All-time Favorite Players
by Boiler00 on Jan 25, 2012 9:30 PM EST
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Hey everyone, I wanted to give a quick introduction with my background and mention some sports related moments I thought were memorable from my time at Purdue. Then I will name my 10 all time favorite Purdue basketball players and 5 all time favorite Purdue football players. It'd be cool if some of you guys would do the same just to get an idea of what kind of people are here. I'd really like to see who everyone's favorite players were/are? I know some might date back to the Rick Mount days but I wasn't that fortune to witness him play.
I grew up in Anderson, IN. Choose Purdue cause I knew it was just right. Was blessed not to be brought up in an IU household. Graduated with an Accounting degree in 2000. Live in Noblesville, IN now. I had some classes with Brian Cardinal and Alan Eldridge. Also had one with Gary McQuay. Saw a few players at the co-rec and most memorable was Justin Jennings throwing down thunder dunks (actually got caught guarding him for a minute - I'm 5'7").
1. Glenn Robinson (just something about posterizing dunks on Greg Ostertag)
2. Brian Cardinal
3. Chris Kramer
4. Cuonzo Martin
6. E'twaun Moore
7. Chad Austin
10. Jaraan Cornell (with Todd Foster close to cracking the top 10)
Football
1. Drew Brees
2. Ryan Kerrigan
3. Mike Alstott
4. Rosevelt Colvin
5. John Standeford
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My list
I don’t think it would be right for me to include players that weren’t playing when I started my career at Purdue. I didn’t grow up in the area, so I didn’t know who Drew Brees was until I got here (I never followed the NFL, either). Due to this, I’m going to limit my list to just 5 basketball players and 3 football players.
Basketball:
1) Robbie Hummel – He’s been the face of the program for the last four and a half years. Even when he was in a shirt and tie last year, he was getting more screen time than some of the players.
2) Lewis Jackson – One of the most fun players to watch. He’s a wizard with the basketball as he never gives up his dribble and a spectre as he always finds a way to get to the rim.
3) E’Twaun Moore – For most of his career he was the ice-cold killer that we desperately miss this year. He repeatedly put a choke-hold on opposing teams’ comebacks with the most memorable being at Michigan State in 2010.
4) JaJuan Johnson – Carried last year’s team through part of the season while E’Twaun went through his shooting slump. What else can I say about our latest All-American?
5) Chris Kramer – No one has come close to matching his intensity and leadership. Part of me is expecting Basil Smotherman to come in and fill this role.
Football:
1) Ryan Kerrigan – A machine that was so much fun to watch. Easily the most entertaining defensive player I’ve seen. Nothing got me fired up more than watching #94 power through a double-team and still get to the quarterback
2) Rob Henry – Thrust into the starting position as a red-shirt freshman in 2010, he was able to walk away with two wins. He is the quarterback who fits our system so well and I think this season would have been much different if he hadn’t gone down with his ACL injury
3) Keith Smith – Walking first down. He was the go-to guy if we needed to move the chains. He didn’t have the most spectacular plays like Aaron Valentine, but he also didn’t turn the ball over or make bone-headed plays.
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Senior All-American Alto Sax
I think E'twaun's most memorable game
Was against a certain team from Ohio, not Michigan State.
1. E’twaun Moore- I own his jersey for a reason. He was the best player of the 07 class for three of the four seasons and got basically none of the credit. He was knocked again and again before the draft and during the lockout yet he is contributing solid minutes right now on a veteran heavy team.
2. The Big Dog- Does it really need to be stated? I wish I was old enough to have been into and watch college basketball back when he was still playing at Purdue.
3. JJ- All-American and has such an entertaining play-style to watch. He really does remind me of a Kevin Garnett-esque player.
4. Robbie Hummel- Pure class. I think he has honestly become more myth than man lately, but he is a great person (personally met him my freshman year) and has incredible basketball IQ.
5. Kramer- This is another one where nothing needs to be said. One of the most intense and fierce players I have seen in any sport.
6. Brian Cardinal- The Custodian. Just an all around lovable guy who got us so close to a Final Four.
Ah yes
He scored 7 of Purdue’s last 11 points starting when OSU got the score within 4.
The difference between MSU and OSU, however, was that his cold-blooded performance came in East Lansing, not West Lafayette. That crowd was absolutely rocking when the lead was cut down to 3, but he IMMEDIATELY responded with his own 3 to shut everyone up.
