GoldandBlack.com: Kicking it with Kitch

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (GoldandBlack.com) - Editor's note: Kelly Kitchel, a native of Walton, Ind., was an offensive lineman for the Boilermakers from 1998-2002 playing on the Boilermakers' Rose Bowl team. Look for weekly blogs from Kitch throughout the season.

The 2009 Spoilermakers. I have heard Purdue fans say this all week like it's a term of endearment. I really do not like that term at all!

It is said that the term Spoilermaker is used when the Boilers beat someone they were not supposed to and spoiled someone else's season. The term went by the wayside a little in the Joe Tiller Era because the Boilers, for the most part, beat the teams they should have.

With a record of 1-5 going into last week, some fans had already started looking toward the hardwood and spoiling someone else's season may be the only gratitude for them.

To those fans I say: How quickly you forget how close four of the losses actually were and much this team is improving as the season is just ramping up. I believe that this team can play with anyone in the country and they have proved it time and again this year.

Now with the defense really playing well and the offense limiting game changing turnovers, I do believe that this will be a special season.

There is no reason to believe that the Boilers do not have a legitimate shot at a bowl game. I have not made definite plans for my Christmas vacation this year because I still believe we could be bowling.

Here is what I will get from the pessimistic fans: (By the way no one ever calls himself a pessimist. Pessimist always call themselves realists.) You are crazy, one great game doesn't make a season. What makes you think this team can win four out of five games? ... and on and on. I have seen what this team has put on the field each week and they can beat anybody.

The path to a 2009 bowl game starts this week and the Boilers cannot have an emotional let down after such an emotional win. The Illini are ripe for the pickin' right now as they are in a downward spiral. I look for Purdue to jump out early and make a team quit that is already teetering on the edge of a cliff.

Kitchel is part of Lafayette's Sports Guys on ESPN 1450AM. He can be heard two hours before every Purdue game and for two hours after every game as part of their Post Game Call-In show. You can rant or rave about the the Boilers by calling 765-447-0414 after the game. E-mail Kitch at kellykitchel@espn1450am.com.