(Why I) Boiler up! Hammer Down!

Second Post of the Day

My family's association with Purdue University goes way back to 1927 when my grandfather, Earl Honeywell, hopped on a train and traveled from Leoti, Kansas to West Lafayette, Indiana to take a position as a professor and researcher in Purdue's School of Horticulture.

The Horticulture building and one of the greenhouses where he taught and worked as they look today.

My mom was a Purdue graduate.

Georgia Honeywell, Fern Honeywell Martin, and Earl Honeywell, 1964.

 

As was my dad, Jack Martin. He also played baseball for Purdue!

All three of my siblings went to Purdue (Jenny and me at a football game)

 

and so did Craig. (He was recruited by Notre Dame to play football, but he would only play for Purdue. And the Purdue coach considered him too small and he did not make the team.) 

Curt and Vanessa both did their undergrads here at Purdue

while Curt also received his Masters degree as a Boilermaker.

As you might imagine, there is a very strong bond to Purdue in our family.

Despite that, there are some other loyalties.

With two degrees from Purdue, Curt's allegiance to Purdue is strong, but he, like all our kids (except for Sarah), was born in Illinois.

His corn hole set is an example of that. There's a Purdue side (complete with matching Purdue bags),

and an Illinois one

which also has its own matching bags.

Pony Pal Susie helping the game along in her own way.

Although Craig's retirement cake reflected that he spent many of his years teaching on the University of Illinois' campus, he never, ever switched loyalties.

Me, on the other hand... I'm a bit of an outlier.

While I did two years of undergraduate work at Purdue, I received both my Bachelors and my Masters degrees from the University of Illinois. Illinois is MY team

and it shows in various places around our home

and even when I am out and about. (Music City Son Cole is a diehard Illini and my enabler of all things Illinois.)

Sometimes that leads to some good natured back and forth, especially when you live in Purdue's backyard. Here's an example, and one of my favorite "gotcha" stories.

Jeff T., a fellow teacher in my building (and a Saddlebred man!) loved to needle me about my Illini loyalty, and I would give it right back to him. One day, I really got him good.

His classroom was hung with state flags from around the country, but there was also a Purdue flag hanging prominently among them.  

Arriving very early one morning, and with help from the custodian, I slipped into Jeff's classroom and swapped that Purdue flag out for a better one, and then left, wondering how long it would take him to notice it. 

Didn't take long! Despite the fact that there were a LOT of state flags hanging from the ceiling! Jeff and I had a good laugh about it and of course he did get me back later.

Having said all that, I do root for Purdue, and I am thrilled that today they are playing in the Final Four games of the NCAA Basketball tournament. Why is this Illini girl doing that?

- Not only do I have a strong family legacy with Purdue, I live here. (I wasn't kidding about that "backyard" comment. We live very close to campus.) I also grew up here and cheered for Purdue until I began attending classes at Illinois.

- This team is full of super nice young men who play as a TEAM and not as individuals. Even with Zach Edey who is one of the best college basketball players ever, he shares the ball. He also has been know to defend his teammates in interviews when that teammate has made a costly mistake and is taking some heat from the media for it.

- The Christmas connection. I've posted videos of Caleb Furst playing Buddy the Elf that are fundraisers for folks in need in our community. The other connection?  

I think player Fletcher Loyer looks like Hermey from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer! (from Google Images)

Hermey (from Google Images)

Can you see the similarity? A silly connection, perhaps, but also an endearing one to me.

- Finally, and maybe the most important reason to me. Not only is Coach Painter a great basketball coach, he is a great father. And I know that from personal experience because his child was in my classroom. He made time for his child. Repeatedly. Even despite his hectic schedule. I have a lot of respect for him because I saw how he kept his child a priority.  Go here to read about it. (Scroll down to the bottom of the post.) 

Purdue plays North Carolina State this evening at 6:09 PM Eastern. 

You can bet this Illini gal will be wearing her "Purdue Mom" tee shirt and rooting for the hometown guys.

Boiler up and hammer down!