Crean is the MAN. APR going up too

Irish YJ

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FightingIrishLover7

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I'm still in disbelief how many Indiana residents are ND football fans, but then IU bball fans. Hard for me to wrap my head around it.
 

Rhode Irish

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I always felt that it was only a matter of time before Crean got that ship headed in the right direction. That program is/was a sleeping giant.
 

Irish YJ

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I'm still in disbelief how many Indiana residents are ND football fans, but then IU bball fans. Hard for me to wrap my head around it.

There is a very large Catholic population in Indy. Catholic = ND. Living in Indy also equates to BB fan. Me personally, Irish/Italian/German Catholic, who grew up in an Italian hood. It was pretty much a sin if you were Catholic and did not cheer for the Irish, no matter what country your parents or grandparents came from. Growing up a Hoosier, well everyone gets a basketball by their 2nd birthday.... I did make the mistake as an 18 year old, choosing to go to IU to be with my buds, instead of going to ND. Combo of a mistake, and didn't want to bankrupt my parents or bury myself in debt. Anyway, it all turned out good!
 

NDPhilly

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Don't understand liking a school for one sport but not the others.
 

Irish YJ

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To add, looking back, seems funny. The Irish, Italian, and German hoods were all within 5 miles of each other. As kids, a lot of fights over turf.... Different times back then, so fights were old school. Anyway, come Saturday though, every Catholic was sitting in front of their TVs, wearing their Irish tshirts.
 

Irish YJ

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Don't understand liking a school for one sport but not the others.

Just a geo-religion thing. Anyway, I cheer for IU football, but lets face it, 30 years ago, how many Catholics in Indy do you really think gathered around their tubes to catch the IU-Purdue Football games.
 

Rhode Irish

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Don't understand liking a school for one sport but not the others.

I only follow ND football. As a kid, I was specifically attracted to the football program - partly because I was raised Catholic, partly because there are no "natural" college football teams to root for where I grew up, partly because of Rocket, partly because of Rudy, and partly because of the gold helmets. Notre Dame was my team in college football. I never really considered getting into ND's other sports programs; I had teams in other sports already.

I will say, though, that had I gone to a college that played FBS football, I may have given ND football up. Can't really say for sure. But the only teams I root for now are my hometown pro teams, my school's teams, and ND football.

I never really considered leaving the northeast for college, so ND was never really an option, but I do have an affinity for the school itself after following the football program so closely for decades. In that sense, I do root for ND basketball, for instance, because I'd like to see the school succeed in all its endeavors. But I don't follow it nearly as closely as the football team, and if ND played my school in basketball, I would definitely be rooting for my school.
 

NDPhilly

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Ok I understand that. I'm kinda that way with St. Joes basketball. I like them but I don't have a affiliation to them.
 

ChiRish

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I only follow ND football. As a kid, I was specifically attracted to the football program - partly because I was raised Catholic, partly because there are no "natural" college football teams to root for where I grew up, partly because of Rocket, partly because of Rudy, and partly because of the gold helmets. Notre Dame was my team in college football. I never really considered getting into ND's other sports programs; I had teams in other sports already.

I will say, though, that had I gone to a college that played FBS football, I may have given ND football up. Can't really say for sure. But the only teams I root for now are my hometown pro teams, my school's teams, and ND football.

I never really considered leaving the northeast for college, so ND was never really an option, but I do have an affinity for the school itself after following the football program so closely for decades. In that sense, I do root for ND basketball, for instance, because I'd like to see the school succeed in all its endeavors. But I don't follow it nearly as closely as the football team, and if ND played my school in basketball, I would definitely be rooting for my school.

+ 1. I'm the exact same way, albeit it with other teams. Diehard ND fan as its been tradition (probably a rule) in my family forever to root for ND football. But other than that I root for my alma mater in other stuff and my local teams as well.
 

Irish2155

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There is a very large Catholic population in Indy. Catholic = ND. Living in Indy also equates to BB fan. Me personally, Irish/Italian/German Catholic, who grew up in an Italian hood. It was pretty much a sin if you were Catholic and did not cheer for the Irish, no matter what country your parents or grandparents came from. Growing up a Hoosier, well everyone gets a basketball by their 2nd birthday.... I did make the mistake as an 18 year old, choosing to go to IU to be with my buds, instead of going to ND. Combo of a mistake, and didn't want to bankrupt my parents or bury myself in debt. Anyway, it all turned out good!

I'm Catholic, lived in Indy my whole life...the majority of my HS buddies are ND football fans, especially the ones I played football with. Growing up in my household it was always ND football in the Fall and IU basketball come winter. Dad is die hard ND football, Grams IU basketball...myself both.
 
