Longhorns Crush Texas A&M

Earlier this week the Texas Longhorns stomped on the Texas A&M football team. The Longhorn offense played really well and their quarter back Colt McCoy played very well. The Longhorns put a nice beating against their bitter rivals, beating them 49-9.

Defensively, the Longhorns held the Aggies to 245 total yards and minus 24 rushing yards. The Texas defensive also sacked quarterbacks Jerrod Johnson and Stephen McGee a total of six times. McGee passed for a total of 207 yards, but that wasn't enough for the Aggies, at the end of the first half only lead them to a field goal. 

The question that everyone is asking now is, was that win enough to keep Texas in the run for the Bowl Championship game. The Longhorns coach Mack Brown thinks so, "I felt they made the statement they needed to make." McCoy played really well in the game, running for two touchdowns and passing for an extra two more touchdowns. McCoy threw for 311 yards and completed 23 of 28 passes. Along with that he ran for 49 yards and it was the first time that McCoy beat the Texas A&M Aggies in three tries. Colt also set a Longhorns season record with 3,594 passing yards. The Longhorns are currently ranked number 2 in the BCS standings and are waiting to see if they still have a shot at the national title.

Bears fight for first place

Later on today the Chicago Bears are on the road and facing off against the Minnesota Vikings. Both teams are battling for the number one spot in the NFC North. Both teams have the same record (6-5) and whoever wins tonight's game will hold the number one spot in the NFC North.

In their last encounter earlier this year the Bears beat the Vikings 48 to 41. However, since then the Vikings have won three of there last four games and it is because they have relied a lot less on their passing game and a lot more on their running game. Earlier when the Vikings played the Bears they passed the ball a lot more, and because of that the Bears were able to pick the ball four times. That isn't the case anymore, since that game earlier in the year when the Vikings quarterback Gus Frerotte attempted 40 passes against the Bears, the Vikings have changed their game plan. Vikings QB now averages just around 21 passes and 34 rushes.

The Vikings are going to rely mostly on their run offense, and that means that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is going to get be getting a lot of playing time. The Bears have one of the best run defense in the league, which is currently ranked fifth allowing an average of only 87 rush yards per game. That is what the Bears are going to have to rely on heavily in this game, when they try and stop the second best rusher in the league Adrian Peterson. 

Coach Tiller

As most of you know, this past Saturday was Coach Tiller’s last football game of being head coach here at Purdue University. His official retirement date is on December 31st, 2008. The team came out with a big win to end their season, as well as Tiller’s coaching career. Coach Tiller never lost an Old Oaken Bucket game in Ross Ade Stadium. And with the past 11 meetings with the Hoosiers, he has a record of 9-2. Throughout Tiller’s 11 years of coaching here, he has accomplished a lot within the football program at Purdue. Here are just a few of those accomplishments.

1. Joe Tiller has brought a lot of integrity and dedication to the football program at Purdue as the head coach for the past 12 years.

2. Over the past 121 years, Coach Tiller has the winningest record of all the football coaches in the program.

3. Tiller has brought his team to the top 25 nationally ranked teams for 80 weeks, which is the same amount of time as Coach Jack Mollenkopf.

4. 10 out of the 11 years at head coach, he took his team to postseason games.

5. 64 of his athletes have been drafted in the National Football League

6. 6 All American athletes and 2 Academic All Americans have played under Coach Tiller.

7. Coach Tiller holds the school record of student athletes earning Academic All Big Ten recognition. (15 in 2006, 14 in 2007)

8. He was not only involved in Purdue football, but he made sure him and his team were involved in the community. They would make appearances and they also participated in a blood drive.

Those were just some of Coach Joe Tiller’s accomplishments as head coach at Purdue University the past 12 years. He is going to be truly missed by the University and also by the community, but he will never be forgotten. Him and his wife are planning on just enjoying their retirement and move on in life, but they will always have their hearts here at Purdue University.

My Weekend

This weekend started out for us around 10 pm Friday night with my friends coming from back home to stay with us for the Indiana vs Purdue football game. Once they got here, we instantly got rowdy and our RA came and told us that we need to quiet down. So we tried but we failed. We decided it was time for us leave to head to our friends apartment for the night.

A lot of my friends from back home were here this weekend to come and watch the game, most of them being Indiana fans. It was a rather fun night for all of us. It was more like a friend reunion with all of us. It was really nice to just see everyone and my friends here at Purdue got to meet my old friends from back home. The night was a fairly easy going night, nothing too exciting happened. There was a lot of dancing, loud music, just the normal stuff that college students do on a weekend. We did not get back to our room until around 3:30 in the morning, knowing we had to wake up early to get ready for the game and tailgating.

The morning started with me going straight to the off button on the alarm clock instead of the snooze button. It was set for 8:30. Ha, that was a joke for all of us! But we did end up getting up and ready around 9:30 then we went to McDonald’s because my friends were complaining about being hungry. Then we went to go see my roommate’s parents’ where they were tailgating. At the tailgate, our friend Ashlee came dressed up as a green crayon. It was her 21st birthday weekend, so this was the first time she got to go to breakfast club. She was having so much fun and was taking advantage of finally being 21. One of my friends is a cheerleader at IU so he had a lot of school spirit but for the wrong team! Every time he would see an IU fan he would say, “Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers” and we would just tell him if he did not quit saying that, we would leave him behind. But another one of my friends would always come back and say, “Hoo Hoo Hoo’s Gay”.

The lines were so long to get into the game. That was the only time this season that we had to wait to in line to actually get into the game. It was crazy packed! My roommate and I were looking at pictures on our facebooks from the previous games and the crowds were nowhere as crowded as this game was. We were packed like sardines in the Ross-Ade Stadium. The Indiana Purdue game was an exciting one for us, considering it is our freshmen year and we didn’t have to travel to get to watch it.
We were not expecting the game to be a total blow out like it was. Since of the teams had the same loosing record, we figured it would be a close game. Ha! That was a joke! We only stayed in the game for the first half because Purdue was already ahead a lot to none, and it was also extremely cold outside. We went back to the tailgate and sat in the camper and had a few good warm drinks of some pretty yummy stuff.

After the game, we came back to the room and decided to take a nap, but unfortunately we got woken up by someone knocking on our door. It was our RA. She had seen the pictures that we had just put on facebook and we had some not so appropriate drinks in our hands in the dorm room. She was not too happy with us and told that we need to take them off of facebook and if she smelled or saw any of that stuff again, my roommate and I would get in trouble and get written up.

