A Few Unsolicited Ideas for the Athletic Department

I've never been a person who likes to complain without giving solutions to a problem.  So here are a few ideas that Mr. Burke and Co. could implement that might invigorate the fan base and create some revenue in the process:

Alumni Paint Crew
Outside of the PC, Mackey is a dead zone to a large extent.  BUT, not all alums want to sit on their hands during games.

Charge $30 more for the basketball season ticket in two upper arena sections.  In these sections, everyone gets a t-shirt similar to the real student sections, and more importantly, people won't get in trouble for standing in this area; it'll actually be encouraged. this won't give the Athletic Department much more revenue, but it might motivate younger alums to be more involved.

JPC 2.0
Giving a couple hundred dollars each year is not something everyone wants to or can do. But, giving $25-$50 is a bit of a no-brainer.

Give it a clever name, actually market the idea, give a sticker for your car and offer special buy one/get drink deals at certain games for members that no one else gets.

Keep the Purdue Kids Club...promote it more
Love this idea...LBD is a member...he loves it too; it's very well done.  Hats off to everyone that's involved.

Make it fun
Have a stage set up away from Slayter that has a band (not a marching band) playing before and after games in Cary Quad, or some place else near by.  Allow this to work with traditions that already exist not against them so old people don't get angry at the new-fangled music.

Near the same area, have a place where kids can have their picture taken with a cutout of J Money or Coach Hazell, try on real equipment and participate in contests that win them promotional products donated by Wendy's, Puccinis, McDonalds, etc.

Stop Eating Your Own
Sites like this are free advertising to the loyal, core fans.  Instead of kicking us in the teeth, work with us to help promote upcoming events that you want people to know about via Twitter, FB, email.

Use What You've Got
Every college has a corps of built-in labor near by; students.  Create an Athletic Department internship office that gives an hour of credit and a resume builder that can help make this stuff a reality. Utilize RHIT, Sophomore business students or *gasp* LA majors like communications to help get the word out and make things happen.

__________________________________

I'm no marketing guy...but I am a consumer.  Often it seems like the business of Purdue athletics is handled like any other business...but it's not any other business.  Alums, fans and students want to feel connected; don't just want to be consumers or clients, but family.  They especially don't want to feel like adversaries, but I think many of us have felt that way in the last few years.

This summer's alumni game last summer was an event in which the athletic department seemingly got "it"...sure it was blazing hot, but it was fun and had some specialness to it.

We'll all be more apt to part with our money if we feel like we're part of something bigger.

Hats off to the Athletic Department...Seriously

We've been upset with our alma mater's sports-related administration of late.  Issues that stem from licensing disagreements brought up some old anger toward the SID a few days ago...but it's not all bad in the halls of Mackey, Mollenkopf and the IAF...never has been actually.

But good for Purdue, and more-importantly, good for the people that were the football team's guests today at Mollenkopf!

GBI detailed the activities around the Dream Bowl on their site today...for more click here.

It looks like the players are enjoying themselves, but again, the people who the day is for are having an amazing time.  Great job to those who gave up their Saturday to give back to the community- Members of the band, football team and administration all made this possible.

Good on you, Purdue Athletic Department.

Here's The Story Regarding Our New Site Background

This morning, I awoke and my butler brought me my imported Italian blend coffee, as well as my robe and slippers. I prepared for my day and the chauffeur got the car ready. You know, a typical morning.

I happened to check the BS email as I am wont to do and there was a love note from Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), vaguely stating that we had failed to respond to a letter from them on November 2 of last year. The email text said "Please find attached a letter from the Collegiate Licensing Company legal department.  Thank you." 

Why explain what's happening, right? Just assume I know. Solid work. 

The letter stated what you see on our background, but I will paste it here for ease of viewing:

Naturally, this did not go over well with me. Both the patriarchs of BS have a temper and we can be set off at any time. Some of you have seen this on this here site or on Twitter. We know this about ourselves and have kind of come to embrace it. It's especially useful when dealing with ignorant bullies. 

Since I couldn't conceive of anything on our site that was a trademarked Purdue logo, I fired off a response to the "assistant" at the CLC who sent the email:

We do not use or display Purdue University trademarked logos or marks for anything and we never have.

We also did not receive the referenced letter dated Nov 2 that we are accused of ignoring.

Please advise your superiors that we will consider further such letters to be harassment and will treat them accordingly. 

Sincerely,
Boiled Sports

This particularly pisses me off in light of the fact that Purdue themselves came after us a couple of years ago when we offered the t-shirts on the site. I don't think we ever fully detailed this on the site, but here is that story. 

