A tradition died tonight

Hey everyone
Sorry haven't been around in awhile just a really busy time with work kind of kicking my butt plus it's about to get more hectic as tennis season starts Monday, and well most of you know I am a little busy with the home life so ya not as much time to blog. It is my favorite time of the year though, March Madness!! I love me some championship week leading into the big dance going on right now. My Boilers start play in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday at 6:30 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, as the #2 seed wish us luck!! Also a big shout out and CONGRATS to Boiler big man JaJuan Johnson who was named Big Ten Player of the Year & Defensive Player of the Year, Coach Matt Painter who was named Big Ten Coach of the Year, E'twaun Moore for being named 1st team all big ten, and Purdue's sportsmanship award winner, and Lewis Jackson(LewJack!) being named All Big Ten Honorable Mention. As you can see we cleaned up the hardware!!

Some very sad news out of the state of Indiana tonight, yes I know most are going to laugh or think I am nuts when I say what it is, but a historical tradition bit the dust as the Anderson Wigwam has been CLOSED! The Wigwam was(sounds odd to say was) a high school basketball gym in Anderson, Indiana, that was home to the Anderson Indians. For those that don't get it or are not from the state of Indiana, high school basketball is a pretty big deal here, ok it's a huge deal. We still hold the national attendance record for a game, when the state finals back in the early 90's sold out the RCA Dome for the state championship game. Most gyms here are huge, and alot are bigger than small college gyms. The Wigwam was known not only statewide but nationwide as well as it had been featured on some ESPN HS show back in the day. The beautiful gym that will no longer hold high school basketball games sat over 8000 people, and crazy enough that is not even the biggest gym in the state. What made this decision so sad is all the tradition that goes into an Anderson basketball game at one time the opposing cheerleaders were taken out to center court to smoke a peace pipe, which to me was always kind of cool and different right?! Then the real fun begins as the pre game show gets started. The Maiden and the Indian mascot come out and do just an amazing dance with the entire crowd going nuts. Words don't do it justice, thankfully found it on youtube.



I have seen many many classic games at the Wigwam from sold out regional games until our Kats were re-routed to another regional, to heated NCC battles usuaully with high stakes on the line, and let me tell you it was one heck of a home court advantage. Some very good Kokomo teams went in there and lost. It's understandable in these economic times why they feel shutting it down is best, saving teachers is important for sure but this building in my opinion is historical. I found a great video, even though it's old, of my beloved Kokomo Wildkats winning the Anderson Regional from 1988. I remember this game fondly as it came down to an exciting last second shot. I went with my father who was an assistant principal at another school before he took the same job at KHS two years later, and the basketball team where he was currently working. We were sitting on the stage area and everyone was standing the entire 4th quarter which made it difficult for me to see being short, but I will never forget this game and the goosebumps when the Kats pulled it out in exciting fashion. As you can see all 8000 seats were filled.



It's sad this amazing gym will no longer be appreciated or host exciting wild finishes like this anymore, but I have a lot of amazing memories from games that were played there and at least will last forever.

All of you in the bracket contest, I will email you your regions Sunday night after the pairings are announced. Also, it's still not too late to sign up to participate just let me know in the comments or shoot me an email would love to have more! Thank you for all who have volunteered to play it's going to be a fun contest this year as I think this might be a wide open tournament with lots of upsets!!
Phats