The Sun Always Shines Over Memorial Stadium ... (long)

[HoosierNative]

Made the drive from Mississippi to attend a pivotal early season game.

My children (in their twenties) indulged me by also going to game in spite of the weather--they stayed through halftime. As they questioned their sanity--and especially mine--for attending the game in a torrential downpour, my refrain was "The sun always shines over Memorial Stadium."

On a more serious note, here are a few thoughts/impressions about the game, team, and the SEZ project:

• Indiana appeared to be ready to put Virginia away with the opening drive of the second half when a "no-call" changed the complexion of the game. I'm usually loathe to complain about officiating, but there was a particularly egregious hold on Westbrook (even from 35 rows up), who was wide open and streaking down the sideline in a route similar to one that resulted in a touchdown. The hold was not around the waist, but up high near the neck line and it lasted for ten to fifteen yards, but was not called. Brutal!
• Right guard seemed to struggle including two holding calls, etcetera. Wonder if Linder might not get moved to this spot eventually?
• Worst weather for a game I have attended. This includes the Michigan State game near the end of the Mallory Era (snow and ice in mid-October) circa 1995 or 1996 and the deluge during the first half of the Northwestern game during the Cameron Era. Didn't go the Bucket game in 2001, so that might have been worse weather.
• The stadium seems smaller and more intimate now that it is fully enclosed.
• Don't recall hearing the PA chant: "First down Hoosiers!" as has routinely been done in the past. Perhaps, I missed it trying to stay dry? Regardless, there seems to be a clear effort to de-emphasize "Hoosier" at least in the football program.
• To the best of my knowledge, NO scores were provided for other games that had gone final or games in progress for that matter. Head scratching! Why not reinforce attendance by keeping avid college football fans abreast of the scores of other games?
• Liked the I N D I A N A in the new terrace/pavilion area.
• Jack's Donuts was a new vendor (at least to me) on the west side of the stadium (cash only)

 

[IUCol]

Nice observations and kudos for your effort to get to the game. Your family too! The hold was evident on TV too. There were others...the refs let UV grab our receivers constantly, chop blocking, interior holding...it really was a poorly called game. The type we usually lose. Nice change...

 

[TheHarpooner]

There is only one word needed to describe the officials: Scoundrels!!!

 

[Chriselli]

What struck me is that, with 200% more screen space, we cannot do what we we were able to do in the 1990s with keeping up total yardage constantly. Why is that hard now?

With that being said, our new stadium is loud. It reminded me of how loud the Metrodome was when we played up there in 2006 and they had about 35k fans.

 

[Crimson Crush]

What struck me is that, with 200% more screen space, we cannot do what we we were able to do in the 1990s with keeping up total yardage constantly. Why is that hard now?

With that being said, our new stadium is loud. It reminded me of how loud the Metrodome was when we played up there in 2006 and they had about 35k fans.

My guess was that there were not more than 12,000 fans at the game on Saturday and that may be generous. I saw the INDIANA red lettering on the patio area. Each letter was mounted on a silver block. My question is: do these letters light up? The blocks looked like they could have electrical supply to them, which would be very cool. In front of the SEZ, they indicated there would be some type of art work coming?

 

[i'vegotwinners]

Made the drive from Mississippi to attend a pivotal early season game.

My children (in their twenties) indulged me by also going to game in spite of the weather--they stayed through halftime. As they questioned their sanity--and especially mine--for attending the game in a torrential downpour, my refrain was "The sun always shines over Memorial Stadium."

