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No. 1 seed in the Midwest

You're encompassing a whole lot of people in that sarcasm bomb. I think there's a big gap between a fan wanting their team to overcome recent issues and having expectations that the coaching staff and team find that path and a fan who is as ridiculously unbalanced as you are describing.

Certainly at the end of the day few things in life are truly important at all. I mean why are any of us posting on an Internet message board about sports when there's kids starving somewhere is the extreme take one could have.

But I don't think having expectations and some level of disappointment at not reaching them makes someone quite that bad.
The people who I am addressing hopefully see themselves in this post. The way some people here react to Purdue team's adversity, I can easily see some of them coming unhinged and confronting a player or their family. It did indeed happen, after all.
 
The people who I am addressing hopefully see themselves in this post. The way some people here react to Purdue team's adversity, I can easily see some of them coming unhinged and confronting a player or their family. It did indeed happen, after all.
But it's such a miniscule fraction of people.
 
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I have not seen anyone condoning any physical or verbal abuse of anyone. Player, player family or just another fan at a game. If I'm wrong then please tell me who has condoned that here.

I hope it would be zero, but since it happened, it's not zero. But surely it's a very small fraction of our fans don't you think? It's one thing for us to banter back and forth on a message board, but I would hope the vast majority on here and our other fans would never even consider abusing anyone at a game.
 
I have not seen anyone condoning any physical or verbal abuse of anyone. Player, player family or just another fan at a game. If I'm wrong then please tell me who has condoned that here.

I hope it would be zero, but since it happened, it's not zero. But surely it's a very small fraction of our fans don't you think? It's one thing for us to banter back and forth on a message board, but I would hope the vast majority on here and our other fans would never even consider abusing anyone at a game.
I for the record don’t condone it. I also don’t want Painter to necessarily be fired. I like him overall.

However, I don’t like him enough that we keep him and continue to be the laughing stock of the tournament.

We have had two revered coaches in like 50 years and neither has been past the elite 8. And neither has even been to the elite 8 many times.

If Painter can’t get something done with this team, and this next class comes in and it’s also a nothing burger with a new style of play, then what? We might have the most Big ten titles, more than any program, and most of them are older than our rivals “dusty banners”. It’s just reality.

It’s embarrassing to continuously accept mediocrity. That’s why everyone wants to know why this team, or this coach just can’t get it done, and psychoanalyze

Tony Bennett at least followed it up with a title. What if we are a sweet sixteen only with one of maybe 3 truly elite teams this year? What if lose to Mcneese in the sweet 16 and lose to a double digit seed again? Then what?

North Texas? Whatever, first round game, until this point, Purdue had mainly won at least one game. St. Peter’s? It was in the sweet sixteen and a maybe a bad matchup, but still pretty sad. But last year is a sign that it’s getting worse before it gets better. FDU was a BAD team. Not just a 16 seed but like the worst team that ever made a tournament. Did not even win the conference tourney. They had like one player that was over like 6”6’. It’s inexcusable and points to a problem. FDU in the regular season would have been Sanford this year, a 50 point blow out. But we lose it in March.

It’s not just that we keep failing in March, we’ve literally maxed out how bad we can be. And despite everything that Painter has done, if we are going to just lay a turd every March and never consider getting rid of the coach because he occasionally wins a B10 title, then it’s a sad reflection on our desire to win

We keep convincing ourselves that our B10 titles matter and all that stuff. This year it would be the equivalent to winning the AL/NL Central with an 83-79 record. The league was horrendous and was still too close for comfort most of the season. Eventually being the least mediocre team in a bad league that flames out isn’t enough.

I watch the team, because it’s my Alma mater and I love the school. But it’s hard seeing choke jobs year after year and then nothing change. Last years team was too talented for that to happen and it points to a problem. Is it world hunger? No, it’s basketball, life will go on either way. This is a Purdue men’s basketball forum, and I don’t see a single poster that advocates for harassing the players. At this point, someone wanting Painter gone should not be at all controversial though. It’s just a matter or opinion and what you consider to be success.
 
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I for the record don’t condone it. I also don’t want Painter to necessarily be fired. I like him overall.

