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Life in West Point can get lonely for a 23 year old male. Too young for the Lion's Club, too poor for the Steakhouse, and too healthy for the cemetery; there's just no place for me to make friends! So, the first thing I do every morning is read the J&C Personals. They haven't done me much good yet (I'm six rejections deep), but I have come across some interesting listings: LOST CONNECTION WLTR 38 Y.O. strict disciplinarian WINNER seeking to add depth back into his life. You were a tall, blond, nice, unselfish southpaw. I watched you grow up, we took bus trips, I yelled at you, we visited the Capital… then you left. Let's play ball (again)! Text MARTbrokIN to (555) NDS-UCKS
HARD-WORKING LITTLE DEVIL 18 Y.O. QB, W. Laf, wants to stay close to home. Seeking relationship with mustached authority figure. I'm smart, tough, I don't lose, and I'd look great in gold and black. Don't miss out on the next-Josh Smith! Text Matt Lancaster at (555) ILO-VEPU
YOU'RE MY MAN Shout out to my man Matt Painter. Tough going thus far this season, but I know you'll whip them into shape. Don't forget who brought you here. You're MY coach. Make me YOUR AD forever this offseason! How's $2.5 million a year sound? Let me know… Text Morgan Burke at (555) STA-Y@PU
I'M YOUR BEST HOPE You're the Kansan RB ranked first in the country. I'm the old, white guy with the backward Purdue cap stalking you the last few months. I want to buy you books and your own room (sorta), dress you up, watch you run, and see you off to the NFL. Let's make my your dreams come true? Text Bryce Brown to (555) PRT-YPLZ
A giant man once said to me I cannot live so quietly So off he went to the NBA Getter bigger by the day Faking left, shooting high Breaking holes into the sky Or the ceiling, at the very least Truly this man is a beast ACL intact, not for long How could things ever go so wrong? From man to god and from god to man And still support from every fan A few felonies and a misdemeanor Can we make him any meaner? Steroids, cocaine and alcohol Such a long way left to fall Gravity does tend to overcome The magic talents of this one
[Editor's Note: In the interest of protecting the integrity of her writing, Iuns wants to make clear that this is a RHYME, NOT a poem. -Billynho]... Read on for why the distinction is important: I just want to make it clear to my readers that what they have just experienced is most certainly not a poem. It is a rhyme. But why might Iuns feel the distinct and urgent need to embellish upon her heart wrenching and artistic masterpiece? Alright, I'll bow to the intensive pressure of your curious natures and explain:
Example: a poem about a writer's favorite brown haired fowl Tends to mean : the writer recently lost her dearest and closest grandmother, sold her step children and their precious toys for collateral, moved into a picturesque mud-floored cottage off the coast of El Salvador, and bought an alligator as a pet.
As it happens, I hate deeper meanings, significance, and any other motives sneakily hiding in the lines of normally inane writing, waiting to pounce on you from the guerrilla battleground of literary analysis. I wish I could retaliate with expletives in the form of deadly and destructive bombs, erasing the unnecessary descriptions of waterfowl, beautiful scenery and writer's innermost feelings from the face of literature today. So please please please don't insult my little rhyme by bestowing upon it the title of poem in your minds!
Finally, to make this post clear the high standards of sports blogging and ensure Billynho posts this: football = Drew Brees = happiness
Who throws a shoe?!? It's a question the whole world is asking since an Iraqi reporter chucked his at George Bush.
I feel for you GW. You know who else throws shoes? Orel. Kornheiser. Himself. At me.
Appalling!
Luckily his aim is about as good as this reporter's. In other words, slightly better than Keaton Grant's thus far this season for Purdue. (drummer in corner unenthusiastically and reluctantly hits a few notes signalling that I made a joke)
This has been Billynho, reporting for Kornheiser's Cartel.
(Editor's Note: Troubled by my depiction of her, Iuns sweetly volunteered to offer a differing account of her sports watching experience and an explanation as to why she never embraced football. Read on to find out which sport she did grow to appreciate! Also, if you're not convinced she's a female by appearance alone, look closely and see shoe shopping going on. And yes, those are skinny arms. Crucial...)
The more inquisitive (Editor's Note: and sexist) of you readers may be asking yourselves, what is a woman with as little sports knowledge and enthusiasm such as myself doing guest writing for a sports blog sponsored by a sporting-obsessed aficionado such as Billynho? That, dear readers, is exactly the question I will be muttering and mulling over as I type out this piece.
