We’ve noticed everyone has taken a liking to talking about the race. So we’re giving you a place to do that, and just that.
Feel free to use this area to discuss anything and everything about the Little 500 — Qualifications, Spring Series, the race itself.
Please, no character attacks. Trash-talking is great, but slandering people isn’t. Let’s keep it clean. Or your post will be deleted.
33to1 
After a competitive Fall, its a good time to revisit the good ole’ power rankings.
1a/1b. Cutters / BKB
2. Phi Psi
3. Nicks
4. Jetblach
5. Fiji
6. Gray Goat / Bears
7. 3PH
Based on Summer/Fall results, work ethic, and culture.
200 laps or a movie
:joy: :joy::joy: :joy:
No phidelt, betasig, sae or sigep?
Lol u too funny🤡🤡
Not a hater, just early predictions. Beta sig riding a lot of miles, phi Delt has fast legs in Curtis if his team can get him there, sigep has the talent to get to the last lap but needs to decide who their finisher should be, strong underclassmen in that program.
SAE is another interesting program, If Rob can make it to the last lap, he can definitely make it competitive
@Astute Observer by SAE is interesting do you mean they are a damn mystery? Always good for a top 10 finish but nobody knows how
Before anything can change we need a race director that can actually do their job. Cancelled events, lack of advertising, and what seems like an attempt to discourage growth in the community cannot be acceptable if the race is to continue. Want a more competitive Women’s field? Want less cancelled event? Want the races to be better attended? Find a race director that actually cares!
Little 500 requires a race director with burning passion. Its unfortunate that this RD’s competence is a debatable issue and that she has exhibited zero passion for race, the riders or for IU.
Everyone complains about Andrea… BUUUUUT – who would be some top ideas for her replacement??
Tom Schwoegler
Jim Kirkham
Jordan Bailey
Lance Armstrong
Xavier Martinez
Rob Lee
A monkey from the indianapolis zoo
The biggest Hoosier fan in the nation Luke Tormoehlen.
Ouch, no Joe?
Don’t forget Michael Schmahl America’s sweetheart
“A monkey from the indianapolis zoo”
Little known fact: A monkey from the Cincinnati Zoo was first on the list, when they revealed what the pay was, he laughed and left. Andrea was next in line. Let’s get a GoFundMe campaign going and FIND THAT MONKEY!!!!
Why is the Little 500 declining in attendance and riders? Look no further than Andrea Balzano and Tara Vickers. From seeing what has happened to the race as an alumni, its sad to see the people who were appointed to lead the race, are really just a bunch of self-absorbed people only worried about themselves and their career. The race is not what it use to be.
IF there is a decline in attendance and participation its largely caused by the decline of IU’s greek houses over the last decade or more. Please correct me if I am wrong but if we exclude Cutters (Delta Chi) only the Greek houses have histories stretching back more than 20 years at IU. With decades of existence comes institutional support. A greek house brings many more fans to the race than the average independent team – alums and their families, families of the riders as well as current house members. A house permanently kicked off campus results in a loss of more than a hundred fans in addition to removing a year in and year out team.
Free delts then
You make a good point. But your institutional support reason doesn’t hold up. For example, two years ago Acacia, a team that sits 2nd in the overall Little 500 standings, had virtually no students in the stands on race day. This past year, their stands were full. I asked a friend there what happened. He said that the house paid for the tickets and for a bus to take them from 3rd street to the track. In the recent past, sororities told their pledge class that they needed to have a team so they could get a Little 5 pair. Or another house that has an incredible L5 history and had to fine their members to get them to attend.
And when Mom, Dad, younger brother and sister come to the race. It is $190.00 to get in. OK, if they have a Subaru they get special parking! My roommate Jim just reminded me that there are actually more security people there than riders. I’ll bet that Tara and Andrea are testing excuses right now for why the men’s field won’t be filled. $20.00 says they’ll blame Tom. Jim said, make in $50.00
Andrea does a good job and 90 percent of people who comment about her performance are likely many years removed from the race and hearing incomplete accounts of what is currently happening with the track. It sucks but the weather can’t be helped and IUSF is actively finding a solution to dig up past cinders or even add in a common substitute currently used for classic “cinder” track and field tracks.