So this weekend was a very eventful weekend for me and my friends. I did not get into too many details but I think I covered enough to where you can see how it was! 

Oklahoma brings an end to Texas Tech perfect season

Last night was a real upset for the then number two team in the country. The Texas Tech Red Raiders had a real wake up call last night when they played the number five team Oklahoma Sooners. The Red Raiders lost their first game of the season, well actually let me rephrase that, because lost is an understatement. The Red Raiders got destroyed last night by the Sooners, who played an extremely good game on both sides of the field.

I'll Start off by talking about the Oklahoma Offense. Quarter back Sam Bradford had an impressive game, completing 14 of 19 passes and throwing for a total of 304 yards and 4 touchdowns. What really impressed me was the Oklahoma rushing game. Demarco Murray had a total of 125 rushing yards along with two touchdowns. He also did very well at wide receiver with four receptions and 71 yards. I love watching this guy play, he just has that style that keeps the fans attention and makes you want to see his next move.

Now onto the Oklahoma defense, they played a great game last night. The defense did things to the Texas Tech offense that made the team look like a pee wee football league. They held the nations leading receiver Michael Crabtree from scoring any points in last nights game. Until then Crabtree who leads the nation in touchdown catches with 18 was kept away from the endzone, breaking a 13 game scoring streak. That's a great accomplishment for the Oklahoma defense. They also held the Red Raiders scoreless in the first quarter, which was the first time that has been done all season. They kept the Red Raiders scoreless on five straight possessions. The Oklahoma defense just broke down the Texas Tech offense. The next couple of weeks are really going to be of importance to see who has a shot at the national title.

Boilermakers reclaim Bucket

Yesterday was a great day for all Purdue football players and fans alike. The Boilers reclaimed the Old Oaken Bucket in what was Coach Tiller's final game as Purdue's head coach. Coach Tiller has had twelve seasons here at Purdue and this past Saturday he ended his coaching career with a huge win over the Indian Hoosiers, beating our rival team 62-10!

The main reason that Purdue did so well was because how great the offense played. The offense in yesterday's game played very well, in my opinion the best this season. They were lead by Curtis Painter who played a near perfect game. Painter completed 38 of 54 passes and he achieved an incredible 170.6 QB rating. Also, he had five touchdowns, and threw for 448 yards in yesterday's game. The action started when Painter threw a 9 yard touchdown pass to Desmond Tardy, which was then followed by a 79 touchdown pass to Aaron Valentin. The Boilers started the game with ten straight scoring drives. 

Purdue's running back Kory Sheets had a great game too, with 15 carries for 61 yards and a total of three touchdowns, he broke Purdue's single season record for rushing touchdowns. By the time halftime came the Boilers had built up a 41-3 lead. This wasn't the end though for Purdue they continued to score. Sheets ran for his third touchdown in the 3rd quarter after Painter threw two more touchdowns. The final score of the game was 62-10, with Indiana's only TD coming when Kellen Lewis connected with Ray fisher on a 16 yard touchdown pass. Sadly, that would be the Hoosiers only TD of the game.

It was a great way for Purdue's all time winningest coach to end his career. Coach Tiller coached for twelve of those seasons and ten of those seasons he lead the team to a bowl game, this season wasn't his best season, however he will always be remembered as a great coach.

Texas Tech one game away from being #1

Tomorrow is going to be an important day in college football for several reasons. The Old Oaken Bucket is up for grabs, Purdue head coach Joe Tiller coaches his last game tomorrow and along with all that second ranked Texas Tech is playing fifth ranked Oklahoma in a game that can seriously impact these two teams shot at the national title. Basically the Oklahoma Sooners are the only team standing in the way of the number one spot that Texas Tech wants. Kickoff is tomorrow night at 7 and it is at Oklahoma. 

So far Texas has beaten three straight ranked teams, with a combined total of 158 points in those three games. A win tomorrow night wold make it four and it would also improve their record to 11-0. This is huge for Texas Tech, because they have never finished a season ranked in the top ten, nor have they ever played in one of the four bowl games. So a win tomorrow night would just add to the team's already spectacular season. It's going to be tough to pull off because Oklahoma isn't going to be an easy win, but if they pull it off and win the Texas Tech Red Raiders will be a serious contender for the national championship.

I feel that in tomorrow nights game the quarterbacks are going to play a huge role in the outcome of the game. Both teams have really good QB's and they both have the potential to put up big numbers. The Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford  leads the nation with the most touchdowns (38) and he also has just under 3500 passing yards this season. On the other side of the field Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell has thrown for 36 touchdowns this season, and he leads the nation in passing with over 4000 yards. It's apparent that both teams are set when it comes to the QB position.

Tomorrow nights game is going to be a must see and I strongly encourage anybody who is interested in college football to watch this game, it is going to be an exciting one that can decide what happens for both teams in the upcoming weeks.

Battle of the Titans: Purdue vs. Indiana

Tomorrow is the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket as our beloved Boilers set to face off against their hated rivals, the Indiana Hoosiers. The game looks to be a juggernaut matchup as the two teams have a combined two conference wins between them. In addition to the coveted Old Oaken Bucket, also up for grabs is last place in the Big Ten. Boy, this is going to be an exciting one folks. Purdue is coming off an impressive loss to Iowa in which they only lost by five. The team is showing definite signs of improvement as that is the smallest margin of defeat Purdue has had since week 2’s loss to Oregon. Meanwhile, Indiana also showed flashes of dominance last week in a 34-7 loss to Penn State. You can definitely say that both teams will be red hot coming into this Saturday’s game.

For Purdue, it looks like fifth-year senior Curtis Painter will get the nod at quarterback and why not? He has put up huge numbers this year throwing eight touchdowns to just ten interceptions. I mean c’mon, those numbers just scream efficiency. Also playing his last game for Purdue will be wide receiver Desmond Tardy. When asked what his plans were for after the season, Tardy said he was planning a trip to New York. He is going for New Year’s Eve and plans on dropping the ball at midnight. (Alright, that was bad)

Saturday will bring an end to the career of legendary coach “Sheriff” Joe Tiller. Tiller was the master at making mediocrity acceptable and he will surely be missed. His replacement, Tiller-Look-Alike Danny Hope, will begin a new era next year and is already turning heads with his recruiting. Hope has received a whopping 10 commitments already with six two-star recruits heading the impressive class. The class is good enough for last in the Big Ten and the future is looking bright for Purdue.

