Good morning Boiler Fans!  I hope ya'll had a very Merry Christmas and did
not spend too much time rehashing the debacle that took place last Saturday
night in Las Vegas.  It does not get much worse than the performance (or
lack thereof) that the men's bball team displayed on ESPN2 against a mediocre
Arizona St. team.  It was simply unbearable to watch, so hopefully, the kids
will respond with a major drubbing of in state rival Valpo tomorrow afternoon
at 1pm EST on ESPN Plus.

In an effort to focus on more positive news around Purdue Sports, I quickly
turn to the subject of Purdue Football Recruiting where last Friday we landed
yet another STUD in 3-star DE, Chris Patrick, from the state of Michigan!
If you believe that "coffee is for closers only" (see Alec Baldwin in the
movie "Glen Garry Glenross"  http://www.uggr.com/) then you must think that
Coach Brock Spack is drinking a hell of a lot of coffee lately after closing
Van Dyke and Patrick!  If you are a Ticket D Rivals subscriber you will find
this article very appealing:

http://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=153077

According to Spartan Magazine, Purdue is winning The State of Michigan Recruiting
title with 4 verbals from top 15 players:

1.  #2, 4-star DE/DL, Doug Van Dyke
2.  #3, 4- star TE, Garrett Bushong
3.  #12, 3-star OL, Nick Fincher
4.  #14, 3-star DE/OT, Chris Patrick

Essentially, if we can beat out MSU and UM for the #5 guy, 4-star RB, Jerome
Jackson from Saginaw (STU's HS), we will remain #1.  If not, we should probably
finish 2nd.  One other player we could still get from Michigan is 3-star TE
Josh Powell.  Currently, Purdue is rated #17 on the Rivals.com team rankings
(behind Illinois, Michigan, and Wisco in the Big 10) but you can expect
everything to change over the next month as OSU and PSU and perhaps MSU get
reved up.  I do think it is possible that we have the makings of a top 15-30
class depending on how we finish with the following STUDS:

1.  4-star DE, "Big Play" Ray Edwards from Ohio.  Latest on Ray is that he will
decide on his birthday, January 1st.  His most recent comments are that Purdue
is his leader over Tennnessee and that his feelings are indeed strong for Purdue.
Perhaps he saw that Tennessee only graduates 8% of it's football players while
Purdue graduates 69%!!!  The vigils/chants are all spreading like a virus on
the Purdue message boards for Big Play Ray!  Say what you want but the vigils /
chants worked for DVD and Chris Patrick and I expect Big Play Ray to be next!
I think we have a 95% chance here.

2.  4-star RB, Jerome Jackson from Michigan.  Latest on JJ or "Action" Jackson
is that MSU and Minny are now in the picture with Purdue and UM.  He thinks the
MSU coach is cool but he says he may not visit now and will decide by the time
his classes resume in January.  His brother goes to Minny, which seems to be the
draw there, but the real competition seems to be Michigan (will they land one or
two more RB's they are courting?) and MSU who only has 3 committs thus far.  I
got to believe that STU, Kelly Butler and our 4 verbals from Michigan are really
working on Jerome.  I'd say we have a solid 50% chance.

3.  4-star WR, Dorien Bryant from NJ.  Latest on Dorien is that he is leaning
still to Boston College, who made a statement against lowly Toledo last night.
Purdue is still hanging in there though and I'd say we have a 40% chance.

4.  3-star QB/ATH, Bill Foran from Texas.  Bill visited Georgia Tech but was not
overly impressed.  It seems as if Bill is down to Purdue and 2 Ivy League
opportunities.  One would think that if Bill really wants to play competitive
football and get a near Ivy League degree, he will see the light in God's Country.
I'd say we have a 65% chance.

5.  3-star DE/OT, Mike Macellari from Indiana.  He will visit beautiful Palo Alto,
CA on January 10th and may fall in love with the area and their pre-medicine school.
Then again, if he listens to his mom, who wants him to stay nearby - he will end
up at Purdue.  I'd say it's 50/50 right now.

6. 3-star LB, Shaun Richardson from Missouri.  Down to Missouri, Purdue, and IU.
Really enjoyed his visit to IU, perhaps because they guaranteed him that he would
start as a frosh.  Purdue can't offer that as we are loaded at LB.  Still, if he
would like to redshirt, and be a part of a LB factory developing at Purdue, he may
see it our way.  I'd say we have a 35% chance.

7. 3-star LB, Ronnie McCullough from Florida.  Not enough discussion about this
sleeper in my opinion.  Pittsburgh and South Florida may be our toughest competition
for Ronnie.  He has already visited Purdue.  I'd say we have a 30% chance.

