No Offseason for Matty's Squad

Losing an AP All-American, a four-year starter and one of the best three point shooters in the league isn't an easy thing to swallow for any team...and this is absolutely the case for Matty as the team officially transitions out of the Baby Boilers era.

Some programs and fans think banners should be raised when a team has a Phoenician rise out of the ashes...but Purdue fans don't agree with this idea.  Sure, 2012's Seniors and the class right before were pivotal for the program as they stabilized things so Painter and Co. could take another step forward, but banners are for championships...plain and simple.

A few weeks ago, J and I talked on the Handsome Hour about our thoughts if the program could finally grasp an elusive Final Four in the near future (defined arbitrarily as the next five years).  I said yes, and one of the reasons I think this way is because of the class that's coming on campus in the fall.

Unlike the Baby Boilers five years ago, these guys will be coming into a program with certainty and talent.  Sure, Purdue is not Kentucky, but Purdue is a place where players develop over a four year period and the system works- defense creates offense and everyone busts their ass and is ready for their opportunity, even if they're not regularly in the rotation.  These ideas don't carry a ton of glamour with them- Purdue doesn't, nor has ever scored 80 points/game under Painter...and a lot of guys don't like playing defense that physically beats you up...but Purdue guys do.

This next class, along with the parts already in place might not be sexy to the media and outside world, but, they are a large departure from what Purdue fans have seen in the past five or six seasons...and it all starts with height.

Carroll (Jr), Marcius (Jr), Lawson (So), Hale (Fr), Simpson (Fr) and Hammons (Fr) are all 6'8" or taller...and most will be in a rotation for significant playing time.  In the last four years, Purdue has been knocked out by large Xavier, UConn and Kansas teams in the tourney...and during the season has struggled against big squads like aOSU, MSU and most recently, IU.  Getting bigger is important...but it's only part of the story.

What will this group need to do to compete for the conference title in '13? Here are a few things that I think should be a focus for the guys that are returning.

Senior DJ Byrd says via Twitter that he'll be doing P90X in an effort to chisel himself into a different player- that's probably a great place to start for this team.  With the flood of bigger players, Byrd might finally be able to move away from the block, especially on defense, and play a 2 or 3.  Once he got healthy in '12, his shot became a deadly weapon...and his timing for when he stepped up and hit big shots was just as important.  A leaner Byrd will be a quicker Byrd...and his hard-nosed, red ass demeanor will most-assuredly rub off on his teammates.  As DJ goes in '13, so go the Boilers...plain and simple.

Next up, the other two Seniors on the roster, Anthrop and Hart.  Let's be honest, these two haven't had too many opportunities to play significant minutes.  Anthrop is a former walk-on who benefited from Bade's departure from the team a year ago...and Hart, while having the ability to be instant offense has not been able to stay healthy for long-enough for Purdue fans to know what he's capable of.  A lot of speculation surrounds both guys- Painter is currently pursuing a JuCo player or single-year transfer to make an immediate impact at the guard position...and if Matty's successful in landing someone, it surely wouldn't help Anthrop or Hart's minutes.  Plus, there have been rumors that Hart's oft-injured foot is hampering him so badly that he might not take his final year of eligibility...granted, I haven't talked to Hart to confirm this.  In the best-case scenario though, these guys will be role players.  Anthrop could be a Bobby Riddell-type of guy by providing some stability and guidance as Ronnie Johnson grows into the college PG position over the course of next season. And if Hart can stay healthy, he simply has got to have the mentality to play defense, if he wants to be on the court.  His offense hasn't ever been a problem, but in Painter's system, his defense seems to be a liability.

Next up, if DJ Byrd is 1A for importance to the next season, Terone Johnson is 1B.  Like Byrd, it took Johnson a few weeks, if not months to get healthy.  But when he did, he made his presence known.  Johnson's ability to get to the basket and bulldog defenders with his strength is imperative to the team's success in a year from now...but his ever-improving defense might be more important.  TJohn's defensive progression is pretty comprable to E'Twaun Moore's at this point in his career...and if he can continue on a similar trajectory, he'll be one of the league's best defenders by the time he graduates.  And while his strength is important, getting quicker will make him a better on-ball defender...something that endears players to Matty.  So hopefully, like Byrd, TJohn can come into '12/'13 in the best shape of his life.

Marcius and Carroll are the other two Juniors on the team.  These guys have disappointed some Purdue fans with their lack of rapid progression...but the two power forwards couldn't be more different in the strengths of their game...so, they'll need to work on their games in different ways.  Carroll was not much of a banger in high school and used his ability to shoot the 18 footer to soften up defenses.  In college though, he's been forced to guard 7 footers and fill space in the lane as Purdue simply didn't have anyone else on the roster that could do that in '11/'12.  For Carroll to take the next step he needs to do a couple things- Get stronger, first and foremost.  A few years ago, we saw Bade dedicate himself to the weight room...and while that didn't pay off for Patrick, Carroll's ability to shoot plus a stronger body would do wonders for him and in turn, the team.  Carroll also needs to be able to do the most-simple of things- catch passes in the post...so he's gotta work on having soft hands.  Marcius on the other hand is a big, powerful guy...but he needs to work on his footwork.  We saw that when he uses his size effectively, he can rebound and even score every now and again...but getting quicker and more agile would help Marcius and the Boiler frontcourt immensely.

Anthony Johnson is one of two Sophomores for next season that needs to take a step...and in my opinion, he will be the guy who makes the biggest step forward on the team.  I think we'll see more of AJ at the point in the absence of LewJack...we saw this a bit last season.  Like Barlow before him, AJ's length creates tough match-ups for smaller guards...and offensively, he can do a lot.  We saw him put on a shooting exhibition v. IU in the second half...and for those of you who saw him play at Whitney in Illinois, you know he can shoot from long distance.  He also can drive and hit the tear drop that his pal TJohn likes so much.  But it's pretty obvious what would make him better on defense- strength.  At times this season, AJ was beaten up a bit by B1G guards...that happens with redshirt Freshman.  If he can gain some strength in the off-season, he will make a sizable jump in his effectiveness next fall/winter.

The other Sophomore is the uber-athletic Jacob Lawson.  I think if you watched Purdue last season, you can see Lawson's potential...but the college game was unlike anything he played in HS.  Lawson can block shots- no doubt about that.  But, his poor position on defense forced him to make stupid fouls over and over last season.  On the offensive end, he had a tough time in the blocks battling against bigger, stronger players...and couldn't pop out to hit a 15-17 footer to save his life.  So his off-season will require a ton of jump shots...something he probably hasn't worked on during his basketball career.  He'll also need one-on-one attention and will need to watch film to try to figure out where to be and when to be there, on defense.

His classmate, Donnie Hale redshirted in '11/'12...but don't sleep on Hale.  If you saw him play in the exhibition games and you're like me, you probably thought he was not going to be the guy to redshirt. Sure, he's thin.  But like Lawson, he's a great athlete and can block shots.  But he is much longer than Lawson...and can shoot the mid-range jumper better. I thought Hale might have made an impact that Lawson couldn't last season.  But bulking up a bit would help him greatly.  Along with AJ, I think Hale can make a big difference next season...and after two years of kind of being on the shelf, he should be hungry. His game as a Freshman might be similar to JJ's as a Frosh.

The incoming Frosh class is up next...have I told you that I like these guys? I like the fact that most have a chip on their shoulder and want to prove themselves to everyone...and, I like that these guys hate IU.  Check out their Twitter feeds some time if you think I'm kidding or exaggerating.  They're probably pretty damned sick and tired of hearing about IU's incoming class...they'll have the opportunity to play right away (in most cases) and make a name for themselves.

