Just Keep Fighting
by BoilerTMill on Mar 21, 2010 9:10 PM EDT
in Men's Basketball
81 comments
I don't know what to do.
I honestly do not know what to say.
Is it possible to love a team more than Boilermaker Nation loves this Purdue team? They lost their starting point guard for the first half of the season. They lost their starting power forward and possibly best player for the season at the worst possible time. They lost a key newcomer and one that was to provide frontcourt depth before the season even started. They have been dismissed as a team with not enough talent, then as one that can't overcome the loss of one player.
But they keep fighting.
They have now won 29 of 34 games, a school record, while having their projected starting lineup for only seven games. They won a Big Ten Championship for the first time in 14 years. They picked themselves up after everything they have faced this season and they have continued to fight like mad bastards when everyone outside of West Lafayette has given up on them. Amazingly, no one will give them a chance next week, either, and I like it that way.
Positives from the Texas A&M game:
Chris Kramer - There are no more words we can say about this young man. He has now elevated himself to Brees-like status in West Lafayette. I remember being on campus when Drew was doing his thing and I felt completely honored to be there. I am no longer there, but it is as I told Chris' mom last week at the Big Ten Tournament: It has been an honor to write about what Chris has given to Purdue. What else can you say about him? He has led this team for four years and tonight, when we needed it most, he willed this entire team to a victory. He will fight until he has nothing left, and it is a legacy that is going to carry over to every player that returns next year.
When I woke up this morning I realized that today could have been the last day I get to have Chris on my basketball team. I wasn't ready to deal with that loss yet, and I don't think anyone else is either. We get another week now, and he will go down swinging against a Duke team that, on paper again, looks like a hopeless matchup.
Ryne Smith - Chris Kramer doesn't have a chance to win this game if Ryne Smith doesn't do all the little things he did today. The biggest play was his jump ball when Bryan Davis was getting ready to score on the putback with 44 seconds left. Ryne was giving up 6 inches, 80 pounds, and two years of experience to Davis, but he still tied the ball up and prevented the easy score. He also had several other big moments that prove it's not how much you do, but when you do it sometimes. He has had three huge 3-pointers in both NCAA games, but his tie-up in overtime made up for his dumb foul at the end of the first half.
D.J. Byrd - I think the light went on for D.J. against Minnesota in that debacle. He has now scored 21 points in the last three games after scoring two during the entire Big Ten season. He kept us alive with two huge putbacks and added a pair of threes that were much needed. We needed someone to step up, and today it was D.J.
Keaton Grant - He only had five points, but KG was another Little Things guy and he gets to keep his career going. His biggest play was his steal and score, but he fought hard on the glass Even took a page out of Kramer's book with a wild blocked shot. Just keep shooting, KG.
Mrs. T-Mill - She kept me alive, I think. It was touch and go for a moment. This team is so exciting that she is on board and excited. She normally thinks college basketball is boring and she prefers the NBA. She'd love Kentucky.
E`Twaun Moore - I was furious when he turned the ball over twice at the end of regulation without even getting off a shot, but he redeemed himself with a Red Button moment to give us the final tie at 61 all. He also kept us going early when he finally found his jumper in his luggage. He's still not quite there yet, but he is getting close.
Patrick Bade - Forced to play big minutes early, Bade continued to grow by stepping up and holding his own against a huge front line. Help is on the way next year, but he did well today. As a note to the NCAA, Travis Carroll's high school career ended this week, so we can bring him on board next week, right?
Matt Painter - Just a masterful coaching job today. I seriously didn't know how we were going to do this but he weaved his defensive mastery and got just enough stops to finish the job. We allowed almost nothing from the perimeter and hounded the Aggies into long possessions. He substituted liberally and kept everyone fresh. This program is in great hands.
Negatives from the Texas A&M game:
Free Throws - This might be on the officials, but we only got to the line six times. We have to get there more against Duke.
Turnovers - Kelsey Barlow and E'Twaun had some particularly dumb ones today, but the ball security, especially in the last five minutes of regulation, was awful. I just don't understand how we can't even get a shot off there.
