Kenny Thompson
Celebrating 100 Seasons Of Purdue Football At Ross-Ade Stadium Part 2
By: Kenny Thompson The 1930s were a time of championships and tragedy for the Purdue football team. The Boilermakers would share the Big Ten championship in 1931 and 1932 under Noble Kizer, who was promoted following James Phelan’s departure for the University of Washington following the 1929 season. Purdue has had more than its share…
Read MorePlayers Of 1920s, Big Ten Basketball And Something To Prove
By: Kenny Thompson The dedication game of Ross-Ade Stadium on Nov. 22, 1924 was like a national holiday for those living anywhere close to the Purdue University campus. More than 125 businesses and services – from car dealerships to grocery stores, banks to department stores – were closed between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. according to…
Read MoreFirst Of Many Ross-Ade Stadium And Discussing A Record Setting Win
By: Kenny Thompson Purdue is celebrating 100 seasons in Ross-Ade Stadium, and what better time than now to reflect on the 10 most memorable games I’ve attended in the 99-year-old facility. (Ross-Ade was dedicated on Nov. 22, 1924 with a Homecoming victory against Indiana. Even though Purdue’s other home games were at Stuart Field in…
Read MoreA Coach That Was A Poor Fit And A Sports Editor With Power Of Persuasion
By: Kenny Thompson During my 35 years with the Journal and Courier, Purdue football and basketball fans were fortunate to have a pair of Hall of Famers in Tom Kubat and Jeff Washburn reporting on the ups and downs of the Boilermakers. By the time I joined the staff in 1984, Bob Scott’s days as…
Read MoreGordon Graham, Greatest Of All Time
In the long history of Purdue University athletics, no one covered the Boilermakers like Gordon Graham. Until failing health in 1965 forced him to miss Purdue’s 38-0 season-opening victory over Miami (Ohio), Graham covered 329 consecutive home and away Boilermaker football games. Graham rose to prominence at the Lafayette Journal and Courier in a different…
Read MoreCatching Up Some Notes On Purdue Boilermakers
By: Ken Thompson Purdue has been one of the surprises of the summertime college football recruiting landscape. ESPN placed the Boilermakers at No. 22 and sixth in the Big Ten following the commitment of ESPN 300 safety Koy Beasley, ranked 140th overall. “New coach Ryan Walters and staff used June to add multiple commitments, including…
Read MoreWalters Says That Purdue Football Will Be Competitive This Season
By: Kenny Thompson For years, Purdue Hall of Famer Gene Keady has told the story of how he knew Matt Painter would be a basketball coach someday. “Ever since he was a player here, Matt has had one of the sharpest basketball minds I’ve ever been around,” Keady said in 2004, when it was announced…
Read MoreThe Coaches That Lead Purdue Football And Bowl Predictions
By: Ken Thompson In my lifetime, Purdue athletic officials have hired 11 football coaches. One would be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. Several would have busts in a College Football Hall of Shame if there were such a place. Therefore, many Boilermaker fans will be cautiously optimistic when Ryan Walters leads Purdue…
Read MorePurdue Sports Are Heating Up With Drafts, Seeds And New Players
By: Ken Thompson Purdue men’s basketball coach Matt Painter continues to lay the foundation for a potential second consecutive NCAA tournament No. 1 seed. The Boilermakers will play in senior center Zach Edey’s home city as part of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame doubleheader in Toronto on Dec. 9. The opponent? Alabama, like…
Read MoreInteresting Days Ahead For College Football
Flex Protect Plus sounds like a Medicare supplemental insurance commercial you might see on MeTV. It’s a different kind of insurance, though. One that should ensure the Big Ten Conference will be well represented in the upcoming 12-team College Football Playoff. It’s also an opportunity for Purdue to perhaps build some momentum under Ryan Walters.…
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