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

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

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

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

badass.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Good Witch Takes His Act to Beantown

Legitimately cutting down nets

We've joked before that Brad Stevens is a "good witch," because of the magic he was able to sprinkle onto his Butler University basketball program for the past six seasons, which included back-to-back national runners-up in 2010 and 2011.

Stevens, as you know unless you've been in a drunken stupor the past few days (and if you have, good for you for celebrating our independence in true American fashion), took the head coaching job with the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. People were shocked, mainly because Stevens seemed to be a Butler lifer -- or at least he seemed committed to Butler for the foreseeable future. Stevens had been linked to jobs at UCLA, Illinois and other places over the past few years, but he and his family love Indianapolis and always felt more at home there than anywhere else. Add to that the fact that Stevens proved you can win at a smaller program like Butler (backed up not just by the two title game appearances, but the fact that he never won fewer than 22 games while compiling a .772 winning percentage and really, was within one rattled out heave from winning the 2010 national title over Duke) and it began to feel like that warm, fuzzy, feel-good story might continue.

Here was a guy who had nearly reached the mountaintop (and, really, in college basketball, the goal always seems to be reaching a Final Four -- national titles are, of course, the ultimate goal, but Final Fours are probably more frequently referred to when judging coaches) and who seemed to love where he was. Plus he was young, likable and seemed to say and do all the right things.

Then, jarringly, Stevens bolted for Boston. We've never made any secret of the fact that we like Stevens a lot. B-dowd's brother and sister-in-law graduated from Butler and I remember saying to them that I hoped Purdue could one day match the Final Four success of a big time program like Butler (the jokes write themselves sometimes!).

At the same time, he scared us a bit as Purdue fans. While we are unfailingly in support of Matt Painter and his approach, recruiting against Indiana and Notre Dame in the state of Indiana already meant the top players in the state were no easy feat to land. With Butler rising to levels of success IU hasn't seen in a long time (or ever, if you're considering back-to-back Finals appearances) and obviously far better than Purdue or ND basketball has seen, the idea that "mid-major" Butler could "steal" recruits away from the big boys took on serious life. After all, wouldn't you want to play for Brad Stevens? And what if you could play for that guy and be a national darling (like a Gonzaga but with actual substance and the ability to win big games)? And go to Final Fours? Well, hell, that sounds great.

So that was concerning enough. But again, liking the guy and what he was doing made it hard to be anything

but admiring of him and his own version of the "Butler Way." Butler had been sneaky successful for quite a while, under a number of coaches, but Stevens broke through to that proverbial next level.

As this all was happening, murmurs began in different parts of Indiana that maybe he was the guy who should be leading one of the more "marquee" national programs in the state. Painter is a likable guy and a very good coach, but did he have what it took to get to Final Fours? And what about Tom Crean? He can recruit like a mo-fo, but his in-game abilities as a coach have never been marveled at. Fans are restless. Naturally, people talked. What could Brad Stevens do with Purdue or IU's budget, facilities and name recognition?

For us, the more concerning thing was that IU would realize that pretty much anyone could recruit kids to IU -- what they needed (and still need) is a coach who can win tough games, instead of just the ones where his talent overwhelms opponents. Could that happen? We genuinely feared it. Because a Brad Stevens-coached Hoosiers team would be awful from a Purdue perspective in different ways. We'd still loathe them, of course, but they'd be a lot more difficult to hate with Stevens running things. And, of yeah, they'd surely be back in the Final Four on a likely regular basis, so that would be hard to stomach, too.

Now Stevens takes his act to Boston to coach the unlikable Celtics. People are already talking about him co-existing with Rajon Rondo. While I think Rondo is a jackass, I don't think it's fair to assume they can't coexist. Stevens is the type of guy who gets everybody on the same page and has a zen quality when it comes to keeping everyone calm and focused. Doesn't that sound like it might be a good quality to have for the NBA grind? As for Rondo, though, I think he'll be gone before the season starts, so Stevens will probably have a very mediocre team to build from the ground up. Maybe he'll mold them in his ideal shape. Or maybe he'll crash and burn like so many college coaches before him. If he does, what's the downside? He'll be markedly richer and he'll still be the hottest name in college coaching, even 3-5 years from now. In addition, he'll have been to the "promised land" of the NBA, which will undoubtedly help with coaching/recruiting college kids.

That's where my negative, Purdue-centric mind takes us. Three to five more years of Tom Crean's act in Bloomington might be just the right amount of time for a) NCAA infractions to come to light (not saying there are any, but if there are, they never stay in the dark forever) or b) IU to realize they'll be consistently talented and win games under Crean, but aren't likely to add to their musty collection of banners under him. What if that coincides with Brad Stevens becoming available again? Could the nightmare happen a few years down the road? That's the kind of thing that keeps a Purdue fan who has seen years of banana peels up at night.

Suffering from March Madness

In the meantime, we honestly wish Stevens well and, from a more narrow-minded and "now" thinking Purdue perspective, we're happy Matt Painter doesn't have to contend with Stevens either on the recruiting trail or on the court in the Crossroads Classic. For now, Butler's loss is the rest of the state of Indiana's gain, from that point of view. He's the rare guy who could make us pull for the Boston Celtics (at least a little).

In the end, I would suspect that it had nothing to do with not being unhappy at Butler. I think Stevens loved it there and wanted to coach at no other college or university. For those being cynical, I don't think it was an act on his part -- he believed in the Butler Way and his own way of doing things. However, sometimes in life new challenges become available to you that require getting out of your comfort zone. There's no shame in not taking on those new challenges -- especially if you're really happy with what you're doing -- but there's also a lot of people who would lose sleep wondering "what might have been," or wondering if they could have met those new challenges. The NBA is likely that for Brad Stevens -- a new challenge for an ambitious guy who is only where he is because of his gumption and confidence to take the leap and reach for new heights. How else to describe a guy who was working at Eli Lilly when offered the chance at a volunteer position at Butler, yet took the volunteer position and quit his paying job? This guy goes for it, which is just one more reason to admire him.

