http://www.kentucky.com/818/story/959852...ni_popular
Former walk-on Landon Slone expects to meet with John Calipari next week in hopes of convincing the Kentucky coach to permit him to rejoin the team.
It seems Slone will have to be especially persuasive.
While answering questions during an appearance at a Kiwanis Club of the Bluegrass meeting Thursday, Calipari did not sound likely to add Slone.
"I just don't keep walk-ons," the UK coach said when a club member asked about Slone. "I don't have time."
After suggesting he was unaware that Slone wanted back on the team, Calipari allowed that a rash of injuries might persuade him to add walk-ons.
"Short of that, I'll probably stay where we are," he said.
This time last year, former UK Coach Billy Gillispie had seven walk-ons on the roster. Those included Slone, who starred at Paintsville High and was named 2008 Appalachian Player of the Year.
As a freshman walk-on last season, Slone's high point came in scoring eight points against both Mississippi Valley State and Central Michigan. But in UK's 18 games against Southeastern Conference competition, he played in six games and only three times more than a minute. He scored two points.
Upon arriving at UK, Calipari made no secret of his wish to keep walk-ons to a minimum. By giving the unused 13th and final scholarship to Mark Krebs, the UK coach does not have a walk-on on the team.
After failing to arrange a meeting with Calipari this spring, Slone transferred to Morehead State. But less than a week into the fall semester at the new school he decided to return to UK as a student and seek a return to the team.
Slone said former players like Richie Farmer and Kyle Macy have encouraged him to let Calipari know about his strong desire to be on the Kentucky team.
"You just have to let him know how bad you want to play there," Slone said, "and how bad you want to be back on the team."
I applaud Landon for standing up for what he wants. However, I do not forsee his return happening.
This more than likely won't happen. What's his case for being there going to be? KY boy? 2 already on the team. I just don't see it. He should just wait for Billy G to land somewhere and not play, save his other 3 years for when Billy G gets a job.
Well, shouldn't he had made his pitch to live out his dream months ago instead of trotting to Morehead? Then, making a U-Turn back to UK?
Although I'd like to see Landon playing for UK - I just don't see it happening.
Cal historically gives players second chances but this is a different situation. Coach Cal just doesnt like walkons.
This is an absolute travesty that some people would go through the media, WYMT and news paper article's, to try and make Calipari take someone he dosen't want or need. What is it about Slone that some of you think he belongs at UK? So it's his dream to play for UK. How many kid's in the state of Kentucky want to play for UK, and have had the same dream as Slone? Because you dream of something dosen't mean it's going to come true. If Cal lets Slone come back to this team he's doing the biggest injustice to this program that anyone could possibly do. Here's my suggestion, if a kid want's to be part of a program that bad go to your local mall and buy all the UK paraphernalia you can, get you a good seat in the student section and yell your lungs out for your team.
Look, face it, Slone isn't good enugh to play in the SEC, especially for UK. These players at UK now would embarrass him so much he would be like a duck out of water. Why would you want to see this happen.
Bottom line is just because you want something really, really bad dosent mean you're going to get it nor deserve it.
I enjoyed watching Landon play last season. What Jamey said made sense...this may have been better for Landon had he done this before leaving UK for Morehead and then transferring back to UK. I don't see Calipari allowing him to play for a number of reasons; he isn't a big fan of walk-ons, and Calipari said himself he doesn't like a large roster because that could take away from practices and so forth, etc. I wish Landon the best of luck in whatever his future holds!
Kentucky dosn't need anybody else!!
He will not be there calipari said it is highly unlikly cause he dosnt like walk ons so dont get your hopes up
I hope he gets to come back
I don't think it will happen. Wished it would though.
StrikeoutKing Wrote:I enjoyed watching Landon play last season. What Jamey said made sense...this may have been better for Landon had he done this before leaving UK for Morehead and then transferring back to UK. I don't see Calipari allowing him to play for a number of reasons; he isn't a big fan of walk-ons, and Calipari said himself he doesn't like a large roster because that could take away from practices and so forth, etc. I wish Landon the best of luck in whatever his future holds!
From what I have read in other blogs and from those close to the Morehead program, Slone was getting humiliated in the Morehead scrimmages. I would say he left that program because he found it obvious that he could never play at Morehead either. Maybe if he had gone into Morehead simply being proud to be an Eagle, instead of going in with the arrogant "I was a Wildcat attitude" things may have worked out for him better at Morehead, and he would have been respected a little little more by his Morehead teammates. Perhaps this is all just a carefully calculated ploy by Slone to try to work up the sympathy support from UK fans and play the old "I'm a Kentucky boy and this is my dream" plot to the hilt. What does he have to loose, (except the self respect he has already diminished from himself)? It's obvious and has been proven that he is not able to play major D1 basketball. At least if he can still wear something with a big blue K on it, he can still stroll through the mall and be worshiped by the little kiddies. Perhaps not being able to stand in the limelight anymore has as much to do with all that has transpired than anything. Not being able to be the local hometown hero and be worshipped anymore for some is a hard fact of life to go through. I cant for the life of me figure out why this whole story gets press time, and why so many people cannot figure out what Slone's whole agenda is.