All issues of personal knowledge aside, I have had the honor of witnessing Billynho pursue basketball, football, futbol, cycling, cross country, and basically every other sport man has been crazy enough to invent (with the sordid exceptions of cricket and wrestling) firsthand. This would be a convenient time to mention that I happen to be the crazy ex-girlfriend mentioned on occasion. Despite the slander on my sanity, I am Billynho’s greatest fan and love nothing better than to read his articles over breakfast. Since I will assume that you readers love to do the same, I’m going to divulge some insight into his character. Firstly, the issue of his extensive knowledge in practically every faction of the sporting world demands to be mentioned. Waking up in the morning the man immediately jumped out of bed and onto his computer chair, from where he purused European soccer results. Then he would pore over LetsRun, either deriding or lauding opinions, but engrossed all the same. Next Billynho would check Fox Sports, Deadspin, ESPN, and whatever other sites he could manage before the sound of my whining became too much for him, and he had to drag his attention back to me. The moment I let my guard down, however, Billynho would escape and cycle endlessly through sports sites once again. Thinking about it almost induces irritant twitching in my right and most sensitive eye. Luckily I have excellent motor control, and we can instead move onto other issues.
One to which all sporting aficionados (I'm sure) can relate is the attempt to convince your significant other that they would become even more significant to you if they would just become as enthused about soccer/track/hockey/arm wrestling as you are. In an attempt not to stereotype, because doubtless out there in this world are sporting-lusting women strong-arming their helpless boyfriend into watching their much revered favorite sport, I will assume that “you” can be male or female. In my case, Billynho was the one who pushed me towards watching more sports. His first attempt was college football. In an ironic and crushing twist of fate, the first football game I attended was the slaughter of our beloved Purdue by the dastardly devils at Ohio State. Clearly it did not provide a fortuitous start towards my long lasting love of football. Subsequent games were slightly more interesting as he took more care to describe player biographies to me and they did not involve the destruction of my alma mater. I am going to emphasize this point: everyone loves character development. Books include it. Television series depend upon it. Why oh why, therefore, would a man think a woman would enjoy watching a sport where she knows nothing about the players? She doesn’t. Therefore supplying your significant other with a brief history of some key players is going to be the MVP move in winning their interest. All the same and despite Billynho’s best efforts, I never really gained the deeper appreciation most men seem to have for football.
Basketball, however, is a very different story. A grand total of ten players are much easier to remember than eighty, and their roles on the court are more self explanatory. Surprising amounts of success from a young and untried team also helps to add to the excitement. As the Purdue “Baby Boilers” (inane name, but you still have to adore them) clawed their way skyward in college basketball rankings, my budding love hitched a ride. Who can argue with Hummel, Martin (recently departed but instantly replaced in my heart by lewjack), JaJuan J, and E’Twaun? Certainly not I. Instead I held my breath, gasped, cheered, screamed and cursed alongside the best of them (and arguably even more than Billynho) for the entire winter.
Now that college basketball has officially begun, The Siets and the rest of the staff here at the Cartel couldn't be more excited. For one thing, our Boilers are looking sharp in the preseason NIT and are headed to NYC. Secondly, is there a more exhilarating sport to watch than college hoops? About the only way college hoops could get better is if some drastic change were made.
Nonetheless, this week has already caused some interesting basketball news to hit the internet and we're here to show you the best...
If there is one thing that the Cartel can't stand in sports, it's cheating. After all, we hated Kelvin Sampson long before he started coaching in Bloomington. Dana O'Neil, writing for a site you might have heard of, brings to light how shady and conniving some college coaches have become. My dad always says, "whenever a program starts to win, you don't have to wait long before the evidence starts to prove they were cheating." Looking at some of the teams that Ms. O'Neil cites, it seems like my dad might be right again. [ESPN]
New Jersey Institute of Technology is not a very good basketball program. In fact, they are one of the worst programs ever (at least as of late). Some records should never be broken. [ABC-11 Raleigh/Durham]
Matt Painter proves his genius once again! Only a mastemind of his caliber would have had the foresight to see that stud recruit Tyler Zeller would break his wrist and miss the entire season. I'm glad we got Lew Jack instead. [FOX Sports]
A very bizarre situation occurred the other night during the NIT Season Tip-off. Loyola's coach found a very creative way to avoid ejection, seemingly having to deal with a biased and unprofessional ref (based on Patsos' story). [SportingNews]
It's March 12, 2013 outside Conseco Fieldhouse and 150,000 gold, black, crimson, and cream fans are willing to do anything short of selling their house to get a ticket into the arena. Matt Painter and Tom Crean are leading their teams off their respective buses. Billy Packer is slouched courtside thumbing through media guides in hopes of once again inundating viewers with a deluge of historical notes during the telecast of what is surely the most anticipated sporting event ever staged in the Crossroads of America. What’s the occasion? Two top-five teams, the fiercest of rivals, are about to tip-off in the basketball capital of the world.
