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Yeah that's the point. Conman Cal played a hobling midget over a 4 year Ky kid who was as good or better and it showed when he finally was given a little clock towards the end.
Would also remind any and everyone to go back and check Hood squaring off against the great defender Bledsoe prior to Kentucky. Maybe the pressure of playing at Kentucky was too much to handle or maybe this was a classic case of a mismanaged player? Hood's family has been very vocal about his time at Kentucky. Still doesn't mean he would be a all time Kentucky legend or NBA all pro but he was still better than Mays..
It don't matter, we missed a golden opportunity of maybe two to three more Championships in the Cal era and that's what stings the most..Last edited by KentuckyWild2020; 02-09-2025, 11:19 PM.Comment
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Mays was okay. That was a pretty low-talent team for Cal. Still thought they woulda made the NCAA Tournament if Nerlens didn't get hurt.
One thing Mays was able to do that helped that team and almost still got them in the tournament: he played point guard after Ryan Harrow lost it. I saw them beat Florida late that season and Mays had to play point because Harrow either had bailed on the team or was just lost out there. Did a good job iirc.
I don't think there was any conspiracy against Jon Hood because another Kentucky kid from my region, Jarrod Polson, played on some really good UK teams and had a solid career. So Cal wasn't really a conspirator against anybody imo. I didn't think Hood would play a whole lot after I saw him play in the King of the Bluegrass over there and he just looked like an okay player, nothing special. Was probably a lot like Travis Perry might be in that he would've benefited from a lower level than Kentucky.Comment
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I mentioned it because I knew JWORLD would reiterate his conspiracy theory regarding white kids from KY not getting a fair shake under Calipari.
Hood unfortunately just wasn’t on the level needed to play here.
Polson was from Nicholasville btw.Comment
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Dropping the race component, as you have, and I’d agree. In fact I’m guilty of it as well to an extent.
If a KY kid is good enough to play here then I’ve always hoped UK would successfully recruit them, and I think the walk-ons should be from Kentucky as well.
There’s just a little something extra for the guys who grew up here watching Uk basketball, I think there are fans that hope to see those guys catch on and be on important parts of the team. Kentucky has never won a title without a KY guy playing a big part on the team.Comment
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The Jessamine schools came in when I was in high school. We drew them once in the region in baseball and they were the best team. We won. Shining moment of my high school career, probably. But I digress.
What probably happened with them is they were tired of getting their brains beat in by the Lexington teams so when Jessamine went to East and West, they lobbied to get out and into the 12th. Jessamine can usually hold their own with schools in their district, which would be Garrard and Mercer.Comment
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We all want any KY kid to succeed here. Miller, Perry, Noah, Ravi, Brandon Stockton, (you name them) and it's because they're kind of living out our dream. What UK fan growing up as a kid didn't shoot baskets in their driveway pretending to be a UK player? I just think sometimes we let it blind us to the fact that some of them aren't as good as we want to think they are, if that makes sense. Anyway, Noah and Perry I think can both contribute as their careers progress. Noah is already ahead of where we thought he'd be. I'm glad he wasn't on the opposing team Saturday.Comment
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There was a stretch where KY wasn’t producing many division 1 guys at all and I think that probably accounts for some of that.
Having Darius Miller, Scotty Hopkins, and Shelvin Mack in one year, for example, was an anomaly.Comment
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The old Kentucky kid debate, never fails.
Let me guess, Jon Hood was from Kentucky, he was supposed to play right???? Lol lol,
Farthest from the truth. There are a whole lot of Jon Hood type players that play for many other college teams that are very good, just saying. It's more of a system thing and he just didn't fit Calipari's system.
Calipari will always prefer a athlete above and beyond anything else. He still believe athletes gives him the better chance defensively and a EASY TWO high percentage shot via dunk or layup triumphs over anything.
Anyways, it don't matter, could care less about Jon Hood.
Reality, Calipari had 50 plus NBA players that was affiliated with Kentucky and he had one Championship. Championships are very hard to come by but still believe we missed at least two more under Calipari, that's what stings the most...
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The irony though about Jon Hood is that he was a better athlete than he was a basketball player.Comment
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This is true.
Still, it's way to early in the morning for all this today lol lol ....
Put it to you this way, I don't think Hood was a great player but also not as bad as some may think. I think it was a classic case of a kid who lacked confidence because his coach didn't believe in him. Add the pressure of being a Kentucky kid with expectations playing for Kentucky and that was that.
Hood didn't do himself any favors by not being a knock down shooter.
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