BTI Classic Preview

This weekend the Boilers host the BTI Classic in Mackey Arena. This three day invatational allows teams to test themselves against a variety of opponents. The four teams will play each of the other squads before the weekend is over. The teams that have been invited are the Dayton Flyers, the Georgetown Hoyas, Seattle University, and of course the Purdue Boilermakers. Purdue starts the weekend off against Seattle tomorrow night. I may have trouble making the start of this game since it is at 4:00 my time. That does not allow for much time to get down to West Lafayette. This will hopefully be the last game that the Boilers will have to play with only eight players on the roster. Samantha Harris will return Saturday for the game against Dayton after sitting out the first two games of the season. With three games in three days we will need all the fresh bodies that we can get. I do not know much about Seattle. From what I can gather they are the weakest team of the four. Dayton has already taken down Michigan State this season. We had better bring our A game on Saturday. Georgetown is another good team. The Purdue matchup with them on Sunday will be aired live on the Big Ten Network. I just hope that our ladies have enough left in the tank when Sunday comes around. This weekend will be very hard to predict since the teams play each other so quickly. Brittany Rayburn will once again be the key to this offense. She looked really good Sunday attacking the hoop. In the picture to the left she has all five of the Western Illinois defenders in the frame with her as she makes a shot. The continued growth of the freshmen will help determine this weekend for the Boilers. I will pick Purdue because I am a homer, but I am on the fence about Saturday and Sunday's games.

Predictions: Last week I started the season 6-0. I would say how it is easy to be perfect this early in the year, but Gonzaga came very close to ruining that for me. This has been a turbulent start to the season so far. The #1 and #2 teams in the country survived very close upset bids already. Somehow I missed the big matchup between Notre Dame and Michigan State in last weeks picks. I have been trying to find interesting matchups to pick instead of sure winners. Here are my picks this week:

Women's Basketball

#23 Purdue 78 - Seattle 60

#23 Purdue 72 - Dayton 68

#23 Purdue 68 - Georgetown 62

#7 Notre Dame 98 - Iona 64

Indiana 65 - Missouri 63

Kansas 75 - Michigan 64

#17 Virginia 82 - Indiana 68

Men's Basketball

#7 Purdue 89 - South Dakota State 54

Notre Dame 90 - Kennesaw State 70

#2 Michigan State 102 - Valparaiso 64

#10 Butler 85 - #18 Minnesota 78

#16 Michigan 87 - Creighton 80

LeFevour Brings the Rain

Last night I was in Scheumann Stadium to see Central Michigan once again. You would think that I would be sick of seeing this team, but I really wanted to watch Dan LeFevour once when he was not going against the Boilers. He really is not a quarterback that awes you on every play. His offense runs so smooth that you really don't know what is going on until it is too late. It was too late when he was pulled early in the fourth quarter against Ball State. He already had amassed 403 total yards and five touchdowns at that point. Like I said he was not flashy, but very, very capable. He is now three touchdowns shy of breaking the NCAA record for touchdowns in a career. He should get that record before the season is out. The way his team is playing right now, he may even get the record next week when Northern Illinois heads into Mount Pleasant, Michigan. With the weapons that he has it is hard to think that he will not get the record. He has an offensive line that gives him plenty of time to throw. Has has a possession receiver and a burner that he can throw to. He also has enough running options so that teams cannot just key on him. Sometimes a player is just dominant in college, then in the pros he cannot make it. Eric Crouch is a great example of this. I think that LeFevour has enough tools to make it in the NFL. I look forward to seeing him play again at the next level. Antonio Brown is a great weapon for LeFevour. He is a threat to take it to the house whenever he has the ball in his hands. He had the ball on catches (11 for 170), on reverses, and on the option. His highlight of the night though was his 82 yard touchdown catch with less than a minute left in the first half. Ball State had just kicked a field goal to bring the score to 14-3. LeFevour found Brown with a perfect pass, and Brown just took off. That set the tone for the rest of the game. Ball State really did not have any fight left after that.


I have another point that I would like to address. Last night it was raining like crazy. At times it was coming down as if someone was dumping a bucket of water on the stands. The weather was horrible, I understand that. Ball State came into the game 1-9, the second worst team in the MAC. The fans were spoiled by the great season that they had last year. They were on national television last night with no other games to steal their thunder. What did they do to show their team some appreciation on senior night? Well all of the 5,736 that showed up sat on their hands. I saw 3,000 more fans in Mackey on Sunday for the women's basketball game. I know that Ball State is not a huge football program, but that was ridiculous. I can't complain too much though as parking was very easy, and I left without any traffic after the game. The stadium holds 22,500 so I would guess that the 5,700 number is high based on all the empty seats that I saw. One of the positives that I saw for the Cards was freshman Eric Williams. The fans made fun of what they called the 'mildcat', but this kid looked as though he could run that offense. He is speedy, and he has a couple of moves to him. With time on his side he could be good before it is all said and done. This was a very nice stadium, and people should come to these games and fill it. This was my first trip to Muncie, but I will be back.

