Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
Recruiting has certainly been strange in the past few months hasnt it? Because of Billy Clyde’s “wide net” philosophy, we learn of one player’s name one day, another the next and a third “surprise JUCO big man” the next. Unless you have a program, it is hard to keep up and no one can really claim to know where the staff is headed next. However of all the names that have popped up on the UK radar, none is more head-turning than Bud Mackey. You remember Bud Mackey right? The talented kid from Scott County that you watched help his team to a state title and thought to yourself, “boy we gotta have that kid at UK!” Of course Mackey spurned UK’s advances (in part because of the lag time of a coaching change) and ended up following the man who truly “discovered” Mackey on the national level, Kelvin Sampson, at Indiana. Rumors persisted after the commitment that he might still consider UK and he had been known to play pickup games with the guys on the team. But Mackey insisted he was IU bound and left UK fans wondering if the next Chris Lofton was once again leaving the state.
But then came one of the more shocking incidents I can ever remember in covering recruiting. Mackey was arrested at his school with crack cocaine and later charged with trafficking in a controlled substance, a charge that got him kicked off of Scott County’s team and led to his scholarship being pulled by Indiana. From out of nowhere, a kid whose future looked so promising, seemed to see his life crumble before him in a manner that no one could have forseen. Mackey disappeared off the face of the planet, with rumors that he was enrolling in schools ranging from Tennessee to Georgia later being found to be incorrect. One wondered what would happen to Mackey and if he would ever be heard from again….so much talent, seemingly gone down the drain.
But then came news that only the internet world could create. On Bud Mackey’s Myspace page, it was posted that he was coming to Kentucky and the message boards lit up. Mackey’s page (assuming of course it is him, which is always touch and go) has multiple references to UK and what he will do in Lexington next year, making folks wonder if the young man who is still up for crack cocaine charges could end up in Blue and White. Debates have raged on whether Mackey should be considered by the school and to what extent a player that was deemed to be too risky by the sketchy Kelvin Sampson can be given another shot at his home state school. There is no doubt he has the talent, and no one who looks at next year’s roster could challenge the fact that the Cats could use him, but the question remains: Should Kentucky take a chance on Mackey?
First a disclaimer. None of us REALLY know what is going on with Mackey’s case. As with all criminal proceedings, the devil is often in the details and when discussing the situation, we all come to it with a degree of ignorance. Early reports suggested that Mackey smelled of marijuana at school and thus was searched, when the crack rocks were found. He has been charged with possession and trafficing, thanks to his alleged statement to the police that he was holding it for someone else. Those charges are still pending and he still faces a potential jail sentence for the charge. It can likely be assumed that Mackey will get no answer from UK or any other school until those charges have been resolved, and I am unaware as to whether that date has been finally set. But this isnt a little deal. Mackey faces jail time and until the criminal proceeding has been worked out, UK will almost certainly not bite.
But what if Mackey ends up doing no jail time? Do you let him on UK’s team then? Many UK fans are championing the view that “hey, everyone makes mistakes, so why not?” While I agree with that view in principle (after all I am a bit of a bleeding heart), I have to wonder how much of that notion is believed solely because Mackey can play basketball. If you believe that people should be given second chances that is fine, but you have to believe that across the board. Mackey does not deserve a greater second chance than any young man who is found with drugs for the first time, simply because he is great at basketball. I would hope that those clamoring for mercy for Mackey and his potential spot on UK’s basketball team, also believe that other young men and women should be given second chances and that those on other college basketball teams (including our rivals) were deserving of their second chances for much less serious crimes. If they do, then that is fine….if they dont then that is hypocrisy.
