The Changing B1G Basketball Landscape

If you're looking ahead to next season, it's prudent to start with the reigning champion of the conference...and with IU's recent defections, it makes even more sense to do so.

We all know IU will look different in 2013. I read someplace that they're the first program to ever lose four 1,000 point scorers in one off-season.  That'll leave a mark. So is it more amazing that four guys that reached the millennial mark are all gone in the same off-season, OR that a team that had four 1,000 point scorers (on one starting five) never got past the Sweet 16? You guys can discuss that  question amongst yourselves.

What we do know is that it's difficult to lose four starters...regardless of whom those starters are.  It's even tougher when a team loses its heart and soul; IU has lost both.

We had a ton of IU fans assure us that Zeller was going to stay because he needed to develop.  Bad news, friends: Crean's system wasn't helping him develop...in fact, it seemingly was making him worse.  It seems that we weren't the only ones who thought this.  Ex-IU player and coach, and current radio/TVpersonality, Dan Dakich encouraged Zeller to go pro as a way to help him develop.  Zeller wasn't used effectively and his bad habits weren't coached out of him.  As the season progressed, his shoulder got lower and lower when he drove...and officials were all but forced to call the charge on the 7 footer whose shoulder height would have made a running back jealous.

Zeller told the press that he had planned all along to go pro after his Sophomore year...but IU fans told us a different story.  We were told that his parents valued academics so much that he wouldn't leave until he had graduated...He has 35 credit hours remaining. Some told us that he just loved the school too much to leave.  It sounds like he really liked IU, but he loved his teammates, namely those leaving and graduating...so that made his decision easier.

A word of unsolicited advice to my IU friends and anyone else who wants to adamantly predict the actions of another person: It's not a good idea to try to guess what's in another person's head, especially an 18/19 year old kid.

Zeller wisely chose to leave...and in his decision's wake, IU fans were seriously asking, "Won't IU be better without him?" Many continued, "He was too soft." I mean, why wouldn't someone want to stay and play in front of fans like that??? Ammiright?

Zeller was a very good college basketball player...and now that he's no longer at IU, I hope he does OK on the next level; glad he's gone, wish him no ill will.  Afterall, he officially made an excellent decision yesterday.  All that said, I'd guess that three years ago, the average IU fan would have thought that if Zeller only went to the Sweet 16, his career would be judged as a bit of a failure...BUT, IU fans and media alike are spinning the defections to the NBA as nothing but a positive.  That's kind of fun to watch.

But, IU is just one of the programs in the B1G that will be ravaged by attrition this off-season.

Here is how the top of the conference will change next season:

IU
2013 starting five:
Zeller (So. C)*
Watford (Sr. F)
Oladipo (Jr. G)*
Hulls (Sr. G)
Ferrell (Fr. G)

2014 projected starters:
Vonleh (Fr. F)
Hollowell (So. F)
Sheehey (Sr. G/F)
Abell (Jr. G)
Ferrell (So. G)
_________________________
aOSU
2013 starting five:
Williams (So. C)
Thomas (Jr. F)*
Thompson (So. F)
Smith (Jr. G)
Craft (Jr. G)

2014 projected starters:

Williams (Jr. C)
Ross (Jr. F)
Thompson (Jr. F)
Smith (Sr. G)
Craft (Sr. G)
_________________________
MSU
2013 starting five:
Nix (Sr. F)
Payne (Jr. F)
Dawson (So. F)
Appling (Jr. G)
Harris (Fr. G)

2014 projected starters:

Payne (Sr. F)
Dawson (Jr. F)
Valentine (So. G)
Appling (Sr. G)
Harris (So. G)
_________________________
Wisconsin
2013 starting five:
Berggren (Sr. F/C)
Breusewitz (Sr. F)
Evans (Sr. F)
Brust (Jr. G)
Jackson (So. G)

2014 projected starters:
Dekker (So. F)
Kaminsky (Jr. F)
Gasser (Jr. G)
Brust (Jr. G)
Jackson (So. G)
_________________________
Michigan
2013 starting five:
Morgan (Jr. F)
Robinson (Fr. F)
Hardaway (Jr. G)
Sauskas (Fr. G)
Burke (So. G)*

2014 projected starters:
-McGary (So. C)
Morgan (Sr. F)
Robinson (So. F)
Stauskas (So. G)
Albrecht (So. G)

-McGary is still deciding if he'll stay or go to the NBA
_________________________

Other notes:
-Illinois graduates two guys who started for most of their careers in Paul and Richardson...and they lose an additional role player starter in McLaurin. In addition to these guys, three more guys have decided to transfer out of the program.
-Iowa returns four starters.
-Minnesota will hired Richard Pitino after reportedly being rejected by two or three coaches; will return three starters.  As of right now, Minnesota has an incoming class of zero.
-Northwestern hired Collins after Carmody continued NU's tradition of never making the NCAA tournament. They lose two starters, but Crawford will return from injury.  If I were a betting man, I'd put a quarter on Sobolewski being formed into an unlikable Hurley, Collins, Wojohowski type of player.
-Nebraska opens their new arena and looks to continue some of their improvement from the end of the season...loses two starters.
-Penn State loses only their sixth man...Chambers incoming class is one of the strongest for PSU since they entered the conference.  BUT PSU, during that same period has never had a player rated higher than 3-stars.
_________________________
The Forces of Good:
-Purdue's incoming Freshman class of Stephens (IL), Smotherman (IN) and Scott (IN) were all named to their all-state teams.
-Painter noted that he hopes everyone will return who is able to...of course, Purdue will lose Byrd and Anthrop to graduation.
-Rumors around Purdue transfers and defections are still just rumors...but the one that seems to have the most credence still, is Marcius. His locker has been cleaned out and he's been less involved in team activities, we've heard...Painter expressed that he wants him back, and told him so in his post-season interview.

But if he leaves, I guess I can't blame him. In spite of playing hard and being extremely productive down the stretch of the regular season, Hammons still started in the CBI.  Marcius might have taken that as a bit of a sign that his effort and productivity mattered less than Hammons potential, which is a shame.

If you follow us on Twitter, you might have seen AJohn's sentiment that he's looking forward to coming back and being a part of a team that gets much better in the off-season. BUT, his body language were indicative of a guy that struggled with consistency, focus and toughness at times. On top of that, he, along with Hale and Lawson, were rumored to be guys that didn't see eye-to-eye with Painter.

Keep in mind, all of those rumors are mere conjecture...But their lack of playing time during the last ten games of the season is something that was on display for all to see. We'll see what happens, I guess.
_________________________
BS' Early Prognostication

Here's the way I see the B1G shaking out in 2014 (as of right now):
1. aOSU
When was the last time you saw a Bucknut line-up with all Juniors and Seniors?? They'll be monsters.

2. MSU
Lots of returning talent...but MSU will be a much smaller team (top-to-bottom) than most Izzo squads.

3. Michigan
UM will have shooting, experience and good size...but even if McGary returns, they still lose a lot. Burke made everybody better and Hardaway did a lot of different things that helped the team.

4. Iowa
We all know Coach Fran is a pretty good coach.  Well, good coach plus a ton of veterans equals success.

5. Purdue
A few years ago, who would have thought a top-5 finish would be viewed as a success? In the wake of '13, in a tough conference, a top-5 season will probably mean Purdue will be ranked in the top-25...all while leaning heavily on Sophomores and Freshman.  A 21-23 win season should act as a stepping stone for a good one in '15. Painter really needs the team to get back to basics and needs them to win now.

6. Wisconsin
I never bet against Bo Ryan being in the mix for the B1G title...until now.

7. Indiana
Sheehey will go from annoying sixth man, to the guy that IU needs to be all-conference.  If he can make the leap, IU will be in the top third of the conference, if not, IU will struggle.  Also, Ferrell will need to play like UM's Burke for IU to be anywhere near where they were in '13.  All that said, IU will have a lot of talent on the roster, but their lack of leadership will hurt.

