 minutes. However, the lead didn’t last long after the Cougars The sophomore wing had 13 points in the first 6:56 of the game. But as SIUE settled in and Indiana failed to lock down the defensive glass, the Hoosiers couldn’t create any separation. By the 4:48 mark of the half, the Cougars’ Ray’Sean Taylor tied the game at 27. After a Woodson time-out, his Hoosiers responded to claim a 42-30 lead at intermission. Malik Reneau and Mgbako combined for 30-points going into the locker room, but overall, the Hoosiers allowed 10 offensive rebounds and 10 second-chance points in the opening 20 minutes.

16 turnovers and 6-16 from three-point range are stats that leave plenty of doubt about improvements from last year. Oumar Ballo was mostly ineffective until Trey Galloway began to feed him in the post. Mgabo finished with a career-high 31 points and added nine rebounds. Reneau and Ballo each totaled 15. At least, the Hoosiers were effective at the free-throw line at 14-17, despite the poor 37.5% shooting from the field. Mgbako also got them to the magical sixty-mark first at 60-46 with 9:46 remaining. His overall point performance was the best on opening day since Eric Gordon scored 33 against Chattanooga in 2007. The final score was 80-61.

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Strange Vibe #2644

There was a strange vibe in the air this morning. The dogs were not barking like maniacs, even in the presence of the big dogs down the street. In checking Facebook, Trump has apparently won the election, and the once-dreaded neighborhood bully of my childhood passed away. I wasn’t sure how to digest either of these developments, while waiting for the “third” hammer to fall. I’m not happy about the prospect of soon having another eighty-year-old in the White House, but I knew that sexist America was probably still not ready for a woman president. 

The death of another Elkhart classmate was more disturbing than who won the presidency, by far. He was a mean kid, who taunted me, tried to steal my “girlfriend,” and gave me the nickname, “Smiley.” I probably haven’t seen him in over sixty-years, but the mention of his name on Facebook always stirred up unpleasant memories of the smirk on his face. These days, I would never wish death on anyone, but I sometimes felt that way about him as a young child. We went to the same grade school, and summer camp so I always felt uncomfortable in his presence. He wasn’t a big guy, so there was never any physical intimidation, but his words sure hurt. He had also moved away from town for a number of years.

I clearly remember an incident at the local movie theatre where he and his buddies ganged up on me and began to tease me about my smile, “a shit-eating grin” they called it, wondering what I was hiding? They made grotesque faces, mocking my expressions. I sometimes wonder if maybe they thought I was making fun of them? It made me very self-conscious, because I tend to laugh and smile more when I’m ill at ease, and the awkward experience somehow managed to make me hate what should have been a beloved trademark smile. 

I should have embraced being called “Smiley,” but instead it made me angry. It was an early case of stolen identity, long before internet theft. Before I knew it, my real name was lost, and everyone called me by the nickname, unrecognizable if I used the name, “Mike.” They weren’t all making fun of me, in fact some thought “Smiley” actually was my last name. Even at reunions many years later, my name tag read “Smiley.” Mike no longer existed and identifying myself in a phone call was awkward unless I stooped to using the moniker. Instead, I just avoided using the phone. 

I eventually named our dog, “Smiley,” as a diversion, so the name lived on. Now, the bully who first called me by that name is gone, probably never realizing how much he changed my life. Just recently, someone asked if “Smiley” was coming to our 55th high school reunion? I couldn’t attend, but if I had, I would have played along and smiled like it never bothered me. However, there’s still a strange vibe when I recall the circumstances, with sincere wishes that the perpetrator rests in peace. 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Busy Doing Nothing #2643

I drove up to Tampa yesterday, stopping in Brandon to pick up more tiles for the fireplace, and at several restrooms along the way. The hernia specialist said that surgery was not necessary, but I was glad it was officially in the records as a follow-up to my heart surgery. The abdominal lump is apparently common when they weaken the muscles by cutting into the chest cavity. It formed at the bottom of my incision, adding to the deformity, but causing no real harm. If it grows larger or causes any discomfort, then we will revisit the issue. 