The fact is that letting Bud Mackey on the team opens UK up to a lot of criticism. The University will face fire from the media, internal pressure from those in the University and the taunts of fans and coaches from other teams for the decision. This isnt a simply traffic violation or even a marijuana possession charge. This is CRACK….a serious drug on SCHOOL property. Young men all over this country are getting locked up for long amounts of time for this same charge. Allowing one of those lucky enough to escape jail time (if he indeed does) on your basketball team is quite a statement. I can only imagine what the fan bases of opposing teams will chant at Kentucky over Mackey’s four years and Cats’ fans ability to level charges that other teams (like UT and UL football) are composed only of “thugs” will be severely dampened when one of the best basketball players on UK’s team was arrested for crack possession. Whether for it or against it, the realization needs to be understood…take Mackey, and to much of the country we are simply the same as Memphis….now and for the near future.
I like Bud Mackey a great deal on the court and have had positive interactions with him off the court. I was shocked when the news came out because I have always considered Bud a likeable kid. But this is serious business. We dont know for sure if Kentucky is interested in Mackey. In fact, the only evidence we have is simply a myspace posting that could be incorrect or misinterpreted. But either way, that same posting has begun a debate on whether Mackey is the type of kid that should be playing for UK. I take no position on the debate as to what type of kid Mackey is and whether UK has people of similar character on its team. I dont know Mackey well and I am sure that 99% of those engaged in the debate dont know him at all. However what type of person Mackey may be is not the issue. The issue is whether Kentucky wants to be the type of basketball program that takes kids in his position on the team because they are great at dribbling a basketball. I dont think that traditionally that is the type of program UK has been and I dont think it should be that type of program now. Bud Mackey may very well deserve a second chance….I tend to believe most people in life do. He may very well even deserve to have a college give him the opportunity to go play basketball and straighten out his life. However even though he may be a great basketball talent, Kentucky doesnt have to be, and in my view shouldnt be, that college.
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February 29th, 2008 at 12:58 am
Get him here!
February 29th, 2008 at 1:03 am
He deserves a second chance…ELSEWHERE. Or at least grant him walk on status allowing us to give him the boot if he so much as farts in the wrong direction.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:07 am
The kid was carrying crack on him at school. Whether it was his or he really was holding it for someone is irrelevant. He deserves to be punished. I don’t know if he needs jail time, that’s for the courts to decide. I do know he waived his rights to anything as good as a free college education and the chance to play on the most storied basketball program in history. Lock him up or don’t, but he should not wear a UK jersey. PERIOD!
February 29th, 2008 at 1:08 am
“…begun a debate on whether Mackey is the type of kid that should be playing for UK. I take no position on that debate.”
“However even though he may be a great basketball talent, Kentucky doesnt have to be, and in my view shouldn’t be, that college.”
Huh? That sounds like a definite “position”.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Josh Hamilton was a man that had a world of talent and made some horrible choices. He got help and was given the chance by the Reds to play baseball. He was put on strict guidelines and not only did he turn his career around he now speaks to kid’s about the choices he made.
Give the kid the same chance as every other student but give him guidelines and restrictions. If he truly wants to turn his life around he will accept and abide by these rules.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:13 am
I meant a broader question about what kind of kid Mackey is as a person…I should have made that clearer and will….
February 29th, 2008 at 1:17 am
There are a lot of talented kids out there that do the right things and don’t cause trouble. Recruit them. Sign them. If Bud is the best we can do then we’re in some serious trouble.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:20 am
I think that Mackey does deserve a second chance. But I think that second chance should be at a second tier university where he can get a good education and where basketball isn’t the premier sport. Any high profile university that offers him a scholarship will be accused on being mercenary and lacking in ethical standards - a “win at any cost” mentality. But if he goes to a good, smaller college I think that would be viewed as having paid a price for his actions, and he could try to redeem himself outside the media spotlight that would be engendered if he went to a school like UK. No matter how good he is, he would be too divisive to the fan base and bring unneeded notoriety & rival fan abuse to the team IMHO.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:23 am
Matt, are you saying him playing at UK period would not be good for the school or just if he is offered a scholarship? I am not for him receiving a scholarship, but from what I read tonight, he could be given the opportunity to try out with all the other kids who want to walk-on and earn a spot on the team. Personally, I would find that perfectly acceptable.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:38 am
i agree with 9, give him a chance as a walk on…if he proves hes changed and has learned a lesson then he ca earn a scholarship over time…..the kid is what 17?….maybe 18?…..everyone makes mistakes or falls in with the wrong crowd……if he shows that he is serious and knows he done wrong, then he deserves to be forgiven….