8. Illinois
Losing seven players in one season, regardless of how much they played, is a difficult pill to swallow for any program.  The Illini will need Bertrand, Abrams and Egwu to take big strides in the off-season in order for Illinois to make the tournament again in 2014. Illinois might get 20 wins next season...but how they get there will be much different than this season.  Don't look for Illinois to start out quickly next fall.

9. Minnesota
There will be growing pains for Goldy next year.  They'll still have some athletes that make jaw-dropping plays, but Minnesota fans might miss Tubby come March as Minnesota goes to the NIT.

10. Nebraska
Miles' team scratches and claws to more progress, but stays in the bottom-third of the tough B1G.

11. Northwestern
The Collins era begins in a fashion that's familiar to Northwestern fans.

12. Penn State
The cavernous Bryce Jordan Center stays mostly-empty for yet another winter as Penn State struggles to run with the thoroughbreds of the nation's best conference.
_________________________
More Guessing...

All Conference Team:
McGary UM
Payne MSU
Marble Iowa
Harris MSU
Craft aOSU

2nd Team:
Dekker Wisconson
Sheehey IU
Smith aOSU
T. Johnson Purdue
Appling MSU



*Denotes POY candidate in 2013

With Bollman Out, aOSU fans Happy...for US?

A few days ago, after a few days of conjecture and rumour (yes, they were British rumours), Jim Bollman officially left Coach Hazell's staff as OLine coach to become OC at MSU.  MSU fans seem OK with it, aOSU fans tell me that MSU now has the worstest OC in the world, Bears fans tell me that Purdue has that in Shoop...I'm soooooo confused.

Not really.

I've never been good with all of the aOSU fan love for Purdue's coaching staff.  I think we've been pretty clear here, we don't like Ohio State a whole bunch.  We've always thought that they have an athletic department that all-but encourages their programs to play ball, if you will...The fact that the NCAA actually punished them in the last few years says that they just got too brazen in their tactics.  If you talk to non-alum Bucknut fans, you'll quickly see that winning is all that matters...and rules are for losers. That's all well and good when you're a cash cow for the NCAA, but not for programs like Purdue. Hazell's thinking as Kent State's head coach (doing things in unprecedented manner, beating the odds, etc.) is closer to Purdue's history than aOSU's. I didn't really care about aOSU fans' opinions about Bollman; still don't.  If Hazell thought he was the best coach available for his team, I gotta trust that. Regardless of anyone's opinion, he gone.

Who can blame him? Being an OC in the B1G is a much better job than a positional coach...But I guess MSU's Dantonio is dumb now and has forgotten everything he knows about football since he chose to hire Bollman, correct?

Purdue hasn't released who will be OLine coach in the wake of Bollman's departure...I vote Matt Light (if you haven't figured this out, I like ex-NFL Purdue guys as position coaches).  Coach Hazell usually calls me on Tuesdays*, so I'll put that suggestion in at that time.

Spring football practice starts in a few weeks.


*not really

What's an Entertainment Network to do???

EsPN's television arm has been in a pickle for a few years- they've got "sports news" programming which is supposed to be fair in its presentation of different sports stories...but they also have contracts with the ACC in basketball and SEC in football that force them to pimp their own self-interests and get a return on investment.

In the oughts, we heard that Urban Meyer's Florida squad was coached in such a manner that few programs in the country could compete with them, their speed and their overall scheme.  And when Meyer was hired at an Ohio State University, we were told that he would change the B1G with recruiting techniques and intensity that the league had NEVER seen.  Now, there's clearly an easy joke in there someplace about the methodology by which recruits are acquired and retained in the bestest conference ever...but I guess they were right.  aOSU's 12-0 record was a result of Meyer's recruiting efforts (please disregard that most of the impact players were from Tressel's classes...those guys are slow, plodding B1G types, I'm told).

But, the story got even muddier today in the EsPN initiative to control the college football narrative. An old Big Ten Olineman, by way of Iowa, then Madison, has landed at Arkansas to be their head coach.  That's right, in a shocking move, Arkansas hired one of the least-likable B1G head coaches, Brett Bielema.  He's been Wisky's HC for seven seasons and finished atop the conference the last three years...and his teams have done it by running the ball extremely effectively with hard running RBs and massive Nordsman lineman from the tundra of the Northern US.  That style of play can't compete in the super-duper-fast SEC, right?

I don't know, and quite honestly, really don't care if Bielema wins a game while at Arkansas...same goes for Urban Meyer for the Bucknuts. As you know, here at BS, we really don't like too many teams within the conference. Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt or unlikable schools and programs just make it easy to not like them. We kinda would like to see both Beilema and Meyer in the SEC together, honestly.  One used to cheat there, the other will soon cheat there...but they both suck (click here for a funny article; in hindsight).

But, our dislike for conference foes is outweighed by disingenuous pseudo-journalism displayed on a daily and nightly basis at EsPN (and elsewhere, for that matter).  If you're just visiting, before you say it, lemme explain that we aren't journalists- we're Purdue fans who give our opinion on what's happening in sports and other stuff.  We never claim to be journalists as do so many on the network.  Sure, there are a couple real journalists on that network Van Pelt doesn't seem to have been indoctrinated...and there are others...but they're tough to come by.  The company line typically wins out.

So in the very near future, as aOSU is in the NCAA football Final Four and Arkansas is competing in the SEC, look for the mothership to contradict herself with great regularity.

There's also a nugget of info from the Arkansas coach search that with which we Purdue fans can all learn- Sources had said Mike Gundy was going to be announced as Arkansas' coach just in the last few days...didn't happen.

Just as in recruiting, nothing is a done deal in coach searches until a guy is signed.  From what the Twitterweb (read as, our pal BMurph) is saying...that might be the case for our Boilers.  Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Hope Snatches Defeat out of the Jaws of Victory in Columbus

If you didn't watch the game today you missed one that was at least entertaining...and you missed a nearly-fun game.  Purdue had a long TD pass on their first offensive play from TerBush to Shavers, a 100 yard kickoff return for TD by Hunt, a few sustained drives and some solid defense versus an offense that was scoring like J when a Sade CD is playing...at least before today.

Antavian Edison had big catches and YAC when Purdue needed them.  Josh Johnson played large along with Frankie Williams as Allen was unavailable for play. Dolapo Macarthy continued his emergence as a capable and clutch receiver.  Purdue's front made noise and big stops and was in Braxton Miller's face all day...until his day ended as a Josh Johnson tackle sent the Heisman contender to the hospital with head/neck injuries (which is horrible to see, obviously).  Purdue's defense caused four turnovers while the offense only gave the ball up once...Purdue seemed to be hitting and playing harder than the Bucknuts all day as aOSU players leaving the field all day due to injury.

We wanted to see the Boilers fight...we wanted to see them compete...and they did that today.  The players did their job for 58 minutes this afternoon as they went toe-to-toe with one of the better teams in the nation.  The problem of course is after two weeks of getting their arses handed to them, a moral victory is worth nothing...especially the way this one played out.

Key moments in the game:

-After Purdue's first touchdown the PAT was blocked...score 6-0. (one point left on the field)

-2nd quarter, with Purdue up 13-7 on the 2 yard line, Purdue comes away with zero points as TerBush tries to force a pass into double coverage.  The possession resulted in an interception, and aOSU ball. (at least three points left on the field)

-20-14 2:58 left in the 3rd qtr Purdue gets the ball on the aOSU 37.
Purdue could have all but put the game away.  After a big runt by Akeem Hunt Purdue was inside the 20 with a fresh set of downs.  After conservative play calling and a busted play, Purdue attempted and a field goal...and it was blocked.  (three more points left on the field)

-With Miller out of the game, Guyton took over for the entire fourth quarter and really couldn't move the aOSU offense.

