Its not a full blown engineering degree but it is far from African studies that some schools offer. I know a few with OLS degrees and they take some engineering, OSHA type classes and HR. The program was developed after GM, Cat, Ford asked for these specific skills.
Eden Ewing
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On the other hand, it could very well be one of the "easiest" degree programs offered at Purdue.
That would depend. For example when Jay Williams was at Duke his major and that of the President of the Student body were the same. But Williams had course syllabus and independent study that were not available to POTSB. Does OLS?
Right. It seems that you are closer in agreement then. I initially read your position and refute of Bonefish to be that location was typically just as important as the coaches and program.
The point is, if location were that important, places like Syracuse, MSU, Kansas, etc would have historically poor programs while places like St. Johns, Northwestern, Miami, etc would have strong programs.
I think very few coaches are selling 'location'. They're selling facilities, exposure, resources. They don't want a recruit worrying about how much fun he can have (ie. opportunities to get in trouble), they want recruits thinking about how much time they can spend in the gym getting better.
My son played low level D1 basketball (MAC level) and the town played a huge part in his decision. Yes, the coach's attitude toward him mattered, but the town was an important aspect (as in Wright State, he hated Dayton). Yes, the top level players may not have time to care, but they don't realize that when they are being recruited. They are not consumed with weights or classes in HS.
Sure, the blue bloods make the town not matter. It's the lower levels of recruit that it affects more. So, this post may not relate to the conversation, but at some level, it does make a difference. But at times the recruit doesn't realize the differences before they get on campus. Assumptions still exist.
PLUS, having spent a lot of time with the incoming football recruits over the years, it is interesting that a couple of the things that upset the guys the most are the facts that there is no Church's Chicken, that Yellow Rice is not available in the stores, and that the girls on campus don't worship the ground that the football players walk on. WL is not the south and they recognize it. Now, we can debate forever these comments, but if you interview the players,. these comments will come up.
The answer to this question is very complex. I was involved in helping athletes choose their majors for several years. I always encouraged OLS ... but not so much because it was "friendly" as it taught them the people skills that so many lacked. It taught leadership and understanding of different personalities and psychology. I felt it gave them the skills that would help them when they didn't make the "league" in their sport. It also did not require a lot of math that most other majors did. Several players majored in Kinesthesiology (sp) ... which turned out to be incredibly difficult.
Choosing a major at PU is difficult as there are no "easy" majors. Many athletes take sign-language as their language. It is not easy, but the Prof has been great. But most major require a foreign language. All majors require Algebra.
I'm sure there are plenty of things that influence how recruits choose a school, and no doubt much of it is beyond the control of the university/athletic department/coaching staff. These are adolescents, and it's no surprise that they want the things adolescents want. But I have to think a lot of it still comes down to winning, particularly in March.
Greater Lafayette isn't that much different than the Greater Lansing area --- similar demographics, post-industrial rust belt towns, similar distance to major urban hubs, similar campuses and university communities. Izzo has done fine there. No doubt it helps that he's also won big-time in March.
Painter's done a pretty good job getting kids into the NBA, and he now has better facilities to sell. But, he has to make some break-throughs in March.
Greater Lafayette isn't that much different than the Greater Lansing area --- similar demographics, post-industrial rust belt towns, similar distance to major urban hubs, similar campuses and university communities. Izzo has done fine there. No doubt it helps that he's also won big-time in March.
Painter's done a pretty good job getting kids into the NBA, and he now has better facilities to sell. But, he has to make some break-throughs in March.
Why would NW look attractive? Evanston is pretty far from Chicago, especially if you don't have your own car, and does not have a strong 'Chicago feeling' in my estimation. Student body surely does not represent an urban Chicago environment.
If any athlete is set on staying in Chicago I suspect they would look at DePaul, which had some success in the past and may be a program back on the rise out of the dumpster. You also have U of I Chicago which is where Kelsey Barlow ended up.
If any athlete is set on staying in Chicago I suspect they would look at DePaul, which had some success in the past and may be a program back on the rise out of the dumpster. You also have U of I Chicago which is where Kelsey Barlow ended up.