February 29th, 2008 at 1:43 am
everyone deserves a second chance..obviously Mackey made a very poor decision. However, if the kid has never been in trouble before and has always been a good person before, I say let the kid play at UK if indeed BCG wants him..I know this may send a message that UK is like other schools like Memphis or Cincinnati under Huggins, but this could be an isolated occurence for UK to accept a player like this..those other schools seem to thrive on getting players like that..if he plays at UK he will need to know exactly what he will be getting into and if he does anything at all to jeopordize the integrity of the university, send him on his way…I’m all for people getting a second chance, but when you have a team full of second chance players, that’s when problems happen.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:59 am
I can see the signs & hear the chants at games now: Crackey Mackey, Crackey Mackey….
February 29th, 2008 at 2:01 am
To begin with, the whole story of him holding it for someone else is BS. No one in his position would hold crack for someone else and if they would then they simply don’t have enough intelligence to play for UK. The kid was carrying drugs at school. Matt’s post is garbage though. We know nothing else about the Mackey situation, except that Matt doesn’t think he should play for us. I believe we should only give him a scholarship if Hopson falls through. Let’s face it….the UK name isn’t enough to attract the top players anymore. We’re about to lose a Kentucky McDonalds All-American to Mississippi State. I don’t want that to happen, but if it does we need Mackey
February 29th, 2008 at 2:09 am
12) that’s the baggage that will come with having a player like that on the team..Mackey must understand that coming into a situation like that and must learn to accept it…it will take a major effort on his part to put put that behind him and concentrate on doing the right things on and off the court…that is if he plays for a major university like UK.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:09 am
I feel Mackey, like all our youth deserve second chances, after all, there’s not a person on this board that has not made bad choices in there life, if there is, then he can cast the first stone. And since when should we as UK fans give a shit what ESPN and others think. JMO
February 29th, 2008 at 2:10 am
In all seriousness though, I think some people deserve second chances– but I have to feel like they genuine desire to change. A sincere and apologetic attitude. Mackey would have to admit that he knew what he was doing was wrong, illegal, dangerous, and truly attempting to change his life. IMO many prison systems don’t reform kids like Mackey– oftentimes making them worse. Its a shame that he was willing to risk his bright future to either get high or make some cash. He was looking at a free education and (I’m not sure of his talent, but I’ll throw this out there) and a possible pro-level career. I would prefer to see Mackey get some real help/counseling/therapy/rehab?? than sending him to jail. As for the possibility of playing at UK– I’ll leave that judgment up to BCG. Kids like Mackey usually thrive under tough-love/military sergeants like Gillispie. I’d like to see this kid be successful in the world and if UK basketball can help get him there, then I’m all for it. I’ll let our coach decide if Bud’s worth the risk and support him 100%, if he is.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:18 am
Two words: Allen Iverson. The top recruit no one wanted to touch because of a troubled past, and John Thompson gave him a chance and boy did he deliver, staying out of trouble, and developing into a star while never falling back into the old bowling fight habits of before. If Mackey has heart and is open to committing to a Gillispie style intense system, then give it a try. Can’t turn out any worse than Alex Legion.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:22 am
If he plays at UK, then we are the UNLV of the 21st century
February 29th, 2008 at 2:30 am
This is all premature speculation. Let the kid have his day in court. If he settles with the justice system honorably, then I think UK should take a serious look.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:45 am
i dont know what i think about bud mackey playing at uk…part of me says no, the tradition is too golden to be blemished by a kid like this…but the other part of me says we could use him…i dont think he is worth losing a scholly over for the 09 class…help next year isnt as important as help for the years following…
just throwing this out there…didnt gerald fitch and cliff hawkins get pulled over in lexington with some herb??? im pretty sure they did, and i think it got swept under the rug…
February 29th, 2008 at 2:50 am
I’ve talked to Mackey before on myspace (which IS his real myspace) and asked him straight up if he would be at UK next year, and he wrote back twice saying “yea” and then another message saying “yea I hope” so take that for what it’s worth.
