 28 |
GAME #65
Memorial Stadium |
 42 |
| Trip Dates | 9/26/2024 – 9/29/2024 |
| School | Indiana University |
| Visiting Team | Maryland Terrapins Pre-game Record: 3-1 |
| Home Team | Indiana Hoosiers Pre-game Record: 4-0 |
| Game Time (ET) | 12:00 PM Eastern |
| Weather | 65 & Rain |
| Attendees | Jarrett & Al |
| Jarrett’s Pick | Indiana Hoosiers (42 and 22 record) |
| Al’s Pick | Indiana Hoosiers (39 and 25 record) |
| Attendance | 48,323 |
| Capacity | 52,626 |
| TV | BTN |
| Length of Game | 3:27 |
| Seat Location | 35 Yard Line, 16th Row |
| Miles Traveled | 2,295 |
| Photo Album | Click here for the Indiana Photo Album |
Travel
After tracking Hurricane Helene all week, it appeared the trip to Indiana was a go. This was going to be a wet weekend, but flights from Fort Lauderdale to Indianapolis seemed unaffected and the return on Sunday showed that Helene will have fizzled out so while there is always the chance I would not make it back on Sunday, we were a go. We have always been on storm watch on these trips despite Al reminding me that my motto is they always turned out to sea, but it appears my move to Florida has increased the storm factor quite a bit. And as I write this, Hurricane Milton is on a direct path.
So I headed out to Fort Lauderdale for the Thursday evening departure. Shockingly, there was no rain on my drive and the Florida Turnpike was quite open. So those who know me, know that I arrived in plenty of time for my flight. Quick note to the lady in front of me in the TSA line, how do you not know that you need a boarding pass to go through security at an airport? Should someone like that be allowed in public alone…You decide. It was a very nice flight, with Southwest having about 30 open seats and I ended up with an open middle seat. That is always nice and things are off to a good start. I will state that Florida is really much better to fly out of than NY because it is just easier with driving, parking, and the airports, except for the lack of direct flights and the hurricanes. And just wait until my return flight on Sunday.
Upon landing in Indianapolis, the flight attendant who was very even-tempered and not overly friendly the whole flight proceeded to state “If you are going to the Purdue Nebraska game, Boiler Up!” Very nice. Love it.
I arrived in Indianapolis about an hour ahead of Al who was coming in from LaGuardia. So I managed my football picks, my fantasy team, and tried to find a place for dinner as we decided Indy was a better option than Bloomington, especially given the late hour. I checked on Al’s gate and other than the American Airlines app having no idea what gate he was coming into, all was good. Then Al’s flight arrived and proceeded to sit at the gate for about 30 minutes because there was no gate agent to move the jet bridge. Seriously! I watched from inside the airport as one gate agent handled another flight and another agent did paperwork. The rest of the airport was deserted with no other soul around. I volunteered but did not want to end up in airport jail or real jail. Meanwhile a plane full of people got angry, as I waved from the terminal. How does this happen? But Al did mention that he was on a refurbished AA plane that had comfortable seats. I did not know that AA refurbished their planes. I thought they all still had ashtrays in the armrest. Good to know that 1 out of every thousand planes they have has been refurbished.
Al finally deplaned and after a quick discussion based on the fact that most restaurants close at 10 (seriously Indy?), we opted for the Shake Shack that was barely still open inside the airport for a quick bite before heading to Bloomington. This was a big mistake. They had like 2 burgers left, 3 fries left, and no shakes and it was like the car crash you could see coming but could not avoid. We ate there but knew it was not going to sit well. And it did not.
Afterwards, we picked up the rental car and headed out to Bloomington. It was about an hour drive and then we arrived at the Airbnb. Now a word about our accommodations. We opted for an Airbnb on this trip because there were supposed to be four of us and hotels were a bit pricey. Al’s nephews Jordan and Zack were supposed to join and Zack’s girlfriend even went to Indiana and was providing us with all sorts of information. But, they decided at the last minute that they did not want to get wet all weekend and they bailed to go to a horse race. Now granted they had good reason to go to this horse race but still. C’mon. Very soft and weak. I would say more here, but I do not want Nancy pissed at me.
