To Be Fair...

There's a term that many Purdue fans use when talking about IU's scholarship issues and its handling of said issues: Creaning.

Creaning: Creen-ing
noun (slang) 1. The act of forcing a player out of IU's basketball program due to oversigning 2. Cleaning out the old rusty guys on the roster to make room for newer, shinier models 

If it's in the BS dictionary, it must be a word...if it's on the interwebnet, it must be true; so be it.  Let's be honest (IU fans)- if it happened once, we might call it a fluke or isolated event...but each and every year, Coach Forehead has to come up with new and sometimes creative ways of eliminating players that want to play for IU.  These guys all seem to openly want to play for IU...but they can't because their coach loves shiny new things so much that he can't seem to follow the rules.

IU seems to have 14 or 15 players on their roster for the next Spring each season...but the NCAA only allows 13. Thus, something must happen to rectify the situation. Clappy believes the best thing for those players, that are unlucky enough not be the apple of his eye, is to leave that God-foresaken place in the bowels of Indiana; they should thank him...they seldom do.

Capobianco, Roth, Patterson, most-recently, Abell and others have all been Creaned...and as Purdue fans, we point this out to our IU pals. It really isn't right to make a guy leave who has committed to the program; committed to a coach, who is a good kid and whose only crime is that they're not very good and still have eligibility remaining...

So...

When I read this from Purdue's Coach in the wake of Sandi's departure, my antennae arose, and I knew I had to say something about it.

"John Hart's situation was different (than Marcius')...John did not voluntarily leave our team and he did not quit our team."

We're nothing if we're not fair...and while I like Coach Painter a lot, I disagree with his handling of John Hart.  And I'll stick by my statement yesterday, that I agree with the way Purdue has handled Sandi Marcius.

Sure, the moving parts in IU's situations and Purdue's situation are different.  In one, it's a chronic disease that neither the coach, fans nor media will admit is an issue...and because of this, it will continue to happen. IU's God-fearing, ethical, all-around great guy of a coach will continue to treat the guys (that he recruited, by the way) like pawns in a game he's created. It's simply not right; everyone knows it even if they're not willing to admit it.

On the other side of things, Purdue had no scholarship issue in '12/'13...Hart could have stayed.  He would have probably been on the bench a lot...and both he and Painter knew that; Hell, everyone could see that during his fourth year on campus.  But if he wanted to stay, I feel like he should have been able to stay.

He and Painter agreed that a redshirt season was the right thing to do for Hart out of HS.  Hart didn't received no BCS conference offers other than Purdue...and if you remember back that far, you remember his offer/commitment as a shock to about everyone.

Hart could score, but was a pretty incomplete player...when he was on the court at Purdue, we could all see it.  His defense was pretty lousy and he made some poor decisions with the ball...and he didn't progress a whole lot during his time in God's country.  BUT, it wasn't his fault that Matt Painter recruited, offered and signed him.

"There's the door, John."

If you believe Painter is generally a good guy (like I do), and you like him being Purdue's head coach (like I do), you should see this Hart episode as an incongruity that needs to be called out (like I do). If we don't do so as a fanbase, we're no better than IU's lemmings who treat the shiny forehead like an unworthy idol.

I'm glad Painter is a straight-forward guy, not a politician.  He told everyone what happened with Hart...and while he might have thought it'd be best for Hart to move onto a new place, Hart didn't agree. Just like it was a mutual decision for Hart to redshirt, it should have been a mutual decision for him to stay.

Now, if there was an attitude or disciplinary issue that we don't know about, that changes everything...but other than Hart being pals with Barlow, I heard nor seen nothing that points to this.

Before you tell me that Purdue doesn't owe a fifth year guy a scholarship, I obviously know that...but if it was a mostly-coaching decision to not let a player play during his first season on campus, that same coach needs allow an upper classman who sweated and bled for a program to stay if he wants to.

Just because something is legal, doesn't mean it's ethical.

Does Painter's treatment of Hart warrant a pun-based label for him? Probably not...but if IU fans want to take umbrage with Purdue's treatment of a player, they shouldn't be bringing up Sandi, but might want to point to Hart.  If they do, Purdue fans, keep the names "Capobianco" and "Roth" handy for quick usage.