Happy trails, Coach Stevens. Continue to do what makes you happy.

Peck Chooses Purdue

A week ago, boilerdowd wrote about Cathedral alum (and now Cornell alum) Errick Peck potentially transferring to Purdue to play his fourth year of college eligibility. It became official yesterday, as Peck will sign on to do some grad school in West Lafayette and play a year of ball for our Boilermakers.

This works out due to NCAA rules that allow Peck to play a year at a place like Purdue as a result of the fact that he'll have graduated from Cornell but only played three years of basketball there because of a knee injury that cost him a full season. So on that front, Peck fits right in to the pantheon of knees.

One thing B-dowd did mention in passing in his column about this was the face that Peck and Barlow knew one another in high school, but that he didn't think Painter should let that be an issue. It sounds like Matt Painter did indeed look past such potential influences, because Peck even mentioned Kelsey when announcing his decision to choose Purdue:

“In the end, I think Purdue fit me just a bit better. Plus, with (former Boilermaker) Kelsey Barlow and I having played together in high school, I always watched them in the tournament and kind of followed them from afar. But when I was at Cornell, I really focused more on myself and my studies. That took enough time in and of itself.”

I'm not sure if we should be concerned. I don't think we should. This is a guy who played for Cornell seemingly without incident. In addition, he's graduating from Cornell which, yeah, I know athletes do get something of an easier road most likely, but it's not like the easy road we know it could be at some D-1 programs.

Jeff Washburn's column for the J&C quotes 2009 Indiana All-Star boys basketball team coach David Wood of West Lafayette as saying that Errick Peck is "the guy you win with." Wood also calls Peck a "first class human being" and "a really, really good young man." Wood also mentions that:

"From a basketball standpoint, he will bring versatility. He can go out on the floor, and he can bang down low. He also will bring physical strength. He is a guy who can guard a power forward or a small forward. He can make an 18-foot shot, which is good, because this is a Purdue team that can use guys who put the ball in the basket."

Yes, David, we know.

Given the preponderance of underclassmen on the 2013-14 basketball roster, a guy with experience, leadership qualities and, oh yeah, talent is something that is very welcome. He obviously won't have enough time in God's country to become a fan favorite the way four and five year players have. However, can he fill the role of recent leaders like Rob Hummel, Ryne Smith, Chris Kramer and others in terms of leading by example and putting in the work so that others take notice? We hope so and look forward to seeing Errick in Black and Old Gold.

Choo choo.

[We'll return you to your regularly scheduled coveraging of Formula 1 racing shortly.]

More About Sandi: A Quick Word on Maymester at Purdue

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To Be Fair...

There's a term that many Purdue fans use when talking about IU's scholarship issues and its handling of said issues: Creaning.

Creaning: Creen-ing
noun (slang) 1. The act of forcing a player out of IU's basketball program due to oversigning 2. Cleaning out the old rusty guys on the roster to make room for newer, shinier models 

If it's in the BS dictionary, it must be a word...if it's on the interwebnet, it must be true; so be it.  Let's be honest (IU fans)- if it happened once, we might call it a fluke or isolated event...but each and every year, Coach Forehead has to come up with new and sometimes creative ways of eliminating players that want to play for IU.  These guys all seem to openly want to play for IU...but they can't because their coach loves shiny new things so much that he can't seem to follow the rules.

IU seems to have 14 or 15 players on their roster for the next Spring each season...but the NCAA only allows 13. Thus, something must happen to rectify the situation. Clappy believes the best thing for those players, that are unlucky enough not be the apple of his eye, is to leave that God-foresaken place in the bowels of Indiana; they should thank him...they seldom do.

Capobianco, Roth, Patterson, most-recently, Abell and others have all been Creaned...and as Purdue fans, we point this out to our IU pals. It really isn't right to make a guy leave who has committed to the program; committed to a coach, who is a good kid and whose only crime is that they're not very good and still have eligibility remaining...

So...

When I read this from Purdue's Coach in the wake of Sandi's departure, my antennae arose, and I knew I had to say something about it.

"John Hart's situation was different (than Marcius')...John did not voluntarily leave our team and he did not quit our team."

We're nothing if we're not fair...and while I like Coach Painter a lot, I disagree with his handling of John Hart.  And I'll stick by my statement yesterday, that I agree with the way Purdue has handled Sandi Marcius.

Sure, the moving parts in IU's situations and Purdue's situation are different.  In one, it's a chronic disease that neither the coach, fans nor media will admit is an issue...and because of this, it will continue to happen. IU's God-fearing, ethical, all-around great guy of a coach will continue to treat the guys (that he recruited, by the way) like pawns in a game he's created. It's simply not right; everyone knows it even if they're not willing to admit it.

On the other side of things, Purdue had no scholarship issue in '12/'13...Hart could have stayed.  He would have probably been on the bench a lot...and both he and Painter knew that; Hell, everyone could see that during his fourth year on campus.  But if he wanted to stay, I feel like he should have been able to stay.

He and Painter agreed that a redshirt season was the right thing to do for Hart out of HS.  Hart didn't received no BCS conference offers other than Purdue...and if you remember back that far, you remember his offer/commitment as a shock to about everyone.

Hart could score, but was a pretty incomplete player...when he was on the court at Purdue, we could all see it.  His defense was pretty lousy and he made some poor decisions with the ball...and he didn't progress a whole lot during his time in God's country.  BUT, it wasn't his fault that Matt Painter recruited, offered and signed him.

"There's the door, John."

If you believe Painter is generally a good guy (like I do), and you like him being Purdue's head coach (like I do), you should see this Hart episode as an incongruity that needs to be called out (like I do). If we don't do so as a fanbase, we're no better than IU's lemmings who treat the shiny forehead like an unworthy idol.

I'm glad Painter is a straight-forward guy, not a politician.  He told everyone what happened with Hart...and while he might have thought it'd be best for Hart to move onto a new place, Hart didn't agree. Just like it was a mutual decision for Hart to redshirt, it should have been a mutual decision for him to stay.

