My Senior Night: My Final Game At Mackey Arena For JJ And E`Twaun
by BoilerTMill on Feb 15, 2011 10:22 AM EST
in Men's Basketball
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PrintI know that tomorrow night is not Senior Night, but in a way it is for me. It is the final regular season game I have tickets to, so it will be the last time I will see JaJuan Johnson and E`Twaun Moore play in person. Boilerdowd has purchased the Ohio State and Illinois games off of me, so he will be the one sitting in the corporate seats for those games. I'll still get to see JJ and Smooge in the Big ten Tourney and possibly the NCAAs in person, but tomorrow night signals the end of an era.
You see, this blog grew with the Baby Boilers. The first season I started writing it was solely a football blog I shut down in the winter. It wasn't because I thought basketball was going to be bad. It was more that I was new to blogging and I didn't think there would be much of an audience. The next season, when the Baby Boilers came on board, I decided to pick up basketball coverage as soon as football season was over with the Motor City Bowl.
The rest is history.
It is safe to say that my success with this site is directly tied to JJ , Smooge, and Ostrich with their success on the floor. Almost immediately, my Google rank back over at Off the tracks went high enough that people started randomly contacting me for ads. The readership and demand grew enough that I was able to continue the blog almost year-round. The following season things grew to the point where SBNation contacted me, leading to the creation of this site on February 20, 2009 (Happy almost 2 years, by the way).
It was that 2008-09 season that I started ponying up the dough for season tickets because I knew we had something special. I wanted to make sure I was at the Duke game, and I could see that there were several other games I wanted to attend as well, so we converted our Colts season ticket plan over to Purdue basketball as well (buy season tickets, keep the games we want, sell the rest).
As JJ and Smooge grew on the court, the site here continued to grow. By the time they were juniors this site was considered legitimate enough to be credentialed. Last year's Big Ten Tournament was the pinnacle, as this community celebrated (online at least) having behind the scenes access at the conference's biggest event. I was amazed that so many sportswriters were going about their day like they would rather be anywhere else. I had a permanent grin for four days and had the most fun I have had in a long time.
That has continued to this year, where I personally got to interview JJ and Smooge at Big Ten Media Day. While it was fun to make Thad Matta smile asking about Mark Titus, I felt I was speaking for you fans when I personally told Smooge about being The Red Button.
This is why tomorrow night is going to be bittersweet. It is a huge game and far from the last we will see JJ and Smooge, but since it is the last time I will see them play in Mackey Arena it will be very sentimental. I have often credited the success of this site to you readers, but we're all here because of guys like JJ and Smooge.
I don't really have a point to this post other than to give a personal thank you to these guys for being Boilermakers. I thank them both for being outstanding role models on and off the court as well (That's E`Twaun Moore, Academic All-American) as for taking the time to answer questions the blogger that is essentially a big fan with unprecedented access to cover them.
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No, Thank You
I forget exactly how I stumbled across this site but I now visit about everyday (mostly at work). I enjoy having a place to go for a Purdue perspective, and I feel better informed about our opponents and especially the recruits. My wife and I are Purdue grads (ok she’s a grad with highest distinction and I’m a slacker) we started buying season tickets with the Baby Boilers and have loved it. Thanks for everything you do for the faithful, TMill. It is most appreciated.
+1 regarding the Thank You !!
I am almost the same way. I visit this site daily to get my dose of everything Purdue. I would be lost without it. My wife and I are also both Purdue grads and follow them with a great amount of passion. I look forward every day to reading the great write-ups.
THANK YOU for all the heart and soul TMill. Looking forward to many more years of Hammer & Rails !!
The only time I got to see JJ and E'Twaun play at Mackey
was the Illinois game their sophomore season… Ironically that will be their senior night as well. I do think they’ll get the “W” this time though. I’m sure its a bittersweet feeling seeing them for the last time @ Mackey, but make sure you wipe the tears away from your eyes before we need you to yell for a crucial defensive stop T-Mill. ;)
Also I re-read your post from the BT Media day last October. Once again, the question to Matta was gold. Make sure you ask that “Blue Chips” question to Matty Ice… We’re gonna need some comical relief come Indy… I don’t want another Minnesota showing dropping our team a seeding and an unfavorable location
To your call once more we rally...
Graduation Season
There’s an unmistakable undercurrent of fatherhood in your comments above. With your site maturing along side the seniors you mention, it’s much like you have a child graduating as well.
My comments here cannot express how much the community you’ve built, and the landslide of quality content generated by yourself and your contributors, has enhanced my enjoyment of Purdue football, basketball and other sports. I expected a sharply focused fan perspective. I didn’t expect to find such a tangible, interactive connection to the campus I left so many years ago.