Up Next:
Let me save everyone some time and sum up the media's previews this week. "Purdue has fought hard to overcome Robbie Hummel's torn ACL in this tournament, but they will run out of gas against an oversized Duke team that has the easiest path Indianapolis."
We're going to keep fighting though.
We're going to keep fighting because Boilermakers never quit.
We're going to keep fighting because Kramer won't let us.
We're going to keep fighting because we still have a chance to win this whole damn thing. Elite Kansas cannot say that. Elite Texas cannot say that. Fourteen teams from the totally awesome Big East cannot say that. Indiana cannot say that.Only 15 other teams can say that, including Cinderellas Northern Iowa (A scrappy team that I love from last year), St. Mary's, and Cornell.
We're going to keep fighting because our Big Ten brethren like Michigan State, who also has a fallen junior star, keeps fighting with us. We've got your back, Sparty. I said at the beginning of the season we can settle things in Indy after splitting the regular season series. We're still on, right?
We're going to keep fighting because the collective will of this team and these fans will not let us do anything else.
Bring it, Duke.
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still haven't moved since the game ended
How long until the dook game? I might just hang out here until then.
Lord, jager me strength.
by doublegoldandblack on Mar 21, 2010 9:22 PM EDT reply actions
That's odd
Cuz I felt the same way- a sense of loss. During the game when we were down 11 in the second half- a couple of back to back dunks or so- I thought of it- that Kramer wouldn’t want to go out this way… It was a schadenfreude moment- happiness (that we had him for 4 years) and sadness that he was ALL that PURDUE is !!!
“When I woke up this morning I realized that today could have been the last day I get to have Chris on my basketball team. I wasn’t ready to deal with that loss yet, and I don’t think anyone else is either. We get another week now, and he will go down swinging again a Duke team that, on paper again, looks like a hopeless matchup”
TMILL
You do a pretty fine job- definitely a motivated person. I write a lot- come from a family of proff’s and writers and am published at many different levels. Have also been the editor of my profession’s flagship national publication (don’t let that mislead you- it was only a monthly 35-60 page magazine or so).
I tend preserve life better than I write- so it’s a multidisciplinary life style for me. I do appreciate and recognize a fellow student of the word (a a very senior cardiac surgeon once graced me with said comment).
It is the ability to seamlessly go from main stream, to hip hop, to grunge, to sports, to medicine, to whatever rendition of written erudition that you choose to express at any particular moment- that separates you from your English professors. They are tenured, thus culled.
I think you will go a long way.
Thank you very much
I am honestly humbled to have the audience I have here. It has been very hard at times over the past five years without a permanent job to keep moving forward, but I deep down that I am supposed to write. That is why I am on this earth.
This blog started out as way to scratch that itch and has grown to what it is today. I view it as a working, morphing resume and a way to keep me going when I need a pick-me-up. One day, it will all pay off.
A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance
HammerAndRails, SBNation's Boilermaker Blog
Great Job, T-Mill
Thank you so much for all the time and work you put in for our team. Living in an enemy state (Iowa) and having none of my college friends around, I endure all kinds of “Purdon’ts” and other crap.
Being able to come to this site and spend the game talking to other fans is a special experience. It might be super-nerdy to spend your game time huddled over a laptop and posting photoshops of Drew Brees, but damnit – thats what I want!
Thanks again for all of your hard work and dedication. This is a special season and I’m proud to share it with the other H&R readers.
I thought I believed
So why am I still stunned?
I may be hurting after this coming Friday, but I know this team helped me look at my own dumb not-really-setbacks and put them in perspective. They of course can’t show me the details of how, but they showed it’s possible, more than some generic statement of faith could.
I just can’t seriously see myself asking many “what if” questions after this. These wins have emotional value a win with a full strength team could do.
A phrase from CS Lewis comes to mind here, about God being pleased but not satisfied. And for those not religious, it’s a good way to look at ourselves. This team has shown us how to do that by their actions. They managed to deal with tough odds without playing the underdog card overtly.
