As the Indiana Hoosiers begin another football season this evening, a season that is sure to be mediocre at best, I find it hard to be optimistic.
I'm a Hoosier through and through, and I will ALWAYS support the Cream and Crimson. I always joked that Indiana basketball was 70% of the reason I opted to go to school there (20% partying, the other 10% for an education, if you must know), and truthfully that assessment wasn't that far off. I grew up an IU basketball fan, and since I got my degree from there, that fandom has definitely grown. It's surely grown by how much I care about IU basketball, but it's also grown in every other sport.
Any time Indiana has success in a sport, I feel I have reason to cheer. Soccer was great last year, and I can't wait to see if the baseball team can build off this past season's historic run. Football is no exception, despite there often being very little to cheer about. Hell some of my fondest memories of being a student are because of football. Most of them are from tailgating before (and sometimes after) the games, but regardless, I LOVE Indiana football. I will always root for them, regardless of whether or not the success ever comes.
I've always tried to be optimistic with this team, but but let's be honest. When looking at the IU schedule this year, it seems highly improbable that it will win a road game (Michigan St., Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio St.), which means the Hoosiers must go at least 7-1 at "The Rock" this season in order to assure themselves a bowl bid. While this is far from unlikely, I've been let down by this team too many times to even remember over the past 10 seasons, so putting it nicely, I'll say I'm skeptical, at best, that this will happen.
Say what you will about me letting myself even get sucked in in the first place, but that's what we do as sports fans. We're hopeless romantics who keep thinking that things will turn around. Talk to any Cubs fan, and I imagine you'll hear a similar tune. I talked myself into potential bowl appearances every year I was in college, and the Hoosiers only made it one of those years... and even THAT took a fourth-quarter field goal to get there.... and we promptly got blasted by Oklahoma St. once we made it (at least I witnessed the greatest IU football moment —video below— in the past 25 years... maybe ever. RIP Coach Hep). I even bought into the hiring of Kevin Wilson... and he's won five games in two seasons. Rooting for IU football is a constant kick in the groin.
That's why I'm keeping my guard up this year. I'll watch every game, and I'll root for the Hoosiers, but I'd be content with a 6-6 season. If 6-6 sounds optimistic, please consider that IU has home games against fellow bottom tier conference teams Illinois, Minnesota and Purdue, not to mention a non-conference slate with home games against Indiana St., Ball St. and Navy. Anything less than 6-6 could mean a new head coach for the Hoosiers in 2014
But please, don't feel sorry for me. I've got the Cardinals, who seemed primed for another postseason run and are only two years removed from a championship. I've got the Colts, who should have a decade of Andrew Luck at the helms. And I've got the Thunder, who should be contenders as long as Durant and Westbrook are together. I think I'll be OK.
Still, it's never easy to root for a perennial loser. At some point the Hoosiers have to turn it around... right? I just don't think this is the year.
