Is this possible?

That's the question asked over and over by fans and media types during this time of year- Is it possible for this player to jump to the NBA early? Is it possible for this coach to head for "greener pastures" even as the program he's built is thriving...and so on.

Is it possible that we're in a dead 5-day period, but there is so much excitement? Oh yes, and it's this way each season.

While anything seems like a possibility at this time, my advice is to temper your giddiness. Some of these moves have Purdue involved...for instance-

With UK canning Billy Gillespie, it looks like it's nearly a done deal that "Teflon" John Calipari will take over in Lexington. And while IU now understands the dire straits that can be brought about by hiring a former cheater, the Wildcat faithful don't care and want to win, at any cost right now. The NCAA's microscope will be more focused on a program like Kentucky than say...I don't know...Memphis. This is a crown jewel program for the NCAA. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the NCAA doesn't kill the cash cow; but it will make sure its leader isn't leading there long if he's doing things that clearly violate NCAA rules. So, UK fan, beware of the things you whisper in Santa's ear, because Christmas morning is only one day...there might be a lot of clean-up following the reception of your gift.

Purdue's wrapped up in this conversation in the fact that Indianapolis, class of 2010 product, 5-star small forward, Dominique Ferguson, really liked Billy Gillespie, and Purdue was in his final-2. Websites and talk radio alike (in the Indy area) is abuzz with the possibility of Ferguson opening up his recruiting and Purdue becoming invoved, once again. And, Matty Painter saying, "We need another Glenn Robinson..." might have been a very calculated move following Purdue's exit from the NCAA tournament.

But, with another Glenn Robinson comes a bunch of potential problems, it seems. I'm not saying every 5-star McDonald's AA player comes with baggage (or only arrives with bags of cash), but I am saying many do...and the fact that this kid comes from a high school program that has done some things that use every inch of the rule to make sure an EIGHTH GRADER will be playing for their program, come ninth grade, only makes me more bothered by this prospect. If a kid wants to play at Purdue, great...but I know Matty's smart enough than to make any questionable deals, or to play ball with a kid's AAU coach or Dad just to get him in black and gold...at least, I hope that's the case.

With Calipari gone from Memphis, perhaps Kelvin Sampson will make his move to be reinstated by the NCAA and get another head-coaching job...or Quinn Snyder wil make his way back to the NCAA...you never know.

Some other rumors floating around are that Pitino or Tubby Smith is heading to Arizona (Smith was also rumored in connection to UVa's job)...To me, Pitino seems like the guy there.

On the player side of the rumor mill, names are popping up every day who will be turning pro. You heard about the smartest guy in the world, BJ Mullens throwing his name into the NBA ring...and another HUGE name, DuJuan Summers will head to the league after accomplishing everything possible in the NCAA game...same for Nick Calathes whose Gators went all the way to the NIT following his fantastic season in the rugged SEC.

Players like the above make me want to beg our guys to wait until the time is right to bolt for the league. JJ is still mentioned by CBS as an undecided...and if his Mom isn't in his ear about staying for another year, I can guarantee you a shady agent is in his other ear about leaving.

Gentlemen, stick around, the best is yet to come...if the team does as well as I think they can next season, you will also be doing quite well...

The press had it wrong as they hyped Purdue as a pre-season top-10 team; they were a year early, just like most of the guys who are leaving college to play in the passionless cesspool that is the NBA.

Gonna Fight 'Til We Can't Fight No More.

Robbie Hummel has led this team with this idea all season...and it's going to take nothing less than Purdue being completely galvanized on Thursday to keep playing.

Norman Dale Speaks to the Boilermakers

Coach Matt Painter, in a motivational ploy, asked Coach Norman Dale of the 1951 Indiana State Champion Hickory Huskers to come speak to the team in advance of their Sweet 16 appearance against UConn.

Coach Dale: I think you'll find that the baskets and dimensions here in Glendale match those at our gym back in West Lafayhickory exactly.

Team: *bewildered*

Coach Dale: How many times are we going to pass the ball before we shoot?

Lewis Jackson: Two?

Coach Dale: How many?

Chris Kramer: Every time I ever touch the ball, ever?

Coach Dale: How many?

Coach Painter: Haven't you guys seen Hoosiers? Just say "FOUR!"

Coach Dale: How many?

Team: FOUR!!

Coach Dale: Kramer, son, you're guarding #12. Imagine he's bubble gum -- by the end of the game, I want to know what flavor he is!

Chris Kramer: That's kind of weird, coach.

Coach Dale: FOUR!

Coach Dale: You guys remember what we worked on in practice? I want to see it on the floor!

Robbie Hummel: Who ARE you?

Coach Dale: Listen, Jimmy, I don't care whether you play or not.

Robbie Hummel: I'm Robbie. And I have a fracture in my back, you dick.

Coach Dale: That's it! You're gone!

Robbie Hummel: You can't kick me out, Coach.

Coach Dale: I can win with just six players!

Coach Painter: Coach, you can't kick Robbie off the team. That's not your call.

Coach Dale: My team's on the floor!

Coach Painter: We're not even playing a game right now. We're in the hotel. Wait, who the hell is that guy?


Shooter: Let's run the old picket fence at 'em!

JaJuan Johnson: The what?

Shooter: Don't get caught watching the paint dry!

LewJack: What are you talking about, honkey?

Shooter: I got a suit back there! I was married in that suit! I got a wing dinger!