If we are fortunate, they will show us more, for a few more games.
by Beavis Beefcake on Mar 21, 2010 9:55 PM EDT reply actions
I don't care what happens
this Friday- I DO KNOW I will be proud- regardless. I think we can do this. Just a gut thing… :)
As to why you are stunned-
The fumble
The missed OT kick to OSU
The 28-0 lead against Georgia that ended up us losing 31-28
3 losses to WI in 2000 (the third in the final 8)
The reasons why you shouldn’t be stunned-
Drew
Orton
Cardinal
Sutherland
Phillips
Hance (yeah I like him- had guts)
Landry
Kramer
Grant
Kramer
Moore
and so many of the rest…..
Hey! 28-0 was only 25-0!
I know what you mean, though. It’s just a feeling that most everything had to go right. And it did.
Still, it never happened for the Purdue basketball team, though they beat a somewhat overrated 2 seeded Miami FL team.
Perhaps it’s just that this team did nothing too flashy to get there, and there is the perception that a team has to, to buck the odds or exceed expectations.
The moments I visualize most immediately from the game, besides the winner, are of turnovers and small mistakes, yet I can think up something very good each player did. It’s just so unusual. But very nice.
by Beavis Beefcake on Mar 21, 2010 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions
We can beat Duke.
We can win this whole damn thing.
BOILER UP!
That's why games are not played on paper
I just want someone from the “media” to say they were wrong! Is that too much to ask? Also, since this is turning into pat T-Mill on that back thread, I’d like to add my two cents worth. Being a Purdue fan is not easy as most of us know. But coming to sites like this and Boiled Sports helps you know you are not alone if you bleed black and gold. As much as we would like to will our teams to victory we cannot. But we can funnel our crazy love for sports here and hopefully onto other Purdue fans. Good job T-Mill and keep up the good work
STAND UP OLD PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Sweet 16 really shouldn't be this exciting
Considering it’s the same amount of success we had last year, but it just feels like a bigger accomplishment this year. I’m so happy to have this team around for another week. I’ll cherish these last games with Kramer and KG.
And Wohlford!
I loved how when the game was tied at 0-0, CBS’s “top performers” showed Wohlford with 0 points, 0 rebounds, and 0 assists.
Awesome!
Let’s give Digger Phelps and Seth Davis a national championship between Purdue and Northern Iowa. I’m sure they’d just love that! Kidding aside, this was an awesome victory. Coming back from down40-29, giving me a heart attack by not scoring much at the end of regulation, but still finding away to win! Gotta love Kramer! I know we’ll be big underdogs against Duke, but hey if you toid me at theeginning of the season, Hummel wouldn’t play in the tourney and we would advance further than Kansas, I would’ve taken it in a heartbeat. Wisconsin’s debacle aside, the Big Ten has more teams in the Sweet 16 than the Big East with far less bids and good seeds. Boiler Up! Duke going to be tough, but we know this team won’t go down without a fight!
Defensive Player of the Year?
Has this come out yet nationally? Is it even an award they give out? I honestly think Kramer will get it.
Big Ten Co-Champs....
…are all still in it! I love this conference. Go all three!
Just think of how good this conference will be next year. All 3 co champs, plus Wisc and Illinois and dont sleep on Northwestern.
Especially with Coble coming back...
2010 Big Ten Champs, Baby!
by JuJuan some Moore? on Mar 21, 2010 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Here...
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
by carmen_fanzone on Mar 22, 2010 6:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Good Kramer Read...
SPOKANE, Wash. — Chris Kramer ignored his coach’s final play call and demanded the ball with Purdue’s season on the line.
The two-time Big Ten defensive player of the year, the rugged soul of Boilermakers basketball with do-it-all leader Robbie Hummel out for the season, forgot he is just 6-foot-3. Or, he didn’t care.
The bull in a basketball uniform plowed past one defender 4 inches taller than him and flipped in a layup over Texas A&M big man Bryan Davis, who is 6 inches taller, with 4.2 seconds remaining in overtime Sunday. That sent the fourth-seeded Boilermakers into the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament with a 63-61 victory over the devastated Aggies.