Ronnie Johnson is TJohn's little brother.  Since he's the third Johnson on the team, he'll need a nickname for this site.  I've got RoJo as my early leader; we'll see if it sticks.  RoJo is small like LewJack, but not as strong or quick...but he can shoot the rock.  Like former Purdue point guard, Alan Eldridge, he's a lefty who's as comfortable distributing as he is shooting.  His shot keeps defenders honest and forces them to play him much differently than LewJack before him.  I think he'll be starting by mid-December if not before as Purdue needs a true point guard.  Johnson will need to work on his strength as B1G defense will be demanding...and Painter wants to get back to pressuring the ball.  If you're looking for a current NCAA player to compare him to, look at Alabama PG, Trevor Releford.

Next up, a guy who contrasts greatly with RoJo, Raphael Davis. Davis plays a bit on offense like TJohn, but has better size.  He can shoot the jumper, but prefers to drive. In the offseason, he'll need to work on his quickness as Purdue's defensive philosophy will be tough for the true Freshman to adapt to...but his meanness will help him greatly on defense.

Jay Simpson comes into Purdue with a ton of different skills- he can run the floor, shoot from long range, play down low and rebound.  A lot of Purdue fans think he might be a prime candidate for a RS season since Purdue will have so much depth underneath...but I think he'll be tough to keep off of the floor. He'll need to work on his cardiac fitness.  He has asthma, and that hindered him a few times in high school...so it's an even tougher battle for him.  He reminds me a ton of MSU's Dancing Bear (before he dropped the weight), Draymond Green, but he's taller than Green was as a Frosh.

The guy that might be the biggest difference-maker before next four years are up is AJ Hammons. Hammons is listed at either 6'11" or 7'0", depending on where you look. But he's got long arms and his shot-blocking stats tell the story about his ability to change a game without the ball in his hands. He's blocked five or more shots with regularity in HS, loves cleaning the glass and is a great space-filler on defense.  His HS team is an all-star squad that is pretty much a couple of guards coming down and either pulling the trigger or driving...so Hammons doesn't get a ton of opportunities at Oak Hill. I look for Hammons to play right away, but not be a starter.  Think old school Boiler, Joe Barry Carroll, when you think of Hammons game.  And similarly to Carroll, Hammons is a laid-back guy who is his own man. Hammons will need to lean out a bit and work on getting from baseline to baseline in college, quicker than he needed to in high school.

One of the best things about this incoming class and the guys returning is that they get to go to Italy this summer to participate in one of those exhibition trips.  This will help them get to know each other and understand what they might need to work on.

Purdue will probably be picked to finish in the mid-lower-half of the B1G next season.  But, without the health problems that last season's team had...and a ton of guys hungry for playing time, I think you'll see Painter's team return to the style of play that was definitive before '11/'12.  Defense is a great equalizer...and I think Purdue's ability to match-up underneath will only help the guys up top as they get back to pressuring the ball.

Is it bad that I'm already excited for next November?

Giving Hutch Credit

This actually isn't a satirical piece, if you can imagine that. No, we're actually here to give Terry Hutchens his due respect since he got something damn close to accurate -- something that we tweaked him on back in October.

It takes gracious, respectful, non-childish people to admit when they're wrong. We're none of those things, but we're going to show the Indiana University Sportswriter of the Year some respect, anyway.

Ol' Terry had the conference finishing in the order on the left, while the actual finish is on the right:

Terry                                           Reality

1. OSU                                       OSU
2. MSU                                      MSU
3. Wisconsin                               Michigan
4. Michigan                                Wisconsin
5. Illinois                                     Indiana
6. Indiana                                   Purdue
7. Purdue                                   Northwestern
8. Northwestern                         Iowa
9. Iowa                                      Minnesota
10. Minnesota                            Illinois
11. Nebraska                             Nebraska
12. Penn State                            Penn State

So Terry hit four on the nose (first, second, eleventh and twelfth) and almost nailed it all with the exception of Illinois. And who among us could possibly have foreseen Illinois finishing tenth in the conference? But pull them out of the equation and Terry's crystal ball showed the correct order for Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern, Iowa, Minny, Nebraska and PSU. That's.....actually commendable. If only his crystal ball also told him what pant size to buy Tom Crean next Christmas.

Understand, this is not an endorsement of Terry Hutchens writing. We do not recommend you subject yourself to his inane ramblings, which recently have included a "What if Kentucky missed 14 more free throws against IU?" theme and has generated some hilarious additional article topic suggestions on Twitter. (Search on #futurehutcharticles.)

However, we did call Terry out and while we detest his blatant homerism and gorilla-level writing ability, we wanted to also show we're able to acknowledge when Terry find an acorn and that we were wrong to doubt him.

Of course, Purdue did finish higher that Hutch predicted....so there!

More About Blanketly Rooting For Your Conference

My esteemed co-editor addressed this on Friday, but since more content is always better than less content on a Web site when you're competing for readers with sites linked to Google and SEO, and because...well, I feel like it... here's  little more on our thoughts around being a stooge err, I'm sorry, fan who roots for the Big Ten simply because Purdue is in it.

First off, despite my little dig above, I am in no position to tell you who you can and cannot cheer for in any given sporting contest. If you want to root on Indiana while you attend Purdue, I can't -- and won't -- stop you. I can, however, think it's the wrong approach. It's like America that way: you're not obligated to follow my beliefs on hot button political issues, but you are required to at least respect my right to have such opinions.

We've taken some flak this past week (and other times) for refusing to blanketly root for the Big Ten in games not involving Purdue. We then attempt to explain ourselves (often in 140 character bites on Twitter) and yet the thicker-craniumed among you don't seem to understand. So we'll try again here.

Once again, you're entitled to cheer for whatever team, player or hairdo you like. But let me ask you this...Do we need to be actively rooting for a team in every single game? Can you just watch a basketball game to watch it? To see what happens? To be there for the moment of the tournament if it happens? Why is there this insistence among people that others must choose a side. This isn't the Presidential election. It's not Terminators versus the resistance. It's not ANWR. It's not gun control. It's just a basketball game.

If you're a fan of basketball in general and not really a fan of a team or program and rooting for a team (or against a team) makes it more interesting for you, then fine. But if you need this to keep your attention from wavering to shiny objects in the room, maybe you should just accept your fate as a sports gambler now. You'll love the casino sports books, where everyone is watching games like this.

My 64 year old mother was surprised to hear I was happy Indiana was losing to Kentucky over the weekend. "You're not rooting for the Big Ten?" she asked, aghast. So yeah, that's who is in the same boat as you folks who think you're somehow obligated to root for your conference out of some misplaced loyalty that even the schools themselves don't have.

Don't get me wrong. I don't want to see Kentucky win, either. But if Kentucky wins, as B-dowd pointed out, it's only a matter of time until they have to roll up the banner and put it in a storage closet. And more to the point -- and less snarkily -- what does Kentucky winning do to Purdue? I mean, if you want to relate the outcome of these games to your own favorite program, what does a Wildcats national championship do to you? Everyone knows they're the most talented team. Everybody knows they're the favorite. If they win, it's almost expected. Almost a, "well, we knew this was coming." If IU won it all or made the Final Four? You'd have to hear about it forevah!

"How's that feel??"

