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Storming of court losing significance
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Also by Tyler Mason:
- Men's hockey earns 3 big points (January 28, 2008)
- Badgers deserve point for miscue (January 21, 2008)
Related Stories:
- Wisconsin starts to earn recognition, even in losses (February 22, 2007)
- Indiana teams back on top (January 28, 2003)
- Badgers attempt to break 21-year losing streak at Mackey Arena (February 25, 2005)
- Home court spells win in Big Ten (January 22, 2003)
- Wisconsin hosts final matches of Big Ten season (November 25, 2003)
by Tyler Mason
Monday, January 28, 2008
There’s a saying in sports: act like you’ve been there. Purdue fans, take note.
After watching the Badger basketball team get “upset” by the Boilermakers 60-56 Saturday, I was just as surprised to see the students rush the court as I was by the final score.
If history tells us anything, this home victory shouldn’t have come as much of a shock for Purdue. After all, Saturday marked the 31st time in 32 tries that UW walked out of Mackey Arena on the losing end, with their only win coming in 2005. Talk about domination.
And it’s not as if this was a David-versus-Goliath matchup that would warrant the type of post-game celebration that we saw Saturday. The Badgers carried the No. 11 ranking into West Lafayette, but let’s be honest here: they just don’t have the look of a top 10 team. Without the big-game players like Alando Tucker and Kammron Taylor of last year’s squad, it’s tough to see them ever reaching the rankings they did in 2007.
The Boilermakers, on the other hand, are now 15-5 and 6-1 in the Big Ten, exceeding many people’s preseason expectations. And they’re doing it without a real marquee name on their roster now that Carl Landry, brother of Wisconsin’s Marcus, is gone.
Given their record, one could argue that Purdue’s victory over Wisconsin was a much needed “résumé win,” much like the Badgers’ upset of Texas was. But if you truly want to be among the conference elite, you have to act as if you belong there.
When you storm the court, you clearly don’t.
While I appreciate the love the “Paint Crew” (aptly named after head coach Matt Painter) has for their Boilermakers, I completely disagree with their method of celebration Saturday.
In my opinion, there are only a select number of instances where it is appropriate to jump from your seats and run out onto the middle of the court. Obviously, the aforementioned David slaying Goliath example holds true here. And by Goliath, I don’t mean the 11th-ranked team in the country and the third-best team in the conference.
Last season, when the Badgers had the No. 2 ranking and a 17-game winning streak, they traveled to one of the most historic venues — Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. — to take on the No. 25 Hoosiers. The winning streak came to a screeching halt when Indiana prevailed 71-66.
Did this win merit a storming of the court? No. Granted, the Badgers were the second-best team in the country, but the Hoosiers were ranked too.
When Kentucky — a program that has struggled in recent years — defeated No. 5 Tennessee last Tuesday, I was half-expecting the Wildcat faithful to rush the floor. Certainly, a win like this — more of an upset than either of the Badger losses mentioned — was worthy of such action.
But they didn’t. As the players celebrated in jubilation at midcourt, the fans remained in their seats.
The only other time it should be appropriate for students and fans to do what the Boilermakers did is if the win means something. For instance, when the Badgers clinched the Big Ten title at home in 2003, players were swarmed by adoring fans. Makes sense here, as they not only clinched the conference crown but it was also senior Kirk Penney’s last game at the Kohl Center.
The same thing happened to Wisconsin on the road last season against Ohio State. The Buckeye fans rushed the floor after OSU’s victory earned them the Big Ten title.
Moments like this are good cause for celebration, but they don’t come along often for any team.
I guess you could consider it somewhat of an honor when the opposing team’s fans rush the court after they beat you. It means you’re a team everyone wants to be (and beat). If the fans are ho-hum after a victory over you, it probably means you’re just not that good.
When Purdue comes to the Kohl Center Feb. 9 for a rematch, I can guarantee you none of the Grateful Red will rush the court if and when the Badgers avenge their loss.
We’ve been there before.
Tyler is a junior majoring in journalism. If you’ve ever stormed the court or field after a win, let him know your reasoning at tmason@badgerherald.com.
Anonymous (January 28, 2008 @ 9:11am):
I completely agree with your article. While watching the post game celebration I was thinking to myself, "What a bunch of scrubs, who don't know what it's like to win."
Anonymous (January 28, 2008 @ 1:15pm):
Scrubs? That Purdue team will be in the Big Ten's elite for years to come. Wisconsin needs to take its loss and grow from it; not cry about Purdue fans rushing the court.
