It's been too long...Whattya been up to?

So family vacations and work travel have combined to create one of the longest dead periods in the seven year history of BS.

We've missed you guys though...and you look good.  Have you been working out? Running? Whatever it is, the summer suits you.

Turns out that the summer also suits Coach Haze.  If you follow us on Twitter, you know that we touched on the importance of the verbal commitment of Gelen Robinson to the, currently-under-remodeling, program.  Hazell wanted Big Dog's son to be a piece that he would build his defense around...and he got his guy.

badass.

Robinson knew a few days before he verballed that he wanted to be a Boiler...but made it official six days ago.  By official, we mean unofficial, because verbal commitments aren't always in stone.  That said, Robinson sounds a bit like some of the other key cogs to Hazell's first full class- they really want to be Boilers.

If you subscribe to GBI, you know how steadfast the commitment from Texas QB prospect, David Plough has been.  He tore up the Elite 11 camp and finished as one of the top quarterbacks in the invite-only televised event/camp.  During the camp, he wore a Purdue visor to show where he stood...afterward, he broadcasted to the college football world that he was going to be a Boilermaker regardless of who came at him.

Good for him...Good for Coach Haze...good for us as Purdue fans.  If his commitment sticks, Purdue will be in an enviable position in the coming seasons as they'll have options...talented, smart options at the QB position.  As for the immediate future, I've been asked a question a lot the last few months- "Who do you want the starter to be?"

Well, I still like Appleby, because I've met him and like him personally...plus he slings the ball and looks the part.  But, between the three real candidates for the job...two really...I wouldn't mind seeing either starting versus Cincy.  Both have parts of their game that are advantageous for the team.  So I'll defer to the coaches to make the right decision.  But regardless of whom they choose, I want to see Purdue in the position to win this year...not next. And really, I don't see a reason that either Etling nor Henry can't do it this fall. Let me clarify- it'll be equally challenging for both with the many underclassmen that will be playing significant roles...BUT, if the coaching staff thinks one gives the team a better chance to win right away, I'm good with that decision.

The honeymoon period is still on, afterall, around the Purdue football program...and the actions and behavior by the staff this summer have done nothing to shorten this semi-blissful time.

Who's Next?
A few sources reassured Purdue fans last week that Micah Shrewsberry wouldn't be a candidate to join Stevens in Boston.  But here at BS, we were concerned.  We like Shrewsberry.  I like him as a coach, like him as a man and like and know his family.

So when whispers started rising up about him heading to the league, I didn't like it...and of course, when the rumours went from hazy smoke to a blazing inferno, I was less-than-happy.  To some of you, it's no big deal, but others might know what I know- Shrewsberry helped the Boilers get out of their funk last season because Painter trusted him enough to pick his brain and heed his advice.

Stevens trusted Shrews before his pal Matt asked if he could steal him from Butler- that's two pretty solid basketball minds that agree that Shrewsberry was important to their staff.

And now, he's gone and a spot is open on Painter's staff...so what's the next move for Painter?

I liked Cardinal as a coach more than a year ago when he expressed interest in being on the staff.  But from what I have read and heard from John Purdue-ers, he's a natural at fund-raising and glad-handing...and he seems to really enjoy it.

So if you were in my age group (mid-to-late 30s), had made a great living for the last 15 years, had a position in which you didn't have to be part of the hectic schedule of your old job, and you were appreciated everywhere you went, would you leave it? I wouldn't.

That said, I think Cardinal was a candidate to take Shrewsberry's position on the staff...Before he removed himself from Matty's short list a few days ago, as Boiler Sports Report's (scout) Chris Emma reported a few days ago.

Kenneth Lowe, who also expressed interest in eventually coaching at his alma mater, and has played professionally in Europe, and currently coaches across the pond, has to be in the mix as well.  Purdue fans also have talked about Brandon Brantley, who currently coaches AAU (I believe) as a candidate.

In my opinion, if it's not Lowe, it's someone we don't see coming.  Painter is very respected in the coaching ranks and is known very well for teaching the motion offense to high school and small college coaches at camps and clinics.  His memory with names and faces, ability to handle adversity with poise and his success makes him someone that many other coaches want to be near.  Plus, the B1G, Mackey and Purdue's heritage still carry weight as a lure for a potential coach from the outside.

Regardless of whom is chosen, recruiting connections will matter.  If Painter's close to a decision, he's done an excellent job keeping it quiet...we'll watch as it develops.

Here are a couple of names that I'd like to see get a look- Darnell Archey- former Butler assistant who followed Graves to South Alabama.  Upside? Great Xs and Os training under Stevens...could help Boilers with FT shooting (I kid...or do I?). Jeremy Ballard of VCU- Shaka Smart assistant coach, young...driven.  Downside? No connection to Purdue...but might inject additional life into program. Dane Fisher- from Bucknell is another outsider with a good resume.  Fundamentals and playing within a system are a focus at Bucknell and Fisher has been mentioned as an HC candidate a few times in the last few years.  Finally, Ryne Smith...Sure, this is a long shot, but it won't stop us from rooting for our pal to get a look from his old boss and coach.

More to come, assuredly...if it happens while I'm on the West Coast, stay tuned to our Twitter feed...

