Since I talked BBG off the ledge

[GemstateBoiler]

Killing time till our game. My brother, another Purdue grad and I were having a brother fist fight on the phone yesterday of whether we would be better this year if we had Biggie back. He says no, that we would depend on him too much and it would wreck the chemistry we have now. If he had a bad game, we would lose, he says. I disagreed and said Biggie was not a chemistry problem and a talent like him would make us a mountain. He also thought Haarms would not get any minutes. I get his reasoning since we are really good now and the team has a nice bond to it, but no way we are worse with Biggie. Rebounding would not be a concerning spot with him back. I'm older and wiser than my brother so I must be right. What's your thoughts?

 

[StickPurdue]

Killing time till our game. My brother, another Purdue grad and I were having a brother fist fight on the phone yesterday of whether we would be better this year if we had Biggie back. He says no, that we would depend on him too much and it would wreck the chemistry we have now. If he had a bad game, we would lose, he says. I disagreed and said Biggie was not a chemistry problem and a talent like him would make us a mountain. He also thought Haarms would not get any minutes. I get his reasoning since we are really good now and the team has a nice bond to it, but no way we are worse with Biggie. Rebounding would not be a low spot with him back. I'm older and wiser than my brother so I must be right. What's your thoughts?

Biggie changes the lineup and thus changes the chemistry. It's not that he couldn't fit. He absolutely would. But, Biggie had the goal of being in the NBA and he tried to do it all. That lead to a lot of turnovers. This team doesn't force the post near as much and let's it come more naturally. Also, if Biggie is back, Haas is coming off the bench, and that means no Haarms. Haarms has been an elite rim protector but I can't see Painter taking Haarms over Haas off the bench.

Can't replace Biggies drive or his rebounding. But, he would change the dynamic of this team. I think both would make runs at a final four this year, and I don't know that you could say one is better than the other. I would, however, take this year's team as is after seeing it. Sight unseen, give me Biggie all day everyday.

 

[Fansince72]

With Biggie we would have been pre-season top 5 . We would have won the WUG. I have to admit that I was hoping he would have came back. After seeing this year's team playing this summer, I realized that this team is going to be special. This year's team is getting better as the season progresses and yes they do have another level left. I am hoping that they hit that level around February 10!

 

[SIBoiler2]

Better without. Biggie was great but he was gonna get his whether rebounds or points. The team learned a lot from him about work and reward but is more balanced and less selfish without him.

 

[klmLB]

I say both. Biggie brought a work ethic and example for the program. He brought a fearless attitude and swagger that no one else is better. I think that was something that made everyone else on the Purdue roster better. It perhaps instilled a belief that they themselves didn't have before about themselves. That attitude is part of this year's team, so even though Biggie is not officially on the roster, he is a huge part of the make up of this team and why we are so good this year.

I do think that we have more balance because he is not on this year's squad and it is that balance, our offensive efficiency and the threat that we can score from so many guys that makes us so dangerous.

 

[Boilermaker]

Better without. Biggie was great but he was gonna get his whether rebounds or points. The team learned a lot from him about work and reward but is more balanced and less selfish without him.

I wouldn’t for a second consider Biggie selfish, he was really the only go-to guy last year that would step up (Carsen tried but was not ready) and the team chose to give it to him in crunch time. Not saying it was the best strategy all the time (Biggie’s misplaced shots and turnovers and all) but I think going through him was by design most of the time, not because he was a ball hog trying to get his own. That said, perhaps one of the current seniors would have stepped up last year in his absence, but notice how Carsen is typically that guy now and not one of the seniors. Nothing at all bad towards the seniors, but I think they learned how to be even more unselfish last year feeding the underclassman Biggie (and now to some extent the underclassman Carsen) and they each have improved this year to where collectively they don’t need so much of a go-to guy but can rely on each other to share in scoring/rebounding. I do think this year’s team beats last year’s 2 out of 3 because of what they have become, and Biggie gets some credit for that.