‘It’s been a good day’: Steve Downing’s IU homecoming brings emotions, memories

BLOOMINGTON — Steve Downing has been a part of high-stakes sporting events. He played in the 1973 Final Four. He played in the NBA. And yet on Saturday, he wasn’t playing, but his heart was racing.

From the outside, this might have looked like a much lower-pressure situation. Indiana was hosting Marian University in an exhibition game. At halftime, the 1972-73 IU team, which won a Big Ten title and advanced to the Final Four, was honored.

At halftime Saturday, Downing and his former teammates sat on IU’s bench. They were called one by one, making their way around center court. Downing was the last one called.

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“And finally, a center from Indianapolis, Indiana,” it echoed across Assembly Hall, “please welcome to the court the 1973 Big Ten MVP and Athletic Director of Marian, No. 32, Steve Downing.”

As he strode across the court, Downing was smiling. On the inside, his nerves were boiling.

“I had never been as nervous,” Downing said. “No game, no nothing else, just to walk out there like that. Because I didn’t know. I didn’t know what to expect. I just didn’t know."

Downing then took a microphone and addressed the crowd.

“Thanks a lot,” Downing said. “On behalf of all my former teammates, we’d like to say thank you and really appreciate that you would remember us after this amount of time.”

That warranted a chuckle from the crowd.

Saturday not only featured a 78-42 victory for IU, but also a homecoming of sorts for Downing. He played for the Hoosiers and later worked as IU’s associate athletic director. He is now the athletic director at Marian in Indianapolis. A few years ago, Marian played IU in an exhibition. But that time, Downing tried to fly under the radar. This time was different. He was more in the spotlight.

“It’s been a good day,” Downing said. “A really good day.”

There was a time when playing college basketball wasn’t on his mind. When Downing was still relatively young, though, Walt Bellamy was a student teacher at Downing's school. Bellamy was a star at IU. That’s where Downing’s introduction to IU basketball came from. Downing’s Washington High School coach, Jerry Oliver, left to coach at IU. So eventually, Downing followed him there. Downing also played for Bob Knight. In his final year playing at IU, Downing helped the Hoosiers win a Big Ten title and advance to the Final Four.

“It was hard,” Downing said of playing for Knight. “It was demanding. It was the best thing that ever happened, though. I don’t think I would’ve made it to the Final Four or any of that without him. He demands the best and that’s the way I am as an athletic director. I learned a lot from coach Knight. We’re still close to this day. He’s the most influential person in my life, I've ever had.”

Downing recalls a story about Knight. The Hoosiers had lost a game in Texas. The team went sightseeing. Downing was going to buy a whip and was twirling it around. But then the whip didn’t come back around. The players cleared away. Knight had the whip, staring at Downing and yanked it out of his hands. The message was sent by Knight because Indiana lost.

“He wanted to win,” Downing said of Knight, “and that’s what he was all about — winning.”

Downing’s relationship with IU coach Mike Woodson goes way back. Downing was a student teacher at Broad Ripple and taught P.E. to Woodson. Asked to describe Woodson as a high school student, Downing said, “Mike was quiet. He just did what you tell him to do... He was just a real shy kid.” But Woodson picked Downing’s brain about IU and himself. During the 1976 national championship game, Woodson was at Downing’s house.

“His wife cooked a big-ass pot of chili and man, I probably ate four, five, six bowls of that chili, man,” Woodson said. "I've been starving ever since.”

Said Downing: “For the last 50 years, that’s all he ever talks about — how good it was.”

The process for Downing and Woodson's relationship to come somewhat full circle began this summer. Downing brought up the idea of IU playing Marian to Woodson. The IU coach said he was going to make it happen.

“Steve and I have been friends for a long time, and I'm proud of the job he's done as AD at Marian and giving them an opportunity,” Woodson said. “I'm going to do it every year that I'm here; that they can come in here and play.”

During Saturday's exhibition, Downing sat behind Marian’s bench. Though he has ties to both schools, he made his allegiance clear.

“During the game, I’m rooting for Marian,” he said. “No question about it.”

But, he admits…

“I got some red underwear on.”

For Downing — and for Indiana — Saturday was a good day. A really good day.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU basketball: Former star Steve Downing gets homecoming as Marian AD