Boston Trickle Down?

We had a clown from Boston come at us on Twitter for some reason when we reacted to the Brad Stevens hire by the Cs.  We're both pretty big fans of Stevens; really tough not to be.  He's a class act that did the seemingly-impossible by taking Butler to two national title games STRAIGHT. The guy can coach, and his demeanor seems to be ideal for the job.

Barry Collier and Brad Stevens helped engineer Butler's rapid ascent through the college basketball world. Collier has made all the right decisions on whom should run his program...and the former Bulldog coach helped Butler leapfrog from the Horizon to the A10 to the new Big East.  But now, hiring an assistant off of Butler's bench seems like a mile-long shot as Matthew Graves has left his alma mater to be head coach at South Alabama (hired in March).  Yesterday, he reassured everyone that he's staying put in his new post and wouldn't be a candidate at Butler.

Who knows...maybe the changes at Butler will eventually lead to our pal Ryne (out of focus in the background) coaching at Butler?

That leaves Butler with a pair of coaches in Michael Lewis and Terry Johnson who simply aren't ready for the bright lights of a legit basketball conference. This is where this story gets close to Purdue- Stevens' old head assistant coach, Micah Shrewsberry would seem to be a logical target for the post.  But, Coach Shrews is still pretty green...and my hope is he isn't even in Collier's rolodex at this point.

I think it's fairly obvious that Shrewsberry will be a head coach again someplace in the next few seasons. He can recruit, is a great ambassador for wherever he works and has coached under some pretty successful coaches in Stevens and Painter. Before Purdue and Butler though, he had been an assistant coach for U. Indy, Wabash and Depauw, and had a brief head coaching stint at IU South Bend.

Friends of mine at Butler tell me that it seems that UM's LaVall Jordan looks to be the guy...and the reports of him interviewing at Butler are legit.  If Collier pulls the trigger and hires Jordan, this might have an effect on Purdue yet again as Jordan has been the recruiting spearhead for Beilein the last few seasons...and a few recruits that Painter wants to see in black and gold are leaning toward UM at this point.

The effects of Stevens wisely taking the Boston job could be positive for Purdue...but who really knows. What I do know is that college basketball lost a great coach to a league that I can barely watch; that's the shame of it for me. While I'm surrounded by Butler grads, I still am not much of a fan of Butler...but I couldn't help but root for Stevens.  Now it'll be easier to resume not caring too much about Butler's basketball program once again (if they hire Jordan).

That said, I still marvel at Butler's ability to simply plug and play coach after coach after coach. In the time that Purdue has had two coaches, Butler has had five. Collier's success as a head coach really made Butler's program noteworthy because he took Butler to their first three NCAA tournaments (starting in '97)..but his successors took the next step.  Matta, Lickliter and Stevens had a composite winning percentage of 68%.  There's no question that The Butler Way, which Collier credits to Tony Hinkle, has some credence. While some of the ideas of the philosophy that has built Butler's program are Hinkle's, there's no question that the architect is really Collier.  He's in a pretty unenviable spot right now though.

A friend of mine is a booster at Butler and he thinks if Jordan is hired, Butler should give thought to hiring Gene Keady as a consultant or assistant that would help mentor the young coaching staff there.  I'd love to see that happen and think Keady would bring some wisdom to an extremely young bench...but once again, I'd be forced to kinda root for Butler to succeed; something I'd rather not do.

J just posted his fear of Stevens ending up back in college basketball clad in the hideous blood red and off-white...and I can't think of worse scenario for Purdue fans.  So as of right now, I'm rooting for Stevens to beat the odds by making a successful jump from college to the league and making me actually care about the NBA for the first time in over a decade.  Here's to the Good Witch of Zionsville kicking ass Boston.

More About Sandi: A Quick Word on Maymester at Purdue

Mike Hutton of the "Post-Tribune" has been waging a mini-battle against Purdue in favor of Sandi Marcius, but thus far, he's been doing it exclusively on Twitter. Which is peculiar to me. He keeps reminding people who question him that he's a columnist and thus not required to remain objective, yet he hasn't written a column criticizing Purdue yet. He's simply being worked over on Twitter, some say, by Sandi's "handlers," whoever the hell they are. If you don't know what to believe anymore, you're not a lone.

Hutton, it turns out, might have a bit of a soft spot for Marcius since Sandi graduated from LaLumiere High School in La Porte, IN, which is sort of in Mike's area. I don't know what this has to do with anything, but it seemed relevant.

Hutton claims Purdue should be paying for Maymester for Sandi because his situation is "no different" from John Hart's and Hart had his remaining outstanding classes paid for. Matt Painter and Morgan Burke explained precisely how the Hart situation was different from Sandi's situation, but Hutton simply... doesn't care, I guess. He just keeps repeating that they're the same in much the same way a goldfish bumps into the side of a glass fishtank.

But here's the point I want to address here. What people like this guy Mike Hutton don't seem to grasp is that Maymester is unequivocally NOT part of Spring semester. If Purdue were refusing to pick up the tab for Sandi's spring classes then that would be an obnoxious thing to do. But May classes are the start of a new semester, whether Hutton (and Sandi) likes it or not. In fact, take the month out of the equation -- if Sandi quit and asked for his release but had a couple classes scheduled for this fall that he wanted to take, would it be reasonable to expect his athletic scholarship to cover those costs? Of course not. That would be ridiculous.