'The Marcius Game' and cutting down the nets...Basketball gumbo.

I said it on Twitter a few days ago, and I'll expound here today- Dan Dakich is pretty good at his job when he's not talking about IU.

I started liking the guy while listening to the radio in Indy a few years ago and IU was down.  Every time IU would come close to beating someone, a sycophantic IU fan would call him and say they were back.  He'd quickly shut them down and remind them why that wasn't the case with facts- record, last time they had a big win, etc.

BUT, he changed his tune last year and lost all objectivity when talking about IU as they started winning.  So I've learned to enjoy him, but only when IU isn't in the picture.  Purdue's game v. Wisconsin was one of those occasions. If you're a Purdue fan that can't stand the guy because of his antics while talking about the Purdue/IU rivalry, I understand...but he does know basketball when he can remove his heart from the equation.

Let's not forget that he's a former Bobby Knight recruit and interim IU coach...it's probably impossible to separate from that.  BUT, his knowledge of basketball and his sense of humor are entertaining, at least to me, at times.

As Purdue finished off Wisconsin, he had a couple great points:

First, Purdue was much better with Hammons on the bench on Sunday. Marcius' hustle and attitude made the offense and defense work better...and that's all on Hammons, in my opinion.  Hammons is a superior basketball player, but his attitude sometimes comes off as lackadaisical. It might just be his demeanor or it might be a conscious decision...regardless, Painter doesn't seem to like it when it's in full bloom...and Purdue is not as good when #20 is doing his Joe Barry Carroll impersonation.

But when he's good, there's no one on Purdue that's better.  I guess these are the growing pains of a Freshman who is growing into a role; hope so anyway.

Second, Dakich referenced the Wisconsin game as "The Marcius Game".  He said next season, when Purdue is back to where they belong, we Purdue fans will refer to this game as the game in which Sandi took over and made a difference. He's probably right...unless, Marcius can find a way to become consistent.  He's strong, big, works hard and runs end to end...lots of good tools in the shed for 55.  There have been rumors that he might seek to go elsewhere after this season...I haven't heard one credible source to back that up, so I expect Marcius to be back for his fifth year in 2014.  If he wants to avoid Purdue fans referring to that one game as his, he'll have to make some new memories...It'd be great if he joined the line of Rowinski, Sheffler and Riley (big bruising white centers that were forces to be reckoned with) and departed from that of Ten Dam's line (gigantic European players that never panned out).  Time and a few games might tell.

Big Balls?

I didn't see it...I tried to go back and see it, but still couldn't find video evidence.  BUT, Sandi supposedly referenced his lower intestinal fortitude after hitting a few free throws in the closing minutes of that Wisconsin game.  We all know what happened in his action's wake- he went over and shook Matty's hand and apologized for getting out of hand. While Painter didn't love it, Sandi's teammates did...and it showed.

There's no doubt that Purdue wouldn't have been in the position to win that game without DJ Byrd going nutty from deep.  BUT, to beat Wisky's bigs, it sometimes takes a hammer to do it...Sandi's force and clutch free throws cemented the deal.

I don't think we've seen anything close to Barlow's choke sign from a Purdue player in the last few years...but Marcius' alleged Big Ball Dance has some similarities.  But the differences are great too- he didn't direct it at the other team and it wasn't as obvious on TV...nor was it versus IU.  That said, it endears Marcius to me a bit more; he was having a good time playing a kids game...and doing his job while doing it. We haven't seen a ton of that this season.

Victory! (not really)

Cut 'em Down!!

The phrase in entertainment, "The show must go on" was applicable early this morning in Bloomington  as IU kept with their original plan in spite of one pesky detail- they lost the game.

IU was in the driver's seat for an outright B1G title; their first in 20 years.  But, they couldn't seal the deal on Senior night...couldn't beat a team, on their homecourt, that they had shellacked earlier in the season on the road.  Last night's IU loss was like a wet blanket on IU's festivities...well it should have been anyway.

After EsPN cut away from their coverage, IU's Seniors did what Seniors do on Senior night- talk about what they had been through and how far they had come...nothing wrong with that.

BUT, as the crowd thinned, Crean decided they still wanted to cut down the nets. In a sad display of what modern sports have become...and a stark contrast to the Bobby Knight way (in his house, no less), a few hundred people clapped in a half-assed manner as Crean added another trophy to his small-time trophy case.