However, I don’t like him enough that we keep him and continue to be the laughing stock of the tournament.

We have had two revered coaches in like 50 years and neither has been past the elite 8. And neither has even been to the elite 8 many times.

If Painter can’t get something done with this team, and this next class comes in and it’s also a nothing burger with a new style of play, then what? We might have the most Big ten titles, more than any program, and most of them are older than our rivals “dusty banners”. It’s just reality.

It’s embarrassing to continuously accept mediocrity. That’s why everyone wants to know why this team, or this coach just can’t get it done, and psychoanalyze

Tony Bennett at least followed it up with a title. What if we are a sweet sixteen only with one of maybe 3 truly elite teams this year? What if lose to Mcneese in the sweet 16 and lose to a double digit seed again? Then what?

North Texas? Whatever, first round game, until this point, Purdue had mainly won at least one game. St. Peter’s? It was in the sweet sixteen and a maybe a bad matchup, but still pretty sad. But last year is a sign that it’s getting worse before it gets better. FDU was a BAD team. Not just a 16 seed but like the worst team that ever made a tournament. Did not even win the conference tourney. They had like one player that was over like 6”6’. It’s inexcusable and points to a problem. FDU in the regular season would have been Sanford this year, a 50 point blow out. But we lose it in March.

It’s not just that we keep failing in March, we’ve literally maxed out how bad we can be. And despite everything that Painter has done, if we are going to just lay a turd every March and never consider getting rid of the coach because he occasionally wins a B10 title, then it’s a sad reflection on our desire to win

We keep convincing ourselves that our B10 titles matter and all that stuff. This year it would be the equivalent to winning the AL/NL Central with an 83-79 record. The league was horrendous and was still too close for comfort most of the season. Eventually being the least mediocre team in a bad league that flames out isn’t enough.

I watch the team, because it’s my Alma mater and I love the school. But it’s hard seeing choke jobs year after year and then nothing change. Last years team was too talented for that to happen and it points to a problem. Is it world hunger? No, it’s basketball, life will go on either way. This is a Purdue men’s basketball forum, and I don’t see a single poster that advocates for harassing the players. At this point, someone wanting Painter gone should not be at all controversial though. It’s just a matter or opinion and what you consider to be success.
Folks gotta stop using the word mediocrity to mean anything but the apex of success. That's not what it means.

Mediocrity is dully average. Making the tourney every season and winning or near the top of a string conference almost every season isn't mediocrity.

Now it's fine to believe "should do better." But calling it mediocrity is just making a new word definition.

Purdue football is mediocre. Half the time they make a bowl game, half the time they don't. Sprinkle in a couple of above average or even good seasons here and there and below average or bad seasons mixed in with a lot of 6 win seasons.

Purdue basketball hasn't been mediocre for a long, long time. Is it where it can or even should be? No, but it's not mediocre.
 
Folks gotta stop using the word mediocrity to mean anything but the apex of success. That's not what it means.

Mediocrity is dully average. Making the tourney every season and winning or near the top of a string conference almost every season isn't mediocrity.

Now it's fine to believe "should do better." But calling it mediocrity is just making a new word definition.

Purdue football is mediocre. Half the time they make a bowl game, half the time they don't. Sprinkle in a couple of above average or even good seasons here and there and below average or bad seasons mixed in with a lot of 6 win seasons.

Purdue basketball hasn't been mediocre for a long, long time. Is it where it can or even should be? No, but it's not mediocre.
March performance is mediocre or worse. Is that the only thing that matters? No, but it’s certainly an important part.

Sweet 16 used to be the be the “Painter Plateau”

Painter had the Baby Boiler years where any underachievement could mainly be blamed on injuries.

Then he had a pretty bad stretch. Mainly due to recruiting the wrong type of players

Then had another good few years that culminated with another injury

The next year was the surprise of the century when his least complete team with a former walk on starting at the 4 made the deepest run he’s made and won the Big ten

Then the 2020 the tournament streak got kept Intact due to a pandemic. And then we started progressively flaming out worse and worse with no injuries

Painter lack of success early on seemed due to injury. Then recruiting mistakes that he corrected. Then injury again.

