Today’s Guest Column
As an alumnus of this university living in Indiana for three and a half years, I have become more than familiar with this phenomenon called “Hoosier Hospitality.”
No more was this vividly on display than this past Saturday when Indiana University welcomed the Terrapins football team to Bloomington, Indiana,for the Terps’ inaugural Big Ten gridiron battle.
Arriving on the campus, people were welcoming — even those who noticed my red and white Terps attire wasn’t exactly Indiana’s crimson and cream. “Welcome to Indiana” or “Welcome to Bloomington” was heard around the campus.
After we reached Memorial Stadium, and knowing our seats were with God up in section 112, the walk up the winding ramp seemed daunting, a la Byrd Stadium. Spotting a stadium volunteer sitting in a golf cart, I held out my thumb and jokingly asked for a ride to our seats. He asked what section, and upon hearing 112, he invited us to hop in and took each turn like a racer at the Brickyard 400. Hoosier Hospitality.
The pregame program included a video welcome to the Big Ten from Hoosiers coach Kevin Wilson, followed by Indiana’s Marching Hundred performing the Terps’ fight song — and well! And they had to learn that from scratch; it’s certainly not part of their regular repertoire. Hoosier Hospitality.
The epitome of Hoosier Hospitality came during the game. It was a victorious but somewhat sloppy 37-15 affair, rife with penalties — most more costly to the Hoosiers than the Terps, who managed to capitalize on several occasions. I doubt future road games will feature as generous a host as Indiana.
Even with questionable calls by the referees and disappointing play by the home team, the crowd did not turn abusive by hurling epithets, which is, sadly, a common occurrence at Byrd (and Xfinity Center during basketball season). No four-letter chants and no “You suck” from fans — a lesson Terps fans and students have yet to learn. And from what I understand, no fires are set on the campus following a big win in Bloomington, another lesson to be learned by Terps fans and students.
While I vehemently objected to this university leaving the ACC — the tradition of being a founding father up in smoke — the Terps have begun their Big Ten era “in the win column,” to borrow an expression from Baltimore Orioles radio announcer Joe Angel. At 4-1, two more victories shall make the Terps bowl eligible.
Win graciously, lose with dignity and display sportsmanship — notions that will carry all of us through life. Hoosier Hospitality, it’s a thing. Thanks for making us feel welcome.
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, Indiana. He is a 1988 graduate of this university, as well as a member of the Alumni Association, the Terrapin Club and Rebounders, which supports the women’s basketball program.