These nets should fit nicely go along side the Sweet 16 rings from last year.

Last night's post-game stupidity in Ass. Hall is why the "IU Sucks" chant by the Paint Crew makes so much sense, even when IU is good at basketball.  

B1G Race

So here are the standings right now:

As well all know too well, Purdue is an also-ran at this point...But, the interesting part of the puzzle, from a Purdue-centric view, is that Matty's boys will have at least some effect on the race.  An improbable win by Purdue over UM would knock the Wolverines out of a chance to part of the title...they already knocked Wisconsin down a rung this week.  But, this UM team is a much more difficult match-up for Purdue...and who knows how these Boilers will handle a small taste of success.

But we do know that every game effects every other, at this point...And the hard thing about this time of year is I'm forced to root for teams like aOSU, UM, MSU and Wisconsin.

In the grand scheme, my wishes are pretty simple: I want to see IU lose in the tournament before the Final Four...I want to see Oladipo, Zeller, Thomas and Burke all leave for the NBA this year...and I want to see Purdue win a few more games as to have a bit of momentum heading into next season.

Yes, They're That Good

I've chronicled my difficulty with watching basketball this year.  EsPN's waffling lovefest between Duke and IU is enough to make any self-respecting fan have thoughts of never watching a sport they love again.  That atop of Purdue's on-going problems has made this season tough to swallow.  Last night though, I embraced all of it.

The sycophantic rantings of Vitale, the awkward holding of Magic Johnson by the same character of a psuedo-expert, nervous sweating and pacing of an overhyped coach, demonstrative whining of another, unlikable thugs on one side, overly-dramatic posing on the other...this game had plenty not to like.  But, it also was centered around two very good basketball teams so I watched much of it with the volume up (that part wasn't easy).

There are two things honest Purdue fans can appreciate- First, yes, IU looks like the best team in the nation right now.  Their offense, talent and cohesiveness are impressive. Oladipo is a truly great college player that has a quicker first step than about anyone in the nation and is a tremendous defender...plus he's simply clutch. Zeller is a force; when IU needs a stop, rebound or bucket, he generally delivers.  Around those two NBA players, everyone knows their role...Farrell is a star in the making, the girl shot guy can bomb if not guarded and Watford reminds me of Robert Horry (also clutch and steady).

Purdue fans who don't believe IU is the favorite to win the national title are in denial.  They're damned good...and if it wasn't for their fanbase, nervous BSing coach and their uniforms, they'd be a ton of fun to watch...but you can't have one thing without the other right now, so things are what they are.

The Forehead is a tremendous recruiter and great motivator.  He has that team pointed the same (and correct, by the way) direction.  They rightfully have their sites set on a national title.

If you're like my BS counterpart, you might be confident that Crean's in-game nonsense will doom IU...right now, I'm not so confident about that.  Bad in-game coaches have won national titles before...when the right guy gets hot at the right time (i.e. Oladipo) and he's surrounded by players who know their role, good things happen for that team.  Plus, the formula of having two or three NBA players seems to be alive and well for IU.

I'm rooting against this with everything and hoping we're watching IU peak in February...which as we know too well, isn't really worth much at the end of the season.

It's easy to argue with IU fans about the silliness and absurdity of Sweet 16 rings and a coach that parades around the concourse following a win over a barely-ranked team.  It's pretty impossible to argue the validity of a national title...especially one in the debater's lifetime.

Sure, IU fans will continue to ignore the head-to-head count or B1G titles...but I bet most of you feel like I do and would trade about any of Purdue's records for a national title in the modern era.

The scenario we're in stinks...the best we can hope for right now is that IU poops the bed in the tourney and pretty much everybody leaves town.  Half of that scenario doesn't seem likely to me right now...the other half would hardly be salve in the wound.

Click to Sign Free Agent zlionsfan

So, while most people have been dodging campaign commercials and preparing for the onset of turkeys (Thanksgiving, people - what did you think I meant?), boilerdowd and J have been hatching a master plan. After secret negotiations that involved the exchange of Jim Rowinski trading cards, they've extended an offer to me to contribute to Boiled Sports, and I have accepted. We thought it might be best to start with a "who is this guy?" post, because ... who is this guy? What's a zlionsfan doing on a Purdue blog anyway?