Now, if there was an attitude or disciplinary issue that we don't know about, that changes everything...but other than Hart being pals with Barlow, I heard nor seen nothing that points to this.

Before you tell me that Purdue doesn't owe a fifth year guy a scholarship, I obviously know that...but if it was a mostly-coaching decision to not let a player play during his first season on campus, that same coach needs allow an upper classman who sweated and bled for a program to stay if he wants to.

Just because something is legal, doesn't mean it's ethical.

Does Painter's treatment of Hart warrant a pun-based label for him? Probably not...but if IU fans want to take umbrage with Purdue's treatment of a player, they shouldn't be bringing up Sandi, but might want to point to Hart.  If they do, Purdue fans, keep the names "Capobianco" and "Roth" handy for quick usage.

As The Sandi Turns

For those interested in the results of yesterday's Matt Painter/Morgan Burke press conference discussing the Sandi Marcius situation Boilerdowd wrote about yesterday, H&R is all over it.

I have to say, I think Burke and Painter are doing more than is required of them here -- as b-dowd pointed out, if a somewhat immature young man is going to whine about his lot in life when he orchestrated his arrival at that lot, there's not a lot you can do about it. Painter and Burke already had done more than enough for Sandi, I think everyone agrees, and this is just further clarification.

From Matt Painter:

"Sandi voluntarily withdrew from our team," Painter said. "Now he wants us to pay for his school after the fact and that's just something that we haven't done. As a head coach, and this is something Morgan (Burke) talked to me about when he interviewed me: 'You're in charge of your roster.' Nobody can tell me who's on my roster and who is not on my roster, and Morgan's in charge of the grant-in-aid.

"I wish (Marcius) nothing but the best. I gave him a blanket release so that he can play anywhere else that he wants. We were committed to paying for his school this summer if he was with us, and we were committed to paying for his fifth year of school next year, which would have been grad school, if he was with us. We committed to Sandi from Day 1 and have paid for all of his schooling while he's been with us. Now he's decided to leave our program, and he's not with us and he voluntarily did that. No one told him he had to leave. We wanted him to stay. That was the decision that he made."

I love iron-fisted Matt Painter, I don't know about you. As I mentioned, visit H&R for more quotes, including Matt Painter's explanation on how this differs considerably from John Hart's situation. Again, I find myself thinking he has no obligation to lay this all out -- but if it winds up painting Purdue in a more positive light, that's fine by me. Full details, truth and clarity are never a bad thing.

The Virtual Debate Rages...

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

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

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

Who will get the last laugh?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anthony Johnson Joins the Parade Out of Town

Following the lead of Marcius, then Lawson, Sophomore, Anthony Johnson is now set to transfer elsewhere...following nearly a half season in which it was rumored he'd be leaving at the season's end.

Johnson was a four-star recruit, according to Rivals, out of high school, but was pretty slight...Many thought this was the reason for his redshirt during the first year on campus. In hindsight, I believe Painter wanted him to morph a bit from his high school mentality- a shooter first, passer and defender second...But with LewJack and Barlow in front of him, it made sense at the time. Now, that redshirt year will put him in a position in which he'll have only one more season of eligibility following sitting out next season due to transfer rules.

AJ's high water mark was against Nebraska in the '12 B1G tourney in which he scored 17 points...his low water marks might have been when he got into it with both Hummel in '12 and Byrd in '13 while on the court.

Those incidents specifically made fans question his attitude behind closed doors...and rumors about his attitude were also rampant.  What we could see with our own eyes wasn't great though.

Johnson was a great shooter in high school, and showed flashes of that ability while wearing gold and black, but seemed to struggle when shooting over a defender.  That said, he was pretty effective on the drive, a solid free throw shooter and a decent passer.  The toughest thing for me to handle, as a fan, was  his body language when things weren't going according to plan.  I'm not sure what kind of teammate he was, but I know a few of his best friends are no longer on the team; who knows how that affected his outlook on the program.

So, three of the four guys who were rumored to be looking to leave are now gone from the program.  I believe all of the post-season interviews or conversations with the head coach are completed...and I don't think it's a coincidence that Johnson was ready to head out after his wrap-up with Painter; but like much of what surrounds transfers, that's conjecture.

The good news is Purdue Purdue suddenly has a ton of space for transfers or walk-ons right away, the bad news is, after seven players, Purdue will need to lean heavily on players who haven't played any college basketball, if another player isn't added soon. Whenever a team loses a Junior who had had started a few games, even if it wasn't the majority of the time, the rotation feels it.

I've said it before- Purdue needs players that want to play for Purdue...the last few days they've lost some that didn't...and this season, it looked like much of the team held a similar attitude, sadly.

Here's the way the scholarship situation looks as of now:

Terone Johnson Sr.
Travis Carroll Sr.
Donnie Hale RS So.
AJ Hammons So.
Ronnie Johnson So.
Rapheal Davis So.
Jay Simpson RS Fr.
Kendal Stephens Fr.
Bryson Scott Fr.
Basil Smotherman Fr.
(three open scholarship slots)

If Purdue doesn't have a traditional transfer, JuCo transfer or screwy Senior rule transfer, Beshears or Toyra will more than likely be the beneficiaries of the recent tumult within the program.

Purdue has now lost five players that played minutes during the conference season in '12/'13.

We'll be able to tell in a few years if this rash of transfers was a good or a bad thing for the program.  What we know for a fact was that what we saw on the court last year was unquestionably bad.  Was it an issue that stemmed from bad attitudes, youth, lack of coaching control or a combination of all of these factors?  We might not ever know the full truth.

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

Louisville Lessons and Looking Ahead

Purdue's team in '12-'13 was tough to watch for a myriad of reasons.  It's funny, when you wade into the murky waters of message boards and just listen (read) you'll hear Purdue fans admonish others for not grinning and bearing it while ignoring the awful brand of basketball our Boilers played this season. You'll hear others, on the opposite end of the spectrum, act as if the world has come to an end because of Purdue's sub-par, fundamentally-unsound season.