D

DomeLover3

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Tom Crean is one of the best basketball minds and program builders the NCAA has seen.
 

Bobias

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o

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It's not like you can only like ND football and IU bball. I have been born and raised on those two but i still follow and cheer on the other sports teams that represent the universities. I am a fan of both IU and and Notre Dame. It usually works out fine since ND doesn't ever play IU in football, and both schools have fairly good basketball programs.

On a side note, Indiana basketball is going to be sick these next couple of years. All credit goes to CTC on this one. It's like the pheonix rising from the ashes.
 

ndcoltsfan2010

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Growing up I grew up loving ND football as it was my dad's alma mater, and my affection for IU basketball came from my mom who went to IU.
 

NDdomer2

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It really is pretty simple. Bob Knight was God for a long time. ND football was supreme for generations. I love everything ND (football, basketball, hockey, baseball.....) but IU basketball is where it's at.
 

Irish YJ

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All I can say, it feels good to be a Catholic Hoosier these days. ND and IU on the rise.
 

PerthDomer

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I was raised a Marquette fan by my dad (ND fan now though). Crean's good at recruiting and identifying talent, but as an in game coach he's really lacking. IU and MU both benefited from the move because Buzz is a much better coach IMO.

Furthermore, I don't know if there's ever a more likable collection of guys than the ND Bball team and Mike Brey. Plus there's gonna be crazy talent in the program in the upcoming years. Good time for bball in the state unless you're a Purdue fan.
 

bobbyok1

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I'm still in disbelief how many Indiana residents are ND football fans, but then IU bball fans. Hard for me to wrap my head around it.

It's an Indiana thing. I grew up in South Bend and am by far a Notre Dame Football fan head and shoulders above all others sports teams on any level. But I have also followed Indiana Basketball almost as closely as ND football, with a lot of love for the Hoosiers. There is just something about Indiana basketball that is appealing to native "Hoosiers." Don't get me wrong, I always pull for ND B-Ball, except when they play Indiana. Though I admit I have come to a place of letting myself enjoy the game from a "fan of both" perspective as long as there is not too much riding on line (usually not the case), in which case I will pull m ore for Indiana.

In fact one of my greatest childhood memories is watching Keith Smart sink the winning shot against Ronnie Seikaly's Syracuse Orangemen in the 1987 National Championship game. That memory was only topped 10 months later when I watched the Irish win the National Championship. I was 10 & 11 years old when those two Championships were won, and I watched both of them with my dad. So as someone born in raised in South Bend it makes perfect sense for me to be an ND football fan and Hoosier basketball fan.
 

pumpdog20

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Man am I glad this thread got created. Living in Iowa, I get lots of weird looks when I show my ND football/IU basketball affiliation.
 

Irish YJ

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Though I admit I have come to a place of letting myself enjoy the game from a "fan of both" perspective as long as there is not too much riding on line (usually not the case), in which case I will pull m ore for Indiana.

In fact one of my greatest childhood memories is watching Keith Smart sink the winning shot against Ronnie Seikaly's Syracuse Orangemen in the 1987 National Championship game. That memory was only topped 10 months later when I watched the Irish win the National Championship. I was 10 & 11 years old when those two Championships were won, and I watched both of them with my dad. So as someone born in raised in South Bend it makes perfect sense for me to be an ND football fan and Hoosier basketball fan.

The first paragraph, me too. I think we're probably just getting old. The second paragraph, me too again.... I still hold the IU shot by KS and the IU run in general above the ND championship that year though. Either way, damn good year.
 

Irish YJ

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Man am I glad this thread got created. Living in Iowa, I get lots of weird looks when I show my ND football/IU basketball affiliation.

Every individual is a product of many influences. Geography, religion, ethnic back ground, neighborhood, friends, upbringing, parental fanship, etc., etc.,. If you grew up in Indiana, shouldn't be a stretch for people to understand.

I've even adopted another team since I moved to Atlanta. Couldn't travel back all the time to see ND, and HAD to go see CFB in the fall. Couldn't stand UGA, so had to pick an SEC team that I didn't hate. Since I hate most, went with Tennessee. One of my buddies was an Alum, and very happy with that choice. Great school, great fans, nice city, huge stadium, HOT chicks, warm group of tailgaters, and only around 3 hours from ATL.

Football and BB, I'll always be ND and IU 1st. But UT is definitely a great number 2 option if you've been transplanted to the South.
 

GreatGolson

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i root for them because they represent this state, especially since most of the team is from IN. also
glad to see Crean building a powerhouse back up the right way without cheating
 
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