Before I explain, I'd like to give a quick thanks to those two for this opportunity - I'm looking forward to writing for a larger audience, and on a blog I've been following for years - and to those of you who brought up the idea and supported it ... and of course to everyone who comes here and reads, comments, and supports the site.

I was born in Ann Arbor just before the beginning of the Big Two-Little Eight era, in a family full of Michigan fans (my parents were graduates; my grandmother is nearly 100, has lived in Ann Arbor for at least 70 years and still follows Michigan football), so I started to follow sports at an early age. While other kids were learning how to tie their shoes, I was learning important lessons that would serve me well later in life ... things like "Ohio State sucks" ... and because I'd learned to read at an early age, and the easiest thing for a kid to read in the newspaper (besides comics) is the sports section, I'd already become a big sports fan, and I'd begun to follow Detroit teams in all sports. (I didn't know that you can actually choose the teams you root for: I thought everyone rooted for local teams. If you know anything about Detroit sports in the '70s, you know this was a cruel joke that someone played on me.)

My dad was an electrical engineer, and he worked at the cyclotron at Michigan. When the university had to shut down the cyclotron in the '70s, we moved to Bloomington, and he got a similar job at Indiana.

Yes, it's true. I've lived in that town. I graduated from Bloomington North. At one time, I even rooted for ... those teams. (I was even at the chair game. Sadly, I almost completely missed the event itself. Of course in those days, the camera hadn't been invented yet, so I don't have any pictures.) But during my senior year at North - the one where the Cougars snapped a 31-game losing streak that had them in the old section in Sports Illustrated where they had little bits of trivia from around the country - all that was going to change.

I was already developing a pretty good party circle of friends, and my dad correctly assumed that if I went to IU, I'd be lucky to get halfway through my degree before dropping out, so he gave me the option to attend any in-state public school with a high-caliber CS program. (Back then, out-of-state tuition wasn't nearly as expensive, but I wasn't paying for it, and besides, have you ever been to Evanston in the winter?) So in 1985, my transition from ... one of those fans to Boilermaker began.

During my six years at Purdue (I took the scenic route), I learned two things: Purdue sports will break your heart, and Purdue ADs don't know football. I suffered through the bad half of the Burtnett years, the failed Akers project, and the transition from free to half-price student tickets. (Marketing 101: George King failed it.) I watched the NCAA put higher-seeded Purdue basketball teams on the road at lower-seeded teams again and again and again ... and when they finally got a real chance, I watched Steve Henson take apart the best Purdue team in almost 20 years before they even got a shot at Cheatin' Larry Brown and the Jayhawks.

While I was in school, my allegiance was split three ways: Michigan from my childhood, Indiana from my teen years, and Purdue from my school. Plus, this was the Bill Mallory era at Indiana, and my dad suddenly was making an effort to get to know his kids better, so we made trips to Atlanta and Memphis to watch bowl games. (I drove down to Birmingham with a friend to watch the All-American Bowl on New Year's Eve, too. Did you know that in late December in the South, it gets cold? I do now.) Interestingly, I've only been to one Purdue bowl game: the 2000 Outback Bowl. I chose ... poorly.

But after I graduated, got a job in Indianapolis, and moved here to shorten my drive, I learned two more things: Indianapolis is not a neutral city, and obnoxious IU fans drown out all reasonable ones. The way it's told to you is that Indiana is split in half: Purdue gets the north half, IU gets the south half, and Indianapolis is split down the middle. In reality, Purdue gets some parts of the north that Notre Dame doesn't get, IU gets all the rest, and, well, let's just say the Star reflects its readership fairly well. So it didn't take long for jerk after jerk after cream-and-crimson jerk to wear away what I had left of those days. (You didn't think BS would feature IU writers, did you?)

So that's me today: strong Purdue ties from my nearly-thirty years as a Boilermaker, strong Michigan ties from my childhood and my family (I guarantee they wouldn't have been as strong if Michigan's athletics, particularly football, hadn't also been strong - a lesson Mr. Burke could stand to learn) ... and that's it. Don't worry - what I write here will be about Purdue sports from a Purdue perspective. There are plenty of links in the sidebar if you want Michigan articles.