I think the BS staff falls into the middle.  We like good basketball...and like most Purdue fans, we really like good defense, and there's there's the rub.  Purdue's defense was generally bad this season...granted there were a few flashes of the old Purdue, but those flashes were fleeting at best.

Atop of that, Purdue's offense was painful to watch. Watching back-to-back games, as many of us did this March showed just how bad Purdue was on offense.  My wife noted when watching IU and Michigan play, that it looked like those two teams played a different sport than did Purdue this year...and really, they did.  They were fast, spread the floor out and had the option to score from about anywhere. Good shooting creates space...shooters like Hulls and Stauskas force defenses to respect a team to 25 feet...and athletes like Oladipo and Hardaway slash teams and push the pace.  Purdue looked slow and unathletic for stretches of the season while they made fewer three pointers than any Purdue team in the last 25 seasons.  Not a good combo.

Now, let's contrast this with the number one overall seed of the tournament, Louisville.

They play stifling defense that mentally and physically wears out opponents.  They have two very experienced guards in Siva and Smith that make good decisions, can score and make their teammates better...and they are experienced as a team.  One Freshman on the Cardinals played 16.5 minutes...two others played around 3 minutes/game.  With experience comes understanding of a system...and this is one of Louisville's biggest advantages- the players buy in to the system and play hard.  But, that's not why Louisville is great, in my opinion...They're great because of their chemistry, and I'd argue that their chemistry is great because of great leadership.

I posted a video on Twitter of Kevin Ware's interview yesterday in which he detailed what happened just after the gruesome break to his leg. He said he looked at Pitino, who was just feet away...and the coach looked sickened. He said that he thought he had only hurt his ankle...but when he looked down, saw something completely different.

Some of his teammates reacted in horror; I would have acted like them. A few of them threw up...but a couple of the upper classman came and just started talking to him.  And most importantly, Ware acted selflessly.

When he saw that he had a compound fracture, he knew the injury could hurt the team...but instead, the Sophomore said he quickly tried to change the focus with his teammates. He told them he'd be alright and they needed to go out and win the game.  That might seem like a big deal or may just seem like athlete speak...but I think it's indicative of Louisville's focus as a team.  This is why they're great.

When you look at Louisville's roster on paper, you don't see horses like Kentucky, Duke or North Carolina. They're actually pretty similar to UM and IU; the three and four star guys do the lion's share of the work and they all know their role.  But, everything with Louisville is clicking right now (much like Michigan, actually).  And one more thing, Louisville has Pitino at the helm; that doesn't hurt.

Make now mistake, I'm no fan of Pitino. I think he's nearly-impossible to like and root for because of his scandalous past and the fact that he's actually been found guilty of major NCAA violations...once a cheater, always a cheater. But it's tough to deny how good of an in-game coach he is...and his tournament record is crazy good.

Now let's flip back to the reason you come to this site- what's this have to do with Purdue? Well, other programs' successes as well as Purdue's failures should both teach us a lot.

Above, I talked about how Louisville doesn't have to rely on Freshman for many minutes...that surely wasn't the case this season for Purdue.  Purdue had Freshmen that averaged 19, 23 and 31 minutes...that's a lot to ask of guys in their first year at this level.  31 minutes specifically from a Freshman point guard is Herculean. Relying heavily on Freshman and having a Freshman point guard generally leads to inconsistency, inability to win close games down the stretch and an inability to compete with physically and mentally mature teams...things we saw from this Purdue team this year.  This chart shows Purdue's inconsistency.

College Basketball Stats

Louisville's leadership, cohesiveness, talent and focus on a common goal are obvious, when you watch them play...in the same way, Purdue's issues were obvious.  There is hope for Purdue's future, in my opinion, but it's tempered.

Ryne Smith talked to us on the Handsome Hour a few weeks ago about the importance of losing a leader like Rob Hummel...and sadly for Purdue, I'm not sure if I see another leader like that on the roster right now; leadership is something some guys just have, but very few guys lead teams as Freshman or Sophomores. Next year, the team will be TJohn's.  Not a bad guy to have as the leader...but leaders need to be consistent and set a precedent of doing things the right way all the time. Johnson is a capable scorer and solid defender, at times.  In order for Purdue to make a huge jump next season, it'll take TJohn making a quantum leap forward in his consistency.

Next, leaders need good followers...this is something Purdue might do better in '14, simply because so many of the key contributors are a year older. Players like RonJohn, RayDay and Hammons are the key here. If these three guys can develop on the off-season, Purdue can be solid...and Purdue can get 10-15 minutes of solid contribution from two of the incoming Freshman as well as Simpson, the rotation will be better than what we saw this season.

The biggest questions about next years team though are still yet to have been answered. GBI has all but assured Purdue fans that there will be multiple transfers this off-season.  Will it be two or three players and which ones will it be? A few seasons ago when Lutz, Vandervieren, Uchendu, Watt, Spates and Minnoy all transferred in a two year period...that's a ton of attrition.  But, none of the guys were fitting, for one reason or another. It's pretty clear that there were a few square pegs in round holes this season...some of that is because of youth, but some of it isn't.

Watching Louisville in March and IU in February this season, you could see two teams that had a bunch of guys with their focus in the right place.  Until Purdue has a bunch of like-minded guys, success will be limited.  That's a simple fact.

Regardless of whom (if anyone) decides to leave in the next few weeks, Painter will have his work cut out for him in the off-season.  I've heard as many as five different names rumored to be looking to find greener pastures next fall.  The problem with these rumors is I can only find a solid root on one of those (Marcius' request for release) but think a few of the others seem to be logical based on what I saw with my own two eyes during games this season in Mackey.  My hope is that everyone returns with a better attitude...but if guys aren't willing to work, they should head elsewhere; it'd be better for all parties.

Back to Coach Painter for a minute. I've heard some say that 2013-2014 is a make-or-break season for him.  The problem with this idea is no one really knows what the breaking point is in this equation.  I think another sub .500 season would be unacceptable; I actually thought this team should have been better than .500 in '12/'13.  What I believe is a coach with his resume and his contract simply should not average 15 losses a season (which he has over the last two years).  But most-importantly, I'm confident that next season will be much different.  I do know that many of you who visit this site disagree with me on this opinion.  I guess we can debate this until next fall.