This is a great post. While I always considered "OLS" an easy degree when I was in school, I've since hired multiple OLS grads and they've almost always succeeded. I think it's a great major for folks who aren't math and science smart (and I mean that relative to ENG) but have great personal and motivational skills. I've reported to a senior level execs at a Fortune 20 company who was an Purdue OLS major and he was one of the best bosses I've ever had (and one of the few non engineers).
Thanks - I agree TOTALLY!!! ...
The heck with Culver's, someone needs to get a Church's Fried chicken franchise on State St. apparently.
Nice try. but if you've ever been there in person, you know you can't really separate them. And if you drive 10 minutes and blink you're in Raleigh or Durham or Chapel Hill. and if you go to hotels.com to find a room, they are all one big metropolitan area.
I used to live in beautiful downtown Valrico, Fl. it was faster to get to Disney World in Orlando than it was to get to work in Tampa. the same applied when I lived in Springboro , OH. Cincy was almost as close as Dayton. it was basically all city both ways.
if you want, you could separate Gary from Chicago or claim northwestern is in a totally separate city from Chicago. . or Carmel from Indy too! but if you live there, it's one big metro area, just like Wauwatosa is to Milwaukee and Verona is to Madison. just like LA and San Francisco. Sure there are other cities. but it's all one .
Obviously, you're not interested in going to the newly renovated Lafayette zoo with it's over 38 animals, or eating at the frozen custard or ordering the 21 shrimp at the Dog and Suds. just wait until the Fall when you have the feast of the hunters moon. you want something to do at night? you need to take up playing putt putt or watching silent movies at the library in Stewart Center. Ok, if that doesn't excite you or make your day, you can spend your nights in the basement of the math building writing computer programs. or go to the sports complex, work out and watch game film. how ca n all this not sound exciting ? or get on the greyhound bus and take it to Gary! And we have concerts - like rex Harrison and the Purdue Glee Club and PMO Christmas show. or buy a text book and start reading it - there will be a quiz. especially Chemistry.
What do other college campuses have that Purdue and Lafayette don't? Admittedly, there are not many night shootings. Gang activity is also low. You can always go to WalMart at 2 Am. Drugs and alcohol are plentiful, just ask some of our current basketball and football players who to ask for their suppliers' numbers.
or you could just sit back and relax and hang out with my wife's sister and her other relatives/family. they're a fun bunch.
Not quite true. Public transportation in the area is excellent. Very easy to get around Evanston (a terrific town in its own). Also very easy to get downtown Chicago. It is a great location. Love to live there.
But it still doesnt hold a candle to the excitement / hustle and bustle of living in downtown chicago. At any rate, were Chicago the draw, I dont see many finding Evanston exciting.
The Northwesten campus is beautiful. If I had the money, I would have gone there instead of Purdue. I was accepted, but missed out on Kellogg's Business school. Public transportation to downtown Chicago is fast,easy and cheap. However, their summer concert festival in downtown Chicago pales in comparison to going to the PMO Christmas Show. And Morton's of Chicago steaks have nothing on Lafayette's Golden Corral. And Gino's world famous deep dish pizza at Water Tower Plaza can't compare with Pizza King.
At no point did i compare evanston or chicago area to west la / Lafayette, the comparison was downtown chicago against evanston.
I too have lived in downtown chicago, lived in the burbs, and have spent enough time in evanston, my brother lived there and my father worked at NW. Youre right, evanston is nice and NW campus is pretty, but that is not what i am addressing. Im thinking along the lines of parties and music and clubs etc. You dont have to agree with my assertion that, in this respect, evanston is boring compared to the city, but that is my opinion from having spent a good portion of my life in those areas attending parties and concerts and clubs.
I was following along until you compared LA-San Francisco to Carmel-Indy and Evanston-Chicago. I have made the trip between LA and SF many times and it is not a 30 minute bus or train ride. Unless you fly, you'd better plan your whole day to make that trip.
