Bluegrassrivals

Wednesday was Decision Day 2 for Terrence Jones.

The coveted 6-foot-9 forward from Portland, Ore., broke his mental deadlock between Washington and Kentucky, put pen to paper and reportedly signed a financial-aid offer — but not a national letter of intent — with the Cats.

My response: Smart move.

In a news conference nearly three weeks ago, he made a public commitment to Washington only to backpedal away from it as soon as he had completed the sentence, or as soon as he got on the phone to John Calipari.

Don't knock Jones for his indecision. He's a high school senior. Today's blue-chip recruits travel the country, if not the world, playing in AAU games, in meaningless All-Star extravaganzas, in star-studded shoe camps. Their frequent-flyer miles surpass their years. They're also still kids making the biggest decisions of their lives.

So why make it if you don't have to?

Why play a game rigged in favor of schools and put your name on a letter of intent?

Look at Brandon Knight. Jones must have.

I haven't seen enough of the Fort Lauderdale guard's game to judge his basketball IQ, but I know Knight is smart. Not from what he's done, but what he did not do.

He didn't sign a letter of intent. After committing to play for Calipari and Kentucky, Knight bypassed the traditional letter to instead ink a financial-aid agreement. That's a non-binding agreement. It means Kentucky must provide Knight with a full scholarship next season. It does not mean Knight has to attend UK.

Ditto for Jones.

"It was a precautionary measure," Tonya Knight, Brandon's mother, told Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.



Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/05/20/12724...z0oh7D04Po

Are the UK recruits afraid of the potential of Cal leaving as to why they are not signing letters of intent?

Stardust Wrote:Are the UK recruits afraid of the potential of Cal leaving as to why they are not signing letters of intent?

you may be on to something there..you never know

Just seemed odd that these player are not committing. Financial Aid filing has been around for a long time and you rarely hear players quasi-committing in this fashion. I guess these kids are giving themselves an out.

Stardust Wrote:Are the UK recruits afraid of the potential of Cal leaving as to why they are not signing letters of intent?

Of course. Who could blame them.

I am with John Clay, it is a smart move.

Stardust Wrote:Just seemed odd that these player are not committing. Financial Aid filing has been around for a long time and you rarely hear players quasi-committing in this fashion. I guess these kids are giving themselves an out.

Its smart for any player to do these days.

Aslan Wrote:Of course. Who could blame them.

Before i bash on Pitino. Is that directed to cal?

Yep.

I dont blame these kids one bit...with Cal you truly never know what the man is going to do, he has his agenda and these kids have theirs...They must be in the best possible situation to live their dream just as Cal must as well...I did the same thing as these kids did when I signed to play college soccer...I signed a financial aid agreement and then I decided the school I originaly signed with was truly not for me and got a better deal at the University of the Cumberlands. As a student/athlete you must not only take your self into consideration but your famlies as well...Once again great move on the parts of these two kids and I think more student athletes need to take notice of this.