“I had the ball and went right and crossed over to the left, and it parted like the Red Sea,” Kramer said of A&M’s defense.
The bruising, second-round game just about left dents in the arena’s floor.
The ending left Kramer pounding his massive chest. Then, delirious teammates pummeled him from front and back near midcourt.
Kramer’s kind of day.
“Bodies were clashing, both teams refused to lose,” he said. “And it came down to one play.”
Chris Kramer is Purdue's William Wallace...
and clearly the son of a much larger version of Stone Cold Steve Austin………. that one felt good….. I want Duke…. there has been a sour taste in my mouth since that game in 08
I'm not gonna lie
My place got quite dusty while I was reading this.
Great work Travis. Sorry I couldn’t join everyone for the open thread but my local cable didn’t want to let it happen. I’ll see you all on Friday night.
Bring on Duke!
Duke's overrated
They’re going down.
And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight.
Duke, Duke...
I hope we don’t look past Duke, to the winner of Baylor-St Mary’s? Playing Duke, focus won’t be a problem.
We have no chance to be Duke. Not a single “expert” will pick us to beat Duke. Any kid on any playground, knows that Duke will win. (but Don’t tell Chris Kramer we have no chance)
Please Lord give us this one game, where we shoot lights out for all 40 minutes. I’ll never ask for anything else.
Amen
I want the Purdue team that showed up against West Virginia earlier this year to show up for this game!!!
2010 Big Ten Champs, Baby!
by JuJuan some Moore? on Mar 21, 2010 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions
For your viewing pleasure
I compiled a collage of images from this game to use as my desktop wallpaper. It’s sized for a 22" widescreen monitor, but you can resize it as you see fit hopefully. I thought some people here might enjoy it.
Clicky for bigger
by Froggr on Mar 21, 2010 11:06 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
number of teams in the tourney:
number of teams in the tourney:
ACC & Big East – 14
Big Ten- 5
Number of teams remaining after the first weekend:
ACC & Big East- 3
Big Ten- 3
I LOVE
that stat!
2010 Big Ten Champs, Baby!
by JuJuan some Moore? on Mar 21, 2010 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions
To be fair ...
We had three four-seeds or higher (plus a 5). So we have as many as we should have. The Big East and ACC had seven such teams (plus two 6s). So they’re underperforming big, but not quite as big as the prior stat makes it look.
True, but
The Big Ten had 3 four seeds or higher. The Big East had 4 THREE seeds or higher and only 2 survived 2 games.
Lead line of GBI article...
“Never write Purdue off. And never, ever underestimate Chris Kramer’s indomitable will.”
2010 Big Ten Champs, Baby!
by JuJuan some Moore? on Mar 21, 2010 11:19 PM EDT reply actions
Keaton Grant's Twitter Post
Just said they are headed back to W. Lafayette. Safe flight, boys!
2010 Big Ten Champs, Baby!
by JuJuan some Moore? on Mar 21, 2010 11:30 PM EDT reply actions
We are all very proud of you in Ohio
Big Ten pride to our brothers and sisters.
Stay strong , Go Buckeyes and Go Boilers!
by Jeff at the BBC on Mar 21, 2010 11:38 PM EDT reply actions
My game experience
Felt awful because I had a 5:45 Central time flight from Chicago Midway to Minneapolis. Got there early and happily realized flight was delayed until 6:25. Even happier to find a bar with a tv showing the game RIGHT next to my gate. As the game starts, I get a call from Delta. My flight is pushed to 7. This actually makes me happier because I should get to see the whole game! Spent the whole game with 3 people who had money on A&M yelling as I usually do. Airport patrons mostly just stare. The plane starts boarding as OT starts. I wait as long as I can, but finally run to the gate. I got on the plane with 1:00 left in OT and was the last person on board. In the aisle, I get a text saying “Kramer layup with 4 seconds left! Purdue wins by two!”. I yell “Yes!! KRAMER MOMENT!!” in the aisle. People stare again. I love this team.
