Indeed, how do rumors get going?
Well, these days, people just hit "retweet" on Twitter and spread things that people say. It has to be pretty damn ludicrous to be dismissed. Well, we had some lunacy on Twitter and GBI tonight.
Let's just get into them and I'll tell you my thoughts.
Rumor 1: Kelsey Barlow was suspended because Kelsey and Ryne got into a scuffle / fistfight / swordfight / gunfight / steel death cage match and Ryne is now also out for Friday, and potentially injured / catatonic / bedridden / dead.
This does not appear to be true. I think this was just one of those things that some bozo put out there to see if it would get traction....and it did. We suddenly began getting notes around midnight Eastern that they'd brawled and that Ryne was now out, too, and this was why Barlow was suspended. I saw it gain steam in a number of venues and, well, as I said, that's the nature of electronic media these days, folks.
Now, understand, I can't confirm for 100% certain that they didn't get into a duel where they walked ten paces, turned and fired....but I'm reasonably confident this isn't what happened. And if it does turn out that Ryne conked his head somehow, well, I still won't believe Kelsey bonked him with a brick or something.
This is a physical team that has presumably been practicing hard to regain the intensity they had for the month of February. Collisions happen. Don't believe nonsense if it sounds like nonsense.
Rumor 2: Kelsey Barlow was suspended because he failed a drug test.
I wasn't even going to address this one because it seemed rather far-fetched. I mean, I'm not saying college students don't ever partake, but I figured a few things. For one, it's the week of the NCAA tournament. For Kelsey to do such a thing would be purely idiotic. For another, as we've documented here, Purdue's drug policy is laughable. Even if Kelsey was being stupid, it would probably be hard to violate the policy enough times to be suspended.
Ah, unless...unless the coaching staff decided unilaterally that that kind of behavior and poor judgment is not what we expect from our players.
I came to this conclusion after multiple sources, including a media member, indicated that this was exactly the case. I want to stress, however, that none of them is willing to go on record with this or say it is "confirmed." It does cause me to hesitate a bit, but this failed drug test rumor is already circulating and I've heard more than once that it has come from a "source within the athletic department."
If that is indeed true, then the already-lacking Purdue athletic department needs to shore things up and do a better job of controlling the flow of information. Finding out through leaks makes everyone look bad.
And if this is true about Kelsey -- and yes, we're holding out hope that somehow the people claiming it (and tweeting it) are flat wrong -- then we may have seen the last of him in a Purdue uniform.
Addendum:
We have it on very good authority that the fighting rumors can and should be put to bed. My advice is to keep the faith...this might be the best possible thing for everyone involved right now.
14 comments:
I'm glad you felt it necessary to comment on what people are saying in the wee hours of the morning. I'll just add that I'm not willing to fuel the fire under the rumors. I think it would be prudent of all of us to hold our judgment of this entire situation until an actual, official statement is released by the team or the university.
We've got basketball to play this Friday. Let's focus on playing that game with the players that remain, and iron out our disappointment/hatred/tears/whatever emotion you may be feeling ... later.
Agreed.
Guys, I've been busy with work and I thought I had a couple days off before I became totally distracted with March Madness. I'm going to bed now on the left coast and I expect all will be good in Boiler Town when I awake. I pass no judgements but I really hate it when these kids violate team rules when it must be crystal clear what the rules are. I've met Coach Painter and I just can't see the guy playing games... If he suspends Barlow, then I believe he did it for a reason. We have plenty of talent to fill his shoes. And, to Kelsey Barlow... if you are reading this... Make your free throws and knock down those 12 footers. You've been ballin" since you were five years old... act like it, ok?
I don't know much. But here's what I can confirm: That song is awesome...and any rumor about the lead singer being involved with a woman probably has no legs.
Of all the things being said on Twitter last night, my favorite was that Smith and Marcius had left the team to start a Hall & Oates cover band. I think that would be a loss to the team...but one everyone would applaud as there simply aren't enough H & O cover bands around.
If you see Smith with a mustache anytime soon, you can tell everyone where you heard it first!!
Scoop!
Bleacher report says drugs:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/637269-kelsey-barlow-suspended-fails-drug-test
Hopefully the rumors of the fighting and injuries in paractice aren't true. It's way too late in the season for either grueling or heated practices. That's what December is for.