Okay, you might say, but what about BS' distaste for supporting brethren from MSU or OSU? Let me ask you this -- do you think the braindead media who incessantly refer to the Big Ten as slow, plodding, mediocre, etc., will ever stop doing that? Does it matter that the Big Ten is the best conference by any objective measure? Anyone who knows college basketball knows that and yet there's still a dumbass notion that the SEC is "quicker" or the Big East is "more competitive."  It's all nonsense, made up by lazy-ass sportswriters who are too terrible at their jobs to do even the tiniest bit of research. So does MSU/OSU winning a title or going to a FF change that? Of course it doesn't. It doesn't make Purdue look any better, if that's what you think. And beyond that.... I don't know what you think it does that's positive. Tom Izzo getting another banner and slipping further into the slippery muck that he's now comfortable in? Thad Matta -- a coach nobody has ever accused of being a good X's and O's guy -- getting an even stronger foothold in Big Ten country? Do you guys somehow think that OSU going to the Final Four and/or winning a national title is somehow good for your favorite program? Because it isn't.

The analogy I've used a number of times when dealing with SEC braindeads is that of pro sports. I'm a Yankee fan (yes, yes, I know -- just go with it for a moment), but do you think I cheer for the Red Sox to win if the Yankees are out (I know, this is fiction, but go with me here -- hey-yo!)? Why would anyone want to cheer on one of their rivals? One of the teams they see their boys do battle with usually multiple times a year? Because we don't want, what.... the Big 12 to win a championship? Who cares? I'd rather see the teams/programs that I hate with regularity suffer. Even the cynical and curmudgeonly among us -- what do we get out of seeing North Carolina or Kansas lose? We don't deal with those fan bases on a regular basis. OSU, MSU, IU, UM...those we do.

The best way I think I can explain our approach -- and I think B-dowd and I are similar in this way -- is each game is taken individually and evaluated. Could there be a scenario where we find ourselves actively rooting for IU? I suppose... like if the Soviet Union reformed and IU was playing for the honor of America and to stop communist aggression. That sort of thing.

Truth is, we've both found ourselves rooting for IU in football. When Coach Gum Throwy was there, you bet your ass we wanted to see them beat programs like Michigan. Yet if they were one win from a bowl season and were playing Michigan, it might be a different story.

Back to basketball, though. As the matchups are determined and often as the games draw closer, that's when we find ourselves gravitating to a side. And when the battles are between two truly unlikable characters or programs, well, I go back to what I said earlier: Why do we have to root for either? Can't we just see how the game goes? Maybe Rick Pitino will collide with Anthony Davis coming out of the tunnel, break his (Pitino's) nose and get blood all over this $3,000 suit and then the scoreboard will fall on Calipari. Who knows.

Our allegiance is to our alma mater. After that, it's all just noise.

Monday Gumbo

The final Four is set as everyone knows- Ohio State v. Kansas and Kentucky v. Louisville.

A couple things you might want to take note of...just for future reference.  First, most obviously, only one #1 seed made the final weekend of the tourney.  J noted on Twitter how many of EsPN's pundits had at least two #1s...some had four; and these are the experts, right?  As much as it feels good, always resist the urge to go chalk...unless you're talking women's basketball.

Sidenote: J and I aren't women's basketball fans...and this is just one of the reasons.  Not only does the women's tournament seems to run according to seed almost always, BUT, massive blowouts in the round of 16 happen regularly. There were 27 and a 44-point discrepancies this weekend in the women's tourney...and neither of those was because a Cinderella made it through.  Only two of the eight games were single-digit games...Plus, not one lower seed won a game.  That will leave the women with a final eight of 1v.2...times four. You won't hear us tell you what to do on this site- if you like the women's game, watch to your heart's content; but we won't be.

Back to the men's game.

Moral Victories Stink
In 2012, for the fourth year in the last five, Purdue was knocked out of the tourney by an eventual FF team...the only exception was Xavier.  Two of those three (this year is yet to be decided, obviously) were eventually crowned national champs.

For me though, that says two things- One, timing is everything.  If your squad plays the wrong team at the wrong time (read as VCU), it's tough to overcome that. Second, there's no solace in losing to anyone, even a team that wins the championship.

Thoroughbreds
If you take a glance at the teams that made the final four, it's no surprise that talent reigns supreme; almost always does.  But almost all of this year's FF teams have length- good height and long arms...coupled with athleticism.  The team that has been the best on paper all year, Kentucky, has a line-up that would make many NBA teams jealous.  They have size, they have length, they have athleticism...plus almost the entire team shoots their free throws in the 70% range or higher...and they get to the line a lot.  In other words, they do it all well.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think Kentucky's pros will finally bring all-around good guy, Calipari, his first national title.

And to clarify...again (because this is something that doesn't seem to come across via Twitter).  Just because we think someone will win the national title, doesn't mean we like or root for that team.  Of the remaining four, I'll be pulling for Kansas...mainly because I don't want to see aOSU, Kentucky or Louisville win it.

Good Journalism
On late Friday night/early Saturday morning, Butler's Brad Stevens' name started lighting up Twitter.  Rumors of a 21-28 million dollar contract offer from Illinois came first and then, of course, news guys started saying Stevens would be announced as the new Illini coach on Saturday.

Stevens quickly denied ever being offered a contract...and a day later re-affirmed that he'd be staying at Butler.

For those of you keeping score at home, Illinois has been turned down by Smart and Stevens...next up, they'll probably offer Ohio's coach, Groce, college basketball's most-recent "it" name. Since he's only had four years at Ohio, hasn't planted deep roots, and Illinois will offer to quintuple his salary, I think he'll be the guy that takes Weber's place in Champaign.

Groce graduated from Taylor, and later coached under Matta at Butler and aOSU (and a few other stops as well).

Football Scrimmage
This time of year is always tough to tell what's really going on with Purdue's football team as Hope keeps practices and scrimmages locked-down.  But here's a quick report for those of you who haven't put the pieces of info together that's available.

The QBs (Marve and TerBush, specifically) have looked good as has the new-look offensive line.  But, in spite of that, the defense still won Saturday's scrimmage.  That's understandable as it always takes offenses a bit longer to get in sync...then again, this is a defense that is showing new looks and has a coaching staff comprised of a lot of new guys.

What we do absolutely know is there have been no major injuries...the best info that can come out of Spring football practice.

Just to clarify: NCAA tourney thoughts

There are a lot of people on Twitter who seem to not understand what J was talking about last night; so here's the deal:

Neither of us pulled too hard for the B1G last night.

In short, we don't have a ton of love for the conference.

A few years ago, J and I discussed how Purdue people tend to root for the conference when the Boilers have been knocked out of the tourney or during bowl games.  But J started seeing the error of blindly following the conference when living in SEC country as SEC shills would root for the entire conference rather than their alma mater.  I think this behavior pissed him off, so he made an about face.

I, on the other hand, have had a problem with the conference for a long time.  Let's not forget that in the first 50 years or so of the existence of the conference, teams like aOSU would get special treatment.  For instance, those teams wouldn't have to play road games but about once in every four years when playing conference foes.  It's a bit easier to dominate opponents when you never have to leave the friendly confines, don't you think.  But that's an old axe to grind...let's fast-forward a few years.

When all of the problems came up a few seasons ago about aOSU players receiving cars, tattoos and gear in exchange for SWAG, one of their defenses were that the kids didn't have enough money because of NCAA rules and regulations.  Nearly immediately, Delany and company started using their soap box to try to get some more money in the hands of athletes...the timing just kind of stunk.

On top of this, aOSU's history of cheating makes me dislike them a lot...and Wisconsin's style of basketball a few years ago, which set college basketball back 30 years or so, coupled with their unlikable fan base forces me to almost-never root for Bucky.  And most-recently, MSU players and coaches alike seem to have come together to brush a very serious situation under the rug...while the media tells us how squeaky-clean Sparty really is...And then, there is the shady summer of '10.

