Waiting for Wristbands

12-27-17

#myDecemberGoal

Waiting for Wristbands

            Even though I went to IU, I grew up going to Purdue football games. I was really young when Drew Brees had his phenomenal career and the Holy Toledo play. I barely remember my parents watching the 2001 Rose Bowl in our family room with their friends. I do remember Kyle Orton pretty well. Unfortunately they ruled his scramble as a fumble versus Wisconsin. Dorien Bryant was the speedy wide receiver and return man. I was at Joe Tiller’s last game with my Dad in 2008. Then there was Danny Hope and Darrell Hazell. Enter Jeff Brohm. I remember when Ross Ade didn’t have lights. To say the least, I’ve experienced a lot of Purdue football.

            After games, my friends and I would wait outside the Purdue locker room in hopes that we could catch the players’ wristbands that they would throw at us. If we were really lucky, we might have even gotten a pair of gloves. As a kid, I always said my dream was to be a college football player and Purdue allowed me to experience it as a fan.

            Fast forward to 2015, and my fandom changed to IU football. I made the 13 hour car ride to the Bronx to watch IU play in its first bowl game since 2007. It was a great game but we unfortunately lost on a last second missed field goal in OT. Now it's 2017, and I’m watching Purdue play Arizona on TV in its first bowl game since 2012. There’s 8 minutes left in the game so I don’t know who’s going to win. I'm still an IU fan, but it has been pretty cool to see both IU and Purdue go to bowl games recently. Hopefully both teams become above average in the near future. I’m not waiting for wristbands anymore, but I am waiting for bowl wins. We’ll see what happens.

-Brody