Some other thoughts on the game:

• Ball State has taken the 1,2,3,4...First Down chant and modified it for their own use. I enjoyed doing it the Purdue way for the four Indiana fans that were in front of me.
• The rain actually stopped most of the way to Muncie until I pulled in front of the stadium. It let up occasionally, but never really stopped. So much for weather forecasts.
• The 5,700+ that showed up for the game may have been the fewest I have ever seen for a Division 1 contest.
• Many of those 5,700 left at halftime.
• If the rain would have kept up Noah may have had to make an appearance.
• The few fans that I came into contact with get just as worked up over every play as the John Purdue Club fans do. Every play is over analyzed. I guess that is common among 'super fans'.
• LeFevour moved into fourth all-time in career yardage last night. He passed Ty Detmer to do so.

LewJack Most Likely Out for the Season

Reading an article in the IndyStar today it makes it appear that LewJack will be out most if not all of the season. According to the article it says that he would be back by February at the earliest. Coach Matt Painter will not be counting on a February return though. He is already talking about redshirting Jackson. The funny thing about the redshirt though is the fact that if Lewis had not been suspended for the preseason games he would not be eligible for the redshirt. His indiscretions may have saved him a college season. Lewis was fun to watch play, but it looks as if we will have to wait until next season for that to happen. For now we will really on Grant again as we did his freshman year to do the ball handling. Kelsey Barlow may also get a chance to step up. E'Twaun Moore is projected to become a point guard in the NBA so what better time for him to get some reps in? This will hurt our depth for sure, but this team can get through this. The season has barely started, and we already are fighting the injury bug. I hope that this is not a trend.

LewJack Article

Football Game Preview: Central Michigan @ Ball State

This week we get the preview early because I will be at the Ball State game tonight. With a rain day combined with the matchup I see no reason not to make my first trip to Ball State. Last season this was a huge game that was played up in Mt. Pleasant, Mi. This year it appears to be just another game for Dan LeFevour to pad his stats. I first was able to see Dan LeFevour play in 2007 when his Chippewas came to Purdue. By the end of that day I was sick of hearing the phrase LeFevour on the keeper. Through the luck of the draw I was able to see him play three times in the span of that next calendar year. That year in the Motor City Bowl he led his team to a near upset of the Boilers. If not for a last second field goal by Chris Summers the game would have gone into overtime. Again in 2008 a late touchdown by the Boilers helped them escape from LeFevour. I was glad to see him off of Purdue's schedule. This is his last year at Central Michigan, and he will have a future somewhere in the NFL I am sure. For now though he is content on leading his team to another MAC title. The Chips are 6-0 in conference play, and 8-2 overall. It will be great to see them in action tonight. They have a great offense. Here are the Central Michigan games that I have seen:

9/18/1999: #14 Purdue 58 - Central Michigan 16

9/15/2007: Purdue 45 - Central Michigan 22

12/26/2007: Purdue 51 - Central Michigan 48

9/20/2008: Purdue 32 - Central Michigan 25

My history of seeing Ball State play is much more of a laugher. They have usually been a doormat for Purdue to roll early in the season. The best example of these games was in 2004 when Purdue crushed them 52-7. Thankfully they were off the schedule the last couple of years when they had a resurgence. Last season when the two teams met it was a huge game. Ball State was #14 in the country looking to become 10-0 on the season. Central Michigan was 8-2 and without a conference loss. This game was for positioning in the MAC. Ball State won a good game 31-24 to keep their dream season alive. Nate Davis and the core from that group is now gone. Ball State is 1-9 overall and 1-5 in the conference. Central Michigan comes into this game 14 point favorites, and I think that is kind. For now at least it looks like Ball State is back where they used to be. We will see if the great season paid dividends in recruiting. For now though they are the same old team that I am used to seeing. Here are the Ball State games that I have seen:

