Indiana University Football 2021.  Can  it be salvaged?  Lord I hope so.

We had high hopes, didn’t we?  Right now the Hoosiers are 0-3 in Big Ten play.  Guess who comes calling tomorrow night?  The Buckeyes.  The first night game on ABC in Memorial Stadium history.  Yes, that goofy mascot Brutus and all their silver britches and helmets and white jerseys will be there.  I have seen the Buckeyes play the Hoosiers too too many times.  Fullback Pete Johnson?  I remember.  Ray Griffin and the 96 yard interception return with a lateral?  I remember.  It was misty and it was a cool in Memorial Stadium that October 30th day in 1976.

I was attending the game with my Mom and Dad and a friend of mine I went to church with in Brownstown, Matthew Conrad.  God rest his soul.

47- 7.  That was the final.  How did they score 7?  It’s a miracle.  When your quarterback throws 5 completions and three interceptions, it is a miracle.

That is where we were in 1976.

In 1988,  the greatest game in Indiana University Football history, outside an appearance in the 1968 Rose Bowl, was played in Memorial Stadium in Bloomington that featured lights for the first time in stadium history for a 3:30 EDT kickoff.  They installed them before the 1988 season.

Keith Jackson was in the house!  You can Youtube some of this.  If Keith was on your doorstep, you better deliver.  The Indiana Hoosiers did exactly that.  The Hoosiers defeated the Buckeyes for the second year in a row.  In 1987 it was 35-31 in Columbus.  In Bloomington in 1988, it was Indiana, with Keith Jackson in the house, beating the Ohio State Buckeyes by a score of 41-7.  In the parlance of Rudy’s Dad walking on to the look at the field at Notre Dame Stadium (which I have had the privilege to do), this was the most beautiful “football” sight these eyes have ever seen.  I was there with my Mom and Dad.

It was sooooo much fun.

Anthony Thompson scored 4 TDs that day! (This photo taken two years ago when I asked AT if he wished he had eligibility for that day’s game against Ohio State, he said, “No.”)

Coach Mallory was the best.

The greatest postscript of this story I can tell is that after the Celebration of Life ceremony was over, I handed this ticket stub to the wife of one of the speakers.  Mark Hagen was a Mallory man.  Hagen is a college football coach.  He has coach for the Hoosiers, the Boilermakers, and the Longhorns.  He is currently coaching for the Boilermakers again.  Did that defense do some good things last weekend?

Mark Hagen’s wife asked my name.  She was taken aback.    It was my honor.  I told her that I was here.  Her husband deserves it because he played in it.  Thanks be to God for putting me at the right place at the right time.  Amen.

Indiana Football NEEDS this one tomorrow NIGHT against Ohio State.

On to this week’s picks!!!!

Ole Miss beats LSU…The Rebs have the Manning Palooza tomorrow.   Arch Manning will be in town and Uncle Eli get his jersey retired and the ENDZONES will be great salesmen!

Indiana beats Ohio State…yes, I AM A HOMER, and I STILL BELIEVE!!!!

The last Hoosiers-Buckeyes tilt in Memorial Stadium was bad.

This one has to be better!

Cincinnati beats Navy…Won’t be close.

Penn State beats Illinois….Home in Happy Valley?  Against Illinois.

Michigan beats Northwestern…This ain’t 1995.

Purdue beats Swissconsin…It is time!  Look it up!  Right, Brian Book?

Pitt beats Clemson…At Pitt?  Yes.  At Clemson? No.

Minnesota beats Maryland…Goldy is at home and Maryland will be looking around.

UCLA beats Oregon… Wow.  How can College Football Gameday visit The Rose Bowl, MY FAVORITE STADIUM IN AMERICA, when I get an email this week like this?

Tickets for $ 19.19 in The Rose Bowl?  I’d give 50 bucks just to go in and look at the place!  There is too much to do in LA!

I have been there!  The kick was good.