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Senior All-American Alto Sax
My humble top ten
1) Big Dog (idolized him growing up) I’m not sure that I’d be anywhere near as big of a fan of purdue or bball in general as I am if it weren’t for going gaga for him at Purdue. It crushed me when he skipped his sr year. He was so silky smooth
2) Brad Miller just seemed like a fun guy who enjoyed life. Very skilled and fundamentally sound big man
3) Todd Foster biggest baddest bullfighting basketball player ever. He spoke in one of my classes in HS and gave great insights to the college athlete lifestyle. Cool dude who played hard.
4) Rick Mount would show up at summer camps and make over 20 threes in a row with ease
5) Cuonzo Martin classic example of using hard work to improve. Poor 3 point shooter till jr year, then he shot the lights out and broke records
6) Chris Kramer his will to win was phenomenal. When he made that layup over Texas A&M I was jumping up and down yelling so hard that I hit my head on a chandelier 8 ft high in another room, without even realizing how I’d left the living room
7) Jujuan Johnson so much fun to see him develop and cheer on someone w such a great attitude
8) Porter Roberts cuz I had mom take the clippers and put tracks on the side of my head just like him. Was a great scorer but sacrificed for the team and distributed the ball well
9) Chad Austin this man was clutch! You always wanted the ball in his hand down by 1 w 10 seconds left. He always had the one on one move to get himself open to hit the game winning jumper, something our current team lacks, but I think both Johnson’s can become “that guy”
10) Brian Cardinal another person I idolized later on. Made me love to get floor burns like him.
1) Mike Alstott I didn’t love purdue football (just loved PU basketball) until Alstott played. He just pummeled people and made me want to try out for football
2) Vinny Sutherland our very own Tweeder speedster, what’s not to love
3) Rosevelt Colvin first DE to really dominate and become a sack monster. Very fun to watch
4) Drew Brees master of finesse. He lit it up with his passing yards. It’s amazing watching replays on Classic Sports and seeing just how deadly accurate he was at PU. I had forgotten. What were the Chargers thinking letting him go?!
5) Tim Stratton the dude caught EVERYTHING that came his way. Most dominant TE we ever had
6) Montrell Lowe I just remember him scurrying for hella yards every game and cheering hard while that great O line laid out some pancakes
7) Kyle Orton I still route hard for the guy. Was the best QB in football for half a season
8) Dustin Keller gotta give the hometown kid some love. Amazing athlete who was under recruited but worked hard to do big things and make it to the NFL
9) Taylor Stubblefield/Dorien Bryant dudes would get open all day. Both really carried the team in their respective years
10) Brock Spack I just loved his intensity as a coach, he can be on this list since he technically played too.
Great list, just to add a few details...
5) Cuonzo Martin classic example of using hard work to improve. Poor 3 point shooter till jr year, then he shot the lights out and broke records <- and he also helped Keaton Grant follow suit…probably helped Chad Austin break his own record, too.
10) Brock Spack I just loved his intensity as a coach, he can be on this list since he technically played too <- technically? He was an all-Big Ten linebacker! Put it up there! His name just sounds like a linebacker, too.
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 26, 2012 2:37 AM EST up reply actions
its worth mentioning
I dont disagree with the others although i always thought Brad Miller was soft. Here are some to add to the list in no particular order:
Basketball:
-Ricky Hall and big Jim Rowinski from around 84
-Troy Lewis, Everette Stephens, and Todd Mitchell from around 87/88 on the best team Purdue ever had IMHO
-Steve Reid of Bob Knight chair episode…he would have killed it in the 3 point era
-Steve Scheffler was a beast
Football
-Rod Woodson’s last game was my first game i ever attended w my dad…gorgeous gold unis
-Jim Everett
-Mike Rose on first team of Tiller era…he destroyed a PSU player on kickoff coverage but was a great LB
-Brian Alford
-Bernard Pollard left Purdue high and dry and seems like a real dbag now in real life but he could lay people out
-Chris Daniels
-Joey Elliott…just kidding BUT wtf was he doing not playing in front of Curtis Painter who single-handedly destroyed years of progress for our program
by grebek on Jan 26, 2012 8:11 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Ahhh I forgot about Joey Elliott
Two of my best memories suiting up for the AAMB came at the hands of Joey Elliot, knocking off #7 Ohio State and winning in Ann Arbor for the first time since the 60’s.