And so is this entitled attitude around his expecting classes to be paid for May.

I also think this could serve as an exhibit to the those who worship at the altars of Jay Bilas and Jalen Rose when they preach about college players not being paid right now. Sure seems like Sandi is a disgruntled employee expected severance pay, doesn't it?

It was pointed out to me by a reader that perhaps Maymester could be considered part of the 2012-2013 "academic year." I think that's a fair argument you could make if we're talking about calendar years and whatnot, but Sandi Marcius has been at Purdue for four years of classes, including summers and Maymesters, which he may or may not have participated in. To suggest now that the University or the athletic department owes him even more is utter nonsense.

We're also not talking about him being "screwed out of" many thousands of dollars. We're talking about a guy who made a minimal contribution on the court, received well into the six-figures range of free benefits at Purdue and who is leaving the program before he graduates or completes the obligation he made to Purdue in exchange for four-plus years of a free education -- that is, to play four years of basketball for the Boilermakers.

Hutton also makes an argument that this is the same as John Hart's situation, which Matt Painter explained in detail yesterday, laying out exactly how they are not the same thing. Hutton then also says on Twitter that "Sandi Marcius = Scott Martin." I'm not sure if Hutton is saying they're the same guy or the same situation, but given who is saying it, it could be either.

As we've noted here, we have nothing against Sandi in general. We liked his commitment to the team and his development into a somewhat reliable guy who could give you some minutes and maybe show a glimmer here or there. This behavior has been less than impressive, though. And to have it backed up by an adult (which Hutton presumably is) is even more disappointing.

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 Virtual Debate Rages...

If you read H&R, you've seen that Marcius is upset that Purdue will not pay for his Maymester classes that he needs to pass to graduate...so he can transfer.

Elsewhere on the interwebs, a debate is kind of ablaze regarding this topic...and here's the rest of the story:

John Hart requested a transfer for his fifth year as well, around the same time last year...So a few people have taken umbrage with Sandi's situation, including Sandi.  As of right now, Purdue won't be paying the approx. $7,000 that Marcius will owe for his final two classes.  It seems there are right-minded people on both sides of this argument, but I don't think any of them are talking about a few key details.

Who will get the last laugh?

First, once Marcius knew that he was transferring, he made himself pretty scarce.  According to sources on campus, he wasn't at a banquet (not sure which one), and was no where to be found at or around Mackey after his request for release.

Conversely, from what we've heard, that wasn't the case with Hart. His relationship with his teammates and coaches kind of faded out as headed toward the Maymester/Summer school period instead of coming to an abrupt end.  I think this might be the biggest issue.

PLUS, Painter got as close to begging as I've every heard publicly when speaking about Marcius; he really wanted Sandi back...I'm not saying he didn't really want Hart back...but he never expressed it publicly.

My guess is that there's more to these two stories than what we and small time media outlets are seeing.  But one thing we absolutely know is that Purdue owes Marcius nothing, at this point.  And if he's getting on social media and striving to get people to side with him, he failed in at least one case.  Delivery of a message still matters...tact is important...and I'd think that Matt Painter is about as receptive to internet whining as I am to sugar-free/fat-free desserts.

I always saw Marcius as a hard-working guy who didn't have an entitled attitude.  But this episode changes my view of him slightly.  I still appreciate the fact that he worked hard in practice to get better, clearly worked hard in the weight room to get strong and played hard during games.

But, Purdue has broken no rule in this case...and I'd go further to say they haven't even been unethical.  They've hurt someone's feelings; it happens.

I always tell my 7 year old son that if someone doesn't want to spend time with you, give them what they want, and take a step back.  Marcius sent a clear message that he wanted little to do with Purdue or the basketball program; so Purdue merely obliged his request.

Purdue Basketball: Change is a Good Thing

Purdue basketball has already had many movements this offseason.  It started with the obvious loss of Anthrop and Byrd as graduating seniors, and continued with the loss of Anthony Johnson, Jacob Lawson and Sandi Marcius.

Midseason there were rumors of these departures and most make sense.  There was a culture issue at Purdue this year.  During a season that was dismal, Purdue fans looked to the future, and so did Painter.  I'm not going to imply that Painter forced these guys out, but one has to wonder if an ultimatum was put on the table.

Aside from Marcius, attitude has been a problem with these guys.

Lawson seemed to just be out of it most of the time on the court, sure he showed flashes of brilliance and was extremely athletic, but being athletic only gets you so far. Especially at Purdue, where athleticism is given less appreciation than hustle.

Johnson just never seemed to get a groove going.  Sitting behind some talented players didn't help, but with the leadership of Lewjack, it seemed like he should have grown faster.  In reality though, Johnson didn't fit well into the system.  Shoot first mentality is not Painters thing.

Losing these guys is going to affect this team a bit when it comes to experience, but in the end it won't matter much leadership wise.  Chooch will be missed next season as a leader, but the leaders have been all but established for 2013-2014. From an outside point of view, Johnson and Lawson were not positive leaders on this team and weren't moving the program forward.