As far as her take on rules I’d have to agree we have to draw some lines in the sand regarding safety, enforcement of eligibility rules, etc. we have rules for a reason and the appeals process does a fair job allowing for special case exceptions.
The job of race director is stressful, often thankless, but I imagine incredibly rewarding for the avid Little 500 fans that have served the role. That being said, I think Luke T would make a great race director
Definitely not Rob O
White Knight to the rescue for IUSF
You should change your email so the icon changes. That way people can’t see you’re responding to your own comments….
Robbie O being the puppet of IUSF
“Stefan A. Smith, Only get one, Astute Observer, Snu Rat, The Truth, An RC member, Mr. Obvious, Perpetual Good Guy” (I have a reply for each of you)
1. OK, which name is on your RC jacket? (Or is this just YOU, Andrea?)
2. I can assure you that 90% of the people posting here are more informed than you are.
3. Andrea is a low functioning Sociopath.
4. I believe there will be another post on your “cinders” comment.
5. Andrea is unparalleled when it comes to drawing lines in the sand. She does it at low tide. The tide rises covers the rule and when it goes out again, NO RULE! She just makes a new one up.
6. And seriously lines in the sand for safety. I’m still trying to get my head around rider resources that have the Concussion Clinic and the Disability Student Services you should at least add Student Legal Services. (812) 855-7867
7. The appeals process is very good, of course Andrea’s rules cannot be appealed. And the “implied rules” she dreams up are so vague she can and DOES whatever she wants. And how about the Riders Manual. Supposed to be done in August, then she said October, last word was the end of the semester. I could print that manual in one page, it would say: “Whatever Andrea says, will be considered a long standing rule and cannot be appealed. EVER!”
8. Yes it is incredibly rewarding for the RD, the riders… Not so much. (And in most cases, not at all). At the next RC meeting ask her how rewarding it was to cancel ITT’s or the Alumni panel. Take a look at the Fall Calendar. If you don’t count the appeals dates 44% of the fall rider activities were cancelled. Thanks! Andrea!!! (Now do you feel better? We don’t.)
Clinical Assessment of Andrea – Dunning-Kruger Effect
The Dunning-Kruger effect is a type of cognitive bias in which people believe that they are smarter and more capable than they really are. Essentially, low ability people do not possess the skills needed to recognize their own incompetence. The combination of poor self-awareness and low cognitive ability leads them to overestimate their own capabilities.
The term lends a scientific name and explanation to a problem that many people immediately recognize—that fools are blind to their own foolishness. As Charles Darwin wrote in his book The Descent of Man, “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.”
Obviously the track is in trouble and thus Little 500 is in trouble What can Little 500 supporters, alums and current riders do to help?
“Obviously the track is in trouble and thus Little 500 is in trouble What can Little 500 supporters, alums and current riders do to help?”
The situation you all face is not new. Several times in the past, similar things have happened. Those were solved when the riders gathered and spoke with one voice. This is what you need to do now. Complaining here or on GroupMe solves nothing. This is YOUR RACE!!! You provide the excitement, the passion and the very reason for people to pay $45.00 every April. We alumni riders are willing to guide you, but in the end this is your battle. And while we will stand with you, this is not about our legacy, it is about YOUR legacy!
Contact us at: little5alumni@gmail.com
While we lost axs tv under JB, and the track started going down hill toward the end of his tenure at least he actually managed to have some events in the fall. #fireAB
When are we gonna get a new race director? Yeesh it’s long overdue and this year proves it. How unprofessional can one be by canceling an alumni panel event at during the day of the actual event for no reason? The track is absolute crap and was mismanaged all summer? Andrea is making Jordan bailey’s losing AXS TV like nothing… chances she doesn’t have the track ready in time for the race? Pretty high.
.
I could run little 5 better than Andrea.