And I’m the same age as him, so everyone else that’s 30+ yrs old, don’t write the kid. It’s creepy.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:11 am
straight from Patterson himself. Don’t know when this was recorded, but it’s good to hear this from him.
http://wildcatsthunder.blogspot.com/
February 29th, 2008 at 3:12 am
Tom Jurkitch Says:
September 29th, 2007 at 11:19 am
As AD of the University of San Quenton@ Louisville, I am in formal negotiations with Mr. Mackey to become
a valued member of our second rate ghetto sports program. I normally wait until a thug has 6 or 7 arrests,
but if this dude is dealing rock already, he is perfect for our program.
This is one of a handful of post I’ve found when this story broke by “The Intern”.It’s funny how people change their tune about someone when they are interested in them!! I’m all for second chances,but he didn’t want us at the beggining and now with his freedom and carreer at stake he wants to climb in bed with UK,No win Situation for Kentucky.Whatever decision Coach Gillispie comes up with I support,he’s the one who has to worry about this coming back and burning him.
http://blog.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=3661#comments
February 29th, 2008 at 4:15 am
11) Where are you going to draw the line with your second chance players? I don’t think you can let one in and then say no to the next.
A lot of people are saying he made a mistake. I don’t think he made a mistake, I think he made a felony and there is a difference. He does deserve a second chance just like everyone else, but most people’s second chances don’t include playing basketball at a top program. It includes getting your life straight, proving your benefit to society and then go from there.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:27 am
I love how in an effort to mantain the ability to point our own finger at others, we reject a kid.
Matt, if you check your story, that’s the reason your giving on passing on him.
The kid made a mistake. He will pay the price according to the law. Now you wants to spread your superficial exclusionism ideals across the bluegrass.
Please don’t act like you’ve never seen a line of cocaine. Oh I forgot, you couldn’t admit to that because then you couldn’t keep pointing your finger at other.
Hey Matt, could you take that mentality back to Duke where you learned it.
February 29th, 2008 at 6:50 am
All good points on Mackey.
But seriously, who are we as individuals to judge what someone did very few of us know?
I am not a prosecutor, because I have skeletons in my closet that I’d just soon never of happened!
If you can get beyond that, then there should be no problem with giving this kid a second chance.
If all you can do is use the incident to stir up hate and discontent, then he has no place on this team.
I say this from 10,000 feet because I don’t know what is right or wrong. Hell, remember, I’ve got skeletons too!
February 29th, 2008 at 6:55 am
He didn’t like UK when he was clean and now that he has been caught with crack suddenly UK is OK. Not buying it, pardon the pun. UK should never soil its image further. CHARACTER!!! Desmond Allison, Jason Parker, Rashod Carruth, all quality individuals to name a few of the former regime. As far as Allen Iverson goes, he was a punk at Georgetown and never won a thing much like his career in the NBA.
No thanks, I’ll pass.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Sure people deserve second chances, but convicts don’t hop out of prison and go to work take a job on Wall Street. They sell used cars if they’re lucky, and they ARE lucky to do that.
Second chances come from people like:
- John Calipari
- Steve Kragthorpe
- Tim Floyd (wait for it, it’s coming)
- Anybody else who would mortgage their employer’s reputation for their personal success.