Anyway, this is where I normally predict a score so here it goes:
Purdue-28
Indiana-22

The Best College Football Rivalries

This weekend is one of my favorite weekends in college football as it is “Rivalry Weekend” and many teams are preparing to face their most hated opponents. Rivalry games are so special because there is so much more on the line than a win or a loss. Rivalry games are about pride and who gets bragging rights for the year. There are a countless number of rivalry games around the country, but here are a few of my personal favorites:

1. “The” Ohio State University vs. Michigan- In my mind this is easily the best rivalry in all of college football and maybe even sports in general. This rivalry has everything including history, significance, and intensity. The teams have played an astonishing 104 times with the first contest being played in 1897. Michigan leads the overall series 57-41-6, but recent trends have favored Ohio State as they have won six of the last seven games. So many great players and coaches have been involved in this rivalry including Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, Eddie George, and Charles Woodson, just to name a few. One reason this game is so special is that year in year out it has so much riding on the line. This game alone has helped decide the Big Ten Champion 46 times since 1935. No other game can boast of a stat like that and it seems like every year this is the most important game in the Big Ten. Another reason this game is so special is the intensity. These states hate each other so much they even went to war against each other. Ohio and Michigan are the only two states to go to war against each other as they duked it out in the Toledo War. Seriously, that’s how much these teams hate each other.

2. Army vs. Navy- The battle for the Commander in Chief’s Trophy may be the most historic rivalry in all of college football. The military branches have played 108 times with the Midshipmen leading the overall series 52-49-7. In recent history Army and Navy have not had winning football teams, but the game remains on national television because of its history and tradition. The game is special because these players are not playing for a chance at the NFL, they are playing for the love of the game. The rivalry is especially important for seniors as it is the last game of their careers and if the country is at war, these seniors will be deployed just months after the game. This game has its share of hatred, but what makes this rivalry stand out is just the opposite, respect. After the game is over both teams join and the Army and Navy alma maters are played and sung to the crowd. This is a sign of respect and is one of the greatest traditions in all of college football.

3. Red River Shootout (Oklahoma vs. Texas)- This rivalry is so old the first game was played in 1900, before Oklahoma was even considered a state. The name of the rivalry comes from the Red River, the river that separates the two states and supposedly, the winning state gets ownership of the river until the teams meet again. Texas leads the overall series 58-40-5 and this rivalry game is one of the few played at a neutral site. The game is played in Dallas, which is halfway between the two schools. Also, this is the only rivalry that is so big it has its own sponsor. Since 2006 the game has been referred to as the “AT&T Red River Rivalry” as AT&T bought the naming rights. Often this game has national championship implications as 60 of the last 65 meetings have featured at least one team being ranked in the top 25.

Honorable Mention- Florida State vs. Miami, Harvard vs. Yale, Stanford vs. California, Georgia vs. Florida, Indiana vs. Purdue

Boilermaker Volleyball Couldn't Pull Another Win Off

After their win against Indiana on Friday, Purdue volleyball could not pull another win off this past weekend against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State is the winner of the NCAA record of 54 straight matches who have not lost a set in 28 matches so far this season. They topped the Boilermakers off with a 3-0 win.

The first match ended with a 25-20 loss over the Nittany Lions. Penn State took the lead early on during this match to 16-9. The Boilermakers did not let that put them down. They came back and closed the lead with the help from Stephanie Lynch and Danita Merlau with kills, and Jaclyn Hart with an ace (a non returnable serve that drops or is not playable) to 17-14. Then the Nittany Lions pulled up 6 more points and had the score of 23-17. The set ended on a service error from Purdue.

Penn State led the first four points in the second set, but shortly after that the Boilermakers came back and tied up the game 6-6 with the help of Purdue’s blockers at the net. Lisa Pierce, Lynch, and Carrie Gurnell all assisted in the three blocks. The Nittany Lions found there way once again to pull ahead by getting the next 8 points out of the 12, making the score 14-10. The Boilermakers made it a one point game after that to a 14-13. Penn State then pulled away and the score was 23-16, and in the end a kill by Megan Hodge ended the set with a final score of 25-21, Penn State.

The start of the third and final set of the night started out a little better for the Boilermakers. They scored 3 out of the first 4 points. Two of those points came from a pair of blocks, Merlau also helped by putting down some kills. With the score 6-4, the Boilermakers let in and let the Nittany Lions score the next 9 points, making the score 13-6. Shortly after that 9 point lead, the Boilermakers came back and closed the gap 16-11. Arthurs ended the rally at 24-14 with a kill, but Hodge came right back and ended the third set of the night with a kill. The final score was 25-15.

After this match, Purdue’s records are 21-7 overall, and 10-6 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers next game is home at 7 p.m. on Wednesday against Big Ten rivalry Illinois Fighting Illini.

Saints prayers answered

Earlier today the New Orleans Saints played the Kansas City Chiefs and won their first game on the road this season. As I stated in an earlier post the Saints really needed this win if they wanted to keep their post season hopes alive. The Saints knew what they needed to do and they did just that. The offense which was lead by Drew Brees did exceptionally well and the defense did what they had to do to cement the win.

Let me start with the Saints defense, the defense played well and made two very important defensive stops near the goal line. Those two stops should have been touchdowns for the Cheifs, instead the New Orleans defense forced the Chiefs to kick two field goals. Also, they sacked the Chiefs quarter back Tyler Thigpen four times, when asked how he thought his defense played in today's game, Saints head coach Sean Payton said, "I thought we tackled pretty well and kept the ball in front of us." All in all the Saints defense knew what they had to do in today's game, which was contain the Chiefs offense and they did just that.

Now on to the Saints offense, as I said earlier it was the Saints first win on the road this season, but it was also their first win on the road since last December. Prior to today's game, the Saints were 0-4 on the road, that changed after Saints QB Drew Brees threw for an outstanding 266 yards and 1 touchdown. The Saints running back Pierre Thomas, who filled in for starter Reggie Bush, had 88 rushing yards a touchdown, and on top of all that he had four receptions for 56 yards. The Saints kicker also kicked two field goals from the 30 and 23, both of which were good. The Saints did what they had to do this week, now that they are back on track hopefully they keep it up and do well in their upcoming games this season.