I’m relieved that there is currently no surgery in my future, but there’s still the issue of sciatica, another by-product of the heart procedure. The back brace certainly helps, but I’m still at least a week away from getting the steroid injections. In the meantime, I continue to be non-productive, although the weight-limit restrictions on lifting from the prostate surgery have lessened. I did manage to do laundry, take out the trash, and store a few more Halloween decorations. I’m waiting for the window washer and tile guy to come this morning before I can take the dogs to the park. There is also a crack in the ceiling to repair, florescent bulbs to replace in the pantry, and something stuck in the outdoor kitchen vent. Most of these projects require a ladder, so I may try to pawn them off. I also have a birthday call to make. Just more of doing nothing, while being busy thinking about it. 

I’m having a good hand day. The shakiness and lack of coordination seems better. I see the neurologist tomorrow afternoon to maybe make some adjustments to the medication. Fortunately, it’s nothing serious. The screen repair guy also comes tomorrow morning, as all the election results slowly filter in. I may need to install armor rather than screens. It seems like the decision comes down to those voting for or against Trump. I voted early, so my decision has been made, and it will be a relief to get all the political ads off the air, so we can focus more on Medicare enrollment options. 

My wife leaves for San Francisco this weekend, so it will be just me and the dogs for a few days, as I continue my busyness doing nothing. Before she flies out, we have lunch with one of her old college pals and her husband. I will then be driving her to and from the Sarasota airport between dog outings. The pups get to go to Schnauzerville on Saturday to be groomed. I’ll go to the baseball card shop while I’m waiting for them to get finished, and will finalize plans for a few drinks with a neighbor, as a weekend bachelor. Watching sports on TV will, of course, occupy my busy schedule while I do nothing!

Old Sport Shorts: East Lansing #2642

At this time in my life, it’s better to focus on sports rather than prostrate or back problems. It’s also best to whine over losses than pain, but I’m not suffering at all. Even though the Elkhart Lions lost a tough one Friday night in the high school football playoffs, they are really not my team anymore, having abandoned the Blue Blazer nickname. Besides, the nearby Venice Indians, my new HS team, won 42-8 over Sarasota Riverside to go 9-1 on the season. IU soccer, basketball, and football are on winning streaks, so I’m living a charmed life. On the other hand, Da Bears play today, after a painful finish last weekend, but I’m used to that!

Five years ago, I wrote an article about my Spartan frustrations called, “O for East Lansing.” (See Post #1509). It seemed like every time my football Hoosiers traveled to East Lansing they were crushed, especially if I went myself. The same was sadly true for games in Bloomington, dating back to Rob Stradley, a friend Kim’s brother, who wore #22 for the team. A sense of dread always fills me when I hear the name “Sparty.” I even once attended a pep rally in East Lansing where I was the only one wearing red. Other friends named Craig Cole and Jeff White gloated in victory. I mention all these names because they are weeping green tears today. 


Winning against Michigan State doesn’t happen very often, considering the all-time series record is 50-19-2, but I.U. prevailed yesterday 47-10 in East Lansing, despite falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter. I don’t ever recall a chance to watch our players victoriously spit in the Old Brass Spittoon, a nasty ritual. I’m sure that at the end of the first quarter, Spartan fans like Stradley, White, and Cole were thinking that the Hoosiers were overrated. However, 47-straight points later they were crying in their beer, if they were still watching at all. I was!

Quarterback Kurtis Rourke, returning from thumb surgery, threw for 263 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Elijah Sarratt, and Amare Ferrell had two interceptions Saturday to lead No. 13 Indiana to its first 9-0 start in school history. #10 Texas A&M and #11 Clemson both lost, assuring IU of a Top 10 ranking and spot in the college Playoffs, if they continue to win. That won’t be easy against Michigan, Ohio State, and Purdue.

The Spittoon trophy, first introduced in 1950, had been in the hands of the Spartans since 2007. It only lived in Bloomington a dozen times in all those years, filled with DNA from seasons past. 1967-69 was the longest stretch of Hoosier victories over the Spartans, all three in East Lansing, coinciding with IU’s only Rose Bowl appearance and only the second time they had won nine games until this year. I was still in high school, not yet a season ticket holder, so yet to experience “0 for East Lansing.” I can only hope that it never happens again! Go Hoosiers!