-20-14 11:50 remaining
Purdue just in aOSU territory with a fresh set of downs.  after two busted plays, Purdue is forced to punt.

-20-14 10:51 remaining
Webster's pooch pins aOSU on the one yard line.  After a hold on aOSU in the end zone on second down, aOSU gave Purdue two points in the form of a safety.

-22-14 2:40 remaining
Feichter's interception of Guyton gave Purdue the ball.  Purdue's offense promptly went three-and-out after a possession that took just 47 seconds off of the clock.  The possession included a false start, a befuddled-looking Purdue offense and a hair-brained scheme that included Purdue calling two time outs...in order to save the clock.  This strategery of course allowed aOSU to avoid using their timeouts.  Yeah, the rest of the football world doesn't get it either...but Hope is that much of a revolutionary.

After this mess, Purdue's defense joined the lying down party and allowed a previously-inept offense led by a green QB to find life versus a prevent-to-win defense.  After scoring a TD to put them down by two, Guyton once again looked like a veteran, as a broken-down play led to Gaston being forced to guarda  TE...it didn't end well for Gaston (shockingly), as aOSU tied the game.

With the wind out of their sails, Purdue's defense allowed aOSU to go up by seven in OT...and the offense responded by not moving the ball and being forced to throw a desperation heave that ended the game.

I felt like if Purdue had won, it would have changed the trajectory of the season.  A win today and a few more wins this season and this season might have been universally viewed as a success.  So in a way, Hope was coaching for his job today.

So how did he and his assistants coach as they looked to make a statement and a mark on the program's direction? They coached scared.  The defense lost its teeth, the offense lost its lower-intestinal fortitude, and of course, Purdue left Columbus with a loss.

I'm proud of the players for fighting and playing in the way they're capable of playing for much of the contest...but this game still crashes down loudly and painfully in the right hand column.  Plus, the coaches seemingly wiped away all momentum created in 58 minutes by throwing this one away.

Purdue stole a game last year versus aOSU in Ross Ade as two mediocre teams battled into bonus football...Today, our Boilers gave one away that they had all but wrapped-up.  If nothing else, balance remains in the universe.

Boilermakers-Buckeyes Predicto: The How Long Will You Watch Edition

Flexing their muscles

After two weeks of some of the most dreadful football we've seen Purdue put forth in the Danny Hope era, the Boilers now travel to scenic, strip-clubby Columbus, Ohio to face the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Boilers and Buckeyes have defied logic and over the course of the past 12+ years have engaged in some pretty intense games, with more Boiler victories than they probably are entitled to. In fact, I might argue that this rivalry is a dark horse for one of the best in the conference over that span.

However, the wins for the Boilers in Columbus have just not happened. Yes, there have been some good showings there, but there have also been some painful ones. Put all this into the hopper and what comes out? Glad you asked.

Why not?

J sez:

I know there are people out there trying to buck themselves up by recalling the 1-5 Boilermakers in 2009 who beat a top ten Buckeye team. And, sure, we will agree that nobody thought the Boilers had a shot in that one. I might even wonder how much of the locker room thought it was possible. But they came out and Ryan Kerrigan put the Boilers on his back and made it happen. Is there a guy on this roster who is a no-brainer NFLer who might just go bananas this weekend? I don't know.

This is a game that most of us -- even the optimists -- felt was the proverbial "Sharpie Game" on the schedule. Those with dreams of a Purdue appearance in the Big Ten title game even wrote this one off as, well, let's just win against Michigan and Wisconsin. So if you're not feeling good about this one when you think you have a good team....and then you learn you might not have a good team....where does that leave you?

The Danny Hope calling card, of course, has often been to lower everyone's expectations and then, just when they've given up, win a game against all odds. The thing is, though, you can't reliably expect that to happen. If it happens on this day, though, it will surely be his best magic trick yet.

The Boilermakers are downtrodden, they've been crushed at home in back to back weeks and how have to face the best team of the three on the road. Sure, I also know IU put up 49 on the Bucks, but -- and I hate to be the bearer of bad news -- IU's offense is far more potent than Purdue's right now.

This game has the makings of one of those that nobody watches into the third quarter. The only thing standing in the way of the result I'm predicting here is pride.

O$U 52
Boilers 13

Boilerdowd sez:

I typically plan my Saturdays in the fall around when Purdue's kicking off...as of now, I'm not even sure what time that happens.  What I do know, is this one kinda makes me sick at my stomach.

You've got an O$U team that has scored at will the last few weeks and seems to be getting better (at least offensively) as they get to know their new boss.

On the other hand, you've got a Purdue defense that can't stop anyone in any aspect of the game, and an offense that just put up yardage (with the exception of one play) that's comprable to that of a Pop Warner team.  My apologies to all Pop Warner coaches reading this.

My blind and foolish optimism is gone.  I hope the players still have some belief in their ability to play competitively in a game versus a team above mid-major quality.  As Colvin said to many of them last week, only they can change their current situation.  I'd love to see them change it.

an Ohio University 65
Purdue 17

Can Purdue Compete? (Guest Post)

Every now and again, someone makes a commet to us and we think it deserves more of a read than just within the comments section...Today, we got one of those.

If you visit here often, you might know 'zlionsfan' as he's a regular commenter.  He was thoughtful in his response to J's post, so I thought it warranted a post of its own...so here it is.

Keep in mind, the post isn't exactly in step with what J and I think...but I thought this might cause further discussion.  What are your thoughts?

Right now, there's obviously a gap between where Purdue football is right now (a barely-middle-of-the-pack program that struggles to get to bowls) and where we want it to be (perennial contenders). It's becoming very hard to make the case that Hope is still the right guy for the job. Burke isn't likely to make any changes, though, and in any event, he won't find good coaches willing to work for Hope's salary. With Daniels coming on as president, can he get Burke to put more emphasis on growing the football program, or will he let MJB continue to nickel-and-dime his way to bottom-tier bowls?

I don't think Daniels has a choice. The money to build an elite football program simply isn't there, and it isn't ever going to be, not unless he is able to find someone like T. Boone Pickens. (You know, the guy who donated $235 million to Oklahoma State's athletic program.)

Even with a season of sellouts, Purdue would be more than a quarter of a million tickets behind the top of the conference, and something like 100K-200K behind the next tier of stadiums. That's no less than $3M to $6M in revenue that they have no way to collect; of course when you get beyond the cheap seats, it turns out to be a lot more than that. 

In 2010, Purdue's football revenue was a little under $18.4M, dead last in the Big Ten. (Check the Revenues and Expenses tab for details.) You can probably see where this is going: Indiana's was about $24.2M. Iowa, in the middle of the conference, was $44.5M. Penn State and Michigan topped $70M. 

Basically, the conference elites make $60M-$70M ... but that's the result of decades of planning, support, and success. Beaver Stadium's capacity exceeded 80,000 in 1970; Ohio Stadium in 1960; Michigan Stadium in 1928. They were both lucky and wise, Michigan in particular: it was a lot cheaper to expand stadiums in the '50s and '60s than it is today. (Of course, renovations of a 100,000-seat stadium are expensive, too.) And it doesn't make sense to proceed with Phase II and III of the Ross-Ade expansion when Purdue doesn't even sell out now. 

I think it's reasonable to not be satisfied with catching and dominating the middle of the pack, but even for that, money is going to have to come from somewhere. Higher attendance will make up a little of the difference, but that still translates to IU- or Northwestern-level revenue. High-end JPC members can kick in some money. Where's the rest going to come from? 

In 2010, the cheapest adult ticket to the highest-demand home game cost $46. This was about 25% cheaper than the mean Big Ten price for similar games (right about $60). Burke has been working on department-wide measures to build and maintain a significant student presence, but that just deals with attendance, not revenue. How can a school with a low-capacity stadium and cheap tickets significantly build its revenue?

