did you become a Hoosier fan? This might have been already done in the past but I see so many of you posting about how great things were years ago and wondered where we all rank in terms of who to feel sorry for not being able to experience what IU basketball really was and should be now. As for me, 69, and became a fan because of my dad in 1970. Sure had some great times and really miss sitting and watching the game with dad.
Your Age and when
- Thread starter bbafficionado
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59, My first home game was in 1975. I became a diehard Scott May and Steve Green fan that day. If I Rember correctly we had 8 or 9 in-state players on that squad and yes Hoosier pride was on the rise. Not so much today. Go Hoosiers!
I’m 66. Been a fan since watching Vern Payne in 1968. Then listened to McGinnis & Downing games on the radio. Diehard since.
46 years old. Probably in 1986 Stew Robinson, Winston Morgan, and Andre Harris team.
I'm 64. Vern was a local hero in Michigan City. I used to listen to the IU games that featured him on our local radio station. Like you, I listened to the Big Mac and Downing games.
I often wonder if I'm an old man in comparison to the majority of those who post here.
73-74? Russians at IU. UHF tv just came out ch. 32 out of Chicago.
No commercials, cameras rolling during timeout. Knight walks over to the ref standing by the endline and says "you better do something about these f#####s before I do."
I almost spit my joint out. After that I was a fan for life.
No commercials, cameras rolling during timeout. Knight walks over to the ref standing by the endline and says "you better do something about these f#####s before I do."
I almost spit my joint out. After that I was a fan for life.
38, probably started seriously following Jr year of HS with the AJ block. Went down to Kirkwood and got drunk and saw titties with the crowd in the streets. All down hill from there.
During the 1973/1974 season when I saw my 1st game by myself at Assembly Hall at age 7.
Damn. I feel bad for the younger Iu fans. I really do.
65. Loved watching IU and Purdue games equally early on. Loved Rick Mount and was heart broken when they lost to Alcindor. Shortly thereafter I first realized Purdue sucked. Couldn’t have been more of a diehard Hoosier fan when RMK rode into town. Vern Payne and Joe Cooke were early favorites until Bootsy White arrived. Just loved that name. Had a cool factor.
46 with a vague memory of the ‘84 team that knocked off UNC in Atlanta
61. Fan since 1975" Knight was just beginning to make his presence known
59. Started watching in 74 with my Dad who just passed last Thanksgiving. What a 50 year run with Dad. The last 20 not so good Hoops but with Dad it was good
Just shy of 52. Was born into it. Remember my dad’s excitement over 76. That is my earliest memory.
Love the memories of Watching on 13 inch black and white in my room. Martha whistling and singing and the excitement I felt when Chuck Marlowe started talking or hearing fisch on the radio.
Love the memories of Watching on 13 inch black and white in my room. Martha whistling and singing and the excitement I felt when Chuck Marlowe started talking or hearing fisch on the radio.
71. I have a black and white photo of my first IU game that my parents took me to. It was in December 1953, I was 6 months old and I have been a fan every since.
39. Have been a fan as long as I can remember before attending in 2003.
The amount of good memories is depressingly small. Being at the Wat shot will be what I have to lean on for eternity I assume.
The amount of good memories is depressingly small. Being at the Wat shot will be what I have to lean on for eternity I assume.
62, but a young 62! 
I was sort of paying attention to IU before 74-75 but became a diehard IU fan during that season. When IU lost to UK in the Final Four, I became a diehard UK hater as well. I went to IU mostly because I was an IU fan. I was accepted to Notre Dame (just wanted to see if I could be) and every university I applied to, but I knew I was going to IU. I attended to IU from '79 to '83. Isiah Thomas was in my class, and we attended a large Freshman class together. He even knew me since he asked me how I was doing, by name, after we ran into each other my junior year (he did get his degree from IU for those that aren't aware). Woodson was my favorite player as a Freshman (his Senior year). 1981 Championship was a blast.
I was sort of paying attention to IU before 74-75 but became a diehard IU fan during that season. When IU lost to UK in the Final Four, I became a diehard UK hater as well. I went to IU mostly because I was an IU fan. I was accepted to Notre Dame (just wanted to see if I could be) and every university I applied to, but I knew I was going to IU. I attended to IU from '79 to '83. Isiah Thomas was in my class, and we attended a large Freshman class together. He even knew me since he asked me how I was doing, by name, after we ran into each other my junior year (he did get his degree from IU for those that aren't aware). Woodson was my favorite player as a Freshman (his Senior year). 1981 Championship was a blast.75. Watching the VanArsdales and Payne back in the 60’s. Love my Hoosiers win or lose ( prefer winning!). Graduated before Knight got there so watched many average teams .
64 and from South Bend. Vern Payne from Michigan City, McGinnis, Downing, Ritter, Lazkowski, Abernathy.