But honestly, last night was an awful night to pick whom to root for in the NCAA tournament.

aOSU v. Cincy
Outside of Aaron Craft's defense and his blush-covered cheeks, what's there to love in this match-up?

L'Ville v. MSU
Old Slime v. New Slime

Wisc v. 'Cuse
I rooted for Bo...see where that got me??

Fla v. Marq
Once again, thanks for nothing, Marquette.  That might be the last time I root for you guys.

Rooting for the state of Wisconsin was the easiest thing to do last night.  A Wisconsin win would have insured no more entitled whining from Boeheim in my TV.  Sadly, that didn't work out because Taylor and co. have no offense other than shooting 22 footers.  Next up, I rooted for Marquette because the Golden Eagles' coach and I look like brothers (so handsome)...and Donavan is a dirty gangster who made a bad deal with the devil to get two national titles.  Root for the other four?? I'd only feel dirty and disgusting this morning.  It's best to stay neutral...something that I clearly am not a fan of.

Tonight, do yourself a favor and root for the underdogs, sans IU of course, and Baylor instead of X.  It'll be the easiest way to respect yourself in the morning.

Now, specifically addressing the IU v. Kentucky game-  There are Purdue fans out there who say they must root for IU...Huh?

Clearly, these people don't live in Indiana and never get on the interwebnets.  I can tell you that the last thing that this state needs is all news being pushed aside for yet another week of Crean's shiny forehead being on the HD screen.  Don't get me wrong, I can't stand Calipari...but all of this year's wins will be vacated by 2015, so none of this will matter in the not-too-distant future.  The best case scenario is IU gets lambasted tonight and none of it counts after Calipari has headed to the NBA (again).  That way, no one really wins...and the ideal scenario occurs: everyone loses.

Ryne Smith Shares Some End of Season Thoughts

Excited to be here

By Ryne Smith

Special to Boiled Sports

Boilers- 

First of all, I want to send a huge thanks to all the fans for the past four years of my life. Being a Boilermaker is something that I am unbelievably proud of, and I know its cliché but black and gold will run through my veins forever.

I’m glad to join the chumps of Boiled Sports. I was fortunate enough to get to know these guys through Keith Rhoades (BoilermkrHero on Twitter), who is also a chump. But I love ‘em. As for this post, I just wanted to give y’all a follow up of our season, and give some perspective that most people may not get.

The majority of people may already believe this, and you can call me biased but I could care less. Matt Painter belongs in the category of the top tier coaches in college basketball. He is simply the best. I’ve been around the game since I was an infant and he has forgotten more about coaching/basketball than I know. I can say this now that I don’t ever have to participate in one of his practices again, and I’m sure he knows this, but on certain days, I couldn’t stand him. But that was all part of my immaturity. I didn’t see the bigger picture at times. He is a tremendous motivator and looking back on the bad days all can say to myself is, “Ok, I gotcha Coach. You were right.” 

Although there were days where I thought it wouldn’t work out for me, that was never an option. I can say now that I would run through a brick wall for that man if he asked me to, which is true for every guy who was on the roster at the end of the season. After four years deeply involved in the Purdue Basketball program, I can guarantee this: there is not a sniff of illegal activity going on. Purdue just does things the right way. Win or lose. With everything that goes on in major college basketball these days that is seriously something that the Boilers can hang their hat on. Coach has created a system of rules on and off the court that not only creates improvement on the court, but turns boys into men. Coach Paint doesn’t use players for his own good; he helps players use the game of basketball for their own good.   

Spending four years under Painter, and fully buying into his system, regardless of how many points you score, or how many W’s you get, you will exit the program a winner. You will be prepared for the real world, which is ultimately the main goal, correct?

As for the athletic department as a whole, Purdue is first class. Absolutely a first class institution. I get the sense that people criticize Morgan Burke sometimes which is beyond me. [Uhhhh...-J] I didn’t hear anybody criticizing the 100 million dollar renovation to Mackey Arena. I was fortunate enough to get one year in the new palace. I’m jealous of the guys remaining on the team and recruits who get to enjoy that. Also, the work being put on the new baseball stadium, and renovations to the soccer complex is ridiculously nice. I fully believe that when it is all said and done Morgan Burke and his staff will be remembered as the masterminds behind the incredible improvements to Purdue sports. Not to mention the people who hired coaches like Matt Painter, Sharon Versyp, and Dave Shondell, whose résumés speak for themselves. 

Although the improvements to the facilities are remarkable, what’s truly remarkable is where the Athletic Administration has kept the student-athlete GPA. Again, as cliché as it sounds, being a student comes first at Purdue.

This season was a roller coaster ride. Fortunately, even though the end of the Kansas game was the most heartbroken I have ever been, the last portion of the season was the most fun I had ever had with a team. We came together, won some big games, and had a blast doing it. The bond I’ve created with my teammates is something that can’t be explained. 

Lewis and Rob were unbelievable for Purdue’s program. I am so privileged to call them not only my teammates, but my friends. If Robbie Hummel’s story doesn’t inspire you, then you probably just don’t have a soul, let’s just leave it at that. Unfortunately for my future kids, they will have to hear about overcoming adversity like that every time they complain.

I’m trading in my basketball sneakers for a laptop computer to give y’all another perspective with the boys from Boiled. Joining the ranks of non-athletic chumps, but hey, ya #CantKnockTheHustle. Last words of wisdom: Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. 

Then you will be a mile away, and you will have their freakin’ shoes.

Boiler Up, Hail Purdue.

-Ryno

@RyneSmith_

Honoring Rob

At the close of the Kansas game, Steve Kerr said that Purdue should simply go back to West Lafayette and immediately retire Rob Hummel's number. This suggestion caught on immediately on Twitter and now with Facebook page devoted to it. We put out there that at Purdue, we don't retire numbers, as no one player is greater than the team.

Sure, there are numbers in the rafters, but those are specific to All-American selections. Those numbers are not retired. At Purdue, Drew Brees' number 15 isn't retired. Neither is John Wooden's 13. But do you have any doubt that those numbers are theirs? Of course you don't.

I remember I learned of the non-retirement policy when I was early in my time at Purdue and Mike Alstott was wrapping up his Boilermaker career. I assumed they would have to honor Mike with a retired number ceremony at some point, only to see someone take on #40 within about a year or two of Mike's departure.

I'm not suggesting Rob doesn't deserve the honor -- understand that. If tomorrow Morgan Burke announces that the number 4 will never be worn at Purdue again, I'll be right there alongside you all cheering the raising of Rob's number to the rafters. But is it necessary? Would Rob want to be the first number officially retired at Purdue? I can't speak for him, obviously, but my guess is he would prefer not.

Rob Hummel was the ultimate team guy. He wanted Purdue to succeed, he wanted his teammates to succeed and he wanted the fans to revel in that success. He wanted to reward Coach Painter's faith and confidence in him and he wanted to take Purdue as far as possible and very far from the dark days of where they were when he was recruited.

I think how Rob is honored has less to do with hanging a number and more to do with how you -- all the fans -- remember and respect him. He's already honored in your hearts, to put a corny phrase on it. The love I've seen from Purdue fans towards Rob Hummel is astounding. He's a guy who has earned that affection and a guy who -- in a time in sports where you often can't say this -- very much deserves it. Every single description of Rob is the same, from people who admire him from afar to the people who know him so well. He's a great guy, a terrific teammate and a bleeding gold and black Boilermaker. You all know that and you treat him as such. Not as a god, but as a Boilermaker. He makes you proud -- that's how you honor a legend.

