I ask this because I can hardly think of anyone except Archie Goodwin and he now makes $1.6 million. I am old enough to remeber a number of highly touted recruits who did not pan out Derrick Hord is the one that comes to mind oh and Rashaad Carruth, Chuck Verdeber and Bret Bearup I could keep going but, Coach Cal has developed players better than any UK coach in my lifetime post Rupp.
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“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.â€-F. Scott Fitzgerald last line "The Great Gatsby" -
I think it's the Harrison Twins, and I also think that isn't fair of me to say. Harrow is a close 2nd place and I blame that on the staff, not him. -
The twins fell short but not by as much as some UK fans believe. They were solid players, not the phenoms that they were believed to be. Just didn't have the pop in their games that the great ones have.
Archie was a flop but he's one of those guys who, if he would've come along twenty years ago, would've been fine. Guy couldn't shoot and he was selfish. Not a good combo on a young team, and a team that was hit by a huge injury. He needed to fix that bazooka jumpshot he had.
Harrow was a total flop.
Poythress has been a flop in many ways, but his story hasn't been totally written.Comment
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^I know it is only a scrimmage game but Alex looks pretty good so far..12 points at the halfComment
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Orton, if you count him as a Cal recruit. Darnell Dodson. Harrow, for sure. James Young, too - at least for me.Comment
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I actually don't think three of those guys were flops at all. Orton was a solid back-up center, he just had no business thinking about being a one-and-done. Young was shaky but if he would've been a freshman in 1995, we would've thought of him as the second coming of Dan Issell because people would have done something we don't do in the Cal era: appreciate how young the guy was. And I thought Dodson was okay for what he was. Not a great player, but an okay seventh man.
When I think of "flop," I think of guys who just totally wash out and who just struggle more often than not. James Young started every game for a team that played for a national championship. I have a hard time seeing that as a flop.
What's disappointing about all those guys is that they were only here a year. But to me that's on Cal; that's obviously his MO. That's a big reason why they're here in the first placeComment
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I don't disagree with everything you've said, necessarily, but I also think "flop" means something a bit different in the Cal era. Young was, what, the #6 overall recruit? Something like that? You get a guy like that and you expect him to be stellar; Young was good, but he wasn't stellar. Unfair as it is, for a Cal player, that's a flop.Last edited by George; 10-27-2015, 10:03 PM.Comment
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Oh, and Tod Lanter. Don't know how I forgot about Lanter.Comment
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Harrow has been about the only true flop. He was overwhelmed at UK. He just didn't have the mental toughness to play at a top tier school like UK. Not really his fault either. Some people don't and I'm surprised Cal didn't see that in the year of practice he had before he could play in a game.
Some people weren't as good as advertised but weren't total flops or really poor players. Goodwin is one. He needed two more years and a lot of mental growth to be as good as he could have been. I thought Young was fine for the most part. I liked his game. Another year would have done him wonders too. Poythress certainly was in the disappointing area too. Lots of hype for him but I don't think he had the mental toughness early on. I believe he does now and if he stays healthy this year he will have a big year.
Harrisons were disappointing from the standpoint in that there was just something missing about them. I don't think they always had that competitive fire they needed. Much of the time they just glided along and didn't put in the effort required. When they did they were outstanding.Kentucky fan since 1971.Comment
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Orton sort of played the way I hope Isaac Humphries plays this year.
About 13 minutes per, 3 or 4 points a night, 2 or 3 boards. That would be a solid freshman year.
The difference is that I'm sure Humphries isn't as wild as Orton. I'll never forget sitting there at the SEC Tournament and watching Orton nearly get in a fight on the bench as the game was going on and have to be sent back to the locker room. Weird guy.Comment
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I say Orton but on a bigger scale in regards to the NBA, Doron Lamb. I really thought Lamb had a future at the next level but just has not been able to find a team and fit in. Another player no one is talking about is James Young, this NBA season for him will either make or break him. Can't really say the Harrison's because they helped a team to the Championship game and 38 straight wins.Comment
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