On a more serious note, here are a few thoughts/impressions about the game, team, and the SEZ project:

• Indiana appeared to be ready to put Virginia away with the opening drive of the second half when a "no-call" changed the complexion of the game. I'm usually loathe to complain about officiating, but there was a particularly egregious hold on Westbrook (even from 35 rows up), who was wide open and streaking down the sideline in a route similar to one that resulted in a touchdown. The hold was not around the waist, but up high near the neck line and it lasted for ten to fifteen yards, but was not called. Brutal!
• Right guard seemed to struggle including two holding calls, etcetera. Wonder if Linder might not get moved to this spot eventually?
• Worst weather for a game I have attended. This includes the Michigan State game near the end of the Mallory Era (snow and ice in mid-October) circa 1995 or 1996 and the deluge during the first half of the Northwestern game during the Cameron Era. Didn't go the Bucket game in 2001, so that might have been worse weather.
• The stadium seems smaller and more intimate now that it is fully enclosed.
• Don't recall hearing the PA chant: "First down Hoosiers!" as has routinely been done in the past. Perhaps, I missed it trying to stay dry? Regardless, there seems to be a clear effort to de-emphasize "Hoosier" at least in the football program.
• To the best of my knowledge, NO scores were provided for other games that had gone final or games in progress for that matter. Head scratching! Why not reinforce attendance by keeping avid college football fans abreast of the scores of other games?
• Liked the I N D I A N A in the new terrace/pavilion area.
• Jack's Donuts was a new vendor (at least to me) on the west side of the stadium (cash only)

i love the no scores thing. i have a dvr and like to catch the other games unspoiled.

access to info isn't a huge problem these days.

interesting note on the de-emphasizing "Hoosiers" thing.

 

[76-1]

I really like the emphasis on INDIANA.

This approach seems similar to how Nebraska went about things. Everyone still knows their nickname is "Cornhuskers" but thats secondary to their primary name of Nebraska...

I've always preferred to have all of our Teams thought of as "INDIANA" first and foremost...

 

[fieldjock]

It did seem louder as far as fan noise. Can't wait to see how loud it can get for the msu game with a nearly full house.

The only negative was the audio and speaker system inside the stadium. The speakers were muffled. Sounded like they were behind a wall? Sound was only coming from the south end zone. Why not keep sound or speakers at both ends of the stadium? Last year sound was only from the north end now it's only south. Strange set up.

I was there for the full game and it's a game I won't forget. It was a blast quite frankly. Leo

 

[76-1]

Nice observations and kudos for your effort to get to the game. Your family too! The hold was evident on TV too. There were others...the refs let UV grab our receivers constantly, chop blocking, interior holding...it really was a poorly called game. The type we usually lose. Nice change...

Good warm up for Big Ten play (poor officiating)

 

[ORG]

Made the drive from Mississippi to attend a pivotal early season game.

My children (in their twenties) indulged me by also going to game in spite of the weather--they stayed through halftime. As they questioned their sanity--and especially mine--for attending the game in a torrential downpour, my refrain was "The sun always shines over Memorial Stadium."

On a more serious note, here are a few thoughts/impressions about the game, team, and the SEZ project:

• Indiana appeared to be ready to put Virginia away with the opening drive of the second half when a "no-call" changed the complexion of the game. I'm usually loathe to complain about officiating, but there was a particularly egregious hold on Westbrook (even from 35 rows up), who was wide open and streaking down the sideline in a route similar to one that resulted in a touchdown. The hold was not around the waist, but up high near the neck line and it lasted for ten to fifteen yards, but was not called. Brutal!
• Right guard seemed to struggle including two holding calls, etcetera. Wonder if Linder might not get moved to this spot eventually?
• Worst weather for a game I have attended. This includes the Michigan State game near the end of the Mallory Era (snow and ice in mid-October) circa 1995 or 1996 and the deluge during the first half of the Northwestern game during the Cameron Era. Didn't go the Bucket game in 2001, so that might have been worse weather.
• The stadium seems smaller and more intimate now that it is fully enclosed.
• Don't recall hearing the PA chant: "First down Hoosiers!" as has routinely been done in the past. Perhaps, I missed it trying to stay dry? Regardless, there seems to be a clear effort to de-emphasize "Hoosier" at least in the football program.
• To the best of my knowledge, NO scores were provided for other games that had gone final or games in progress for that matter. Head scratching! Why not reinforce attendance by keeping avid college football fans abreast of the scores of other games?
• Liked the I N D I A N A in the new terrace/pavilion area.
• Jack's Donuts was a new vendor (at least to me) on the west side of the stadium (cash only)

I appreciate your insight.

