Due to basketball’s domination in the state of Indiana and a lack of winning seasons in the past decade, the Hoosier football program is starving for attention in the Big Ten. It’s too bad because they have all the ingredients in Bloomington to be successful. John Mellencamp, an IU alum, donated a beautiful practice facility and the campus itself is very attractive. Memorial Stadium is hard to miss on campus. It’s old-fashioned press box and extremely high facades seem to go right up into the sky. Once you enter the stadium, there are convenient paths and hills that provide many different perspectives of the game. It’s like being in a little park, yet you are still close to the action. Before going to my seat, I stood right by the visitor’s tunnel and watched the team take the field. I was so close that I shook hands and slapped a few fives. All these little things make Memorial Stadium seem like a cauldron of excitement. But, the tank of enthusiasm has long been running on empty, which is cause for concern. However, new coach Terry Hoeppner has installed new traditions at Indiana hoping to refill the tank. He has nicknamed Memorial Stadium, “The Rock,” and had a huge boulder placed at one end of the stadium for players to touch as they make an entrance onto the field. In addition, he has added a player walk from the dorms through the tailgaters to the stadium to spark excitement. The annual “Old Oaken Bucket” rivalry with Purdue has been given more attention as well with a large sign he posted in the locker room simply stating, “BEAT PURDUE.” All this will be worth mere beans unless the team puts victories on the board. The game I attended (pre-Hoeppner), actually was an Indiana victory. The fans barely knew how to digest it. They were quiet leaving the stadium because that is what they were accustomed to. During the game, the fans enjoy singing and clapping to “Indiana, Our Indiana,” as well as finishing it off with a rousing “I-U!” But, that’s about it. When the band receives the majority of the cheers, it suggests problems. But, standing high up in that stadium and looking down, you get the feeling that Hoosier fans are ready to explode and show that they can cheer for more than a fight song.
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