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SEZ update, August 2018

When the 10th St stadium was torn down in 1981, it was not at all apparent what IU's soccer program was going to become. This was just a few years removed from the athletic department not funding the soccer team's first final four appearance (it was funded through private donations). It would have been ludicrous at the time to spend huge money to renovate the stadium, and would have required a crystal ball of epic proportions. It was pretty impressive that IU built Armstrong Stadium for such a fledgling team (in a sport that was thought to be a fad nationally) and a once a year intramural event. And the cost of Armstrong would have been a tiny fraction of what would have been needed for the 10th street stadium renovation. Plus, this forethought would have also needed to extend back to before the soccer program was a varsity sport at IU, when it was decided not to maintain the stadium, which allowed it to fall into such disrepair. Deferred maintenance can easily increase the cost of repairs 3-4 fold.

I agree with your thoughts concerning Armstrong Stadium. In retrospect It was a great decision. I love the looks of the arboretum in the middle of campus. Besides 10th St. stadium was in poor condition prior to demolition.
 
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Speaking of dead trees...

When is Fred gonna give up on saving those Hard Maples lining the near west side of the stadium...?

They used to be beautiful in the "90's" but for reasons natural or unnatural (absolutely unhinged opposing fans ??), they are literally one half to two thirds dead...

With all the other fresh landscaping replacements seem in order...

What....?!? All these architectural critiques and no one cares about our dying Sunset Maples on the Alumni side of the stadium?!?
 
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What....?!? All these architectural critiques and no one cares about our dying Sunset Maples on the Alumni side of the stadium?!?
Likely the drought from several years ago is what caused the damage to those trees. I make maple syrup, and have noticed dying sugar maples all over Bloomington after those back to back droughts. They're shallow rooted, so they're susceptible to drought, especially if they're not adequately mulched.
 
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Likely the drought from several years ago is what caused the damage to those trees. I make maple syrup, and have noticed dying sugar maples all over Bloomington after those back to back droughts. They're shallow rooted, so they're susceptible to drought, especially if they're not adequately mulched.

Hopefully that's the case, I actually thought I started noticing their distress further back (maybe four to five years ago) but if they had been poisoned I didn't want to make a big issue of it on a fan site message board and give the perpetrators any positive reinforcement...

At any rate, due to drought or otherwise, several of them appear to have large portions of dead former growth right in the middle of them... Maybe a potential spot for some limestone commemorative obelisks???

It's too bad... I liked those trees...
 
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Are you serious? Nearly all sports stadiums and arenas have ribbon boards and they belong there to provide information to the fans at the stadium. Are you like 90? It seems you hate everything that didn't exist 70 years ago. You are very cranky.
You know him so well...
 
10th Street Stadium was torn down in 1983; following my freshman year. By that time IU was winning national championships in soccer. I know new construction can be cheaper than renovating, but it would be a much better venue for soccer & Little 5 than Armstrong Stadium.
 
Are you serious? Nearly all sports stadiums and arenas have ribbon boards and they belong there to provide information to the fans at the stadium. Are you like 90? It seems you hate everything that didn't exist 70 years ago. You are very cranky.

what are you, 5 yrs old?

to answer your question, i'm more like 110.

the thing about being old is, you've been around long enough to know those things that looked like a bad idea at the time, or really bad idea, inevitably virtually always turned out to be a really bad idea after all, so you learn to trust your instincts, don't buy into the latest fad, and don't buy into any BS regardless of the title or rank of the one pushing it.
 
what are you, 5 yrs old?

to answer your question, i'm more like 110.

the thing about being old is, you've been around long enough to know those things that looked like a bad idea at the time, or really bad idea, inevitably virtually always turned out to be a really bad idea after all, so you learn to trust your instincts, don't buy into the latest fad, and don't buy into any BS regardless of the title or rank of the one pushing it.

:D;):D
 
10th St. stadium was literally falling apart, and it was hardly Wrigley Field to begin with. This is asinine. Go look at the fencing/old ticket booth at the arboretum if you miss it so much. Armstrong Stadium is scheduled for a $6 million renovation anyway, when a lead gift is found.
 
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10th St. stadium was literally falling apart, and it was hardly Wrigley Field to begin with. This is asinine. Go look at the fencing/old ticket booth at the arboretum if you miss it so much. Armstrong Stadium is scheduled for a $6 million renovation anyway, when a lead gift is found.
Not buying it. The moneyed interests are lying about the real reason they tore it down and built the “arboretum” instead of making the few minor alterations that would have made it as good as the Polo Grounds.
 