 

[Mr. Jim]

Everyone in the stadium and on TV saw the blatant hold against Westbrook. Defender had a fistful of jersey for 10 15 yards with the ref nearby and staring directly at it. Not a conspiracy theorist, but something like this doesn't make sense unless you consider other explanations.

 

[UncleMark]

The only negative was the audio and speaker system inside the stadium. The speakers were muffled. Sounded like they were behind a wall? Sound was only coming from the south end zone. Why not keep sound or speakers at both ends of the stadium? Last year sound was only from the north end now it's only south. Strange set up.

That would be awful. You'd get a double echo type thing unless you were sitting dead in the middle between the NEZ and SEZ speakers.

 

[IUCol]

Everyone in the stadium and on TV saw the blatant hold against Westbrook. Defender had a fistful of jersey for 10 15 yards with the ref nearby and staring directly at it. Not a conspiracy theorist, but something like this doesn't make sense unless you consider other explanations.

Does anyone know which crew it was? B10? ACC? Weirdos? Yeah that was bad enough to be B10 refs...but something sure wasn't right. If I were coach, this tape would be headed to the powers that be...if there are any.

 

[indy1203]

Does anyone know which crew it was? B10? ACC? Weirdos? Yeah that was bad enough to be B10 refs...but something sure wasn't right. If I were coach, this tape would be headed to the powers that be...if there are any.

That tape and 5 bucks will get you a cup of coffee
at Starbucks. Indiana is not even an after thought in
the B10 office.

 

[flyer1985]

They were doing the "First down Hoosiers" at the game on Saturday, was hard to hear PA with rain and whatnot, but I definitely heard it

 

[IUCol]

That tape and 5 bucks will get you a cup of coffee
at Starbucks. Indiana is not even an after thought in
the B10 office.

Ahhh, the Cannon Fodder mentality of the B10 office...some teams are just for beating up on and getting wins for the big teams who play on the national stage. We wouldn't want to upset that with fairness.

The more things change as they say...been this way since the Pleistocene era...the day they invented kick-back...vbg

 

[HoosierNative]

They were doing the "First down Hoosiers" at the game on Saturday, was hard to hear PA with rain and whatnot, but I definitely heard it

Good deal. I take pride in being a Hoosier, so glad to know that this is still part of the Memorial Stadium experience.

 

[Crimson Crush]

Does anyone know which crew it was? B10? ACC? Weirdos? Yeah that was bad enough to be B10 refs...but something sure wasn't right. If I were coach, this tape would be headed to the powers that be...if there are any.

The officiating crew was:

REFEREE
Jeff Maconaghy - ACC official. Former Big East ref.
UMPIRE
Tom Laverty - ACC official
LINESMAN
M. Fitzgerald - ACC official
LINE JUDGE
Hugh Campbell - ACC official
BACK JUDGE
Jamal Shears - ACC official
FIELD JUDGE
Ryan Flynn -ACC official
SIDE JUDGE
H Wittelsberger - ACC referee

 

[IUCol]

Thanks CC...an ACC crew...surprise surprise. Of course, a B10 crew would have been just as bad. That was an poorly called game any way you twist it. Thanks for the info.

 

[Crimson Crush]

Thanks CC...an ACC crew...surprise surprise. Of course, a B10 crew would have been just as bad. That was an poorly called game any way you twist it. Thanks for the info.

I believe that the way these crews are assigned is:

The road team’s conference crew on the field and the home team’s officials “upstairs” in the booth.

 

[oldcougar77]

Thanks CC...an ACC crew...surprise surprise. Of course, a B10 crew would have been just as bad. That was an poorly called game any way you twist it. Thanks for the info.

The hold on that play was glaring for sure but I thought we got away with a couple of PIs as well. I'm willing to give the officials some slack with those conditions. For an official running full-speed down the sideline with rain pouring in his face and treacherous footing each step, I can see that happening. I honestly thought they caught most of the PIs on Va. At least no phantom flags on the last play of the game to gift Va a win. As I'm sure everyone will recall, we have had that happen with an ACC crew.

