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Monday, April 4, 2011

Bulldog Magic

Brent, Julie, Grandpa, Grandma, & me
Butler University is up tonight as half of The 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament. This small private college in the heart of Indianapolis is being talked about across the country. Not only did they surprise and upset many teams and playoff games, these young men representing Butler are wonderful role model students. Nice boys from nice families.

My Sis, Julie, went her Freshman year of college. She participated on their Pom Pom Dance Team, performing at the halftime of Football games. (maybe basketball too, I only remember going to the Football games when I was a Junior in high School watching my Sis).  Back then {1979} they gave her a small scholarship in return of her participation. She was awesome to watch! She was a Bulldog for only one year, leaving the following fall to attend Brigham Young University.

My Bestie, Deb, is also a Bulldog. She went to Butler four years, then to Grad School at Kent College.
My girls both went to Butler~ but just for Cheer Camp. My daughters didn't opt for Butler as it wasn't their top choice for their major choices. (thankfully as it is rather expensive).

The university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health sciences, and fine arts. It comprises a 290-acre campus located seven miles  from downtown Indianapolis.Butler University is such a beautiful campus. It originally sat further in northern Indianapolis, was founded in 1855 and named  North Western Christian University. In 1875, renamed for Ovid Butler, moved to the 25 acre campus in Irvington, Indiana (in Indianapolis). Then moving to a 290 acre former amusement park site, on the city's Northwest side of town. It's final location.

Butler University was founded by members of the Disciples of Christ Church, though it was never controlled by the church. The university charter called for "a non-sectarian institution free from the taint of slavery, offering instruction in every branch of liberal and professional education." The university was the first in Indiana and the third in the U.S. to admit both men and women.

Last year Butler came second to Duke in  the NCAA National Championship.This year we are back to the final game... This year we reallllly want to win.
Brad Stevens
Coach Brad Stevens is phenomenal and has been the head coach since 2007. He is young (34) and is well loved. In his first year coach he led Butler to a 30 win lead, ranking him the third youngest head coach in NCAA Division 1 history to have a 30 win season.  Stevens has become the youngest coach to go to two Final Fours. Stevens is known for a calm, focused coaching style.


Last thing about the Butler Bulldogs I want to leave you with is Blue II, the Mascot.

Need I say more?
Isn't he a handsome DAWG!

GO DAWGS!
Win the Championship!


We will be watching♥

5 comments:

Stephanie said...

I was really pulling for Butler last night.

Linda said...

Interesting. I'm not familiar with any of this because we don't follow basketball or college sports, but it was fun to read and I loved the old photo. Hope everything went well.
Love, Linda

Scott said...

During grade school, we went to nearly all the Butler home games. This is back in the day when Tony Hinkle was still coach. We'd arrive at the end of the junior varsity game and claim a front row, mid-court seat. I would walk Hinkle Fieldhouse between games collecting any loose change that had been dropped during the earlier game. I knew Hinkle like the back of my hand. When the team would come out, I would run out and high five them all. During practice, I would collect all the balls that bounced off the court and I did the same during the game. During one game, we sat behind the press table. One of the reporters failed to show, so one of the guys asked if I wanted to sit there. So I watched the game from the "press box" and was even given all the halftime stats. I can remember even going up and saying hi to Tony himself. For those of you out there that don't know, Tony was the one who "invented" the modern orange basketball. He coached basketball, football and baseball and had good success at all three sports. Great memories, and despite falling short last night, I think the team is a class act from top to bottom.

HAS-BEEN PILOT said...

Janis,

You and Scott both forgot to mention that Butler was the site of just about the best winter sledding hill in Indianapolis, behind the field house, down the hill and onto the football practice field by 52nd street. Hard to stop before the chain link fence. Some epic tractor-tire-tubing on that hill. I think it's all a new sports complex now...

Mark Pressley said...

Nice tribute! Kait and I loaded up drove 17 hours watched the game and drove 17 hours back with broken hearts. Sometimes the good guys don’t win. Small school with an academic record that rivals the Ivy League, no recruiting violations, just a few scholarships a year to work with and never a athletic mishap reported and yet even the local coverage over looks them. Butler is a very special place,Go Dawgs!