Perry is a great example of bad strategy and advice from his people in the new reality.
- Thread starter DrH. Lecter
- Start date
Perry is exactly the type of player who the portal is for.
Folks make it about money. Real deal financial opportunity applies to the 1% of the 1% of college athletes. He most likely would have made more here. Homegrown kid, even sitting on the bench, would have more local car, bank, real estate, pizza joint opportunities than he could shake a stick at. Plus whatever portion of that big NIL he was in line to get. Plus post graduation opportunities. Kentucky, Lexington specifically will set a former athlete up.
It’s about run. Always has been. The insane money for the top end talent, at the top end of D1/P4 overshadows the real reason players want to be mobile.
For the entirety of college sports history, the major “crime” against players was not “free labor”…it was kids getting sold a bill of goods in terms of playing.
Don’t come to my high school games, house, etc and pitch me if you’re not going to play me. Even worse, is actually getting the scholly and some run like Perry, doing well enough…then buried by mercenaries with 1 year of eligibility left or who will bounce to a conference rival next season.
How much talent over the years has just sat, and continually been recruited over because they really couldn’t transfer until they graduated or for some exceptional reason?
The uneven playing field in sports isn’t necessarily because of wealthy alumn, resources, facilities, etc…it’s because the guys down the depth chart who could ball at another program were stuck playing minor roles if at all.
Folks make it about money. Real deal financial opportunity applies to the 1% of the 1% of college athletes. He most likely would have made more here. Homegrown kid, even sitting on the bench, would have more local car, bank, real estate, pizza joint opportunities than he could shake a stick at. Plus whatever portion of that big NIL he was in line to get. Plus post graduation opportunities. Kentucky, Lexington specifically will set a former athlete up.
It’s about run. Always has been. The insane money for the top end talent, at the top end of D1/P4 overshadows the real reason players want to be mobile.
For the entirety of college sports history, the major “crime” against players was not “free labor”…it was kids getting sold a bill of goods in terms of playing.
Don’t come to my high school games, house, etc and pitch me if you’re not going to play me. Even worse, is actually getting the scholly and some run like Perry, doing well enough…then buried by mercenaries with 1 year of eligibility left or who will bounce to a conference rival next season.
How much talent over the years has just sat, and continually been recruited over because they really couldn’t transfer until they graduated or for some exceptional reason?
The uneven playing field in sports isn’t necessarily because of wealthy alumn, resources, facilities, etc…it’s because the guys down the depth chart who could ball at another program were stuck playing minor roles if at all.
He wasn’t good enough to play….yet. That’s why you work hard all off-season and make the coach play you —- the same thing Perry was willing to do when Cal was the coach. I think it’s best he left if he absolutely knew he couldn’t get to that point. Its sad —- I believed in him more than he believed in himself apparently
It's because of this that Alabama lost its massive advantage over everyone. The portal completely negated that. Now they can't horde five stars on the depth chart for three to four years.
You must remember a different Cameron Mills than I do. He was a walk-on (initially) NOT a freshman scholarship player like Perry. Mills also played DURING CLUTCH TIME in big games. He appeared in 31 games his junior year and 38 games his senior year - you're acting like he's some dude who sat the bench and was just happy to be in a Kentucky warmup.
Mills was a 2-year walk-on at Kentucky. His situation isn't anywhere near the same as Perry, a scholarship player and the all-time leading scorer in Kentucky history. Mills CHOSE to walk-on at Kentucky, then he CHOSE to stay at Kentucky and work towards a scholarship and increased playing time.
I agree with you, times have changed. In Mills era, it was far more common to understand redshirts, patience, etc. I don't disagree with you there. But Mill wasn't just happy to be there. He wanted to play, he wanted to compete, and that's what drove him to developing into the player we saw his junior and senior seasons
I said he never started. He worked his way up. Darius Miller rode the bench early but worked into a starting role. Derek Willis the same. They all sat the bench a lot in their 4 years. Travis is 6’ feet. The days of those have been over a while.
On another note. Mills hitting that bat out 3 against Duke is a great memory. Then Padgett, another Kentucky boy put them away.
There’s only so much run to be had.
Thus the original reason for all the mobility/turnover.
Life is a pyramid. Whether you’re talking sports, business/jobs/promotions/ladder climbing, mating/courtship.
You can do everything thing right, work hard, etc…so are a bunch of other candidates and there’s only so many supervisor/manager/next level up from the floor jobs available. If Steve gets the gig, great, you move on.
You can pursue the girl, be a gentleman, do everything right. So is every other guy who’s worth anything. If she picks someone else, you don’t hang around and “work hard” you move on.
Perry himself is a beneficiary of that. He worked hard and got an opportunity at UK over a 100 kids who were just as good if not better and who worked hard.
He’s going to get a shot somewhere over a 100 kids who are just as good if not better including someone already on the roster.
Doesn’t the portal tend to get larger in prison?Let me tell you where there is no portal.
PRISON
Sorry, I will see myself out.
Honestly speaking, he benefited from Pope year 1
If he is 2025 recruit, Pope would not even recruit him
Probably he will be the least talented player Pope will ever recruit...
But still grateful for him sticking out with pope at first
If he is 2025 recruit, Pope would not even recruit him
Probably he will be the least talented player Pope will ever recruit...
But still grateful for him sticking out with pope at first
I thought that was more of a football thing, going in as a tight end, being used as a full back, and coming out as a wide receiver.
He did have the "good fortune" of playing in a historically strong and old SEC. Did he get scared off realizing that he has to get faster and stronger? He probably understands that getting recruited over is standard operational procedure. I hope he gets more seasoning and comes back in the future.
Obviously. But there are countless examples of players who do. Especially bigs.
I just can't imagine any serious SEC team going after him. They all saw what we saw. He's a great shooter, but he couldn't be a sneeze guard at a salad bar much less in the SEC.
I think he would do well at a less competitive D1 like Murray or WKU or maybe even somewhere like Xavier.
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