So you know each time his smiling face is shown at Mackey, each time he comes back for a visit, if he catches on in the NBA and succeeds.... you know that we will all be cheering it and showering him with not only love and praise...but thanks. Thanks for being the guy we all needed him to be. Thanks for being the guy that Purdue needed at a critical time. Thanks for being so easy to root for it was almost hard to believe.

Given all of that, are symbolic gestures like jersey retirements even necessary? If your answer is still yes, then as I said, I won't argue vehemently against it. But if we have to go a symbolic route, what about something befitting of a guy who did things differently from the typical stars in today's game? Something unique.

What Hummel has been for fans and even members of the media is noteworthy.  But, what he has personified for current and future Purdue basketball players might be more important-  He's obviously a great basketball player who did a lot well and worked very hard and did the little things to become one of the nation's best. He's been a good guy off the court who almost-always had time for fans, especially kids. And lastly, and probably most-importantly, Hummel was a player who fought through adversity, defied odds, never backed down and did it all without complaining. That's being a Boilermaker...In fact, in an ideal world all Purdue players would try to display these traits. So maybe the players should have a reminder close by of what #4 meant to the program at a pivotal time.

I'm certainly open to more ideas and encourage you to share them, but what about an idea like a small "4" somewhere on the court? Along the baseline? Near one of his favorite three-point spots? Or how about, as a team guy, the "4" isn't put in the rafters but is modestly sized and placed on the floor near the Purdue bench? A nod to Rob's legacy at Purdue and what he meant to everyone, with the understanding that he meant the most to that bench of guys?

As I said, I would love to hear other suggestions that are outside the box. Rob was not your typical captain or your typical "star." So why not honor him in a nontypical way as well?

End O' Season Handsome Hour

The Handsome Duo is back...and they're kicking ass and taking names...

And talking about Elizabeth Hurley, of course.

Listen, Love, Learn...Get Handsome!

Listen to internet radio with Boiled Sports on Blog Talk Radio

Handsome Venting Hour - Tonight

Barring an hiccup in our availability and schedules, we're going to run an impromptu, previously unscheduled Handsome Hour tonight, mainly for ourselves to get some thoughts off our chests. It'll be cathartic for all of us. Or us, at least.

You're cordially invited to listen at 9:30 PM, ET, tonight at this link.

The Morning After

It doesn't feel any less lousy this morning. The Boilermakers still lost a game that they led nearly wire-to-wire. They lost a game where they shot a better percentage -- albeit with a serious dropoff in the second half -- than a presumably much better team. They lost a game where, perhaps most frustratingly for me, they didn't force Kansas to make a play, to win it. Kansas simply took Purdue's turnovers and long rebounds and won the game with breakaways. Sure, they count just as much and the Jayhawks won and move on, but it doesn't feel like it was supposed to end like this.

We all knew there was a good chance that this would be the seniors' final game. But after 38 minutes of basketball, it just felt like it couldn't end now. When you lead a game the entire time and -- to their credit -- find ways to edge the lead back up each time the powerhouse Jayhawks cut into it. In fact, the lead did get to double digits in the second half. And in most years, with a Matt Painter coached team, if I said you had a double digit lead anytime in the second half against pretty much anybody, I think you'd take it.

So many odd things happen in the tournament. Rob goes for 22 in the first half but just 4 in the second. However, that can be credited to Kansas, who while they were outcoached by the Purdue staff, clearly is good enough to go into the locker room and say, "Let's guard Hummel and not let him beat us... let's make someone else beat us." It was a smart approach and it worked.

In other games recently, it might have been Terone Johnson who beat them, and Zero showed with 10 points in the second half, but his teardrop was just not splashing like it has of late. In other games, it might have been the little man, Lewis Jackson, who has gone for 18 (vs St. Mary's), 17 (vs IU), 20 (vs Minn) this season, for example. But Lew's patented high-speed, running layup was just refusing to fall, slowly rolling off the rim at least three separate times. Lew shot 2/11 for the game. How often does that happen? (Not often.)

It could have been Ryne, another favorite of BS. But Ryno was only 1/2 from the floor last night, hitting his only real shot and just missing the last-second prayer that, quite frankly, as about as good a look as Purdue could expect in the situation they were in. Who could have expected that Ryne would have just three points in two tourney games? It's unusual and not something you could have predicted.

Purdue had trouble on the glass all year. Yet here, against two of the better big men in the nation, the Boilers were only outrebounded 35-32 -- damn near a wash. And when you look at the starting five's rebounds for the Boilermakers you see this column of numbers: 9-6-3-8-4. Guys were gutting it out and doing everything they could.

Sandi Marcius, for all the abuse he's taken from Purdue fans, played hard and did what he was asked. Sandi had 11 DNPs in the Boilers' final 21 games. Yet when he was asked to be a body, use his fouls and grab rebounds, Sandi didn't sulk, pout or give a lackadaisical effort. He gave an effort to be proud of, because that's what Boilermakers do.

The effort was recognized on the other side, too, as Bill Self clearly had loads of respect for the Boilers. Interestingly to me also was the way Self's players quite obviously respected Purdue's effort and Rob Hummel in particular. Those guys didn't seem like a great group of dudes but in the handshake line, Jayhawk after Jayhawk stopped Rob to do more than give the typical "good game." He scared them and almost beat them single-handedly and those guys wanted to let him know they respected it. 

I saw some raw emotions after the game last night on the instantaneous medium that is Twitter. I stopped looking after a few trolling IU losers did their usual sad-life, antagonism routine, but before I did -- immediately after the game -- I saw some harsh criticisms directed at a couple guys in particular that I'd like to address here.

Lewis Jackson -- For anyone who wants to batter Lew for those final two possesstions, especially the second to last one where he ended it with a turnover, I guess you're entitled. But the isolation play was called for Lew, a senior who has been as much a part of Purdue's successes over the past four years as anyone. Lew, a senior who has repeatedly shown an ability to use his quickness to get a layup even when, as Steve Kerr put it during the broadcast, the other team knows it's coming.

Purdue had been shooting cold in the second half and the Jayhawks defense had, as mentioned, bottled up Rob. So why not keep it in the hands of your senior leader? No, Lewis didn't come through in that particular moment. But do not let that cloud your memories of all the times Lew has come through and all the games Purdue won in large part due to his contribution.

He's one of ours and he sold out and risked his future back health for the old gold and black. Do not forget that.

Matt Painter -- I don't quite understand this, but there are those out there who seem to think Painter isn't a good coach. Maybe it's the drama we saw last year and the resulting bigger contract dollars. Regardless, if you think Matt Painter "cost" Purdue that game, then I don't think you know a whole lot about basketball. Throughout this game, I kept thinking that if Purdue was indeed able to pull this win off, that I'd be writing about this game as Matt Painter's best performance as Purdue head coach. And you know what? I still kind of think it is.

Matt even got the Jayhawks to change their game. Withey, the 7-foot center, played well below his averages in minutes, points and rebounds, largely because Coach Self and company decided to go with a smaller, guard-heavy lineup at times -- something that we as Purdue fans were fine with.

Coach Matty took the parts that he had at his disposal -- parts that did not match up in any way to the bigger, skilled Jayhawks -- and found a way to make it work. He found a way to get this team to rebound with Kansas. He found a way to get contributions from guys who -- as mentioned -- were no-shows or one-minute players for the past couple of months. If that's not good coaching, I don't know what is.

Season Over

Coming into this one, I read, watched and studied the same material that Painter and co. did...to a lesser extent of course.  And I saw a bloodbath as imminent.