 

 

Old Sport Shorts: Exhibit B #2641

Continued from Post #2637. 

Bob Knight’s son, Patrick, the new coach of Marian University in Indiana, ironically named the Knights, brought his NAIA team to Bloomington for the last exhibition game, Exhibit B. He spent the last 10-years as a scout for the Indiana Pacers after head coaching jobs at Lamar University and Texas Tech, where he replaced his father. He also played for Indiana from 1990-1995, so it was a fitting return to his alma mater. However, the warm welcome quickly turned into an expected 106-64 rout. 

The Hoosiers jumped to a 9-2 lead before Pat Knight had to use a timeout less than two minutes into the contest. The lead quickly stretched to 26, as Indiana shot a blistering 65.7 percent from the field despite a poor 1-for-11 performance from beyond the arc, a gnawing concern. IU had a similar 0-11 start from deep against Tennessee in Exhibit A. There was hope that this fatal flaw that had haunted us over the past few years had been fixed. They did find more success from the perimeter in the second half, sinking five of their 14 attempts from beyond the 3-point line, but 6-25 overall is hardly encouraging. 

Malik Reneau had 18 points and eight rebounds, while Oumar Ballo totaled 16 points and seven rebounds for the Hoosiers. Freshman Bryson Tucker, who missed the first exhibition against Tennessee, led the IU scoring attack with 19-points. By the six-minute mark of the second half, Indiana led by 45, easily surpassing the magic 60-mark. Mike Woodson brought on walk-on Jordan Rayford and Dallas James, a transfer from South Carolina State, scoring their very first Hoosier points, as well as Jakai Newton after recovering from injuries. 

There were only four-days to prepare for the season opener against SIU-Edwardsville at Assembly Hall. Hopefully, some of that time is spent practicing free-throws after a dismal 8-14 performance, not to mention 3-pointers. At least, the team showed better ball control with just 10-turnovers, compared with 13 against Tennessee. Let the season and its magic begin! 

 

Old Sport Shorts: IU Soccer #2640

There’s never been a better time to be an Indiana University sports fan with an undefeated football team, a promising basketball season for both the women and men, and a BIG Ten regular season soccer championship. Swimming was once all the rave, basketball has since gotten the most attention, but it’s been decades since a National Championship, and football could go 9-0 for the first time in history, but it’s been soccer that has had the most consistent winning ways. Here’s the back story: 

In 1976 IU soccer beat Hartwick 2-1 in the semifinals and lost the final to San Francisco 1-0 in Coach Jerry Yeagley’s first trip to the College Cup in Philadelphia. His son Todd was there; he was four years old. 

In 1978 the Hoosiers topped Philadelphia 2-0 in the semifinals but lost to San Francisco again 2-0 in the final. San Francisco went on to defeat IU for a third time in the 1980 finale 4-3. Finally in 1982 the soccer Hoosiers beat SIU-Edwardsville 1-0 and Duke 2-1 in eight overtimes for the school’s first-ever soccer national title and Jerry Yeagley’s first. His son Todd was once again there, only 10 years old.

The second title came in 1983 over Virginia 3-1 in the semis, followed by an overtime thriller against Columbia 1-0. They returned to soccer’s version of the Final Four in 1984 but lost to Clemson 2-1 after defeating Hartwick 2-1. Four years later in 1988 came the third title, won in Bloomington, over both Portland and Howard by the same 1-0 scores. 

Santa Clara beat them in 1989, 4-2 in the semifinals and again in 1991 2-0. It was son, Todd Yeagley’s, freshman year as a player. In his 1994 final game as a player, they lost to Virginia 1-0 after a decisive win against UCLA 4-1. The Bruins came back to haunt them in 1997, a 1-0 semifinal loss in three overtimes. 

Although coach father and player son did not win a national title together, a fourth title for the Senior Yeagley happened in 1998 over Stanford 3-1, and a fifth the following year over Santa Clara 1-0. This was after a four-overtime 3-2 marathon over UCLA. Back-to-back championships for the first time!