Does Any of this matter in 2014?
Last night, Iowa got crushed in the championship of the NIT by Baylor. Unlike Penn State's fanbase a few seasons ago, Iowa fans didn't seem to catch NIT fever...but I think they thought the NIT was a positive for the team (at least until last night).

The question often asked by fans is how does a blowout loss in the NIT championship affect the team the next year? Or how does a defeat at the hands of might Santa Clara at home in the CBI affect a team the following season?  Would Iowa had been better had they edged into the dance and lost in the first round? Would Purdue had been better had they not been invited to the CBI?

The truth is, there's no formula.  Some NIT teams come back stronger the next season, others return to the NIT...some CBI stay mired in mediocrity, others are ranked next year.

Painter wanted the team to play because he thinks basketball teams should play basketball and want to play basketball. As it turns out, many of Purdue's players looked like they didn't want to be there.

What really matters for Purdue as they prepare for next season is if these guys are competitors, if they want to play with the guys who are their teammates and if they buy in to the coach's philosophy.

Screw Conference Loyalty, Everyman for Himself.
As UM and Wisconsin lose three starters and IU potentially loses four, Purdue and Iowa will only lose one player in their 8-man rotation.  The problem is, the same can be said for MSU and aOSU.  The B1G will still be the best-coached conference in the nation in 2014 in spite of two rookie coaches taking over at Minny and Northwestern.  It gets no easier for our Boilers in '14 as the conference will once again be the best in the nation.

Some More Observations From The Win over Northwestern



Pew pew! Matty knows the finger guns are always funny.

 There was no doubt a lot to like in Sunday's thumping of Northwestern at Mackey. The Boilers showed they weren't dead yet, despite recent evidence to the contrary. Terone showed major life in having perhaps his best actual shooting effort in quite some time -- perhaps ever as a Boilermaker. Sure, he's had streaks of point-scoring before, but going 4/5 from three-land? Never happened before. He's never had that high a percentage on that many shots -- he's never hit four in one game before. So that was very nice to see.

DJ Byrd also had a nice night, shooting 50% from the field and 100% from the line, while grabbing four rebounds and dishing five assists. That's the hustling DJ Byrd we know and love. And that's who he is. A guy who will get you 8-14 points each night, along with a lot of hustle, rebounds, assists and muscle. He's a combo, or a Leatherman, as Boilerdowd said. He's not a 20 ppg scorer. But it seemed like as the senior leader, he often felt like he had to be everything Rob Hummel was last year as a leader and hustler and primary scoring option, as well as a primary deep threat like Ryne Smith was... as well as a glass cleaner and defender like Chris Kramer was. I don't know any of this for fact, of course, but it sure seemed like DJ was trying to do it all and be the man the Boilers needed....and he was struggling under the weight of that pressure. Sound plausible?

In this game, you saw DJ do what he does. If someone else -- i.e., Terone or Hammons -- can dump in some points, DJ can be the player he is when he's at his best, which in turn makes this team better. So that was nice to see.

Another thumbs up goes to Coach Matt Painter, who it appears to us has decided to have the guys play who work the hardest and listen the best. Thus you saw Dru Anthrop get a lot of first half minutes, culminating in 17 overall (his most as a Boilermaker). You also saw Sandi start the game and get more minutes (16) than AJ Hammons (12). Was this a message to Hammons to work harder? Perhaps. If it is, I'm more than fine with it. I like Hammons a lot and love his game and have often found myself giddy with what he can become. But if Painter doesn't think Hammons is listening -- or, more critical if you're a Boilermaker, if he isn't working hard enough -- then I've got zero problem with Coach sitting the freshman down.

Related to that, I also think Matt is doing a good job of the thing that many fans of teams in down years pin their fading hopes to -- Hey, at least these guys are getting minutes. With guys like Ronnie Johnson, who is still prone to turnovers and moving a bit too spastically fast, the minutes are piling up and that's a good thing. It's exactly what Lewis Jackson did in his early years at Purdue and it led to him being so indispensable as a junior that he came back from an injury in February that year rather than sitting the whole year and redshirting.

I don't think anyone looked at the game with the Mildcats as a reason to be bullish on this year's team, but let me be a wet blanket anyway....Northwestern is not very good and they were dreadful on Sunday night. They looked like the Purdue teams that have been blown out this season by IU twice, Illinois once and, effectively, even this Northwestern team earlier this month. The Cats couldn't hit anything in the first half. Yet, down 18, they rattled home a three in the final seconds of the first session to cut the Boiler lead to 40-25. Still commanding, yes, but the Boilers had been up 29-9, and a 15-point lead is... how shall we put this... blowable.

Yet the Boilers continued to step on the purple throats in the second half, actually outscoring the Cats there by more than in the first half. As the Panda pointed out, the Boilers had their best shooting day in a while, cashing in at 53% from the field and 47% from three. Northwestern, on the other hand, shot an abysmal 29% and 22% from the field and three, respectively. Mercy, that is awful.

In addition, the free throw shooting situation continues to be bleak -- the Boilers canned just 57% of their shots from the line. That is just not getting it done and no matter how much these guys improve, consistently poor shooting from the line will limit them from ever growing into the team we hope they can be. It's really that critical.

And one more thing to note that I was less than pleased with -- the turnovers. No, not those delicious turnovers, but the kind that lead to fast breaks the other way (or in the case of Northwestern, slow breaks with bricks the other way). The Boilers turned the ball over 15 times against only 11 by the Cats.

So the Boilers shot terribly from the line and turned the ball over almost 50% more than their opponent and yet still won by more than 30. That should tell you just how atrocious Northwestern was.

In the end here, I'm not trying to be, as I joked, the wet blanket. There was a lot to like in this game and I think that no matter what, there's something to be said for the Boilers continuing to show up for games. Winning against anyone in the conference by 30 means you did an awful lot right, and there are countless examples in recent years of very talented teams who, once they realized their season was circling the drain, mailed it in (see 2012 Illinois Illini for further reading).