I guarantee we will see worse in two weeks when we host MSU. After a loss at ASU the league needs them to rebound to keep OSU and PSU in the playoff hunt. In addition to the standard MSU practice of an injury flop every time we go up-tempo, I'm guessing we see multiple phantom flags and obvious calls turn into no-calls if we pose any real threat to win.

That's the reality of life in the B1G East. Until the league views us as a credible, major-bowl contender, Delaney and the boys are going to do everything in their power to not upset the status quo. I'm much happier to see a non-B1G crew any day. I hate to be a cynical conspiracy theorist but I've seen how our games are called against the ruling class programs going back 40+ years. IMO, the push to get teams into the national playoff picture has made it even worse.

We will have to be 20 points better than MSU to win by 3.

 

[Larryismyname]

The hold on that play was glaring for sure but I thought we got away with a couple of PIs as well. I'm willing to give the officials some slack with those conditions. For an official running full-speed down the sideline with rain pouring in his face and treacherous footing each step, I can see that happening. I honestly thought they caught most of the PIs on Va. At least no phantom flags on the last play of the game to gift Va a win. As I'm sure everyone will recall, we have had that happen with an ACC crew.

I guarantee we will see worse in two weeks when we host MSU. After a loss at ASU the league needs them to rebound to keep OSU and PSU in the playoff hunt. In addition to the standard MSU practice of an injury flop every time we go up-tempo, I'm guessing we see multiple phantom flags and obvious calls turn into no-calls if we pose any real threat to win.

That's the reality of life in the B1G East. Until the league views us as a credible, major-bowl contender, Delaney and the boys are going to do everything in their power to not upset the status quo. I'm much happier to see a non-B1G crew any day. I hate to be a cynical conspiracy theorist but I've seen how our games are called against the ruling class programs going back 40+ years. IMO, the push to get teams into the national playoff picture has made it even worse.

We will have to be 20 points better than MSU to win by 3.

You honestly believe the Big 10 orchestrates officiating to favor certain teams?

 

[oldcougar77]

You honestly believe the Big 10 orchestrates officiating to favor certain teams?

I don't think it's orchestrated, but I think there is a sense of pressure felt by officials to avoid calls that might jeopardize the league's elite. I think some of it is what I call the "Damon Bailey" effect. As a high school basketball coach for many years I witnessed a lot of star-struck officials who tended to make or not make calls based on star power, or who they perceived was the better team.

I certainly don't want to feel that way, but it seems that any time we play OSU, Michigan, MSU, or PSU I see glaring calls and no-calls that reinforce my paranoia. That horrible, glaring no-call on the hold at MSU and the late phantom PI last year didn't exactly inspire confidence.

 

[IUCol]

You'd have to be blind not to see it. I've watched IU FB from the stands or TV for 40 years...nothing new here...

 

[Bowlmania]

The hold on that play was glaring for sure but I thought we got away with a couple of PIs as well. I'm willing to give the officials some slack with those conditions. For an official running full-speed down the sideline with rain pouring in his face and treacherous footing each step, I can see that happening. I honestly thought they caught most of the PIs on Va. At least no phantom flags on the last play of the game to gift Va a win. As I'm sure everyone will recall, we have had that happen with an ACC crew.

I guarantee we will see worse in two weeks when we host MSU. After a loss at ASU the league needs them to rebound to keep OSU and PSU in the playoff hunt. In addition to the standard MSU practice of an injury flop every time we go up-tempo, I'm guessing we see multiple phantom flags and obvious calls turn into no-calls if we pose any real threat to win.

That's the reality of life in the B1G East. Until the league views us as a credible, major-bowl contender, Delaney and the boys are going to do everything in their power to not upset the status quo. I'm much happier to see a non-B1G crew any day. I hate to be a cynical conspiracy theorist but I've seen how our games are called against the ruling class programs going back 40+ years. IMO, the push to get teams into the national playoff picture has made it even worse.