9/20/1997: Purdue 28 - Ball State 14

9/11/2004: #25 Purdue 59 - Ball State 7

9/16/2006: Purdue 38 - Ball State 28

Predictions: This is the final week of the Big Ten season. It is a big rivalry week with games between Ohio State and Michigan along with the annual Bucket game between the Hoosiers and the Boilermakers. Outside of the Big Ten Charlie Weis faces a must win game if he wants any chance to salvage his coaching career at Notre Dame. A win at Stanford seems unlikely so he must beat UConn to avoid ending the season 0-4. Last week I went 7-1 to bring my overall record up to 35-17. The only game I missed of course was my homer pick of Purdue over Michigan State. If not for a late State TD though I could have had another perfect week, and the Boilers would have another shot at a bowl. With this being the Boilers last game of the season the picks may end here. Unless I start feeling bored during the bowl season. I may have a Big Ten version then. Here are this week's picks:

#10 Ohio State 35 - Michigan 17

#13 Iowa 28 - Minnesota 14

#16 Wisconsin 31 - Northwestern 17

#14 Penn State 31 - Michigan State 20

#17 Stanford 31 - #25 Cal 28

Grand Valley State 28 - Hillsdale 21

Notre Dame 35 - UConn 34

Purdue 35 - Indiana 28

Central Michigan 35 - Ball State 14

A Good Start For the Lady Boilers

Yesterday I was at the Purdue women's game to end the three day three game trip to West Lafayette. Going into the game I did not know too much about the Purdue Women's team this season. I watched part of the gamecast the other night, but that really doesn't let you get into the flow of the game. You just see raw data. I knew that we had eight players dressing, and it seemed like more in streetclothes. The play of this team would depend on how well the freshmen played. After seeing them in action I am excited about this season. Brittany Rayburn had her best game as a Boiler yet as far as points are concerned. She scored 23 to lead the Boilers to a 70-37 victory over Western Illinois. She will be fun to watch as the season progresses. She has great control over her body, and the smarts to back it up. Jodie Howell and FahKara Malone provide solid play along with Rayburn. Chelsea Jones looks a bit slow at the moment. She will be tested in Big Ten play. What I took from the game that makes me excited was the play of three freshmen. KK Houser who is pictured to the right scored 13 points, and looked good doing it. She started the game, ran the point, and did not look too phased by the college experience. She made a 360 basket in the first half that earned a collective gasp by the crowd. In the foreground of the picture is her fellow frosh Sam Ostarello. Sam grabbed 12 boards, and played the game very well. She has long arms and the speed to go along with it. She did not have any points at the half, but she changed the flow of the game coming off the bench. I don't think that I will be able to use the words off the bench for her very long. Ashley Wilson also made her Boiler debut yesterday. She was a big body off the bench that scored four points in her first couple minutes of gametime. She is not afraid to take what is hers under the basket. The depth of this team may come into play this weekend. They host the BTI Classic in Mackey this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They will play Seattle, Dayton, and Georgetown in a three day span. While it is a great chance for the fans to get an early look at the team I wonder what the girls will look like come Sunday. If they play the way they did this weekend it will be a good three days for Boiler fans. I will have more on the games later in the week. With no Boiler home games for the men the women get the game preview this week.

Is Pauly Leaving?

Today I have seen some rumors about a three way trade between the White Sox, Angels, and Padres. The two constants in those rumors have been the fact that Paul Konerko is leaving Chicago, and Adrian Gonzalez is coming to Chicago. While I am excited to see a power hitters name like Adrian's linked to the Sox, I would be sorry to see Pauly go. He has been one of my favorite players for a long time now. I would like to see him end his career as a member of the Pale Hose. Every year though it seems as if we endure the talk of trades for the guy. Maybe this is the year they come true. We will see as the off season progresses.

#23 Purdue Women's Basketball Preview

Purdue comes into this season looking to keep the momentum going in their program. We lost Danielle Campbell, Natasha Bogdanova, Lyndsey Wisdom Hilton, and KiKi Freeman last year. They will be hard to replace. We do have three solid players coming back though. Jodi Howell is one of the most dangerous players from behind the arc in college basketball. She plays with a toughness much like Chris Kramer does for the Purdue men. Her body pays for it though over the course of a season. This is her senior campaign, and I hipe it is a good one. FahKara Malone is another exciting player. She enters her senior season needing 63 steals to set the Purdue mark. She is quick and smart, and barring injury should easily have the record. When she is healthy she is fun to watch. One player that broke out during her freshman season was Brittany Rayburn. She went from nervous frosh to a player with nerves of steel on the court. She has the Boilers pointed in the right direction for the future. She can do a little bit of everything, and before it is all said and done could be pretty special. One of the players that I was really looking forward to watching this season, Chantel Poston, is likely out for the season with a torn achilles. She was very athletic, and with time could be really good. Alex Guyton will also be out for the first part of the season. When injuries hit like this the bench needs to step up play. Once we get Guyton back we will have a little more depth on the bench. Freshmen Sam Ostarello and KK Hauser are both highly touted. They will be key components for this run. This season will come down to how well the bench responds to filling in for all the talent that we have lost. Usually the best seasons come when you least expect them. Is this going to be a special season? Only time will tell. We do however get to see the last hurrah of Jodie Howell and Fahkara Malone. That alone is special.