The zlionsfan part? It's from my old AOL days. I'd been using Lions and Fan in my old QB1 days, back when you signed in a different name to play for each team, and surprisingly, back then, someone else wanted to be lionsfan at aol.com. Rather than take their stupid numeric suggestion, I went with letters. ALionsFan was also taken, so instead of continuing down the alphabet, I figured I'd go to the bottom and work my way up ... and the rest is internet history.

So that's me, and that's why I'm here. Thanks again for having me.

Big Ten Tourney Champs!

Ass-kicking-makers

The Purdue Boilermakers won the Big Ten baseball tournament last night by kicking Indiana's ass twice -- the way that mattered was the second time on the field (6-5) in as many days; the other way was in a bench-clearing scuffle after a dust-up at third base. 

The Boilers went 3-0 in the tourney and are now outright regular season champs as well as tourney champs. As mentioned the other day, they also have the pitcher, player AND coach of the year in the Big Ten. They've now received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, their first appearance in the big tourney in a quarter century.

The all-tournament team was also announced and featured five Boilermakers:


P: Jonny Hoffman, Indiana P: Tony Bucciferro, Michigan State
P: Lance Breedlove, Purdue
C: Kevin Plawecki, Purdue
1B: Ryan Krill, Michigan State
1B: Richard Stock, Nebraska
2B: Micah Johnson, Indiana
3B: Cameron Perkins, Purdue
SS: Kirby Pellant, Ohio State
SS: David Miller, Purdue
OF: Will Nolden, Indiana
OF: Anthony Cheky, Michigan State
OF: Barrett serrato, Purdue
DH: Michael Pritchard, Nebraska
Most Outstanding Player: Kevin Plawecki, Purdue



Of course, this all makes the mess that happened in the 9th inning that much more frustrating. 


As you can see, Purdue's success is tied to their commitment to hustle (a familiar Boilermaker trait). That hustle, combined with the Hoosiers throwing it around like a little league team, led to the Boilers take the lead. Eric Charles then slid awkwardly into Michael Basil at third and apparently didn't acknowledge the famous IU banners, which Basil didn't like so he kind of knees him and there's a little shove and then before you know it, the benches have emptied, and someone (probably an umpire) is yelling "Get back in the fu-king dugout!"

Charles and Dustin DeMuth were ejected yet Basil, who started it all, was apparently not. I know there are always different way rivals see such a situation... BUT. Whether you like it or not, this was a baseball play until Basil started a fight, simple as that. I don't care if you don't like the slide or if you don't think it was textbook -- that doesn't matter. If a guy is blocking a base, you can barrel into him. That's how it works. Always has, and if you can't handle that, you shouldn't be playing baseball.

Watch the video above that Riley Schmitt had up last night. At 1:43, you can see Basil doing a headlock maneuver. At 1:49 you can see Charles -- who is on the ground and a bit more defenseless than the ogres standing over him -- get hammered by Basil who I guess took a bump from behind as an excuse to forearm shiver Charles. For a few scary seconds, Charles looks like a cowboy who fell under the herd.

The upshot is that Charles may likely be suspended for at least a game in the NCAA tournament as a result of this, which kind of seems like a bitter pill to swallow. Sure, we're biased, but here are the facts: Purdue has their first legit shot at the college world series perhaps ever. IU was frustrated and started a bench-clearing fight with their rival who was in the midst of taking their candy yet again. Somehow Purdue will have the biggest negative impact from this.

All that said, let's simply enjoy the fact that your Boilers are conference champs X 2.

Choo-choo, muthas.

I'll Say It: Raise Another Banner, Tommy!

It's kind of old news by now, but we thought we'd remind you that IU basketball is back! The Movement has done exactly what it was supposed to do...it's brought IU back to the levels of RMK and co, right?

-Big wins? No arguing here-  Beating top-10 teams isn't something that's debatable.  IU beat a few of the best teams in America...at home...and when it counted the most: In December and January.

-Atmosphere? Hells yes! The Ass. Hall is nearly as obnoxious of a place as it was when a red sweater used to ride up the most famous gut in all of the land.

In IU's defense though, the die-hards never left...well except those who didn't like the fact that a minority coach or two was hired...but I digress.