8. 3-star RB/LB, Josh Balloon from Florida.  Another sleeper who is flying under
the radar a bit and will visit us on 1-17.  He had a nice visit to Iowa St. and
South Florida gets a visit on 1-10.  Ole Miss may also get a visit.  Perhaps he
will bound with our other Florida players.  I have a good feeling about him and
I'd say we have a 45% chance, possibly higher if we don't get Jerome Jackson.

9. 3-star RB, Brandon Nollen from NJ.  Yet another one flying under the radar a
bit.  Will visit us last on 1-24.  Clemson, Rutgers, Wisco, and Wake Forest are
all in the mix.  I'd say we have a 40% chance.

10.  4-star OT, Joe Thomas from Wisconsin.  Won't visit Purdue but we keep hanging
around.  I'd say we have a 30% chance.

There will be others joining the fold over the next couple of weeks so stay tuned.

I will have much more for you on Monday night on The Sun Bowl and our game against
Valpo tomorrow.

-Barclay
________________________________

Boilers arrive in El Paso
By Jason Tomcsi
Sports Editor
http://www.purdueexponent.org/bowl/2002/coverage.php

"EL PASO, Texas  Complete with a mariachi band and folklorico dancers, the Purdue
football team arrived in El Paso Thursday to participate in the 69th Annual Sun Bowl.

Although it is the second consecutive trip to El Paso in a row for the Boilers, junior
linebacker Niko Koutouvides said it does not damper the experience.

"It is always great," said Koutouvides. "Since getting to know all these people last
year and their hospitality is so great, coming in this year was even better than last
year because you know everyone."

for the full story click on the link above
________________________

Football Team Arrives In El Paso
Whirlwind first day for Boilermakers
Dec. 26, 2002
http://purduesports.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/122602aaa.html

"EL PASO, Texas - In a span of 12 hours on Thursday, the Purdue football team departed
West Lafayette, arrived here, met with Sun Bowl officials, practiced and took part in
its initial bowl activity.

It was a whirlwind first day for the Boilermakers, who will take on Washington in the
Sun Bowl on Dec. 31.

"It was a long day, but a good day," junior free safety Stuart Schweigert said.
"Yesterday we just kind of hung around, so it was kind of slow, and we were pretty much
just waiting for today. Last year here, and the year before that at the Rose Bowl, we
had a day to kind of get adjusted, whereas this year we started going just about as
soon as we got off the plane. But I think that forced us to get focused faster, and
that should pay off the rest of the week."

for the full story click on the link above
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Tiller close to revealing starting QB for Sun Bowl
By Tom Kubat, Journal and Courier
http://www.boilerstation.com/football/stories/200212260purdue_football1040964497.shtml

"EL PASO, Texas -- Purdue's quarterback puzzle is about to be solved.

As the Boilermakers practiced on campus to prepare for their New Year's Eve Sun Bowl
date with Washington, Purdue coach Joe Tiller said it probably wouldn't be until kickoff
before he announced whether sophomore Kyle Orton or true freshman Brandon Kirsch would
be the starter against the Huskies.

But upon his arrival here Thursday, Tiller strongly hinted that he's close to making a
decision.  "We'll settle it before the game. We won't go to kickoff," he said.

for the full story click on the link above
________________________________

Teams' strengths vastly different than Rose Bowl year
By Doug Elish
Sports Writer
http://purdueexponent.org/interface/bebop/showstory.php?date=2002/12/11§ion=additions&storyid=1226comparison

"Only two years have passed, but almost everything is different.

When Purdue and Washington face each other in the Dec. 31 Sun Bowl it will be a rematch
 of the 2001 Rose Bowl. But the coaches and the schools the teams are representing are
about the only similar attributes from the last meeting.

To earn their berths in the Rose Bowl two years ago both teams won their conferences by
tiebreakers. Washington went into the game with a record of 10-1, with an option attack
led by senior Marques Tuiasosopo, who is now the backup for the Oakland Raiders. Purdue
was 8-3 largely because of senior quarterback Drew Brees, who is now the starter for the
San Diego Chargers.

That year the Boilermakers featured the right arm of Brees who threw for 312.5 yards per
game and a team that rushed for 158.6 per game. The Huskies used Tuiasosopos running
and passing to average 211.7 yards on the ground and 196.2 yards through the air."

for the full story click on the link above
_______________________

Purdue, not Iowa or OSU, has Big Ten's best offense
By Doug Elish
Sports Writer
http://purdueexponent.org/interface/bebop/showstory.php?date=2002/12/11§ion=additions&storyid=1226offense

"At first glance, an observer would expect co-champions Ohio State or Iowa to have the
Big Ten's best offense. Wrong - Purdue does.

