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20 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED great players but they are private guys. Rick is a pri- vate guy and there is nothing wrong with that. I am a private person. I personally don't like getting inter- viewed, I don't like going to the media room (after games), so I understand him. "The thing that people don't understand about guys like Rick Mount or Glenn Robinson is they want to be like us. They just want to be normal and just have reg- ular friendships. They don't want someone to be their friend because they are the best shooter or the best player or the No. 1 pick in the draft. They just want to have regular friendships, but oftentimes they can't." Painter hopes that this is a first step in getting Mount more involved in the program. He told Mount he has a standing offer to travel with the team any- time he wants. Painter's open invitation is totally al- truistic. The Boilermaker coach believes in Mount's basketball message and the work ethic he represents. He believes Mount's example is very important to his teams and young people today. "Shooting the basketball is his craft, and trying to get that message across to our players that it takes a lot of pride to be really good at some- thing is really important," Painter said. "(Author) Malcolm Gladwell talks about it taking 10,000 hours to be an expert at something. I would love to know how much time Rick put in to being the shooter he is. It is a great lesson for young people wanting to be special that you have to put in special amounts of time to be proficient. Rick is such a great example of that." So will Purdue fans see Mount around at games in Mackey Arena? Probably not. Will he be around the program more, at least in support and behind the scenes? Maybe so. "Normally when he does something that he really doesn't want to do, there is a lot of grumbling," said Donna Mount, deserving of a medal — her family jokes — for "putting up" with her husband for six decades. "But there was none of that from the time he got up that morning through the ride back to Lebanon after the game. "Purdue treated him like a king and Rick knows that." But Mount is forever his own man. "I am not a spectator, never have been," Mount said. "I am a participator. For me to go and just watch a game, it's hard for me to do. I only went to three or four of Rich's games." When Mount said his goodbyes after the Iowa game, Cardinal persisted on the message of participation in Purdue basketball. On Mount's terms. "He told me how much he appreciated it and he knows it isn't far from Lebanon to Mackey," Cardinal recalled. "But he also said his recliner is 'pretty darn comfortable.' "I don't know if he will be back, especially as often as we all like. My big takeaway from the event is that he is still passionate about Purdue. Whether he is in the stands or not, he is still passionate about the program, Painter and the university. He doesn't have to physi- cally be there to support and enjoy it anymore. To have him around, even for just that one night, was great. It was simply great." j KNOCK $20 OFF FOR INTRO PRICING THRU JULY 1st ! ORDER TODAY! (317) 810-1313 BOLD, GOLD & BLACK—WHETHER AT THE STADIUM OR ON THE BACK PORCH, THIS IS YOUR WINNING PLAY! Use yours for: Tailgating • Catering • Cookouts • Patios • Poolsides • Fun Snacks • Business Luncheons • Appetizers Galore • Kids' Events © 2015 TAGPRO. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used by permission. WEB ORDERS: www.gaterwaiter.com C M Y CM MY CY CMY K TAGPRO_PUR_AD_FIN.pdf 1 6/9/15 4:13 PM