My advice to Bud Mackey is to learn how to play cornerback and check out Louisville’s level of interest.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:07 am
27, to be fair, we gave all three of those guys the ax at the first sign of anything like a criminal record, and they very clearly were the outlier. The only real exception to a zero tolerance policy for stupid behavior that I remember in the last ten years would be Jules Camara not being completely kicked off the team for his DUI, although as I remember he did serve a pretty significant suspension.
When was the last time Memphis had a guy of Chuck Hayes’ esteem? No sense comparing apples to thugs/oranges.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:18 am
29 I wasn’t saying all of Tubby’s guys were thugs. I’m saying he had a streak going there for awhile where he constantly had people in trouble of some sort. It just looks bad and right now UK doesn’t need more fuel to fire up the rest of the country. That would fall right into the hands of the “UK wants to win at all cost” crowd. We aren’t that needy.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:21 am
He did not make a mistake. He made a CHOICE.
There are tons of kids out there that make choices every day
and many choose not to break the law.
I would be disappointed if he ended up at UK and would always wonder if he would have gotten the chance had we not been desparate for talent.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:27 am
I guess I look at it like this…who better to give a second chance to a Kentucky kid than Kentucky?
Only down side is if it doesn’t work out! Not sure how bad that downside would be either…today’s usage of the internet…could get pretty ugly!
But, if it did work out and he did turn things around…well, that’s a “feel good” story and makes UK look golden!
February 29th, 2008 at 7:29 am
It’s a hard call anyway it goes. I think everyone deserves a second chance,
After his day in court, he might not have the option of playing college ball.
If he comes out of this with no jail time, it might be best if he enrolls in
school somewhere, {maybe UK}, and just go to school and try to prove
he is honestly trying to get his life straight. Maybe do some type of
community service going to grade schools and high schools letting kids know
how good he had it, and how bad he messed it up just by associating
hisself with drugs. Then if any big time programs including UK deem
he is worth a second chance, go for it. That would be BCG and I also
think the team’s call. I think the team should also have a say in it
because of all the flak the team will catch at away games. JMHO
February 29th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Bud better hope the legal system gives him a second chance first. That is not a given. If he wasn’t as good a player as he is and we didn’t have such immediate needs, no one would be saying let’s give him a second chance and take him. It’s better for the program to think long term and pass on him. Let some other school (like UL State Penn)take him.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:37 am
I meant to say that first year would be spent going to school, then
at the start of his sophmore year, post #33.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:58 am
If we let him “walk on” the media will not be as judgemental. However if we give him a scholarship his freshamn season we will hear about it!
February 29th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Less Mackey More Hopson.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Let him walk on and prove himself.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:05 am
The walk on would have to come after the criminal issues have been settled.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:12 am
I believe the Minnesota kid’s name was Southall, that Tubby took the scholy offer from for having weed at a party. A big that we could have used, right around the time Stone was sucking, and the stewart kid from Indy had passed away. Weed…Crack! Lets maintain that “clean” when red flags pop up.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:15 am
There are hundreds of awesome kids who have never been in trouble around the state who would LOVE the chance to play for our Blue & White, yet we as fans are actually considering taking one of the few who has taken his opportunities for granted. I just don’t understand. It’s about a LOT more than basketball here people. I wish Mackey the best of luck in getting his life turned around, but Kentucky has a lot more in-state kids they can start rewarding for their achievements before they have to go after kids in his position. It’s like giving the Gold Medal to the guy who got 7th. It’s irrational.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:15 am
There’s enough goofballs that will wait to college to show out. Allison, Carruth, Adam Childs, J. Parker and we have to deal then. If a kid gives you an out early, then take it… Like IU did. Mackey will get another chance. heck he’s already playin in another state, while charges are pending. I’m not a legal beagle, but leaving the state doesn’t happen to a lot of folks with charges.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Let him go to UL. They have a reputation for getting into bed with “second chance” guys on their basketball and football teams.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Whatever is decided don’t base it on what kind of reception it would get from the Ky media. Their position will be opposite of what UK chooses.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:24 am
I would not let my kid play basketball at a place where there was a verified crack dealer on the team. Sorry, never happen in a million years.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:29 am
If Mackey ends up here, we will never be able to call out
teams like UofL and UT for having thugs again. It’s a sorry state
when we are so desperate for telant that we have to sign a crack dealer.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:30 am
He will never be offered a scholarship. This is walk on status only. If a kid this talented walks on… on his dime than UK would be stupid not to take him. You make a simple press release that Bud has wished to walk on with hopes of turning his life around and that there will be a zero tolerance policy for him and he will have to earn a spot on the team. It is not that hard guys. Repeat No Scholarship we be offered. UK has to make it very clear that this is a walk-on only situation.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:40 am
47…. walking on at UK is still a reward, and there are other people who deserve to be rewarded first. Why should he get that opportunity over a marginally less talented, but significantly more outstanding citizen and better student?