The last few years have been plain choke jobs with no excuse. As performance in the regular season hit new heights, the tournament success has hit new lows. Maybe that’s not mediocre overall. But winning the Big Ten by multiple games then losing to the worst team that’s ever been in the tournament. Ranked like #300 in division 1, when it mattered the most is something. What’s a better word than mediocre?
 
March performance is mediocre or worse. Is that the only thing that matters? No, but it’s certainly an important part.

Sweet 16 used to be the be the “Painter Plateau”

Painter had the Baby Boiler years where any underachievement could mainly be blamed on injuries.

Then he had a pretty bad stretch. Mainly due to recruiting the wrong type of players

Then had another good few years that culminated with another injury

The next year was the surprise of the century when his least complete team with a former walk on starting at the 4 made the deepest run he’s made and won the Big ten

Then the 2020 the tournament streak got kept Intact due to a pandemic. And then we started progressively flaming out worse and worse with no injuries

Painter lack of success early on seemed due to injury. Then recruiting mistakes that he corrected. Then injury again.

The last few years have been plain choke jobs with no excuse. As performance in the regular season hit new heights, the tournament success has hit new lows. Maybe that’s not mediocre overall. But winning the Big Ten by multiple games then losing to the worst team that’s ever been in the tournament. Ranked like #300 in division 1, when it mattered the most is something. What’s a better word than mediocre?
So only about what 1/5 teams make the tourney so just making it already makes you not mediocre.

But ok you only wanna focus on the tournament.

So what is a mediocre tourney finish?


This site says since 2010, Purdue has averaged 2.37 tourney wins. Which is the expected wins you get from a 2 seed exactly.

So we've been averaging a 2 seed performance since 2010. That ain't mediocre.

Now, the last three seasons? Not great. Subpar even for the tournament. But that's not your argument.
 
Probably more than there are right now.
Maybe. But some people posting here became so unhinged, I can easily see how if they are at a game, it could be them. And I wonder, if you ask Braden's family, would they be reassured knowing that the number of people losing a grip on reality over a basketballl game is miniscule.
 
March performance is mediocre or worse. Is that the only thing that matters? No, but it’s certainly an important part.

Sweet 16 used to be the be the “Painter Plateau”

Painter had the Baby Boiler years where any underachievement could mainly be blamed on injuries.

Then he had a pretty bad stretch. Mainly due to recruiting the wrong type of players

Then had another good few years that culminated with another injury

The next year was the surprise of the century when his least complete team with a former walk on starting at the 4 made the deepest run he’s made and won the Big ten

Then the 2020 the tournament streak got kept Intact due to a pandemic. And then we started progressively flaming out worse and worse with no injuries

Painter lack of success early on seemed due to injury. Then recruiting mistakes that he corrected. Then injury again.

The last few years have been plain choke jobs with no excuse. As performance in the regular season hit new heights, the tournament success has hit new lows. Maybe that’s not mediocre overall. But winning the Big Ten by multiple games then losing to the worst team that’s ever been in the tournament. Ranked like #300 in division 1, when it mattered the most is something. What’s a better word than mediocre?
Dude, relax. Nothing is cast in stone until it actually happens. You're going to have a heart attack with all of the stress you're placing on yourself worrying about what could happen. Enjoy the ride and bitch or celebrate after you see the actual results.
 
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Maybe. But some people posting here became so unhinged, I can easily see how if they are at a game, it could be them. And I wonder, if you ask Braden's family, would they be reassured knowing that the number of people losing a grip on reality over a basketballl game is miniscule.
It sucks it happened but it happened one time. So yeah, they should probably be reassured that was a one off idiot.

And if there is another one, nothing you or I or anyone else posts is changing that.
 
I have not seen anyone condoning any physical or verbal abuse of anyone. Player, player family or just another fan at a game. If I'm wrong then please tell me who has condoned that here.

I hope it would be zero, but since it happened, it's not zero. But surely it's a very small fraction of our fans don't you think? It's one thing for us to banter back and forth on a message board, but I would hope the vast majority on here and our other fans would never even consider abusing anyone at a game.
"bashing" players in an anonymous internet forum.
 