The Purdue offense averaged 456.5 total yards per game - 10 yards more than second place
Illinois. Illinois' offensive output might be skewed a bit given the defense was giving
up so many points. The Boilermaker offense didn't have any such assistance from its
defense that finished the season tied with the Ohio State defense allowing 317.2 total
yards per game.

Unfortunately for the Boilermakers statistics didn't win games.

Purdue outscored opponents 352 to 264, but still has only six wins.

for the full story click on the link above
__________________________

For Stubblefield, It's The Same Song, Different Verse
Sophomore wide receiver to face homestate school in bowl game again
Dec. 21, 2002
http://purduesports.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/122102aaa.html

"WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Taylor Stubblefield never imagined he would get to play both
Washington and Washington State when he signed with Purdue out of Yakima, Wash.

But that's exactly was has happened for the sophomore wide receiver. The Boilermakers
faced Washington State in the 2001 Sun Bowl and will square off against Washington
in the 2002 Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas.

"A lot of people talk about it back home," Stubblefield said. "There's obviously a
lot of interest in both Washington and Washington State, and when someone who left
the state plays one of those teams, it's a big deal."

for the full story click on the link above
______________________________

Football team among elite for consecutive bowl appearances
By Jason Tomcsi
Sports Editor
http://purdueexponent.org/interface/bebop/showstory.php?date=2002/12/11§ion=additions&storyid=1225sixbowls

"During the past six seasons, the Boilermakers have racked up frequent flyer miles
having made a bowl game each year.

Purdue is making its sixth straight bowl appearance under head coach Joe Tiller and
its second consecutive trip to the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. Purdue is only one of
two Big Ten schools and among 13 nationally that have been to a bowl for six consecutive
seasons. The other teams include: Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kansas
State, Marshall, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and Washington.
Purdue played three of those teams during that period in bowl games.

Here is a look at what the Boilers have done in their past five trips to a bowl."

for the full story click on the link above
_____________________________

Team does more than play ball
By Scott Thomas
Staff Writer
http://www.purdueexponent.org/bowl/2002/guide.php?storyid=bowlexperiences

"For the Purdue football team, time spent on the field during a post-season game does
not encompass the entire bowl game experience.

For every bowl, the team spends the entire week before the game doing activities
organized by the bowl game committee.

Some of these activities include the Beef Bowl at the Rose Bowl against Washington
two years ago and a talent show at the Sun Bowl last season. Junior middle linebacker
Niko Koutouvides and junior free safety Stu Schweigert said the talent show was one
of their favorite activities and that the team had a lot of fun.

"We had guys singing, dancing, playing the piano and rapping. It was kind of fun to
be able to joke around with the other team. It was a good time," said Schweigert."

for the full story click on the link above
_____________________________

Boilermakers earn several postseason honors
By Staff and Wire Reports
http://purdueexponent.org/interface/bebop/showstory.php?date=2002/12/11§ion=additions&storyid=1225honors

"The Sporting News awarded three Boilermakers with postseason honors with receiver
John Standeford earning All-America status.

Standeford, a 6-foot-4, 202-pound junior from Monrovia, Ind., was named to the
Sporting News All-America fourth team following a season in which he caught 65
passes for 1,202 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. He ranks tied for third in
the Big Ten and 31st nationally with 5.4 receptions per game, while he is second
in the Big Ten and 11th nationally with 100.2 receiving yards per game.

This season, Standeford climbed the ranks of all-time great Purdue receivers. The
receiver, chosen as the teams Most Valuable Player this season, ranks fourth on
the Purdue career receptions list with 179, second with 2,533 receiving yards and
fourth with 22 receiving touchdowns. On the season, Standeford is tied for second
in receiving touchdowns, third in receiving yards and 12th in receptions. He also
has 100-plus yards receiving in six games, the second-highest total in school history."

for the full story click on the link above
_____________________________

Washington quarterback has special season
By Andrew Hershberger
Assistant Sports Editor
http://purdueexponent.org/interface/bebop/showstory.php?date=2002/12/11§ion=additions&storyid=1226washqbhtml

Washington's quarterback is special.

The Washington junior owns the all-time record for single season passing yards.
With the Sun Bowl game remaining, he has already beaten the old record by 1,617
yards. In fact, Cody Pickett has had an unprecedented season for Pac-10 quarterbacks.

Pickett's season of 4,186 yards ranks him first in the conference all-time, ahead
of former Washington State quarterback Ryan Leafs total of 3,637.

So what does Purdue head coach Joe Tiller think of Pickett? What is the key to his
success?

