A few strange minutes with Andy Rooney

First appeared on March 24th, 2010
in The Lebanon Reporter

Strange as it sounds, Andy Rooney visited me in a dream the other night. In a very “Ghost of Christmas past” moment, he tried convincing me to watch the NCAA tournament even though my favorite team wasn’t playing.


It all seemed so real, from the ticking stopwatch to those bushy eyebrows of silver glowering at me from behind a mahogany desk. So bizarre it bears repeating, it is with some trepidation that I offer now my few minutes with Andy Rooney (note to those who have never seen Andy on television- the witty charm crafted with purpose in this particular column will likely be lost on you):

What's the deal with "jumping on the bandwagon"? And just because one decides to jump on the bandwagon, what does that really mean? I've been alive for nearly 109 years and I've never even seen a bandwagon; so how is it that all these people keep jumping on them? I asked around and nobody I know has ever seen a bandwagon either.

Now I know Indiana University didn't make the NCAA Tournament, but does that really mean Hoosier fans aren't allowed to watch any of it? I think it’s funny how only 65 teams are invited. This means if you are one of the other 300 teams in college basketball you played your season for nothing. Makes sense doesn’t it? The White House supposedly has invitation only events too and we’ve all seen how well those work.

My friends will tell you it’s natural for me to be cranky, but I have to admit I’m a bit suspicious of all these people running around accusing others of “jumping on the bandwagon”. Wouldn’t you agree it sounds ridiculous for somebody to tell IU fans they have to watch My Name is Earl re-runs just because their team wasn’t invited to the party? As far as I can tell Indiana fans should be allowed to root other teams along if that's what they choose to do. After all, last I checked ours is a free country.

Now maybe the Founding Fathers didn’t have the NCAA Tournament in mind when they drafted our Constitution, but does that really mean we don’t have the right to root freely and openly? I may not understand constitutional law, but I understand television ratings and simply dismissing somebody who roots for a new team as a bandwagon jumper sounds like nonsense to me.

I did some research and found out the phrase “jumping on the Bandwagon” was actually coined by a clown. It seems some clown named Dan Rice invited Zachary Taylor, then a presidential candidate, to use his circus bandwagon as a campaign tool. Makes sense doesn’t it? Funny thing is Mr. Rice would go on to run for President himself eventually; not that he was the first or last clown to run for president of course.

My grandfather always used to say “You sleep in the bed you make”. I think that means once a Hoosier fan-always a Hoosier fan. But then again he never had to watch an NCAA tournament that his favorite team wasn’t playing in; so I don’t even know what that means.

It just seems funny to me that today people treat bandwagon jumpers like they have leprosy. It just seems wrong and I don’t think it’s fair. I just hope someday, in terms of rooting, bandwagon jumpers are given carte blanche during the month of March. So, yes Indiana and Notre Dame fans, I’m saying cheer on Butler and Purdue; as long as you remember where your loyalties lie come October that is.