Hope Gone

Well, it's official - Danny Hope has been fired.  And while you can read his story all over the internet, I felt like I needed to add my two cents. 

Hope went down fighting

I've never met the man, but from everything I've heard and everything I've seen, Hope was a great guy and had as much Purdue pride as anyone.  After the Illinois game, Hope was interviewed on the field and ended it with a resounding "Boiler Up!"  I LOVED it.  In fact, if Purdue was to make it to the Rose Bowl and I got to choose the coach that took us there, I probably would have chosen Danny Hope.  He was an awesome guy to root for and his energy and love for Purdue was, at times, a huge motivation to the fanbase.   I mean, who can forget Hope giving his whistle to a student while celebrating on the field after the 2009 Ohio State win?   Unfortunately, he just wasn't ready to be a big time coach. 

I find myself with conflicting feelings.  I feel bad for a man who was a great representative for the University and who ran off the field yesterday, head held high with his teary-eyed wife.  At the same time, he was given 4 years.  4 years to prove himself that he belonged.  And when he finally put together a team that had fans, players, and coaches thinking Rose Bowl, his team laid an egg and the fans responded.  If Purdue wants to sell out Ross-Ade, they need to consistently be in the Top 25 - something they haven't even sniffed in the last 5 years. It's a bittersweet ending for Hope, but it had to be done.

Thank you for your time at Purdue, Danny.  Your fire and heart will truly be missed.

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