Coach Dale: My team's on the floor!

Coach Painter: Maybe this was a mistake.

The Hunter, Once Again?

For much of the season, Purdue has been considered the hunted...the team that should win, the team that's been there. It now has seemingly changed.

I watched the BTT show last night and they focused heavily on the upcoming Men's basketball tournament. I literally heard every team in the conference mentioned as a contender, darkhorse, team that might surprise people or out-right favored team...with the exception of Iowa and Purdue.

No one believes in Purdue at this point, it seems...Is this what Painter needs to motivate this squad? Perhaps.

While I don't think Tim Doyle and Jim Jackson are a braintrust by any means, I know that both of these two are typical media heads...they talk about what's popular- and they're not talking about Purdue...rightfully so, mind you.

Purdue lost three of its last four regular season games and played some of its worst basketball of the year in late February/early March. This comes at a time that Coach Painter thought his team would be gelling or coming together for a stretch run. It is a bit of a mystery, but it seems to me, these problems are easily solved.

Purdue's defense has gone from drum tight, night-in, night-out to, tight sometimes...at the same time, their rebounding reverted back to the early season form- Our Boilers are flat-out getting there cans kicked on the glass. And offensively, they've gone from a team that was inconsistently explosive, to one that seems to have little-to-no firepower.

Perhaps the league figured out a way to defend Johnson to render him ineffective...perhaps the team's offensive confidence has caused them to not believe they can score at will...perhaps some of the guys are tired and have hit the wall.

I think the current state of affairs is a bit of each of the above, but the root of it all comes from motivation and our Boilers making the decision to take what is theirs. From the coaches, down to the last man on the bench, this team hasn't seemed to sieze the day or take advantage of its lofty position. Johnson is a bit of a microcosm of this team- BS' very own J Money has said that when JJ simply makes the decision to not be denied and exerts his will every now and again, he is truly great. He did it last year in the tournament versus Baylor...and he showed he could do it during parts of this BT season. The time is now to sell out to the idea that only great effort, all the time will yield great results. It's now or never.

The hunt is officially on.

Big Ten Bloggers Poll: Week 7 (Nothing's Been Proven Yet Edition)

1. Indiana (21-4, 10-2) Best team in the league...and they showed their dominance v. MSU on Saturday.
2. Purdue (21-5, 12-1) Sure, you beat MSU, but that win was heavily de-valued on Saturday night. And yeah, yeah, you beat two top-ten teams in a row for the first time in the history of the program. But you played like dogmeat versus an awful Northwestern team during long stretches of Saturday's contest. In my mind, and hopefully your own, you still have a lot to prove and realize that nothing has been accomplished, yet.
3. Wisconsin (21-4, 11-2)
4. Ohio State (17-9, 8-5) Damnit, you guys are doing your best to make sure that five teams won't be invited to the dance. This one angers me because it will sting even worse if my Boilers lose you chumps in Columbus.
5. Minnesota (15-9, 5-7)
6. Penn State (12-12, 4-8)
7. Iowa (11-15, 4-9)
8. Illinois (11-15, 3-10) Coach Weber, you've made your stinky, smelly bed...now you've got to lie in it.
9. Northwestern (7-16, 0-12)
10. Michigan State (20-5, 8-4) I'm pissed at Izzo & Co. for the egg they laid at Ass Hall Saturday night...It's going to take quite a bit for Sparty to get out of my dog house.
11. Michigan (8-17, 4-9) Wolverines, you wouldn't be in this position if your damned student section hadn't run onto the court after the win on Sunday. You only have yourselves to blame.

Edict: No More #1 Power Rankings

Boilerdowd's Angry!!!

I'm sick and tired of bloggers telling me how good Purdue is right now. Stop!

The last thing we need is a bunch of Freshman and Sophomores to start hearing how great they are...Don't get me wrong, they're good...But there's still much to prove and a lot of learning left.

Bulletin Board Material:
-Purdue doesn't shoot well.
-Purdue is a horrible rebounding team (got out-rebounded by 20 last game).
-Purdue's starters are in foul trouble every game...They play "handsy" defense.
-Purdue lost at home to Wofford
-Purdue lost to Iowa State
-Purdue lost to Missouri, by quite a bit...in a game that was close late into the contest.

My point is there is plenty of room for improvement. Furthermore, Hummel, Moore, Grant, Kramer, and the entire team don't need a bunch of people from IU, Minnesota, Wisconsin or any place else telling this Purdue team they're number 1- You guys haven't watched them enough, I have. Here's what they need to hear at this point-

THE SEASON'S NOT OVER...YOU HAVEN'T PROVEN ANYTHING YET. IF YOU DON'T FINISH STRONG, NONE OF THE WINS THUS FAR WILL MATTER. WHILE YOU ARE A MUCH BETTER TEAM THAN YOU WERE IN NOVEMBER & DECEMBER, IT'S HOW YOU'RE PLAYING IN MARCH THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED.

YOU WERE RECRUITED BECAUSE YOU'RE TALENTED, YOU'RE SHOWING YOUR TALENT, AND WHILE GREAT INDIVIDUAL PLAY MIGHT YIELD ACCOLADES AND EVEN WIN A GAME OR TWO...GREAT TEAMS WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS. JUST KEEP WINNING AND DON'T BELIEVE ANYBODY EXCEPT COACH PAINTER.