We wanted to offer some fun, original, entertaining t-shirts to fire up the fanbase. When we designed and produced the t-shirts, we went out of our way to ensure we weren't using anything that was protected, trademarked, copyrighted or proprietary. That didn't matter to Purdue's athletic department, though. We still got the threat of legal action because people could interpret that it had to do with Purdue. We spoke to more than one attorney at the time (another benefit of being a Purdue grad -- there are lots of other smart Purdue grads willing to help you) and the general consensus was that, yeah, they're being jerks and we could probably win such a lawsuit -- but do we really want to spend the money we'd need to spend to do so? The answer is of course not, since we barely cover our expenses on this site as it is, despite how small those expenses are. So the big iron fist of communist Purdue management wins again. We complied and ceased selling the shirts. And thus lost money. 

Back to this morning. 

Within an hour, a response appeared from the CLC's  "Associate General Counsel":

 

I am in receipt of your e-mail response below. I am unclear as to how you can contend that you are not using the University’s marks. The University’s marks are wallpapered to the background of your site (see link below).

www.boiledsports.com

Thank you for your response and cooperation.

So he was referring to our background image, which he apparently mistakenly believed was a Purdue logo. It was most certainly not. It was our redesigned, improved logo. I decided to tell him that and to be a d-ck in the process, mainly because that's what they're being:

Unclear, indeed.

The image "wallpapered" on our site is in fact NOT the official Purdue train logo. It is actually a revised, improved logo that we designed when the new one was released and universally derided as having phallic smoke, among other things. The official train logo is side-by-side with ours in the attached image for your reference.

We also are not profiting or attempting to profit from Purdue logos. We're only trying to support our alma mater.

However, to be left alone, we have removed the wallpaper, as you call it, from our site.

Kudos to the NCAA for, as always, having the proper perspective and focusing on what's important.

Was I obnoxious? Absolutely. Did the CLC have a claim? Sure, you could argue they did -- but not really in the "spirit" of the law, so to speak. 

Trademark violations are usually when someone is attempting to profit from someone else's protected work. We aren't doing that. We don't charge a subscription fee, we don't sell anything for profit, etc. And with everything going on in the NCAA, bullying a small-time Purdue site is what they spend their time on? (And yes, I know the CLC and the NCAA aren't the same thing, but let's not pretend the NCAA lets anyone meddle in their schools' affairs without approval.)

The CLC has been busy lately bullying and just being downright obnoxious. Check this out down in Alabama. No cookies for you! Gotta get their cut.

Another thing that bothers us about this -- immensely -- is that the CLC didn't stumble upon this by themselves. There is no doubt in our minds that they were tipped off to this by Purdue and, more specifically, Purdue's athletic department and sports information people. 

We aren't sure what we did to make them dislike us, but Boilerdowd was told to his face by Tom Schott once that he (Schott) doesn't trust us. Oh wait, did I say I wasn't sure what we did to make them dislike us? Sorry, that's not true... I do know. We aren't under their control -- that's why they don't like us. They don't have us under their thumb like they do with the whole of the Lafayette media (such as it is) and other blogsites that rely on press pass access and the like. They have nothing to hold over us, as we haven't asked for a press pass in years and we don't require anything special from them that they get to deny in their heavy-handed way. If it sounds like this pisses us off, that's because it does. 

We write a site that is by and for Purdue fans. We love our alma mater and we fight for it to be respected by national writers, other sites, and TV networks like ESPN and BTV....and we do it so much that at times we've had a reputation for it. We fight for Purdue to be respected more than Purdue does. That should tell you almost everything you need to know about Purdue athletics. 

Sometimes we're critical of the athletic department and/or coaching staffs. On occasion, we're critical of players, too. But for the most part, we support them, watch them, write about them and publicize them. Readers and listeners have told us that they come to us because they can't get more than a few scraps of Purdue coverage elsewhere and that being able to read our posts "scratches the itch," as the saying goes. We love that and are flattered that we can do our part. The athletic department doesn't like this because we don't regurgitate their approved media narratives and we think independently. We criticize. We call a spade a spade. When the head coach of the football team says fans who criticize him are low-character losers, we react accordingly. When the University almost pisses away Matt Painter and then blames the alums for being cheap, we call them out for their poor judgment. Same goes for the abortion of New Pete, "Makers All" and the list goes on and on. 

Again, though, these instances of criticizing our school are far outweighed by the game analysis, rah-rah columns and requests that everyone get out to support the student-athletes. 