Back to the Airbnb, Al and I had this house to ourselves and we checked in, got comfortable, and went to sleep.
Friday Morning
We slept in a little bit on Friday, then made a CVS run for a few items to stock up the Airbnb. Of course we had to make the Starbucks stop for Al. I think this trip we went to Starbucks four times, but not close to a Quest record. I think Al could have paid off his house by now with the Starbucks trips, and he doesn’t even drink coffee there. WTF?
After Al took a work call, we then had to make the big decision for the day, where to buy seats for the game. This involved weather forecasts, a compass, google maps, and three ticket apps. We knew it was going to rain. We knew it was likely the wind would be blowing from the Northeast. We knew we wanted the wind driven rain to be behind us so it was not blowing in our face. So first decision, was it worth it to buy club seats so we had someplace inside to get out of the rain? It was decided that it was not worth it because it would not be raining hard enough, the cost was too much, and unless we were inside the whole time, we would be wet anyway. So then, after deciding that, we looked for tickets on the east side so we would have our backs to the rain. After looking at google maps to see which side of the stadium was east and west, we consulted stubhub and seat geek. Then we looked at all the ticket options on a variety of apps. Finally, I found a pair in Section 8 on Seat Geek and pulled the trigger. Folks, this is how the sausage is made. Remember all of this for later, because for all this effort, I screwed up big time here, by overlooking one thing.
Campus
We then headed out to tour campus. First stop was the Union for lunch. The only thing I can say is that it was awful. Dreadful. Lousy. We would need food again sooner rather than later.
Food
After walking around campus and lunch falling flat, we headed to Pizza X for cheesy bread with sprinkles which was something we were told that we had to have. Al has done an excellent Final Bite review which is a video posted in the photo album. I will just say that it is just a pizza with no sauce and a Domino’s pizza at that. But Al has a different opinion so you should check that out.
We then headed out to see one of the four Kilroy’s in Bloomington. It was closed. Apparently it closes at 3 and then reopens at 4ish. But then again, I still do not know if we were at the correct Kilroy’s, Roy’s, Sports, etc. Are these one place or three? Beats the shit out of me. But whatever they are, the one we went to was closed both times we went back.
After the hunt for Kilroy’s, we went back to the Airbnb for a bit of rest. We did some homework and found that Uptown Cafe should be our dinner choice. There were no reservations available but they said to come down and they could try to get us in or we could eat at the bar.
After some R&R we headed out to Uptown Cafe. When we walked in, it was apparent that they were going to have a hard time fitting us in. The rain did not scare anyone away from dining out. But we were able to be seated at the bar right away and when I say bar seating, it was a table in the bar section. So this was ideal.
After dinner, it was back to the Airbnb for some sleep.
Saturday Tailgate
It was an early wake up on Saturday as game time was at noon and we had a tailgate to get to. We headed out to the stadium and had a relatively easy time finding a place to park at a nearby church. As an aside, I have found that churches do an oddly good business collecting parking fees at college football games. I guess it is good real estate. Many jokes come to mind here but I’ll try to stay out of hell this week, not that I believe in hell, but why not hedge your bets. Anyway, we parked and walked to Memorial Stadium.
We stumbled into the Hoosier Walk or whatever Indiana calls it when the team gets off the bus and walks into the stadium. It seemed odd to me that they fit on only two buses, but the last time I felt that way I changed my pick and it did not work out well. So I ignored it. Al was watching to see if any players relieved themselves because that is how he handicaps horse races and sometimes football games. None did.
After this we walked over to Assembly Hall as there seemed to be some pregame show going on over there. They were giving out free Jimmy Johns. So we decided they had no credibility and there would be some fierce vomiting soon, so we left.
We then sought out a tailgate where a coworker of Al’s would be. It took some hunting but we eventually found it. I am under strict instructions to not reveal names or details of anything that occurred at the tailgate. This is to protect the extremely guilty. I can offer condolences to all those who have to work with Al. Al can fill in anything that he would like, but I will just leave it as a thank you to those who hosted and you know who you are. Thank you Kirsten.