Iowa upsets Purdue

Earlier today I read the article that Colonel Sanders Posted about the Iowa vs. Purdue game, and in his article he talked about a Hawkeye player that I have never heard of before today, Shonn Greene. Naturally I was interested, because he stated that Greene was an underrated player. As I watched the game today, I could see what he was talking about. I had never heard about this guy before today and I was just astonished as to how well he played.

Earlier today the Boilermakers played against the Iowa Hawkeyes, in what was a really close game. The Iowa offense was lead by their running back Shonn Greene. Greene's performance today was stellar, the Iowa running back had 211 rushing yards and two touchdowns in today's game. The Boilermaker defense couldn't figure out a way to stop Greene's running game. Greene's two touchdowns came from a 14 and 75 yard run, this guy can play and it surprises me that he has been unknown for so long. 

The final score of the game was 22-17 the Boiler's had a chance to come back and win the game, they had the ball with 1:09 left on their twenty yard line with all three timeouts left. This, however was not enough for the Boilers as they failed to score on their final drive. Purdue's offense was on and off as they shuffled their quarterbacks between Painter and Siller. It was apparent that if Purdue wanted a chance to win they had to stick with experience and put Curtis Painter in. Painter had a pretty decent game he threw for 190 yards, in what was his first game since his October 25th shoulder injury. Even though the Boilermakers have had a less than good season to say the least, they are still motivated and are trying to play their best in their last couple of games.

Purdue Wins Against IU----Volleyball

Yay for the Boilermakers! They defeated the Hoosiers last night in a close match of 3-2. The sets were back and forth. Purdue won the first set 25-21, lost the second 13-25, won the third set 25-19, lost the fourth set, 22-25, and ended the match with a 15-12 win over the Hoosiers. This game was a sold out game with a total of 2,493. It was highly populated by a bunch of little girl scout girls who seemed to be the Purdue’s Volleyball team’s biggest fans of the night. All the girls were enthusiastic when it came to Purdue winning.

In the first set, the Hoosiers took an early lead, but after seven ties Purdue finally broke their lead and had a five point lead at 19-14. Then the Hoosiers came back and almost tied the game to 19-17, but with the help of Stephanie Lynch and Carrie Gurnell, they ended the set with a kill each, 25-21.

The Boilermakers were not as fortunate to gain the lead in the second set. Indiana had a big lead early on in the set with a 17-6 lead over the Boilermakers. The closet the set ever got was when the Boilermakers closed the gap to a 21-13, which they were still behind. The Hoosiers took the win with a 25-13 final score. Statistically, during this set alone, IU hit .429 and blocked the Boilermakers five times in the set, while Purdue managed a -.032 hitting effort and just one block.

After the intermission, the Boilermakers came back and got a small lead of 4-1. Indiana came back and almost tied the game to 6-5. During the third set, there was nine lead changes, where neither team could get more than one point passed the other. With a 18-17 lead over the Hoosiers, Purdue took the set to an end with the help of Lisa Pierce, who got a kill and then served for the next six points, putting the set at 24-18. Danita Merlau ended the set with her 5th kill of this set.

The closest set of the night was the fourth set. It consisted of twelve ties, four lead changes, which three of them occurred in the first 11 points. The biggest lead the Boilermakers had was 12-9, but shortly after that, Indiana came back and tied the game up 12-12. Then it was tied at 14-14, but after Jaclyn Hart got a kill and an Indiana error, the boilermakers took the lead once again. Indiana then came back and closed the gap up 17-16. At this point, Indiana broke through and took the lead for the rest of the set. Purdue almost had a good come back and tied the game up 21-21. Indiana pulled through and ended the fourth set 25-22.

It’s now Purdue 2, Indiana 2, so this calls for the fifth set to kick in. The fifth set only goes to 15. For most of the set, the Boilermakers had the lead, and they ended the night with a win of 15-12.

At the end of the game, Purdue’s coach Dave Shondell gave his input about Indiana and the game in general. "I give a lot of credit to Indiana because they have come a long way in a short time under Sherry Dunbar and her staff."They were well prepared for us. For the first two and half games our team played like they had to win. Then, Lisa Pierce came in and got us going with her serve and we settled down. The difference for us tonight was that as the match wore on, defensively our block did a better job of following and defending their hitters."

The No. 18 Boilermakers (21-6, 10-5 Big Ten) return to action at 7 p.m. Saturday when they welcome the defending national champion, No. 1 Penn State to Belin Court.

Purdue vs. Iowa

This week our beloved Boilers take on the Hawkeyes of Iowa.  Iowa is coming off a huge win last week after they shocked the college football world and knocked off then #3 Penn State on a last second field goal.  Iowa is probably the most underrated team in the conference and they are much better than their 6-4 record indicates.  Iowa’s four losses have been by a combined twelve points.  Along with being the most underrated team, Iowa has the most underrated player in Shonn Greene.  Greene has rushed for 100+ yards in ten straight games and is without doubt the best player you’ve never heard of.  This game looks to be a tough matchup for the Boilers and hopefully the offense can get back on track after a rough performance last week.  In the end, I think that Iowa will be too much for the Boilers and they win this one 20-6.

PU vs IU Volleyball Tonight..Who Is Going To Win?

After loosing a match against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and winning against the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road, the Purdue Boilermakers are hoping gain another win tonight at home against their biggest rivalries, Indiana University. The Boilermakers and Hoosiers have faced once so far this season in Bloomington on September 27th. Purdue pulled the win off with a 3-2 ending. Will the Boilermakers be able to pull another win off?

Last weekend, Indiana gave up a same win to the Michigan State Spartans like back October, loosing 3-1. IU is ranked number 7 in the Big Ten Network, with a loosing record of 6-8. Overall, they have a winning record of 14-12. Their biggest win was against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who are ranked 2nd in the Big Ten on November 1. They won 3-2. That is a big step up from the previous season. Seeing that the Golden Gophers did beat the Boilermakers, is there a chance that Indiana will be able to come back and get revenge against the boilermakers?

The Boilermakers are ranked 4th in the Big Ten with a winning record of 9-5. Their overall season record is 20-6. With a loss against the Golden Gophers, Purdue is hoping to come back and beat their major rivalries, considering Indiana did beat Minnesota.