In the end, this is a bump in the road and I guess it's the price of being as famous as we are. But we will never understand why there is such resistance to our existence. Everyone who writes here or has written here either has a Purdue diploma or soon will. We love our school. We donate money to our school. And yet because we dare to have an opinion that isn't filtered through the University, we're somehow the enemy. 

Some schools and organizations embrace amateur writers and social media outlets because they comprehend the value of partnering (or at least getting along) with other places that people go for coverage of their teams. That continues to not be the case at Purdue. And if you want people to play nice with you, one way to start is by playing nice with them.

 

Those Who Don't Learn from the Past Are Destined to Repeat It

The win in Iowa was fun for a lotta reasons...Purdue broke a 20 year drought in Iowa City, the offense played like a different unit at times, the Special Teams came through in the clutch for the first time this season and finally, Purdue won its first B1G game in 6 tries while breaking a five-game losing streak...and most of the reason the Boilers have a game in the left column is because the Senior class carried their teammates; well-played, gentlemen.

All that said, the damage on this season seems to be done.  I've heard from a few sources that the wheels are already in motion for Purdue to find a successor for Danny Hope.  Shellackings at the hands of good and not-so-good teams have led many fans to stay home on Saturdays...and the lack of enthusiasm in the fanbase is crushing the bottom line of the Athletic Department.  If the rumors of a transition away from Hope and his staff are true, ticket sales probably have everything to do with it.

Morgan Burke has hired two head football coaches during his tenure at Purdue...and the most-recent was supposed to be a smooth transition from the winningest coach in the history of the program to a hand-picked successor that would take Purdue back to being one of the best teams in the conference.

But let's be real honest about Burke's first hire before we move on to the second- Burke lucked out with Joe Tiller.  Burke's first choice was Bob Davie, but UND stepped in before Purdue could pull the trigger.  Davie's traditional style of play didn't work with well even with UND's soft schedule and deep talent pool.  But, Cowboy Joe's basketball on grass was the perfect antidote for Purdue's 13 year bowl drought.  Until nearly a decade into his time at Purdue, much of the B1G couldn't catch up with Purdue's pass-happy offense that put pressure on defenses to stop 4 or 5 receivers nearly every down, and put pressure on the opposition's offense to try to keep up.

Cowboy Joe was brilliant at keeping players positive and changed the outlook of the program.  Right away his Boilers seemed to believe that the improbable would happen and they could win games that they had no business winning. Early on, he said there was no reason that his program should strive for anything less than championships...and within just a few seasons, Purdue was in contention for the Big Ten title regularly.  Tiller had changed the culture of Purdue football.

As he did, his pay began to reflect that his program was one of the best in the league...and many programs tried to copy the offense he had learned out West.  And get this, as Purdue beat the best, Purdue fans changed.  They began planning their vacations around the bowl season, traveling to road games and filling Ross-Ade. The ticket sales fueled a renovation of the stadium that made one of the dogs of the conference into a stadium that had a big time feel...and Morgan Burke thought there might be more in store.  Burke eyed Purdue reaching ticket sale marks they had never seen...and talked about expanding Ross-Ade...but we all know now, that never happened.

Tiller got older and Cowboy Joe was replaced by Fisherman Joe.  Tiller was sick of the difficult recruiting battles and sick of disciplining the guys on the team.  Arrests went up, overall discipline went down and the program stopped believing that it belonged among the elite.  I knew things had changed with Chaney and Tiller both began saying that all Purdue needed to do was win by one point...and the next season, Tiller openly admonished fans who wanted to see more out of the program, as he famously warned them to "manage their expectations."

As Tiller's outlook changed, he became looser-lipped with his tact in the media. Tiller was once a master of the room during press conferences, but he became increasingly-annoyed by the grind of jumping through their hoops and trying to please a fanbase that wanted more innovation from a guy who had turned a conference on its ear.

But as it happens for many, as Tiller turned 60, he didn't want to focus on details as much on the job, and the product suffered from it.  The culture that he had changed began to fade back into its old ways. Jan. 1 bowls were replaced with cold weather bowls...then those were replaced by no post-season play at all.  The program that Tiller re-built had slipped back into habits of old.

From 1956-2012, Purdue has had nine head football coaches.  Three of them won more games than they lost- Mollenkopf, Young, and Tiller.  That's it...that's the list.  Jim Young is the only coach to win 10 games...and Mollenkopf and Tiller each took Purdue to one Rose Bowl...Purdue's record in the Grand Daddy of them all, is of course, 1-1.  The point of this quick look back over our shoulder is to remind us that Purdue's football culture, especially in the modern era of football (let's call that from the early 1980s forward), is generally an unsuccessful one.

