Monday, November 22, 2010

Game 12: I Who?

Bucket Game

First I want to thank everyone for their support of Stone Cold Charities this year. The spirit of giving that everyone has shown towards the Lafayette community has been great. We have supported the Lafayette Humane Society, Coats for Kids, and a local food pantry all through your charity! We look forward to other great events in the coming years.

This weekend however is not about charity, love, peace, and goodwill to men. No, this is about rivalry, this is about contempt for the colors cream and crimson, this is about begging the coach to go for two because they won't let you go for three! This is about detesting iu. (Think of it as the balance of the universe theory in action, we create good karma through November so we can cash it in on Bucket weekend.)

This is it, the end of the line for this miserable and injury riddled season. Neither of these teams is going bowling, so this game represents a real throwback to the days when this was ALWAYS each team’s bowl game. The trophy for winning this “bowl game” you ask? Why the Old Oaken Bucket of course!!

You know, I was actually in Bloomington a few weeks ago and I saw a milk carton at the football stadium with a picture of the Oaken Bucket on it. I guess that’s what happens when it spends 12 of the last 15 years in Lafayette! I’m not sure how the team feels but I for one will not stand to see the bucket leave its rightful home in West Lafayette, IN!

The team has shown one thing over the last couple of weeks, they still have some fight in them. They could have packed it in after humiliating losses at OSU and Illinois…..but they haven’t and we owe them all the encouragement we can give! My only sadness is that IU gets to play against so many of Purdue's second and third string players as it actually levels the playing field.

It will be another relatively cool fall weekend in God’s country. We will set up the tents this weekend and will have heating elements available to keep things toasty at the tailgate.

Our menu for the bucket game is based in traditions. Each year we prepare ourselves for 60 minutes of rivalry with a hearty meal of Sue’s chili, grilled meats, and the “spirit builder” of your choice!

We will plan on meeting in the W lot on Saturday morning, hopefully towards the front of the lot just like last year. The W lot is across from the Slater Hill and the Stone Cold Tailgating Club spot is marked by the gold square. Click on the map to the right for a larger view.

For those of you parking in the IM Gold Lot it is only a 5 minute walk to the W lot, just think of us being on the way to the stadium! We have the large flagpole that extends with our custom tailgate flag, also shown on the right side of the blog. We’re driving an ambulance, so we should be pretty easy to find!


Saturday November 27, 2010
7:45 a.m. Meet at House
8:00 a.m. Depart
8:15 a.m. Tailgate Begins
11:30 a.m. Depart for Stadium
12:00 p.m. Kick Off

Fun Facts
- Purdue's Bucket game record is 70-36-6 (For you IU fans that's 36-70-6, meaning you get beat....a lot)

- The aggregate Score of all Bucket Games: Purdue 2432 Indiana 1498 (IU Fans: This also indicates regular beatings)

- The longest Bucket Win Streaks for each team are IU: 5 Purdue: 14 (IU Fans: you lose a lot of games in a row)

Just because I know the argument is coming, IU does NOT dominate in Basketball as Claimed:

Series Wins: IU-84 Purdue -110 (Purdue)
Big Ten Championships: IU-20 Purdue-22 (Purdue)
Big Ten Tournament Championships IU-0 Purdue-1 (Purdue)
National Championships: IU-5 Purdue-1 (Look it up, Helms Trophy) (IU)
NCAA Tournament Championships: IU-5 Purdue-0 (IU)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: IU-35 Purdue-24 (IU)
Consensus All-American Selections: IU-15 Purdue-16 (Purdue)
National POY: IU-2 Purdue-2 (Tie)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Game 10

Going for the Trifecta! (A little Stone Cold Humor)

Hard to believe that the Boilermakers are going for three straight over the Wolverines this weekend isn’t it? I’m not sure which team that is more of a commentary on but it is an interesting factoid to say the least. Last weekend was an excellent half of football, too bad it was followed by a three interception nightmare in the second half.

There is some scientific research supporting the idea that a head injury can cause color blindness. I am operating under the assumption that a sack late in the first half caused Robinson to suddenly become red/green color blind which meant he was unable to determine who he was throwing the ball to in the second half! Provided that Robinson is only Red/Green color blind we should be in good shape this weekend when the maize and blue come to town.

In all seriousness the boys competed last weekend and showed just enough offense to give me a glimmer of hope as Michigan has one of the worst defenses in recent college football history. This defense is Indiana bad if you know what I mean?

