My Purdue New Year’s Resolutions

Here we are closing out another year; I know for me personally, the older I get the faster the years seem to go. It always makes me think of a quote someone once told me long ago, “The days are slow, but the years go fast.” After the holidays, we start looking to the New Year and thinking of things we would like to accomplish. Maybe it’s taking a leap of faith into a different career, seeing family more, or being more present in the moment. A new year makes you reflect on who you are and who you want to be.

Maybe you went into 2022 and crushed your goals or maybe you’re the type of person who doesn’t do resolutions; either way I’ve been reflecting on what I’d like to see Purdue accomplish this year. Will this be a year where not much changes and we feel the regret of “what could have been” by December or do we finally make some breakthroughs that we all have been longing for.

Win the Citrus Bowl

• We all have that resolution we make that we know odds are we aren’t going to keep. Joining a gym, quitting drinking, giving up social media. It all sounds great in theory but two weeks into January you’re sipping wine, scrolling tik-tok for hours and already lost your gym key. I’m all in on our Boilers scrapping a win in Orlando but with a coach departure and several opt outs, this one may be the resolution that just sounds good in theory.

Final Four

• Okay here I am again, high on Boilerball. I start off the season trying to be realistic on expectations so I’m not disappointed, but 12 games in and I’m ready to book my ticket to Houston. Maybe it’s just my ever faithful Boiler blood or maybe I just see something in this team that just clicks, but a Purdue Final Four would make my year regardless of what else happens.

Bring Home A National Championship

• Well damn, if you make the Final Four you might as well just win the whole damn thing. Who aren’t we if we aren’t reaching for the stars, or dare I say moon. I’m sure there are the doubters, the “Painter can’t win in March naysayers” or maybe it’s going to be a “New Year, New Us” mentality. But I’m going to go full homer here, hang the banner.

Women’s Basketball Makes The NCAA Tournament

• It’s been a minute since our girls got a taste of March Madness themselves and I think Gerald’s is just the coach to get them there. She took over a program that was less optimal to say the least. In her first year she had a 9 win increase and taking her team to the tournament this year could solidify her making a stamp on the program. And hey if you’re going to make the tourney, you might as well make some noise.

Beat IU

• It’s always fun to beat IU and we may have had their hand here for the past few years, but beating them this year when they claim “They’re Back” would taste a little sweeter. We heard all offseason the Big Ten runs through Bloomington, I’d love nothing more than to run them off the court in Mackey and Assembly just to remind them; Indiana is the Boilermaker State.

Volleyball Team Wins the B1G/Advances to Final Four

• Y’all know my love for the Volleyball team and how much I respect what Dave Shondell has done for our program. Last year we got a taste of the Elite 8 and this season we got bounced early by a tough Louisville squad. We have a lot of big names returning next year and I'd love to see our girls win the B1G and breakthrough to the Final Four for the first time ever. Coach Shondell deserves this.

Coach Walters Makes Statement As New Coach

• I’m already loving the energy Ryan Walters is bringing into our program. He immediately put Mock on scholarship (rightfully so) and landed a great transfer after the Allen departure. He still has his work cut out for him; our schedule is downright BRUTAL next year, add on a new coach and a slew of players transferring, this next year seems a little gray to say the least. I’m not expecting anything major next season, but if Coach Walters can pickup a big win or two and have a winning record in his first year, I’d be more than okay with that. I don’t want a two steps forward, one step back after how much we have accomplished as of late.

Baseball Team Makes the NCAA Tournament

• To be fair, I don’t follow a lot of baseball whether it be college or major leagues. I’d like to change that starting with our Purdue team. We have only appeared in 3 NCAA tournaments, the last one in 2018. It would be nice to create a little buzz around our program and get back there this year.

I asked some of my followers what they would like to see in the New Year and here are some of the responses;

I love this one because as fans we can get a little crazy when things aren’t going our way. I fully suspect people to be crying “Fire Painter” if/when Purdue does finally take a L in basketball. Just breathe and enjoy the ride.

I love to see Indiana born players on the floor or field, lets keep our men and women in state and of course at the BEST college there is.

Would be awesome to see Edey beat Big Dog’s record and also become NPOY. Add on a Painter NCOY and I think we will be dancing from the rooftops in 2023.