February 29th, 2008 at 8:40 am
I would have to know the details of the situation before saying anything. What if it is found one of his freinds told him to hold it, and all he did was have it in his locker? I have seen stuff like this before. I can tell you after being involved in situations with rumors and newspapers that usually things are never as they seem. It could be worse or even a better situation for the young man. We do not have the entire story.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:48 am
#49 I agree, until everything comes out about this kid we should do nothing.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:51 am
I agree with letting him walk on. I trust Billy G to be a good judge of character.
If Bud Mackey can prove he’s not going to mess up, I think it would be a great story for him to succeed at Kentucky.
If he doesn’t prove his worth and character, I’m sure Billy G would be the first to kick him off team.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:56 am
It’s simple in my mind. If all charges are dropped and he’s found innocent, let him on the team, enough said. If there is some level of guilt, say short of jail time, it’s a tough decision, but I say let him on the team. The 1st missed practice, curfew, anything, he’s gone. Of course, to cover the bases, he would have to walk on. Wouldn’t want the kid screwing up before the season and then have a scholarship wasted that you could have used.
Generally, I think all those kids caught for possession deserve second chances unless they flat out say “I’m guilty.” The second offense, however, is enough to lock them up for the maximum. If not for being a menace to society, then for their overall stupidity.
Sure you can compare UK to schools like Tennessee, Memphis, Louisville, etc if he comes aboard. But these schools have been known to give 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances.
My overall solution, aside from the “screw up a second time and you’re gone” policy, is to have Mackey agree to do several things. One, he must get a drug test on a weekly basis, at least. Two, he has to attend some sort of drug related, AA type meeting. And three, he must do charity work, preferably helping kids who got into drugs.
But you say, “he has all this practice and schoolwork, etc etc etc.” True. The coaches will have to use their discretion and make sure he’s keeping up with his classes. But doing all this will make him stronger and an overall better person in my opinion.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:01 am
The only way to get Mackey would be to make him a walk-on. If not that he would have to go to a juco first. I think he should also have to give mandatory talks to students about the negative effects of drug abuse and do a great deal of community service to keep his spot on the team. He should have to go to church every Sunday too. Ha, if you think that stuff is too strict then he shouldn’t be on the team at all.
Good upstart new website I found. Check it out.