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Senior All-American Alto Sax
I see your point about Miller...
I included him on my list but he could be tough to love at times. He was great most of the time but when he would get frustrated and almost pout it seemed I sometimes wondered about his toughness.
by GeorgiaBoiler on Jan 26, 2012 7:31 PM EST up reply actions
Wait, Ryne Smith still has some games left
But he just doesn’t have the heart for it he had a couple years ago.
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 27, 2012 12:58 AM EST up reply actions
Ahh the good old days
I would also have Ricky Hall on the list, he was one of the first guys I remember cheering for as a kid. I would also go with:
-Rowinski
-Steve Scheffler (2nd cousin to Tony Scheffler of the Lions) learned that from a H.S. friend that works for the Lions.
-Ian Stanback
-Brian Cardinal
-Justin Jennings
-Doug Lee
-Chris Kramer
Greg McQuay
Maybe not of all time, but he was one of my favorites when I was there…I remember once when he did a 360 dunk on a breakaway. I couldn’t find any highlights on Youtube
I remember his dunks. Some ferocious ones
I remember one time when Justin Jennings (mid 90’s) dunked a missed FT in from starting behind the shooter and crashing down the lane. I think it was even against IU. Big Dog had some really nice dunks too and JJ’s were some of the best. We are currently missing that aspect of excitement. I really hope Lawson can start throwing it down soon and I can’t wait for some Shaq-attack type dunks from Hammons.
I think it was, in '94
I was able to catch the game when it was free on Hulu. I missed it originally. It was before ESPN was truly everywhere.
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 26, 2012 8:56 PM EST up reply actions
Love the topic
Hoops
1. CK3- Intensity, scrappy, symbol of what I think a Boilermaker is
2. JJ/ ETwaun- Cant separate these two. Two of the best winners at Purdue and a thrill to watch
3. Robbie- Another great player to watch. So happy to see him back on the court for the Boilers.
4. David Teague- 3 point marksman plain and simple.
5. LewJack- what a joy to watch this little man play ball. one of the best handles ive seen at purdue. Like a gnat on defense
6. Carl Landry- Only here for a few years but helped bring Boilers back
7. Willie Deane/ Kenny Lowe- Two of the players that helped out the Boilers when I was growing up. Not part of the best years, but still enjoyed watching them play
Football
1. Brees- while I was young when he was here, I have seen many a replay of his games. Any guy that brings us to a Rose Bowl is a legend.
2. Kerrigan- Just shows what great effort can get ya.
3. Keller- A wide receiver that played tight end. What an athlete!
4. Ricardo Allen- Kinda a future pick here, but with two years left, I love this competitor
football is a lot harder than basketball to pick from
Foot
"The goal remains the same"
by TimeToPlayHard on Jan 26, 2012 10:50 AM EST reply actions
Basketball—
Brian Cardinal
Eugene Parker
E’twaun Moore
Joe Barry Carroll
Kevin Stallings (no joke)
Glen Robinson
Troy Lewis
Mike Scearce
Todd Foster
Jim Rowinksi
Robbie Hummel
Chris Kramer
Football-
Rod Woodson
Mel Gray
Mike Alstott
Mark Herrmann
Dave Young
Drew Brees
Kyle Orton
Chike Okeafer
Rosey Colvin
Taylor Stubblefield
Dustin Keller
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
"We have the Cannon, the Bucket, the Little Caesar's Bowl trophies, and I'm pretty sure the Nation's Best Kick-Off Team Trophy as well to put in our trophy case" --Purdue Coach Danny Hope
by carmen_fanzone on Jan 26, 2012 11:22 AM EST reply actions
Love seeing
“Scooby” Mike Scearce on this list.
Forgotten
I’ll take Russel Cross more than any other player he made Keady . He was keady’s big get coming off of the loss of Joe barry Carrol we had nothing in the middle.Rose quit us and we hire a no name coach who somehow got one of the best Big Men in the country at 6’10 from Chicago he was dominating a McDonalds AA in 1980. He also was the 6th player drafted in 1983 by Golden State. Football is easy Grease!!!!1
Im too young
for this list (and not a Purdue fan for long enough, grew up in an IU house). But I always enjoyed watching Kerrigan while I was there, and the trio of JJ-Etwaun-Hummel was always a beauty to see in tandem….
Scheffler!