In 2016 IUF/IUSF started to look at serious track maintenance. The cinders were below the edge of the drain, like they are now, so drainage was a huge problem. They looked at a couple of alternatives but not cinders. I had been told, by a Riders Council member, that Bailey said that “Obama no longer permitted cinders”. I commented that I doubted that the President would be working at that level of detail. I decided to see if Coal Ash (cinders) were indeed banned from being used as it is for Little 500. I was finally able to locate a document by Thomas Easterly, the Commissioner of the Indiana EPA that dispels that idea. It states:
“Coal Ash is Non-Hazardous. As an initial point, I express agreement with EPA’s finding that coal ash is not a hazardous waste, and that coal ash can be safely and beneficially reused.”
“EPA’s determination to regulate coal ash as a solid waste ensures that important coal ash reuses will continue, such as in concrete, road bed fill, wallboard, and other uses.”
I was told by the EPA that coal plants have so much of this stuff, they would give it to IU and even deliver it for free. I mentioned that to IUSF but no one was interested. Note, the cinders for the original track came from the IU Power Plant west of the business school.
Bailey and John Wilhite from IUF went to New Jersey to look at an alternative surface; clay. The company was Beam Clay (http://beamclay.com/product_brochures/view_photos.pdf). The website talks about changing cinder tracks to clay. But remember, Little 5 is not running, it is bike racing. They set up a straight “track” so Jordan could test the bike he brought with him. I was told that the tests went well. I had three concerns however, about the surface and the maintenance.
1. The surface was to be clay. Similar to baseball diamond use. (Note: There are 5 different types of clay used in a baseball diamond). When clay gets wet, it gets slippery. That is obviously a problem.
2. At a baseball game when it stars raining, they tarp the field. Among other reasons, to keep the clay dry. I imagined IUSF having to tarp the track, that’s a big tarp. I was also told by a grounds person at Wrigley Field that baseball diamond clay is a very high maintenance surface.
3. Finally was the price. I calculated the price just of the clay. Not the prep or shipping or anything else. For a 3 inch deep surface based on their costs on their website, the clay alone was going to be between 1/3 and 1/2 a million dollars. And I believed that 3 inches was not going to be enough, given exchange ruts. 5 to 6 inches would be necessary.
In the end, Physical Plant (Darren) were able to take the cinders that had accumulated up along the fence and move that to the gutter and it was a one-time solution that worked quite nicely.
While the track is in terrible shape, let’s talk teams
I hear a lot of fraternities (thus Jet Blach too) are sitting out until the women’s race is 200 laps, a women’s Breaking Away rendition is made, and Andrea runs the Beer Mile.
**ice mile**
Beer mile and ice mile aren’t the same things for any geeds reading this.
Sneak Preview of 202 bike,
https://ibb.co/0y0ffZ4
New Year, New Name AND a New positive Attitude.
Since the girls are wanting a remake of Breaking away for equality, I want a men’s banquet…for equality.
“Obviously the track is in trouble and thus Little 500 is in trouble What can Little 500 supporters, alums and current riders do to help?”
The situation you all face is not new. Several times in the past, similar things have happened. Those were solved when the riders gathered and spoke with one voice. This is what you need to do now. Complaining here or on GroupMe solves nothing. This is YOUR RACE!!! You provide the excitement, the passion and the very reason for people to pay $45.00 every April. We alumni riders are willing to guide you, but in the end this is your battle. And while we will stand with you, this is not about our legacy, it is about YOUR legacy!
Contact us at: little5alumni@gmail.com
Excuse me sir but due to current legislation within the rule book, you are not complying by the standards that state “One must act in an appropriate way deemed by IUSF”. Therefore we are going to have to ban you for 45 years from coming anywhere near any little 500 event. If you are even seen within the same area or near anything that says “IUSF” or “Little 500” on it, we will have to increase your sentence for life and put you in the dungeon beneath the stadium. At the Foundation we adhere by the ideology of a dictatorship and will rule in accordance with how a dictatorship is run. I am sorry for any inconveniences this brings you. Have a Merry Christmas!
Best,
AB
BKB’s only concerns seem to be buying overpriced bikes and riding knightridge loops…
Having trouble finding a new Xavier?