It will be another relatively cool fall weekend with a slight chance of rain. We will set up the tents this weekend and will have heating elements available to keep things toasty at the tailgate. We will be hosting a lot of people including several first timers making this the most interesting tailgate in the world.

We will plan on meeting in the W lot on Saturday morning, hopefully towards the front of the lot just like last year. The W lot is across from the Slater Hill and the Stone Cold Tailgating Club spot is marked by the gold square. Click on the map to the right for a larger view.

For those of you parking in the IM Gold Lot it is only a 5 minute walk to the W lot, just think of us being on the way to the stadium! We have the large flagpole that extends with our custom tailgate flag, also shown on the right side of the blog. We’re driving an ambulance, so we should be pretty easy to find!

Friday November 12, 2010
My parents will be at the house after 5 on Friday. Right now the plan is to relax at the house and prep for Saturday.

You will receive a separate e-mail with the directions and lodging information for the weekend.

Saturday November 6, 2010
7:45 a.m. Meet at the house
8:00 a.m. Arrive W lot/Set up Tailgate
11:15 a.m. Depart for Stadium
12:00 p.m. Kick Off

Eric and his parents will be meeting at the house to ride in together to ensure that we have two adjacent spots. If anyone else would like to meet at the house they are welcome to but it is not necessary. We have room to transport up to 7 people from the house in the ambulance and Element.

Post game the plan will be to meet back at the house and make pizza (yes, we had leftover crusts from last weekend) and then head out from there to campus.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Game 9: Wisconsin

Hello Reality, Is that You?

That chill you feel in the air is not just the change in the weather; it was the after affects of our offense blowing through the Midwest. The last two games have to be two of the worst back to back performances I’ve seen out of Purdue since “he who shall not be named” was roaming the West Lafayette sidelines. Now it is the Badgers rolling into town to take their shot at the Boilers, and it could get U-G-L-Y if we’re not there to prop our boys up! Get ready to cheer with your “A” game and let’s spur the team to be the “Spoilermakers!” (I would bring a flask for drowning your misery just in case though.)

It will be a cool fall weekend with several Badger visitors at the tailgate so let’s gear up for a great tailgate and big Boilermaker victory! Please welcome our guests with open arms as we are nothing if not gracious hosts. (Well, open arms and plenty of verbal jabs.)

In honor of our visitors from behind the “cheddar curtain” we will be doing a dairy heavy menu. There will be a cheese appetizer and our annual “make your own” pizza on the grill. Additionally we will have hot chocolate (that’s sort of dairy product I think) for warming yourselves on the projected chilly fall morning.

We will have the small space heaters, blankets, and the fire pit to help and keep everyone warm on Saturday morning before the game.

We will plan on meeting in the W lot on Saturday morning, hopefully towards the front of the lot just like last year. The W lot is across from the Slater Hill and the Stone Cold Tailgating Club spot is marked by the gold square. Click on the map to the right for a larger view.

For those of you parking in the IM Gold Lot it is only a 5 minute walk to the W lot, just think of us being on the way to the stadium! We have the large flagpole that extends with our custom tailgate flag, also shown on the right side of the blog. We’re driving an ambulance, so we should be pretty easy to find!

Saturday November 6, 2010
7:45 a.m. Meet at the house
8:00 a.m. Arrive W lot/Set up Tailgate
11:15 a.m. Depart for Stadium
12:00 p.m. Kick Off

Eric and his parents will be meeting at the house to ride in together to ensure that we have two adjacent spots. If anyone else would like to meet at the house they are welcome to but it is not necessary. We have room to transport up to 7 people from the house in the ambulance and Element.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Game 4: Homecoming

I want you to kill every Gopher on the course!
-Sandy McFiddish
Head Groundskeeper
Bushwood CC

What a great win by the Boilermakers last weekend? BTFU!! That Henry kid can’t throw worth a darn, but he sure has “moxie” doesn’t he? Fresh off of that thrilling victory we gather together this weekend to celebrate Homecoming and to watch the Boilermakers fulfill Sandy’s request.

I look forward to having all of the Stone Cold Tailgating Club Alumni on hand for the weekend. We will even have a rare appearance of SCTC founding member Brian Crane along with his family!

If you have not guessed from the quote above, we are doing a Caddyshack themed tailgate for homecoming this year because just like the members at Bushwood, we HATE GOPHERS! Break out those golfing or country club clothes and join us as we turn the W lot into Bushwood CC. Prizes will be awarded for the best representation of a Caddyshack character as judged by the tailgate as a whole. (As I stated previously, my money is on Joel as Carl Spackler, though my dad as Al Czervik might be close.)