1) Steve Scheffler (Jr,Sr. Season)
2) Brian Cardinal
3) Glen Robinson
4) E’twaun Moore
5) Brad Miller
6) Cuonzo Martin
7) Jimmy Oliver
8) Chad Austin
9) JaJuan Johnson
10) Matt Ten Dam (the mystery and the enigma is always a favorite)
Late bloomer, huge wide body
Really started doing well after the 3 amigos (1988) moved on. High FG percentage. Had a nice midrange jumper. Football player turned basketball player type.
On a personal note, he worked hard to overcome dyslexia. He didn’t have a fierce personality but was very tough on the court.
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 26, 2012 8:59 PM EST up reply actions
yeah
Scheffler had highest field goal % in the country his SR. he is at the top of my list because i long for those days of good field goal and free throw %. He was a post player, unmovable, weightlifting record breaker etc…
Sorry no Hummel. He probably a better example than many on my list for team player and sportsmanship, #11 for sure.
I'm going opposite of this list to show you who I wouldn't have on the list
1)Joe Gampfer
2)Matt Ten Dam
3)Steve Eifert
4)Luther Clay (never played a minute at Purdue but managed to get us and Rhode Island both in trouble with the NCAA)
5)Dan Polombizio
6)Scott Martin
7)Sean Sutton (committed to us then Kentucky then ended up at Oklahoma State)
8)speaking of Oklahoma State I’ll put Doug Gottlieb on this list as well, no Purdue ties but he hates Purdue so I’m returning the favor
9)Billy Reid he was not his brother
10)Eddie Munster er Carson Cunningham
Good laughs here
never played a minute at Purdue
Actually, it was the games where he did play a minute or two that cost us.
Jamaal Davis was similar I think.
Sean Sutton (committed to us then Kentucky then ended up at Oklahoma State)
Didn’t know that!
Billy Reid he was not his brother
Make it family night—Richie Mount too!
10)Eddie Munster er Carson Cunningham
Aww, we coulda done a lot worse than Dr. Cunningham. I thought he also cut his hair before he came to Purdue—let it grow out at Oregon State?
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 26, 2012 9:02 PM EST up reply actions
Oops, forgot if it was Rich or Richie.
Don’t know if you’re wondering who he was, or correcting the name.
Either way some others are probably not in the know, so for them, see here for instance.
Caused a rift between Rick Mount and Purdue for a while
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 27, 2012 1:02 AM EST up reply actions
ahh, thanks for the link
Never knew that story. Interesting to hear Rick talk negatively about Keady.
Here's another article of you are interested
One gets the sense that Rick Mount is stubborn to a fault and also a bit immature and he is still estranged from Purdue which is a shame. Keady was in a tough spot as Richie was never a B1G caliber player but was the kid of one of our all-time greats and he felt obligated to give the kid a scholarship. At the time I was glad to see him go.
The other thing that Mount is pissed about it that Keady dressed Woody Austin in the number 10, Mount’s number without his permission. Childish, in my opinion.
The animosity is one-sided as Coach Keady has a mailbox at his house with with a 10 on it to honor Mount.
by GeorgiaBoiler on Jan 27, 2012 11:21 AM EST up reply actions
Thanks for your link
I forgot about Woody Austin as 10 being a sore point. But how long can you wait? There are only 36 numbers overall. Though I don’t remember anyone wearing 13 recently either. I think Gary McQuay (?) wore 13 in HS as a tribute to Robinson but switched to 5.
A good question is, how long to wait? But 20 years seems enough since we don’t retire numbers.
I imagine Mount was very detail oriented about his shooting and I know that being like that in other things myself can make me overmagnify unimportant details in other areas at first. I imagine that’s what happened here. Too bad.
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 29, 2012 1:37 PM EST up reply actions
Older than all of you combined
I’m obviously older than all of you, but you could not beat the team of 1970 with Rick Mount and Billy Keller. Wish you could have seen that team that went to NCAA championsip and lost to UCLA with Alciindor.
For football, Mike Phipps, Leroy Keyes and Drew Brees are the ones
I hate knowing that we were a beast
football and basketball in the late 60’s and we couldn’t sustain that success especially in football. I know we’ve had success since then in basketball but you’d think with top ranked football teams we could have been a powerhouse now.
What a great topic!