http://wildcatblitz.com/
February 29th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Hope you don’t mind the link Matt.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:28 am
It only puts BM in a category with alot of us who did stuff for friends who were not really friends if BM was only holding the rocks for a friend. I did something similar 10 years ago for a “friend” and didn’t get caught. I was lucky and now I have a great life and serve in the military. He very well may be a victim of circumstance.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Crack is whack people! If this guy comes to UK we will never hear the end of it, and we would deserve every bit of it. Why don’t we just try and find some meth head in the hollers of West Virginia(no offense to anyone living in WV) to recruit–I hear speed freaks are great ballers. I can just see it now, opposing fans with a picture of Tyrone Biggums with Mackey’s face photoshopped on the picture:
http://danielbrasic.com/uploads/2006/10/tyrone.jpg
February 29th, 2008 at 9:40 am
While at the Georgia game i sat next to a past cat and asked him what he thought about Bud coming to KY. He said “What no Way!” He said he was close to Mackey’s mom and knew his grandfather and acted like they were not going to allow him to come back to UK. Which if you think about it, it wouldnt be a bad idea. I would get my son as far as away from here as possible. Where he could start over and get his act back together. I think they are worried about old friends and old habits. Can you imagine what fans would put him through it may be worse than poor ole Sal Smith.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Bud Mackey is a great, great talent. He would be great to have on any team, WITH THAT BEING SAID AND OUT OF THE WAY, he was caught with crack-cocaine, a very serious, deadly, and addictive drug. It is also a very expensive drug and that is where the money lies if you want to be a drugs dealer. I know he was only caught with a little, but I have heard from multiple people who know him or went to Scott Co. and they said he was known to sell drugs because he liked the money. That is the Bud Mackey I do not want on the team, but I doubt any very serious repercussions will be handed down by the law because of the such small amount and he wasn’t really selling it at the time. However, I trust COACH to be the judge on this deal. If he thinks BUD can turn his life around and stay away from the people he got mixed up with in G-Town, I say go for it, AS A WALK-ON. I doubt he gets a scholarship anywhere for next season with the mess he is in, but if COACH wants to give him a second chance, then I damn well think BCG has the best inside opinion on this. For Christ sake, he kicked DUSTY OFF for LAUGHING. He obviously doesn’t put up with ANY shit from walk-ons, and if MACKEY does one things wrong, I am sure coach will do the right thing.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:14 am
[...] UK make an offer to Bud Mackey, arrested for selling crack at Scott County High School? Would we have considered this with a [...]
February 29th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Anyone ever hear the saying that “People in Glass Houses should never throw stones”??? I say this isn’t for us fans to judge! Let the coach decide! I agree that we need guys with good character to represent our University and the State, but I doubt very many of you know this kid personally or all the facts in the case! Let Coach decide if the kid is right for UK. It really doesn’t matter what we think.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Send em to a Juco program and let him earn a scholarship somewhere…Thats if he doesnt serve time, which Im not against…Giving someone a 2nd chance is one thing,but lets be honest, the most this kid will go to jail is a year (if that)..No one is ruining his life by sending him away to jail for a short period…..
February 29th, 2008 at 10:18 am
When I first heard that Mackey may be coming to Kentucky, I was torn. Seeing that I am a UK grad and a prosecutor in this state, I have a little bit of a different view than most on this comment board. Frankly, it is not uncommon to see a kid make a stupid decision like he did, and if possession is his only crime, then let him start over. I would see no true problem with him walking on at UK. Dealing is a different issue.
People need to realize that college basketball is a business, not a charity. The same people posting that we should let a more deserving Kentucky kid on the team over Mackey are the same type that have lambasted the “deserving” good kids from this state who have sat on the end of the bench because they did not have the talent to compete on a high level. Furthermore, let us not talk about Kentucky’s great tradition and pristine history. I love Kentucky basketball as much as anyone, but don’t forget people that we are one of the most penalized teams in the history of the NCAA and we play in the what is probably the most penalized conference. It is not like our school is “lilly white and pure”. Also, it is not as if we have not had drug users on our team and that their behavior was overlooked because of their skills (remember Dirk Minniefield?).
As I said earlier, I am a huge UK fan and want to see the Cats do well and I want to see them do things right. We are in a society that is supposed to believe that once you serve your time, you have a clean slate. If he gets his court charges resolved, then him going to Kentucky should not be an issue.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:43 am
LawDog - the best post for this topic - excellent summation!!
February 29th, 2008 at 10:55 am
If he is accepted by the University for education, and he walks on, there shouldnt be any problem here. That will show he is earning his way on the team without saying that UK doesnt care about the character of kids….