The Good Ole Days are back!!!

-Trophies? Kinda.  I know IU fans are clamoring for the good ole days...and why wouldn't they? Players being head-butted, strangled and berated by their beloved coach...students getting physically accosted by the very same big lug.  Secretaries getting things thrown at them, public property being damaged.  *Sigh* those were the days.

I don't like Tom Crean and his nervous antics too much...and while he's no where near the gameday coach that Knight was, the dude is a badass on the recruiting trail (seriously).  I won't argue that.  And IU fans LOVE their players!!*

-Banners? Some say "YES!" A trophy case that commemorates two wins in the tournament just isn't enough...these guys deserve to be alongside undefeated National Championship teams...AmIright??

Pointing out the inconsistencies of this fanbase, especially in this case is easy for a middle-schooler to do. No Purdue fan, myself or anyone else, can argue that IU's National Titles are not noteworthy...not with a straight face anyway. Winning one national title is difficult...winning five is incredible. Sure, It's ancient history by modern sports standards...and no typically-aged undergrad student in Bloomington was even a glimmer in his pappy's eye in 1987.  But they all talk about it as if they had front row seats for Keith Smart's shot (I actually was watching that game live...on my parent's tube television...through a cable box that included an analog rotary dial). No matter- hats off to the King's head coach and former Hawkeye HC!

I'll encourage all of my fellow Purdue fans to do one thing- at minimum bite your tongue when IU fans start talking about the greatness of last year's squad.  They did, after all, sweep our Boilers.  But more-importantly than that, let them wax poetically about a shot taken in December, or almost beating the eventual National Champ by the razor-thin margin of 12 points. Anyone who's not wearing clown pants, and who has ever watched college basketball, will quickly recognize the stupidity and ridiculous nature of their statements.  Encourage the IU fans to talk...cultivate their delusions. And then, maybe when they step off of their soap box, and give you a moment of quiet, you can mention that Purdue's back-to-back Sweet 16s in the last four years, 3-year sweep of IU, February in which they beat three top-12 teams and how getting beaten by eventual FF and National Championship teams tournament multiple didn't get a banner, special case, or even plaque in Mackey Arena...and shouldn't have.

*Until they're rendered useless by the introduction of a newer and shinier model.

Something of Nothing: Grasping for Rivalry

IU fans, Purdue fans, let's get this out of the way: we've been grasping at straws for a while now.

Sure, the Paint Crew reminds us that "IU Sucks" quite often, which is true. And IU's student section has a few people on Twitter trying to drum up manufactured heat by whatever means necessary. Both sides really want these games to mattter again.

A group of IU's students have made Purdue's 6th man, Kelsey Barlow, the focus of their vitriol. They attempt to mock Purdue by saying "Banner up". Whatever. Much like Fred Glass and his Athletic Department's attempts to create new traditions for their football 'atmosphere', these weren't grown organically and are of little importance...or more importantly, these kids are trying to find something, anything to cheer for that has roots within the reality.

Kelsey Barlow gave the choke sign last season at IU after Verdell Jones missed a few free throws. I thought it was funny...my fellow BSer, J didn't like it. Neither of us thought it was the right thing to do...and neither did the true Freshman, Barlow, in hindsight. But what's done is done.

IU students can't get after Smooge or JJ...probably because they don't want those guys angry because the Hoosiers have no answer for either. Hell, they won't even go after LewJack for the same reason...but get six deep in the rotation- yeah, now you're talking. That's their target.

IU's ugliest cheerleader directs the fanbase

Much like Tom Crean, IU's students and fans can't wait until Purdue's Seniors are gone. Then, in their minds, things will change. This is classic loser speak. It's another way to say, "Wait until next year." That statement in itself is an admission of low-level play.

"Hey, we're not good. But, once you lose your best players, we'll be able to match up with you!"

Ooooh, burn.

Atop that, the clever IU fans have chosen to make fun of "Boiler Up!" by yelling, "Banner Up!" Now, I'm not a fan of the 'Boiler Up' chant simply because it's really a derivative of something from the University of Wyoming. Sure, it makes some sense when you put the phrase in the context of a locomotive building pressure to gain speed and steam...but that doesn't mean I like it. At this site, we generally stay away from that phrase. It could be because we were at Purdue before it existed. But, the phrase came into being a long, long time ago...especially through the prism of a college student's vantage point.