San Fran is not a part of LA ! but both San Fran and LA have little and big cities that surround them. people don't go to San Jose or Oakland . they go to San Fran . San Fran is the destination city. and while in San Fran, they may pop over to San Jose or Oakland if something is happening. the same is true for LA. nobody flies out West to Hollywood. You go to LA. but once in LA, you go to Hollywood or Disneyland etc. Nobody goes to Carmel looking for action. But if you live in Carmel, you can go to indy if you're bored.
And that's my point. You have destination cities. LA is a destination city for many cities around it including San Diego.. San fran is a destination city for many cities like Oakland and San jose. . Chicago is a destination city for Northwestern. Indy is a destination city for Carmel. What is Purdue's destination city? Lafayette?
for those 51 weeks, when there is no Feast of the Hunters Moon, and if you don't have relatives who live in Lafayette, what's there to actually do in West Lafayette , and where does a person go? to a frat party? a sorority social? to the library? Do you drive 2 1/2 hours to go to Chicago? or an hour to Indy? Do you just buy some weed and hang out in your car until the police wake you up? The Lafayette area is a very BORING place - especially for a college student especially if he/she is from a real city not named French Lick , Kokomo, Logan or Benton! Lafayette is NOT Detroit. it's not even San Antonio or Tampa.
Northwestern is different. I know all about Evanston and the other little, quiet , rich suburbs that surround it. I have relatives that like in lake Forest and Lake Bluff who drive their Lexus and BMW into their gated subdivisions. and if you're into theater, you can hang out with Shelly Long and Julia Louise Dreyfort and the rest of the Northwestern theater alumni. BUT ........... if you're bored with nothing to do on the weekend, in 15-30 minutes, you can escape the sleepy and quiet campus of Northwestern, and the proud community of Evanston and get and see some action. you can go into town . See the Cubs! take in a real concert - not just Garrison Keillor. Take your girlfriend to see Hamilton. Get a real steak dinner. Check out the beaches . Shop on the miracle mile. get a LIFE !
yes, Northwestern is a boring place. Carmel's a boring place. West Lafayette is a boring place. Kokomo is a REALLY boring place - but more exciting than Lebanon and Klondike combined. but at Northwestern, if you're not into spending your evenings at the co-rec, studying, or watching game film, in 30 quick minutes, you can actually be somewhere. Whereas at West Lafayette, and you're bored, and you really don't feel like studying at the Stewart Center tonight, or smoking weed, what else is there to do? Where can you go in 30 minutes? the Tippecanoe mall? bob ROOOOARMAN's ? the LCM cafeteria? hang at Walmarts? the Feast of the Hunter's Moon is only one weekend. When visiting Purdue, where do recruits go? a tour of a dorm and the Mackey Arena museum?
I'm a boring old guy who likes Dog and Suds and the Columbia Park zoo and playing putt putt. and HGTV . but I can understand where a 18-20 year old basketball player growing up in Dallas may ask, what is there to do in West Lafayette? And what should my answer be? pardon my sarcasm, but there's basically nothing to do. I feel their pain.
And that's my point. You have destination cities. LA is a destination city for many cities around it including San Diego.. San fran is a destination city for many cities like Oakland and San jose. . Chicago is a destination city for Northwestern. Indy is a destination city for Carmel. What is Purdue's destination city? Lafayette?
for those 51 weeks, when there is no Feast of the Hunters Moon, and if you don't have relatives who live in Lafayette, what's there to actually do in West Lafayette , and where does a person go? to a frat party? a sorority social? to the library? Do you drive 2 1/2 hours to go to Chicago? or an hour to Indy? Do you just buy some weed and hang out in your car until the police wake you up? The Lafayette area is a very BORING place - especially for a college student especially if he/she is from a real city not named French Lick , Kokomo, Logan or Benton! Lafayette is NOT Detroit. it's not even San Antonio or Tampa.