For decades, an antiquated tournament structure indirectly spawned largely mundane non-conference contests. For every major conference match-up, there were ten also-rans playing (and typically getting trampled by) Duke on ESPN. The recipe was simple for high-majors that wanted an invitation to the "Big Dance": load up on mid-major opponents to rack up non-conference wins, finish over .500 in conference play, and win at least one game in the conference tournament. Most of college basketball slavishly relied on that status quo ante. Fans reluctantly endured the rehearsal: an unnecessary number of tickets never served their purpose.
With prescient knowledge in mind that there would be no snubs this year, high-major coaches focused on cooking up more challenging non-conferencing dates, which made for an unprecedentedly diverting mise-en-scène. Fans with a sweet tooth for inter-major conference match-ups were wisely advised to schedule root canals ahead of time. Cynical predictions that fans wouldn't follow a season where every team was guaranteed postseason play were expunged as the NCAA reported record attendance numbers. ESPN drooled and agonized over having to descry the cream-of-the-crop from the five-star buffet of games to televise.
The result of the libertinism is encapsulated by the top-25. Two of the top-five and 11 overall have 10 or more losses.
As Purdue and IU line up for lay-ups inside, let's go back to 2008 and take a look at what suggested that allowing every team into the NCAA Tournament would be a positive change for all parties involved: the NCAA, big schools, small schools, coaches, players, networks, and the fans. ________________________________________________________________
Americans have a predilection for canting in the face of reshuffling what we know and love (think MLB interleague play); not when we can have the "good ol' days" and the "way things were." Once college basketball fans get over the initial shock at the idea of a tournament change and start asking questions, they'll come to wonder why the tournament doesn't already include everyone.
Why would the NCAA consider changing the tournament? The NCAA states that it "shares a belief in and commitment to an inclusive culture that fosters equitable participation for student athletes." What is more inclusive than letting everyone have a shot in March? Isn't attempting to differentiate bubble teams inequitable?
In addition to the boost for philosophical ideals, college basketball would be richer than ever. The NCAA serves the interests of member institutions. High-major schools would no longer have to fastidiously find the non-conference equilibrium between manipulating RPI, determining the correct strength of schedule, and pacing towards the "20-win" mark. The resulting freedom would improve match-ups, generating higher television ratings and ticket sales.
So a reformed tournament would result in improved non-conference match-ups. Are the non-conference schedules of high-majors bad enough to warrant a change?
Even the most optimistic fans subconsciously see schedule-makers as power-wielding misanthropes. The unwritten 20-win rule leads to major conference teams hosting opponents like Bethune-Cookman (RPI of 319), Lipscomb (226), Loyola-Chicago (222), Indiana State (128), Ball State (297), Texas Southern (320), Wofford (195), Florida-International (263) (Note: This was Purdue's actual entire home non-conference schedule during the 2007-08 season in addition to exhibition games against Indianapolis and Saginaw Valley State. Purdue and Notre Dame haven't played since 1966.).
Fans are persnickety when analyzing opposition. Some have the disposable income to buy a season-ticket and eat the games against cupcakes; more think carefully before paying $300 to attend the only eight games that aren't boring bugbears. Tight games are as important as wins; unpredictability and excitement define basketball at its best. Little can rival the satiation derived from supporting your favorite team in a back-and-forth battle.
The current system prevents high-majors from portioning out enough of what fans crave. Teams are lucky to schedule even two non-conference home games against major conference opposition in a non-affiliated match-up.
Would rising nepotism between major conference teams be a cryptic omen portending a larger schism between big and small schools?
That's a concern, but schedules wouldn't be as head scratching if high-majors looked out their windows for competitors. Why did Florida host Vermont (25-point win), but not Central Florida? Why would Texas play Division II Arkansas Monticello (49-11 at halftime), but not make room for Stephen F. Austin? Ditto Michigan State, who beat San Jose State by 40 points, but didn't play Western Michigan. Viable alternatives of comparable strength were present in the area; location and familiarity breed interest.
Mid-majors shouldn't be left out as attractive schedules would still have a balance of tough, big-name opponents and hungry nearby smaller schools led by players still heartbroken at being overlooked by the bigger fish coming out of high school. Series against local opponents would be easier to sell to fans, as return trips would give the die-hards (boosters) a chance to see their team on the road. Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke sees the value in playing geographical rivals. "Local teams also add the possibility of bringing extra fans to Mackey Arena," Burke wrote in a May e-mail. "If we can play an in-state opponent, that is always our preference." High-majors wouldn't have to fret over how losing to mid-majors could damage tourney résumés. A schedule-maker I spoke with said a two-for-one series (the high major hosts the mid-major, plays on the road the next year, then hosts again) could work financially in most cases.