I think there is a high chance of Indiana coming back and beating Purdue. It seems like Indiana is getting better as the season progresses on. Seeing they did beat Minnesota and just a week ago, Purdue lost against the same team. It is going to be a great game, and I will be there to experience it myself. Let’s hope the Boilermakers can pull off another win against the Hoosiers to improve their records with another win!

On another note, AT&T is sponsoring this year’s Crimson and Gold Cup. This is where for every sport at each college goes against each other and whoever wins gets a point towards the twenty possible points they can receive. If there is a tie, they split the one point and each of them get ½ a point.

“The winner of regular season head-to-head competition earns the point for its institution. Should the teams split or tie in regular season competition the point is split between the two institutions (i.e. if each team wins two games in baseball the point is split). The two schools tied, 10-10, in 2007-08. If the two institutions do not compete in head-to-head regular season competition, the team that places higher at the Big Ten Championship will earn the point. Should they tie in conference championship competition the point will be split. In the sport of track & field three-way meets that are scored as dual meets do not count as head-to-head competition. The overall winner of the contest will be awarded a trophy at the end of the season.” (http://iuhoosiers.cstv.com/ot/ind-crimson-gold-cup.html)

As of right now, Indiana is in the lead with a total of 2 ½ points, and Purdue with 1 point. So in order for the Boilermakers to keep up, they need to win tonight’s volleyball game so they will only be a ½ of a point behind!

Mackey Matchups

Tonight starts the official season for the Purdue basketball team as the team prepares to play against Detroit Mercy at nine o’clock in Mackey Arena. I know I plan on going to the game and am excited for the great home schedule the Boilers will be playing this year. There are some huge name teams coming to WestLaf this year and while I am excited for all the games, I am particularly excited for a select few.

#5 Duke (December 2)- When I heard about this game last year I immediately got excited. Duke is a one of the best if not the best basketball program in the country and once again they will field a very competitive team. The Blue Devils are ranked fifth in the latest USA Today poll and are led by three year starter Greg Paulus and sophomore Kyle Singler. Singler is a “Robbie Hummel” like player in that he can do everything on the court. Duke is very similar to Purdue as they are lacking a true inside presence, but like Purdue they make up for it with their quickness and great perimeter play. Teams like Duke don’t come to Mackey very often so take advantage and get tickets.

#21 Wisconsin (January 11)- This is the day before we start classes for the second semester so make sure you come back early enough from Winter Break to catch this game. The Badgers are the returning conference champs and are the model of consistency in the Big Ten in that they have finished in the top two in the conference all but one time in the last five years. Coach Bo Ryan has got a great thing going in Madison and he looks to continue that success this year. The Badgers are led by senior Marcus Landry (brother of Purdue alum Carl Landry) and junior guard Trevon Hughes. The Boilers were the only team to beat Wisconsin twice last year and the Badgers will definitely be looking for revenge. This should definitely be a fun matchup as the established returning champs look fight off the young and upcoming Boilers.

#7 Michigan State (February 17)- Even with the graduation of All-Conference guard Drew Neitzel the Spartans will be a very tough team this year. Sophomore Kalin Lucas seems more than ready to slip into the starting five and replace the gap left by Neitzel. Lucas scored a season-high twenty points against Purdue last year and most of the offense should run through him. In addition to Lucas Michigan State will look to junior Raymar Morgan for big plays. Morgan will be entering his third year as a starter and is probably one of the most athletic players in the conference. With their abundance of talent and Tom Izzo’s coaching the Spartans will definitely be in contention for a Big Ten title.

The Whoosiers (February 21)- That other school in Indiana will be having a bit of a rebuilding year after the departures of D.J. White, Eric Gordon, and coach Kelvin Sampson. The team was hit by NCAA sanctions because of a recruiting scandal and lost some scholarships because of it. The team is only returning three players from last year’s entire team and the roster is flooded with freshmen and inexperience. The leader for the Whoosiers will be senior Kyle Taber who averaged just 1.3 points per game last season. I don’t think this will be a very competitive game, but I included it on the list because they are IU and Mackey will definitely be shaking when our hated rivals make their way to WestLaf.

“The” Ohio State University (February 28)- This will be one the last home games of the year, but it could be one of the most exciting. The Buckeyes are young and inexperienced, but their young players are so, so talented. The youthful Bucks will be led by the top ranked recruit in the class of 2008, B.J. Mullens. Mullens is the third seven footer in as many years that coach Thad Matta has brought in and his coaches are expecting big things. The freshman will be a force down low and has the ability to hit some outside shots as well as run the floor. It will definitely be interesting to see if this kid can live up to the hype. Mullens and his fellow freshmen will look to junior David Lighty for leadership. Lighty is a shut-down type defender who is the most experienced player on the roster. This should definitely be a great matchup as Purdue and Ohio State each beat each other once last year.

Remember all these games are in Mackey Arena and we must protect our home turf. If you go to these games, BE LOUD. Last year the student section was great and Coach Painter called us the “best student section in the Big Ten”. We have to keep this going and keep “Mackey Madness” alive. Go Boilers!

Saints need a miracle?

Today I'm going to write about a team that I have rarely covered so far this season. The team that I'm talking about is the New Orleans Saints. As most of you already know Purdue's own Drew Brees is the starting Quarter back and his performance this year has been close to record breaking, however the team as a whole can use some help.

The Saints are 4-5 this season, they aren't out of the playoff picture yet however if they don't start winning some games especially away games they can kiss the idea of a postseason goodbye. Brees has been doing good statistically, for example he leads the NFL'S top ranked offense which is averaging about 422.22 yards per game. Brees is on pace to set a record by throwing for 5,309 yards, the only problem is that the team is struggling on the road. In the past four road games quarter back Drew Brees has thrown for 1,209 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions, now compare that to his 1,695 yards, 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions in his last five home games. When asked how he feels about the team's struggles this year on the road this is what he had to say "The fact that we haven't been able to put two good consistent games together in a row is frustrating." Drew Brees has been doing his best to try and carry the team offensively, because their star running back Reggie Bush is out with a knee injury.

This upcoming week the Saints look to improve their record to .500 when they face the Kansas City Chiefs. If the Saints win this week not only will they have improved their record, but it will also be New Orleans first win on the road this year. In my opinion a win on the road is exactly what the Saints need, the team needs a confidence boost while they are on the road and hopefully they can get that little bit of motivation that they need this weekend.

