Released on = January 20, 2007, 5:24 pm

Press Release Author = Ed Anderson

Industry = Internet & Online

Press Release Summary = Upcoming rematch between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Purdue
Boilermakers

Press Release Body = Bloomington, Ind.). The relatively warm weather we've
experienced this winter here in south-central Indiana has me hoping for an early
spring. The Indiana Hoosiers have helped keep the cold away this week with a fiery
brand of basketball that brings warmth to Hoosier Nation. Coach Kelvin Sampson's
radio show was informative and funny as usual, but most enjoyable for me was
watching this team's transformation as it gets closer to what Sampson wants to see
come March.

It's exciting to think how hot the Hoosiers will be when the flowers begin blooming
and the birds start chirping. Every single, impassioned, sweat-filled change that
gets them there ratchets the temperature up a degree. Watching Indiana out-hustle,
outfight and out-compete Michigan State between the baselines Sunday revealed the
ferocity and single-mindedness these Hoosiers have towards winning. The "thumping"
they gave the Boilermakers last night was overdue (it had been a few months) and
well deserved given Matt Painter's chiding comments last summer over Sampson's
recruitment of Eric Gordon, Jr., and his post-game remarks last night.

Did you know Matt had actually calmed down by the time he faced the media after the
Hoosiers left his team in tatters on Branch McCracken court? I don't know if he
followed Sampson in line for the post-game interviews, but, without any scrapes,
bruises or floor burns to worry about in the Boilermakers\' locker room, he had ample
time to dry his eyes and have his nappy changed. From the sound of things, when he
left the pressroom, it needed to be done again.

Matt, speaking from the heart of Indiana basketball fans for just a second, the
Hoosiers are going to show your Boilermakers something special at Mackey Arena on
Valentine's Day. Now, don't misinterpret that. We don't like you or the yapping
you do while standing in Bruce Almighty's shadow, and we damn sure don't like your
team. We just love kicking your butts. We love it so much we can hardly wait to do
it again so all the fans (yours and ours) that didn't see the game last night can
share in the experience.

For everyone else, here's an interesting way to look at the Big Ten up to this point
in the still early stages of conference play. Wisconsin and Ohio State are the top
choices among experts and laymen alike for picking the champion. I don't share that
view and you should also start questioning the notion (if you haven\'t already)
because, among the rest of the Big Ten and, more specifically, the first several
teams that get mentioned (i.e., Indiana, Illinois, Michigan State and the
Boilermakers). Indiana is the only one that hasn't been demolished in a Big Ten game
and the Hoosiers, by administering butt-whippings to two of the three other
frontrunners in the "Everybody Else" category and playing Ohio State, who shellacked
the third, to the wire on the road, have made a case for being mentioned in the same
breath with the Badgers and Buckeyes as favorites.

Right now, the Boilermakers have better than two months to get their act together up
there in West-Lafayette. Part of me wants to see them do so because beating them
when they're playing well makes for more of an exciting game than the floor-mopping
that took place last night.

But who am I kidding, right? When it comes right down to it, I really don't care.
I'll be just as happy watching Indiana humiliate the Boilermakers yet again if Matt
can't get his players to add more to the rivalry than what they brought last night.
I expect the Boilermakers to play better at Mackey, though, if only because they
might have time to run home to look for the toughness, scrappiness and tenacity they
forgot to bring to Bloomington. Either way, the Hoosier will win.

-Ed Anderson, 1/11/7


Web Site = http://www,HoosierHoopsta.com

Contact Details = Ed Anderson
9003 Emerald Court
Nashville, IN 47448
(812) 837-9290
voodoostew@aim.com