So with first semester coming to an end, where do the men and women’s field stand? Any teams showing the possibility of breaking away?
Cutters are the race favorites, and should be even stronger than they were last year. Look for Jet Blach, Nick’s, and Phi Psi to breakaway. They all have the talent, just comes down to timing and group coherence.
This is the only way to beat the Cutters. Personally don’t think anyone on the Cutters can go pull for pull with Rob/David, Tichenor/Ferg, or the LaValle bro’s over 50+ laps.
The other Greek teams are rebuilding (Beta, Sig Ep, Phi Delt). BKB will be a contender even with their young core andBears should be in it until the end.
I don’t know anything about the women’s race, and would hate to be a mansplainer so I’ll leave that to girls.
Fuck your name, guy.
Agree with most of your analysis though. Cutters will be the favorite because they have the best sprinter since EY. Would honestly think they’ve gotta be getting bored by winning sprints so think a breakaway attempt would be more meaningful. With Coulter, Hubregtse, and Noble, I think they can absolutely go pull-for-pull with ANY team in the race.
Phi Psi won’t have a sprinter again this year but Albert is the scariest rider in the field with a gap. Expect a similar strategy as last year, but hope he trains a bit harder and has 1 lap extra stamina than last year.
Jetblach, Nicks, Bears, and BKB don’t really scare me. These teams all only have either 1 stud or 2 A- riders. Would be interesting to see if Noble wants to keep Oehler or Strobel around for a sprint though. I think they’re the only 2 that would keep it interesting.
Greeks outside of Phi Psi stink this year. Yawn.
Good luck beating Rob and David. They scissor every night and have become one with each other. There is no possible way JETBLACH doesn’t lap the field at least twice
Y’all sleeping on Forest and Patty McKay. That man grinds everyday. Other than that, nicks can honestly win – Ferguson Arthur rides like a mad man
And what about gray goat? Everyone forget that they exist ?
Can’t hang in the top-tier break, and can’t out sprint Noble. Let’s see if they all make grades for starters 🤡
yeah ur prob right. But I honestly think nicks can break away with Fergus and the rest of their top 4.
Heard noble got a blow job from Xavier and Langley (coppens pissed tho) for Christmas- must have been a good boy this year
Sounds like a pretty fast, elite party. GG seems upset they didn’t get the invite
Sig ep purchased 7 peleton bikes.
Sounds like you’re the salty one riding your grandmas rollers in your off campus basement – geed
Insider information: Sig ep, beta, and sae purchased 7 peleton bikes.
Happy you got it after a few tries bby 😉
More insider info: Little 5 to be virtually raced on Peleton bikes because of poor track conditions
Heard Theta is really pretty and cool
Do training trips serve any actual purpose..?
If you have an actual training camp before going on a trip, yes.
Hollywood Hot scenes – nude celebrities, monica bellucci nude
Worst teams in 2020:
Forest
Young Pioneers
visit our website 3d game
So uh how’s everyone’s semesters
Can anybody give a rundown on the squads? Asking for an alumni who’s a little detached but curious as to what’s going on.
What’s the deal with Rider’s Council forcing rookies to learn how to dismount a certain way? One hand in the drops?? When was the last time you saw a competitive team exchange like that?? Go watch last year’s men’s race. Cutters, BKB, Phi Psi, Sig Ep, etc. all exchange with BOTH hands on the tops. RC president shouldn’t just get to bulldoze her subordinates to make a decision when there’s multiple ways to accomplish a goal. If AKAK wants to throw ghost exchanges at rookie week, why shouldn’t they be allowed?
Incompetence from the highest level of IUF allowing an unqualified RD to let her RC president be the end all, be all to discussion. Makes me sick
B-b-b-buttt…..muh feminism!
And this surprises you? Seriously? I mean really?
Only Narcs says AKAK instead of Acacia and condone ghost exchanges.