Northwestern is different. I know all about Evanston and the other little, quiet , rich suburbs that surround it. I have relatives that like in lake Forest and Lake Bluff who drive their Lexus and BMW into their gated subdivisions. and if you're into theater, you can hang out with Shelly Long and Julia Louise Dreyfort and the rest of the Northwestern theater alumni. BUT ........... if you're bored with nothing to do on the weekend, in 15-30 minutes, you can escape the sleepy and quiet campus of Northwestern, and the proud community of Evanston and get and see some action. you can go into town . See the Cubs! take in a real concert - not just Garrison Keillor. Take your girlfriend to see Hamilton. Get a real steak dinner. Check out the beaches . Shop on the miracle mile. get a LIFE !
yes, Northwestern is a boring place. Carmel's a boring place. West Lafayette is a boring place. Kokomo is a REALLY boring place - but more exciting than Lebanon and Klondike combined. but at Northwestern, if you're not into spending your evenings at the co-rec, studying, or watching game film, in 30 quick minutes, you can actually be somewhere. Whereas at West Lafayette, and you're bored, and you really don't feel like studying at the Stewart Center tonight, or smoking weed, what else is there to do? Where can you go in 30 minutes? the Tippecanoe mall? bob ROOOOARMAN's ? the LCM cafeteria? hang at Walmarts? the Feast of the Hunter's Moon is only one weekend. When visiting Purdue, where do recruits go? a tour of a dorm and the Mackey Arena museum?
I'm a boring old guy who likes Dog and Suds and the Columbia Park zoo and playing putt putt. and HGTV . but I can understand where a 18-20 year old basketball player growing up in Dallas may ask, what is there to do in West Lafayette? And what should my answer be? pardon my sarcasm, but there's basically nothing to do. I feel their pain.
i gotta laugh at people who say there is nothing to do in West Lafayette and Lafayette, those people must sit around waiting on someone else to do something before they can do anything, if you can't find something to do then you have a problem , most college kids hang out with friends, they aren't going out and spend a lot of money every week. I personally think saying there is nothing to do when going to Purdue is like saying "All Russians drink Vodka"
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Some of my fondest memories were hanging out watching a 13" TV in the Wiley Hall with my friends and playing ball at the co-rec. Granted I didn't have a lot of extra cash, but pizza and calzones were cheap and we paid with loose change on many, many occasions. I'd love to relive those simpler days. I don't know what kids these days expect, but I know I was pretty happy in West Lafayette.
Agree. As much as they say that, you'd think all Lafayette ISP's block Pornhub.
This. And Indianapolis is an hour drive, Chicago is 2 hours. The number of good recruits in NYC and LA are too few to worry about.
I admit I was a WILY DJ at night. I was the guy who played all those weird Dr Demento songs that annoyed people. I also was a pinball wizard until the vender found out everyone knew how to hit a certain spot on the machine and got to play the game for free. And I was part of a local church group and was part of the glee club. And I'd always go down to the basement of the life science building to get free popcorn. And free spider plant clippings from the gree house. And the rocky horror picture show was on every weekend. And I married somebody who grew up in West Lafayette. And we'd go to Pizza Hut or noble romans. And I liked the Dog and Suds. And we would play dungeons and dragons. I was a Ranger and a Paladin. And I built a snowman during the BIG blizzard, and sled down the hill on a cafeteria tray. I didn't run in the annual nude olympics at Cary Quad. And I'd walk from Wiley to Krannert and back everyday. And I had 20 hours of work study at the library to help defray the costs. I'd spend hours in the math building basement typing computer code and putting my computer deck into the system and wait for results. But are these things that a basketball player from a big city would like? I had 3 members of the 1974 basketball soul train (Parker, Jordan and Walls) in many of my classes, but they didn't ask me to hang with them. It was a flannel plaid thing. I just assumed I was a total nerd, and these are not the type of things jocks like to do.
Actually basketball players and the other athletes are people just like the rest of the students, believe it or not, I will ask Ripley to verify.
Why would night life be so important to the 5 star blue blood recruits in selecting a school since those that really are don't spend a day on campus over the age of 21...unless you are talking about clubbing at establishments that do not serve alcohol...imo it is coach, style of play or system, home court game day atmosphere, basketball facilities and amenities, academics and assistance and how the program improves them for the next level for the truly elite HS BB players!
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