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Not buying it. The moneyed interests are lying about the real reason they tore it down and built the “arboretum” instead of making the few minor alterations that would have made it as good as the Polo Grounds.
If the capitalist fat cats in NYC hadn’t torn it down, we could’ve purchased the Polo Grounds, put it in storage, and then replaced the old stadium with a better version.

Stick a pool in center field (plenty of room) if you really need a so called “arboretum” or “landscaping.”

Plus the water polo team could play there.

And spare me the complaints about “cost."

This could have easily been done. I have no actual idea what I’m talking about, but this certainly is a lot of words so I have to be right.

k1ba8p.jpg
 
10th St. stadium was literally falling apart, and it was hardly Wrigley Field to begin with. This is asinine. Go look at the fencing/old ticket booth at the arboretum if you miss it so much. Armstrong Stadium is scheduled for a $6 million renovation anyway, when a lead gift is found.
Why does there have to be a lead donor? How about using btn money solely on athletics instead of academic buildings? Seriously, I’m thankful for your insight, but I wonder why university funds just can’t be used. Thanks rbb89!
 
WHAT IDIOT DESIGNED THOSE SEATS SO FAR AWAY FROM THE FIELD?! vbg
A Freakonomics Radio podcast on the World Cup presenting economists' data about home-field advantage / referee bias is worth a listen. Presents data to support what most of us already assume.
One economist's quote:
"'In soccer, the home-field advantage is cut in half when the game is played in a stadium where the field is surrounded by a running track — that is, where the crowd is farther from the referees.' Moskowitz [professor of finance at the Yale School of Management and co-author of Scorecasting] is pretty convinced the referee-bias theory can explain a lot of the home-field advantage effect."

Lots of other good stuff in this episode.

http://freakonomics.com/podcast/world-cup/
 
When I first got to campus in August 1981 I used to go over to the old stadium and jog a few miles on the track. What I remember about it was that it was falling apart. As in completely falling apart. And when I was running on the track I was the only one there.
 
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I guess we can quibble about minor aesthetics but I think we can all agree that the stadium looks better that it has ever has. The new training and support facilities are great. The now fully enclosed MS will be louder and give us a greater advantage and a better experience for players and fans alike. As great as all of this is, I view it as half done. The completion of MS needs to be married with an effort to fill the place up for every game with screaming Hoosier fans. Yes, winning will aid that effort but let's not wait for the fan base to build itself. Some things I would like to see are as follows. Have someone who's only job is to get butts in seats if that isn't the case already. Stop making people buy tickets they don't want and won't use and are only being sold and usually to opposing fans. I would think that a lot of the die hard fans that we do have were once kids who's parents took them to games and maybe who"s grandparents took their parents. Why not run contests at schools around the state for free tickets. You get the kids there and the parents and maybe they come back. At the very least they make noise and buy concessions and keepsakes. If we want to compete with the big dogs on the field and on the recruiting trail MS needs to be rocking every home Saturday in the fall.
 
Why does there have to be a lead donor? How about using btn money solely on athletics instead of academic buildings? Seriously, I’m thankful for your insight, but I wonder why university funds just can’t be used. Thanks rbb89!
I’m assuming because even though we are in the black, it’s still a small profit. We are trying to do a lot of things at once. You need a certain amount in hand to move forward, so I guess they just haven’t been able to get a big donation yet. Fortunately, it shouldn’t take long to do once they raise the money.

As for BTN money, I have no problem with the AD being good stewards toward the rest of the university.
 
Why does there have to be a lead donor? How about using btn money solely on athletics instead of academic buildings? Seriously, I’m thankful for your insight, but I wonder why university funds just can’t be used. Thanks rbb89!
Because athletics is completely self supporting. There’s no way using general funds for athletic facilities would fly through administrators, the BOT, students, taxpayers or the legislature. All public schools are severely underfunded as it is. Asking tuition and tax payers to foot the bill for nicer locker rooms for soccer players is a non-starter, if not illegal.
 
When I first got to campus in August 1981 I used to go over to the old stadium and jog a few miles on the track. What I remember about it was that it was falling apart. As in completely falling apart. And when I was running on the track I was the only one there.

i'm shocked, shocked i tell you, that you were the only one jogging around that cinder track in August with school out. bwg.

i would have thought it would be packed elbow to elbow with joggers.

not like every other jogger wasn't jogging the far more joggable main campus, out of the hot sun and off that cinder track.

as for the condition of the stadium, had they wanted to fix it up, they could have.

they didn't want to.

still a huge mistake imo. would have been a fabulous soccer venue, many times nicer than Armstrong, (Armstrong isn't even in the same league with what it would have been), and given a far higher cool factor to that part of campus.

no going back now, but this idea that the decision making brain trust always gets it right on huge decisions that affect the facilities and campus for decades and longer, just isn't the case.

having the power to make decisions, doesn't make one a good decision maker.
 
