A majority of the passengers flying on my evening flight from Indianapolis to Phoenix had something in common.
Some proudly dawned crimson shirts, others settled for in plain clothes. Others made it darn clear where they were headed, decked out head-to-toe in IU memorabilia. But there was something specific, something slightly different about the lucky Hoosier fans on U.S. Airways flight 399.
I think I'll coin the term "bowl hunger."
Hoosier fans have been suffering the insatiable football disease ever since IU notched its sixth win earlier this season. Chronic bowl hunger broke out at plague-like rates across Hoosier Nation weeks ago when IU fans found out they'd Tempe tempted instead of Motor City miserable.
Some of the early symptoms bowl hungry patients show are negligible use of the school's fight song, constant monitoring of the greater Phoenix area's weather, loss of appetite for other sports and an obsessive consumption of college football. To steal a redneck's phrase, if you find yourself choking up when describing Kellen Lewis's end zone flip at Kinnick Stadium earlier this year, you may, in fact, be bowl hungry.
Obviously, the most ill bowl hungry individuals are sacrificing a chunk of their holiday season to flock to the Valley of the Sun to watch the Hoosiers in person (sometimes you just have to get your fix.) But then again, that "sacrifice" is kind of like missing three lectures to eat leftover pizza and watch Sportscenter all day in the comfort of your pajamas and recliner.
With less than 48 hours to the Insight Bowl's kickoff, bowl hunger has officially reached epidemic levels. Don't think Hoosier fans are saving their celebrating for New Year's Eve. The Mill Avenue district will be swamped in the immediate future with Hoosiers looking to ease the pains of their bowl hunger. I won't even get into the drinking.
Dos Gringos, a local popular bar in the Mill Avenue district, is being converted by the IU Alumni Association to look exactly like Nick's English Pub - arguably Bloomington's most well-known IU bar.
Tomorrow, Oklahoma State and IU will formally gather one last time before the two teams meet at Sun Devil Stadium.
Bill Lynch and IU co-captains Tracy Porter and Josiah Sears will be made available to the media Sunday morning before the Hoosiers go through their walk-through at Sun Devil Stadium at 3 p.m. The final walk-through is closed to the media.
Check back with us tomorrow - we'll continue to feed your bowl hunger.