Cardinals... To be or not to be? Think about it!

Ball state football… Should be enough said right there, but just incase you have been trapped in a closet for the last couple months. The Cardinals are off to more than amazing start with a 9 and 0 record, tied for the best record in cardinal history. Before I get into this spurt about the last game which of course was 45-14 win against Northern Illinois, I’ll cover a few of the team’s high lights of this season. So far like I said this is tied with their best record ever at 9-0, not only that but this was the first time they have ever been ranked in the BCS standings, even though these standings are messed up anyway, at currently 17th. Also this was the first year they ever beat a Big Ten school, which was against Indiana University which was a butt whipping also. Sadly though that was also the game they lost their key receiver #87 Donte Love. Those are just a few of the outstanding achievements they have accomplished this season. Back to the game which was on ESPN2 Wednesday. They faced unranked team Northern Illinois which was 4-1 in the MAC conference at the time, also the number one ranked defense in the MAC. From the very start of the game it was all Ball State. Davis came out with the set mind of picking people off. He had the best game he has had this whole season and possible his whole college career. Which was the best case scenario because he has GM of the Indianapolis Colts there along with a few friends from the Orange Bowl. Anyway He ended up thowing close to 300 and something yards and like 2 td’s. This of course is a rough estimate. Lewis who was running down the run game had a slow take off. He struggled to start off with yards like he does any other game but when second half came. It was all business. He ended up rushing over 100 yards which game him a season high of 1100 also which is number one in the MAC conference. In all people just need to realized. The Ball State Cardinals is here for business. And for all of you skeptics out there you need to get your head out of your butt. Yea they don’t face the hardest teams. But look at who they do face and how bad they murder them. Even with their best player injured. Are they a team that can take someone like Texas? Most likely not. But a team has to start somewhere. And what better way than a 9-0 record. Like I stated before Ball State is here to send a message to everyone. They are not a team to be underestimated. And for the record Corso couldn’t have been more wrong saying it was an upset. Show’s how much he really knows about football… Ignorant

GO Greek!

Go Greek! You see it everywhere all over campus, on windows, posters, buses and even on t-shirts. Greek Life here at Purdue is really big, there are 45 different fraternity's and 25 different sororities on campus. Greek life at purdue is a way for students to meet new people that go to purdue, also it is a good way to make life long friends.

The way to join a fraternity is by going to rush events. Every semester there are open houses that are called rush events. Basically what that means is the house is open for anyone to stop by and just talk to people. It is a great way to meet the people who live in the house and just talk and ask questions about the house. If you like the house you come back a couple times and hopefully the brothers in the house give you a bid. A bid is when the brother's of a house give you an invitation to join their house.

Once you join a house there are many benefits to it. Fraternity's and sororities are typically stereotyped as places for people to go and drink and party. It is true that fraternities do host parties on occasion, however it's more than that. Fraternities and sororities often do community service projects, and they hold philanthropy events, which typically involves raising money for some type of non-profit organization. Another good thing about going greek is all the people that you meet. It is the easiest way to meet new people and make friends.

I strongly encourage anyone who has an interest in greek life to check it out. Just go to the houses with an open mind and meet people. I guarantee that you will find someone who shares the same interests as you. So check it out, you just might be surprised.

Titans vs. Bears

Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day for Chicago Bear fans. They are going to see them play the undefeated Tennessee Titans at home. This season the Titans are off to their best start ever in franchise history. The Titans are currently 8-0 and they are the only team in the NFL undefeated. The Bears on the other hand are 5-3 and currently number one in their division. What I find interesting is the similarity between the two teams. Both teams started the season with a new quarterback and both teams have rookie running backs, that have played exceptionally well so far this season.

The Bears this season decided to shake things up a bit and gave Kyle Orton the starting QB position, and let me start off by saying that they made the right move. So far this season he has a whopping ten touchdowns and over 1700 passing yards. Orton has proven that he can lead his team and that he is comfortable at his new position. However, in last weeks game against Detroit the star QB left the game early due to an ankle injury. It is unclear if he will be playing in tomorrow's game. If he doesn't play that is a major advantage for the Titans. Now on to the Titan's QB Kerry Collins, he has played fairly well this season with three touchdowns and just over 1200 passing yards. 

Now lets talk about both teams running backs. I'll start off with the Titans rookie running back Chris Johnson has done a good job this season. With five touchdowns and over 700 rushing yards this season, he has shown that he means business. It's going to be interesting to see what he can do against the Bear's defense who only allows roughly 80 rushing yards a game. On the other side the Bears rookie running back Matt Forte leads the team in rushing and receptions. However, the game tomorrow will not be all about the offense. Both teams have great defenses and it is likely that the game tomorrow will be a low scoring game. Both teams are pretty evenly matched, so tomorrow's game is going to be a must see.

Purdue vs. Michigan State

This week our Boilermakers head to East Lansing to take on the Spartans of Michigan State. Purdue is coming off a big win against Michigan while the Spartans were victorious in a come from behind victory against Wisconsin.

All you really need to know about the Spartans is Javon Ringer. Ringer is MSU’s senior running back who is leading the Big Ten in touchdowns (18) and rushing yards (1,427). Purdue, on the other hand, has the conference’s worst run defense surrendering 175 yards per game. This makes for a bad combination. I look for Ringer to run all over the Boilermakers with at least one score and a hundred yards.

However, MSU’s run defense is nothing to brag about either. The defensive unit checks in at tenth in the Big Ten in rush defense, giving up 152 yards a game. I look for Cory Sheets to have another big day and the possibility of the Boilers putting up some big points. Remember the starting quarterback position is in the air and Coach Tiller must decide between Justin Siller and Curtis Painter. If Siller is named the starter, I look for the Boilers to have a big day offensively. Siller reminds me of another quarterback in the Big Ten in Terrelle Pryor of “The” Ohio State University. When Michigan St. played the Buckeyes a couple of weeks ago Pryor had a field day and the Spartans surrendered 45 points. If Siller is under center on Saturday the Boilers could have similar success. However, if Painter is named the starter I don’t look for the Boilers to do too much. He probably won’t be playing at 100 percent and even if he is he just isn’t the offensive weapon that Siller is.