Hopefully, as professional demand for your talent grows (as it most certainly will), you will continue to find the time to serve us as the life blood of Hammer and Rails. I, for one, am pulling for H&R to be granted several more years of eligibility!
"Life is hard. Wear a cup"
- Dennis Miller
Our attachment to this team turns H&R into an emotional love fest this time of year...
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
this year and next will probably be the hardest march and april i;ve ever gone through as a boiler fan
losing teague and landry was rough because i was there with them through the brutal times all the way to their return to the dance, but this year (and hummel next year) is going to be tough to swallow
my mother was right....no one cares what i have to say
Thank You, T-Mill!
Travis has done it all for us Boiler faithful. H&R is an excellent site that gives a great fan perspective. I visit this site and Boiled Sports practically every day. BTFU and beat Bucky!
by Jackson Brunner on Feb 15, 2011 2:19 PM EST reply actions
Thanks T-Mill....
Love checking on this site every day…..it’s great to get an inside look on some things, but I don’t feel like this site is too biased. It’s just honest. You do a hell of a job, and honestly, I’m a little jealous of your access and opportunities to interview the guys.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come home and talked to my wife about an article on H&R. A lot of conversations start out with “Hey did you read H&R today?”
Hoosier by birth, Boilermaker by the Grace of God!
Gotta chip in...
Simply put, this site has changed my life. (for the better of course).
Undue Purversity
Agreed
I now watch more college basketball than ever and look forward to spending time on the live threads during games. When you live outside your team’s geographic area, a community site like this can make all the difference in feeling connected to fellow fans.
Thanks Travis & Co.!
My favorite Boiler Site of all time....
and into all perpetuity blah blah blah…
Thanks Tmill- it is a great site with a great crew…
Thanks for what you've done, Travis
Now let’s finish this season off right with a trip to the F4 and a National Title!
(crossing fingers)
Thanks. Enjoy the special final night.
Purdue fans have come to expect really good things—from you and them—and have gotten them consistently.
It’s easy to forget the days before the Baby Boilers and before having a Purdue blog. Heck, it’s easy to forget we didn’t have active game threads.
It’s weird for me, seeing them for the last time. In a way it was last year at Northwestern, a disappointing loss (from which they rebounded—literally and figuratively,) but in another way you could say it’ll be next year at Northwestern, since Robbie Hummel will still be around. I’d like to pretend it will be, and it’ll be a win.
Hopefully you won’t have to fudge like that, though Wisconsin will do everything they can to make it so you might have to. However, if Purdue wins both games, either’ll be a worthy win—UW a bit more, since they are ranked. Though really, emotionally, it’s hard to see Purdue losing either. Not that I’m overoptimistic—the 6-year-old fan inside me is just saying “I don’t care! They can’t!”
by Beavis Beefcake on Feb 16, 2011 1:24 AM EST reply actions
thanks Travis
I appreciate the site. Enjoy the game tonight. Go Boilers- Beat up on Bucky!
by GreenBayBoilermaker on Feb 16, 2011 7:30 AM EST reply actions
Thanks TMill!!!!
I’m actually from another country and never heard of Purdue until my junior year in high school, but I end up at Purdue and so as my wife, her brother, her brother’s wife, my sis, her husband, her husband’s brother … and I’d say I am the most loyal Boiler among all.
I stumble upon your site, but I never posted anything, until this one. It really resonates with me when you say “I was amazed that so many sportswriters were going about their day like they would rather be anywhere else. I had a permanent grin for four days and had the most fun I have had in a long time.”
I am so touched by your effort and story that I feel compelled to go through the trouble of registering and posting. Because I feel that you deserve to know how much of an inspiration you are. What I most admire you is that you follow your passion. You are living the dream of many of us fans, interviewing the stars and coaches, and really doing something you love. You create this community where we Boilers can come together and share a dream. I just wanna give you a big thank you! Keep up the great work!!!!!!
We'll always remember the Baby Boilers but...
the train must chug onwards. I’m grateful for this site and all the hard work you’ve put into it. The live game threads are fun as hell, your commentary and analysis has been spot on, and never a dull moment.
I too will be sad to see JJ and Moore leave (hopefully for much better things) and some dust might get in my eye the last night I see them play together – hopefully that night is more celebratory than sad. Only good thing is that we’ll have Robbie and LewJack for another year.
You’re doing a great thing for the Boiler Nation. Keep up the good work!
A big thank you to everyone for posting their love here
I can’t thank you guys enough for making this place what it is.
A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance
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