As long as we're well rested, playing smart, and playing with a chip on our shoulder we should be fine.
J Money-
IF it is a failed drug test why would you say we may have seen the last of KB in Old Gold and Black? One the drug policy is laughable, Two, everyone uses drugs (in some form or another), Three- didn't LewJack have a momentary case of the munchies last off season and that hasn't kept him out.
I try not be too frustrated but man, look how difficult it is for Purdue to put a team together and stay together- Hummel injuries, Scott Martin transfer, Barlow suspended....it would be nice if we could keep all our recruited talent together and get them on the floor at once. I mean, we've been a Top 10 team WITHOUT that luxury, imagine how good Matt Painter's teams could be.
PS- Here's to Kansas losing early and ND v Purdue matchup in the 16...would love to give Scott Martin a huge dose of get bent.
Ben, there's more to what's happening than just the most-recent suspension. Barlow has been given the gag order from Painter a few times due to his loose tongue with the media. And there are other stories circulating about internal discipline that Painter's thrown KB's way a few times. The timing of this couldn't be worse, and that'll be remembered by his teammates. I think it's fair to say his dismissal is squarely on the table as an option, at this point.
LewJack's run in with the law was two years ago, not last season and he was suspended because of it.
I never like hearing people say things like "everyone uses drugs". I don't agree with it, nor do I think it's accurate.
Hopefully a few things fall into place in our Boilers' path...Purdue can still do a ton of damage in this tourney, with or without Barlow.
http://www.donbest.com/ncaab/injuries/
Has Smith listed as "out for the peacock game with a concussion" Hopefully this website just jumped the gun and made some assumptions. Hopefully. . .
He's questionable...he'll be dressing though.
How do we know any of this to be true about injuries to Smith and Hart? Losing Barlow is one thing, but we can't afford to lose Hart and DEFINITELY not Smith. Someone needs to squash the rumors with an official statement.
Why?
Painter knows the truth, the team knows the truth. They are the only ones who need to know to gameplan.
What St. Peter's and the next opponent don't know really does affect them.
Why spoil the only positive (basketball) thing from the situation: Unknown.
PS - Kudos to Painter. Clean program award!!! Izzo and Painter run great programs. Glad they're both in our league...More Thankful that Matt is our coach!
Ryne Smith did indeed incur a concussion, but it had nothing to do with barlow. Jeff washburn has blogged about it over at the J&C - where its not initially obvious who posted the blog if you click on the 'your blog title' (that washburn apparently hasnt figured out how to change yet) it links to his profile page.
the source is:
http://tinyurl.com/47wh5et
and says:
"As for rumors floating around about Ryne Smith, I can report that according to his father, Bruce, Smith caught an inadvertent elbow from E'Twaun Moore in Sunday's practice and suffered a mild concussion. Smith did not practice Monday, failed a concussion test Tuesday but passed it on Wednesday. According to Bruce Smith, Ryne should be go to go Friday night, which is in keeping with what Purdue's media game notes say, listing Smith as a starter vs. Saint Peter's.
As for John Hart possibly re-injuring the foot he broke in December, there's nothing definite to report. With no confirmation, again, I do not like to speculate."
so rest easy about Ryne, he should be fine.
Dowdy Dowd-
I guess it is a broad brush to say everyone uses drugs- but for the most part it is a very accurate statement. Maybe not everyone uses illicit or illegal drugs, but in some form or another drugs are prevalent.
I guess if you were to get away from it, you'd be an athlete at BYU. But a bump on a key, a bong rip, a drink of caffeine, a cigarette toke or a long neck of beer...I'd say just about everyone falls under that categorization. Maybe not ALL...but pretty close.
I'm disappointed most by the timing of this- conduct detrimental to your team (teammates) in March when you're a basketball player- not what you want to see.
Again, I also applaud MP for sticking to his guns and running a clean program. I guess I didn't realize KB had become the problem that he was. Hopefully The Cliz is right and if it is a behavioral thing, it could actually help the squad by taking away a distraction.
Regardless come Friday, if we don't find our defensive intensity again and we continue to try to live by the jump shot, we will die a short death in the tourney by the jump shot.
Here's to great defensive intensity, and the rebirth of dribble penetration- layup, dunk, free throw or dish to hit an open shooting guard....(basically here's to not playing ball anything like the IOWA or MSU game.)
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