Jason Kelly has a readable column on the IU-Purdue rivalry in the South Bend Tribune entitled “Remember when they were good?”
Mainly I like the intro:
Once upon a time, Indiana and Purdue were basketball royalty.
This goes way back.
There
are children old enough to dismiss that idea as a bedtime fairy tale intended to lull them to sleep like the tedious games those teams play now.But it’s true.
Feared ogres ruled both teams, not the presumptive prince of the Purdue program and the Indiana lame duck in charge these days.
They\ snarled and breathed fire. They threw blazers, and fits at the officials, and even a chair once. Most of all, they forged teams that played games that mattered in the Big Ten and beyond.
I think he overstates the case, particularly with respect to Indiana. Not too many years ago, the Hoosiers under Mike Davis played in the National Championship game against Maryland and this year, they rose in the rankings to 8th in the country. But, certainly the rivalry has lost its edge of late, in part because IU has won 9 of the past 11.
Yes, and Indiana is finally chipping away Purdue’s edge in the all time heads up win/loss record. I think Purdue is still ahead by 20 games though.
Purdue now has a 24 game lead (82-106). Although IU has won 10 of the last 12, Purdue won 8 of 10 from 1996 through the first game of 2000 (including the two backbreaking Chad Austin games in Bloomington). We’ve done barely more than tread water in the last decade.
I agree mostly with what Jason Kelly said. While IU hasn’t sunk to Purdue’s recent lows, 2004 and 2005 were IU’s two single worst seasons in 35 years, and IU hasn’t missed the NCAA in consecutive years since 1968-1971. Even in the mid 1990s, when IU wasn’t living up to the 1972-1993 Knight era, both schools were making the NCAA every year and every matchup was meaningful for the Big Ten standings. The 2002 Final Four run was fun, but it came after a 20-11 season and we entered the tournament unranked. IU’s last really outstanding team was 92-93. I am in a “mixed marriage,†and I have now attended the last four IU-PU games at Mackey with my girlfriend/fiancé/wife. In 2003, the last year both schools made the NCAA and the first time I made the trip, the atmosphere was every bit the snakepit that I had seen on TV over the years. The last two years, the lower intensity has been noticeable. Last night’s game was sold out, but there must have been 500 empty seats at the top of the student section. I don’t like Purdue, but it’s much more fun when we are battling for first. As I tell my wife, the way it is supposed to be is that IU and Purdue fight tooth and nail for the Big Ten title, and whoever wins, IU goes on to tournament success and Purdue chokes in the first or second round. Neither school is doing its part.
I say we catch Purdue in 2039. Mark my words.
If I had known Chad would have hit those two crushing baskets in Bloomington, I would have broken his leg when I had the chance in High School.
Oh, well Chad celebrated great wins in Purdue but IU has hung five national championship banners in Assembly Hall and that last time I counted that five more that is hung in Mackey Arena.
Celebrate Good times “Go Devils” and “GO IU”
P.s. check out that Dominic James for Marquette unbelievable.