Most of us grew up wanting to be Wildcats too. That was our dream. Obvious that 99.9999999% of us were told to hit the road too.
seriously. landon is a good player, but there is no way he would be able to play one minute in a Kentucky uniform now that Coach Cal is bringing in these top star recruits. I understand the dream to play for UK basketball but if he really wants to PLAY then he needs to go to a smaller school where he might have a chance. And especially after Coach Cal has said he doesn't like walk-ons. Its over, focus on the rest of your career and academics.
Well all know Slone doesn't have to worry about paying for college, his parents are more than capable of doing that, but why not go somewhere on a scholarship and get it paid for? Be a responsible young man and save your parents some money.
No way does landon play for the New and improved cats. He might try Pikeville. I hope he doesnt play for Gillespie. Well i take that back,,he can play for who ever he wants too but gillespie is a piece of crap. It is amazing that the greatest college program in the world could have hired such a jerk. He disrespected everything blue and white.
Its just not going to happen, coach cal has no intentions of letting landon on the team, he should go to pikeville or alice loyd or something and get some playing time
Glad Im a WV and Herd fan first. If Ky was the only team a man rooted for in football it would be like having a root canal every day.hehe painful painful
Slone will never wear a UK jersey again unless he buys a John Wall jersey and wears it around Paintsville.
It aint gonna happen... and if it does, even if it means playing for UK who would want to ride the bench four years?
Good lord, this is getting old!
Landon Slone, I'm sorry but you do not have the talent to be on this UK team. Under Gillispie, yes you did, and you were on the team. Under Calipari, no. And there is no point in it. If Calipari just let whoever "really, really wanted to" be on the team, then half this state would be UK walk-ons. If Slone gets anything it will be out of pity, which would be a sorry way to gain a spot on the team.
I highly doubt he was getting humiliated by MSU players...Maybe the best on the team, but not any other ones. **** i've played pick-up games with them, they are not that special.
vundy33 Wrote:I highly doubt he was getting humiliated by MSU players...Maybe the best on the team, but not any other ones. **** i've played pick-up games with them, they are not that special.
A pickup game isn't exactly the same as a "real" game with a coach and, well, the game actually meaning something.
I've seen UK players shooting around at the gym before on UK's campus, and you certainly can't compare playing for "fun" with playing in an actual game.
I meant they don't have that much pure skill...I'm sure they play 10x better as a team. Now UK players, that's a different story. They DO have that much pure skill.
vundy33 Wrote:I highly doubt he was getting humiliated by MSU players...Maybe the best on the team, but not any other ones. **** i've played pick-up games with them, they are not that special.
Actually the player that guarded Slone in open gym was John Lamb. He was the 7th or 8th man last year for MSU and will probably be 10th man this year that frustrated Slone to no end. The players at MSU are certanly better than a UK walk on. The kid in open gym that could have played at MSU is Jonathan Ferguson. Johnathan held his own with most of the guards at MSU.
When you can't get a shot off and can't guard the 7th or 8th man from last years team that tells me a lot about a player. Go to MSU and ask the people that played with Slone how good a player he is.
vundy33 Wrote:I meant they don't have that much pure skill...I'm sure they play 10x better as a team. Now UK players, that's a different story. They DO have that much pure skill.
I think you know very little about basketball to make a statement like this.
vundy33 Wrote:I highly doubt he was getting humiliated by MSU players...Maybe the best on the team, but not any other ones. **** i've played pick-up games with them, they are not that special.
MSU made the NCAA tournament and gave Louisville a pretty decent game, I wouldn't say they aren't special.
vundy33 Wrote:I highly doubt he was getting humiliated by MSU players...Maybe the best on the team, but not any other ones. **** i've played pick-up games with them, they are not that special.
Were you there? People that were there, said he was humiliated.
How could somebody that has been in the Army the last two years have played pickup with this group?
Truth is Landon Slone was overrated and that's saying something. I wouldn't doubt at all that Slone was getting humiliated by the Morehead players. They have a pretty good team over there. If this was true, how in the world does he think he will be able to make a John Calipari UK team? I wish him well, he is a good kid. I like the "negativity" (I guess you could call it) of kyrifle. Just because you have a dream, doesn't mean it will come true. I like that because it's true.
Don't get me wrong, Landon comes from a great family and has a good head on his shoulders. He will succeed in life because of his attitude toward life and faith in the Lord. I applaud him for that, but this situation here just simply won't work. Slone should realize this.