Pregame
The time came for us to leave the tailgate and head into the stadium as we had to meet up for a pregame experience. The Indiana University athletic department was kind enough to provide us with a pregame tour of the facilities. A very kind shout out to Jada in marketing who was instrumental in setting up the tour for us and to Scott who put us in touch with Jada. The first Indiana game bag that Al received was a very nice touch.
At some point prior to kick, we headed to our seats, on the wrong side. Both Al and I picked Indiana despite my trying to lure Al into picking Maryland.
The Game
New head coach Curt Cignetti and QB Kurtis Rourke lead the Indiana Hoosiers to a 42-28 over the Maryland Terrapins, and a 5-0 start to the 2024 season. Indiana was able to overcome a minus 4 turnover margin by coming up big on defense at the right time with Kurtis Rourke throwing for 359 yards in the rain and wind.
The game opened with a scoreless first quarter as both Indiana drives led to interceptions and both Maryland drives ended with punts. Both teams struggled to move the ball in the conditions as play was sloppy.
The 3Q would see the teams march up and down the field. Maryland started with a 10 play 75 yard TD drive. Indiana responded with a 7 play 75 yard drive. Maryland, not to be out done, responded with a burst up the middle for 75 yards on one play. It was then 21-21. The Indiana offense would keep up the pace and score three more times, while the Indiana defense tightened up, allowing only one more Maryland score towards the end of the 4Q, as Indiana would go on to win 42-28.
Some other game notes:
- Memorial Stadium plays some of the best music of any stadium so far
- Tina in front of us is a way too involved mom. Let go of the reins or your kid is going to leave forever. And the dating advice is just bad. The only way this is acceptable advice is if the daughter you are texting is 8 and if that is the case, you are going to jail.
- This game was played in very wet and somewhat windy conditions. But we came prepared. PS – I got a cold a few days later so no matter how prepared you are, watching a game in the rain is not the best idea.
Post Game
After the game, we went back to the Airbnb to dry out and warm up. Another good point about where we parked…it was on the correct side of the stadium. Meaning we had a quick exit. We also noticed that there were no hotels near the Airbnb. So Al theorizes that we may be onto something with staying at Airbnb’s that are not near hotels. That may lead to less traffic issues and easier parking. It’s a theory.
BJ’s Restaurant Brewhouse
Later that night we headed out to BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse to watch the Alabama vs Georgia football game. Al had made a reservation given the wait times we had seen online. Now I will prepare you for this section. I am going to rip this place to pieces. What we experienced here was beyond absurd. So if you are into that, keep reading, if not, you can skip to the next section.
We walked in and went right to our table at the bar. I will say the place was crowded. There were open tables that needed to be cleared and many people waiting. So clearly there was a staffing issue. But we sat and after having to ask for menus, eventually Al ordered pot stickers and a burger and I ordered chili and a pizza. About 30 minutes later, after neither one of us had received a refill on our drinks or even been asked if we wanted one, the waiter came over and informed us that they were out of chili. This was something that I could have been told 29 minutes ago. He asked if I wanted a different soup. I said I would look at the menu and let him know. After a few minutes, I told him to just change my order to a larger pizza. He went into the kitchen and immediately came out and told us that he could not do that because the pizza had already been made but that I should not worry because the chili would be taken off the check. To me this is something that should not need to be said because I would not expect to be charged for something I never received, but ok. We found it odd that I could not change the order since Al’s appetizer was not even out yet. Keep in mind this is at least 30 minutes after we had ordered. But not a minute later, Al’s appetizer, his burger, and my pizza all came out. Now I understood why I could not change. They were bringing all the food at the same time. This is not how this should be done and the waiter should have picked up on our dismay at what was going on. But he clearly thought this was normal. After having to seek out silverware and napkins, we ate what was brought.. Eventually I did order some more food, as the tiny pizza was not going to cut it.
