10:10-

-arrive at BS-designated spot in press box

-great view of new practice fields from row 3 on press row

-Philly cheesesteak sandwiches/polish sausage for media free lunch, donuts for dessert

-Joe McConnell/Pete Quinn behind me in line for sandwiches

-10:30 eat

-10:40-

-Meet guy in slot next to me in the booth- photographer from DeKalb Register named Beck...nice dude; University of Illinois grad

10:55-

-Go down to field level, see NIU team entering RA turf- confident, not cocky, loose

-Band Day...tons of Hsers filing into stadium

11:05-

-Meet BTN sideline reporter, Overton...she's shorter than me (that's tough to do)- about 4'11”

-Says she likes working for BTN- first year after working for Fox BTN affiliate

-Loves Coach Hope's attitude and calls him a “guy that never stops”

11:10-

-back up to box

-Gene Keady's suite is at the end of the hall near elevator...no sign of Keady.

-NIU athletic dir. suite next to Keady's

11:20-

-watch warm-ups

-King still not dressed

-Halliburton doing drills

-Purdue looks crisp/disciplined in warm-ups

-Receivers/TEs catching the ball well- Elliott's passes have a lot of “zip”

-11:40-

-teams off of the field

-11:45-

-Band on the field...just realized how insulated we are from the sound below...all I can hear is the bass drum

-Radio reports Nicaro Golding was kicked off of the team yesterday...After suspensions and problems

-11:52-

-Game ball delivered by Chick-Fil-A cow

-11:54

-Purdue on the field...crowd still a bit sparse