Louisville beats Boston College….PRECIUOS MEMORIES!  I was in old Cardinal Stadium in 1990 when The Cards beat BC in the last game of the regular seaon before they got their invitation to the Fiesta Bowl.  In fact, I was in the press box.  A friend of mine was in charge of providing the stats to the media outlets.  That afternoon I had speaks in between commercials with Gerad Phelan, the man who caught THE PASS from Doug Flutie against Miami, Fl in the iconic game that thrust Flutie to the Heisman Trophy.  I can shook Phelan’s hand.  One of the hands that would win Flutie the Heisman.  I can still hear Phelan’s voice as he and I were talking about that season, “Those were some great wins.” The game was being broadcast to NESN…The New England Sports Network.

Mississipp State beats Vandy…at Vandy.

Alabama beats Tennessee…Won’t be close!

NC State beats Miami…It should be a good one.

USC beats Notre Dame…Yes.  I think the Irish will be reeling and USC will shell the corn.

Hey, have fun tomorrow!

Root on your team and when you need to…speak the rights!

Danny Johnson

2008 Ole Miss @ Wake Forest

It has been a nice week.  My dear wife, Carrie, and I got to hang out with my sister, Lynn and my niece, Katie, and my brother Darrell and his wife, Emily.  It was great.

This photo taken this morning sums up a great deal.

On to this week’s picks.

Florida beats LSU….at LSU.  Coach O is Coach GO.

Indiana beats Michigan State…I am a homer.  But a blind squirrel finds a nut now and again.  This will be IU’s moment.

Minnesota beasts Nebraska…Goldy wins at home.

Duke beats Virginia…At least I hope so.  Am in Durham as I type.  Go Dukies!

Georgia beats Kentucky…I am a homer but I am not dumb.

North Carolina beats Miami…Canes are hurting at QB, Heels need to get things turned around!

Iowa beats Purdue…That Big Purdue drum?  Iowa will beat the Boilers like that.

Ole Miss beats Tennessee…The Rocky Top song brings back terrible memories.  Ole Miss wins.  Lane Kiffin will send a manager to the concession stand for some popcorn and a Snickers in the 2nd quarter.

Alabama beats Mississippi State…Tide will be ready after last week’s debacle.

NC State beats Bostin College…Wolfpack is a tough bunch.  They win this one big.

UCLA beats Washington…Yes.  I always pick the Bruins.  Well, most of the time.

South Carolina beats Vandy…Cock-a-doodle-doos are at home.  Vandy is, well, Vandy.

Pitt beats Virginia Tech in Blacksburg…Panthers are due.

Enjoy the games this weekend all.

I hope to watch some of the Indiana game, as we won’t make it to Bloomington tomorrow.  Brother Tim, please pull the Hoosiers through!

Hope to watch UK and Georgia too.  Hope the Wildcats play well.

On October 5th, Carrie and I saw Justin Hayward and friends in Nashville.  Justin is the lead singer and guitarist of The Moody Blues.  The Moodies last played a concert in 2018.   It won’t happen again.  Justin turned 75 yesterday.  But his pipes are as smooth as ever.

Speaking the rights…

Danny Johnson

So it was bad last week.  As bad as it has ever been.

6 winners…gulp….7 losers.  And to think an old cronie of mine was wanting to know my secret at picking winners.  I don’t have one.

I am in a hurry.  Let’s do this.

Ole Miss beats Arkansas…Home sweet home in Oxford.

Michigan State beats Rutgers

Texas beats Oklahoma

Duke beats Georgia Tech

Louisville beats Virginia

North Carolina beats Florida State

Iowa beats Penn State

Kentucky beats LSU

Virginia Tech beats Notre Dame

Michigan beats Nebraska

Alabama beats Texas A & M

USC beats Utah

UCLA beats Arizona

That is all I have tonight!

Have a great weekend!

Speaking the rights…

Danny Johnson

Tomorrow night I will get out my wallet and provide VALID proof of a Covid shot series.

Then, I will take a deep breath and walk into the hall that is the very nice City Winery Nashville.  I like this venue better than the City Winery Chicago.  There are more.  These are the two I have been to.

There, on the stage will be Justin Hayward, the Voice of The Moody Blues, along with bandmates Julie Ragins, Mike Dawes, and Karmen Gould.  I suppose Karmen will be there.  She was not in 2019 when this photo was taken.