Going forward I hope Painter learns from his mistakes and starts to recruit program players, not just talented players.  After a team culture that was far from ideal this season, it was time for something to change and these players leaving gives us an idea of what was going on with the team this season.  I have doubts that this program will go through a year like it did last season again under Painter.

I wish the three guys transferring the best of luck wherever they decide to go and I hope they succeed in their future endeavors, but the train must keep steaming.

Current students, enjoy your grand prix week, and if you see a panda out, feel free to buy him a drink.  Choo Choo Muthas.

Sandi: We Hardly Knew Ye.

Seemingly fun-loving Sandi Marcius' time in West Lafayette is drawing quickly to a close as officially announced by the athletic department earlier today.

Sandi & LBD in 2010

Marcius seemed like a bit of a project player when he arrived on campus, but he ended his time in a Purdue uniform with a flourish. He played his best basketball, by far, at the end of this season...specifically, he beat Wisconsin at their own game while giving us all a little something to look forward to.  We know now, that's not to be.

In the brief meetings I had with Marcius, I liked him...and always liked his enthusiasm as Purdue was preparing to leave the tunnel at Mackey and during timeouts.  He was an interesting guy on the court too...especially early in his career. In spite of his large frame, he seemed to always like circus shots and was pretty skilled around the basket.

Wherever he lands, I wish him well...and really don't blame him for leaving.

Marcius would have likely been in a rotation of four big me next year; the other three being Hammons, Carroll and Simpson.

Ever Grateful, Ever True

I feel bad for my son sometimes...especially on mornings like yesterday.  He's been a Purdue fan since before he can remember, and that's my fault, not his choice.  He's been going to Black/Gold games in the spring, football games in the fall and basketball games in the winter since he was in a Baby Bjorn (you younger people might not know or care what that is, but it's the baby carrier that acts like a kangaroo pouch and makes self-respecting fathers and mothers look like tools; yes, I wore one).

I was getting him ready to brave the cold Thursday morning and told him it was gonna be tough...he said, "I know."

I told him not to get defensive, just state the facts- Purdue played poorly...horribly, actually...and tell them that IU is very good this year, Purdue just isn't. It typically disarms people and diffuses the situation, but not always, as many of you know.

There are people out there who might be in my son's class...they're jerks because their Dads are jerks.  Heck, some would say my son's Dad is a jerk, and at times they're correct.  But, I don't taunt people, even after a big win. Wearing a Purdue hat the day after Purdue beats IU and not saying a thing is enough.  One of my son's best friends is from an IU family...I'm sure he had an IU hat on yesterday; I hope he didn't make an ass out of himself with his mouth...he was already dressed kinda stupid (I kid, I kid).

I made the decision to be a Boilermaker, officially anyway, back in 1992 when I decided to go to school in God's country.  I loved going to school at Purdue.  I was enrolled at Miami of Ohio to study architecture...but after I visited the place, this time as a perspective student, that I had visited 1,000 times as a fan, I knew where I should spend my next four years. It was a great decision.

J caused a dust-up Wednesday night on Twitter by saying Purdue fans and IU fans have one thing and common- neither went to IU. And while he was half-joking, the half of him that wasn't joking knew the people he was talking about.

There are great things about success between the lines- gameday atmosphere is appreciably better, it's always more fun to actually be covered by the national sports media, beating rivals allows you to walk around those people with your head held a bit higher...all good stuff.  But, the underbelly of success is it attracts people that view the team as mere entertainment, not part of a university.

Extreme cases of this include PSU fans turning a blind eye to Paterno's problems, or not caring about aOSU players getting paid cars or tattoos...Lesser cases include people saying IU only broke small rules and shouldn't have been punished after getting in bed with a known cheater.  Doesn't matter; all those people are maroons.

The idealist part of me hopes that people respect their alma mater enough to want it to look respectable...Sure, alums want to see winning teams, but I hope they want to see winning done the right way.

Back when I was in college, Glenn Robinson's popularity and success attracted a whole new type of fan.  Purdue was actually popular simply because Robinson was undeniably good.  His popularity led to Purdue gear being sold in national outlets. Eastbay started carrying Purdue gear...and this was before Purdue had Nike uniforms- the national market wanted a piece of Purdue basketball; really just loved Glenn Robinson.

That's all well and good; always nice to have more fans. But, one day, I was watching the news and saw a guy getting arrested for multiple homicides in Chicago...wearing a Big Dog jersey and Purdue hat (kids today would call it an old school snapback);  That display was probably not the best representation of the Purdue brand.

Indeed, not all publicity is good publicity- For instance, getting your ass handed to you and EsPN's heads snickering about it isn't ever good...and not all fans are good fans; especially those who love hopping on and off the bandwagon...IU has a glut of those.

Switching from UND football to IU basketball is a badge of honor for many people from Indiana...We all see it as a punchline.  It makes no sense to use how someone can remove the school portion of college sports and just see IU's basketball as mere entertainment and switch gears to UND football...but tens of thousands do without a second thought.