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Dude, relax. Nothing is cast in stone until it actually happens. You're going to have a heart attack with all of the stress you're placing on yourself worrying about what could happen. Enjoy the ride and bitch or celebrate after you see the actual results.
He can't relax, its all about him! He's a snowflake, woke, unhinged dude who needs to get mommy to change his diaper! I'm proud to be a BOILER, always will be, we got a group of young men and coaches who give 100% and it will never be good enough for him. Because its all about HIM!
 
He can't relax, its all about him! He's a snowflake, woke, unhinged dude who needs to get mommy to change his diaper! I'm proud to be a BOILER, always will be, we got a group of young men and coaches who give 100% and it will never be good enough for him. Because its all about HIM!
Its funny when boomers use words like snowflake and woke, when they have no idea what it means.

Concerned about Purdue's post season performance? You must want to replace the cast of ghostbusters with hispanic lesbians!

Isn't your generation against participation trophies? "At least give 100%" Good lord
 
I for the record don’t condone it. I also don’t want Painter to necessarily be fired. I like him overall.

However, I don’t like him enough that we keep him and continue to be the laughing stock of the tournament.

We have had two revered coaches in like 50 years and neither has been past the elite 8. And neither has even been to the elite 8 many times.

If Painter can’t get something done with this team, and this next class comes in and it’s also a nothing burger with a new style of play, then what? We might have the most Big ten titles, more than any program, and most of them are older than our rivals “dusty banners”. It’s just reality.

It’s embarrassing to continuously accept mediocrity. That’s why everyone wants to know why this team, or this coach just can’t get it done, and psychoanalyze

Tony Bennett at least followed it up with a title. What if we are a sweet sixteen only with one of maybe 3 truly elite teams this year? What if lose to Mcneese in the sweet 16 and lose to a double digit seed again? Then what?

North Texas? Whatever, first round game, until this point, Purdue had mainly won at least one game. St. Peter’s? It was in the sweet sixteen and a maybe a bad matchup, but still pretty sad. But last year is a sign that it’s getting worse before it gets better. FDU was a BAD team. Not just a 16 seed but like the worst team that ever made a tournament. Did not even win the conference tourney. They had like one player that was over like 6”6’. It’s inexcusable and points to a problem. FDU in the regular season would have been Sanford this year, a 50 point blow out. But we lose it in March.

It’s not just that we keep failing in March, we’ve literally maxed out how bad we can be. And despite everything that Painter has done, if we are going to just lay a turd every March and never consider getting rid of the coach because he occasionally wins a B10 title, then it’s a sad reflection on our desire to win

We keep convincing ourselves that our B10 titles matter and all that stuff. This year it would be the equivalent to winning the AL/NL Central with an 83-79 record. The league was horrendous and was still too close for comfort most of the season. Eventually being the least mediocre team in a bad league that flames out isn’t enough.

I watch the team, because it’s my Alma mater and I love the school. But it’s hard seeing choke jobs year after year and then nothing change. Last years team was too talented for that to happen and it points to a problem. Is it world hunger? No, it’s basketball, life will go on either way. This is a Purdue men’s basketball forum, and I don’t see a single poster that advocates for harassing the players. At this point, someone wanting Painter gone should not be at all controversial though. It’s just a matter or opinion and what you consider to be success.
that's an awfully sad commentary on a school that is what 60ish and 8? the last 2 years.
maybe some perspective is in order.
 
that's an awfully sad commentary on a school that is what 60ish and 8? the last 2 years.
maybe some perspective is in order.
Problem is, I’ve been a fan for over 30 years.

And injuries and bad luck have been acceptable excuses in the past.

The last two years? We’ve done worse than full health. Even the Hummel less 2008-9 squad made the sweet 16 and played Duke tough.

One of our best , injury free teams, were headcases against the worst team to ever see the field. And our coach had no answer for it.

It’s fine if you aren’t concerned that better teams are having more embarrassing tournament results. But some are, and acting like all is well appears to some as accepting mediocrity.

And if this team loses before the second weekend, it was a mediocre season in my opinion. Winning the big this year isn’t some huge achievement that makes up for it. There was one other team in the conference with a pulse.
 