Dwarfing the appeal that a shot at hosting high-major neighbors would bring, the peak perk of expanding the NCAA Tournament would be that small schools would have a guaranteed tournament spot waiting every year. The relevancy of even following smaller programs is debatable at present as they, on average, earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament just over once every ten years. Survey a student at one of these schools over who his favorite team is, and chances are he'll name a major conference school (with Butler, Xavier and Gonzaga three possible exceptions). Having an automatic seat reserved in the tournament for every team would fuel continued attention by students and alums, even in down years.
Alums would notice that closely following their alma mater's team, no matter how weak, would be a more worthwhile endeavor. Recruits may not be as quick to look past the near-by mid-major school if they have the guarantee of four years of postseason basketball pending. It could level the playing field and give small school coaches more to sell to recruits.
America loves a Cinderella. There would be 250 trying on slippers every March.
How would coaches and players benefit?
Blue-chip recruits demand development, competition, and opportunity. Coaches would yield more control over the troika than ever before.
Development could be emphasized in a way not possible today. The pressure to win that exists from game one would be lessened tremendously. Freshmen teeming with potential but short on experience (Texas A&M's DeAndre Jordan in 2007-08 for example) could profit from an expedited learning curve. More minutes could be allocated to potential stars, who perhaps don't have a polished game due to lack of floor time. From the start, coaching would be undertaken with an eye on what matters, the postseason.
Competition is the whetstone of talent; top players and coaches who view the NBA as a future reality rather than a pipe dream aren't seeing their skills sharpened. In the NBA, every game is a dogfight for the players and a test for the coaches; even the worst teams win 20 games a year. Winning by 40 over a mid-major in college doesn't sharpen skills like playing other top programs would. Top programs could face-off against each other much more often, and top talents would learn to focus for a full 40 minutes every game.
For the majority of players who are true student-athletes and see college as the end of the road for their basketball career, the opportunity of playing in the postseason would be invaluable. Over five times more coaches and players would live the dream of competing in the NCAA Tournament every year.
With 340 teams playing Division I basketball, how long would the tournament last?
Figure on the tournament lasting just one week longer than present. Today, the future champion has to win five tournament games to make Championship Monday. If all 340 teams were involved, they would have to play either seven or eight games. A maximum of eight teams would play more than the six tournament games today's champion must win.
The negligible difference could be made up by removing conference tournaments. They would be obsolete. Since they're cash cows, the other option would be to remove two allowable non-conference games.
Wouldn't the tournament be impossible to schedule logistically?
It wouldn't have to be. Here's a suggestion: split teams along geographic lines into 24 regions of 12-16 teams. For example, the entire Northwest would play one another, California and Nevada would combine to form two regions, and Indiana and western Ohio would form a logical group. Regions would be awarded two, three, or four berths to the Field of 64 (with number of berths tied to group strength). Two neutral sites in each region could be selected to host the games each year.
Opponents could be randomly drawn by ping-pong balls as is done in the NBA Lottery and European Champions League. Imagine the tension as match-ups are revealed.
The potential for Duke and North Carolina to face off in the first round would not be a problem, but a cause for celebration. If they were the two best teams, they'd have to beat one another eventually if they were to prove themselves as champions. Fans of the two teams would have the lion's share of tickets and only a short drive to get to see the historic match-up. Ponder these other possible region match-ups: UCLA-USC, Purdue-Indiana, Michigan State-Michigan, Kentucky-Louisville, Georgetown-Maryland… all with the season on the line and in front of passionate fans.
300 valuable new games, some less nationally relevant, will spontaneously arise from nowhere; tickets and telecasts will surely accompany each and every one. Coverage could be regionalized. Games could be played every night the first week, allowing the networks to choose the best games to display nationally and in prime time slots.
Once the field is narrowed down to 64 teams, fans would again surround the television to see the same committee used today re-seed the teams the same way they do today and send them to a national tournament like the one currently in place. Two weeks later, the first true national champion would be crowned.
Really, everyone would benefit? Run that by me again please.
The NCAA will have made more money and encouraged competition and opportunity. Large schools will delight their fan bases with more appealing schedules and have more money to invest into athletic department interests. Small schools would be in the tournament, a dream they drool over nightly. Coaches and players will have the satisfaction of knowing they've been tested more than ever before. Networks would see higher ratings. Fans will revel on a season like none before, ask themselves what possessed them to spend $400 on a scalped ticket to go watch their team in the first round, then mail in their season ticket renewal.
Some have questioned why Mackey Arena at Purdue can't sell out anymore after over a decade of packed houses. To that I stare back as my stomach lurches, and query how they still pull in 13,000 nightly with the atrocious alimentation available? Where to begin...! Upon arriving, diners are herded like cattle through gates and required to show a ticket to very old men wearing matching tacky gold and black uniforms. The cost to even enter this establishment is over $20, and most pay a yearly membership to "John Purdue's Club" to ensure prime seating. Why anyone would pay extra for "better" seating in this filthy over-glorified concrete barn is beyond me! Every seat is the same; uncomfortable, hard, and around more old people. And did I mention there's no seat back? (Shudder) Don't even ask about silverware or a table.