"Id say hes a very accurate passer," Tiller said. "But I think even better than
that is his vision. He finds the open man. There are always throws there and Ive
never talked to a receiver who didnt come off the field after each play saying
"I was open." That may be true, but they may be open only for two yards as they
come off the line, or for one yard after the break."

for the full story click on the link above
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Keady won't give up on turning around Boilermakers
DAN GELSTON
Associated Press
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/sports/4813291.htm

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue's Gene Keady flips off the "Matlock" rerun playing
in his office before making a point that he is still in touch with today's players.
His basketball philosophy may be old school, but his favorite rapper is not.

Yes, Keady, who grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry and Tommy Dorsey, is down
with rap.

"Who is it, C. Diddy?"

"P. Diddy? He used to be Puff Daddy? I listen to him when the kids play him in the
locker room. He's pretty good."

for the full story click on the link above
_____________________________

Road woes continue for Boilermakers
By Michael Pointer
michael.pointer@indystar.com
December 23, 2002
http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/4/010629-1284-036.html

"LAS VEGAS -- It's become the norm for Purdue's basketball players. Go on the road,
get beat, look listless in the process, then try to explain why.

They went through it again on Saturday night, losing 70-53 to Arizona State in the
Las Vegas Showdown. The Sun Devils have some talent, but they likely would be a mid-
level team in the Big Ten.

But whenever the Boilermakers (5-3) leave Tippecanoe County, trouble usually follows.
They are 3-17 in their past 20 games away from Mackey Arena. They are 1-3 in such
games this season.

"I don't know what the problem is," forward Brett Buscher said. "We just have to
learn how to win away from home. There's no explanation for it."

for the full story click on the link above
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Boilermakers pull all lemons on Vegas trip
Lack of enthusiasm, outside shooting puzzles Keady, team
By Jeff Washburn, Journal and Courier
http://www.boilerstation.com/hoops/stories/200212231purdue_hoops1040620099.shtml

"LAS VEGAS -- It was early Sunday morning in Lafayette when stunned members of the
Purdue basketball team filed quietly out of UNLV's Thomas and Mack Center.

They barely noticed as a student manager handed each a postgame meal. After what
had just taken place, no one had an appetite.

Arizona State (6-3) dominated the Boilermakers from start to finish in Saturday
night's Las Vegas Showdown, pulling away for a 70-53 victory."

for the full story click on the link above

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Michael Pointer: Purdue Q&A
Indianapolis Star sports reporter Michael Pointer answers your questions about the Boilers.
THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR
December 26, 2002
http://www.indystar.com/article.php?purdueanswers_p.html

Question: Putting you on the spot, Michael, but I'm sure you have noticed that the
Purdue forums are loaded with one message: we really love and respect Gene Keady,
but the time has come for him to go. With a critical recruiting year coming up, and
clearly another year of mediocrity (the ASU game was perhaps the worst I remember
seeing ever under Gene) ahead, it is time for him to go peacefully and give us the
opportunity to hire a young gun like all the schools around us have done (with great
success, except perhaps with Steve Alford) and began to compete again. What is your
opinion -- as straight as you can be? (Vern from Urbana, Ill.)

Answer: Vern, I received a few e-mails similar to this one after the Arizona State
game. For others who wrote, I hope this answers your questions.

Your sense is correct. I really shouldn't be taking a position on this. I am the
beat writer, not the columnist. Perhaps you should send this question to Bob Kravitz.
I should also point out that I really like Keady. He returns phone calls to reporters,
which is becoming more and more rare in big-time college basketball. And when I've
been on the road with the team, I've always been impressed by his demeanor. When he
shows up at a game site, he laughs and talks to the stadium workers, who are genuinely
glad to see him even though their allegiances are with the other team. Many coaches
wouldn't give those people the time of day, and I've always been impressed with that.
I tell you all that in the interest of full disclosure.

for the full story click on the link above
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May all our friends in sports have their Christmas wishes come true
By Jeff Washburn, Journal and Courier
http://www.lafayettejc.com/columns/200212241local_sports1040780927.shtml

"As Santa developed a game plan for a Christmas Eve sprint, he probably used a
30-second timeout to select presents for our area's athletes and their coaches,
regardless if they've been naughty or nice.

Just for fun, here's a speculative look at what should be under the tree this morning
 for our friends in the athletic arena:

"Purdue basketball coach Gene Keady -- A road atlas to share with members of his 2002-03 team.

The Boilermakers know their way around Mackey Arena, but they literally are lost when
they hit the road -- 3-17 in their past 20 games away from Tippecanoe County.

"Purdue football coach Joe Tiller -- A Sun Bowl victory against Washington and a
resolution to a quarterback dilemma -- Kyle Orton or Brandon Kirsch."

for the full story click on the link above