Overall I think this will be a tough game for the Boilers, but I think we can put up a fight. Michigan St. is not that good, but with the game being on the road I look for the Boilers losing streak against ranked teams to extend to 19 games. Prediction: MSU 27-Purdue 17

Seinfeld: Greatest Episodes

I know this is way off topic, but in my post today I would like to talk about the greatest television show of all-time, Seinfeld. Seinfeld of course was a show that aired throughout the 90’s and starred Jerry Seinfeld. The show dealt with Jerry and his three friends, Kramer, Elaine, and George, and the whacky life situations they would get themselves into. I absolutely love Seinfeld and every episode just cracks me up. I think I like it so much because it takes the stupidest, littlest things in life and makes them absolutely hilarious. Since I like all the episodes it was tough for me to come up with a top episode list, but this is what I came up with:

1. The Contest- This episode has everything suspense, controversy, and of course comedy. The episode is about a contest the four main characters enter together to see who can go the longest without….well you know, gratifying themselves. The episode begins with George telling everyone that his mother walked in on him while he was having “alone time”. He claims that because of this he will never engage in this kind of activity ever again. Jerry says it is impossible and this leads to the contest that the four friends enter. Kramer is eliminated within a day as he gives in because of a beautiful woman across the street who walks around naked with the curtains open. The contest takes a toll on the remaining contestants as they suffer from insomnia and other complications. After a series of whacky events the contest ends in a tie as no one remains “Master of Their Domain”.



2. The Soup Nazi- Definitely one of the all-time classic episodes of Seinfeld, The Soup Nazi is about a soup stand that the friends discover that serves delicious soup. However, the immigrant owner of the stand, whom the friends refer to as the Soup Nazi, demands perfection from his customers. This means he expects them to follow a strict ordering procedure and if this procedure is not followed he greets the customer with his famous catchphrase, “No Soup for You!”. Jerry respects and follows the rules of the Soup Nazi, but it is a different story for Elaine. She refuses to follow the rules and this leads to a conflict between her and the Soup Nazi. Through a series of hilarious events, Elaine is able to acquire the recipes of the Soup Nazi and because of this the episode ends with the Soup Nazi closing his stand and moving back to Argentina.



3. The Junior Mint- This episode is about when one of Elaine’s ex-boyfriends is in the hospital and is having a splenectomy. Jerry and Kramer decide to watch the operation from a viewing gallery and Kramer, being Kramer, decides to bring a box of Junior Mints with him as if he was at a movie theatre. Kramer offers Jerry a Junior Mint, but Jerry refuses, pushing the box away. As Jerry pushes the box away one of the mints falls out of the box and lands directly in the patient. Jerry and Kramer realize what they have done and immediately worry about the consequences of their mistake. They continue to check the health of the patient and at first the patient falls victim to a terrible infection. Eventually the patient makes a miraculous comeback that the doctors describe as the work of “something from above”.



Honorable Mention: The Marine Biologist, The Puffy Shirt, The Merv Griffin Show, The Opposite

All these episodes are absolute classics and if you’ve never seen an episode of Seinfeld, I highly recommend them. If you time it right you catch Seinfeld almost three times a day on stations like TBS and Fox. It is by far my favorite show and is the show I consider the greatest of all-time.

Being Yourself

High School: It’s all about being in with the “cool” crowd, being involved in all the sports you want to be, being up for prom queen and homecoming queen, and lastly friends! Don’t get me wrong, it is good to be liked and involved while you are in high school, because I was and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am a person who can speak of these things I listed above simply because they all pertain to me in some way. I know this might sound extremely conceited, but I was with the “cool” crowd, I had a lot of friends, I was the cheerleader, gymnast and volleyball player, and I was also up for both prom and homecoming queen. But you know what, I did not go out of my way to be all that! I was myself and people liked me for who I was.

I think in high school, people try way too hard to fit in to the “cool” crowd. I mean, girls and boys would go out of their way and change who they were inside and outside just to be able to hang out with that certain crowd. Why do people do that? I have always wondered that. There is no such thing as the “cool” crowd I don’t think. People are going to be different, have different values, interests, and goals. From being in the crowd I was in, I learned a lot from the other people. They did not have a problem with you if you were who you were, but if you changed every time you got around someone different, then most people could not stand you.

So what I am getting at, just be your-self, be who you are and want to be! Don’t change who you are just because you want to be “cool” or well liked. It’s not worth it in the end! You truly do find out who your true friends are during your senior year of high school and your freshman year of college. So just be yourself and accept who you are as a person! Life will be much easier for you in the long run. Plus, it’s not going to matter who you hung out with in high school once you get into college. You have to start all over making new friends!

College: This is where I am at right now in my life. I am trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life, what career what I want to pursue, and lastly, I am finding out who my true friends are. College is not all about what I listed above for high school. It is finding out who you truly are. This is a good place for someone to start a new life and just be themselves. You are also one step closer to being on your own. So this is definitely a place and time where you need to grow up and figure out what you are going to do for the rest of your life. I know that I have learned a lot so far just being in my first semester of college. It is a lot different than high school that’s for sure. It doesn’t matter what happened in high school, all that matters is that you are you and you don’t change who you are for anybody besides yourself.

I do not have a lot more on college, considering I am only a first semester freshman, but like I mentioned above, I have already learned so many valuable lessons thus far in my college career and it is just beginning!

Texas Tech Upsets Texas in Last Seconds of the game.

Last night was a night of complete shock for many Texas Longhorns fans. They watched their number one rated team lose in what many feel, myself included, was one of the most intense games of college football anyone has ever seen. Both teams played an amazing game of football, however as the phrase goes it's not over until it's over and that is exactly how both teams played they busted their asses off till the very end.

First let me start by talking about the Longhorns Offense, they played a great game. QB Colt McCoy did a great job at quarter back this game, he performed very well completing 20 of 34 passes, he threw for 294 yards and had two touchdown passes. McCoy lead his team to what was almost a come from behind victory. In the first half the McCoy and his Longhorn teamed were looking like they were going to just let one of the biggest games of the season slip away. The Longhorns were down 19-0 at one point in the first half. Then in the second half the offense stepped it up and McCoy threw a 37 yard and a 91 yard TD pass, both to Malcolm Wlliams. McCoy has nothing to beat himself up about he played a good game.

