TERRE HAUTE — As a sports reporter, I’m required to work late-night hours on Fridays during football season.
Because of that, I’ve had trouble over the years waking up early on Saturdays to attend the Indiana State homecoming parade and join students in “The Walk” along Wabash Avenue to Memorial Stadium.
This year, I forced myself to get out of bed at 9 a.m., tough it out and enjoy the festivities before I covered the game, which Western Kentucky won 56-7.
I must say, Indiana State knows how to organize a homecoming parade, regardless of whether its football team wins or loses the game.
I arrived at the corner of Seventh Street and Wabash Avenue at a little after 10 a.m. Seeing the cool floats and bands march past the new Hilton Garden Inn seemed different, considering how many photos I’ve seen of the old Terre Haute House in the background of previous ISU homecoming parades.
It wasn’t bad, just different. I’ll get used to it as the months and years pass.
Other than that and the fact that the parade travels west instead of east, like in the old days, I noticed many similarities to the ISU parades of my youth — a large crowd and plenty of smiling youngsters sitting on their fathers’ shoulders.
By the way, kids still like candy being thrown to them, in case anyone wondered.
I continued walking against the flow of the parade, turning north on Eighth Street. Hey, I just saw former Tribune-Star sports reporter Duff Tyler handing out candy while he walked alongside the WTHI-TV van. Why didn’t he give me any?
No problem. Soon after that, Robert Flott tossed me a piece. Woohoo! He’s da man. (Adults like sweets too.)
This was definitely worth my time as I said hello to plenty of people I knew along the route, even on Eighth Street.
I eventually approached Chestnut Street and realized I was close to the Ballyhoo Tavern, so I decided to check out some “adult fun” at 11 a.m., still three hours before game time.
After all, I hadn’t been inside the Bally in years.
OK, weeks.
After squeezing my way through the front door, I noticed wall-to-wall people, most in their 20s. Nobody was acting stupid and some were even dancing. I guess 11 a.m. is a little early for me to get my groove on, but daylight didn’t stop these partiers.
This was where I decided to start taking an informal poll to determine the football knowledge of The Walk participants.
The question: What school does Indiana State play today?
Pretty simple, wouldn’t you say? I’ll give the results at the end of this column.
While being polled inside the Bally (that sounds painful), ISU senior Kristin Butrum of Indianapolis admitted she would probably not attend the game after she concluded her part of The Walk. She said she would drink alcoholic beverages in moderation and promised she would call a cab for a ride when she was finished.
That’s a smart young lady.
I headed back down Ninth Street toward Wabash Avenue and three 20ish-looking people from Bloomington I’ve never met asked to get their picture taken with me. That meant either the Tribune-Star’s circulation is spreading farther than I realized or these people were getting their pictures taken with anyone who didn’t resemble a serial killer.
After my brief “say cheese” session, I veered over to the Terminal and Copper Bar, which were rockin’ good times. I prepared to interview a former ISU student I know about her experiences with The Walk, but she said she called in sick at work Saturday and preferred her name not be mentioned in the paper.
Should I do it anyway?
Wouldn’t it be funny if I got her fired?
OK, I’ll respect her wishes. But she owes me.
A few minutes later at the Copper Bar, Krissy Kelly, an ISU senior from Jasonville, said she planned to drink in moderation, just like Butrum earlier. Then Kelly offered her “expert” opinion of Indiana State football.
“I think the Indiana State football program needs a lot more support by the students,” said Kelly, who actually appeared sober. “I think that they could be good… but it’s all about school spirit and I think I’m going to make it to the game and support the Sycamores.”
From there, I proceeded east on Wabash. At this point, I was pleased that I hadn’t seen anyone puking or urinating in public. But it was still before noon, probably too early for that sort of nonsense.
When I arrived at Ambrosini’s at 14th and Wabash, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Outside, within the confines of a fenced-in parking lot, people were taking turns riding a mechanical bull. And there were sooooo many people inside every room of the building and out in the parking lot.
To Ambrosini’s credit, each entrance was monitored by someone checking identifications to make sure nobody under 21 got in. For that matter, the other bars I visited were doing that too.
They even checked mine. That’s how hardcore they were.
Outside Ambrosini’s, ISU students Megan Fields and Trisha Carlile weren’t shy about offering their views of ISU football.
“I know ISU hasn’t done well in the past,” Carlile said. “But today I can feel it in my bones that they’re going to turn it around and beat the team they’re playing today.”
Sorry, Trisha. Didn’t happen. But it’s always good to believe in your favorite team, even if you don’t know the name of the team it’s getting ready to play.
By the way, poll results still coming. Stay tuned.
As I trekked past Gilbert Park, I counted 21 portable toilet stations lined up side by side. It was nice of the city to provide that, because bathroom trips often come without much warning when you’re slamming down beers and shots.
At 16th Street, my old buddy Darrell Shouse gave me a friendly shoutout on his microphone while he and associates were selling food and water to passersby. I bet he still can’t beat me in one-on-one basketball (insert wink symbol here).
On the other side of Wabash, I observed a few folks entering Giovanni’s. Pizza and beer were the specialties there. It didn’t look as crowded as some of the earlier places, but that made it even more appealing to me.
I didn’t go inside, however. Unlike the other walkers, I needed to be at the stadium before 2 so I could cover the game and time was flying by.
So I made two more quick stops at Speak Easy and the legendary Fourth Quarter, which I remember getting a free drink at when I turned 21 a few years ago (cough, cough).
Inside the Fourth Quarter, recent ISU graduates Natalie Mehringer of Jasper and Kyra Bowerman of South Bend said their plans were to party a little and see the game. After all, they emphasized, they are true fans.
“I’m glad they got a new coach,” Mehringer said, referring to Dennis Raetz replacing Lou West earlier this season. “We needed the change.”
“Homecoming’s a blast at ISU,” mentioned Bowerman, who added that she hopes the university’s football team is “prayerfully” getting better.
Did Kyra just invent a new word? I think she did.
At this point, it was getting close to 1 p.m. and I decided to return to my car so I could drive to the stadium. My apologies to the bars I missed, but I’m sure they survived without me.
Finally, it’s time to announce the results of my extremely unscientific poll.
Out of 50 people who appeared to be in their 20s and may have attended ISU or walked on a college campus at some point in their lives, 35 did not know Western Kentucky was ISU’s opponent.
Only 15 knew the answer.
Sadly, that’s about what I expected.
David Hughes, who performed his Saturday mini-walk without drinking any alcoholic beverages, can be reached by phone at 1-800-783-8742, Option 4, or at (812) 231-4224; by e-mail at david.hughes@tribstar.com; or by fax at (812) 231-4321.
Hughes News & Views
Hughes News & Views: Homecoming fun, despite football game’s score
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From what I’ve heard over the years, she’s right. Unless you’re a super-serious runner, the Boston Marathon has been more about taking in the atmosphere and having fun than placing in the top 50, although Wells was pleased that she beat her previous time by finishing in 3:55.19 on April 15.
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