Nov. 7, 2009

CHARISSA THOMPSON HAS A BROKEN FOOT (AND ANKLE)
Charissa Thompson is listed on the injury report with a broken ankle and foot. The Big Ten Network sideline reporter sits on a plastic chair behind the Michigan bench scribbling notes onto a pad in her lap with a PBR pen. When she stalks the sideline she clicks it incessantly with her thumb.

Thompson is making her return to the sidelines after suffering broken bones in a freak step-aerobics class.

"Brandon Minor and I are aggressive, high intensity runners," she jokes. "Sometimes we pay the price."

Thompson had surgery five weeks ago and is on doctor's orders to wear a protective boot, but she left it in the hotel for the game. With only three games left in the season she's toughing it out.

"I'm sticking to yoga and the treadmill from now on. I'm stepping down from step. Get it?"

She's funny too. Welcome back Ms. Thompson.

BANG THE DRUM AT A MEDIUM PACE
Purdue's Big Bass Drum may not hold the Guinness record for the world's largest, but it's pretty big. The drum itself weighs 300 pounds and with its metal carriage the entire set-up tips the scales at over a quarter ton. The drum debuted during the 1921 season and the Big Bass Drum Crew still bangs the original drum to this day. The drum made its way to Ann Arbor in a U-Haul truck, guarded by members of the BBDC, who try out each year for the honor of banging it during games. It's used in pregame, to highlight big plays and during the band's halftime show.

Which drummers do members of the BBDC admire most? A quick survey reveals Neil Peart of Rush and Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater.

LIKE ROCKY LOOKING FOR ADRIAN
After redshirt freshman Roy Roundtree's 43-yard touchdown catch and run in the second quarter, he made his way through the congratulations gauntlet like most players who hit pay dirt. The six-foot redshirt freshman ducked around shoulder pads and helmets, trying to pick someone specific out of the crowd of maize and blue. He weaved through bodies like Rocky looking for Adrian after his bout with Apollo Creed. Roundtree finally found his man, strength and conditioning coach Chris Allen.

"I told him I would never get caught from behind again," Roundtree said in the locker room after the game, referring to a touchdown-saving tackle of him at Illinois. "I was embarrassed last week and I promised Chris it would never happen again."

Roundtree made Allen proud with a banner day, catching 10 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown.

Brandon Smith SPECIAL TEAMS WARRIOR
Freshman linebacker Brandon Smith may not have seen much action on defense this year, but he has made his mark on special teams, sometimes literally. Entering the game, Smith listed second on the team in special-teams tackles with eight and he has one blocked punt on his resume.

"When I go out there, I play for the guys like Obi and Brandon Graham and all the seniors on the team," he said in the locker room after the game. "The give 100 percent in every practice and every game and I want to represent them when I can. I won't stop on any play until I get to the ball."

THE OLD MAN ON THE FIELD
The oldest man in uniform on the field? Purdue's Abe Trindle. The 26-year-old safety with freshman eligibility served three tours in Iraq as a Navy S.E.A.L. before enrolling at Purdue and joining the football program.

SOUNDS FROM THE FIELD
On the bench after Brandon Minor's 55-yard touchdown run, superback Kevin Grady broke down his view of the play. "I just saw him go ... WHOOOP ... and I said, YEAH YEAH!"

After linebacker Kevin Leach intercepted a pass tipped at the line by defensive lineman Ryan Van Bergen, Van Bergen rushed the sideline yelling, "I told you I'd force a turnover today!" He ran over to Leach and slapped him on the knee yelling, "Great work!"