Justin Hayward wrote five songs at the cornerstone of my core: Nights in White Satin (1967) You Can Never Go Home (1971)  New Horizons (1972) Your Wildest Dreams (1986) and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere (1988).

I have been fortunate enough to hear all of these songs live.  I expect to hear three of these tomorrow.

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Then and Now.

I was 18 when I saw my first Moodies show in 1986 on The Other Side of Life Tour.

I am 53 now.  This will be Show # 59 with either The Moody Blues or Justin Hayward (6) playing sans the other members. And it will be the last one.

It has been a great time.

I would do it all over again and again and again and…

Speaking the Rights…

Danny Johnson

Last weekend’s trip to Bowling Green was great!  Yes, the Hoosiers gave me indigestion, but the atmosphere there at that stadium was absolutely fantastic.

One cheek hill.  That is what I call Neylan Stadium in Knoxville.

Translation:  The seat numbers are WAY too close together.  This was the case at WKU as well.  I don’t remember that malady the last time I was there to watch the Hilltoppers take on the Marshall Thundering Herd.  Maybe my cheeks have gained some width?  Maybe the upper deck seats are closer together than the ones downstairs?  It doesn’t matter.  I lived to tell the story.

There were some stories to tell from that trip to Bowling Green!

1.  There was a VERY POLITE fan about six rows behind us.  He spoke up when compelled to do so.  His voice sounded like the character on the old TV show FRASIER named Noel Shemski.  I laughed out loud and so did my dear wife, Carrie, when Western spread the field much to the delight of “Noel”.  He declared this, very emphatically…”Six receiver set!”  Well, sorry Noel.  Six receivers is a penalty.  But I am glad you were excited and reported your delight to us!

2.  Did you ever watch the ABC television show from the late 80s and early 90s called COACH?  I sure did.  In a few episodes, Coach Hayden Fox had run-ins with the band director Riley Pringle.  Well, Riley Pringle lives!

During halftime, the WKU Band was on the field performing their very nice show.

As is the custom, the Indiana kick-off specialist came out to swing his leg a few times during halftime.  He was as polite as he could be.  The band was still playing and the IU kicker put his kicking tee on the sideline to steer clear of the band.  Well, the Riley Pringle of Western Kentucky took umbrage with this intent.  He GRABBED THE BALL OFF THE TEE and stepped toward the field and would NOT give the ball back to the Indiana kicker.  It was surreal!  After I was sure what was going on, I pointed it out to Carrie.  She cackled.  Sio did I!  This was an ESPN SPORTSCENTER moment that was never recorded.  It plays over in my mind.  That is it.  I have searched for video footage of this rhubarb.  Can’t find it.

An Indiana ambassador and a Western Kentucky ambassador finally made peace between the band director and the Indiana kicker.  I loved every second of it.  I only wish I had a picture!

This will have to do!

On to this week’s picks!

Iowa  beats Maryland…The Hawkeyes have something to prove.  Look for a blowout!

Georgia beats Arkansas…This is going to be fun!  Pick for Lewis Grizzard!

Michigan beats Swissconsin...And I can’t wait!

Purdue beats Minnesota…In the parlance of Keith Jackson, “It should be a good one.”

Louisville beats Wake Forest…BB&T Field is not an intimidating place to play. Been there.

USC beats Colorado…Can it get any worse for the men of Troy?  I hope not!

Notre Dame beats Cincinnati… And I am looking forward to it.

Brother Tim Petty, you know it is coming.  2 years ago we were there in the heat of Bryant-Denny!

It was an experience I will cherish!

Ole Miss beats Alabama…Turnovers. Just wait.

Kentucky beats Florida…The Cats are real, believe it or not!

Indiana beats Penn State…Go Hoosiers!  I STILL BELIEVE!

Nebraska beats Northwestern…The Huskers lose to the Wildcats at home? Nah.

UCLA beats Arizona State…I will be pumped at 10:30 EDT.  In the Rose Bowl!  Just hope there are not hideous alternate uniforms for the Bruins.

LSU beats Auburn…Were they not playing Auburn back in the day when an LSU touchdown pass by Tommy Hodson set off the seismograph at the LSU Geology department?  Earthquake time again in a night game at Death Valley.

