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Big Joe's Two Shots and the Ball - 12/29/03

12/29/03
by Joe Dlugosz
It looks as though the day has come. Many Horizon League fans couldn’t wait for it. I, for one, knew it had to happen eventually and couldn’t wait for the day. Well it appears as though that day has arrived. The mighty Butler Bulldogs appear to have fallen.

Yes, those same Bulldogs who have won five of the last seven regular season titles and four of the last seven conference tournaments. The same Butler Bulldogs who the Horizon League changed the post-season format to better suit. The same Butler Bulldogs that seemed to have every referee in the league on payroll. The same Butler Bulldogs who wouldn’t think twice about knocking you to the ground and then rubbing it in only to put their hands in the air and proclaim innocence when the three blind mice came to whistle a foul.

Now is the time to repay all those things and players that everyone has despised about that team for the better part of a decade.

The Butler Way.

Warm up the bus.

The Ball is orange because of us.

Hoosiers. I like the movie less and less every day.

Joel Cornette.

Brandon Miller.

Thomas Jackson.

Rolf Van Rijn.

The 1998 tournament in Green Bay.

Rylan Hainje.

Scott Robisch.

Their Fans.

Their Message Board.

Whatever it may be that drives you to hate the Bulldogs relish these times. Take happiness in the fact that the Wisconsin Green-Bay Phoenix went to the famed Hinkle Fieldhouse and handed it to the Bulldogs back on December 22. Christmas was three days early for me. Rejoice in the 18-point humiliation the Bulldogs were given at the hands of the St. Louis Billikens. Smile in the fact the Bulldogs have lost four of their last five games and have already lost six games this season. I can’t remember the last time they had six losses in a whole season, much less in just ten games.

As a Loyola fan I had a few moments of glory the last few seasons when the Ramblers beat the Bulldogs, but I know the rest of the league didn’t always have that luxury. Well, I urge you to take advantage of it now. Bring your best game to the Bulldogs. Taunt them. Bait them. Try and goad them into a technical foul. When the refs aren’t looking pray that one of yours pushes a Bulldog in the back.

Bring some of those old keys that everyone has, but no one knows what they open anymore to the game. Put them on a big heavy keychain and when the outcome of the game is secure bring those keys out and shake them. Scream at the Bulldogs to warm up their freaking bus. Then take those keys and chuck them as hard as you can into their fan section. Maybe you’ll knock the pompous seven-year old smile off their hillbilly faces.

Check the score of every Horizon League contest the Bulldogs play this season and as the losses mount up remember them. Next time you see the Bulldogs remind them of all those losses. Tell those Bulldogs the Horizon League can’t change the way the game is played to have the team with the lowest score get the win. Let them know that even three guys with black and white stripes can’t help them now. Tell Mike Monserez to get off his butt and play some defense.

While we’re at it see if you can’t get some of your players to attack some of their fans and cheerleaders after the game.

It’s gonna be sweet giving some of “The Way” back to the Bulldogs this year.

Previous Columns:

Big Joe's Two Shots and the Ball - 12/22/03
Big Joe's Two Shots and the Ball - 12/15/03
Big Joe's Two Shots and the Ball - 12/08/03
Big Joe's Two Shots and the Ball - 12/01/03
Big Joe's Two Shots and the Ball - 11/24/03