After being entertained for almost an hour by a charming game of baskethoop, patrons file out into a concourse where they wait in line to order the food. By this point, it was 8:00 P.M., and I must say I was famished... hungry enough to eat a metaphorical horse.
If only.
Instead I was served a supposed "hot" dog wrapped in a stale, uninspiring pathetic excuse for a baguette, a plastic tin of salted crisps with neon-yellow dipping cheese, a cold, oversized pretzel with the taste and texture of a decade-old salted cardboard box, overly salted popcorn lathered in a coat of faux-butter, eight miniature Butterfingers bars (that I had to open MYSELF!), and a Coke with faint traces of ice (that I noticed in my lap after bringing the cheap cup to my face and realizing that the lid--- yes, they have lids at this restaurant [sic]--- wasn't snapped on.). Total Outlay: $17
And did I mention the hapless service? (restaurant critic rereads above transgressions and confirms that he did not, in fact, mention the service) Ahem. After reading up on the State of Indiana's Labor Codes, I shall be sending notice henceforth to the mayor of the municipality of West Lafayette to notify him of dozens of horrific counts of child labor violations.
Please allow me to describe the young lad who took my order... Eight years old.
In the event that isn't enough to disgust even the least demanding of diners, I'll go into more detail. The food counter stood nary an inch above my belly button, and he was a good six inches shorter than that. What he possessed in enthusiasm for the job and effort in counting my money, he lacked in math skills (I was shorted $2 in change; I considered it the tip) and the ability to reach the Butterfingers. Luckily, his mom was available to help. And when I inquired as to the locale of the Grey Poupon, he had the gall to direct me towards the restroom, with grim order to, "Poop in there."
To the lavatory I went, obediently and gladly. Whilst there, I deposited my food right into the trashcan, washed away any germs acquired in hand-to-hand dealings with l'enfant, and proceeded to drive myself straight to the fine, classic, culinary restaurant Monical's Pizza where I cry myself back to happiness through the sweet gluttonous satisfaction found in a pepperoni pizza and Mr. Pibb.
Rating: ★
Mackey Arena
1000 North University Street West Lafayette, IN 47907
765-494-3194
Open: Game Nights
Entree prices: $3- $3.50
Credit cards: None accepted, cash only
Reservations: Required
Noise: Conversation-unfriendly. Shout to be heard.
Last season, Purdue's Baby Boilers shocked the nation in crawling to 25 wins and somersaulting all the way to second in the Big Ten with three freshmen and two sophomores making up their top-five scorers. Now a year older and more mature, one has to assume Purdue will be improved if only because they will no longer refuse to shoot until they know their parents are watching (and anyone who has watched a basketball game inside Mackey Arena HEARD guard Chris Kramer's mom watching him*) or make yucky faces at their vegetables at the training table.
But those aren't the only reasons to expect the Boilermakers to make the leap to conference champs and the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament (or beyond). Guard E'Twaun Moore might be the most underrated player in the country. He started last season shakily, but dominated the last half of Purdue's season. He can shoot the ball as well as anyone (over 43% from three-point range last season), gets to the hoop at will despite underwhelming quickness, and flashed improved vision and passing ability in Purdue's exhibition games. Illinois's head coach Bruce Weber called him the conference's best player a year ago. He'll make waves nationally this winter.
Moore's classmate Robbie Hummel took most of the plaudits last season and is the kind of rare player who would start for every team in the country based off his intangibles and fundamentals. Hummel, 6'8", is also a lights-out shooter (45% from three-point range last season), stalks the passing lanes, and handles the ball as well as anyone his size in the country. He was named preseason Big Ten Player-of-the-Year.
Guards Keaton Grant and Kramer round out the core of Purdue's team. Grant is a steady player who also excels from the outside (44%), but battled injuries that robbed him of his lateral quickness a year ago. At his peak, he can get to the hoop and bothers opposing guards with his long frame. Kramer is a one-of-a-kind player who ever coach loves. Limited to aggressive drives offensively, he more than makes up for any shortcomings with his marauding presence on defense. Kramer averaged 2.3 steals in 28 minutes per game last season by physically harassing opposing guards and sneaking up behind unaware ballhandlers. The 2007-08 Big Ten Defensive Player-of-the-Year, captain Kramer also provides leadership in spades and incites the Paint Crew into mob-like fever pitches (loud enough for Purdue's mostly octagenarian crowd to hear at times even).
