Column: IU now a great football team to go with the band

Dear readers,

For Hoosiers, few things are as enjoyable as a crisp autumn day.

Last Saturday was such a day and I made it even more enjoyable with a drive to Bloomington, home of Indiana University. Passing through Gnaw Bone, the air was filled with the scent of fallen leaves and anticipation.

There's nothing quite like the excitement that stirs in the hearts of us old-timers as we return to our alma mater. The familiar sight of ivy-covered halls and the echo of the school fight song brought back a flood of memories. It's as if I’d stepped back in time.

Every autumn, I enjoy at least one visit to IU in the fall on game day.  Watching the exceptional teamwork displayed on the field is exciting.  Seeing consistent and perfect performance, honed to perfection by countless hours of practice, always leaves me feeling so proud of my alma mater. 

I am, of course, talking about watching the band. Yes, IU’s band, The Marching Hundred, is always one of the best in the country. In 2007, they won the national championship. Some of you sports fans might have missed the accomplishment. The award is presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation created in 1892.

With such a great marching band, I was always a little disappointed that the other students and alumni didn’t fill the stadium. The band always enjoyed a respectable number of fans showing up, but the stadium was never full.

Enough about the band, this column is about the IU football team. Bear with me. Writing about sports isn’t as easy for me as writing about The Helbing. I’m surrounded by sports guys out here at Giant FM. One of them thinks it’s funny to hide my No. 2 Ticonderoga pencil whenever I’m discovered working on a sports story. 

I used to think it was either Johnny McCrory or Jeff Brown. Now, I’m not so sure. John Hartnett isn’t as innocent as he looks. I spotted him in the building the last time my pencil came up missing.

Enough rambling let’s get on with my awesome IU sports story.

Enjoy!

Now where were we? Oh yeah, it was November and I hadn’t made it to IU yet this season to see The Marching Hundred. Local attorney Tyler Brandt called to tell me that he had an extra ticket. It proved to be an even luckier day than I could have ever imagined.

We arrived on campus early so we could have lunch at one of the popular restaurants located along Kirkwood Avenue. To my surprise, it was hard to find a parking space. Long lines snaked outside every restaurant and down the block wherever we looked. It was a good thing we packed some snacks.

As we made our way to the stadium, it didn’t seem the same as in past years. I suddenly felt like I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone. One of the episodes where a guy returns to his hometown and little by little, he discovers it is just a similar town in another dimension.

Not only was the autumn air extra crisp, but the sights and sounds as we approached the stadium were brighter and louder. Making the way to our seats, it was obvious that the stadium was full of IU fans.

Our opponent was the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines have won the Big 10 conference title a total of 44 times, IU twice. Michigan once beat IU 63-0. In past years when the Wolverines came to town, it was not a good day for IU.

This year everything was different. IU is undefeated and after sending the Wolverines home as losers. IU is 10-0 for the first time in 137 years.  Yes, you read that right. IU has been fielding a football team for 137 years and this is the very first time IU was 10-0.

So, now we know the secret to getting the students and alumni to fill the stadium to watch the band.

See you all next week, same Schwinn time, same Schwinn channel.

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