Well, it's hard. Revenue is suffering because of a lack of success, relative importance (basketball's obviously first here, and with good reason), and other factors. Raising attendance by dropping ticket prices is tricky: you don't want to lose revenue just to try to fill the seats. Raising prices isn't going to work unless you can point to a specific plan, and really, would we believe Burke if he laid one out? Hiring a marquee coach isn't going to happen without the revenue, and even a second-tier coach will think twice about coming here unless there's a plan in place to boost attendance ... which generally is going to require increased success. (And in the Big Ten, revenue is really about attendance: success itself doesn't help that much, because you're going to get a share of the bowl pool no matter what you put into it.)

Burke deserves criticism for not trying harder to build the program with the money he has available (Purdue had about $7M in "profit" from the 2010-11 season; no telling what it was earmarked for, though). Extending Hope because he'll work for next to nothing was a bad move. The root of the problem is deeper than that, and as much as it pains me to admit, it's likely beyond the ability of Burke and Daniels to change. 

However, they can at least make a start. Big-name coaches are not going to take a major pay cut to coach at a school with adequate facilities and a frustrated fan base, but there are up-and-coming coaching candidates available every year; all it takes is one of them who'll be willing to prove himself here. Find someone who can build a decent program at Purdue ... but don't make a long-term commitment to someone just because he's cheap. Give the next guy a few years, and if he doesn't work out, keep moving on until one does. Get the program back to where it was in Tiller's heyday, and maybe then, we'll start to see opportunities to close the revenue gap that is currently making it a challenge to keep up with Indiana and Northwestern, never mind Michigan and Ohio State.

Set The Earth Reverberating With OSU Hate

Sometimes it's easy to remember what you don't like about an opponent. Other times it's harder. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, BS is here to help. In a new feature (and you know how well we stick to new features), we'll help you figger out why you should hate Purdue's next opponent, mainly using third grade playground insults and other such high-brow stuff you've come to love BS for. 

Up today: The Ohio State Buckeyes.

Why hate the Bucks? Glad you (didn't) ask.

In a fan poll we conducted over the summer OSU fans unsurprisingly won the title of most obnoxious fans in the Big Ten. Of course, I think everyone's mindset was (rightly) on football at that time, so I wonder if their fans would also win such a poll for basketball.

And the truth is they might not, as their basketball fans kind of...suck. They play in a rarely-full, soulless building built by child slave laborers whose only shelter from the elements is the occasional evening spent in Thad Matta's nose.

They have a higher payroll than the Tampa Bay Rays.

OSU students actually cheered this.

Their merciless pummeling of the Boilers in Columbus last year.

Oh, there are many reasons to hate on the Bucks. Feel free to share yours.

9 PM tonight, ESPN.

Ho Hum: Danny Hope Continues Domination of OSU, 26-23

Well, now, that would have been an awesome game in the SEC....amirite?? ESPN would have talked about it for two weeks.

Our Boilers did exactly what we asked of them in our predicto -- they proved us wrong. And we're giddy about it. No matter how you feel about things, it's a hell of a lot more fun to watch wins than losses and beating good teams is also something that gives you, as a fan, a measure of satisfaction. And yes, make no mistake, OSU is a good team. No, they're not field-rush-worthy, but hey, who is anyone to tell the Purdue fans who actually showed up what they should be allowed to do after beating Ohio State...again?

Danny Hope is now 2-0 officially against Ohio State with last year's games being vacated by OSU in the wake of the Tressel/Pryor tattoo nonsense. And he's legitimately undefeated against them at home. What is it about Ohio State that this program game-plans well for? Because over the past six years, Purdue is now 3-3 against the Bucknuts. Not many programs can say that.

The defense did what T-Mill (and all of us, honestly) asked them to do -- they stacked the box and dared OSU to throw. And Braxton Miller tried to oblige. Despite throwing for well under 50% completion percentage, he did manage two TDs through the air and nearly led the Bucks to a last-minute victory. But Bruce Gaston blocked yet another kick for the Boilers to keep the game tied at 20-20.

The Boilers then moved to midfield and I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking this might finally be the logical time to have Carson Wiggs try a 60+ yard field goal -- and then Robert Marve threw a terrible INT to close regulation. But Robert stood tall and the coaching staff, to their credit, stuck with him. He rewarded their faith by leading the Boilers in for the winning score in OT. I don't care how you feel about the QB situation or who should or should not be starting, but I think you have to feel good for Robert Marve. This guy finally gets his chance to shine and lead these guys and he pulled it off. Good for him.

To that point, we don't see how Marve can't start the next two games -- or at least the Iowa game.  He's earned that much and has looked better leading this team in crunch time, in our opinion.

B-dowd will be along later to provide his on-the-scene report as we were fortunate to have tickets in the high rollers area thanks to generous BS benefactor Ed. But I spoke to him as he was driving down 65 getting back to Indy for a dinner he needs to get to (the BS boys are in high demand -- book early!) and he said on the post-game radio show, they were still looking for Danny Hope 30-45 minutes after the game. They kept saying he was still down on the field with the fans. Our observation there? Danny Hope loves being coach so much and loves this program so much that he wanted to personally thank every one of them that was there. Gotta love him for that.

On that subject, those of you pining for Coach Hope to be replaced, I think you're going to have to get used to him for at the very least another year. This team is now 5-5, with two very winnable games remaining and really now has little excuse not to get to a bowl game. And not to go all H&R on you, but is it so crazy to think that Purdue actually could beat Iowa at home, IU on the road...and the bowl opponent if they got a good draw? That would be eight wins, folks. I don't think it's going to happen, but it's suddenly not complete nonsense. Amazing.

We're done trying to figure out what's going to happen with this team. I said a couple weeks ago that if they beat OSU that they would find a way to lose to Iowa the following week. That wouldn't shock me one bit and Purdue did actually match up well with what OSU's offense does (or doesn't do). But now it at least makes next weekend a game against Our Most Hated Rival with a lot riding on it. This class of seniors could clinch their first bowl game on senior day.

Enjoy it, everyone. Choo choo, muthas.

Molto Bravo! Smooge to Italy (and gumbo)

Like a lot of players without guaranteed contracts, E'Twaun Moore is heading over to Italy to sharpen his skills. Moore will have the ability to head back to the NBA if the lock-out ends and the Celtics need him, but he won't be the only American over there as NBA free agents and stars alike are both taking a look across the Atlantic.

Leagues in Turkey, Italy and Greece have all put big dough on the table as an enticement for American-based talent...and some are starting to listen. Granted, Moore's contract will not be one of the larger of the guys that end up playing in Europe, but his experience and guaranteed money are pretty tough to turn down.

People in the front office of the NBA don't seem too worried about players glancing at leagues in Europe...we'll see if the league's general arrogance will continue as the fall gets closer and loss of gametime becomes more and more of a possibility.

Awesome Prognostication, Baby!!

J has been trying to do the impossible via Twitter: Corner Dick Vitale into being somewhat accountable about what he spouts off. Vitale's twitter feed (which I'm intentionally not linking) is a stream of consciousness jumble of words that makes sense about as often as Danny Hope utters a negative word.

So when Vitale's pre-season rankings came out, I didn't cared too much, but J took umbrage at the lack of respect Matty's boys have gotten. I have yet to see a well-known national outlet put Purdue any higher than the mid-20s for next season...and Vitale is no different (I think he has Purdue someplace in the 30s).

Honestly, I love the role of underdog for Matty, Hummel, LewJack, Smith and the rest...it suits them quite well as they will surely feed on the fact that no one is giving them a chance to make noise in '11/'12.

Here's to the national media viewing Purdue as little more than an also-ran through the new year and providing bulletin boards full of motivational material for this squad. I'm positive I'm not the only person in this state who can't wait until 11/11/11.

NCAA Prepares to Slap Buckeyes Wrist

There's a lesson being sent pretty loudly by the NCAA in the Bucknut case: You can break multiple rules, hide the infractions, deny hiding the infractions and get minimal punishment...if you're in Columbus.