So, IU students are choosing to pile on a phrase that's been around for nearly 15 years...because they couldn't think of anything else before 2011 to combat it? Even worse, their comeback is more-ancient as it references relics from before their birth. But that's all they have. To quote ex-Hoosier player and coach Dan Dakich, "Is that all ya got, IU fans???" And it's a fair question...and we all know the answer:

Yes.

Honestly, like many of you, I'm worried about this game. I don't like when a team has nothing to lose and they're coached by a certifiably crazy person. That's a volatile combo that can end poorly for the team that has won more conference games than can be counted on one hand.

Just like in the grander scheme, IU has no place to go but up. And no level-head Purdue fan can tell you that IU isn't going to get better...not with a straight face, anyway. IU fans tell me that the Hoosiers are getting better. Yet, with four games to play, they still haven't matched last season's massive total of 4 conference wins. They are indeed building something special down there, I guess.

The IU students, Notre Dame football fans, and backwards hilljacks with no attachment to the university are going to pour into Ass. Hall tonight, and will try to do their damned-est to will the Hoosiers to victory tonight against Purdue. But in the end, their efforts won't matter. Their squad has to do the work. And their nervous coach has to scheme those players into a position to win.

Cases in point- Mackey Arena is a tough place to play, just as the Kohl Center. But, those venues are tough for visitors because the teams are tough as nails to begin with...but are edified and empowered when backed legions of ravenous fans.

And until they can not only win, but win with some regularity, this is no rivalry. Rivalry is defined as "the act of competing." Competing is defines as "contending for athletic supremacy." By definition this is no rivalry.
Sure, when you look at it from the IU fans' perspective the last decade of the Oaken Bucket might be a rivalry...but at a 30% success rate? Come on. I think the rest of the world thinks a true rivalry is one in which you just don't know who is going to win. We haven't seen that in this state for a while.

I'm not guaranteeing a victory tonight, by the way. I think IU could win and I don't like a lot about this match-up. But, Matty's a better coach and his team has bought into what he's selling to the point that the sum of their parts are better, regardless of which Boilers are on the floor...And no manufactured anger toward Purdue's sixth man is going to change that.

Another IU Video To Be Proud Of

Holy....uh... is this what I think it is? A remix version of the IU fight song? Why? Why would you think it's okay to do this to your alma mater? I'm surprised this wasn't sent to us by someone along the way (was put on YouTube in September)...and if it was, my apologies for missing it.



So anyway, it's yet another truly pathetic video, this one featuring a couple of white Usher wannabes singing (if you can call it that) the IU fight song. And then, of course, there's the obligatory shot at Purdue girls... while celebrating how easy IU girls are. Oh, but it's not just a shot at Purdue girls... at 1:57 they state that "Purdue girls all got d-cks."

Okay then.

You know, we say slightly off-color things sometimes, but if you're an IU fan or alum and this video doesn't absolutely disgust and embarrass you, then you're just as classless and ignorant as the losers who made this video. I also think if someone made a video trumpeting how awesome Purdue is (and filmed on Purdue's campus) and in the middle of it made a comment that crass, I'm pretty sure Purdue would ask them to cease and desist. You know why? Because no Boilermaker wants to be associated with being a low-class, piece of trash. 

My co-editor here is married to a Purdue girl. I dare you to say this to his face.

But be proud, IUers! These guys are representing the school you went to! Or, for most of you, the school you cheer for but never attended a class at.

I Guess It's Good That Hoosiers Can At Least Read

I loved this account of the trip to Bloomington posted by our Twitter-verse friend Sara, where she shares the rather hilarious (and yet sad) account of how few IU students seem to actually know their school's fight song:

The band played Indiana’s fight song every now and then, and I noticed that they really only knew certain words–mostly the ones that mentioned “Indiana.” Well...the words to their own fight song were put on the jumbo screens and, surprise — everyone was singing. I was almost in tears I was laughing so hard.

I'm sure someone on an unread IU site would take issue with this account, but it's rather hard to refute if there are witnesses.

Maybe they should put their own school's fight song into their pregame notes for the students. You know, instead of the nonsense they currently put in there.