Typically Purdue fans are a step away from the university; Dad, brother, Mom or sister went to the greatest university in all the land  OR they went there themselves. It's not that the Purdue family doesn't want fans that didn't go to school there, but if you don't have a connection to God's country, it's not always easy to be a Purdue fan...and it's hardly ever popular. Heck, it's so unpopular that the biggest paper in Indiana doesn't even have Purdue dedicated coverage; they farm it out to their sister paper.

More recently, the national media (read this time as EsPN's Dana O'Neil) chose to simply ignore Purdue when speaking of the rich history of basketball in the state of Indiana.  One of our readers, Chris, took umbrage with this and wrote EsPN to point out their error:

Dana,

I grew up in California, and now live in Oregon, but for 20 years I lived in Indiana. Never have I seen a more hyped up fan-base for grade school, high school, AAU, and college basketball. My daughter played up through high school, and sometimes the overenthusiasm actually bothered me. I’ve been to a standing room only gym to watch Greg Oden take on Jajuan Johnson in 2007, and see Johnson take on Eric Gordon in Hinkle the same year. So, it was nice to see this recognized.

However, I have to say that I was very disappointed in your article by the time I reached the end. In a 4400 word article on the history of Indiana basketball, it had to have been intentional to leave out the following team:

· Most Big Ten victories all time

· Tied for most Big Ten Titles

· 2^nd and 3^rd most winningest coaches in Big Ten history

· Has a winning record vs all other Big Ten teams except one

· Has a 112-86 all time record vs IU

· Has a 37-17 all time record vs Butler

Yes, I am telling you that leaving Purdue out was a basketball crime. The same Purdue that was rated 7^th (I think) in ESPN’s all time rankings. I can already hear your come back: “But IU is #3 and Butler is #10, where is Purdue? Purdue isn’t relevant right now.”

To that I say, two years ago Purdue had a consensus 1^st team AA in Jajuan Johnson, and was ranked #3 just three years ago, but I never saw an article on ESPN even close to this. The bias at ESPN is amazing.

Your historical article would have had a nice pop to it if it was mentioned that 28% of Big Ten titles had come from the state. Instead, the word Purdue was mentioned 4 times, twice derisively, once in a quote by Dakich, and once more when you almost had to when talking about John Wooden’s career.

It’s ironic to write this after Purdue got destroyed last night, but for you to write an article on the history of Indiana basketball and not include Purdue was very short sighted on your part.

-Chris (name withheld here)

Purdue Grad 1995

Did you catch that? Chris is still fighting for our school's honor in the wake of the worst home defeat ever...because in spite of that awful game, he's still proud of Purdue; as he should be...he even gives facts to why he feels that way.

If you're a Purdue fan, you're probably a bit like Chris and the BS staff- you probably have a chip on your shoulder...maybe it's treatment like this that made you that way or maybe Purdue attract fighters and individuals who just like going against the grain.  Whatever it is, we are what we are.  Outsiders see Pete as an ugly mascot, I think Boilermakers see the idea of an ironworker as emblematic of the no-nonsense, kinda pissed off group that we are.

Times are tough right now...football has been mediocre for what seems like forever (but our squad still beats the crap out of IU regularly), and is now in transition and the basketball program is in the midst of a painful overhaul.  And that IU game was horribly painful...no doubt about it. But if you're anything like me, you haven't given up the ship...not even close.

Better things are coming soon- I love Darrell Hazell as Purdue's new football coach, and still think Painter is the right guy to be leading the basketball program.

But even if both were to fail miserably, I'd still be a Boilermaker. Nothing changes that I loved my time on campus and feel that Purdue has helped shape me in more ways than just preparing me for my professional life.  When Purdue loses, I still wear my gear.  Sure, I was embarrassed by what transpired at Mackey on Wednesday night...but I'm not embarrassed by my alma mater.

Ever grateful, ever true.

Hazell's Double Duty and Gumbo

This is a pretty slow time for Purdue sports...but things are going on behind the scenes.

Our underdog Boiler football team is preparing for a bowl with a skeleton crew of coaches, the basketball team is in the midst of a much-needed bye week, of sorts, and Purdue's new football coach is splitting time between his current/former job and his new/current job...and seems to be doing OK at it.

The NCAA issued him the waiver that Morgan Burke talked about during the press conference that officially announced his hiring...and right away, Hazell was on the road seeking to hold on to the verbal commitments to the program and possibly get a few more.

His top two priorities were Rivals 4-star QB Danny Etling and 3-star RB David Yancey.  Both will be mid-year enrollees, both were impressed with Purdue's new HC, and both are sticking to their commitments to wear the metallic beige gold and black.

If Hazell's living room presence is anything like his press conference presence, we can all understand why these guys both recommitted. He's got ten more in-home visits to make to verbals, a couple to make to guys who de-committed and a few to try to pick up to round out the class.

Before he even made a visit, he picked up a verbal from a Florida DB with offers from Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Florida and others.  Hope and his staff clearly did the ground work on Leroy Clark, but the hire of Hazell got the deal done.

While our Boilers will lose some Seniors in key positions, Danny Hope left the cupboard far from bare...and the focus on speed during the recruiting process is something that Hazell and his yet-to-be-named coaching staff should be able to utilize.