Enjoy the games this weekend!  I know I will.

Speaking the rights…

Danny Johnson

I was delighted to be on hand to see the North Harrison Cougars dispatch the Eastern Musketeers 42-6!  This was Friday!

We needed a victory and we got one!

On Saturday morning, I took a walk and I took some pictures.  My walking trail is always ready for a good photo.  I think this qualifies.

On Saturday my dear wife, Carrie, and I were on hand to see the Indiana Hoosiers take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.  I was not enamoured with the Hoosiers’ effort.  This coming from a man who made hotel reservations for the Big Ten Championshp and the Rose Bowl.  Are these goals out of reach?  Not yet.  I still have my reservations.  But the Hoosiers will need to beat Penn State, Michigan State, and Ohio State.  Oh my!

On Monday, I was delighted to help the North Harrison JV football team to earn a 48-12 victory over Eastern.

This was good times!

We have some great college football this weekend.  This Ole Miss fan will be hosting Brother Tim Petty, a good Bama man, for a watch party.  2 years ago we were in T-Town for this game and it was a great experience.

We press onward!

Go Rebs!

Go Cougars!

Speaking the rights…

Danny Johnson

Oh my.

So disappointed by the Indiana Hoosiers implosion against the UC Bearcats.  I hope the Hoosiers can run Saturday night.  They shot themselves in the foot so many times I have my doubts.

This is a special night for me.

Time flies.  On this night in 1989, I attended an Ole Miss vs. Arkansas game in Jackson, Mississippi with my Aunt Barbara.  It was the first of many games we would attend together in Jackson, Oxford, Bloomington, and Lexington.

These are our ticket stubs.  I am glad I have both of them!!!  Sorry, Aunt Barbara.

It was the first time I ever saw a “Hog Head” in person.  This would be an apparatus an Arkansas fans wears on their head in support of their team.  Coming in to the game Arkansas was 2-0 and ranked #8.  Ole Miss was 3-0.  Arkansas won 24-17.  It was a great game.  I returned with Aunt Barbara to the same stadium, Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson in 1991.  The Rebs won that one 20-17.  The 1989 Rebels?  They finished 8-4 with a win over Air Force in the Liberty Bowl.

On to this week’s picks:

Marshall beats App. State...I have been to Boone, NC.  The football field is the only flat spot on campus.  It is a special place too.

Wake Forest beats UVA…The Deacons are playing well.  Amen!

LSU beats Mississippi State…I want to pick Mike Leach’s team but my gut tells me otherwise.

Notre Dame beats Swissconsin…Don’t root for Irish often.  Hope they whip Bucky!

NC State beats Clemson…Yes.  I believe the Wolfpack wins this one.

Purdue beats Illinois…The Boilers are improving.

Iowa beats Colorado State…Look out for these Hawkeyes.  America should be on alert.

Duke beats Kansas…Dukies whipped Northwestern last week.  Very nice.

UCLA beats Stanford…Cos USC lost to them. It’s like that.

Indiana beats Western Kentucky…

My dear wife, Carrie, and I will be there on Saturday.  We are looking forward to it.  The last time we were there we got disappointed by a Marshall stumble and fall.

Kentucky beats South Carolina…Wildcats had plenty to work on this week.  They fixed some things.  Just watch.

UNC beats GA Tech…The Rambling Wreck will be one.

USC beats Oregon State…Hated to see Clay Helton get the axe.  Good luck, USC!

I FUUUUUUUMMBLED!

Louisville beats Florida State…thanks to a good Cardinal for pointing out my omission here.  The Cards may be the last stand for one particular coach?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Speaking the college football predicting rights…

Danny Johnson

54 degrees on the backporch at 6:55 PM on this Wednesday Night.

As a kid, this was a night to go to church at Brownstown Baptist.  I miss that place.

Got more of Brownstown than I had hoped for this past Friday and Monday.

Returning to Blevins Stadium to play on the artifical turf field was a new experience for me.  My old playground is gone.  What I saw was a bit indifferent to me.

It was not my playground.  But I sure was glad to be there.

The North Harrison Cougars were defeated by Brownstown Central 43-12.  It was not good.

