Kenny Thompson
The Long, Fabled History of the Den of Defensive Ends
In these cynical times, from politicians who think lying is no big deal to college basketball transfers being publicly offered $800,000 and a car to sign with a new school, it was nice to see that tradition still means something. George Karlaftis shed a tear in a video produced by Purdue Athletics Communications when informed…
Read MoreKenny Ponders Which Boilermakers Deserve to Have Their Number Retired
Ever since the New York Yankees honored the dying Lou Gehrig in 1939 by declaring no one would wear his No. 4 again, retiring uniform numbers has been seen as the ultimate tribute to an athlete. More than 80 years later, the Yankees have strayed off the path of honoring all-time greats. Paul O’Neill is…
Read MoreThe Infrequent History of Purdue 7-Footers & Lamenting the Boilermaker Injury Curse
From A.J. Hammons to Wednesday’s signing of 7-2 William Berg of Stockholm, Sweden, it seems that 7-footers are growing on trees for Purdue coach Matt Painter. But during my lifetime, it wasn’t always that way for the Boilermakers. Purdue did not have a 7-foot player until 1962, when George Grams of Grand Rapids, Mich., became…
Read MoreThe Long, Long History of Boilermaker “What Ifs” and More
Purdue athletics history is full of “what If” stories. Near the top of the list is Lee Rose and his brief, brilliant two-year stay in West Lafayette. Rose, 85, died Tuesday. He had been battling Alzheimer’s Disease since 2015. That diagnosis inspired Rose, his wife of more than 60 years Eleanor and Purdue All-American center…
Read MoreAll Time Best Boilermakers Plus Thoughts from Kenny
If Purdue fans think that 7-4 Zach Edey and 6-10 Trevion Williams are difficult matchups for opponents, consider this fantasy challenge: a front line that features Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. That’s the scenario composed as part of a project by ESPN.com writer Myron Medcalf, who was tasked with picking the all-time…
Read MorePerennial Performers for Painter’s Purdue
Sophomore guard Jaden Ivey became the ninth player during Matt Painter’s 17 seasons at Purdue to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors when his unanimous selection was announced by league officials on Tuesday. It was the second honor of the week for Ivey, who was selected a second-team All-American by The Sporting News. Ivey averaged 17.5…
Read MoreSpringtime Memories of Bygone Hoosier State Tournaments
It’s that great time of the year in Indiana, when springtime is near and the boys basketball high school state tournament is under way. The Sagamore Conference enjoyed a competitive season, with four schools within one game of each other at the top of the league. Southmont and Lebanon shared the title at 6-1, holding…
Read MoreReflecting on Sportsmanship with Andy Griffith
One of my earliest examples of sportsmanship didn’t come from my Bronco League baseball team or my Murdock Elementary football and basketball teams. I like to watch reruns of the Andy Griffith Show whenever possible, preferably the black and white episodes. One that stands out to me was called “Medal for Opie,” which originally aired…
Read MoreBoilermaker Brainstorms: Blurbs From Kenny’s Digital Notebook
Let’s take a look at sports news and notes that are overflowing my digital notebook: Two years before the Indiana Pacers invited Ann Meyers to become the first female to try out for an NBA team, Lusia Harris made history of a different kind in professional basketball. Harris was the first female to be officially…
Read MoreSuper Boilermakers In The Super Bowl: The Story of Purdue Football In The Big Game
By late Sunday night, either Ricardo Allen and Markus Bailey of the Cincinnati Bengals or Brycen Hopkins of the Los Angeles Rams will become the latest Purdue football alumni to earn a Super Bowl ring. A former Boilermaker has been on the Super Bowl-winning team 15 of the last 20 years, most recently with linebacker…
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