5-start talent backed up by four-star talent and superior size at every position.  This team reminds me a lot of aOSU, but a bit of a caricature of them in that they are so physically-strong.  And Purdue's struggle all year has been against physical, talented and large teams.

But Matty and company had a good plan and fired every bullet in the chamber at the 'Hawks...and it almost worked.

J and I talked away from the site about how it would take someone throwing the team on their back to win this one. To no one's surprise, #4 played like he did versus aOSU a few years ago at Mackey and went crazy in the first half...but got bottled up by great defense in the second half.  But, it was more than just Hummel that kept Purdue in the lead for most of this game.

That said, Hummel's 26 points, 9 rebounds and a block were huge.  I'm not sure if Hummel's knee had been sore coming in...but tendonitis wasn't an issue in this one.  Hummel played frenetically away from the ball, and with surgeon-like precision with the ball.  In the one-on-one battle with Kansas AA, Robinson, he won...but I'm sure he would have gladly traded stats for another game in the left hand column.

Here are some things that stood out to us:
-Marcius started...played hard and pulled down 6 big rebounds in 16 minutes. Ryne Smith came off the bench. Carroll and Lawson also played in an effort to match-up with the Jayhawks.
-We've been begging and pleading just for a tiny taste of zone defense for years from Matty.  Tonight we got to see it.  Sure, it kind of looked like they had never played the match-up zone before...but this showed how much gutting and grinding the coaches really did in their preparation for the contest.
-Purdue's scrappy, frustrating defense that we thought we'd see this year returned for this game...and that bodes well for next season.
-Byrd finished with 10/3. TJohn had 10/8...and LewJack had 5 pts, 5 ast, 4 reb.

All of this and a Purdue team that was selling out time and again led to a one-point lead, 59 seconds on the clock...and Purdue ball.  Purdue 60 Kansas 59. I knew it would take perfect execution or tremendous luck for Purdue to win...Purdue got neither.

After a timeout, Painter ran an isolation play for LewJack, but Kansas' defense made it two defenders v. LewJack.  After the ball was knocked away, Kansas finished on the other end quickly and had a one-point lead. Purdue 60 Kansas 61. But Purdue would have another shot.

Purdue used another timeout and had :24 seconds to make something happen.This time, the offense made much more sense...and Hummel got a good look from the right side...but it didn't fall. After a defensive rebound, Kansas got another runout and finished again...Purdue 60 Kansas 63.

Purdue used the final 2.4 seconds to get the ball in Smith's hands who took a runner from about 29 feet.  It banked off of the glass, hit the front of the rim and fell to the ground.  Final: Purdue 60 Kansas 63.

Season over...and the same goes for Hummel, Smith and LewJack's careers in gold and black...and that's what stings.  For some reason, bidding these guys farewell is really hard for J and I...but we've loved watching them for the last 4/5 seasons.

Purdue's players looked crushed as they walked through the line with Kansas after the game.  I don't think there's any doubt that they thought they should have or could have won...but it didn't happen.

Painter wanted a team in the middle of the season that would fight hard; at that time, he didn't have it.  But, by mid-March, he had found one that fought hard and consistently.  Perhaps if the team we saw play tonight had existed back in December, they wouldn't have had to play Kansas in the second round...but, this group was playing their best basketball this evening...and if nothing else, they went down swinging.



"Ever Grateful. Ever True."

A Look Ahead to Jayhawks

Georgetown just got done doing what Georgetown do: Bowing out of the tournament early.  The end result is NC State is heading to St. Louis to play the winner of Purdue v. Kansas.

Now let me tell you what I think about this evening's match-up (Look away if you have a weak stomach):

This game is about match-ups...and here's what we know.  Purdue's two victories versus ranked opponents came against UM and St. Mary's.  Both teams used guard play as the strength that led them to a ton of wins.  Our Boilers have few problems when playing guard-happy teams.  They have good defensive and offensive players in the backcourt who can play against anybody...in the frontcourt, the story changes.

Here are some teams that controlled Purdue from wire to wire in one or more contests this season: Alabama, MSU, aOSU and IU.  What do they all have in common? Good big men...athletic, long, strong players who Purdue simply has no answer.

So here comes Kansas.

They have not one, but two skilled big guys in their starting line-up.  One is a player of the year candidate, the other gobbles up space and averages nearly 10 points, 7 boards and 3 blocks. So who guards Robinson and Withey?  I have no idea.

My guess is that we'll see Hummel, Byrd, Carroll, Marcius and Lawson all try to juggle Kansas' large pair.  And I also think this group effort will yield a pretty big struggle as none of them are great match-ups for Robins and Withey.  Byrd's not big enough, Hummel's not quick enough, Carroll's not strong-enough, Marcius isn't skilled enough and Lawson has a hard time finding position in the post.  If we could combine all of them, we might have a pair of formidable post players; sadly I don't think we have the technology to do that just yet.

So, methinks it'll take some hot shooting- something we haven't seen in a few games, to just keep it close. Byrd, Smith and Hummel are all due for a good game offensively...especially Smith and Hummel.  But there are no guarantees...One thing that Purdue can control though is being smart on offense.  They can make the extra pass (I'm talking to you, Robbie), not take hasty threes out of the flow of the offense (I'm talking to you, DJ) and let the game come to you (I'm talking to you, Ryne).

It can happen...Purdue can go to the sweet 16; we've seen the underdog come through time and again during this tournament.  But there's a reason those games are exciting- they're rare and unexpected, even at this time of year.

Kansas is a a team that hauls in 4 and 5-star athletes with regularity and sends them off to the league just as quickly.  On this year's Jayhawk starting line-up, there are probably three future NBA players.  They've been ranked between 3 and 7 for the last 12 weeks or so.  The RPI likes them as much as humans- they landed at 6 at the end of the season.  And while rankings don't really matter, their #2 seeding puts them in exactly the place they should be this Spring; among the elite of the nation.

Our Boilers on the other hand struggled for much of the season to figure out who they were and how to play together.  This 4 month game of grab ass reaped a 10 seed.  Sure, our Boilers played their best ball in the last month, there's no question about that, but no one called Purdue elite in '11-'12.  All this means is that Purdue has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Purdue's Captains might be holding all the cards

Some (myself included) might argue that Purdue is already playing with the house's money...and is already ahead.  Winning one game in the tourney (let alone two) is really a gift...and as a fan, I'm pretty pleased with my alma mater's basketball team already.  I'm positive that Matty isn't as pleased as I am...and his three Seniors are probably more motivated than they've been in the last four years to defy the odds; something they've already done a few times.

That said, Ryne, LewJack, Robbie and co. are sitting in the perfect place to sneak up on some people- hopefully they do just that to Kansas.  Tip-off is in just under 5 hours, at 8:40.

Day 2: Dancing According to Form

Don't get me wrong- I wouldn't trade Day 1 of the tourney for my bestest day of work...and I like my job.  But, Day 2 is why I love this time of year like a third child that my wife and I don't have- It's not just upsets, it's back-and-fourth basketball, and guys selling out as if they know they might never play anything but church league ball again...and Duke losing.  That was the cherry atop a ginormous sundae of college basketball placed in front of me on Friday.

Happy Fun Time

-I had Missouri in my Final Four- good pick, right?  But, no part of me was rooting for the tigers as Norfolk State calmly controlled that game as if they'd been there. Sure, three or four of the green-clad NSU players had names that sounded like they came from Dublin, and there's no doubt a little luck of the Irish didn't hurt them so close to St. Pat's Day.  But their players were amazingly sportsmanlike, it seemed- I saw those guys helping up Mizzou players after contact time and again.  Tough not to like an underdog; let alone one that is amazingly-classy.

