It's Thursday. I don't know what that has to do with anything, but let's do a bit of a link dump of what we're reading lately...
No, Manatee, You're Just Wrong
You know how sometimes we like to tear apart stupid Notre Dame crap? And how we really don't like Fat Charlie?
Well, MGoBlog has a simply wonderful, wonderful, wonderful-like-Christmas-morning-featuring-a-Red-Ryder-BB-gun, evisceration of the Notre Dame whining from the UND-UM game. Please read it. You won't be disappointed.
How Closely Do You Watch The Big Ten Commercials?
I'll admit it, Paterno is the best part of the "recruiting" ad. And yes, this headline from Black Shoe Diaries is awesome for those paying attention. Nicely done.
And You Thought Jay Leno Interviewing Kanye Was Stilted
Our friend T-Mill from Hammer and Rails is going to great efforts to make his podcast good (unlike us, who basically subject you to a phone call we probably have a few times a week). He even went out and found a Northern Illinois blogger to have on his podcast. The guy turned out to sound a bit like me... if I had eaten a bucket of quaaludes and then smoked a joint like the one in Revenge of the Nerds Part II. Listen as poor T-Mill asks a question and gets, "Yeah" in response. It's kind of awesome.
Yet Bob Knight Is Healthy As An Ox
Whether you liked Miles Brand or not, as T-Mill pointed out on his site, the guy should get a moment of your thoughts/prayers as he shuffles off this mortal coil at age 67. He did finally drop the ax on Bob Knight at IU. Also, cancer sucks.
J Money Not Only Awesome Boilermaker in Houston
When you think of my awesomeness, you of course realize only a state the size of Texas can contain it. Which is why it's amazing that both me and Kevin Sumlin fit here. Sumlin was a linebacker at Purdue in the '80s and then coached under Tiller for a while, and now he's quickly resurrecting a dormant Houston football program, who knocked off Okie State last weekend. (When can we start talking about the Big 12 the way others talk about the Big 10?)
Northern Illnois Bloggers Very Creative
Yes, they trotted out the old "Purdon't" joke in their preview of the game this weekend. Hey, fellas, why don't they make the whole plane out of the black box material? Amirite?? I just flew in from Northern Illinois, and boy are my arms tired! (Okay, okay, just kidding... we all know airplanes don't go anywhere near UNI.)
They also mentioned Danny Hope getting away from "strict basketball on grass" (again, a term not really used by anyone who knows anything about Purdue football since about 1999).
Another point which I suppose might have merit, but none of us think so:
Even though their coaches and everybody is denying this fully, you have to think that this team will either be hungover from their trip to Eugene, OR or be looking ahead. Or both.
You have to think? Or you hope?
And then the grand finale, their prediction. I'll let you enjoy:
I haven't had much time to look at what Purdue has been able to do, but I've been fairly impressed both offensively and defensively. I just feel like NIU has proved a little bit more on the defensive side of the ball, while still maintaining their strong offensive gameplan. Northern Illinois will try to rush the ball all game long against the 'makers, hopefully resulting in rest for our defense and making sure that the dangerous offense for Purdue is on the sidelines more often than not. We have to control the clock and not make mistakes such as turnovers or giving up the big pay on defense. And put somebody, anybody on Ralph Bolden at all times. That being said...
Huskies 35, Boilermakers 26
It all sounds so simple. And don't forget, they almost beat Big Ten teams all the time.