In line with our golf theme, we will be serving typical “at the turn” fare. We will have hot dogs, burgers, chips, sides, and candy. We will also have a full selection of “aiming juice” on hand. (That’s alcohol and beer for you non-golfers.) For the kids we will have water, lemonade, juice boxes, and soda available, so no need to bring your own stuff.

We will plan on meeting in the W lot on Saturday morning, hopefully towards the front of the lot just like last year. The W lot is across from the Slater Hill and the Stone Cold Tailgating Club spot is marked by the gold square. (Click on the map for a larger view.)

For those of you parking in the IM Gold Lot it is only a 5 minute walk to the W lot, just think of us being on the way to the stadium. We have the large flagpole that extends to 20 feet and an ambulance so hopefully you will be able to locate us easily. We will be sporting our custom flag this year which sports our “Old School Boilermakers” motif similar to our cups.

Friday October 15, 2010
There are no official plans for Friday night. Paula and I will not even be arriving until around 8:00 p.m. With the early start we will likely just stay in at the house on Friday night.

Saturday October 16, 2010
7:45 a.m. Ready call for tailgate drivers
8:00 a.m. Depart the House
8:15 a.m. Tailgate Party Begins
11:30 a.m. Depart for Stadium
12:00 p.m. Game Time

I am sure that there will be multiple groups departing from the house on Saturday morning, the times above represent the first departure group. Post game plans will be to meet back at the tailgate before heading to the house.

We are planning to just order pizza back at the house on Saturday night, maybe crack open some beers or break into the liquor cabinet. If you feel like going out later on that’s great, just please be respectful of everyone else when you get back, as it will be a full house.

Sunday October 17, 2010
10:00 a.m. Baby Shower/Brunch

As most of you are now aware, Brendan and Dawn have decided to leave the ranks of the DINK’s to venture out into the world of parenthood. We’re going to throw a little breakfast/shower in their honor at the SCTC Lodge on Sunday. You should have already received an Evite for the event. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Game 3: Toledo

Oktoberfest!

The MAC West leading Toledo Rockets roll into town this week riding a two game winning streak. This is a team that we managed to beat last year for our only victory in the first 7 games played. This however does not appear to be the same Toledo team that finished 5-7 last year as they have notched impressive victories over Ohio and Western Michigan. However, their rankings among all D1 programs is still 100 or below in all relevant offensive categories so I am confident that the Boilers can come away with a victory!

As the season is now just past the quarter pole we should stop to take stock on where the Boilers stand to this point in the season.

The Good:
Purdue is 2-1 and has a shot at a winning September for the first time since 2007.

In spite of Boldon’s season ending injury during spring practice Purdue has managed 177 yards/game on the ground.

We don’t yet have any QB controversy.

The defense has been good and ranks #1 in the Big Ten in sacks.

The Bad:
The injury bug has bit us right in the rear end.

The passing game is not firing on all cylinders and we’re not physical enough to play smash mouth football come Big Ten season.

If Rob Henry continues to put the pressure on we’re going to end up with a QB controversy. Anyone remember the last time that happened? Brandon Kirsch ended up ripping the locker room apart when he got benched.

I think that about sums up what we can say right now. I’m still optimistic about the season but I’m thinking about making other, non-bowl related plans for Christmas time.

We will be celebrating our annual Oktoberfest tailgate this week complete with German Oktoberfest beer and men in lederhosen! In keeping with the theme we will be serving a full spread of German delicacies including bratwurst, sauerkraut, pretzels, and of course Sue’s deep fried krautballs.

We will plan on meeting in the W lot on Saturday morning, hopefully towards the front of the lot just like last year. The W lot is across from the Slater Hill and the Stone Cold Tailgating Club spot is marked by the gold square.

For those of you parking in the IM Gold Lot it is only a 5 minute walk to the W lot, just think of us being on the way to the stadium. We have the large flagpole that extends to 20 feet and an ambulance so hopefully you will be able to locate us easily. We will be sporting our custom flag this year which sports our “Old School Boilermakers” motif similar to our cups. A picture of the flag has been added in the right tool bar.

