Boilermakers: I'll drink to that!

Big Ten Leader Purdue Knocks of #8 Michigan State

Before last season began, I decided to rededicate my fandom to Old Black and Gold. And I believed in them, in their ability to rebuild a program driven into the ground by faded Hall of Fame-r in Gene Keady (worst comb-over in history?) And alum Matt Painter stepped in and resurrected the Boilers. Last year's return to the Big Dance was the warning shot. This year, they've taken charge of the Big Ten.

Sure, there was an embarrassing loss to a no-name school (literally, I can't remember if the school had a name) in the early season. But since the Big Ten season has started, they have steamrolled their way through the competition. And it will all come to a head next week, when the youngest team in the Big Ten heads to Bloomington and face the pre-season favorites.

As for me, I think Player of the Week Robbie Hummel is holding his own against the presumed savior of IU basketball, Eric Gordon (the good angel to Sampson's bad angel? Or is it two bad angels - Gordon did pull a "Sike!" on Illinois, which they vocalized their disgust last week).

And, not to get ahead of ourselves, but this is just the first year for the Purdue young'ens. Where Eric Gordon will almost undoubtedly catapult into the NBA after a single year, Hummel is going nowhere. And neither are the other four freshman (two starters) or four sophomores. They'll only lose one senior. So, I'll blow my trumpet now and hope for the best this season, looking toward a possible championship and perhaps a Sweet Sixteen birth, but I can rest upon the fact that the same team will be back next year. Then, maybe then, we can restore the glory days of the Big Dawg, Glen Robinson, and return to the Final Four.