Indiana Legend Don Fischer Blasts Fans for Ignorant Booing

Indiana’s Don Fischer sounds off on boos at Memorial Stadium.

Few people have seen more Indiana football than Don Fischer.

He took over as the radio play-by-play voice for the program in 1973.

He’s seen several coaches, stars, would-be saviors and, yes, losses during the past several decades.

He’s also seen the rise to prominence under head coach Curt Cignetti, calling the Hoosiers' National Championship Game win over Miami this past winter.

So, when he heard booing heading into halftime of this past Saturday’s homecoming matchup against Minnesota, he was aghast.

He provided his perspective in an interview with the Heartland Sports Network.

“If anybody is booing this football program right now in the stands at Memorial Stadium these days, they should give up their tickets,” Fischer said.

“Sell them. Go someplace else and watch football because you don't know what you're seeing.”

If anyone knows what they’re seeing, as previously mentioned, it’s Fischer.

He went on, adding that the past two seasons have been the greatest in program history while defending quarterback Josh Hoover, whose play has drawn scrutiny as he recovers from an arm injury, and kicker Nico Radicic, who’s had some uncharacteristic misses as of late.

“You would boo a kid that’s hurt and playing hurt out there?” Fischer asked.

“Then you would boo your kicker, who has been tremendous for three and a half years now and, obviously he’s having a tough time this year a little bit because he’s had mistakes that he’s made, and you’re booing him?”

“And then you’re booing the head coach because you thought a timeout should've been taken late in the ballgame?”

Fischer, of course, raises several valid points.

Booing college athletes, kids playing a sport, is incredibly lame.

Hoover in particular, who’s shown his toughness countless times this season.

Booing makes bad situations worse, fomenting negative environments.

We’ve seen enough of that at Assembly Hall over the years, with players speaking out about the treatment they receive from fans.

That doesn’t need to exist there, let alone extend across the parking lot to Memorial Stadium.

A chorus of boos rang out across Memorial Stadium on Saturday during Indiana's overtime win over Minnesota as the Hoosiers struggled for the second straight week.

The reaction from fans did not sit well with longtime Indiana radio broadcaster Don Fischer, who took issue with the crowd's response.

“If anybody is booing this football program right now in the stands at Memorial Stadium these days, they should give up their tickets, sell them, go someplace else and watch football,” Fischer said.

“Because you don't know what you're seeing here, two-and-a-half years of the greatest football in the history of our program at Indiana University.”

Fischer pointed out the booing that came in the first half amid Josh Hoover's struggles at quarterback, as he continued to battle a shoulder injury he sustained two weeks ago against Ohio State.

Hoover was eventually replaced in the second half by backup quarterback Grant Wilson, who threw a 25-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the single overtime period to Charlie Becker to win the game.

He also pointed to the booing at Curt Cignetti “because you thought a timeout should be taken late in the ballgame.”

Fischer also said he believes the boos are mostly coming from the student section inside the stadium.

“My opinion is that it was mostly students who don't know squat about football,” Fischer said.

“They're there to see if they can get their face on the big screen or on television, whatever the case may be. They don't understand what they're looking at.”

At 8-1 on the season and in second place in the Big Ten, Indiana looks positioned for a potential Big Ten Championship berth, if not a third straight appearance in the College Football Playoff field.

Fischer ended his rant by doubling down on how he started it to the booing fans with Indiana having two more home games this season against Southern California and Purdue.

“If you were booing in that stadium on Saturday, you don't deserve the tickets that you bought and you don't deserve to keep them either,” Fischer said.

The Hoosiers are 8-1 overall and 5-1 in Big Ten play.

Their only loss came at Ohio State, where Hoover injured his shoulder.

Since then, the offense has sputtered at times, but the team keeps winning.

The win over Minnesota came in overtime, with backup quarterback Grant Wilson making the decisive play.

Fischer has been the voice of Indiana football for 53 seasons.

He has called games under 10 different head coaches.

He witnessed the program’s first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, its first Big Ten championship game, and its first national title.

His perspective carries weight because he has seen the lowest lows and the highest highs.

For him, the current era under Curt Cignetti represents the peak of Indiana football.

To hear boos from fans during what he considers the best stretch in program history was frustrating.

Fischer’s comments have sparked debate among Indiana fans.

Some agree with him, saying that booing college athletes is counterproductive.

Others argue that fans have a right to express disappointment when the team underperforms.

The quarterback situation remains a topic of discussion.