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I understand the general point you are making in this post, and it is received.

However, college basketball is a business. This isn't like high school, when you just enjoy your classmates playing and doing well. Painter is paid millions of dollars per year. The university, whose main goal should theorectically be education, spends millions of taxpayer, donor, and tuition dollars on athletics. We are in a power 5 conference and have the resources to be more than capable of going to Final Fours and winning a National Championship. Players even have NIL now and are capable of being paid to play college basketball, beyond a free education.

To act like there should be no expectations at all from our paid players or our paid coach, because that is just selfishness is so short sighted its not even funny. The fans are what makes NCAA basketball such an insanely successful business. This is just the nature of college and professional sports. If you really don't care what happens, why are you watching? You just like seeing students at your alma mater have fun?
The only expectations should be that the team , coach and all of the players do their best when representing the school on and off the court. Yes trying their absolute best to Win every single game that they take part in. With the composition of this team hopes for success further into the post season exists but to say the team is a failure if they don’t achieve their ultimate goals (and that of us the fans) is misguided in my opinion. That along with expectations of the coach and team doing things the correct way and supporting and developing these players into young men who strive to do things the right way in life and encouraging them to be functional well rounded members in society when they leave. Boiler Up!
 
I have not seen anyone condoning any physical or verbal abuse of anyone. Player, player family or just another fan at a game. If I'm wrong then please tell me who has condoned that here.

I hope it would be zero, but since it happened, it's not zero. But surely it's a very small fraction of our fans don't you think? It's one thing for us to banter back and forth on a message board, but I would hope the vast majority on here and our other fans would never even consider abusing anyone at a game.
I believe it is a small group in a particular setting, but more than you would hope exist on the whole. In the MSU game in the BTT I wrote previously, and will repeat here, that there were Purdue fans that thought Braden was a Diva...faking his injury. Where would that thought originate? Where do a lot of crazy thoughts originate? Back in the late 80s I recall Purdue students harassing Arnold, Burgess and Stack??? sitting together over some academics.

The seven deadly sins have existed since the beginning of time and envy (jealousy/believing they are lucky and you are not), wrath (anger/misappropriation of disappointment) and greed (they owe me)can all find a foot hold in many people. People on the whole I believe are good, but humanity suffers in dealing with all 7 vices.
 
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427 is a troll account, likely an IU fan just here to stir the pot. Don't feed it. I have moderated many message board in my day and I can pick out a troll right off the bat, this one is obvious.
 
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Problem is, I’ve been a fan for over 30 years.

And injuries and bad luck have been acceptable excuses in the past.

The last two years? We’ve done worse than full health. Even the Hummel less 2008-9 squad made the sweet 16 and played Duke tough.

One of our best , injury free teams, were headcases against the worst team to ever see the field. And our coach had no answer for it.

It’s fine if you aren’t concerned that better teams are having more embarrassing tournament results. But some are, and acting like all is well appears to some as accepting mediocrity.

And if this team loses before the second weekend, it was a mediocre season in my opinion. Winning the big this year isn’t some huge achievement that makes up for it. There was one other team in the conference with a pulse.
Interesting stats about Painter and the tourney and I know recent results have been awful but:
 
427 is a troll account, likely an IU fan just here to stir the pot. Don't feed it. I have moderated many message board in my day and I can pick out a troll right off the bat, this one is obvious.
I think you're correct. Nobody can be that jaded by the past. If he's real, I pitty anyone that has to be around him.
 
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Problem is, I’ve been a fan for over 30 years.

And injuries and bad luck have been acceptable excuses in the past.

The last two years? We’ve done worse than full health. Even the Hummel less 2008-9 squad made the sweet 16 and played Duke tough.

One of our best , injury free teams, were headcases against the worst team to ever see the field. And our coach had no answer for it.

It’s fine if you aren’t concerned that better teams are having more embarrassing tournament results. But some are, and acting like all is well appears to some as accepting mediocrity.

