NCAA Tournament 2011: Purdue Basketball: Reaction To the Kelsey Barlow Situation

By now you have all heard that Kelsey Barlow is out for the post season.  We all learned this from a statement issued by Coach Matt Painter yesterday afternoon and the news swirled around the internet like wild fire.

Did anyone expect anything else though?

Barlow was a trending topic on Twitter in the United States and was just overall blowing up.

Last night is when everything started to hit the fan, however.  Rumors of Barlow were swirling the internet and I must admit I took some of these rumors in.  I read the message boards, I read the tweets, but in all reality it really doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter what Kelsey Barlow did to deserve this suspension, and speculating on what he did is just down right outrageous.

Sure we all have our opinions on the situation and our own thoughts, but the fact is, it doesn't matter, and is nothing to worry about right now.

Right now, Purdue fans need to worry about supporting the team and beating Saint Peters.

With or without Barlow, the Boilermakers will not quit and will continue to fight for the Final Four appearance that every Purdue fan has been craving since the arrival of the "Baby Boilers."

So here is a challenge to Boilermaker fans: Let the Barlow situation play out, don't be fooled by the rumors you hear on the internet, nothing is official until it comes from the Purdue Athletic Department.

Purdue will be fine without Barlow. The Boilermakers will miss the toughness he brings to the floor, but will no longer have to worry about those bad passes that earned him the nickname GDB.

Purdue is deep in the guard position and expect Terone Johnson to step up for the Boilermakers to take his minutes.

It's not over for the Boilermakers, just focus on the team on the court, because all of the off the court issues are not worth the time. 

James Evens serves as a National Featured Columnist for college football and basketball, as well as the FC for the Purdue Boilermakers.   Follow him on Twitter or like him on Facebook.