I am not mad, I am disappointed. I feel as if someone has just called CNN fake news and disregarded Global Warming. I sit in silence in my room staring at a candle lit lamp, watching the wax slowly melt away and feeling the agony of the fact that this indeed is symbolic of the race. My body is numb, my chacos are worn down, my snowboard is depressed and unwaxed, and my heart to fight for the justice of the little 500 field is slowly fading away like the hopes of preventing global warming… oh the polar bears. While I feel sad, I realize, I am Nick Hartman, I placed third in the 2016 Little 500 race on my heroic sprint!!! Therefore I open up my box of new chacos, I dust off my beautfil poc helmet, strap it on my head, and wax my board. I am coming Bloomington, my soul lives for justice and peace.
Can we start rattling off people who can potentially replace Andrea as RD? There has to be a few worthy candidates nearby.
My guess is that you are stuck with her through next year…minimum. The IUF CEO is leaving at the end of this year. That means he will not be changing anything at IUSF and the new IUF CEO has so many issues to fix at IUF, IUSF will have to wait,
This was posted a while ago. Word on the street was that the Monkey was getting a lot of mentions,
Perhaps we can have Iowa run a caucus for the next RD.
Torch Receivers
OCTOBER 31, 2019 AT 9:34 PM
Tom Schwoegler
Jim Kirkham
Jordan Bailey
Lance Armstrong
Xavier Martinez
Rob Lee
A monkey from the Indianapolis zoo
Nothing is more impressive than Phi Delt never having a team in the fall and come spring break have 4 dedicated athletes. Although they never quite get there it’s nice to see Greek teams who haven’t totally lost all interest in little 5
It goes to show you how many good athletes they have when they put their full attention to the race. Also, good coaching at Phi Delt gets them up to speed quickly.
Eddie Cotton: You’ve had everybody else biting their nails. So I guess it’s time for them to stop chewing. The answer to the question everybody wants to know: Rob, what’s your decision?
“In this fall I’m going to take my talents to The Extension and join Jetblach.”
Robby K going to JetBlach?? Can anyone confirm this??
Yes
I can confirm that this is incorrect. Rob has decided that he will be riding for BKB, Joe, his older brother, was on BKB for a semester.
Rob will be racing in the 2020 little 500.
whos looking fast now that the track is open?
Was scared that 33to1 was lost to the ether forever, but I guess what is dead may never die.
The ether! Nice choice of words. : )
33to1 is back, so fuck the cutters
Its such fucking bullshit that Rob K is allowed to race this year because of riders council. Thats blatant favoritism from an “impartial” race director. When I thought she couldnt be any worse at her job she pulls this. Is the precedent you can change teams whenever if your on her rc? Nice job greasing the wheels for your subordinates. I cant wait until your gone
I can’t wait for the “Geeds r clearly superior” posts that completely ignore that Geeds can recruit as much as they want while Greeks can’t. I’m 100% positive this move would have been blocked if he was going to a different Greek team. AB’s shift needs to be over SOON, there are so many better options out there.
Are you insinuating that Greek experience trumps independent team experience for the riders? That being in the Greek system is a “better” experience? Note the jetblach riders and where they come from……
Maybe Greek teams should pause and reflect on why independent teams have had an easier time recruiting talent, keeping it, and grooming it into successful teams???
Considering that non-Greeks make up 80% of the student population, they statistically would be better, because they have a larger pool to recruit from. But poor Greeks, right? Newsflash: the team you ride for is the organization you reflect. God forbid that more independents, which make up THE MAJORITY of the student body, get involved. Maybe for once Little 5 would actually represent a decent portion of its population?!
@ Get Over Yourself
“Little 5 should reflect the IU population, God forbid that more independents get involved” you sound like such a clueless fucking snow flake.
This entire post is about Andrea letting a Greek rider join an Independent team without sitting out a year per the rule book.
Andrea would NEVER let an Independent Rider join a Greek team without sitting out a year.
Read the entire post before you get tears in your eyes and rage post about inclusivity and representation, GEED. I dare you to @ me with something that makes sense.
Andrea is a piss-poor race director, no one argued that. And nothing I referenced had anything to do with the original post, which I AGREE with. However, when an asshat like you whips out an idiotic argument creating an us vs. them mentality, welp, here we are.