If there was one area where this team could be called into question, it'd be the interior. Last season the Boilermakers had a negative rebounding ratio and saw 6'8" rotation staple Scott Martin transfer to Notre Dame this summer. How far the team goes relies on the development of former four-star recruit JaJuan Johnson. Early indications are that the unaggressive 6'10" freshman beanpole from last year has sprouted into a savage beastly sophomore. In Purdue's second exhibition game, Johnson scored 22 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and swatted seven shots... unthinkable numbers if you saw him play eight months ago (and this is coming from one of his biggest fans).
5'9" freshman Lewis Jackson helps fill an additional potential weakness by adding some quickness to a team built on fundamentals. Michigan State's Kalin Lucas and Xavier's Drew Lavender tormented Purdue with their penetration last season. Jackson could help keep quick guards from reaching the paint, and if not, hopefully Johnson will be waiting to send them back out.
Seniors Marcus Green and Nemanja Calasan provide solid, experienced depth and can be effective if they play within themselves.
The schedule is equal parts kind and challenging for Purdue. They play Davidson, Duke and likely Georgia in the non-conference, yet won't leave the state of Indiana until Big Ten play unless they reach the Preseason NIT semi-finals in New York. With just two other ranked Big Ten teams, Purdue is one to watch as a sleeper with the potential to post a gaudy record and earn a No. 1 seed in March.
(Here would have been the perfect place to insert a lame "Baby Boilers" metaphor as a closer, but I just couldn't bring myself to be so cliche. I guess... you could say... I'm growing up... too?)
Prediction: 11-1 Non-conference, 16-2 Big Ten, No. 1 Seed And I'm generally exceedingly pessimistic, but I feel Matt Painter is developing this team impossibly well. With as many as five future NBA players on the team, I can't help but see a Final Four berth this spring.
* To Chris Kramer and his large, tough looking dad... I was just kidding! Although I really have heard her... But it's too quiet in the pit anyways; hers are always extremely welcome loud breathes of fresh air.
Why am I posting after 2 A.M.? Because I just stumbled across the BE THE COACH College Basketball Game. Of course, I've wasted the last hour assembling the most ungodly simulated Purdue basketball team ever. And if you click that link, you'll likely fritter away the rest of your life in perpetuity trying in vain to build a better squad. Not gonna happen. Brook Gilmore is the Jason Rexing of this game.
BE THE COACH College Basketball Game
Billynho (Career 109-59) 2020 Purdue
Roster
Name
Offense
Defense
Boards
Clutch
Brook Gilmore
SR
9
9
10
8
9.00
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Edmund Kite
JR
6
7
8
8
7.25
Joel Dantoni
SO
6
7
7
6
6.50
Bernie Zeno
SO
5
9
9
8
7.75
ALL CONFERENCE
Micheal Ray Pratt
SO
6
8
7
5
6.50
Elnardo Obrien
JR
8
6
8
8
7.50
ALL CONFERENCE
Pete Franklin
JR
7
8
8
8
7.75
ALL CONFERENCE
Alonzo Piotrowski
FR
8
8
5
7
7.00
My year-by-year record... for the hardcore Kornheiser's Cartel readers:(after the jump)
Billy Buckles (Career 123-59) 2020 Purdue - CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS! National Rank: NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!
Awesome! You took Purdue all the way to the top! The alumni are thrilled!! Please accept this five year contract extension through 2034 for BIG, BIG bucks!
2019: 10-4 2018: 8-6 2017: 9-5 2016: 14-0 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 2015: 7-7 2014: 8-6 2013: 14-0 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 2012: 10-4 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS 2011: 13-1 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS 2010: 12-2 2009: 3-11 2008: 1-13
Sadly, I had to decline the outrageous contract extension. I gotta rest up and turn pro tomorrow.
Purdue Message Boarders: I Don't Hate Out-Of-State Recruits, I Like Matt Painter
In the aftermath of my newfound near-unanimous popularity on Purdue message boards, this "open source sports" writer feels even dumber than usual.
Last week, when I posted my fact-based findings about the success of former Indiana schoolboys on the hardwood in college, the piece quickly and unfortunately made its way to said boards where fellow Boilermakers fans gasped at my (supposed) mordacious tone, cachinnated in response to my (supposed) demands, and clucked at my (supposed) censuring of Matt Painter.
One even went so far as to mournfully (and creepily!) satire my writing with an incoherent incident that you can view for yourself here. "If Purdue or Indiana could recruit two of the top-five players from Indiana every season, they'd continuously be Big Ten Championship contenders and reside high in the polls," I'd argued with (supposed) acerbic aplomb, unaware while typing that the sentence would be misconstrued as a call to ban out-of-state players from wearing black-and-gold.
To me, the point of the piece was simple and not-so-thinly-veiled. To others, it was a Magic-Eye challenge to read between the lines for sentiments that simply do not exist anywhere in my mind.