LOL - had a similar experience in Spokane Arena
During the first round game, after it became clear to the 98% of fans cheering for Siena that the Boilers would hold on, I stood up and yelled, “sorry Spokane, there will be no Cinderella story today!”
I’ll never forget the glares I got in return.
"I don't know what I'm talking about, and I'm pretty sure you don't either." -David Letterman to Bill O'Reilly
Purdue All Time Hustle Points
3. Todd Foster 58573983947489 hustle points
2. Brian Cardinal 3848484847484849849 hustle points
1. Chris Kramer 3393834898472893479827489237498732894738947238947892374892374892374892374892374892374982374892374892347238947238947 hustle points
pretty sure scientists had to invent the googolplex
Because kramer had exceeded his hustle points
by B0r0din on Mar 22, 2010 9:28 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
maybe so,
but Kosmo gets hustle points for everything from pissing off the opponents(10,000 pts per player) to being first to turn in his tests in class(500 more pts). he probably does final exams in like 6.4 seconds(200 pt speed bonus).
I must say....
I am awfully proud of this blog and those who either write for it or frequent it on a daily basis like myself. I was looking over at A & M’s SBNation site and saw that yesterday’s game thread had 108 comments, 108 total comments. 103 were from their site manager, 1 from tmills, 1 from teutonic13, and 2 from a regular there….108 total comments….compared to this site which had an amazing 1766 between the two threads.
Not trying to put down I am the 12th Man. Maybe they are new and don’t have a following yet, I have no idea, but what I do know, what I am proud of is this site and it’s followers. Great showing ladies and gentlemen.
I'm still waiting for the Tshirts to come out...
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
by carmen_fanzone on Mar 22, 2010 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Takes a while to build
But when it does, it is exponential.
Build it and they will come, and all sorts of things. I’d be interested in graphing livethread posts for established sites over the years. But not while there’s still basketball to be watched.
by Beavis Beefcake on Mar 22, 2010 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Rematch with MSU
That would be in the title game. I could be down with that.
Hammer and Rails
The only Purdue blog at that web address.
I'm sure we could find a few people
that could assist ESPN in said suicide in Indy… haha
This is an awesome pic, but why is Kramer's tongue blue?
BTFU!
by BoilerAdam on Mar 22, 2010 11:40 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I thought that maybe it was his key to hustle...
Drinking Smurf blood during timeouts or something.
BTFU!
mouth guard
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
by carmen_fanzone on Mar 22, 2010 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Wisky Woes
Whats up Wisconsin? I picked you to go further. I didn’t get to watch it but the score wasn’t close. I think the BTen is represented well with the NPOY team, the team thats GREEN (but has experience), and the team with the heart of GOLD!
Undue Purversity
Should the dead hookers...
be wearing Duke uniforms as we pile them into Kramer’s trunk?
Undue Purversity
"Amazingly, no one will give them a chance next week, either, and I like it that way"
True, but I bet there will be a lot of people rooting for them come game time. We aren’t the Cinderella story underdogs that UNI might be, but between us and Duke, I bet we get a lot of extra fans.
Good luck Purdue!
As a Syracuse fan I would like to congratulate you guys on getting to the sweet 16, it’s great to see you there. Please beat Duke! Good luck!
by KyleMcintoshStiffarm on Mar 22, 2010 3:37 PM EDT reply actions
Good luck, Boilers
This Spartan fan was rooting you guys on. Big 10 4 life!!!!!!!!!! That was a great finish and just a gritty effort by Kramer. Nothing but props to Purdue and I hope MSU can meet you in Indy. So, that winning without your star player thing? How does that work exactly?
Nice pic
Re: winning without your star. Step one, recruit Chris Kramer when the only other D1 program paying attention to him is Ball State. Damn that was a hell of a move by Painter.
Not sure if there is a step 2…
Seriously, good luck this weekend. I would love to see an MSU/OSU matchup for the Final Four…
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