11/9/2026 Boilermaker Water Cooler Chat: Firework Edition
Rants, ravings, and somewhat sensical opinions following the wild, wacky, and wide-wide world of Purdue sports.
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again? Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin, like a house of cards one blow from caving in?
Do you ever feel already buried deep? Six feet under screams but no one seems to hear a thing. Do you know that there’s still a chance for you ’cause there’s a spark in you?
You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine, just own the night, like the 4th of July! Cuz baby, you’re a firework!
These deep lyrics are brought to you Katy Perry, in her iconic song “Firework”. This song was intended to be inspirational to generations of young people who are down on themselves. In reality, however, this song has taken on a second life, but not as an inspirational anthem for the masses. This song is still a good party bop, but is more used in a mocking tune culturally. In fairness, floating plastic bags and winds blowing over houses of cards, aren’t exactly deep lyrics. They probably weren’t intended to be taken seriously. On the drive home from Purdue’s loss on Saturday, this tune hit our airwaves in my pickup truck. We just laughed our asses off about how perfect this song fit with this sporting weekend. Suffering from a bit of writer’s block, not knowing how to put the last few days into words, my son joked, “Katy Perry just inspired the Water Cooler Chat!”
We Purdue fans are plastic bags, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again.
Yes, fireworks are fun. They can make a special evening even better. They can make ’em go ah! and leave them all in awe!
Often times, however, fireworks are a dud. They don’t explode. The fuse doesn’t burn quite right. You are left paying the markup from the firework store for a bit of cardboard and gunpowder, that did nothing.
Hey! At least I got a chance to be in my happy place with my happy people!
Purdue Football:
Maryland 34, Purdue 29
The Boilermakers continue to be the “get right” game for the lower half of the Big Ten. The offense showed up for a half, the defense showed up for a quarter, and the Boilermakers fizzled out on Homecoming.
The running game never got going. Several inside runs got stymied. A few big plays, but nothing really worked. Ryan Browne threw for an impressive 296 yards, with no TDs or INTs. He ate 7 sacks, including a costly fumble which led to a Maryland TD. Looking hesitating all night, both the first half and the game ended with Brown holding the ball too long, and getting sacked without giving the Boilermakers a chance. I understand that he was trying to make -something- happen, but a hesitant QB, with no running game, leads to an offense which can’t get the job done. The offense showed little spark, stalled in the redzone, and settled for 5 field goals that needed to be TDs.
Speaking of not getting the job done, the defense had glimmers of hope, forcing 4 punts and snagging an interception. However, in between those high points was a defense that did not make tackles. That still couldn’t get the job done in “and long” scenarios. A “grand finale” of defensive negativity happened late in the game, when the Boilermakers had a play sniffed out, and allowed a weaving touchdown with what seemed like a dozen broken tackles, marking the game winning touchdown.
For what it is worth, Kevin Kane was relieved of his duties, Purdue announced on Sunday. I don’t take pleasure in reporting that. Kane is, by all reports, a good man. He is beloved by the team. He is an honorable human being, who simply could not coordinate a defense effectively. This change was needed.
Purdue Basketball:
#15 Gonzaga 78, Purdue 72
The Boilermakers fought hard against a good opponent in Las Vegas to open the season. Some offensive woes set in, as Purdue shot poorly from deep, but Daniel Jacobsen scored 22 pts adding 7 rebounds. CJ Cox added 11 pts, with Antoine West adding 10. There was a glimmer of what Purdue could be this year in this game, but the Boilermakers simply couldn’t get it done under the bright Las Vegas lights.
Valparaiso 83, Purdue 80 (2 OT)
The Boilermakers let an inferior opponent stick around, despite a double-digit lead late in the first half. The Rakim Chaney firework show went off, as he poured in 35 points, and clawed The Crusaders Beacons back into the contest. The grand finale, Justus McNair weaves through pretty decent defense, and drills a buzzer beating 3 to end the game in the second overtime. Daniel Jacobsen scored 28 adding 10 rebounds. CJ Cox scored 13 points and added 12 rebounds.
Break It Down:
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
Purdue losing in football is something that we are used to. Losing to this Maryland squad is inexcusable. There have been flashes of hope coming from this football team, but it has been more smoke than fire. I didn’t have super high hopes for this team, but in 2027, this team will start again.
Purdue losing in basketball is something that we are not used to. Losing to Valparaiso (at home) is inexcusable. The Boilermakers fall to 0-2 in basketball for the first time since 1976. That is well before I was born, and I have kids who have graduated college. Worse yet, the Boilermakers now own a loss which will be a negative on Selection Sunday. No, Valparaiso isn’t a pushover program. They are well coached and clearly have talent on the floor… but programs like Purdue shouldn’t lose to Missouri Valley Conference teams at home, ever. Like the Wofford loss during the Baby Boilers’ first season, it is time to start again. Hopefully this is a wakeup call.
I live in Northwest Indiana, and grew up in Valpo. I live smack dab in the “We cheer for IU Basketball, and Notre Dame Football despite having no affiliation with the team” zone. This zone just so happens to overlap with the “Oh, we also cheer for VU because they’re local” contingent. I am happy for the Valpo Beacons’ fan base. They absolutely deserve to spike the football and they should. The fans have come out of the woodwork this weekend.
I had no choice in the matter, I am a 4th generation Purdue student. Cheering on the Boilermakers is in my DNA. My Purdue running P tattoo shows that I literally bleed the Boilermakers.
I don’t ask much. Be competitive in football. Be good in basketball. The last thing that I ask should be the easiest… don’t be a national sports punchline. This is a rough week for the latter.
Football season is a wash, but it was expected to be a struggle. Can’t lose to Maryland. For basketball, you can’t lose to Valparaiso. There is a lot of games still out there that Purdue can wipe this loss out of our memory. It starts now, and I trust Matt Painter.
To quote Katy Perry one last time, “After a hurricane, comes a rainbow.”
A Look Ahead:
The Purdue Basketball Boilermakers have 2 games this week. On Monday they take on Illinois State (8:30 FS1), and on Friday, they take on Ohio (7:00 BTN+ (Purdue Sports Radio Network, Varsity App)). The Boilermakers should be favorites at home in both of these contests, but we said that about Valpo.
The Purdue Football Boilermakers travel to Iowa City, to take on the #19 Iowa Hawkeyes. The Boilermakers will start the week as 16.5 pt underdogs.
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