I was graduated with a Management degree in 1989 and attended Purdue from 1984 to 1989. Here’s my list of favorite basketball players, some from during my years at Purdue and some after. In no particular order…
Tony Jones (probably my all-time favorite because he played with such heart and passion 100% of the time, Lewis Jackson reminds me a lot of him, I can’t believe he hasn’t been mentioned)
Steve Scheffler
The Three Amigos; Troy Lewis, Todd Michell, and Everett Stephens (I’m listing these guys together as they were the backbone of the great teams of the 80s during my Purdue years)
Todd Foster
Brian Cardinal
Carson Cunningham (loved the Eddie Munster ’do)
Brad Miller
Lewis Jackson
Interesting
I’ve never heard of Tony Jones. Sounds like we’ve had quite a few tough guys that play with that passion.
You missed out
Tony Jones had, what I consider one of the best dunks in Purdue history in a game at Illinois. He dunked then started with a little fist pump that built in speed and in enthusiasm. I think he was 6’1" and dunked over one of the Illini’s studs the played in the final four back in 1989. He was also the teams pilot. He piloted the teams charter flights to all away games.
Yup!
He’s now a commercial pilot, I had forgotten about him being the team’s pilot, thanks for bringing that up. Those were some great Purdue teams in the late 80s.
by GeorgiaBoiler on Jan 26, 2012 8:00 PM EST up reply actions
Wow, didn't know he actually flew the team
I liked him a lot. That Illinois game at Purdue was great. The worst home cooking call ever waved off a 3-point play.
He is not my favorite but was up there. Again, overshadowed by Lewis/Stephens/Mitchell (graduated ’90) but he always seemed to come to play.
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 26, 2012 9:03 PM EST up reply actions
Dont forget
Melvin McCants was also on that team.
Thought of a couple of other favorites...
Kip Jones (I met him at Nick’s on the Levee a week or so after he decked Grady Mateen in the Ohio State game, cool guy who is now a women’s BB coach at IPFW)
Matt Painter (does anyone else remember his nickname with his teammates being “The Blob” because he had such an odd looking physique
Ian Stanback
Herb Dove
Matt Waddell
Hard to pick just 10.
Ian Stanback, man...
Undersized and had to play center for us sometime. Boy, he could rebound.
Chuckie White was also one heckuva rebounder who may’ve been undersized. Some awesome dunks too. We only had him 2 years (Juco) but he was one of several who worked out so well for us.
Yeah, I got no list, but why not have fun remembering.
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 26, 2012 9:06 PM EST up reply actions
Chuckie White!
Had forgotten about him. Loved him, great rebounder and hard nosed player. You’re right, it sure is fun reminiscing.
how about...
Doug Lee w his 80s porn molestache for bball and dont forget Stu Schweigert for football
by grebek on Jan 26, 2012 10:19 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Doug Lee, I remember him, I think he and his moustache both transferred into Purdue
by GeorgiaBoiler on Jan 26, 2012 10:31 PM EST up reply actions
From Texas A&M
It’s weird, I don’t remember watching him that much. My first real season of paying attention was 82-83 with Steve Reid and Curt Clawson. Looking back I barely remember any of the front courters except for James Bullock and of course Russell Cross. I still remember a friend yelling about Cross’s dunk against Stetson with seconds left and didn’t know what it meant but it sounded exciting. From there, it was on.
I think I paid more attention to the guards since they were relatively shorter and I was one of the shortest people in my class due to enrollment dates etc.
by Beavis Beefcake on Jan 27, 2012 4:08 PM EST up reply actions
While we are talking about older team
No one on here has mentioned Ricky Hall. He wasn’t the best player in the world but he set up a run of hard workers that continued through Chris Kramer.
Had Doug Lee on my list
Love guys with marginal athletic ability that succeed through hard work and scrappiness.
A few fan favorites not to be forgotten
I was fortunate to attend Purdue between 1978-82. We went to 3 bowl games( when there were a lot fewer bowl games and you needed more than a .500 record to qualify) and of course went to our last final four. We all have affinity for our stars but here are a few names that really got our fan base going:
1. Arnette Hallman- hit game winning shot in Mackey against then #1 MSU led by Magic probably still the best leaper ever in the program. The sack master of the “Junk Defense”
2. Roosevelt Barnes-not a great all around player but a really good defender. one of the first to “slap the floor” on “D” . Loved to get into Isiah’s head! Played a year of football too!
3. Keena Turner
by oldgoldandblack82 on Jan 30, 2012 7:54 AM EST reply actions
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