Published: March 30, 2009 11:32 pm      

BEAS: Final Four a must for Boiler men

No excuses next year; win Big Ten, play close to home

Now that the Final Four is set — and lacking an Indiana program for the 20th time in 22 seasons — looking ahead to the 2010 version of March Madness isn’t all that uncommon.

Some interesting findings, all right. For instance, whichever program wears the Big Ten crown in all likelihood plays its opening games at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. If fortunate enough to land a spot in the Sweet 16, it’s St. Louis and the curtained-off confines of the Edward Jones Dome, which seats 47,000 for hoops.

The Final Four? Lucas Oil Stadium, which in case you haven’t noticed, is now responsible for something like 43 percent of the Indianapolis skyline.

Are you hearing me, Purdue? With all five starters returning and depth assured in the form of incoming freshmen Patrick Bade, a left-handed 6-8 swingman, and D.J. Byrd, a granite-nosed 6-5 guard, joining veteran guard Keaton Grant off the bench, the Boilermakers should have the ingredients necessary to pull off the ultimate no-no:

No flights to Portland. No flights to Arizona.

Every city in the Milwaukee-St. Louis-Indy trifecta is close enough that it would allow Purdue to play in front of an actual cheering section as opposed to assorted specs of gold and black. But Matt Painter’s players need to go out and earn that honor because no one, particularly Michigan State, is going to hand it to them.

Leading up to the 2009-10 season, Purdue will be hyped and back-patted in ways it hasn’t witnessed in 22 years. Remember Troy Lewis, Todd Mitchell, Everette Stephens and that group? Best team in America, many thought. No way do the poised and seasoned Boilers not get at least to the Final Four.

Then late one March night in Detroit’s Pontiac Silverdome, it happened. Purdue coughed up a purple hairball known better as Kansas State, losing 73-70. Season over. Just like that. Thanks for the memories. Diehard Boiler fans old enough to remember that loss haven’t forgotten it. Probably never will as research reveals it was the start of all of Gene Keady’s hair issues.

Regardless, Purdue made strides from last season to this. There are more to take. A stronger JaJuan Johnson in the post is a start; same goes for having Robbie Hummel, E’twaun Moore and Grant become more consistent perimeter shooters. Chris Kramer needs to take the ball in among the trees for than he does and point guard Lewis Jackson proved erratically productive for a freshman.

In 2008 the Boilers were knocked out in the second round by a Xavier squad that was bigger, stronger and much older. Same could be said last week as Purdue lost to Connecticut in the Sweet 16.

No longer can the program lean on youth as a crutch. When it comes to Purdue, anything less than a Final Four berth would be considered a disappointment.

Parting shot

Maybe it will be Billy Donovan. Or Tom Izzo. Or Travis Ford. But I’ll tell you right now who isn’t going to become the University of Kentucky’s new men’s basketball coach and that’s Adolph Rupp.

No kidding, genius. That’s what you’re thinking, which makes sense considering the man died over 31 years ago and would be 107 if still recycling oxygen today.

Amazing, though, how Rupp, who led the Wildcats to four national titles, continues to cast an imposing bluegrass-colored shadow. A shadow Joe B. Hall experienced, then Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, then Tubby Smith and most recently Billy Gillispie.

Unless your mail has been forwarded recently to beneath some boulder, you know about Gillispie being fired by Kentucky following an uninspiring two-year courtship. Perhaps I’m part of the minority, but I think the guy got a raw deal. But that’s the way Kentucky is. Its best coach is always the next coach.

UK ran off Tubby. Ran off Gillispie. As for Rupp, well, he’s not coming back. Fat salary aside, a part of me feels sorry for the next coach of the Wildcats. It’s a no-win situation regardless of how many victories he racks up.

Mike Beas is a freelance writer/columnist and Kokomo native who resides in Carmel. He can be reached at mbeas@att.net.