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Torn Rose · 2005-03-10, 04:59 PM

Gene Keady who has been the head coach at Purdue has finally retired after 25 years. This was his worst year ever (and worst ever in 107 years of basketball at Purdue) so it was sad to see him go on such a lousy ending, but as much as I enjoyed watching him as I was growing up, I will not forgive him for not retiring years ago.

His long time assistant of 18 years Bruce Weber left Purdue about 7 years ago to coach Southern Ill, where he took a no name school to the NCAA tourney 3 times and it was always a given he would replace Keady when he would retire.

But year after year of lousing teams and lack luster recruiting at Purdue, Weber grew tired of waiting and took the Illinois job last year where it is stated in his contract that he can not go to Purdue.

Illinois is #1 in the nation with a 29-1 record while Purdue is 7-21.

We lost out on Weber so the next “obvious” choice (so everyone thought) was, Steve Lavin, former asst at Purdue and UCLA head coach who took UCLA to six “Sweet 16” berths in a row. But last year Purdue shocked everyone when they hired Weber’s former assistant and Southern Ill head coach Matt Painter who was a walk on at Purdue to be Keady’s replacement. (Even I asked WHO???)

Keady will make the Basketball hall of fame no doubt, but he never did better then the “Elite 8” two times in 25 years of basketball, he is the only coach to have won three outright Big Ten titles in a row (but I think one has been “removed” a few years later due to a player who never played but somehow got the NCAA looking into him) he also has a Olympic Gold Medal as a assistant coach and for the die hard fans of NCAA Basketball, he has a 41-40 record versus Bob Knight, no one else is even close to that record.

I have met Keady many times when I was in school and he really was a good guy, and I will miss his temper and “Bulldog” look on the bench, but for the life of god CUT OFF THAT COMBOVER!

Anyway, just wanted to point this out, I hope Purdue will return to a contender ASAP in basketball, but to be honest, I am not holding my breath.

2005-03-10, 04:59 PM	#1
Torn Rose "Faith is believing what you know ain't so." ~ Mark Twain Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 4,806	An end of an era in college Basketball Gene Keady who has been the head coach at Purdue has finally retired after 25 years. This was his worst year ever (and worst ever in 107 years of basketball at Purdue) so it was sad to see him go on such a lousy ending, but as much as I enjoyed watching him as I was growing up, I will not forgive him for not retiring years ago. His long time assistant of 18 years Bruce Weber left Purdue about 7 years ago to coach Southern Ill, where he took a no name school to the NCAA tourney 3 times and it was always a given he would replace Keady when he would retire. But year after year of lousing teams and lack luster recruiting at Purdue, Weber grew tired of waiting and took the Illinois job last year where it is stated in his contract that he can not go to Purdue. Illinois is #1 in the nation with a 29-1 record while Purdue is 7-21. We lost out on Weber so the next “obvious” choice (so everyone thought) was, Steve Lavin, former asst at Purdue and UCLA head coach who took UCLA to six “Sweet 16” berths in a row. But last year Purdue shocked everyone when they hired Weber’s former assistant and Southern Ill head coach Matt Painter who was a walk on at Purdue to be Keady’s replacement. (Even I asked WHO???) Keady will make the Basketball hall of fame no doubt, but he never did better then the “Elite 8” two times in 25 years of basketball, he is the only coach to have won three outright Big Ten titles in a row (but I think one has been “removed” a few years later due to a player who never played but somehow got the NCAA looking into him) he also has a Olympic Gold Medal as a assistant coach and for the die hard fans of NCAA Basketball, he has a 41-40 record versus Bob Knight, no one else is even close to that record. I have met Keady many times when I was in school and he really was a good guy, and I will miss his temper and “Bulldog” look on the bench, but for the life of god CUT OFF THAT COMBOVER! Anyway, just wanted to point this out, I hope Purdue will return to a contender ASAP in basketball, but to be honest, I am not holding my breath.