And if this team loses before the second weekend, it was a mediocre season in my opinion. Winning the big this year isn’t some huge achievement that makes up for it. There was one other team in the conference with a pulse.
I think there's a % of Purdue fans who have bought into the notion that Purdue is faced with a bunch of obstacles making it harder to recruit to. Therefore, making Painters success even more impressive we should be happy with the regular season success Painter has generated with the tourney just being gravy.
It's that 'do more with less' mentality.
 
Problem is, I’ve been a fan for over 30 years.

And injuries and bad luck have been acceptable excuses in the past.

The last two years? We’ve done worse than full health. Even the Hummel less 2008-9 squad made the sweet 16 and played Duke tough.

One of our best , injury free teams, were headcases against the worst team to ever see the field. And our coach had no answer for it.

It’s fine if you aren’t concerned that better teams are having more embarrassing tournament results. But some are, and acting like all is well appears to some as accepting mediocrity.

And if this team loses before the second weekend, it was a mediocre season in my opinion. Winning the big this year isn’t some huge achievement that makes up for it. There was one other team in the conference with a pulse.
I think I get more joy of out these teams than you do.
There's this expression about trees and the forest that might apply.
Good luck.
 
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The only expectations should be that the team , coach and all of the players do their best when representing the school on and off the court. Yes trying their absolute best to Win every single game that they take part in. With the composition of this team hopes for success further into the post season exists but to say the team is a failure if they don’t achieve their ultimate goals (and that of us the fans) is misguided in my opinion. That along with expectations of the coach and team doing things the correct way and supporting and developing these players into young men who strive to do things the right way in life and encouraging them to be functional well rounded members in society when they leave. Boiler Up!
What a refreshing take.
 
427 is a troll account, likely an IU fan just here to stir the pot. Don't feed it. I have moderated many message board in my day and I can pick out a troll right off the bat, this one is obvious.
Or maybe you come here for an echo chamber and everyone who disagrees with you is an IU troll.

You can call me jaded. That not wrong. I hate the Loosiers. And I love Purdue, whether you believe it or not, I’m hoping they succeed, I just feel like painters teams have gotten progressively more disappointing in the tournament. Hummel and Haas injuries were reasonable. Painter used to have a stellar record in the first game. Now webe spiraled to a universal low.

Just like bonefish said. Half of our fans act like we should be thankful that we have good regular seasons and it doesn’t matter what our paid coach does in March. It’s not like we’ve cycled through non stop coaches for 50 years. We’ve had two. To think there is no one that could do as well, or go farther with a top 3 team, just blows my mind.

I haven’t even called for Painter to be fired. If we continue embarrassing post season performances, we should definitely consider it.

Like I get being proud of having the most B10 championships. We also have to a acknowledge a lot of them were like 1910-1940

Dustier banners than the ones we make fun of. And this year especially, isn’t all that impressive

I don’t think being better than the 300th ranked team in the country 100 out of 100 games is an unreasonable expectation. Especially for a team ranked top 5 all year.
 
You're not a better fan or human because you're super duper positive. Nor are you a better fan or human because you're edgy and aggressively "calling out" coaches or players.

Some folks only want super sunshine and others just want to rail and both groups are getting tiresome.

If someone says something you don't agree with, disagree, and leave it at that. Leave the psychoanalysis in your own head.
 
I fail to see where I said I was a better fan or a better human. Not understanding certain fans perspective that I disagree with. Doesn’t mean I’m better than them. You will see most personal attacks were directed at me, not the other way around.
 
I fail to see where I said I was a better fan or a better human. Not understanding certain fans perspective that I disagree with. Doesn’t mean I’m better than them. You will see most personal attacks were directed at me, not the other way around.
Well now you're sounding like Wolebig.
 
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I fail to see where I said I was a better fan or a better human. Not understanding certain fans perspective that I disagree with. Doesn’t mean I’m better than them. You will see most personal attacks were directed at me, not the other way around.
My comment was generalized. So if you don't think it applies to you, then it, probably, doesn't.
 
maybe 427 watched this video

Was the point of you posting this that he’s somehow dead wrong? Or we are a school that doesn’t want to play for championships?

I didn’t hear anything he said that was outrageous. It was just his opinion. And once again, I’ve said this before. Opinions can differ on what is success. If fans only care about B10 titles, that’s their choice. Just because I don’t understand it, doesn’t mean that can’t be your choice.
 