Many thought aOSU might get the USC treatment due to the fact that their coach thumbed his nose at the NCAA...then the President of the flipping university made a joke about the whole thing...But no major harm done in this case, according to the NCAA. The NCAA's hardline against college sports' cash cows lasted ONE case.

The NCAA gave the Buckeyes a vote of confidence because they didn't have the lack of institutional control that was exhibited in Southern California a few years ago...True- the athletic department and the rest of the administration is pulling the strings.

Let's all remember that aOSU slapped itself with self-imposed sanctions that amount to nothing really...and the NCAA is A-OK with that. The self-imposed punishment is an asinine idea that only exists in college sports.

Pretend for a moment that I stole your car, took it for a joyride and wrecked it while driving drunk. No one else was hurt in the incident...and I felt really bad for my behavior (after leaving the scene before the cops could arrive). A week later, I haul myself into the court, write you a check for the damages to the vehicle, express my regret and tell the judge that I've already began my self-imposed 3 week house arrest...everything would be square, right?

Well in the make believe world of the NCAA, it happens time and time again.

Let's all remember the last time aOSU's football program knew nothing about those violations- They pushed two fall guys out on their ears: Clarett and A.D. Geiger. Tressel was found to be squeaky clean (by some), Clarett was labeled a pariah (after the Buckeye faithful had milked him for a national title)...Geiger forced to resign. After taking some booster benefits like Clarett, Troy Smith was suspended for two games. This more-than-ample punishment sent a message to the QB and allowed him later to blossom into the exemplary student athlete that he became, win the Heisman and follow the tutelage of his ethical teacher, Coach Vest.

So now that the real problems at aOSU, Pryor and Tressel, have been weeded out, the Buckeyes can get back to ethically winning conference and national titles. Don't be surprised after this upcoming 8-win season when a truly ethical and good guy like Urban Meyer is announced as Ohio State's next coach.

A Look at "The Great Jim Tressel" Debacle

Perhaps the last time we use our favorite JT photo?

"The best kind of pride is that which compels a man to do his very best, even when no one is watching."

I may not have written much on this topic in the past couple months, but don't assume I didn't care about this. I cared all along that this guy was a cheater and that he and his joke of a University held that reprehensible press conference where Gordon Gee joked that he hopes Jim Tressel didn't fire him. It was clear how seriously Ohio State took this entire situation. Hey, it's the price of doing business. And that's exactly what sports -- especially football -- are at Ohio State. A business. More than that, though, football is an absolute, win-at-all-costs business. And it breeds really ignorant, clueless fans, coaches, students, etc. 

I remember being in traffic court one time for a speeding ticket. One of the cases ahead of me was a guy who was 50-something and was there for his third -- third -- drunk driving conviction. The third conviction carries some teeth in my home state of NJ (i.e., significant jail time) and I remember thinking it was more than deserved, because if this guy had been caught and convicted three times, then he had probably driven drunk 50 or 100 times. Maybe more. Because we all know law enforcement cannot be everywhere at all times, so many times you get lucky.

I bring this up because it is one of the things I think about whenever someone acts like Kelvin Sampson "just made a few phone calls" or, in this case, Jim Tressel was "just trying to protect the students" (as Barry Switzer said yesterday). Whatever. He's been caught red-handed. And it took the NCAA lining OSU up in its scope -- and even more damning allegations from SI -- for them to finally come to terms with the fact that JT simply had to go. I saw someone Monday morning -- I think it was McIntyre at The Big Lead, but he might have just been quoting someone -- tweet that OSU saved face by calling it a resignation.

No, saving face would have been standing up at that first press conference with the overwhelming evidence of his brazen infractions in hand and saying, "This has no place at Ohio State and Jim Tressel has been relieved of his duties immediately." But there was no one to stand up and do that at Ohio State. Because bending the rules is okay there.

I also don't like those OSU sycophants who give you the, "Yeah, he had to go and it was wrong...but with all this fuss I expected he had done something more." As though we're all,  you know, making a big deal out of the fact that he "only" covered up something and knowingly played ineligible players in order to win. I guess I need to ask... what did he have to do for OSU fans to agree he fully deserved to be fired? Actually kill someone? What would it take for sites to stop calling him, as I saw one OSU blog do two weeks ago, "the great Jim Tressel"? He is not a great man. He is definitely a very good or perhaps great coach -- hard to debate that. But his integrity is lacking and not in the little way our integrity lacks when we break the speed limit or keep the $20 bill we find on the sidewalk. It's lacking in a way that allows him to actually participate in a cover-up that demonstrates to his players -- guys who have had their asses kissed for years because of their football abilities and probably need moral guidance more than the average person -- that they are indeed above the law and rules don't apply to them. And if that isn't enough, the SI expose that's now being buzzed about includes juicy nuggets such as this:

While Tressel was an assistant under head coach Earle Bruce, one of his duties was to organize and run the Buckeyes’ summer camp. Most of the young players who attended it would never play college football, but a few were top prospects whom Ohio State was recruiting. At the end of camp attendees bought tickets to a raffle with prizes such as a pair of cleats and a jersey. According to a fellow assistant, Tressel rigged the raffle so that the elite prospects won. Says the former colleague, “In the morning he would read the Bible with another coach. Then, in the afternoon, he would go out and cheat kids who had probably saved up money from mowing lawns to buy those raffle tickets. That’s Jim Tressel.”

That's the guy you're hitching your wagon to, people! He's a dirtball. Three of his most prominent players during his tenure at OSU -- Maurice Clarett, Troy Smith and Terrelle Pryor -- have all now been investigated by the NCAA and found guilty of violations, accepting money, etc. And now we learn a couple dozen more players have done NCAA infraction-worthy things. Tressel is dirty, no matter whether his white shirt and necktie make dumb people think he looks like a senator.

OSU players have also been tweeting a bit today about how this is just giving them "motivation" and "nobody will want to play us next year." Ooooooooooooh!! So scared! This motivates you? Seriously? And stop acting like everyone talking about a cheating coach and sketchy players is somehow some kind of slight to you or your team. These are facts at this point. OSU bends the rules -- at the very least. And it pisses a lot of us off. So if it motivates players on OSU, fine, so be it. I bet, though, it won't be nearly as motivating as, say, a free Chevy Tahoe would be, am I right?

I've also actually -- predictably -- seen OSU tweeters come after us and other Purdue writers for simply relaying the news and -- yes -- taking some measure of enjoyment in seeing a cheater come crashing back to Earth. I think I spoke for quite a few of us when I said, "Hope it was worth it, OSU." It's kind of amazing that even in the face of this ridiculous embarrassment, many of their fans are still obnoxious and combative. Much like disconnected IU fans who saw our dislike of IU as our "jealousy" of their non-NCAA, non-NIT, non-CIT tourney team, these OSU bozos accuse us of being "jealous" as well.

Now, I'm not sure when jealousy became the go-to accusation to throw at someone when your program is the joke, but I need to let you all in on the fact that....it doesn't make any sense.

Why would anyone be jealous of OSU? What is there to be jealous of? That they won the Big Ten last year with ineligible players? That they were almost in contention for a national title again but, yet again, found a way to screw it up and give ammo to Big Ten haters?

See, here's how it works. People are jealous of Drew Brees because he's a winner, he has a hot wife, he is a great ambassador for his college and his pro cities, he's won a Super Bowl and he and his son had one of the best photographic moments in recent memory.

On the slightly more shallow end of the pool, people are jealous of Tom Brady and Derek Jeter because they win a lot, sleep with hot women and are rich.

But nobody -- nobody -- is jealous of a University now associated with a gross lack of institutional control -- which, again, that infamous press conference conclusively demonstrated -- or a fan base who acts obnoxious in the face of such cheating. It makes you look like either you don't understand it or you simply don't care and only want to win, at all costs. Either way, it makes you look bad if you are barking that the rest of us are "just jealous." None of us are, I promise.