These wins feel really good for all of us, no matter what kind of season the team is having. You could make a very fair argument that the Boilermakers could finish the Big Ten season at .500 (would require one upset, plus winning two games against teams with currently the same record in the conference). At this point in the campaign, you look for small victories and steps forward where you can find them -- that would be a nice one to have.

What Makes a Team Great?

I've spent way too much time analyzing this year's Purdue squad...why they seem to be getting worse since early January, why this many 4-star players play like a 2-star team and why they simply don't compete at times.

I think the answer to this question has a ton of facets...but have said it before, continuity is the very base of all of team's problems.

All that said the ripple effects of one player's effect on the program have been costly and I'll tell you why.

A few years ago, when Kelsey Barlow was being recruited to Purdue, I went to watch him play to get a first-hand account of the player.  At that point, I didn't understand his recruitment.  He played lazy basketball...he didn't move on offense, was inconsistent on defense and didn't seem to use his length and athleticism effectively-enough on that level. But Painter liked the guy. He probably liked his ability to get under other people's skin...Ironically, that's part of the reason he's no longer on Purdue's team.

At BS, we liked that too...but just as Barlow pissed off IU fans with his antics his Freshman year, Barlow pissed off his teammates at Purdue. If you read him on Twitter, it's tough to tell at times if he's an evil genius, a troubled individual or just an immature kid...might be a little of each.  There's no doubt Barlow could have been very good (if not great) for Purdue had he developed differently...but hypotheticals don't matter...things are what they are.  Barlow didn't buy into Painter's philosophy and never was a fit.

After a few troubled years, Barlow was officially kicked off of the team one year ago this week. The void he left sent Painter scrambling to find another point guard to fill the void...one which he couldn't fill in time.  A few Seniors who were looking to transfer for their final year of eligibility didn't pan out...and this year, Purdue has had one true Freshman PG on the roster and a bunch of shooting guards in disguise trying to direct an offense that has no direction.

How important would another Senior been, especially a versatile, athletic point guard, been on this year's Purdue team? We don't really need to answer that question, do we?

But, Painter simply had to do what he did last winter.  The fallout from the tough decision left Barlow in transition as he sat out a year...and Purdue's program in transition as it had no identity.

Ronnie Johnson leads all Freshman in the nation in assists...that's a pretty good stat. Sure, he has a ton of turnovers and shoots at the wrong times...but he's a Freshman...one surrounded by an incomplete, discombobulated team.

Barlow's loss was and is important...but Barlow's dismissal was overdue. Painter couldn't have had a captain that continued to abandon the team when he was needed most...and more importantly, couldn't have a Senior creating disciples with the same philosophy.  The long-term effects of leaving a player, ANY player, on the roster for four years who is divisive, can kill a program.

The recruitment, signing and subsequent abridged career of one player was/is important...not because that guy was a super star, but because timing is everything.  Purdue's program needs to know what defines it as it moves forward. And everyone who is part of the program needs to be on-board with that definition.

So what makes a team great...or even good?
On paper, the team from '07/'08 was OK...but in three dimensions, they were pretty darned good.  Why?

Here are some things that I believe make teams great.  Nothing earth shattering...and I'm no rocket surgeon...these are just a few thoughts.

DEVELOPMENT
Hard work in the off-season makes a player better and helps build chemistry as everyone focuses on the same goal.

LEADERSHIP
Having players that define the team in positions of earned respect go a long way in making a team a force.  Whose team is it?  The answer to that question says a lot about a team.

BUYING IN
Do players believe the coaches plans and vision for the program? Are they executing these plans, not just in games, but during practice and off the court? Players need to feel like they're fortunate to be playing where they are, with whom they are, right now.

TALENT
Elite talent obviously covers up a ton of problems...but having talented people in the right places; in key areas, makes everyone else better.

CONTINUITY
Do the parts mesh? Much of chemistry is about time together- players that have played together and have been together become cohesive.  Teams that don't have history often aren't teams at all (what we've seen this year from Purdue).  Teams that have great continuity believe in the guy next to them and are willing to play hard for/with him.

________________________________

Look at the really-good teams in the nation...and those that are on the other side of the coin.  Teams like UNC and Kentucky have talent, but have a dearth of leadership...so they have no identity.  Leadership doesn't have to come from Juniors/Seniors (but that helps)...but it has to come from someplace; and a coach isn't enough.  Coaches need to put leaders in the position to succeed to help them be a focal point for the guys that need to develop.

Sorry...you probably didn't think you were coming to a motivational site, but this stuff has been rattling around my head for a bit and I wanted to put it down someplace.

Ninth Time's a Charm for Illini; Beat Boilers 79-59



Not even singing the plays got
through to the Boilers tonight.

 You would have to go back to the '08-'09 season to find the last time the Boilermakers lost to the Illini. Starting in the 2009 Big Ten tourney, the Boilers began winning against Illinois and hadn't stopped until tonight. DJ Byrd falls to 7-1 in his Purdue career against the Illini. Yes, I'm grasping for something fun to write about. This is all I've got.

The Boilers were manhandled tonight by a good team, but not a great team... and not even a team that was playing great. Sure, the night started out looking awesome: a reeling Purdue team that has lost every Big Ten loss by double digits playing a 9 PM midweek start in a ho-hum environment on the road with Tim Doyle at the mic for the Big Ten Network. Who doesn't look forward to that sort of tease?

You know all those times we've made fun of the Big Ten Network by thanking them for sending real humans to cover the game in retaliation for the time they didn't send broadcasters to Mackey and their relay truck apparently incinerated itself? Well, Tim Doyle might be their antidote to that. Okay, BTN, we relent. An empty broadcast booth is better than Tim Doyle on his best night. And as the expression goes, the less said about him, the better.

Which brings us to Purdue basketball. Mercy.