Purdue's favorite coaching son is currently coaching at Texas A&M.  And while he learned the college game in God's Country, and cut his teeth as a coach for some mediocre and fair programs, he really learned how to run a program from a traditional power: Oklahoma.

Traditional powers have some inherent advantages over programs like Purdue.

Before I go any further, make no mistake that I'm not making excuses for why Purdue doesn't succeed with regularity, but I'm trying to offer a solution that will allow my alma mater to do so.

Traditional powerhouse programs have coaching trees with deep roots.  If they want to rectify a problem, they can often look within their own ranks...I don't think Purdue can say that.  Even if Purdue wants to go back a few decades for advice and help on a change of direction, there just aren't many options that have the resume that garners respect.

This might be why Purdue is in the shape it is right now.  From what we understand, Tiller and a committee of ex-players and coaches helped Burke decide on Hope as the coach of the program in 2009.  But Purdue's philosophy wasn't the only hinderance, obviously...the boss was a factor as well.

We've talked about what we think of Burke's philosophy for his athletic department ad nauseam...so we're not going to rehash that here.  Burke answers to the President of the university and the board of trustees.  This cabal has never made championships their number one priority.  I'd wager a guess that championships are actually pretty far down on their list.  But Purdue is what it is because of these pillars...and like the columns of the Parthenon, these aren't budging either.  So as fans, alums and boosters, we all have to strive to change the culture within these parameters.

I had the chance to speak to a parent of an ex-Purdue football player...and he presented a solution that might change the trajectory of the football program: the next coach needs a mentor.

This idea works well in business and the sports world alike...but Danny Hope and most Purdue coaches before him haven't had anything like this while trying to build their program.  Who can Hope go to as things get out of control? Burke hasn't given him the budget to hire assistant coaches with a ton of experience, and, outside of Joe Tiller, there aren't many coaches within the Purdue family that could/would present ideas and critiques...The next guy, whether it's Doeren, Kingsbury, Dykes, Helfrich, Sumlin (one can dream) or someone else, should be given the tools to succeed...and one of the most cost-effective ways of finding success might be a Director of Football Operations.

(That's right Mr. Burke, I said cost-effective...listen up, won't you?)

This Director could be a CEO-type of guy. He wouldn't need to recruit, he wouldn't need to be on the sidelines on game day...heck, he wouldn't even have to be on campus most days. I'd see this guy having an office that was occupied a few days/month...and he'd also have great seats for each game in a comfy glass-walled box.  His responsibilities would be simple, but significant: offer guidance and expertise based on a wealth of knowledge that few could counter and fewer can match.  Purdue couldn't afford to pay him what a head coach would make, but would help lessen his load by flying him in and out of West Lafayette with one of the university's planes.

The ideal candidate would either be out of football in retirement or would be out of football due to unusual circumstances...but still wanted to be involved in the sport.  Here are a few that might fit the bill:


Jim Tressel
I wouldn't want him running the program, but I do believe his attention to detail and understanding of the game would help about any head football coach.  Mentioning his name to recruits surely wouldn't hurt either. Plus, we know he's willing to take lower-paying jobs as he was a paid consultant for the Indianapolis Colts in 2011...Midwestern guy.

Bill Cowher
Cowher has a job in broadcasting that pays him well...he could keep that job and take this one as well. He understands organization and is a winner.

Tony Dungy
A guy of high character who is also a tremendous motivator.  He has heavy connections to Indianapolis, another form of income as a broadcaster and is humble, but extremely successful.

Bobby Bowden
He's intentionally stayed away from FSU as to not overshadow Jimbo Fisher...he's the winningest coach of all time and he's still a knowledgeable football guy.

Dick Vermeil
Knows how to change mentalities for teams...ridiculously-deep resume...retired, well-respected, lives in the Midwest.

Phil Fulmer
Currently an analyst, but has expressed interest in getting back into football.

Jon Gruden
He's a perpetual top candidate for every job that comes up...but very few entities, pro or college, are willing to match his hefty MNF salary.  By taking the position with Purdue, he could still be a broadcaster, but would be able to get directly back into football...which he's said he hasn't ruled out.


Joe Tiller
Not nearly as successful as many on the list, but a tremendous judge of talent and, as we eluded to above, he's the winningest Purdue football coach ever.  If nothing else, he understands the job.