After some time and watching the Alabama and Georgia game, we ordered dessert, which included ice cream. When it came, we were told that they were out of cherries and spoons. How does a restaurant run out of spoons? They are not walking out the back. They did not fail to order spoons. The supplier did not fail to deliver spoons that morning. They are simply not washing them in the back. This place is clearly mismanaged and worst of all, they are failing to notice that it is mismanaged and failing to notice the impact that it had on the guest experience.
I took this from the register behind the bar…
The 5 principles of gracious hospitality
- A warm and sincere welcome and hello
- Positive eye contact and smile
- Anticipate every guest’s need and find a way to yes
- A warm sincere goodbye and thank you
- We never lose a guest
Let’s review
- I can not comment on this as I did not notice as I was looking for a menu and napkin
- See #1
- This is a complete failure. Not only was it not anticipated, it was ignored when flat out asked for. I asked for a larger pizza and did not get it. If I was told you were out of what I ordered in a timely manner, my order could have been fulfilled. This was on you. You ignored our frustration with the way this was being handled. You should also anticipate that guests need spoons when eating ice cream and wash them. Your main dessert that you advertise everywhere is ice cream based.
- I can not comment on this
- Complete failure. We were clearly annoyed and nothing was done. You offered to not charge us for something we never got. Not only did this not solve the problem but annoyed us even more. A manager never came over to check if everything was ok. I have eaten at BJ’s before. I knew what I was getting. But this was a complete failure. The management of this establishment had no control of the environment and was completely checked out. This is bad brand management and I have a hard time trusting this brand ever again.
Now I understand that game weekends are crowded and restaurants are chronically understaffed. But this is not the first game weekend in Indiana history. You have to do better. Al did a Final Bite review of BJ’s Brewhouse and it is in the photo album. He does not hold back so that is something you should check out.
Sunday Morning
We awoke on Sunday and cleaned up the Airbnb according to the precise check out instructions. We then headed out to Indiana University to get some sign pics that we failed to get in the rain yesterday. Just one of those things we have to get at each school for the website. It just makes things look nice. Along with the panoramic shot inside the stadium.
Sunday Travel
So after having accomplished that, we picked up our companion for the ride out to the Indianapolis airport. I wish I could say that I got good stories about Al at work, but I didn’t. Epic fail. This is rather unfortunate, but expected.
Anyway, we dropped the car off and into the airport. The TSA Precheck line was about five times longer than the regular line, but I still waited in Pre Check because we were very early and I did not want to take off all my clothes, empty all my bags and submit to a cavity search..
After security we found a place to sit and watch football. It was not long after that the first flight delay alert popped up on my phone. Then the second and then the third. I was supposed to avoid this in Florida. This was supposed to be Al’s bull shit with the NY airports. The Florida airports are easy. But no, Al left on time. My arriving flight eventually arrived and then had a mechanical issue. I have no problem with a flight cancellation when I see a mechanic banging on the engine with a wrench. They would have to get another plane for my flight from Baltimore. Needless to say, we were very very late. I am not sure if this was Hurricane Helene or just typical flight BS, but in any event, not happy. Plus, in order to get a direct flight on this trip, I was flying to Fort Lauderdale and not West Palm. So when I landed at 12:45am, I had an hour plus drive ahead of me. Then the Sunpass exit in the parking garage did not work, so they had to call in the Sunpass barcodes and the lines at the parking garage were backed up. I think I finally got to bed at 2am.
Then the fire alarm in my house went off at 3am. The alarm on my phone went off at 6:30am for work. It was going to be a long day. Al was home and still sleeping.
Postscript
Maryland finished the season 4-8 overall and 1-8 in the BigTen which put the Terrapins in 17th place in the conference. There was no bowl game for Maryland.
Indiana finished the regular season with an 11-1 record, 8-1 in the BigTen which was good for a tie for second place. Indiana lost the tiebreak and thus did not play in the BigTen title game. The Hoosiers only regular season loss was to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Indiana was selected for the college football playoff and seeded #10 where they lost to #7 Notre Dame 27-17.
Photo Gallery
For our Indiana photo album, Please click here. You can view as a collage or run as a slideshow. There are comments to explain what is in the photo but most are self explanatory. Thanks to Google, I can no longer embed the slide show with comments.