It wasn’t until 2003 that Jerry achieved his sixth and final trophy as head coach, following a couple years of disappointment. In 2000 they had lost the semifinal match to Creighton 2-1 in three overtimes and 2001 the title game to North Carolina 2-0. Victory was sweeter as father and son enjoyed #6 on the sideline together, Todd as an IU soccer volunteer assistant. It was Jerry’s 554th and final win at Indiana, an NCAA record. Mike Freitag, who played at Indiana, and was Jerry’s assistant for 11-years, took over the program in his place and claimed the second back-to back title and seventh overall by defeating Maryland and then UC-Santa Barbara on penalty kicks.

I guess you could consider the next seven Yeager-less years to be a draught – not just for soccer but for IU sports in general. The basketball banners were gathering dust, the 2007 Insight Bowl was a football bust, and Hoosier basketball didn’t even make the NCAA tournament from 2009-2011. There wasn’t much to cheer for until Todd Yeagley was named head soccer coach in 2012. He proceeded to win his first national title and the team’s 8th over Georgetown 1-0 in 2012. The Yeagley magic was back! However, it took him five more years to get back to the College Cup. The Hoosiers lost to Stanford 1-0 after two overtimes after beating North Carolina 1-0 in the semifinals. 

In 2018, I went to the Santa Barbara College Cup to watch them fall short to Maryland 2-0. The 2021 team beat Pittsburgh 1-0 in the national semifinals but lost to Marshall 1-0 in overtime in the title game. That season was played in the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten-years had passed since a championship when they defeated Pittsburgh 2-0 in the 2022 national semifinals and lost to Syracuse on penalty kicks 7-6 after 2OT periods tied at 2-2. They were the first team since Maryland (2018) to make a championship game without conceding a goal throughout the NCAA Tournament and the seventh team all-time to achieve that feat. More misfortune followed in the 2023 Elite 8 loss to Notre Dame on PKs 5-4 after a 1-1 tie.

The 2024 Indiana Hoosiers just claimed their 35th Big Ten Championship, 19th regular season title, and fifth league crown in seven seasons. They had a final game against unheralded Trine that ended 4-1 at Jerry Yeagley Field before the tournaments started. The team is ranked only 16th because of a slow start to the season and hungry to end a bad streak of five College Cup losses in the last 12-years without that 9th national championship. Will they ride the football and basketball momentum to victory at last?

 

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Back Brace #2639

After the failed attempt of trying out the calf device to relieve my sciatica pain, I bought an inexpensive Sparthos back brace. It already seems to have helped, providing lumbar support when I sit and easing the discomfort when the dogs need to go out in the morning. I purchased it just in case today’s appointment with the pain management doctor gets cancelled again. An injection is supposed to generate immediate relief, so this brace is my back-up plan, after months of suffering. It’s taken over a month to finally see this doctor. I can only hope it’s not delayed further. 

Once I finally get moving in the morning, the pain usually goes away until later in the evening if I don’t have proper back support. Watching TV on the couch seems to aggravate the nerve. It didn’t happen last night – thanks to this brace. I then keep my left leg stretched out when I sleep to minimize the morning stiffness, but still struggled a bit until I put on this brace. It did not relieve all of the pain but made walking bearable. I’m wearing it now while I write but will take it off to go to the fitness center later. I’m not supposed to wear it more than three hours at a time, and usually by mid-morning I won’t need it. 

The pain has made me into a grumpy old man, reluctant to do much of anything. It’s even hard to focus on reading or watching TV. I did go to yesterday’s chair yoga class and continue to see the chiropractor. Audio books are a helpful distraction, especially when I’m walking on the treadmill. It’s the only exercise I’m allowed to do after prostrate surgery, as if I’m up to a strenuous workout with this sciatica issue. It definitely originates in my lower spine, shoots down my left leg, and feels like an Achillies injury. It can also take the form of a cramp in my calf. This is why I thought the pressure device might initially work – it had for others who recommended it. It only seemed to aggravate, so I traded it in for the back brace. 