There is a place for everything. A stadium is a great place for ribbon boards but your other suggestions are not.

The stadium is looking great and I can't wait to see a game in it this season. I bet the ribbon boards will look awesome too!

I like that mural too. You really are a grumpy old man.

The crowd mural is great. They could have left it as clear glass and that would have looked into the interior of the facility and appeared completely asinine. You don’t want to look into the interior of a complex on the inside of a stadium. Nobody does that.
 
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what are you, 5 yrs old?

to answer your question, i'm more like 110.

the thing about being old is, you've been around long enough to know those things that looked like a bad idea at the time, or really bad idea, inevitably virtually always turned out to be a really bad idea after all, so you learn to trust your instincts, don't buy into the latest fad, and don't buy into any BS regardless of the title or rank of the one pushing it.

So you're saying we shouldn't really listen to you?
 
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what are you, 5 yrs old?

to answer your question, i'm more like 110.

the thing about being old is, you've been around long enough to know those things that looked like a bad idea at the time, or really bad idea, inevitably virtually always turned out to be a really bad idea after all, so you learn to trust your instincts, don't buy into the latest fad, and don't buy into any BS regardless of the title or rank of the one pushing it.
Old enough to know that the changes to the stadium are going to be outstanding for the fans and the team. Nothing being done to it is a fad. At your age you probably think hip hop is a fad.
 
they never should have torn down the old MS.

should have kept it for either little 5 or soccer. (preferably soccer).

the arboretum is nice and all, but the campus lost something major when the last of IU athletics left the walking part of campus completely.

even seeing the bike riders practicing on the track in spring when you walked the sidewalk from 7th to 10th back in the day lent something really nice that is now lost, after the fball team left for 17th st in 1960.

looking into the open end of the horseshoe and seeing the soccer team practicing and playing there today would have been a major plus for both the atmosphere of that part of campus, and the soccer team itself, which would have gained a lot of exposure.

on a side not, very interesting pic.

note the north south road between the east end of the stadium and Jordan Ave, that Jordan doesn't line up north and south of 10th, the trailer ct west of the stadium, (married housing i think maybe. seem to recall reading that George Taliaferro lived there), the bustling entry into Wright Quad, and if you click the pic to enlarge, looks like the football team may be practicing on the east practice field south of the stadium.

nothing north of 10th st. wonder what yr that pic is. (and looks like parking/congestion may have been an issue back then as well).
I don't see a fountain in front of the auditorium - wonder when that was put in?
 
When the 10th St stadium was torn down in 1981, it was not at all apparent what IU's soccer program was going to become. This was just a few years removed from the athletic department not funding the soccer team's first final four appearance (it was funded through private donations). It would have been ludicrous at the time to spend huge money to renovate the stadium, and would have required a crystal ball of epic proportions. It was pretty impressive that IU built Armstrong Stadium for such a fledgling team (in a sport that was thought to be a fad nationally) and a once a year intramural event. And the cost of Armstrong would have been a tiny fraction of what would have been needed for the 10th street stadium renovation. Plus, this forethought would have also needed to extend back to before the soccer program was a varsity sport at IU, when it was decided not to maintain the stadium, which allowed it to fall into such disrepair. Deferred maintenance can easily increase the cost of repairs 3-4 fold.
Oh, I disagree with that. I graduated in 1979 and I can tell you that IU Soccer was playing on a national level. It was definitely on the rise and everyone recognized it.

Go back and read some old IDS and HT articles of that time.
 
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Old enough to know that the changes to the stadium are going to be outstanding for the fans and the team. Nothing being done to it is a fad. At your age you probably think hip hop is a fad.
It may not be a fad, but it lost it's relevance when white guys got involved. l
i'm shocked, shocked i tell you, that you were the only one jogging around that cinder track in August with school out. bwg.

i would have thought it would be packed elbow to elbow with joggers.

not like every other jogger wasn't jogging the far more joggable main campus, out of the hot sun and off that cinder track.

as for the condition of the stadium, had they wanted to fix it up, they could have.

they didn't want to.

still a huge mistake imo. would have been a fabulous soccer venue, many times nicer than Armstrong, (Armstrong isn't even in the same league with what it would have been), and given a far higher cool factor to that part of campus.

no going back now, but this idea that the decision making brain trust always gets it right on huge decisions that affect the facilities and campus for decades and longer, just isn't the case.

having the power to make decisions, doesn't make one a good decision maker.
I agree with you about a soccer stadium in place of the old 10th street stadium. But that structure was not able to be renovated. They had issues when pouring the original concrete in the 1920s! The last few years, you couldn't go under certain parts of the stadium because it was literally crumbling.