My high school football career was succesful.  I measure it on four games.  We went to Brownstown to play the Braves my 9th grade year and won 27-14. This was 1982.  The Braves were riding an 18 game winning streak coming into that one.  No Cougar team has broken a winning streak like that one since.  In 1984, I kicked my first extra point in the North endzone of Blevins Stadium.  The NH Cougars defeated the Braves 59-0 that night.  To this day, that is Brownstown Central’s worst defeat on their home field.  I love it. Had we lost these games on my return trips to Blevins Stadium, I don’t even want to think about it.

The other two games?  My senior year in 1985.  We beat Corydon 23-0.  Always nice to get a shutout.  I missed one extra point that season and it was in this game.  Looking at the score, yes, I did kick a field goal.

1985 was the year Indiana began High School Football Sectionals similar to basketball, of course.  In the first sectional game in NHHS history we beat the Mitchell Bluejackets 17-12.   It was great.

Hanging with my dear friend Barry Hall after the game was special.  He played for my Dad at Brownstown Central in the 70s.  I am so blessed to have had so many great experiences framed around this game of football.  This was a special moment for sure.

Ironically, three days later, Barry and I would be across the field from each other again.

This was 4th and goal.  We lost the Junior Varsity game to BCHS 14-8 in overtime.  The refs said we had one overtime.  We were a yard away from making it 14-12 and looking for a 2 point conversion.  I was so proud of our boys’ effort.  Our best runner was out.  We played smart, tough football.  It was fun.

This was not so fun on Saturday.  Well, the craic was good.  Look that Irish word up!

Indiana had the UC Bearcats whipped in the first half.  A phantom targeting call on Indiana’s best player through the team into turmoil.  A 14-0 lead turned into a 38-24 loss.  It was bad.

It was good at this point!

A PAT is always good!

I was delighted to be in the biggest non-conference crowd since, they said on TV the late 1980s.  I think I was there.  It was Mizzou in 1989.  I know it was.

Good times.

Go Cougars!

Go Hoosiers!

This was Post 632.  And so it goes.

Speaking the rights…

Danny Johnson

Okay.  I almost forgot to post these.

It is early Saturday morning and I am about to head out the door to drive up to Bloomington to watch the Hoosiers.

Opps…I was just told I am at the five minute warning.  Good to a dear wife, Carrie, to keep the day in perspective.

Miami beats Michigan State

Oklahoma beats Nebraska

Virginia Tech beats West Virginia

Notre Dame beats Purdue

Clemson beats GA Tech

Iowa beats Kent State

Duke beats Northwestern….I know, I know

Auburn beats Penn State

NC beats VA

Texas cooks Rice

Ole Miss beats Tulane

Florida beats Alabama

Gotta go!

Speak the rights…and GO IU!

The tiltle of this post is a reference to ELO’s song from their album Eldorado.  The lyrics are telling.

So I have not made much of my return to North Harrison Cougar Football.  In part, I am still processing it.  But know that I am glad to be back in the fray again.

I am sick as I write these words.  The NHHS JV Football Team, a group I have grown quite fond of, will soon  be lining up against the Charelstown Pirates JV team without me.  Damn this Upper Respritory Infection!  This is the first game I have missed this season.

Last week’s JV game against Corydon was cancelled.

I am with them in spirit.

This is a picture I took as the Cougars were defeating Corydon Central 28-7.  Never deny good light!

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Action from Friday night’s Varsity game against Charlestown.  It was not a memorable effort.

Action in the victory against Corydon Central.

I am missing the JV game right now, I can tell you.  It was tough telling boys I would not be there tonight.  It is for the best.

A photo of the JV team taking the field under the Friday Night Lights for the first time last Friday.  Yes.  I know.  This means you are either way ahead or way behind.  Sad to say, North was behind.

But we weren’t behind against Corydon.  And the guy who was on the field wearing #56 for the Cougars in a victory in 1985 was given the honor to present the Big Cat Classic Trophy to the North Harrison Cougars in 2021.  This was better than kicking a field goal in that game all those years ago.

The brown hair is grey now.

It was worth it.

Speaking the rights…as I am wondering what gives in Charlestown tonight.

Danny Johnson