Hazell said he loves road trips because driving gives him a chance to think through everything that's going on in life...he'll have plenty of time to get his mind right as he drives hundreds, if not thousands of miles in the month and one-half...with a built-in no-contact period smack dab in the center of that timespan along with Christmas and Kent State's bowl.  Busy bee.

Basketball
On Saturday, Purdue will look to get their biggest win of the season thus far as they make the short trip South to Indy to play the hated Irish and Scott Martin.  It's too bad that Hummel didn't get a 15th year like his childhood pal so he could pistol whip ole scott, but it didn't work out that way...so the suddenly-sloppy Boilers will have the daunting task of beating an experienced and large UND team that is fundamentally-sound and has a bunch of scorers.

I'm hoping Byrd becomes the sixth man off of the bench as he was last season and Purdue begins to run a lot more.  With their shooting woes, multiple slashers and trouble with full-court presses, it seems the best thing to do for this squad would be to not let opposing defenses get set up...and as the Eastern Michigan game showed, this team's halfcourt game leaves a lot to be desired.  On top of that, the usually hard-nosed defense has been replaced with inconsistent effort as some of the young guys simply look gassed with regularity.

Whether it's running or gutting out victories, Purdue has to change in a hurry in order to simply be respectable, let-alone get to the NIT...not NCAA tournament. Matty and his capable staff have their work cut out for them...and I have faith in these guys. BUT, it's gonna feel like it's them against the world as Mackey will continue to have thousands of empties (sadly, mind you) as Purdue's Pups seek cohesion and identity.

Less-Important Basketball
There's no doubt this season has been disappointing so far.  A loss to a MAC team is pretty awful...and the loss to Villanova (who lost 4 of their next 5) looks pretty damned bad too. But surprises, both good and bad aren't limited to God's country right now.

Kentucky's always star-studded cast has three losses, UNC's four and five-star studded lineup can't manage to get a quality win...and the B1G is loaded to the gills.

If you're like me, it's tough to swallow the idea of Purdue being in the bottom of the conference...but this medicine might be what we all have to swallow this season.  Penn State, the Gasser-less Badgers our Boilers, Nebraska and the always mild (come March) Cats might be fighting amongst themselves for the bottom third of the conference crown in the coming months.  The rest of the conference seems to be monstrous...and all power ranking polls agree.  If nothing else, Purdue will have opportunities for quality wins this season...the question is, will they get them?  (And will Mackey become a tough place to play again this season?)

Humbling
One of my favorite things to do, in relation to this site, is talk to fellow Boiler alums and sports fans and then see if they know/visit the site.  I got to do that last night at my wife's work Christmas party. It is always motivating and humbling for me to talk to people that make BS part of their daily ritual, whether on here, Twitter or FB. Thanks to everyone who reads the site and the other outlets. It's appreciated.

Purdue Basketball: A Team with a lot of Hope!

After another terrible day in Ross-Ade Stadium the Boilermaker faithful had something to look forward to as the basketball teamhad it’s second exhibition game following the Penn State debacle in football.

The team played well overall especially after starting slow.  We know now that the team responds well to motivational speeches, as they were able to come out in the second halfand blow the game away.  The Boilers scored 44 in the first half only 11 more than Newberry, but came out in the second half with a fire and vengeance. They were able to put up 65 in the second half to outscore Newberry 109-68 for the game.

Newberry is not a big team and played with a lot of quickness. They were some what like the Purdue team last season without a true big and a lack of size, but that is what you are going to find with these little schools.

Matt Painter started the line-up of Terone Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Sandi Marcius, DJ Byrd, and Donnie Hale in this one.  You would have to assume this is going to bethe starting five for Friday as the team opens up their first game of the season.

Terone impressed me, he didn’t make too many bone head decisions and was 8-10 from the field and made his only free throw attempt.  He did have three turnovers but when it comes to Terone you generally expect a few with his flashy style of play.

The Byrd man had a better performance than he did the other night, but still wasn’t the Byrd of the past going only 2-5 from the field for 11 points, but did make all of his 6 free-throw attempts.  The Boilers are going to need Byrd to become more consistent if they want to have a chance this season.

Ronnie Johnson, the other half of the brothers of destruction, was 6-9 for the game for 16 points.  Ronnie did have five turnovers, which will happen when you are freshman, but he is likely going to become more consistent the season progresses when it comes to turning over the rock. 

Raphael Davis was the surprise of the night for everyone.  The highly touted freshman who had a disappointing first night in a Purdue jersey showed why this team isgoing to be so much fun to watch grow. He was running up and down the court grabbing rebounds and transitioning those into points.  Davis was 6-12 from the field grabbed four boards made all four of his free throws and finished with 16 points.

Simpson had eight points as well in only 13 minutes of play.  He was able to grab four rebounds as well in the effort.

Donnie Hale continued to build off what he started in the opener and had a solid game as well even though the stat-line doesn’t say it.

Hammons had a decent night also going three for five from the field for eight points and six rebounds plus two blocks.  In only 14 minutes of play these are somepretty decent stats.

I’m still most intrigued by the big men right now.  You have three guys in Simpson, Hale, and Lawson that will competing for minutes and have three guys that are going to be competing for the bigger forward spot in Hammons, Carroll and Marcius.

