Friday, February 17, 2012

And There You Have It.

Barlow Done at Purdue
So just as this Purdue team was starting to gain traction for the first time all season, stupidity strikes, and the end result is a starter/sixth man is no longer on the team and another is suspended.

Matt Painter did the right thing here...and I'm sure this is something he was hoping to never have to do.  He had given Barlow a small margin for error following his problems and subsequent suspension last season...so last night's fight, that seems to have stemmed from Barlow acting like a hot head, ends with Byrd suspended and Barlow booted.

MSU manhandled a full-strength, but fatigued, Purdue squad last month...and to beat them, Purdue would have greatly-benefitted from everyone being available and focused on the job at hand.  Instead, you have a bunch of players that have been given the gag order from Painter about last night's incident, who are surely thinking about what went down, trying to get back to the job at hand- beating the seventh-best team in America.

With the disciplinary action, LewJack, TJohn, Smith, AJ and Hart will have to play good, no, great games to beat MSU...as will the rest of their teammates.
"Are you F-ing Serious that this is happening...Again?"

9 comments:

B-Kizzle said...

I seriously want to throw up right now. My hands are shaking just typing this. Just when things started looking up...

BoilerWhat said...

This team is porked. Not enough time so find rhythm.

Alec said...

@BoilerWhat: Porked is a definite possibility, but the glass half full view could be that this could be a rallying point. Sure, Barlow was a big part of the team and had been getting bigger, but now is an opportunity for one or multiple players to step it up.

Of course, if you're talking about the game on Sunday, then yeah, I think they're porked.

Unknown said...

Agree with Painter doing this. Some days I feel like Painter is overpaid. Days like today I feel like he isn't paid enough. This is all on Barlow, and it's a damn shame as he was just becoming a real force for Purdue on the hardwood. This has been in many ways a lost season. I feel bad for Rob to have to deal with this BS after all he's been through rehabbing.

zlionsfan said...

I hope Barlow gets things straightened out soon. There are more than a few ex-athletes who never seem to get their lives in order once their careers are done. Hopefully he's just a young guy who made a few bad decisions.

Sucks for the team, of course, but I don't think it makes a lot of difference against MSU - that was going to be a difficult game to win at full strength. I'm not sure it'll have much of an impact the rest of the way, except perhaps in the Michigan game, and even that I thought tilted slightly toward UM based on the game in Mackey. Purdue should still finish no worse than 9-9, 19-12, and that would set them up for a tournament bid, providing they don't face-plant in the first round in Indy.

I totally support Painter on this. There have to be consequences for actions, up to and including dismissal from the team, or else you end up with something like Michigan State football. Hopefully the rest of the team (and the incoming recruits) will get the message.

We'll see what happens Sunday, see how the team faces a challenging situation, but I think the bigger key will be Wednesday. This team, even without Barlow, should beat Nebraska soundly in Mackey. I'm looking forward to that game, and hoping that Izzo gets a nasty surprise on Sunday.

Anonymous said...

Is this why the team has been struggling? They have been getting hammered and closing down bars? Why are any of the players out drinking past midnight during the season and in the middle of the week?

Now, I cultivated my love for beer while at Purdue like many alums so I sort of understand, but I didn't have a scholarship on the line! Total FUBAR!

J Money said...

I know what you're saying, boxer, but as you note...it's something that goes on in college. Always need to keep in mind these are young guys. Doesn't excuse any of it, but makes it a bit more understandable.

Zlions -- I think you're underestimating Barlow's talent. He will definitely be missed. Other guys will need to step up and that's not a given that it'll automatically happen.

BTFUSC said...

While I am definitely disappointed in the actions of Barlow, I am not surprised. Everyone knows that Barlow is a hot head and this sort of thing was inevitable. I am just glad that it happened to the kid now as opposed to later when he wouldn't have a network of support around him.

Barlow was a virus on this team, just think about all of the negative things to come from the Purdue basketball team in the last few years, in nearly all of them(excluding injuries) Barlow was involved.

As far as Byrd is concerned, I agree with Painter's decision as there need to be consequences for actions. But, I understand the situation he was in. My brother is a hot head and I have been put in similar situations due to him mouthing off late into the evening while out on the town. I generally try not to fight whenever possible, but when your brother is mouthing off, you have to back him up, even when you know he's wrong. I think Byrd was in a similar situation here.

Hell, Ryno just had something similar happen during the Northwestern game when Barlow mouthed off, and everyone on this site was celebrating Ryne backing up his teammate on the basketball floor, as you should. I see no difference here.

Andrew said...

Is this why the team has been struggling? They have been getting hammered and closing down bars? Why are any of the players out drinking past midnight during the season and in the middle of the week?

I'm worried about that too, but I look at it this way:

Barlow's b-day is the 14th
Game is on the 15th so he can't go out late on the 14th
Exhausted on the 15th so no going out
16th is 1st night to go out and have fun. It's been 2 days and he wants to unwind from the waiting. So he blows off too much steam.