There are many points during a bad season where you ask whether the team has hit rock bottom. With football, we're often able to pinpoint it -- and under Danny Hope, it was usually pretty easy to identify. But with Matt Painter's basketball program, it's rarely easy. Usually just when you think the rug has been pulled out, the Boilers regain their footing and make us all believers again. That hasn't really happened this season. There was that span early in the Big Ten season where it looked like the Boilers had improved and were learning and coming along. And then there has been the past couple of weeks.

The Boilermakers are still actually beating the bad teams on their schedule (@ PSU, @ Nebraska, etc.) but they're getting absolutely worked by the good teams and mercilessly pummeled by the very good teams. This is not a good trend.

There are many rumors out there about some transfers happening after the season. We have nothing concrete so we won't be spouting them here, but there is also a lot being said about Matt Painter's frustration level with this team and his inability to get through to them and coach them. These guys are indeed talented, but they're not as cerebral as Rob Hummel or as coachable as Chris Kramer or as smooth and emotionally-even-keeled as E'Twaun or JaJuan Johnson. Is that an indictment of Matt Painter? Obviously, you're free to judge for yourself on that one. We're of the opinion that he's allowed a bad season after the many good ones and, frankly, it's been no secret that he's been out-recruited in recent years and that this season is the rotten fruit of that situation. So if this was sort of predictable, maybe we need to just move past it.

Speaking of Coach Painter, he showed his fire tonight -- perhaps it was the frustration of the season bubbling to the surface, but ol' Matty lost it on the officials and got himself two technicals and what we believe is his first ejection as Purdue's head coach. In fact, b-dowd's unofficial count of Painter techs was only at about five going into tonight, so Matt added 40% in a few seconds. Word was he shouted at the official, "What's he got to do?" perhaps in reference to what has to happen for a foul to be called (Sandi was kind of mugged, which is what prompted Painter to leap off the bench and look as though he wanted to strangle the official -- all while keeping his suit buttoned perfectly, gentleman that he is). Seems a bit weak to call a tech on to begin with, but with the Boilers down big and clearly circling the drain, Matt got his money's worth. Sandi attempted to divert Coach away and Anthony Johnson even put his hands on his coach -- for a second -- but both young men seemed to see a look in Painter's eye that told them to just let him go. He is the boss, after all.

There were some on twitter who loved this ejection for the fire it showed and there were also some who said it meant nothing. We're not huge into "meaning" in those sorts of situations, but we've been wanting Painter to show at least a little fire for a while now. In fact, if he chewed on officials a bit more regularly -- like some Big Ten coaches -- maybe he wouldn't be tossed when he did get worked up. Just a thought.

Maybe Painter couldn't bear to watch this brickfight play out any longer. Illinois, as I said, didn't play particularly well (43% from the field, 28% from three, 11 turnovers), but the Boilers managed to be worse (38% FGs, 38% from three, 17 TOs). This is a beatable Illinois team, as Purdue proved earlier this season and as other teams have as well. In fact, to put it in perspective, these two squads have identical Big Ten records. But Purdue never seemed to have a chance tonight. That's an ominous sign, particularly with a road game in Bloomington looming on Saturday. And if you think Crean, Shehe, and the rest of those classless punks wanted to rub Purdue's nose in it a couple of weeks ago in Mackey, just wait until you see Ass Hall. The staff of the Indy Star will need smelling salts to stop feeling woozy they'll be so orgasmic.

Back to tonight, the Boilers got 18 from Terone, who had a decent game, hitting 5-11 from the field, including three treys and four boards. He also had three TOs, though, so he gets some demerits there. Byrd and Hammons were the others in double digits with ten each. The starting five combined for 14 turnovers, which is kind of awful. Eight of the ten players who saw time had turnovers, with the only two who didn't playing only three minutes each. Sandi Marcius made everyone watching smile a bit as he continued to hustle and appeared to be playing the hardest the entire game, finishing with six points, four boards, a steal and a block. And perhaps that's why Painter was so irritated when he couldn't get a break and have a foul called in his favor.

Whatever the case, Matt Painter saw enough tonight and lost his marbles briefly. Interestingly, it wasn't an overall fed-up-with-the-refs situation, as the Boilers only had 12 fouls called against them all night. So the theory that he'd just gotten sick of this season holds more water. We'll see how the team and he appear in Bloomington....closer-knit? More focused? Same as before? Let's hope it's something we're not expecting, otherwise it will be ugly.

Love what you do, do what you love.

Maybe you feel like me right now...maybe not.  I'm torn.

Even in the closing seasons of Keady's time as head coach and Painter's first year, I loved the NCAA tournament...looked forward to it.  But this year, I'm looking past the tourney and am stoked for Spring football.  It's easy to love the potential of Coach Hazell's Boilermakers...it's tough right now for me to love basketball.

I'm not just talking about Purdue basketball...but that's the lynchpin that holds the whole thing together for me.

When Purdue's playing well, I have a voracious appetite for college basketball.  It's fun to watch ACC, SEC, Pac12 and other conferences because in a way, I feel like I'm scouting for March. Who will Purdue be paired with in the tournament, what do match-ups look like...who's peaking? Who's floundering?

Right now, it's not that way.  The immediate future for Purdue is filled with growing pains.  Purdue gets beaten up by cerebral teams (Northwestern) and they get lambasted by thoroughbreds.  If you find this season fun, you're a sadist.

I had lunch with one of my oldest friends yesterday and we talked a bit about basketball...he's of course a fellow Boiler.  We were both brainwashed by our parents to be Purdue fans...in fact, our Dads went to Purdue together before graduating in 1970 (they actually went to grade school and high school together too).  And years later, we attended Purdue at the same time.  We got to see very good basketball while we sat in the student section...And although we didn't say it yesterday, I think we both would love to see a team like the Glenn Robinson-led squad in the current B1G.  Instead, while the league is flourishing and the good ole days seem to have returned for the best basketball conference, Purdue is a mere shell of itself this season, and it's easy to see why.

The things that have defined Purdue for most of my life are nowhere to be found. No tough defense, no fundamentals, no fight.  Youth does not equal not trying...youth does not equal shooting freethrows poorly...youth does not equal players not liking each other very much.