I even had a guy who, when I pointed out that Purdue (of the "little 8," as he called us) whipped up on OSU the last time they played in our "high school stadium" (as he called it), asked me what the score was last year when the two met in Columbus. Ah, yes, last year... the 49-0 ass whipping that OSU put on Purdue. With at least five ineligible players on the field.

(The SI story now reveals that at least 28 players have been involved in the tats-for-memorabilia, cash and weed racket going back to 2002. Which means Purdue beat OSU teams in '04 and '09 -- and almost beat the 2002 national champion OSU team that lucked out on a fourth down TD to beat the Boilers 10-6 -- that had ineligible players.)

See, our football program may not be very good right now, but it has had its moments over the years and they are moments we can -- and are -- proud of. Sure, a guy like Drew Brees doesn't come along often, but that's what makes him special. Guys like Terrelle Pryor, who gladly have their hand out for free "loaner" cars, tattoos for memorabilia, and other benefits are a dime a dozen. And you can keep them. Our time will come again. And when it does, it'll be even more special because we'll know it was done cleanly and there's no smoking gun to surface in the future.

Like I said, I hope it was worth it, OSU. You've disgraced yourselves and the Big Ten conference.

Football Notes

We all saw a potential weakness at D-End in the wake of Kerrigan's departure...even for the deepest programs (which Purdue isn't), it's tough to replace a unanimous All-American. But, with Gooden's spring injury, the position has gotten even more thin. Emanuel and Hope have moved Justin Kitchens from the inside to end to see how he looks out there and the reports are good. But even more interesting is that they've been running some 3-4. With the personnel and the glut of talent at LB, this might make some sense. That said, I think I'd just prefer to see Higgs move up and put his hand in the dirt- he seems like an excellent fit...but it hasn't happened yet.

Maci, Mebane, Isaac, Frazier and Phillips will probably all be in the discussion. What? You don't recognize many (any) of the names in the group? You're not the only one. But, rather than overhauling the defense, someone will probably find their way into the 4-3. Maci is a poor man's Kerrigan- he doesn't have the strength or talent that 94 had, but his motor is similar. You'd probably know him from Special Teams play as much as anything else. Mebane played in spots last season. He looked very lean for the position...that's probably changed a bit. Isaac, Frazier and Phillips are all newcomers. Phillips was recruited as a LB, but has very good size to be moved forward.

This was talked about in the comments a few days ago- Former Merriville QB, Dolapo McCarthy has landed at Purdue. Out of high school, he attended a military prep school...and said it wasn't a good fit- not on the field or off. He now considers it a dream come true to be on campus. If nothing else, he should be motivated to do big things.

Sadly for him, Purdue has Marve (R-Sr), TerBush (Jr), Henry (R-So) and Robinson (So) all in front of him. I never saw the kid play, but he made the KHC board buzz a few years ago. There was a period in which McCarthy had interest from Iowa, aOSU and FSU...but things all cooled a bit as his Senior year progressed. He finished with a low completion rate (43%), 1,800 yards passing, 10 passing TDs and 10 rushing TDs.

Hopefully he's willing to contribute where ever he can. I tried to find a video of him, and can't find anything. What I do find is that he's got great size (6'5") OK speed (4.58) and his scouting report says he throws a good deep ball, can escape pressure, but struggles with consistent accuracy. Does anyone else see another DE candidate who might be able to play right away? You never know. But what we do know is that if McCarthy is flexible, works hard and willing to move, he should be able make an impact somewhere...even if special teams, this season.

Lying with Fleas

I know, Jim Tressel is a snazzy dresser, wears glasses and seems like a control freak. So it's very hard to believe he'd actually lie to the NCAA about potential violations. Well, there's proof that he did. aOSU stepped up BIG by slapping a whopping two-game ban on the uber-successful head coach in hopes that the threat of investigation would quietly go away...and it still might. Let's not forget that a few years ago when Mo Clarett and Troy Smith received improper benefits from boosters, Tressel knew nothing of that. It's a damned good thing Clarett and Andy Geiger were the only people that had really done anything wrong...ammiright??

The point is nothing sticks to the vest, so as an opposing fan, you shouldn't get your hopes up for the NCAA to do anything of substance. Sure, there's "proof" of Tressel intentionally "lying" to a ton of people about this. But remember, he wears a tie on the sideline...that's gotta be worth something in the eyes of the NCAA.

He's nothing like Bruce Pearl, Kelvin Sampson or Lane Kiffin. THOSE rubes wear wind breakers, visors and sweaty, tacky, ill-fitting suit coats.

Granted, when IU fans heard that their AD had hired Sampson, they reassured us that all of his insurrections were behind him. Then when leaks came out about what had happened, they said these were just minor infractions...nothing to be alarmed by- he was their guy. NOW, things are different. Both he and Greenspan are Satan incarnate...and they're the only reasons IU can't win today. Perspective is a funny thing.

Honest.

In Columbus, you have a waaaaaaaay different situation. The rumors that followed the vest from YSU are just rumors...no proof that Coach Tress knew anything. And unlike Sampson who intentionally lied to the NCAA about his phone addiction, Tressel merely didn't tell anyone what he knew, in order to protect his players. See, good dude...and aOSU fans couldn't agree more.

I really think this quote from Bucknut fan, Matt Jeffers says it all: "Get a couple of wins, and it'll be alright."

Indeed Matt.

The only thing I'm worried about at this point is how angry the NCAA really is about being the victim of this well-intentioned, completely-amicable cover-up. If they're pissed and humiliated, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Toledo and other near-by schools need to watch their backs and make sure they're staying clean. Nothing makes a statement to the nation about the resolve of the super-consistent NCAA like slapping some sanctions on a poorer, less-important, less-popular, but equally-guilty institution.

Watch your back, Frank Solich...the NCAA is watching you!!

Purdue Caps Massive Week (Another Look)

I told J that he stole a bit of my thunder with his quick post following the game. In his quick, impassioned post, he hit on much of what I wanted to say. So I'm going to add some depth to what was seen on TV today and what we've witnessed in the last seven days.

You have to go back to 1992 to come up with the last time Purdue beat a top-5 team at Mackey. So today's contest alone makes this week noteworthy. But, we also saw two top-50 players verbal to Matty this week and The Forces of Good beat the tenth-ranked Badgers. I can't remember a better seven days as a Purdue fan. But I'm going to go out on a limb and say we haven't seen the best seven days we'll see from this team, this year.

I arrived at Mackey with 19 minutes remaining until tip-off. I had a good feeling about this one for about three days...and the fact that the Paint Crew was already full to the rafters with that much time left before the game gave me further confidence. When that bunch is resolved to get in a team's head, they simply do it. Not just the students, but the entire Mackey crowd was great today- deafeningly-loud, amazingly-consistent and passionate.

When I think about the best atmospheres at Mackey that I remember well, three games come to mind right away- 1989 v. Michigan, 1994 v. IU and 2009 v. Michigan. Today's crowd and overall mood in the building rivals, if not beats those games...and we may not know the longview of what that crowd did for a few years.

It was a huge recruiting day. Painter had between 15 and 20 recruits on campus...many of those 4-star or higher. Purdue still needs to complete the already-formidable class of '13 with one more piece...A good candidate for that slot, Alex Foster, was in attendance. The class of '12 is solid, but Painter is looking for its final piece as well. There were many candidates for that might become that guy...and I'm positive the support our Boilers received today made a statement to them.

I got to see former Boiler great, Everette Stephens and his son, recent verbal, Kendall Stephens walking off of Keady Court together. Both seemed happy to have been up close for the game...and in person, I figured out something that I had been trying to put my finger on for months- Who the younger Stephens looks like. Let's just say his new nickname is Kendall 'The Kid' Stephens...at least for me.

