See you next year, 'pretty boys'

Hello, Matt Mitrione. \nAnd all of your stuck up, jaw jerking teammates who just can't seem to believe they lost to the lowly football Hoosiers.\nA handful of Boilermakers said they "stooped down" to IU's level in Saturday's rain-soaked game that mirrored sloppy, overweight pigs with broken legs attempting to run through a pit of mud.\nAh, the excuses and bashing of IU has begun. And it looks like it won't stop for a while. Even Purdue coach Joe Tiller said his beloved Boilers stooped to IU's level. \nBut whatever Purdue did, didn't work. And whatever IU did, did. And it was brilliant -- cheap shots, trash talking and personal fouls included. \nMitrione, earlier in the week called IU senior tailback Levron Williams a "pretty boy" and said Williams would be "scared" to run up the middle. So, Williams took care of Purdue's jabbering lineman by scooting right by him for a 52-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Turns out, that was all IU needed. \nWho's scared now, Mitrione? Keep stooping. \nIn the aftermath of IU's first Old Oaken Bucket since 1996, Mitrione tried to backtrack, offering this rebuttal. \n"Give credit to them," Mitrione said, probably wanting to interject some remark about Antwaan Randle El's mother and pet fish. "As soon as they won, they came over and they were all really cool. Randle El, Levron, the offensive line, they were all really cool. It's such a respect thing between us."\nSure, it is. Nothing but respect for a team that calls you "pretty boys" and fires punches your way. Sure doesn't sound like Randle El has much "respect" for the Boilermakers. \n"He can say he stooped to our level, but he came in with that mentality and he can leave with it, because he left with a loss and that's the most important thing," Randle El said.\nIndeed. A loss for the bunch wearing that putrid, pukey looking gold, and it's about damn time. Yeah, Purdue will play in a bowl game, and no, IU won't. But, the first of the Hoosiers' two pseudo-bowl games was Saturday, and IU sent Purdue back to stinky West Lafayette with nothing but cream, crimson and an empty seat where the Old Oaken Bucket would have sat on its mind.\nSunday, Tiller told the Lafayette Courier and Journal Saturday's loss was his "most disappointing" since he arrived at Purdue. He then made the Boilermakers practice in full pads. He should have strapped a strip of tape across their mouths. \nOdds and more odds\n• Purdue rushed for minus eight yards Saturday. IU's previous season low was 106 at Wisconsin. Keep stooping. \n• IU fans ripped down the south endzone's goal post. I have a few ideas where Tiller and Mitrione can stick that. Bend over. Or keep stooping.\n• The IU defense rescued the Hoosiers' horrid kicking game by making Purdue throw 62 passes and coming up with a miraculous, fourth-quarter goal line stand. Too bad that same kicking game might have cost IU a bowl berth. If IU hadn't missed an extra point and a field goal -- the Hooseirs have missed seven PATs and seven field goals on the season -- and been forced to try a two-point conversion late in the loss to Utah, IU would be 5-5 and could be bowl bound, pending a win over Kentucky this weekend. \n• Cam Cameron's "Save My Job Tour" has taken a turn for the better, at least for his sake. The jury is still out, but you know what I think.\n• But, let's not rest on the depressing thoughts, for now. IU beat Purdue, and it's sweet. Now, let's find that bucket and fill it with whiskey. In the meantime, Purdue can keep stooping. \n• See ya next year, pretty boys.