Because I am a Purdue fan, because I'm young and thin-skinned and do not want fellow Boilermakers to hate me over a misconception, and because I would rather not see any more attempts at Billy Buckles satire (that is what it was right?), I wish to add to, clarify, and clearly state the arguments I tried to express in my oh-so-famous piece (over 1,000 reads!):
1) Once again, if Purdue or Indiana could recruit two of the top-five players from Indiana every season, they'd continuously be Big Ten Championship contenders and reside high in the polls. I’d love for Purdue to get all of the top-five from Indiana every year.
I may be from West Point, Indiana (shout out to everyone in WePo!), but I understand that is typically not possible for many reasons, chief among them academics (see: Robert Goff) and competition (kids grow up fans of many different schools).
2) Indiana Mr. Basketball winners and the best player from the best team in Indiana are as sure a thing as you'll find in recruiting. I think my research validates that point, and it was the main idea that I wanted to express.
I tell my friends all of the time that I'm confident of a recruit if he is the best player on his team, and his team enjoys great success. I think it takes an extraordinary lead player to make a team elite in Indiana. I always bring up Josh McRoberts and Purdue's four freshmen from this season as examples of this. The consensus on McRoberts was that he was a top-five recruit nationally. Before seeing him play, I questioned the ranking since his Carmel teams were never much above average. Upon seeing him play against Greg Oden, I had no doubt that he was extremely overrated.
Purdue's freshmen, on the other hand, all led their teams to the top of the Class 4A rankings and gaudy records. They also passed the sight test. To me, each are important. J.R. Angle dropped almost 30 points a night, but Indian Creek wasn't anything special. His stats didn't translate into team success. I believe it's a valuable indicator.
3) Purdue missed out on about a dozen top-class in-state players this decade that common sense says would have loved to play in Mackey Arena.
I don't blame many of those on Matt Painter. He and his staff deserve dap for unearthing Chris Kramer. They were also on Scott Martin, Tyler Zeller, E'Twaun Moore and many others before other high-majors joined in the recruitment.
I was close enough to the team the last few years to know that Painter almost miraculously landed Dominic James and would have had it not been for Tom Crean and his damn Dwayne Wade anecdotes.
No, in all seriousness I wanted to illustrate the fact that as we passed on a lot of potential good players in our backyard the quality of our program fell. Even when we're not a national power program (as we're once again becoming today), I think Purdue can still be very good by feeding off of the talent yielded in-state.
Gene Keady may still be coach today had he offered Shane Power, Andre Owens, Avery Sheets, Anthony Winchester, Peyton Stovall, Stanley Burrell, and Brandon Crone.
(Message boarders… Please notice I said may. That is a very loaded may.He probably wouldn't still be coach. PLEASE don't start three threads calling me out for moronically, definitively stating that if Keady had stood outside Mad Mushroom after school on signing day in 2002 and offered five West Lafayette High School nerds walking by scholarships, Purdue would be coming off their sixth straight national title.)
4) I think Matt Painter has done an incredible job at Purdue, and I actually fear the day soon may come when he is priced out of West Lafayette. What he has done thus far at Purdue bears a striking resemblance to the early career of Billy Donovan (With the obvious difference being that Purdue had a much more storied history than Florida, but do high school kids today care?).
The two spent a similar length of time as assistants, possessed similar head coaching experience prior to landing a major gig, attack recruiting with ardent zest, and seem keen on playing up-tempo basketball with pressure defense. Painter's development of Carl Landry, David Teague, and Keaton Grant has been remarkable; I can't wait to see how the three freshmen from last season progress this year.
Donovan has turned a handful of mere four-star recruits into NBA lynchpins. If Painter can produce similar tournament success (Donovan took Florida to the championship game in his third season as head coach of the Gators), he'll be a major target for any deep-pocket program- if not NBA team- with an opening. I hope that day comes soon, and I hope when it does Morgan Burke can find the $3 million a year required to lock up Painter.
5) Despite my professed profound admiration for MP, I don't think it's the worst thing in the world to question him, or any coach for that matter, from time-to-time. And I doubt he really cares what I think.
No, no, no, I know he doesn't care what I think. What do I think? Losing very nice kids who get lots of playing time like Scott Martin and Chris Lutz is a worrisome trend that can't continue.
6) I hate the expression "Baby Boilers."
7) Plymouth's Randy Davis wouldn't have been a waste of a scholarship at Purdue* (don't worry, he's not related to Jamaal). Same goes for Winchester's Tyler Koch.
8) I really hope I didn't forget anything...
*Comment sure to trump everything stated above and start message board furor that ends in Knucklehead torch-laden march outside my house and yet another amended "open source sports" posting.
Purdue was just putting the finishing touches on an epic slide in 2005-2006. After over a century of success, the basketball program officially bottomed out with a 9-19 season, a year after going 7-21.
Matt Painter's first season as head coach couldn't have gone much worse.