Alright, onto today's contest.

First, let's give credit where it's due: aOSU is a great team and Sullinger, while not prototypical by any means, is a force of nature. This team didn't trip into 25 wins...they didn't accidentally kick the crap out of Purdue in Columbus. Their starting five is one of the best, if not the best in the nation. But, they have flaws...and here are a couple of things that I noticed today.

First, they flop...a lot. If it's not Craft diving like a FIFA Italy player, it's Sullinger over-reacting to contact underneath. On top of that, Matta and his pups chew on the officials incessantly...and you know what- it seems to work. Craft literally rode Purdue guards down the court as they brought the ball up, yet only ended the game with three fouls. And Sullinger, in spite of his imposing girth is protected from big bad defenders as if he was made of the finest china. Oh yeah, and the hook he throws is real...and it's fantastic. But the refs don't seem to mind it, or even notice it really.

Next, and we all knew this, Matta's rotation gets tighter and tighter as the game does the same. This isn't a good thing for them, in my opinion in the long run...and Purdue exposed that. The Buckeyes looked tired in the closing minutes and the fact that they had four players who played 30+ minutes had a lot to do with that.

The game was a pretty interesting chess match though. Painter clearly wanted to throw some big bodies at Sullinger and Lauderdale and understood that Purdue could play aggressively without getting individuals into trouble. We saw Carroll, Bade and even Marcius all contribute to an odd opening stanza that had 8 different Purdue players commit their first 8 fouls.

Matty used his substitutions well. Specifically, he pulled Moore for a brief two minutes in the first half that seemed like about 5 minutes due to timeouts. After the respit, Smooge's 4 points turned quickly to 11 then 19 before the first half was over. In the second half, he picked up where he left off as he impersonated an And1 mixtape player with ball handling I've never seen from him followed by yet another three pointer. 38 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists & 2 steals is good...if you're into that sort of thing. And the crazy thing is his career best game could have been better had he not missed a few free throws.

And speaking of missing shots, Matty's All-American candidate did that more than usual. He drew a lot of contact and had a ton of different defenders/defensive styles over the 40 minutes of the game thrown at him...and as a result, seemed off. He missed a couple of free throws, one badly, and only shot 40% from the field. Even more odd though, he only took 10 shots. His 13 point, 6 rebound, 2 block game was by no means awful...but wasn't normal either. He wisely deferred to the hot hand (33) as Painter and Co. made sure every possession filtered through Moore.

And although Purdue surpassed its magic number of 70 easily, the offense sputtered and gasped for a long stretch in the second half. Purdue had five-straight possessions in which it couldn't get points on the board. At the same time, aOSU was struggling on the other end...but had Purdue been able to play less-sloppy, this one might have been over at about the 7 minute mark.

LewJack didn't fill up the stat sheet as he did the previous game, but he didn't really fall flat either (9pts, 2reb, 2ast), as he has a few other times this season following a big game. But he does things in traffic that simply don't look like they should be physically-possible as he finds space while defenses struggle to stay with Moore and Johnson. His counterpart, Barlow, played an efficient game scoring 8 points on 4/6 shooting in just 19 minutes. Plus he seemed angry each time he had to leave the court- I don't really blame him for this either...in fact, I love a guy that wants to be out there all the time.

Smith didn't shoot the ball well, but his defense more than made up for it. He clogged the lane on a few double teams, made life difficult for Diebler and was a general nuisance for the Buckeyes. That might be part of the reason he was 0/3 from the field...but scoring wasn't needed today.

Travis Carroll took advantage of the fact that Matta had no respect for him and scored 4 points in just 7 minutes of action. DJ Byrd scrapped and clawed his way to 5 reb, 4 asst and only 2 points...but missed a few good looks.

Terone Johnson didn't have a ton of opportunities to contribute offensively, but played good defense and kind of got into it a bit with Sullinger...which I liked a lot. Both he and Barlow's edge and attitude will be contagious next season...if not this year in the tourney this year.

Last game between these two, Matta got the best of Matty...that wasn't the case this time. Painter had a great game plan on both ends of the court, made great adjustments at halftime and had his squad dialed in. Even CBS' Gary Parrish has succumbed to the awe-inspiring power of Coach Matt Painter...Now, can Matty get in the conversation for COY??

Classic Trap Set

After a tremendously-productive week, Purdue heads into Ass. Hall to face the limping Hoosiers. This game has bothered me since before the season...and now our Boilers are in precisely the situation I thought they'd be in:

They're closing out a very good season, maybe starting to peek toward the light at the end of the tunnel and coming off of a few great wins.

IU, conversely is looking like a team that will be playing its post-season ball at the HPER instead of off campus and comes into the game on a steamy, rancid four-game losing streak.

This is their NCAA tournament...they'll be very motivated. The Forehead wants to walk the concourses of Ass. Hall one more time, kiss his wife and kids, thank the media and make one more game into a much-bigger deal than it really is. Purdue had better be ready for all the stops to be pulled. I hope my trepidation is off-base.

Purdue heads to the land of dusty banners, striped pants and spastic coaches on Wednesday at 8:30...it'll be televised on BTN.

Power Rankings and Buckeye Preview

Tomorrow's game in Mackey will have the attention of the nation. Tip-off is at 1:00 on CBS as our Boilers will have the chance to beat their second opponent ranked in the top-10 in less than a week. Off the top of my head, I can't remember them playing, let-alone beating two teams ranked that highly in a five day period. Obviously a lot can be gained in March by the success in February.

I've heard some concern from fellow Boilers about the letdown if Purdue does win tomorrow...but like the classic cliche says, let's just take it one game at a time. My reason for doing so is different than Matty's, of course. I just want to enjoy each game as the season is getting short and this amazing and abridged Senior class doesn't have too much time left in God's Country. I was lucky enough to be on campus the last time a consensus All-American was playing at Purdue...it's only happened 10 times, and we seem to be watching number 11 in JJ. But, just as Purdue's season can still change by what happens on the court from here-out, so it is with Johnson's standing with the national media.

All that said, he's been the picture of consistency as he's led the team in minutes (35.2), points (20.7), rebounds (7.8) and blocks (2.3). At minimum, he'll be recognized as an All-American by at least a few media sources...and, if a couple things happen, he might actually be involved in the POY conversations that he should have been involved in all along.

Along with JJ, Smooge's career at Purdue is coming to a close in the next few games. He's been leading scorer three of his four seasons. It'll be nearly-impossible for him to lead the team this season. But, he has an opportunity to be one of only six players at Purdue to score 2,000 points during his career, and just the 27th in the Big Ten conference's long history to do so.

He only needs 11 points, so it'll probably happen in the next 25 minutes of basketball for our Boilers. I can think of nothing more fitting than watching Purdue beat aOSU at the hands of a 21-foot dagger by Moore that puts him into the 2,000 point club. Hey, one can dream.

But, it's going to be tough, and here's why:

Jared Sullinger was the highly-decorated player of year out of HS, and hasn't disappointed anyone. While not the tallest PF in the nation, he's one of the biggest guys weighing in at over 280 pounds...that's a tough match-up for anyone. It's even tougher when he's given a pass by officials to hook his defender time and time again. But to me, he's not the most important player to stop.

Purdue struggled mightily in Columbus...not just with Sullinger, but with everyone. LewJack couldn't stay with Craft, Smith wasn't in Diebler's face, Moore couldn't stick with Lighty and Byrd had trouble with Bufford. It was probably the only time in the last four years that I can remember Purdue being truly out-manned at every position. So are they Buckeyes that good?

While they're the most-talented starting five Purdue has played, or will play, they're not as good as they seemed last month. Instead of playing them straight up, Purdue had all hands on deck shading off of their man to guard Sullinger. While help defense is important in Painter's system, that's not the Purdue way...and I think we'll see a much different game tomorrow than what we saw at Ohio State.