On the other side McCoy didn't play as well as the Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell. Harrell played an amazing game last night, he had completed 36 of 53 passes, along with 494 passing yards and two touchdown passes. He played his heart out the whole game and it really payed off, throughout almost the whole game the Texas Tech red raiders were in the lead, they had made a lot of great plays the entire game. However, the biggest and most important play that Harrell and his team played was in the very last seconds of the game. There was 8 seconds left on the clock and the Red Raiders were down 33-32. QB Graham Harrell threw an extremely risky pass to All-American Michael Crabtree, who was covered by two Longhorns defenders. Crabtree caught the ball, managed to shake off the defenders and ran it into the end zone with 1 second left. It was truly one of the most amazing catches I have ever seen. The Red Raiders did what many people thought was impossible, they beat the number one team in the country and they did it in the most amazing way.

A Game Worth Watching

For all the Purdue Football fans, today’s game was incredible! Breaking our loosing streak and finally gaining a win against the Michigan Wolverines. With a first time starter, Justin Siller as our quarterback, we played really well. It was a good match up today in the Ross-Ade Stadium. At the beginning, I was questioning on whether or not we would stay with the Wolverines, considering they started off with a lead of 0-14 in the first quarter. But as the game went on, and the Boilers tied the game up 14-14, it made me realize that we actually had a chance of winning this ball game!

This game was an intense game to watch I thought. I mean, it was back and forth between the two teams. We would be tied then one of them would score and then the other. It seemed like the whole game had a pattern to it. But during the second quarter, we were down by two touchdowns, and at half time we still remained two behind. So my roommate and I were like, ok lets just stay at the tailgate party and just watch it on the television because it’s not worth standing up and watching us loose once again. We told each other that we were going to go back into the game during the third quarter just because the band plays the “Shout” song and we love dancing to it. Once we got back into the game, we noticed we were catching back up to the Wolverines, so we were both excited and glad we came back in.

The play I remember the best was when Sheets handed the ball off to a teammate after he received it from Siller, and he ran in for a Boilermaker touchdown. That was the touchdown that pulled the Boilers ahead of the Wolverines, 48-42. The Wolverines blocked the kick, so we did not get the extra point. It was stressful at the end of the game because I thought for sure Michigan was going to score and make the field goal. Thankfully, Purdue’s defense was strong enough to prevent them to not score!

I know I did not get into great details of the game, but if you go to this website, http://purduesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/110108aaa.html# , you will be able to find the stats, videos, and pictures of today’s game. I hope this win today will boost their confidence and help them keep their heads up and give them hope for next weeks game at Michigan State.

Boilers Wreck Wolverines

Wow!!! That's the best way to describe todays game against Michigan. This game was really intense and had everyone on the edge of their seats throughout most of the game. Both teams did really well in todays game and were neck in neck for a good amount of the game. However, Purdue never gave up, they played their best and in the end they came out with the win.

Todays game was a little bit different for Purdue fans and the players as well. For one they actually won a game and two the infamous Curtis Painter wasn't in the game. Instead they had Sophomore Justin Siller starting, because Painter injured his shoulder in last weeks game. Now what I'm about to say don't take it the wrong way, but in my opinion Painter's injury was a blessing in disguise. Now I'm not saying that I'm glad that he got hurt, but I am thankful that his injury resulted in Justin Siller getting the chance to play in todays game.

Siller played an amazing game today. Siller had three touchdown passes and he ran for another one in his first career start as a QB. Siller for his first start as a QB did exceptionally well. In my opinion he should remain as the starting QB, he really showed that he has what it takes to lead this team.

 Siller really showed his ability to lead the team in the last minute and half  of the game. The Wolverines had just tied the game and their was about a minute and twenty seconds left, Siller completed an 18 yard pass to Keith Smith and then another 20 yard pass to Tardy. After a couple of plays the Boilermakers ended up on the Wolverines 35, and then they pulled of one of the most amazing plays that I have seen in a while. Siller passed the ball to Orton, who then instantly lateralled it to Tardy, Tardy then ran it to the end zone for a TD. The extra point was missed, but that really didn't matter, because the defense held Michigan for that last twenty seconds and won the game. 

I really enjoyed todays game, it was exciting from the opening kick off to the very last second, and I think that much of that excitement had to do with Siller. He brings that style to the team and he is really interesting to watch. I look forward to seeing him in the next's weeks game.

Purdue vs. Florida Southern

I just got back from the basketball game and boy am I excited.  I know it was just an exhibition game against Southern Florida, but basketball season is finally here and I’ve been looking forward to it for so long.  The game was a lot of fun considering it wasn’t even a real game.  I didn’t think there would be that many people there because it was a Friday night and it was Halloween.  I was wrong.  People had started lining up for the game at like noon and the student section was pretty full.  Tons of people dressed up in costumes and there was even a costume contest.  The winners of the contest were five guys who dressed up like Tetris blocks.  It was really funny and creative.  The student section was loud even tonight and I can’t wait to see it when we play real games and better opponents. 

As far as the actual basketball team, several things got me excited tonight and as the season goes on I’ll be watching these things:

J.J.- Jajuan Johnson was an animal tonight.  He had like five dunks and one was even an alley-oop.  He played like a man.  Last year as a freshman Johnson was mediocre, he was just too skinny and too weak.  This past offseason he put on ten pounds of muscle and after watching him tonight, those ten pounds definitely paid off.  He just looked like a different player.  Don’t get me wrong the kid is still as skinny as a broomstick, but tonight he was using his athletic ability to make plays.  I look for Johnson’s improved play to continue throughout the year.

The Frosh- Since tonight was my first chance to look at the team this year, I was paying close attention to the new freshmen.  Two of the three freshmen stood out in my mind tonight and they were guards Ryne Smith and Lewis Jackson.  Each player contributed in his own way and if they can continue this throughout the season, I know they’ll fit in just fine here at Purdue.  Smith contributed thirteen points, including several three pointers.  It looks like Smith doesn’t have great speed, but it does look like he is a great spot-up shooter.  Jackson on the other hand is easily the quickest person on the team.  He used his speed to contribute to the sixteen steals that Purdue had.  Also, it looks like Jackson has great vision as he was able to find open teammates time and time again for a total of seven assists.  I remember one play where he was wide open at the three-point line and as he jumped in the air to shoot the ball he found a wide-open teammate under the basket for an easy too points.  If Jackson shows this kind of vision and unselfishness throughout the year I know he’ll fit right in with Purdue’s style of play.

These are just a couple of things that are getting me excited for the upcoming basketball season.  The team is looking very strong this year and hopefully they can live up to the hype.