And there it is...there it all is.  It seems to me that this Purdue team's problems are simple...but extremely difficult to solve.

Let me be clear- I don't have ANY insider information, but this is my theory. This is just based on what I've observed from the cheap seats and at home.  Body language of the leaders varies between apathetic and flat-out pissed off.  These guys know what it's like to play on a team that has chemistry.  They know what it's like to have fun playing this game. They know what it's like to be a part of something greater than just a bunch of individuals with the same shirts on...and they know that this team isn't really a team at all, at this point.

And while I'll continue to go to games and cheer for good things to happen, the hours after many of the remaining games might have me asking, "Why do I keep doing this to myself?"  The players aren't enjoying themselves...how can the fans?

If you feel motivated, you're welcome to offer me perspective.

The other day on the Knucklehead Board, a fan said this season reminded him of the 1989 team.  There's a bit of an interesting parallel with that team- It was in the wake of the Stephens, Lewis, Mitchell teams...Those three led Purdue to two-straight Big Ten titles and were highly ranked in both their Junior and Senior seasons.  Sure, Hummel's redshirt year kinda blows the comparison up, but I can see the point.

That '89 team finished sub-.500 for the year.  That's only one of three times that's happened in the past 35 years...and I think we're watching the fourth.  But, that '89 team had some of the same problems.  They had a few guys who later played in the NBA on that roster...but they also had some guys who thought they were above the system and above the team.

Based on some of Painter's comments and substitution patterns, it seems there are a few of those guys on the roster right now as well.

By the way, in 1990, Matt Painter was a Freshman on the team...that team had a Senior (Sheffler) who helped lead the team to part of a Big Ten title and 22 wins.

Every team is different...personalities, talent, coaching...all very fluid.  But what we know is this Purdue team needs to change the way it does things.  And while changes this season probably won't lead to a difference in March, they will set a precedent for next season.

Purdue has another chance to do things differently tonight at Illinois.  The Illini are suddenly hot as they've beaten IU and Minnesota in consecutive games.  This Illinois team seems to rise to the occasion of ranked foes, and tends to let down their guard versus sub-par teams.  That said, I have a feeling they'll be ready and are hungry to stop the 8-game losing streak versus Purdue.  I don't believe any player on Illinois' roster has ever beaten Purdue. I'm sure those guys want to change that.

Tip-off is at 9:00 eastern on BTN.

Heartless in Chicago

Wow.

I thought Purdue might come out a bit flat v. Northwestern following the IU game, but day-um, that was painful.

The day started well as Hammons was late to catch the team bus...so Painter didn't start him.  Good for Matty...that was the right thing to do.  But, I'm not so sure he did anything else well as he prepared his team for the fighting purple cats.

A few weeks ago, I caught hell as I told Purdue fans that an NIT bid was still in doubt...and that Purdue needed to handle its business versus the lower part of the conference- do you who mocked me now see what I was talking about? Purdue stands at 11-11...deep into the hundreds in the RPI and is coming off of a shellacking at the hands of North-fricking-western.  The NIT is a dream, at this point.

We've been defending Painter under the guise that this year is a rebuilding year.  But let me ask myself a question- Hey Bdowd, if you had never seen a Painter team before this season, what would you think of him as a coach?

We're doing fine!

Well, I'm glad you asked, self.  Purdue starts two guys who are supposed to be solid...a Junior and a Freshman...they have plenty of size...but are short on experience.  Their point guard play is shaky at best, and it's tough to run a motion offense without solid PG play...BUT damn, that team is horrible on defense and they might be the one of the worst offenses I've seen in the B1G in the last three seasons.  He really doesn't look like he knows what he's doing this season.

Agreed...glad we had this talk.

Now no one is saying that going through a divorce isn't tough...but I'd guarantee you that Painter would just glare at a member of the media for bringing his personal life into the equation.  That said, it's kinda tough not to, right?  We've NEVER seen a Painter-coached team display this little effort and this little heart in consecutive games.  We're now in unchartered waters and our boat has gaping holes.

I actually understand how a young team can get the crap beaten out of it by one of the elite teams in the nation (maybe not by 37 at home).  But I don't understand how that same team can't even compete at Northwestern. Hell, Northwestern's students barely showed up...they don't like watching this Northwestern team play...but that didn't matter to Purdue; they just made one of the worst teams in the conference look like a world beater.

Whatever Painter has been doing isn't working with this team...and the only time we saw effort out of this club that was respectable today was when they extended and *gasp* played a trap.  Whatever it takes to get guys to work on defense and on the glass, Painter needs to do because the offense isn't going to get better at this point, so defense needs to create opportunities.

With little emotion or sign of effort, Hammons scored 19 points, had 13 rebounds and 3 assists. The sad thing is he is clearly the best player on the team, yet he's so green that this can't possibly be his team at this point...and it's kind of a good thing it's not since he can't do the little things like arrive on time.

AJohnson was my favorite player to watch today...because he actually tried.  He probably had friends and family at the game since he grew up near by; hopefully they come to every game from here out because it was refreshing to see him putting it all out there. He finished with 11 points and 8 rebounds.

Byrd somehow scored 12, had  rebounds and 5 assists...BUT, he looked listless like most of his teammates and had at least two three pointers blocked. His fellow upper classman starter, TJohn had no stats worth mentioning...but looked put out to try to hard today in Evanston.

It's almost like the young guys followed the lead of Byrd and TJohn...and just went through the motions...hmmmmmm.

If those guys aren't going to try or care, they shouldn't play.  And if Painter can't find anyone other than Carroll, Marcius, AJohn, Hale and Anthrop to play hard, than so be it.  Could it get any worse than losing at home by 37 and getting crushed by Northwestern?  I doubt it.

I've been looking ahead in three game chunks to see if Purdue can improve its chances to make the NIT...this team needs to look ahead no further than the next practice because, at this point, they don't look like they belong in the B1G.



(oh yeah, the final score was 75-60)