We will have to be 20 points better than MSU to win by 3.

It may not be a conscious effort on the part of officials, but there is a definitely a bias in favor of the big boys. And there's an intimidation factor that the high profile coaches at the top tier schools have (aided, no doubt, by 90,000+ people in the stands) that is [currently] lacking at a school like IU. Any suggestion that college football officiating is completely objective and unbiased is naive.

 

[Mr. Jim]

It may not be a conscious effort on the part of officials, but there is a definitely a bias in favor of the big boys. And there's an intimidation factor that the high profile coaches at the top tier schools have (aided, no doubt, by 90,000+ people in the stands) that is [currently] lacking at a school like IU. Any suggestion that college football officiating is completely objective and unbiased is naive.

A lot of guys think the league or the refs protect certain programs, but I have a different take. Vegas makes or loses mega millions based on bets against the point spread. With mega millions at stake, why wouldn't a zebra or two on the payroll be considered part of the cost of doing business? Who realistically believes Vegas represents the hallmark of integrity and everything they do is on the up and up? A zebra can stay below radar and doesn't necessarily have to change the outcome of the game, just had to do his part to try and maintain the spread and ensure the favored team does not cover. In this situation Indiana was set to go up 27-9 without zebra intervention, and the 6 point spread would've been demolished. Instead we have a no call with a ref staring directly at a Virginia player holding a fistful of jersey for 10-15 yards. How does the zebra miss something so obvious that everyone else sees? Beyond this, there are far too many examples of ref blindness and incompetence to believe is there is nothing nefarious and its all coincidence. Plus, zebras on the take have been proven to have occurred before in pro sports, so why would anyone dismiss the possibility on the college level?

 

[76-1]

A lot of guys think the league or the refs protect certain programs, but I have a different take. Vegas makes or loses mega millions based on bets against the point spread. With mega millions at stake, why wouldn't a zebra or two on the payroll be considered part of the cost of doing business? Who realistically believes Vegas represents the hallmark of integrity and everything they do is on the up and up? A zebra can stay below radar and doesn't necessarily have to change the outcome of the game, just had to do his part to try and maintain the spread and ensure the favored team does not cover. In this situation Indiana was set to go up 27-9 without zebra intervention, and the 6 point spread would've been demolished. Instead we have a no call with a ref staring directly at a Virginia player holding a fistful of jersey for 10-15 years. How does the zebra miss something so obvious that everyone else sees? Beyond this, there are far too many examples of ref blindness and incompetence to believe is there is nothing nefarious and its all coincidence. Plus, zebras on the take have been proven to have occurred before in pro sports, so why would anyone dismiss the possibility on the college level?

I think it's a mix of "all of the above"... I've seen it occur far too many times...

It only takes one guy to affect the game (although there have been times up at MI that I would have sworn the entire crew was in the bag)...

Anyone denying this simply doesn't want to believe it can happen... Nice imaginary world to live in but the reality is it does happen and when it does it's usually happening to us...

 

[Courtsensetwo]

A lot of guys think the league or the refs protect certain programs, but I have a different take. Vegas makes or loses mega millions based on bets against the point spread. With mega millions at stake, why wouldn't a zebra or two on the payroll be considered part of the cost of doing business? Who realistically believes Vegas represents the hallmark of integrity and everything they do is on the up and up? A zebra can stay below radar and doesn't necessarily have to change the outcome of the game, just had to do his part to try and maintain the spread and ensure the favored team does not cover. In this situation Indiana was set to go up 27-9 without zebra intervention, and the 6 point spread would've been demolished. Instead we have a no call with a ref staring directly at a Virginia player holding a fistful of jersey for 10-15 yards. How does the zebra miss something so obvious that everyone else sees? Beyond this, there are far too many examples of ref blindness and incompetence to believe is there is nothing nefarious and its all coincidence. Plus, zebras on the take have been proven to have occurred before in pro sports, so why would anyone dismiss the possibility on the college level?

Yeah, I dint think so.