The Chris Blaney Interview

1. How long have you been a member of The Paint Crew?

A:  This is my 4th year being a member of The Paint Crew.  I joined as a freshman, became an advisory board member as a sophomore and have been on the executive board the past 2 years.

2. How much organization is needed outside of the game to set up for a game?

A:  There is a significant deal of planning that goes into game preparation.  A game day sheet must be written for every game unique to the team we are playing.  We must also orchestrate logistics of how we will be handling the lottery, the line and (if it's a camping game) the tent management.  Finally we must also go over things we are trying to start or build upon from the previous games.  In summary, there is a lot of behind the scenes organization that many people do not see with The Paint Crew.

 
3. How much participation do you have during the game?

A:  During the game, I personally lead every cheer and chant we do for the games.  I also ensure that both sides are now on the same page and that we are in unison with everything we are doing.


4. What are the different levels of leadership and how did you come up with them?

A: The levels of Paint Crew Leadership are the following:

Advisory Board Member
Executive Board Member - President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations

These positions have been in The Paint Crew since the days of The Gene Pool.  They have helped to establish order and organization within PC and have elected people who make decisions for the organization.

5. What is the male/female ratio within The Paint Crew?

A:  The male to female ratio is relatively even, I would approximate that it is about 60-40 guys to girls.


6. How do you see yourselves vs. alumni and other fans?

A:  The Paint Crew is looked upon by the Purdue Community as the people who bring the energy into Mackey Arena for every single game.  We do all we can to make Mackey Arena the toughest place to play at and alumni and other fans appreciate what we do for Purdue.

7. Did you join The Paint Crew because of school spirit and/or love of basketball?

A:  I joined Paint Crew for my love of Purdue and my love of the game of basketball.  I played in high school and could have played at smaller schools for college but opted to focus on my education instead of my basketball career.


8. How much time do you devote to Purdue basketball outside of games?

A: The past 3 years, I have spent approximately 20-35 hours a week doing Paint Crew related activities from Mid October-March.  Outside of that time frame it is usually somewhere between 1-3 hours a week.