Each year at this time I ask the same question...will I ever see the Boilers cut down the nets? My first basketball memory was as a 6-year old sitting at Market Square Arena watching PU and UCLA. Despite that loss, I walked out fairly confident I'd see the Boilers as regular visitors to the F4. But then K-State, Duke, Wisconsin, Robbie's knees and Isac's elbow happened. I'm now 44 and very much thinking that there is a good chance I'll never see a title winner in WL. But how much do titles matter to you? Should this bother me or other fans?
Of course these matter of titles don't exist in a vacuum. We share a state with a football and basketball program, though neither has won one since the Reagan Administration, are regarded as title-heavy programs. We also exist in a world where winning it all is all that seems to "count" in the public's mind. Despite out great history, the media treat us like an upstart. How many times against good programs do they flash our head-to-head advantage do they wryly remark "Well it might surprise you that Purdue actually leads this series..."? It's F-ing annoying, and I don't think it will end until we hang at least one.
Now after Big Dog left without a title, I began to place my fandom for Purdue in the same category as my Chicago Cubs...I cheer for them, but don't really have high expectations in them "winning it all". That mindset held until November 3rd, 2016. Before that night, I truly never realized what I was missing. I had maybe found a way to mitigate the importance of something that I figured I would never have. But it's like night-and-day what winning it all feels like for your team. I think after that night I better understood how those cocky IU and ND fans refer to their titles so frequently. Believe me, when I talk baseball, I find myself referencing the '16 World Series without thinking about it. Now I have significantly "upped" my emphasis on winning titles at Purdue.
Now just because I put more emphasis on winning the NCAA tournament, doesn't mean I'm less aware of the obstacles/challenges involved for Purdue. It's going to take a combination of good luck, more AD $, more consistent top-75 recruiting, favorable tournament draws and lack of injuries. And none of that is going to happen overnight. I'm firmly in the pro-Painter side as I think he's had some crap luck with injuries, but at the same time, I have concerns that unless his recruiting takes a step up, then our windows of opportunities will be narrow and will be very infrequent. I think Matt squeezes what he can out of what he's got, but he just needs to get more difference makers more consistently.
I'm curious how much winning it all is for other Purdue fans? We all want to win it, but is it something that you make a priority when assessing the program/coach/AD? Honestly before 2016, I pretty much ridiculed those that made national titles a central component to their fandom. Now while I still understand that sentiment, I just can't stop thinking about what steps need to be taken by the program to win the big dance.
So to you as a fan, where does an NCAA title figure into your day-to-day thinking about Boiler basketball? How much would an NCAA title matter to you?
Of course these matter of titles don't exist in a vacuum. We share a state with a football and basketball program, though neither has won one since the Reagan Administration, are regarded as title-heavy programs. We also exist in a world where winning it all is all that seems to "count" in the public's mind. Despite out great history, the media treat us like an upstart. How many times against good programs do they flash our head-to-head advantage do they wryly remark "Well it might surprise you that Purdue actually leads this series..."? It's F-ing annoying, and I don't think it will end until we hang at least one.
Now after Big Dog left without a title, I began to place my fandom for Purdue in the same category as my Chicago Cubs...I cheer for them, but don't really have high expectations in them "winning it all". That mindset held until November 3rd, 2016. Before that night, I truly never realized what I was missing. I had maybe found a way to mitigate the importance of something that I figured I would never have. But it's like night-and-day what winning it all feels like for your team. I think after that night I better understood how those cocky IU and ND fans refer to their titles so frequently. Believe me, when I talk baseball, I find myself referencing the '16 World Series without thinking about it. Now I have significantly "upped" my emphasis on winning titles at Purdue.
Now just because I put more emphasis on winning the NCAA tournament, doesn't mean I'm less aware of the obstacles/challenges involved for Purdue. It's going to take a combination of good luck, more AD $, more consistent top-75 recruiting, favorable tournament draws and lack of injuries. And none of that is going to happen overnight. I'm firmly in the pro-Painter side as I think he's had some crap luck with injuries, but at the same time, I have concerns that unless his recruiting takes a step up, then our windows of opportunities will be narrow and will be very infrequent. I think Matt squeezes what he can out of what he's got, but he just needs to get more difference makers more consistently.
I'm curious how much winning it all is for other Purdue fans? We all want to win it, but is it something that you make a priority when assessing the program/coach/AD? Honestly before 2016, I pretty much ridiculed those that made national titles a central component to their fandom. Now while I still understand that sentiment, I just can't stop thinking about what steps need to be taken by the program to win the big dance.
So to you as a fan, where does an NCAA title figure into your day-to-day thinking about Boiler basketball? How much would an NCAA title matter to you?
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