It’s never easy to admit when you’re wrong, and this time yours truly will certainly tell you he hasn’t forgotten what he said on the radio last week in advance of the Big Ten Football Conference Championship, when l declared Ohio State would defeat Indiana University in a close contest.
Now that the entire city knows l was incorrect, there’s no better time to talk about just what the road ahead has in store for IU.
Whoever coined the phrase “Heavy is the crown” was a genius. Despite what Las Vegas will tell you currently, Indiana is now the number one seed in the upcoming playoff, and will enjoy the luxury of a first round bye as they await their opening game in Pasadena, California against the winner of Alabama and Oklahoma, which will be played in the legendary Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
Now, before all of you who think ‘he’s got it all wrong’ and discard anything l have to say, let me ask you about where everything is now for your beloved Hoosiers, and what it’s going to be like with everyone telling them how great they are and reminding them about that fact they’ll be favored in their opening round contest.
While the coaching staff will tell you their team will remain laser focused on the task at hand and not be impacted by any of the distractions that accompany the media scrutiny of the quest for a National Championship, Curt Cignetti will undoubtedly have the task of not only preparing a game plan, but also keeping the hype that surrounds the game to a bare minimum as they seek to advance in the tournament.
You simply can’t lock your team in the hotel and make sure they have good meals along with a comfortable bed as this vast opportunity is also a great experience for these young men and, despite what I’m sure will be a very business like approach to the game, I’m talking about keeping these talented young men focused and ready to play, and that in itself is a tall task for any great program to achieve.
The aforementioned first round bye is indeed a mixed bag as while it serves as a luxury in terms of treating any nagging injuries and having more than ample time to prepare, it also places a team that is antsy to play again soon in to a holding pattern, and perhaps can even diminish the momentum that was achieved in their highly emotional victory in a hard-fought Conference Title Game.
This is an enormous stage for all 12 teams, one that was unfortunately built on crazy amounts of money and prestige, and not the long forgotten adage of for the love of the game itself.
It’s where Hollywood meets Wall Street and it will swallow up 11 teams before it produces a champion. Throw in the vast tsunami of network television coverage that has become the norm, and you’ve got a three-ring circus on steroids, and that’s exactly where Indiana University Football has firmly landed, in the coveted number one spot and looking for their first title.
The stakes just couldn’t be higher and the expectations are beyond ridiculous, but this is what college football has sadly become and it’s now time to feed the beast once known as a national television audience that is now global. The hype is now beyond enormous and it’s real.
How do you keep a team from being distracted and even bored with a three- and one-half week gap before your next contest?
Well, that’s why coaches are paid outrageous amounts of money and we’re about to find out who indeed is the best ringmaster.
Danny Bridges, who recommends the Lucky Boy Diner in Pasadena to any IU fan making the trip to the game, can be reached at (317) 370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
