Boilermaker Big Dog of the Week

Holden is the Boilermaker Big Dog of the Week, and he’s another big, handsome, and very good boy.

PawSwap provided me with this scouting report:

“Holden has been looking for a home for far too long. He’s a great dog that has been overlooked and it’s his turn for a forever home. He is a smart, well-trained, well-behaved athletic, mixed-breed boy looking for a new home. He is around 2 years old, weighs 60 pounds, and is house trained and crate trained if needed. He is trustworthy to be left out unsupervised.

Holden would like to be the only pet in the home and would prefer older children. Young kids make him nervous. He is a good car rider and walks well on leash with a harness. He lives for fetch and catch.

Holden is neutered, up to date on vaccines, heartworm negative, and microchipped. If interested in giving him a home, please complete an adoption application on our website at www.pawswapofgreaterlafayette.com/adopting. His adoption fee is $100.”

Holden even has his own work out video that shows him grinding hard and working on his ball skills:

https://www.facebook.com/PawSwaPofGreaterLafayette/videos/2154745314600032/

Rob Ninkovich

Holden reminds me of former Boilermaker / New England Patriot Rob Ninkovich. The Joliet, Illinois product took a few years to find the right home in both college and the NFL but once he settled in, he dominated.

Rob came to Purdue out of Joiliet J.C. in 2004 as a TE/DE jumbo athlete. The defensive line in 2004 was stacked, so the Boilermakers took a look at him as a tight end. Rob made the most out of his only reception in 2004, collection a 2 yard touchdown pass in Purdue’s 41-16 destruction of Notre Dame.

2005 saw Ninkovich and his non-stop motor head over to the defensive line, and the defensive staff couldn’t keep him off the field. He entered 2005 as a back-up and finished with 48 tackles, 17 TFL, 8 sacks, 2 interceptions, and another TD reception for good measure.

He was drafted in the 5th round in 2006 by the New Orleans Saints, but the Saints couldn’t figure out how to fit him into their defense, and he was cut after only appearing in 3 games for the Saints. The Miami Dolphins picked him up off the waiver wire, but he was only active for 5 games in his season and half in Miami. He was a mid-season cut, and New Orleans once again picked him up, only to cut him again before he appeared in a game.

It looked like Rob was heading for a short and unmemorable pro career when New England picked him up for a quick look and some guy named Bill Belichick decided he would be a perfect outside linebacker in New England’s 3-4 defense. Ninkovich went from a guy just trying to hold on in the NFL to a starter for one of the best teams in the NFL. Once he made it on the field in New England, no one could make him leave. He started 101 games for the Patriots from 2009 to 2016.

Over his 11 year NFL career, Ninkovich tallied 282 tackles, 41 sacks, forced 14 fumbles, snatched 5 interceptions, and even managed to find the endzone twice (Int Ret and Fum Ret). The guy that nobody wanted started on two Super Bowl winning defenses and found a way to make big play after big play.

Like Rob, Holden is just waiting for his big break. He’s waiting for his Bill Belichick.