OId Sport Shorts Ohtani vs. Judge #2638

I was looking for a fabulous finish to Shohei Ohtani’s stellar season with perhaps a World Series MVP, but instead he’s fizzled a bit. No home runs or stolen bases, just an injury scare. Instead, Freddie Freeman has stolen the limelight and has the Dodgers one game away from a sweep. His walk-off grand slam in Game One all but sealed the MVP award, plus he added two more homers, all on a bad leg. It was compared to Kirk Gibson’s feat in 1988, in dramatic fashion with two outs. Some reports indicated that both walk-offs occurred at 8:37 pm PDT, adding to the mystique. 

I bought a baseball card to celebrate the moment but was honestly hoping for more Ohtani cards to add to my collection of over 170. I would like to sell it, thinking that a Series MVP would add more value. He will undoubtedly receive the National League MVP and Aaron Judge will earn the American League prize. Judge, with another disappointing postseason performance, is just 1-12 in the first three games. Ohtani is 1-11 but has at least scored twice. Both hyped superstars have all but disappeared in their very first World Series appearances. 

Freeman is all but a MVP lock, but “it’s never over till it’s over,” Yogi Berra’s famous quote. He knows more about World Series play than anyone, but his Yankee Stadium ghost has yet to scare the Dodgers. There still could be four more games, and the stars could yet shine. The Yankees are certainly capable of winning four-straight, especially if Aaron Judge starts to deliver. We have to give the opposing pitchers credit for exploiting the weaknesses of these great players. With all the focus on them, it’s the other eight on each team that have made the difference. Bring on Game 4!

 

 

Old Sport Shorts: Exhibit A #2637

The typically long wait between I.U. basketball seasons was significantly shortened by an undefeated football start. At the same time, however, the recruiting wars were not going well thanks to Dan Hurley’s UConn program. He first locked onto Montverde Academy’s Liam McNeeley after decommitting from I.U. and then wooed Eric Reibe and Braylon Mullins, two key Mike Woodson targets. Fortunately, we were able to land Montverde’s 6’7″ forward Trent Sisley, at least “temporarily,” as happens too frequently these days. We’ll have to once again rely on the portal to be competitive in the future.

The fruits of the 2024 recruiting class and portal were on public display for the first time at Hoosier Hysteria, during homecoming weekend, and in a charity exhibition game at the University of Tennessee a week later. Bryson Tucker, Langdon Hatton, Luke Goode, Kanaan Carlyle, Oumar Ballo, and Myles Rice joined last year’s regulars Mackenzie Mgbako, Gabe Cupps, Anthony Leal, Malik Reneau, and Trey Galloway on the court. Galloway and Tucker are still recovering from injuries, along with Jakai Newton. The rest of the team includes Shaan Burke, Jordan Rayford, James Goodis, Jaden Bobbett, Jackson Creel, Ian Stephens, and Dallas James – “Your 2024-25 Indiana Hoosiers!”

It was a challenging first assignment against a preseason Top 25 team that finished last year 27-9, won the SEC Championship, reached the Elite 8, and are coached by a well-respected veteran Rick Barnes. IU entered the game ranked 17th, while the Volunteers were judged 12th. Both teams had significant personnel losses from the previous year, and the ugliness of regrouping was obvious. 

Indiana started the game with four straight turnovers on offense, then proceeded to miss all eleven of their 3-point attempts. The Volunteers weren’t much better, going just 3-of-20 from distance. In the second half, the shots started to fall, as both teams eventually settled from opening jitters. Six points was the largest margin in Tennessee’s favor, but a Malik Reneau 3-pointer put the Hoosiers ahead 55-54, headed to that magic mark of 60. 

Myles Rice was credited with the reason for I.U.’s four-point victory. The Washington State transfer finished with 20-points and four assists. The Hoosiers got to 60 first and won 66-62. Reneau led all scorers with 21-points and a game-sealing dunk. Mgbako had 12-points, while Ballo pulled down 11-rebounds and added 6-points. “Exhibit A” was a solid way to start the season, before “Exhibit B,” the final exhibition game, on November 1st against Marian. 

 

 

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