BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Of beans ’n’ greens ’n’ other things: FIRST UP, let me put to rest a myth that Indiana University is a basketball school when it comes to athletics.

I’ve spent the last few days on the main campus at Bloomington and, while it is true the Hoosiers have won five national championships (a long time ago) in round ball, this school is –- hold your breath -– a soccer power.

Really ...

In the rest of the world’s game of “football,” the Hoosiers have won seven –- that’s SEVEN –- national NCAA championships.

The reason I know that is I picked up the Indiana Daily Student newspaper (free, so why not), and the banner headline – five columns – on the sports page read:

IU named No. 1 soccer school in the country

Second lead story was ...

Former IU standout eyes roster spot for 2014 World Cup

The school has also won a record-setting six straight national titles in men’s swimming and diving.

Hey, I know you were just waiting for that information, huh?

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IN “OUR” football, the Hoosiers are almost an afterthought.

The sports columnist for the Daily Student had a list of five football games “you can’t afford to miss” on the tube this fall.

Indiana U. was not on the list.

But his number one had a nice ring ... Florida vs. Alabama on Oct. 2.

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IT’S BEEN legal to turn right on red since Washington crossed the Delaware, but it’s amazing at the people who don’t know that. You can get too OLD to vote waiting on some people to do that.

It is also amazing at the people who don’t know how to use an on-ramp and merge with traffic. They stop and squat until they can see the sun move two time zones before proceeding ... instead of moving along and merging with the traffic.

People here are just as bad as people there ...

A couple of other highway notes from Indiana:

1. According to the signs, “No Engine Brake” is the rule of the road. Unless you date back to a straight-stick transmission, “Engine Brake” is the art of slowing your vehicle by down-shifting.

2. In Indiana, the max for speeding is $1,000, but you can get up to eight years in jail for reckless driving.

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EVERY TIME I mention visiting Bell Buckle, Tenn., I get a number of calls or e-mails wanting to know “where and how far?”

OK, from the north Anniston resort community of Saks, it is 187 miles ... and easy to get there.

You hit U.S. 431 North through Gadsden and on to Attalla where you jump I-59 North.

Just before you enter Tennessee, take I-24 toward Nashville and, after 60-70 miles, you’ll see the Bell Buckle sign.

Once off, you’re like 10 miles from downtown Bell Buckle.

A suggestion is to make it a two-day trip. There are any number of small towns in the vicinity to enjoy.

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ONE OTHER note on Bell Buckle is a bit of news of absolutely no use to you (much like this column, huh).

Nearby Shelbyville is the host of the annual National Tennessee Walking Horse Championship, which makes Bell Buckle a bit of horse country, too.

It was from here, back in 1966, that a Betty Sain trained and then rode Shaker’s Shocker to the national title.

Betty Sain was the first woman to ride a Walker to the title.

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BIRTHDAYS: June 28 – Kevin Robertson; July 1 – Ruth McCarty; July 3 – Lee Jaye; July 5 – Kristen Rothwell; July 8 – Eulene McCarty; July 11 – Sandy Rothwell.

Also, to a former cheerleader who can still melt my socks after all these years, a Happy July 12 Birthday to one you know as the blonde, who is called Mom by a son, Nenya by her three grandsons, and “Yes, Dear” by me.

Thanks for visiting ...

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George Smith can be reached at 256-239-5286 or e-mail: gsmith731@gmail.com