But please, keep trying to insult me while you grapple with your own superiority complex and inability to cope with the fact that you are an irrelevant alumnus/alumna.
Once again, get over yourself. Bye forever, Disgruntled “Alum” (grammar check would’ve helped here lol).
I’m late to this discussion. Can you provide details?
Thanks
The 2020 Little 500 will be cancelled not from track conditions, but from COVID-19
Well, you might be right. McRobbie just suspended face-to-face classes for 2 weeks following Spring Break and encouraged students to remain off campus during that time.
Heard a rumor that Andrea choked to death on a ham sandwich. Can anyone confirm?
Also heard Hannah Coppens got beat with a chain whip by CT Langley, Can anyone confirm?
Fuck the people on this website. Spend more time on your bikes and less time on your phones, you simps
How are the Mens AND Women’s field stacking up now that all riders have access to the track? Who is looking good and who isn’t?
How long have you even known about 33to1? The entire website has been about us vs. them trolling from the start, the fact you don’t know that explains a lot. You’re a pissed off girl that still uses the word ‘welp’ and is ranting about Independent representation on a thread about an awful RD’s latest gimmick, please act like you’ve used the internet before.
If you agree Andrea is a shitty RD and wouldn’t have allowed this to happen if it was an rider going to a Greek team, what are you even on that guys ass about? You sound insecure coming in hot about something that wasn’t even being discussed, thanks for being the new poster child for all of the unstable women of Little 5.
The discussion room is full of other Independents that rip on Greek teams, and yes Independents have an easier time recruiting members because there’s less rules that apply to us. Get your head out of your ass.
Btw, saying to use grammar check for “alum”, which is commonly used as a singular form anymore, makes YOU look like the boomer. Go practice for your 100 lap race and leave 33to1 for those with mental stability.
“Fire Andrea” should have waited until April 1st to post the above. Probably saving that day to rant about Andrea allowing athletically challenged teams to use e-bikes.
Apparently after even more careful consideration, Albert and andrew lavalle are also rumored to be joining Jetblach as their respective team is folding. Will there be any hope for Greek row at this point? Will Andrea finally draw the line in the sand???
Alums of now banished and currently at risk fraternities should form “Independent” teams that are not formally tied to the greek system. Greek mens houses are much less likely to be able to consistently participate year in and year out than ever before. BTW, I wonder how Cutters got started?
Legend has it four dudes appeared in a flash of light after a delts rider spilled his four loko on the bill armstrong stadium cinders
what exactly do you think JETBLACH is?
Anyone else absolutely terrified that quals and or the race will be cancelled? I’m about to cry just thinking about it
Imagine paying $30,000 in tuition solely to race little 5 and having it get canceled due to the virus. What a life.
Can anyone tell me how the fields are stacking up?
Phi Psi and Cutters super strong. If Phi Psi can stay off the front, it’s theirs to lose. BKB lacks identity. Jetblack very overrated even with Rob K joining this spring. Too much extra curricular shit going on to focus on the race.
Like when they got invested by student conduct? What a joke
Cutters – looking strong with their aarp cards
Phi Psi – albert and albertito pumping out those hot laps
GG – richards needs to reference the geneva conventions for that hair
BKB – looking strong waiting for L5 to be over
SigEp – looking strong falling off of phi psi’s wheel
Jetblach – camouflage only works if it’s not BRIGHT FUCKING NEON PINK
NEH – looking strong learning exchanges at walking speed
3PH – looking strong sobering up
Hopefully that gives you an ideas of how the major teams are shaping up.
Average Joe Teams: 3PH and ep
Thinks their relevant but not: Goats
Delusional teams who think they compete but will be in the twenties: Forest
Team combined IQ of 7: JETBLACH
Question Mark: BKB
Actually good teams: Phi Psi, Cutters, and NEH.
I heard JetBlach rider Matt McGorrey still has a torn miniscus from his crash last May 😳
After discussions among IUSF executives, Andrea is expected to announce a cancellation of all Little 500 events on Friday, March 13th
If little 5 makes it so non-essential persons aren’t allowed in the stadium does that mean andrea won’t be invited?