The Forces of Good must defend the three like they usually do...that's the key for me. And at the same time, each guy needs to keep his man in front of him and allow nothing easy. That painful 7 minute stretch in Columbus that put Purdue away saw Purdue allowing easy threes and even easier transition buckets.

Let's remember, while it seemed that the Buckeyes were a foot taller at each position last time the teams squared off, there's only a 2.5 inch/player difference in the starting five. And before you say anything about Jackson, keep in mind that he tore the taller Badger, Illini and Golden Gopher squads apart by picking his spots and using his quickness. If Purdue can force Matta to get past his 7th player on their roster, aOSU will be out of its comfort zone...the officials will have a thing or two to say about how that portion of the game goes. While Purdue can't control them, there's a lot they can do to beat my least-favorite team in the BT.

Power Rankings

1. aOSU

I think they're atop the conference to stay this season, but stranger things have happened. Regardless of where the season ends, they're the most dominant team in the conference since MSU a few seasons ago.

2. Purdue

At this point, they're exactly wehre they should be. Despite what the media tells us, they're less-reliant on their one-two punch than Wisconsin as the next three leading scorers average 5 more points/game than do Wisconsin's 3-5 players.

3. Wisconsin

There's room for debate on how good of a coach Bo Ryan is in the post-season. But, no one can say anything but positive remarks on his ability to have his team playing their best in February.

4. MSU

They're kind of in this position by default. No one else in the middle of the conference is playing good basketball right now. They're a bit like IU was a few weeks ago- they're competing against the elite teams in the conference, but haven't been able to close games out. Their next game is of utmost importance to them...and their opponent.

5. Illinois

Since Izzo isn't their coach, Weber's squad might need a victory more than MSU to get into the tournament. The Illini might lose three of their last five games of the regular season.

6. Penn State

Their pre-con record has put them in a position in which it'll be nearly-impossible for them to make the dance. It's a good thing they host that other tournament each season.

7. Minnesota

They're the exact opposite of PSU- their pre & early conference schedule put them in a postion where it'd be difficult for them to not make the tournament...but they're not playing well right now. That said, it'll be hard to deny a 19 or 20-win BT team with a top-50 RPI from getting in.

8. Michigan

Their young guys, specifically Hardaway, are playing well...a strong end to the season and a good NIT showing might give the some confidence for next season.

9. Northwestern

At this point, they're playing for a home game in the NIT...but I think that might be a long shot.

10. Iowa

Flip a coin- both IU and Iowa are entering their next games with three-game losing streaks, which will more-than-likely turn to four following their next contests. Iowa gets the head-to-head tiebreaker.

11. IU

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Week of Reckoning Power Rankings

Let's be honest- there's a lot riding on the next seven days. The Forces of Good have a chance to right some wrongs and place themselves in an enviable position. J and I have a conversation about how we feel about the team every week to seven days. Right now, I feel good. Moore still isn't playing his best possible basketball, yet he's scoring around 20, rebounding well and doing the little things that make him valuable to the team. While the media doesn't think JJ's sexy-enough to be considered a legit contender for Player of the Year, those of us who really watch him find him to be a sexy beast. He's doing it all...and even though he's soft spoken, he's digging deep to try to be a vocal leader. Let's not forget about the fellows surrounding the Big 2.

LewJack is playing with a tempo that's tough to match and is helping turn defensive stops into quick points. It's not by luck or coincidence that the Boilers just scored 54 points...in a half...on the road. That's because Matty has this team playing faster basketball, and The Adorable Midget (ref. BTN's Journey) is executing like a henchman for John Gotti back in the go-go 80s. Let's not forget about his taller counterpart KBar. Barlow sees the court well, but has really been impressing me with his ferocity on the glass. Perhaps yesterday, we saw a glimpse of what's coming in '12- LewJack at the point and Barlow on the wing slicing and dicing defenses as he continues to create difficult match-ups for flat-footed and shorter guards.

Byrd, Smith and TJohn are the next level of defense. All of them quietly await their turn, playing hard-nosed defense, diving for loose balls, guarding guys who think they can beat them and awaiting the defense to make the foolish mistake- discounting or forgetting about them. When that happens, when they're given space, they tend to capitalize and make the opposition pay. When these three aren't forcing things on the offensive end is when they're most dangerous. When they wait, the game almost always comes to them.

Bade, Marcius and Carroll may have quiet roles, but their importance isn't lost on Matty. The time will assuredly come in either the BT tourney or NCAA tournament in which JJ needs a few minutes or Purdue runs into a team like UConn a few years ago...and one or two of these guys will have to play important minutes. Sure, they aren't called to play a ton right now, but I like the fact that both Bade and Carroll have played with confidence and both can play better.

I'm not forgetting about Hart...and I don't think he's forgotten how to shoot in the last few months. But, he's gotta get his eye and his confidence back before he can be expected to do what he was doing back in December. There's still time for it to happen.

I've always said I like Painter's teams when they are playing with a chip on their shoulder...when few believe in them and when they have a score to settle. They've got two to settle in the very near future.

The Composite Computer Ranking is hovering right around 10, and I'd expect the human polls to be similar later today. And speaking of rankings, this is where we see the BT as of today:

1. an Ohio State Institution of Higher Learning

There's no shame in losing to Wisconsin in the Kohl. But, I think we saw some tarnish on their gleaming armor on Saturday. While no one will question a loss at Wisconsin, everyone will question a high-caliber team that loses a 15 point lead in a half...even those in their locker room. Here's to hoping they're doubting everything right about now.

2. Wisconsin

'Sconny is playing good ball. Did any of you doubt Ryan would have them in this position right now? We didn't...and the formula is still magic: Great point guard play + big white goons= Success. Mix in a killer high-top fade, a SideShow Bob mop and the Birdman chewing on the officials, you have a can't miss high seed for the NCAA tourney. They're not going to be here for long though.

3. The Purdue University

A week ago, I'd say the BT regular season title was a pipe dream...and while it's still a dream, it's not the impossible dream. Let's sit back and enjoy the next three weeks...this could be really fun.

4. Michigan

The gap between 3 & 4 is a chasm right now.

I like the way the Wolverines are playing. This has been an up and down season...but they have a legit opportunity to make it to the NCAA tourney. An angry Illinois team on the road will show us how seriously we can take UM.

5. MSU

The sizable win over Penn State showed me that Sparty still has a pulse. I put Izzo's squad here mostly because I'm trying to give them confidence.

"You guys are good! Yay MSU! Now go beat Ohio State, damnit."

6. Illinois

Losing 6 of 10 is not something a team with that many Seniors and that much talent should ever do. Let's not forget, they lost to IU and Northwestern during this cold spell their under.

7. Minnesota

Tubby's club has weathered a ton of adversity. But they're in big trouble at this point. It's very possible that they could lose their next three. Like Illinois and MSU, they're fighting for their tournament life.

8. Penn State

If they get hot again, they could seriously damage the teams battling Purdue for the conference lead.

Love ya, Lions. (It's a Valentine's Day note)

9. Northwestern

So much hope...so many dreams...No tournament, yet again. John Shurna's ankle injury has absolutely killed the Cats. They could win their next two, but that'll be it for them. And that means they won't even be invited to Penn State's Invitational Post-season National Title Tournament.

10. IU

The battle for 11th will be brutal!! Here's to the Cats thumping the Forehead...and the Hoosiers losing out. Wouldn't that be a shot to the confidence of those who tell me IU's making strides. We'll keep an eye on how it plays out.

11. Iowa

If they have the same record, the Hawks get the tie-breaker...Remember, they swept IU. We don't forget.

We love you, our readers, more than we love sweet confections, flowers and mylar balloons. We think about you when we're out of town on business...hoping that you'll be impressed with our most-recent musings, observations, analogies and anecdotes. Please be ours.

We'll anxiously await your response.

Happy VD to you all.