A ton of Purdue fans this year thought aloud about how Painter must feel about Mizzou's success.  Painter answered that question on Thursday by saying he was happy to see those coaches and players doing well as he knew them and thought of Mizzou's AD as a good guy.  Who knows if Matty would have led the Tigers to 30 wins this season...but I bet he wouldn't have let that group bow out in the first round.  No matter- a Big12 Championship is a pretty good season- I just wish I hadn't bought into the Tigers on my bracket...must be the colors that blind me- I also have Vandy in the Final Four.

-I sarcastically picked Lehigh to beat Duke during the HH this week...and of course I was right.  I don't have much to say about this game other than this wasn't a typical Duke team, and it showed on Friday.  The Plumlees are goons (normal Duke type goons), and they have guys that can shoot and D up anyone...but Rivers seemed to play his own game pretty often...so they just weren't that great of a cohesive team.  By the way, they never were all season...and the ACC (as a whole) stunk this year, so they fit in nicely.

-There's a new CDW commercial with a guy on it that looks like Hammer and Rail's founder, TMill's fat, dorky red-headed brother.

And speaking of commercials, any commercial with a talking baby or a monkey will get my attention...the rest of them are white noise and reason to turn the station or get a refill- make a note of it, ad execs.

-My Belmont as a darkhorse pick was as bad as Mizzou to the FF...and in a related note, the Big East kind of redeemed itself after a crappy first day. G'Town was dominant, Cincy punched a crappy Texas team in the mouth time and again, and South Florida scored more than 25 points in a half to beat Temple in a rock fight.

UND played in the least-likable game of the tournament thus far...and lost.  But really, we all lost for having to pick a side. Scott Martin's heroic 11 points couldn't stop Tu Holloway from zipping up the Irish's season.

-UM pooped on the B1G's perfect first round by doing what Beilein teams do- raise expectations only pulverize them via underwhelming, disappearing play. The florescent yellow and blue were in the top-15 for most of the year.  And their Friday foe was a flippin' MAC squad who hovered in the 50s for most of the year and played a schedule that was funny like a clown.  Yet, they didn't have many problems with UM.  Christian Laettner Novak and Douglass went out with a whimper combining for 7 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.

Next year, a new era of disappointment begins next season as Beilein welcomes 5-star recruit PF/C, McGary, Big Dog's son and some other guy.

-I was silly yet again this year as I looked at the bracket.  I thought, "Self, that Mountain West Conference is pretty-darned good...give them a few wins." So I did just that.  Stupid brain.

At the end of the second real day of the tourney and the first real round, SDSU, UNLV and Colorado State had all gone the way of the Doc Sadler era.  The only remaining Mountain Weak West member is pretty Steve Alford's New Mexico squad. I have them beating Louisville...so they'll be out soon as well.

-Day three of the best sports weekend of the year is already underway as "Bitchy" Jim Boeheim's team is already playing K. State.  Sadly, this one's going according to seed.

-Tomorrow night, Sunday, the Forces of Good will play the large and talented Jayhawks from KU at 8:40. Tune in and enjoy.  Hopefully the team sees this game for what it is- a great chance to gain much and lose little.

BS Research shows winning is better than losing.

Until then, savor the fact that this team just won and did it without barely a whisper from Hummel and a silent game from Smith.  Methinks they both are due.

Boilers Use Johnson Penetration To Overpower Gaels, 72-69

The Boilers did a nice job of recreating their season in handy, capsule form tonight. Starting out well, the Boilers methodically built themselves a lead as the Gaels of St. Mary's refused to believe they should try something other than three-pointers.

Eventually, Purdue fans began to feel a bit comfortable as the game was taking on a look of some of those Purdue games down the stretch, where an opponent would begin to creep back in but then the Boilers would stretch it back out again. And they did do that throughout the second half, until about three minutes remained and the good guys were up 66-55. Then the Gaels churned out a 14-2 run to take their first lead of the game with less than a minute remaining, 69-68. It was happening again.

I think it's safe to say nearly all of us thought about Xavier and Butler and the fact that just minutes earlier, we were smiling inside thinking about Rob, Lew and Ryne advancing in their final NCAA tourney. Now it was suddenly, cruelly, about to be ripped away from them. But at least Terone Johnson had the ball... Terone was a man again tonight, pouring in 21 points and dishing five assists (if this was IU, Jeff Rabjohns would be hyperventilating -- but it's not IU and Terone isn't white, like Jordan Hulls). But then Terone turned the ball over. St. Mary's had the ball and the lead and just over a half minute to go -- it was over for Purdue and that sinking feeling was upon us.

If you're anything like me, it almost wasn't hitting you full force yet -- mainly because the blowing of this lead happened so damn fast. Literally in a span of a few minutes, the Boilers went from up double-digits to losing. Alas it was the only three minutes the Gaels would be able to put together, as they then traveled on the baseline attempting to inbounds it and it came back to the Boilers. And, again if you're like me, you suddenly felt a lot of hope. I didn't think Terone would make another mistake and I knew Purdue had seniors on the floor who weren't ready to go home.

Sure enough, Lewis Jackson took the ball towards the basket and was fouled. He then made two to complete is excellent 18 point night, including 6/8 from the line. Strangely, Lew was credited with zero assists -- the only time this season that has happened and only the third time in all of Lewis Jackson's college games ever. Very strange, but assist crediting can be very subjective.

Anyhow, Lewis made both his free throws to give the Boilers the lead, which the Gaels responded to -- down one, remember -- with a long range three that missed everything terribly and went out of bounds. In fact, it may have injured a cheerleader it was so off-target. As I said, the Gaels were stubborn about that. (Their coach said at halftime that he figured they wouldn't shoot as poorly in the second half as their 1-15 three-point shooting performance in the first. Well, he was right: they went 3-10 in the second.) The Boilers inbounded to Mr. Rob Hummel, who was promptly fouled and I -- like many others, I am sure -- absolutely loved that it was Rob who was striding to the line to take the critical free throws. He nailed them both, as the Boilers shot 83% from the line for the night. Rob was quiet with only ten points overall, but he had those two very clutch free throws as well as a long range bomb of a three in the first half that would have made Boilerdowd proud back in his co-rec days.

The Boilermakers bench was as short as you might expect tonight, with only eight guys getting minutes, with one of those being Travis Carroll, who played just four. Sandi Marcius logged 16 minutes and must have thought Coach Painter forgot he was out there, as Sandi hasn't played that many minutes since November 23, in an 80-37 blowout of Western Michigan. That game versus WMU was also the last time Sandi exceeded his five points tonight. Finally, Sandi went 3/3 from the line, his best performance there to date. That's a good sign of what Sandi should be capable of. Maybe all those who have written off the sophomore as "useless" already were premature. We shall see.

Anthony Johnson also used his penetrating abilities to further excite Steve Kerr, who couldn't stop talking about "Purdue's Johnsons penetrating." It was almost like Steve had a bet with someone or knew a drinking game was being played. Anyhow, AJ had another solid game, with ten points in 20 minutes and made both his free throws.

The Boilers shot 46% overall and 31% from three. Not great, but not atrocious. They were outrebounded by 11, 36-25, which is going to be a serious problem against anyone with size in the second round. Like Kansas, if they're able to advance.

This was a good start to the tourney for Purdue, as on the day several very high seeds went down, the Boilers kept the nation's best first-round first-game winning streak alive at 14 straight now.

