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FROM EDITOR BRIAN NEUBER T month has turned this much-anticipated season in to, other than an unmitigat- ed disaster, it's been a refer- endum on the Boilermakers' coach, Danny Hope. After a team pegged If there's anything the past ON THE ROPES by many to be a Big Ten darkhorse has lost four games in as many weeks, three of them via blowout, the Hope Era at Purdue has been put on life sup- port, with a clenched fist firmly gripping the plug. Barring an improbable run by the Boilermakers to match last sea- son's success — matching last year was never the goal in a season in which more was not only expected, but required — Purdue will likely be in the market for new leadership. That much is evident. What isn't so apparent is how it came to this. As of Halloween, it's been just 30 days since Purdue was 3-1, its lone loss being a narrow one at unbeaten and echo-stirring Notre Dame; earn- ing top-25 consideration; and by nearly every measure, living up. As things are right now, 30 days ago may as well have been 1985. stout in non-conference, for the most part, has come unglued in three of four league games. In the one it didn't, at Ohio State, it did when it mattered most. The offense, having A defense that was now, I don't know. When Joe Tiller was nudged into Whether there's any going back retirement, A.D. Morgan Burke cited a need to soothe the "angst" amidst Purdue's fan base at the time. That angst was the product of Purdue only winning seven or eight games too many times. What's happened during the to adjust to circumstance, is an iden- tity-less outfit that just isn't produc- ing all that much for any number of reasons. Its projected strength, quarter- spent so much time rede- fining itself over and over back, hasn't panned out yet. Robert Marve now finally gets his chance. But as we've said often when he comes into games, is it too late? Can he succeed when Purdue's not in second-half comeback mode? How long can his thrice-injured knee maintain the properties of a solid? Who cares? He's interesting and Purdue needs interesting right now, because things otherwise aren't good. Saturday's Penn State game might be the beginning of the end for Hope. This past weekend's shel- lacking at Minnesota made it so, if it wasn't already. That is now the narrative of the season. past four weeks has taken that un- rest and doubled it down. This is something worse than angst. The among fans is repulsive — what is it about sports that turns generally reasonable people into torch-wield- ing, fire-breathing monsters on Twit- ter or a message board? — but also telling. Judging by our company's Twitter mentions, it would seem to be a wound ripped too far open now to be stitched up. So this is it. Every win from this point for- venom being spewed one that probably isn't going to end well for the one person whose job description it is to be accountable for everything that happens in the foot- ball program, in a business in which results matter more than anything. When Burke issued a state- It is an unfortunate situation, what it did, it became even clearer that a coaching tenure may have been undone by a mere calendar month worth of football. The past 30 days have brought it to this point; now the question is what lies in store the next 30. j ment this week that was more re- vealing in what it didn't say than Neubert can be contacted at BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS CERAMIC • ENGINEERED HARDWOOD LAMINATES • MARBLE CARPETING Specializing in ward brings the question of what it means for Hope, whether it matters or not. Every loss from here on out, and • Homes • Businesses Purdue only needs two more to be disqualified from bowl contention, brings the question of what Sunday might bring. What's happened the past four • Churches • Schools Where Contractors Buy Their Flooring Builders! Call our Contract Department and ask for our Contract Specialist 3437 State Road 26 E. 765-447-9393 weeks is no one person's fault. Let's not forget that. 800-403-6889 FAX 765-448-9978 Across from the Post Office GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 23, EXPRESS 9 • 5 GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS GO BOILERMAKERS