Saturday September 25, 2010
8:00 a.m. Depart for the W Lot
8:15 a.m. Arrive W lot/Set up Tailgate
11:15 a.m. Depart for Stadium
12:00 p.m. Kick Off

Eric and his parents will be departing from the house at 8:00 to ensure that we have two adjacent spots. If anyone else would like to meet at the house they are welcome to but it is not necessary. We have room to transport up to 7 people from the house in the ambulance and Element.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Game 2: Ball State

Can Somebody Pass the Tequila?

Um, well, that officially sucked last weekend. Keith Smith is likely lost for the season on a high/low hit on the sideline in the fourth quarter. What were the starters doing in there in the forth quarter against a FCS (aka I-AA) team? Well, the game was still embarrassingly close at that point. All in all not an impressive win, but hey it was a win which is more than this week’s opponent can say. Yes, that’s right, Ball State dropped a game to FCS team Liberty last weekend. I’m thinking Saturday will be a "titanic" struggle to say the least.

If the game isn’t going to be great there is only one thing to do: have a great tailgate! We will be hosting several of the participants from this year’s SCTC Vacation to Cozumel last May. In honor of this mini-reunion we will be having a selection of Mexican favorites including carnitas or beef tacos, elote, and chips and salsa. Oh, and of course Vampiros, Margaritas, and a selection of “Island Lagers.”

We will plan on meeting in the W lot on Saturday morning, hopefully towards the front of the lot just like last year. The W lot is across from the Slater Hill and the Stone Cold Tailgating Club spot is marked by the gold square.

For those of you parking in the IM Gold Lot it is only a 5 minute walk to the W lot, just think of us being on the way to the stadium. We have the large flagpole that extends to 20 feet and an ambulance so hopefully you will be able to locate us easily. We will be sporting our custom flag this year which sports our “Old School Boilermakers” motif similar to our cups.

Saturday September 18, 2010
8:00 a.m. Depart for the W Lot
8:15 a.m. Arrive W lot/Set up Tailgate
11:15 a.m. Depart for Stadium
12:00 p.m. Kick Off

Eric and his parents will be departing from the house at 8:00 to ensure that we have two adjacent spots. If anyone else would like to meet at the house they are welcome to but it is not necessary. We have room to transport up to 7 people from the house in the ambulance and Element.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Game 1: Western Illinois

The Leathernecks March into West Lafayette

I am not sure what to make of the team after last week’s loss. There were a few bright spots, but overall it was a sloppy effort. I was glad to see them take the two shots downfield late in the game but overall the passing game was nothing to write home about. As for the running game, I was expecting more out of McBurse but I guess he’s just not going to develop into a D1 player.

On the upside Kerrigan was an absolute BEAST on the defensive side of the ball and the secondary was better than expected. I’m sure that Hope and the rest of the coaching staff will have some of the mistakes corrected and the boys will be ready come this Saturday against the Leathernecks of Western Illinois.

I’m sure when you read the title of the post you, like me, were thinking “why is WIU, a small I-AA university in Macomb, IL called the Leathernecks?” Apparently the first WIU AD (who was also the Basketball, Baseball, and Football coach) was a retired Marine Colonel who received permission from the Navy to use the nickname and emblem of the Marines for his teams. He wanted to build an athletic tradition based on the Marine Corps ethos, hence the nickname. No word on whether or not John Wayne will be making an appearance on their sideline. (For those of you that don’t get the joke, you obviously did not have a father or grandfather that made John Wayne movies required viewing. Click here and you’ll get it: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4205248793/)

As is our tradition for the first game we’ll be doing a simple menu to ease into the Tailgating season. This year we’ll be cooking up hamburgers (and turkey burgers) with a mix of traditional picnic side dishes.

We will plan on meeting in the W lot on Saturday morning, hopefully towards the front of the lot just like last year. The W lot is across from the Slater Hill and the Stone Cold Tailgating Club spot is marked by the gold square.

For those of you parking in the IM Gold Lot it is only a 5 minute walk to the W lot, just think of us being on the way to the stadium. We have the large flagpole that extends to 20 feet and an ambulance so hopefully you will be able to locate us easily. We will be sporting our custom flag this year which sports our “Old School Boilermakers” motif similar to our cups.

Saturday September 11, 2010
8:00 a.m. Depart for the W Lot
8:15 a.m. Arrive W lot/Set up Tailgate
11:00 a.m. Depart for Stadium
12:00 p.m. Kick Off

Eric and his parents will be departing from the house at 8:00 to ensure that we have two adjacent spots. If anyone else would like to meet at the house they are welcome to but it is not necessary. We have room to transport up to 7 people from the house in the ambulance and Element.