Does the train make a stop in St. Louis? We find out Sunday. Until then, enjoy.

Day 1: Winners and Losers

I love the NCAA tournament more than any sports events...even during days like yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I don't have to have explosions and car chases in everything I watch...but the first day didn't have one game-winning last shot.  There were a couple close games, but very few back-and-forth contests.

One of the only contests that went unexpectedly was UNC Asheville holding the lead for most of the game...and in spite of sleep walking through about 3/4 of the game 'Cuse had the lead in the closing minutes.  But, instead of letting the game run its course, two horrible officials took any chance of winning away from UNCA...it was a sham.  But, so was the play of most of the BE teams.

Jobbed.

'Cuse looked like they'd be the first 1 to lose to a 16, UConn did what UConn do; simply didn't try for the entire first half of the game before waking up and making it a contest...just to lose by 13 to The Mayor's Cyclones.  Louisville struggled to put away an OK Davidson squad.  WVU was lambasted by Gonzaga...and didn't put up a fight.  The lone bright spot for the over-rated, bloated, soon-to-be unimportant conference was Marquette who crushed BYU.

Now, if the B1G had a day like the BE, we'd hear about that non-stop from sports pundits...instead, barely a word about this Mega Conference's garbage day.  It doesn't matter, but inconsistency in the media is tough for me to swallow.

IU played a solid game and kept NMSU at an arms length, or more, for the entire contest.  It was a good win; especially in the wake of what many saw as a potential upset (I didn't see it that way, by the way).  But, IU shill writer, Jeff Rabjohns said the importance of IU beating the 59th-best team in the land on a neutral court couldn't be overstated.  Once again, inconsistency rears its ugly head.  IU fans remind us they're back when they beat aOSU and MSU and talk about IU's heritage as an elite program.  But being "back" would hint at the idea IU might not see it as a big deal to beat a 13 seed 1000 miles away from their home.  But that's not the case, I guess.

aOSU made pretty light and quick work of Loyola (MD)...the only time the game was kinda in doubt was when Matta pre-maturely pulled all starters to see a large lead shrink to 11 points.  When Craft, Biggie and the others were re-inserted, they easily pushed the lead back to 20+ and put away their foe.

The Birdman's squad whipped Montana in impressive fashion during a late-lunchtime tilt.  Montana's beards couldn't combat Wisconsin's shooting...Bucky moves on to the second third round.

The Forces of Good along with UM and MSU all play today.  Purdue will tip-off around 7:30.  LewJack sounds like his wrist is doing pretty well and is not hampered during practice by it...and I've heard nothing negative about Hummel's knee; so they're all-go.  TJohn will have the un-enviable task of guarding the WCC POY, Dellavedova, who makes the team go in every part of their game.

No news is good news when it comes to pre-game/practice updates for our Boilers in the hours leading up to tonight's game...but there was one interesting tidbit from GBI's Neubert- He reported that our pal, Ryne Smith threw down a two-handed dunk yesterday in open practice...The guy is 6'3"...so it's not shocking, but it is kind of a surprise since he's never done in in a game in his four years in God's country.

My Commodores survived and advanced...and Baylor nearly ruined my South region by messing around while playing South Dakota State. I don't have a ton of upsets in my bracket for today, but I'd like to see the 10 beat the 7 and the 14 beat the 3 in the Midwest...I also think Florida could drop one v. UVA since that's what Florida likes to do in the tourney.

The first game tips off in a little over two hours.

Pre-Dancing Handsomeness!!!

The Handsome Duo invites much of the Purdue Blogosphere for a cookout...

The fellas don't agree on everything, but they all think Vandy will be the next NCAA champ.

But will it be this guy:

or this guy that leads the Commodores to the promised land?

Tune in and find out...NOW!!

Listen to internet radio with Boiled Sports on Blog Talk Radio

Should You Be Confident Or SCURRED?

Solid guard play

It's tourney week and your Boilers are in their sixth consecutive NCAA tournament after their sixth consecutive 20-win season. They've also won 13 first round games in a row, with their last first round loss coming in 1993 to Rhode Island. They're playing St. Mary's in the first round.

This year's iteration of the Boilers, as a 10-seed, are one of those situations where I can honestly give you both a scenario to make you optimistic as well as a scenario that should make you go into a cold sweat. So what to do first?

Why You Should Be Excited

The Boilers are a ten-seed, sure. But I look at the 7, 8, 9 and 10 seeds as teams that the committee wasn't quite sure what to do with. There's almost always a serious sleeper in those seeds each year that feels slighted by the perceived underseeding. They're often a bunch of similarly matched teams so hey, let's have 'em play each other. I think the 8/9 and 7/10 games are as close to the play-in games (err, I'm sorry...First Round games) as you can get in the tourney. Or, further into the tourney. Shut up, NCAA, none of us really believe the Tues-Weds games are "first round games."

So I think the 7/10 game is similar to the 8/9 game with one big difference -- you won't have to face a 1-seed until the regional finals (Elite 8). This is huge, for a number of reasons. For one, the 1-seed could get bounced by then. The down side of course is that they may also be in their groove by then but hey, if your team advances all the way to the end of the second weekend, you've got to expect some tough games ahead. The 8/9 winner has to play the 1 right away, which is only good in the sense that maybe you catch them tired or looking past you, etc., and if you do beat them as the 8/9, you now have the 1's path to the Final Four. Not insignificant.

But back to being the 10. If you do advance, you play the 2 next. Twos are sometimes suspect, but the 2 Purdue would face is Kansas. The only things I would say that are in Purdue's favor here are that A) Bill Self's Kansas teams either go to the Final Four or poop themselves early in the tourney and B) Kansas has been challenged seriously by Mizzou this year. Mizzou is a senior-laden team that can get hot shooting. Sound familiar?

And after that, well, if the Boilers were to advance out of the first weekend, this suddenly becomes the best chance to advance to a Final Four since the 2000 team had to only beat an 8-seed in the regional finals to get there. You'd be looking at potentially playing teams like SDSU, Georgetown, Michigan, Temple, UNC, etc. Do any of those truly frighten you? And again, keep in mind that your boys are only taking on UNC if it's a Final Four trip on the line -- I'd take that deal right now, wouldn't you?

And what if...what if a 15 beat a 2 and Detroit moved on?

Why You Should Be Scurrred

Well, we're Purdue fans, right? We know what can happen when we're expecting/hoping for good things. Also, they are a double digit seed, which is never advantageous. You're going to need to topple higher seeds the whole time, unless some serious upsets occur.

There's also the ever-present possibility that the cold-shooting, non-hustling, zero-rebounding iteration of Purdue will show up. I am confident this isn't going to happen in light of the way this team seemed to really begin to figure things out late in the season, but you never know. Parts of this version of the Boilermakers were visible for a while in Bloomington and it was too much to overcome.

---------------------------------------------------

Frontcourt?

So do the Boilers advance? I think it's fair to expect this experienced Boilermakers team from the best conference in the land to defeat the winner of the 11th-best conference in the land. St. Mary's seems cocky (especially for a bunch of basketball-playing nuns) and that is good, in my opinion.

Boilerdowd and I were at St. Mary's most recent tournament game, in which they were slapped around by Baylor in Houston in 2010. That's the kind of dedication we have to scouting for you. What can we tell you from that? Not much.

This Gaels team is good, to be sure. Only five losses on the season tell you that, but they did lose to Denver and Loyola Marymount, while also being handled well by Baylor, Gonzaga and Murray State.

But those three are all tourney teams, you might hear a Gael fan tell you (if you can find one). And to that I say this....so is Purdue.

Choo-choo, muthas.