Anonymous (January 28, 2008 @ 2:18pm):
not to mention that the purdue was a 1 point favorite according to vegas...what a bunch of clowns.
Anonymous (January 28, 2008 @ 6:01pm):
As a Purdue alum, I have to admit I was pretty stoked to see the Paint Crew take the floor. It showed me that they understood the significance of this win. Storming the court wasn't about Wisconsin - it wasn't about this game, per se, but rather it was about a coming out party for our young Boilermaker team. This was the Paint Crew recognizing that the Purdue basketball program has finally turned the corner and is truly on the way to the big kids table on a full time basis for the first time in almost a decade. Personally, I give those students mad props for recognizing how important *this* game really was.
Anonymous (January 28, 2008 @ 6:36pm):
have you watched the Boilermaker basketball team struggle the past decade? what's wrong with a student body supporting a return to an elite program. and yes i said....return to....because purdue's been there before too....more times that UW
Anonymous (January 28, 2008 @ 8:04pm):
To the Purdue fans above: fine, you're a better basketball team now than you have been recently. But you aren't the No. 1 team in the country - or even in the top 25 - so why rush the court just because you're somewhat more competitive? And don't even think about calling this win any sort of a measuring stick for Purdue basketball. In case you hadn't noticed, Purdue has been a house of horrors for UW over the past 30 years. Beating a team for the 31st time in 32 tries in the same building - and regardless of ranking, the Badgers were only favored by a point - is absolutely NOT grounds for court-storming.
But that's okay. We Wisconsin fans take it as a compliment that every team who beats us in their building feels like they just conquered Goliath (even though Badger teams, both basketball and football, ain't that good on the road).
Anonymous (January 29, 2008 @ 1:04am):
Not to take anything away from Wisconsin, since they have built up quite a successful program there and it was indeed a big victory for a young Purdue team. However, I don't think the storming of the court has much to do with Wisconsin parse but more along the lines of we were happy we had something to celebrate really for the first time in about 8 years. Since we went to the NCAA tourney 17 times between 1981 and 2000 we've only been twice this decade. For a program that holds the most Big Ten Titles and a winning record over ever other program in the Big Ten, Saturday's game gave hope for a return to a more "elite future". It wasn't solely for the fact we beat Wisconsin it was the first time in a long time we truely had something worth celebrating. Plus, it is not like this is a normal habit for Purdue. The floor at Mackey had only been stormed once before this occasion and that was in 1992 when we beat Indiana keeping them from a 1 seed in the tournament.
Anonymous (January 29, 2008 @ 7:57am):
how can you say that; you guys went to the tourny LAST year!
Anonymous (January 29, 2008 @ 7:01pm):
Pent up emotion from the last 4 years.
Respect for your successful program.
The possible christening of Purdue BB glory years to come.
Much the same reason Bret Favre runs down field after TD pass...surely it wasn't his first.
Sorry...you just don't get it.
Go Boilers
Anonymous (January 30, 2008 @ 8:27am):
If I had casually watched the game Saturday, I would agree that storming the court was unnecessary. Even if I was a Big Ten fan, unaware of Purdue basketball history, like you, I would agree. However, like other Boilermakers pointed out above, we didn't storm the court because we knocked off the 11th team in the country, because frankly I was pretty confident about a "W", and I think Wisconsin is overrated. We stormed the court because the excitement around Purdue basketball is palpable in every classroom, and is taking over the usually boring Exponent. It's all the people talk about while waiting in line outside Mackey over 24 hours before tip-off to get good seats. But it's not even entirely about basketball as much as the image of Purdue athletics succeeding in general, as the football team has failed numerous times in the national spotlight in my career here.
Also, one can't fake storming the court. What you saw was real emotion. That's the third time in the history of Purdue basketball that students have celebrated in that fashion, and it happened Saturday for the first time in 16 years. Just ask any Badger fan that was present, and he'll say it felt like the last game of the season with a Big Ten Title immediately on the line. Unless you were there, or are knowledgeable about Purdue's storied basketball history, you really shouldn't voice your opinion on what you think is appropriate.
Anonymous (January 31, 2008 @ 10:16am):
Oh good lord, grow up. Poor WI lost and someone celebrated. Im positive if WI had beat a ranked opponent, and stormed the court, you'd be praising the enthusiasm and the crowd, and the wonderful win. your jstu bitter you lost.
Anonymous (February 19, 2008 @ 12:30am):
Well, look what we have here. Wisconsin loses to Purdue again. You guys should be happy that your still ranked. BOILER UP
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