Here is the early projections of how the Big Ten will turn out. I will try this again before the Big Ten season opens up to see if I have changed my mind at all. As far as I can see right now it is a two team race between Ohio State and Michigan State with the Buckeyes holding the edge. It is too early to tell though. Here is how I see it shaping up:

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan State
3. Illinois
4. Purdue
5. Minnesota
6. Northwestern
7. Wisconsin
8. Penn State
9. Iowa
10. Indiana
11. Michigan

The Boilers tip off the season today at noon in Mackey. Come out and watch some exciting basketball.

A Familiar Feeling

Today I left Ross Ade Stadium with a feeling that is all too familiar this season. Disbelief. At one point I thought that we had this thing in the bag. That is until everything fell apart. Once again it seemed as if everything was against us. Seven seconds into the game we had already fumbled. What made it even worse was that the fumble was returned for a touchdown. The picture to the left shows the end result of the play. Chris Rucker (no relation to Hootie) scored the touchdown. Purdue then seemed to control the rest of the first half, but really had no points to show for it. We would have a good drive, then it would stall. This was very similar to how Notre Dame lost last week to Navy. When you are rolling you have to get the ball in the end zone. The Boilers had the lead 34-23 early on in the fourth quarter, but Michigan State connected on their first play after we extended the lead. From there on out it just got worse. Michigan State blocked a field goal then scored to give them a three point lead. With 2:48 left in the game Carson Wiggs kicked a field goal to tie it up. All we needed was a stop to have the opportunity to win, or force overtime. Of course State returned the kick to the 11 to set up the winning field goal by Brett Swensen. Purdue had a chance to tie or win the game, but we turned the ball over on downs. Michigan State is now bowl eligible, and we have one game left. The game is big though. It is for the Old Oaken Bucket. Both teams were assured a losing season today so the game will be for pride only. So many close games this season that we should have won. Mistakes cost us all of them. Spotting the Spartans seven points right away was a typical play this season. Next year we will have a quarterback with a name that rhymes with Favre. We will see in April if he is all he is cracked up to be. The seniors could not get one last win at home. Here is hoping they get the bucket.

Purdue Holds Off the Mastadons

Tonight on Friday the 13th all was well for the #7 Boilermakers in the first game of the season. They beat Cal State Northridde 89-63. It was a very easy win, and a chance to feel out the matchups. As you can see to the left Kramer was doing a good job feeling out the defense. Robbie Hummel scored 17 points to lead the Boilers. JaJuan Johnson added 15. Freshman D.J. Byrd chipped in 13 for the Boilers in the win. The biggest highlight of the night though had to be freshman Kelsey Barlow laying down a huge dunk in the second half. Barlow was getting big minutes because of the injury to LewJack. Jackson is out indefinitely with an ankle sprain. If he was questionable before the game he may have been ready by the end of it. With all the foul calls and other nonsense this game took forever to complete. Most of the time a close game takes forever while the blowout breezes by. This one though drug on. The fact that the Boilers had a 25-3 lead early on did not help matters. After that it was cruise control. So now the Boilers are 1-0, and you can't ask for anything more than that. They play next in the Paradise Jam. The next home game will be against Central Michigan. I hope that Dan Lefevour does not play basketball.

Sammy Sosa Bleaches His Skin?

Really? I think that this guy has seen it all during his career. Now when he is retired, and for the most part out of the limelight this comes out. A recent picture from Las Vegas that has been circulating shows Sammy looking completely different. The first time I saw the picture was on Comcast Sport Net. I was just walking by the television wondering who was on it. I heard Sammy's name and looked closer. He looks nothing like himself. He kind of looked like Carlton from the Fresh Prince. According to Sosa's spokesman he has been undergoing skin rejuvenation treatments, and they lightened his skin. Maybe Sammy was told that his skin color would keep him out of the Hall. It won't be the skin Sammy. It was the way you kept cheating. Now go away again until you have something positive to bring back to the table.