But I think the 'arboretum' is a bad joke. It's not much of an arboretum, if that's what it's supposed to be. It's like a big empty spot in the middle of campus that is begging for some major construction or event-structure to be there. It's not like IU is an ag school that wants to show off all its plants.

Yeah, I'm old. And cranky, too. Is that a bad thing?
 
It may not be a fad, but it lost it's relevance when white guys got involved. l

I agree with you about a soccer stadium in place of the old 10th street stadium. But that structure was not able to be renovated. They had issues when pouring the original concrete in the 1920s! The last few years, you couldn't go under certain parts of the stadium because it was literally crumbling.

But I think the 'arboretum' is a bad joke. It's not much of an arboretum, if that's what it's supposed to be. It's like a big empty spot in the middle of campus that is begging for some major construction or event-structure to be there. It's not like IU is an ag school that wants to show off all its plants.

Yeah, I'm old. And cranky, too. Is that a bad thing?

Only to the young-ens...

I often get the impression that many of them (on here) would prefer we die off as rapidly as possible...

I've always found this version of age discrimination humorous since:
A) the youngsters can only hope they make it to where we are...;
and B) if they do make it to where we are they'll be the very demographic they seem to love to hate...
 
Only to the young-ens...

I often get the impression that many of them (on here) would prefer we die off as rapidly as possible...

I've always found this version of age discrimination humorous since:
A) the youngsters can only hope they make it to where we are...;
and B) if they do make it to where we are they'll be the very demographic they seem to love to hate...
I remember "Don't trust anyone over 30". lol Still good advice!
 
Just so I’m clear here, this is “a joke?”

wiamb7.jpg


Jesus, this board...

Go look at most campuses and look up “quad.”
It's not what it could be. Didn't they just move the clarion there this year? Or late last year? Like I said - the space is begging for some kind of structure.

Nice waterfall, but I prefer walking along a natural stream, the Jordan River south of the auditorium and winding its way to the Union. Now that's a 'quad'.

So far, the 'arboretum' is just an empty space they add on to every now and then. I don't know anyone who thinks it's anything special. Unless it's you and your fellow paid boosters.

And if it's a 'quad', call it a 'quad'.
 
It's not what it could be. Didn't they just move the clarion there this year? Or late last year? Like I said - the space is begging for some kind of structure.

Nice waterfall, but I prefer walking along a natural stream, the Jordan River south of the auditorium and winding its way to the Union. Now that's a 'quad'.

So far, the 'arboretum' is just an empty space they add on to every now and then. I don't know anyone who thinks it's anything special. Unless it's you and your fellow paid boosters.
I love the Arboretum. It's a great place to walk through and sit when it's warmer out. No, I am not a paid booster (I wish).
Do you walk through the arboretum or a quad? j/k
 
It's not what it could be. Didn't they just move the clarion there this year? Or late last year? Like I said - the space is begging for some kind of structure.

Nice waterfall, but I prefer walking along a natural stream, the Jordan River south of the auditorium and winding its way to the Union. Now that's a 'quad'.

So far, the 'arboretum' is just an empty space they add on to every now and then. I don't know anyone who thinks it's anything special. Unless it's you and your fellow paid boosters.

And if it's a 'quad', call it a 'quad'.
The Arboretum isn't much of an arboretum but it is a nice green space in the middle of campus.

If you want natural, it's not the Jordan River. That's my favorite part of campus as well but very little of the Jordan is in it's original course. It's almost all been rerouted, roofed over, or shored up with stone.
 
It's not what it could be. Didn't they just move the clarion there this year? Or late last year? Like I said - the space is begging for some kind of structure.

Nice waterfall, but I prefer walking along a natural stream, the Jordan River south of the auditorium and winding its way to the Union. Now that's a 'quad'.

So far, the 'arboretum' is just an empty space they add on to every now and then. I don't know anyone who thinks it's anything special. Unless it's you and your fellow paid boosters.

And if it's a 'quad', call it a 'quad'.


What IS kind of funny is I thought you were yanking our chain with that picture of the tower in the arboretum.......I didn't realize that design had been approved.....that's going to be 162' tall, compared to 91' for the Metz Carillon. For purposes of comparison, Purdue's Tower is 160' and BSU's Shafer Tower is 150'......so it will be noticed......I hope it's a good look.
 
What IS kind of funny is I thought you were yanking our chain with that picture of the tower in the arboretum.......I didn't realize that design had been approved.....that's going to be 162' tall, compared to 91' for the Metz Carillon. For purposes of comparison, Purdue's Tower is 160' and BSU's Shafer Tower is 150'......so it will be noticed......I hope it's a good look.

Needs a Victory Bell!
 
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