According to GBI, Simpson will not be redshirted this season, which makes you wonder if Lawson is going to be redshirted, as Hale as established himself as a starter already in my mind.  It’s a good problem to have too many big men, something Boilers haven’t had to think about for a while and it should been entertaining to watch.

One thing I loved about this game was the consistency infree throws with the Boilers going 76 percent for the game as well as the three-point percentage with that being 46 percent.

One thing I hated was the lack of ball control. Part of this is being a young team but it is just not Boilermaker like to turn the ball over 19 times.

Overall I thought this game was a good tester for facing small squads, but when it comes down to big time teams it’s hard to really tell how the Boilers are going to look.  I think we will know a lot more after Friday night’s match-up about this squad.

DJ, Dru and an Old Guy Hoop It Up, Trickster Style

If you follow us on Twitter, then you saw this in our feed a couple of days ago. But for those who are resisting the siren song that is the nonsense of Twitter, check out the below video of Dru Anthrop, DJ Byrd and Ryne Smith demonstrating once again just how different their mastery of a basketball is than yours. As though there was any doubt.

Friday Gumbo

Photo Credit: Chris Kramer
catches his pal Rob seconds
after getting picked

Neither J nor I are fans of the NBA...but that won't and doesn't stop us from rooting for ex-Boilers as they take the next step in their basketball career.  But the reasons we don't like the league reared their collective ugly head on Thursday night...before #4 swooped in and shed some light into the dark chasm of the world's most-watched professional basketball league.

Before you attempt to sell the league to us, let me urge you to save your breath.  Your energy might be better used performing a rain dance for the Indiana's BS headquarters in Fishers.

Unlikeable players, a ton of them, were picked time and again on Thursday night...then, a bunch of 6'10" Euros that will never make a dent for their team became the en vogue pick type.  Sure, there were a few players in the first 50-or-so picks that won't be hard to cheer for...but not many, at least for me.  Finally, much like Smooge's long draft night a year ago was mercifully ended late in the night, Hummel was picked just before the two-round draft ended.

Hummel landed in Minnesota after the 58th pick was announced.  The same state that hosted Hummel's first knee injury...and then a year later, Goldy was in town on a football roadie when Hummel hurt it, yet again...many, myself included, weren't so sure Hummel would play basketball at a high level again. But after a second half of a season of very good basketball, and NBA workouts and doctors' opinions that kept reaffirming that one of Valpo's favorite sons was indeed back, he'll play basketball professionally.

The biased Matt Painter told everyone that Rob's best ball was in front of him last week in meetings with the media...and it looks like he's got at least one team that believes it's true.  And really, that'll be all it takes. Hummel's work ethic, overall attitude and ability to make his teammates better should make him a guy that has a solid run in a league that needs players that I actually want to watch play a game that almost-resembles basketball.

As the night wore on, even Purdue fans questioned if Hummel truly deserved a spot on an NBA roster via Twitter. Sure, the guy was injured, but players that were drafted higher like Thomas Robinson and Draymond Green both know how much of a warrior Hummel is on the court...and how difficult he is to stop or when he's feelin' it.

I don't think the NBA deserves Hummel...but Rob thinks it does...so I'm glad he's playing in the league.  Congrats, #4. Regardless of what happens in your pro career, you'll be a legend in West La La.

Hope Focusing on Needs
A few seasons ago, Danny Hope had a hard time getting anyone to verbal during the summer months.  This year, Purdue's coach already has four verbal commitments.  He's got another DE, which is needed, with a last name that you might know from that God-forsaken school in the Southern-half of Indiana.  This Repogle chose Purdue over Air Force, Navy, Marshall and others.

Randy Gregory, another DE, comes to Purdue following some time in JuCo.  His commitment out of High School was merely delayed.

The final DE in this class (thus far), John Strauser, seems to be well-suited to play in the 3-4.  He chose Purdue over Pitt and others...but the really interesting part of that commitment is that he's the nephew of Pitt's new coach (and former Wisconsin OC), Paul Chryst.

David Yancey, an RB out of Saint John, Indiana, surely won't be the last RB in the incoming class of '13...and Danny Etling, the second Elite11 QB finalist in as many years to verbal to Coach Hope, completes the group...So far.

I know, I know, most of these verbals have been known to Purdue fans for a while.  But many Purdue fans, unlike me, don't read up on recruiting...and they do visit this site, so I thought, why not?

But even though I read about recruiting, I still don't trust it a whole bunch.  All it takes for me to be sobered up (when I'm stoked about a verbal commit) is a few minutes cruising around Twitter and reading just how fickle some recruits can be...then I'm reminded why I don't talk about these guys too much until their name is signed in the late winter.  But that doesn't change that it's better to have verbals than to have no one interested or talking about the program...even in June.

But June is almost over...and we're getting closer and closer to the first day of September.

My Gut Says...
J talked about how he wasn't a fan of the new 4-team playoff system earlier this week...and he and I seem to be in the minority when we talk about our hesitation to celebrate the new system.  But, am I the only one who remembers how EsPN college football TV analysts were diametrically-opposed to anything but the two-team BCS game as recently as months ago...but now, they're all smiles as they talk about this mini-playoff?