Ritter's family was friends with my cousin's family in Goshen. Laz and Abernathy set the career scoring record for South Bend at St. Joesph under Bob Donewald before he joined Knight's staff.
I missed two national championships as a student from 1976-1980 just like our current coach Mike Woodson. We did beat PU for the NIT championship which was still fun but not as great as the championships.
I will never give up on our Hoosiers, but it has been mostly struggles since 1993. 2002 and 2012 were fun.
Ritter's family was friends with my cousin's family in Goshen. Laz and Abernathy set the career scoring record for South Bend at St. Joesph under Bob Donewald before he joined Knight's staff.
I missed two national championships as a student from 1976-1980 just like our current coach Mike Woodson. We did beat PU for the NIT championship which was still fun but not as great as the championships.
I will never give up on our Hoosiers, but it has been mostly struggles since 1993. 2002 and 2012 were fun.
37. I can remember the early 90's teams. My Dad took me out of Kindergarten for the 1992 Final Four rally at Assembly Hall, and I still have game programs signed by the players. I saw the Fab 5 play at Assembly Hall with my Dad.
If I've learned anything, it is the coach is, by far, the most important part of the program. You don't stop looking until you find your guy.
If I've learned anything, it is the coach is, by far, the most important part of the program. You don't stop looking until you find your guy.
I was a freshman at IU for the undefeated ‘75-‘76 season. Kind of spoiled me….LOL
Also was in grad school at IU for the ‘81 natty.
Never saw this drought coming and am impressed/perplexed that there are die hard IU fans under 30.
Also was in grad school at IU for the ‘81 natty.
Never saw this drought coming and am impressed/perplexed that there are die hard IU fans under 30.
Oh Ive been screwed. But even If I started really watching as a kid, I just miss the 90's. Which was a few good teams, but I was 2 when we won our last title. Have at least good memories of our last final 4! Something I still have on PU fans lol.
That NIT championship over PU was awesome. That was a good team, and the NIT was a good tournament.
IU had two teams in the '90s that could have, maybe should have, won the national championship. The Final Four when IU lost to Duke remains the only loss that I've ever blamed on the Refs. There is no doubt in my mind that Teddy V was paid off or incompetent. There is no other option on that one.
I would have put the NNW&CC to shame with my overly emotional screaming and yelling about the refs during that game. However, I was watching it in California on TV with a smallish group of people, so it was OK.
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44. Mostly through Marching Hundred/Big Red Basketball Band indoctrination beginning my freshman year in 1996.
As my fading memory recalls we watched on wttw channel 11 before 32. Wish dad was here to ask. He would remember.
Im glad for this post. Started watching purdue first but I just could not admit it. You made it a little easier. But just like you it all changed, thankfully!
I'm 72. First saw big Mac in high school. Followed him to IU. Been a life long fan ever since.
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Those were the teams that my son followed in my footsteps to becoming a fan. Did the same watching together and living with the heartbreak of that duke game. That game still pisses him off and its really when I began to question the "fathom foul" call.IU had two teams in the '90s that could have, maybe should have, won the national championship. The Final Four when IU lost to Duke remains the only loss that I've ever blamed on the Refs. There is no doubt in my mind that Teddy V was paid off or incompetent. There is no other option on that one.
I would have put the NNW&CC to shame with my overly emotional screaming and yelling about the refs during that game. However, I was watching it in California on TV with a smallish group of people, so it was OK.
Without looking, four of IU's starters fouled out and I'm pretty sure not one of them fouled out the entire season before that. It was the most ridiculous officiating I've ever seen. I think it should have been investigated for criminal connections.
And as I remember Pat Graham came off the bench and made 4 3s in a row to close the game to 3. We had the last shot to tie and for some reason he didnt get the ball. Now Im gonna ruin my night and go watch if Im right!
62. I was raised a Hoosier fan. My mom is an IU grad and was on campus for the 53 title. She's a die hard fan even today at age 91 and thinks Mike Woodson is wonderful...mostly just because she remembers him as a player. I don't recall much before the Knight years but have vivd memories of the Hoosiers from early/mid 1970's and beyond.
I disliked and always reminded Ted Valentine from my seats at every IU game he refed that he cost us that game. LOL
Cav I will now respond to this with a total sadness and complete sympathy for you having to miss out on most of the good times. What you have lived to see along with all you other young guys. The disasters, coaches, poor recruiting, horrible play, terrible losses, and always having to look to next year for a breakout one. Pretty much a gut wrenching display of bad basketball (with a few good ones thrown in here and there) to keep you wishing for the real thing while I basked in the greatness for years. Us old guys were spoiled and we didnt even know it! Boy, we sure do now. Old and young, were all in the same boat now, and still Hoosier fans.
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