It didn't have to be that way. Although the drawn-out conclusion to Gene Keady's career as head coach hurt the program's ability to recruit, the real reason for the slide was that Purdue was passing on the right personnel.
One look at Purdue's '05-'06 roster tells the whole story: just one recruited scholarship player from the state of Indiana, Matt Keifer, was playing.
To be fair, David Teague was out for the year after tearing his ACL, and Chris Hartley was playing after arriving as a walk-on.
Every other player from that disappointing team arrived from outside of Indiana's borders.
Can it be blamed on the fact that Purdue was simply unattractive to recruits worthy of playing in the Big Ten?
While it's understandable that the Boilermakers didn’t scoop up the five-star talent during this period, there's no excuse for missing out on a host of other possibilities who went on to excel at mid-majors after being shunned by Purdue.
During the '05-'06 season, many players from Indiana at smaller schools were outperforming players brought in from out of state to play in Mackey Arena.
From less than 10 miles away in Lafayette, Avery Sheets was putting the finishing touches on a very successful Butler career, and Peyton Stovall averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists for Ball State as a sophomore.
AJ Graves and Brandon Crone became nationally recognizable names while leading Butler up the top-25.
George Hill averaged 19 points, six rebounds, and 3.6 assists as a freshman at IUPUI.
Had Purdue correctly assessed the talents of these former Indiana All-Stars, the program wouldn't have been in such a sorry state.
In '06-'07, Purdue brought in four scholarship recruits, and just one, the lightly-heralded Chris Kramer (the only Hoosier-native of the group), was a real difference-maker in what turned out to be a surprisingly good season.
The cupboard was bare afterwards, but the future looked good.
That's because the '07-'08 recruiting class was composed of four top-100 in-state freshmen (two JUCO-transfers were added late).
Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore, Scott Martin, and JaJuan Johnson were the impetus behind what has been the most surprising of turnarounds in terms of both the level Purdue has ascended to and the short time it took.
"Baby Boilers" annoyingly became a linchpin of the vocabulary of college basketball analysts when Purdue turned out to be a threat for the Big Ten Championship on the backs of the freshmen, a fact all the more surprising when considering that they were not even the best four newcomers from Indiana last season.
Eric Gordon was ranked second in the country coming out of high school and averaged over 20 points for Indiana.
Jeff Teague and Matt Howard were certainly more productive than Johnson and arguably rank better than Martin.
In summation, the high school class of 2007 from the state of Indiana was loaded.
While it may be fair to suggest that it was a good year for Indiana recruits, it would be an incorrect slight to suggest that a class of this caliber was a one-off event.
Two prospects you can count on to develop into top college players every year are the Indiana Mr. Basketball and the best player from the Indiana 4A State Championship game (some years they are one-in-the-same).
Here's a year-by-year look at what Indiana's Mr. Basketball winner's have produced since 1990:
1990—Damon Bailey: The state's all-time leading scorer, Bailey averaged 19.6 points and was a second-team All-American as a senior.
1991—Glenn Robinson: After academic problems wrecked what would've been his freshman season, the Big Dog became the most dominant player in college basketball for Purdue and went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.
1992—Charles Macon: Macon initially enrolled at Ohio State, but ended his career at Central Michigan. He averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds as a senior for the Chippewas.
1993—Maurice "Kojak" Fuller: Fuller stood just 5'7", but possessed big-time ability. Unfortunately, personal problems landed him in prison.
1994—Bryce Drew: Drew led Valparaiso to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament before a six-year NBA career.
1995—Damon Frierson: Twice named second-team All-MAC at Miami, Frierson averaged 18.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists as a junior.
1996—Kevin Ault: Ault helped Steve Alford put the Bears' program on the map. He started as they went to the Sweet 16 in the program's only NCAA appearance.
1997—Luke Recker: Despite a helter-skelter career that saw him attend Indiana, Arizona, and Iowa, Recker managed to graduate with nearly 2,000 career points.
1998—Tom Coverdale: Coverdale was a three-year starter for Indiana who helped the Hoosiers reach the title game in 2002.
1999—Jason Gardner: Gardner started all four years at Arizona and was at times considered one of the best players in the country.
2000—Jared Jeffries: After hoisting the Hoosiers to the national title game, Jeffries turned pro and is currently playing for the New York Knicks.
2001—Chris Thomas: Thomas posted career averages of 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists at Notre Dame. He currently plays professionally in Spain.
2002—Sean May: May was Most Outstanding Player in leading North Carolina to the 2005 National Championship. He is a member of the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA.
2003—Justin Cage: Cage started over 100 games as Xavier elevated themselves from a mid-major into a Top-25 staple during his career.
2004—AJ Ratliff: Ratliff's career at Indiana started promising, but personal problems led to him being dismissed from the team as a senior.
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