The whole thing stinks. Sure, it's good that two teams won't be just named to the championship, but a committee to decide such a small group is not comprable to a committee that decides a large field like we see in college basketball. They're still puppet masters.  AND, the presidents and conference heads all enabled UND to continue being a member of the NCAA in football, on their terms.  Any entity that does that is pretty tough to get behind, for me.  Jim Delany and other conference bosses held all the cards...and they gave the once-mighty (20 years ago, or so) Irish an ace or two...and I can't figure out why.

My brother assures me that this 4-team playoff is a step toward an 8-team playoff that will have ripple effects that will affect everybody...Call me skeptical, but until I actually see it, I won't believe it.  Playing a tournament to decide the championship seems to be a no-brainer...but this discussion has been going on for about 20 years, and has moved as slowly as J Money after he's enjoyed a delicious 32 oz. carbonated beverage (illegally) in NYC.

Let's hope it's not longer than just a few years before college football gets closer to truly deciding a champion on the field.

Boiler Men's Basketball Notes

Catch A Tiger By His Toe?

In the 2012 Big Ten/ACC Challenge -- which the Big Ten now dominates (three straight) but ESPN has decided it is bored with -- Purdue will take on Clemson on the road. The Tigers had a down year in 2011-2012 and finished 16-15 (8-8 in the ACC), with no postseason appearance.

The Boilers will head into South Carolina to take on Clemson on Weds night, Nov 28. This will be the third time the two schools will have played in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, which strikes me as odd since there are plenty of ACC teams the Boilers have yet to play. (Purdue won in 2003 at Mackey and lost in 2007 at Littlejohn Coliseum.)


Put On Your Painter Gear

The Matt Painter basketball camps will again be featured this summer and more information for those interested can be found here.

Purdue and Matt Painter will once again offer two Player Development Camps in 2012, with the first running from June 10-13 and the second to be held from June 24-27. At the residential/commuter camps, participants are instructed in advanced offensive skills in addition to reinforcement of the game’s basic fundamentals. Take-home drills are designed to help campers increase their level of play.
 
Purdue’s coaching staff, with the help of current Boilermaker players, will also simulate both a practice and an individual workout, as well as talk about the importance of agility and weight training.

No word on whether proper belt sizing and men's glasses fashion will be on the agenda.

Grazi!

The Boilers will visit Rome, Florence, Venice and Lake Como this August as part of a tour of world domination. Or something. The tour will be Aug 7 to Aug 17 and if you are a deep-pocketed JPC'er like Boilerdowd, you too can get on board for a mere seven grand or so. I know that I, for one, love exhibition basketball, so get your tickets now before they sell out.

The good news is the last time the Boilers did a summertime, international tour they wound up winning the conference championship and went to the Sweet 16. You know, the sort of thing you would build a trophy case around.

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.

Your NCAA Basketball Bracket Master and Overlord Finally Speaks

[You may recall that winners of the BS Handsome Bracket Challenge get a chance to post here, if they so choose. This year's winner, Kirk, not only has a decent post, but also uses this opportunity in front of BS's roughly 2.3 billion readers (again, I might have to check the figures) to promote his new site. Check it out to feed your ongoing hunger of all things Purdue and keep him honest. And now, please welcome Kirk.]

A guest post at Boiled Sports?  All for putting the smart money on Kentucky in the NCAA tournament (and narrowly beating J in the process)?  Talk about a dream come true. I mean it.

Not to get all hipster on you, but I’ve been reading the site since 2006 (back when some dude named Tim wrote posts).  As a bored graduate student and university employee, I was kicking myself for not starting a blog like Boiled Sports.  I would have fit right in, you see, my story is all about being Boilermaker.

I was born to two Purdue alums who both grew up in West Lafayette but found teaching jobs in suburban Chicago.  As a kid, we’d make the 2.5 hour drive most fall weekends to visit my grandparents and go to football games.  I grew up celebrating the back-to-back-to-back Big Ten champions in basketball, hating Jim Colletto (learning some new curse words thanks to fans in the stands) but loving Mike Alstott, and wearing my Purdue pride on my sleeve as I combatted all the Illinois, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Indiana fans that lived near me.  I still remember how nervous I was as I saw Glenn Robinson, still in high school, at Ross-Ade watching a game and meekly asked for his autograph.

Despite my roots as a Boilermaker, it took some fortuitous financial incentive for me to enroll.  My bags were packed for Duke (yep, make fun of me all you want, I deserve it), and it seemed odd as I sat in Cameron Indoor Stadium in the spring 1999 as a pre-frosh on a recruiting trip, surrounded by faithful Duke students and watched on the jumbotron as the Purdue women’s basketball team won the national title against the Blue Devils.  I almost got murdered as my silent rooting for Stephanie and Ukari sometimes manifested in loud claps and shouts of “yes!” (I still believe the only thing that saved me from a beating was the fact that the Duke men’s team would be playing the next night for the national title, so most of the Duke fans weren’t too torn up with the women losing).

Apparently that was the sign that I couldn’t resist the siren song of Purdue.  I was incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to spend a glorious 8 years on campus, completing a variety of undergraduate degrees and grad school.  Call me a geek, but it was hard to leave the place and the friends I’d made.