A recent history of why Indiana is so weird

Like most around my age, I’m too young to fully appreciate the Kentucky/Indiana rivalry. I do remember going to Indianapolis as a kid with my dad to watch the games at the RCA Dome back when they split the crowd in two: one side red, one side blue. Even then, I could feel the tension between the two fan bases, and for people of a certain age, that animosity will never fade. To me, Indiana fans carry the bulk of the hate in the rivalry these days, particularly because Kentucky’s dominated it in recent years, outside of one little shot, which they just can’t stop talking about.

It would take years to write even a brief history of why Indiana and their fans are so weird, but I’ll settle for a more recent account.

December 21, 2002: HEAD ON, APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD

Back in 2002, a then-16th ranked Kentucky faced off against 6th ranked Indiana, coached by Mike Davis. Before the game, Davis state publicly that he “hated Kentucky with a passion” and wanted to beat them “in the worst way.” With Indiana down by one with five seconds left in the game, Davis had a meltdown when a foul wasn’t called and ran onto the court smacking his head, prompting a million “Head On” impressions (remember “Head On”??). Keith Bogans made five of six free throws to seal the win, and Davis accepted blame for the loss. In a time before internet memes, the Head On meltdown was truly bizarre.

December 2011: Christian Watford becomes a saint

The home-and-home series between the two programs started again in 2006, and in 2011, #1 Kentucky traveled to Bloomington. Christian Watford hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer and Indiana fans stormed the floor, which was odd enough for a program of such prestige, but in the months after, Christian Watford became a saint in Hoosier land.

They put the shot on popcorn boxes:

They put it in paintings:

They made weird videos about it:

They even orchestrated a $10,000 Christmas light display around it:

Look, it was a big shot, but not even Christian Laettner and the Dukies celebrated that much, and their shot is the one heard ’round the basketball world.

March 23, 2012: Kentucky beat Indiana in the Sweet 16

Why doesn’t Watford’s shot bother me? Because Kentucky beat them three months later when it actually mattered. Kentucky’s win over the Hoosiers in the Sweet 16 was particularly sweet because it brought the Cats one step closer to number eight and it shut up Indiana fans…for about fifteen seconds.

March 24, 2012: Indiana fans go back to celebrating the shot

Indiana’s tournament run was over, but REMEMBER THAT SHOT?

No, really. Remember it??

It was even on the cover of the Indiana phone book, which, sadly, I can’t find a picture of.

The Hoosiers put up a display in Assembly Hall commemorating the season, which included a Christian Watford’s jersey and a Sweet 16 t-shirt:

I realize most schools make Sweet 16 shirts, but to put one on display? Come on! You’re Indiana!

August 2012: The creepy Tom Crean tweet

Look, we’ve all been there: sent a tweet we meant to be a direct message. It happens. If you’re lucky, you can delete it before anyone notices. If you’re Tom Crean, the internet retweets it and screenshots it so it lives in infamy. In August 2012, Crean sent the tweet you see above, which he quickly deleted and claimed was for a recruit. Crean is married (to a Harbaugh), but I’d argue that sending it to a 16-17-year-old recruit instead of a mistress makes this even creepier.

November 2012: They made Sweet 16 rings!

27 wins! Fifth in the Big Ten!

March 2013: They cut down the nets after losing on Senior Night

Indiana lost to Ohio State on their Senior Night in 2013, but that didn’t stop them from proceeding with their Big 10 Co-Champion festivities. After losing by nine, the Hoosiers had a trophy ceremony, received Big 10 Co-Championship hats, and CUT DOWN THE NETS. After a loss. For a share of a regular season conference title. SMH.

March 2013: Tom Crean kisses his son on the lips

I remember when Drew and I were sent this picture and my initial reactions:

1. What in the hell?
2. Is that his son?
3. Why is he mouth kissing his son?
4. I’m not a parent, but do men mouth kiss their teenage sons?
5. Family’s off limits, but this is weird, right?
6. Yes, this is weird.
7. Submit.

2012-present: All of the Crean memes

I’m a dork, so I fully understand getting caught in dorky poses. But Tom Crean seems to excel at it. Here’s just a brief sampling of his memes over the years:

Kentucky cannot lose to this guy, right?