(This photo is not of Ron Zook in a bad disugise...it's EKU's coach, Danny Hope)Hope is currently the head coach at Eastern Kentucky. In his four seasons, his teams have had four winning campaigns, and has a total record of 35-21 (62%). Hope has no NFL experience, contrasting with most of Burke's candidates for this Purdue's coaching vacancy. He graduated from EKU, coached briefly for Manatee High School in Bradenton, FL, coached on two occasions at Louisville, then a season at Oklahoma and finally connected with Joe Tiller at Wyoming. He followed Tiller to God's country and coached the Boilers offensive line from 1997 through 1999...5 of his pupils at Purdue went on to play in the NFL. Unlike Chryst, the other frontrunner for this job, Hope is an energetic people person, according to many accounts.
Here are my thoughts on this possiblity:
-He looks like Ron Zook with a mustache
-It will be easy for Purdue fans to transition from Tiller's 'stache to Hope's 'stache
-I kept waiting to hear about more candidates with a Purdue connection...this one has it; I think he'll be the guy.
-This probably makes Tiller pleased since he comes from the Tiller coaching bloodline...I don't think that makes me happy; but it probably pleases a lot of old people who give money to the program. I'm going to take a wait-and-see approach on Hope.
-I don't think Tiller was ever as upset with the idea of a succession plan as originally reported by Boiler Station...but I do think he wanted to have one of "his guys" involved in the mix. Looks like he got his wish.
-There is no formula for successful coaching hires, but it seems to me that Burke wants someone that he doesn't think will use Purdue as a stepping stone and will win without raising flags to the NCAA with questionable practices...Burke seems to have been very particular on the ages of the candidates as well; they're all young-ish.
We'll be on top of it when the announcement's made Friday.
Baby Boiler Update
A short-handed Purdue team traveled north to East Lansing and allowed the Spartans to grow a colossal lead before clawing back into the game. Chris Kramer led the team in scoring with 19 points, and shot the ball well (7-of-9). Calasan and Green both added key buckets and stops at important times. But Martin didn't play well, Hummel didn't play due to illness & Crump played limited minutes due to his ankle.
It was a good effort, but the NCAA committee might have penciled a note to themselves if the Boilers would have come away with the unlikely win in the Breslin Center. Hopefully, these young guys are learning a lot this season (which I think they are)...because it's painfully obvious, at this point that they're just not that good, yet. I do think that Tuesday's game was a step in the right direction, but the slow start is something that simply must be eradicated by Painter and his staff...that and the propensity for these Boilers to lose leads in the final minutes of close games.
Tom Izzo thinks Kramer has the heart of lion...too bad he's got the knees of a 60 year-old human. Sadly, Kramer has not played healthy since his arrival on Purdue's campus. Next up, Ohio State comes to W. Lafayette on Saturday.
11 comments:
I was only able to follow the game on espn.com gamecast, so I have some questions. How come calasan was on fire early in the second and then seemingly stopped playing?? He was one of the few that was shooting well. Then Grant is laying bricks, yet got all the crucial shots at the end. What was going on?? How come MSU shot so well, yet it was a close game? Man, seemed like we really had them on their heels....AND THEN WE LET THEM OFF THE HOOK!!!!
This season is all about moral victories!
"We let 'em off the hook!"
I got a confession to make- My report is based on conversations with my brother, highlights on ESPN, highlights on the BTN's site and articles. I think Calasan was in foul trouble...and I think Painter thought no one was a better shooter on Purdue and that he'd eventually get back into the flow...But a home project kept me from going to watch the game at a sports bar. I'm going to get BTN soon when I switch providers. Comcast stinks.
Now, now, you can't call getting smashed on malt liquor a "home project." I've tried it -- it doesn't fly.
You're not Irish.
Not sure about this Hope guy. I don't know, I guess in general I'm not impressed with the overall list.
Best quote of the basketball game came from Painter - "I'm proud of our effort, though we played like our hair was on fire in the first few minutes"
THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE
THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE
I had to "watch" on GameCast as well. I was getting BTN for a while and of course last night I discovered that's no longer the case.
Acording to GameCast, Calasan only had 3 fouls at the time (and that was the final count as well), so I wouldn't exactly call that "trouble." However, GC was also reporting that Green had 5 fouls... imagine my surprise when he scored a bit later. Apparently they left it in "NBA mode." :) They eventually did adjust his 6 fouls to 5.
Maybe NC was just tired of all that scoring and needed a rest.
What happened to Paul C? Think Tiller influenced the decision?
Nate...it's either that or Burke is the most brilliant-estest coach hirer in all of the land. He took us on a wild Chryst hunt to take away pressure and publicity and we all went along...at least myself, Kubat and two Wisconsin papers went along.
Does this mean we have Hope in Chryst?
sounds like we'll have Hope without Chryst...
but we all know hope comes from Christ.
I don't know that Hope is so much from the Tiller bloodline as Howard Schnellenberger (sp?). Hope coached for him for 11 years before the 4-5 with Tiller. If he could help turn around dead programs hopefully he can revive one that's ill.
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