Interesting stats about Painter and the tourney and I know recent results have been awful but:
Admittedly, we have had some awful luck with the opponents we run into. I know I've posted about this before, but more often than not it seems we get a bad draw. Other times we simply just shoot ourselves in the foot.

I get the feeling this year will be different. Eventually, all things must pass. Perhaps this is the year we finally exorcise those demons. After all, over the past two decades we've seen the Red Sox, White Sox, and Cubs each win the World Series. I never in a million years thought I would see one of those teams win it all, let alone all three. And as we've seen with the Red Sox, once they realized it was possible, that monkey is now officially off their backs.
 
Admittedly, we have had some awful luck with the opponents we run into. I know I've posted about this before, but more often than not it seems we get a bad draw. Other times we simply just shoot ourselves in the foot.

I get the feeling this year will be different. Eventually, all things must pass. Perhaps this is the year we finally exorcise those demons. After all, over the past two decades we've seen the Red Sox, White Sox, and Cubs each win the World Series. I never in a million years thought I would see one of those teams win it all, let alone all three. And as we've seen with the Red Sox, once they realized it was possible, that monkey is now officially off their backs.
I suggest a nuance that is more accurate. Purdue does not have a draw. I know that is a common used phrase (like democracy), but a draw suggests random chance. Purdue has a pairing, an intentional grouping of teams, times and places. Both can be bad and both could be good. However, to your main point...this team has the tools to surprise a lot of people...especially those that just tune into basketball in March so they can talk to others at work. ;)
 
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I suggest a nuance that is more accurate. Purdue does not have a draw. I know that is a common used phrase (like democracy), but a draw suggests random chance. Purdue has a pairing, an intentional grouping of teams, times and places. Both can be bad and both could be good. However, to your main point...this team has the tools to surprise a lot of people...especially those that just tune into basketball in March so they can talk to others at work. ;)
Good point. There is a certain amount of intentionality baked into the NCAAT matchups (for better or worse). Baseball is more directly related to W's and L's over a long, grueling season.

Your comment is spurring me think more critically of the tourney matchups. Who decides and how? Are there inherent biases that apply here? How profound are they?

Consider last year. Do you remember who was waiting in the next round if we got past FDU? That team was upstart Florida Atlantic, who played a similar style as FDU but also had more length, athleticism, and height (Vlad Golden!). Was there some intentionality by the NCAAT committee to ensure these matchups, knowing they would be bad for Purdue?

Also long forgotten in the fray was how closely FDU played FAU. If not for Johnell Davis' late game heroics, FDU might just have advanced even further. All of this from a 15-17 team that saved its best ball for the NCAAT. As Gene Keady was fond of saying, "It ain't who you play, it's when you play them."
 
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Good point. There is a certain amount of intentionality baked into the NCAAT matchups (for better or worse). Baseball is more directly related to W's and L's over a long, grueling season.

Your comment is spurring me think more critically of the tourney matchups. Who decides and how? Are there inherent biases that apply here? How profound are they?

Consider last year. Do you remember who was waiting in the next round if we got past FDU? That team was upstart Florida Atlantic, who played a similar style as FDU but also had more length, athleticism, and height (Vlad Golden!). Was there some intentionality by the NCAAT committee to ensure these matchups, knowing they would be bad for Purdue?

Also long forgotten in the fray was how closely FDU played FAU. If not for Johnell Davis' late game heroics, FDU might just have advanced even further. All of this from a 15-17 team that saved its best ball for the NCAAT. As Gene Keady was fond of saying, "It ain't who you play, it's when you play them."
There is absolutely no question that bias exist. The debate is how much is intentional and why? The bias could have a lot of desired games at desired locations for money, but the human aspect will always have a bias for some reason and it does not have to be with the intention of making it harder for this team than another, but make no mistake bias exists since humans are "pairing" and not drawing.

It is better today, because the human bias has a counter weight due to computer numbers. There exists bias in the computer numbers, but it is in the algorithm used and not altered through the season. Together they do a better job than years in the past, but make no mistake there is bias
 
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