Plan B.

[Dryfly88]

There were things that he was upset about, and I never said that Caleb was upset before the tournament...or that THAT was an issue. He was not happy certainly after what happened in the UALR game, but I mentioned it already, the issue is not that Caleb is unhappy or upset about things...heck, Caleb was not happy necessarily about ending up at Purdue in the first place...did not stop him from being the hardest worker on the team, being a really good player and finding a role and succeeding...nor would it be an issue if he were to return.

I specifically am not/did not intend for this to be a case of trying to gain attention...that said, I am not going to share specifics. You may perceive that as my being like a little kid that says he has a secret, but I see it as a case of things that were not meant to be public are not being made public, at least not by me in that I am in no way involved. You can in turn be pissed at me or what not, but it seems that there are other more pertinent parties that are involved (or should be) that it makes more sense to direct that at.

For that matter, what difference does it even make as to what reason(s) he was/is upset about...if he was/is upset, that is all that matters. Barnes has already stated on record that he believes that Caleb is the best power forward in college basketball...which I had suggested was delusional, but no doubt others would disagree with the notion...yet, if that is what he feels/believes, that is all that matters, as that is what has been his thought before Caleb played at Purdue, while Caleb played at Purdue, and what he will believe until he is drafted (whenever that may be).

Regardless, I will refrain from posting moving forward on the matter.

That would probably be best because you have done nothing but stir up a mess and then try to back out of it with double talk and lack of facts. I have no idea why you even posted what you did in the first place other than to get attention. I guess that worked for you, congratulations.

 

[mathboy]

DG10, I will let this go. I don't have any need to chew on this further. We are both Purdue fans, and I see no sense in making this a bigger issue. I know none of us were happy about the way the NCAA Tournament game ended. I am certain the both Biggie and Barnes disliked the result as well. Probably, like any parent, Barnes thought Biggie should have been on the floor at the time. In some ways, so do I. But it is what it is.

If Barnes or Biggie harbor a long term unhappiness with the program or with Coach Painter, well, that's another matter. Let's hope it is nothing along those lines.

Coach Painter played Biggie some of the longest minutes of any player on the team, which is very unusual for a freshman. Biggie got better, and the Purdue team benefitted from his play as well. IMHO, he got more minutes, and hence, more development than he would have gotten at MSU, so his recruiting decision was probably the correct one. Instead of being angry about AR-LR, he would have been angry about Middle Tenn. Same result, worse upset.

 

[PurdueCF12]

Right, because McDonald's All-American players are a dime a dozen at Purdue, as are guys that average a double-double.

Is it the end of the world if he leaves? Certainly not, but no way is Purdue a better team (or program) without him, never mind it changes entirely how the team plays at the offensive end of the floor.

Didn't say we'd be better. Said we will be fine with or without him.

And what would be better? 23-12 and a 2nd-round loss? Or 26-9 and a first-round loss?

 

[Beeazlebub]

Barnes has already stated on record that he believes that Caleb is the best power forward in college basketball...which I had suggested was delusional, but no doubt others would disagree with the notion...yet, if that is what he feels/believes, that is all that matters, as that is what has been his thought before Caleb played at Purdue, while Caleb played at Purdue, and what he will believe until he is drafted (whenever that may be).

If this is part of his strategy to mentor and instill confidence in Biggie, he's done an excellent job. Biggie is one of the most confident, fearless, and driven kids I've ever seen, and Barnes deserves credit for his part in this kid's development into a man.

There aren't many (any?) great players in the league who don't think they're better than everyone else. That kind of confidence, when supported with a foundation of maturity, work ethic, and skill, provides the competitive edge that is required to play at the highest level. He'll get an education when he goes against the omnipresent length & athleticism at the professional level, but who can doubt a kid as fearless and driven as he is?

I personally think he'd be better served with one more year at the college level, especially to show that he can shoot a higher % from 3 & value possessions (turnovers), but at this point I think it's better than 50% that he leaves.