Let me start out by saying I hope more than anything that our football team does well this season.

I’ve been to an Alabama game, and if we could have an atmosphere that is even half as good as that, I’d be extremely happy.  Let’s face it though; it’s much more likely that we will do poorly than do well.  When you go 1-11, there’s seemingly only a certain level of improvement that is achievable the following season.  So, when conference games start up and the losses start pouring in, what is a Purdue fan to do?  Lucky for you, I’ve thought of a few ways to cope with the disappointment that is to come.

Tailgate like there’s no tomorrow.  Tailgates are always a great time, but seemto be even better when the team is playing poorly.  The crowd may not be as large, but the attention is shifted from the team and the upcoming game to the actual tailgate.  Tailgates suddenly last longer, have more intensity, and are more fun in general.

While you’re tailgating, you may want to play a drinking game or two during the game.  Drinking games are always fun, and there are a few different approaches you can take.  If you want to take it easy, take a drink every time we score.  For those looking to have a real good time, take a drink every time the opposition scores – I promise, you will have a great time.

Through all of the disappointment, however, it’s important to look at the positives.  For one, if you decide to keep going to the games for whatever reason, at least you’ll be closer to the front.  The student section may be empty, but you’ll be able to heckle the away team very effectively.  Even better, they may keep giving away tickets in the middle of memorial mall, which will save you, on average, a whopping $10 every game.  At some point, our blunders may even become funny rather than sad, which may add a little comic relief to your life.  Finally, for those of you who like to talk sports, potential head coach options always seems to be an exciting topic after a few bad seasons.               

Know that it’s always possible to beat IU.  First off, IU sucks.  Whatever our record is before the Old Oaken Bucket game is irrelevant; a game like that carries enough weight to override the struggles leading up to that point.  Our players always leave everything out on the field during that game because there’s more than a win or loss being earned; it’s a piece of history.

I have faith that our team is on the rise, I really do.  It’d be hard to do worse than last season, and I think in the following few years, our team will be able to at least hold our own in the Big 10.  Sure, the time in-between now and then may be a bit rough, but I hope you’ve realized there’s way to avoid being thoroughly disappointed by our performance.