Inauspicious start

So, did you hear the news?

Seabiscuit tripped over his own feet coming out of the gate and went withers-over-teakettle.

A.J. Foyt's engine didn't start when they said "Gentlemen, start your engines!", and he was reduced to calling it a "tub o' s***" again.

Jim Brown fumbled. Kareem airballed the skyhook. Jack Nicklaus hit a rainbow slice so bad it started in Augusta and landed in New Orleans.

All of that happened in Assembly Hall last night, where the Archie Miller Era unfolded with ... well, not the spirits of Quinn Buckner and Scott May rising again to crush any and all foes. No, that didn't happen. What happened was the Hoosiers came, they saw -- and Indiana State conquered.

By 21 points, Indiana State conquered (90-69). In Bloomington. Indiana State.

And Larry Bird didn't even play.

Instead, it was a guy you know -- Brenton Scott, from Northrop High School -- and a bunch of guys named Brandon (Murphy) and Qiydar (Davis) and Jordan (Barnes) who whipped up on the Hoosiers. Led  'em 54-33 at halftime. Held 'em to 46.7 percent shooting and 4-of-22 from the 3-point line. Harassed 'em into 19 turnovers, outrebounded 'em, outhustled 'em.

All while making 17 3s in 26 attempts themselves. That's 65.7 percent to you and me, kids.

Here's the thing about all that, though: None of it really means much.

It does not mean Indiana State is going straight to the Final Four, and it does not mean the Hoosiers are going straight back to Square One. (OK, so it probably does mean they're going back to Square One if "Square One" means running gassers until they drop at the next practice.) What it means, rather, is this is November.

Weird stuff happens in November, particularly when a new regime is settling in. Hoosier Nation likely will not want to hear that -- five will get you ten the domain name firearchiemiller.com has been snapped up as we speak -- but it's true. And so slow your roll, folks.

The Blob's counsel is to keep the torches and pitchforks stowed. Because you know what?

It's November (early November). And it's a new day in Bloomington. Which means if Indiana had clonked Indiana State by 21 instead of the other way around, that wouldn't have meant a whole lot, either.