Now I never really post all that often, but I cant believe how many people are judging this kid without knowing much if anything about the case. Just for fun, how many of the nay sayers on here voted for our current president? How many of you are Christians that are bashing this kid? Does any of the nay sayers respect Freud at all? We are talking about the old secret ingredient in coca-cola. We all have done illegal things in our lives. Get over yourselves a bit. A scholarship isnt going to be saved for this kid, he will be on a short leash and have to earn his way on the team.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:58 am
62. That’s pretty disconnected to say that because I think better kids deserve a chance before him, that I’ve also said certain kids don’t belong on the team. You’d be wrong in that flat assumption. I love it when KY kids get to walk-on, and I’ve never complained about them. As a person who made some mistakes in life, and had to miss out on opportunities I wanted to have, I have very little sympathy. It was simple: had I not made those mistakes, I could have had much better opportunities. The mistakes were my fault, and I had to deal with it. 2nd chances are great, and I got mine, but I didn’t get a 2nd chance at my dream, just life.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Great conversation.
To me the key is Mackey is a kid. Kids make dumb choices. Let the coaching staff make the call on whether he would be a good fit for the CATS. If BCG meets with him a he decides that he is heading in the right direction, he should be given a chance.
Wherever he ends up, we should wish the kid the best and hope that he turns his life around. I’ll bet that half of the folks posting on here have done something stupid in their lives that, if they had been caught, would be in a similar situation to Bud Mackey.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:12 am
The weekend after he was caught at school, he came to my friend’s apartment in Lexington and I personally know this for a fact that he was on the phone with Gillispie for well over an hour.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Exactly! What about Mackey??? We don’t need him.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Mackey Vs. Lofton
Lofton never got caught slanging crack rock.
I don’t know Mackey but the guy is obviously not the most clean cut recruit in the state.
Let UofL get him they love sloppy seconds and criminals.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Thats fine 69 but when Bud comes into Rupp and scores 30 points to beat UK what is going to be the first thing on this BLOG?
February 29th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Was BCG even at UK when he got busted?
February 29th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Yeah as a few people have already pointed out the ultimate choice lies with the coaching staff, and BCG understands the kind of scrutiny he is under. It is nearly impossible to predict how this turns out because the staff will have to meet with Mackey multiple times to assess his personal development. The courts will have to decide what is going on, and as Matt could certainly tell you we dont have all the details on the case, just the arrest report, which may or may not be 100 % accurate. The families will be involved, the athletic department will weigh in its going to be a choice that takes a long time. BCG won’t take Mackey on a whim.
On the OTHER HAND, no matter what Mackey does personally or professionally this stigma will hang over him forever. He could become a straight a student that puts in more time at hospitals and fundraisers then Bono, but his most famous act will be that crack arrest. He is going to face some unbelievable heckling from fans on the road. If he becomes all-american quality, he will not receive the award, mainly because anyone selecting all-americans wouldn’t want to “endorse” someone who had been indicted on a crack charge.
Bottom line this kid made his bed now he has to sleep in it. But I believe in 2nd chances across the board. A kid who gets busted with drugs at 17 shouldn’t have to forfeit his entire life because of it. Let’s wait and see how he pans out. If he is cleared or acquitted, and BCG and the staff believes he has made the committment to stay out of trouble, I want to see him in blue.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:43 am
It makes no difference how talented he is, it would be a mistake to bring him in. I hear enough of “I would hate to see him at……….” where ever. If another school wants to jeopordize the integrity of their program, assuming they have any, let them jump off that cliff. Not only that, what if you bring the kid in, he does become a important spoke in the wheel on the court, then he pulls another bone head move. Something like that can ruin a team. Better off without taking the chance.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
This is a tough one… I have personally been in a similar situation to Mr. Mackey. I was doing things I shouldn’t and got caught. Getting caught probably saved my life. I got a second chance; in fact, part of my sentencing was going to UK! While I absolutely do not condone such actions, I must say that the second chance i received enabled me to turn my life around and make something of myself. I am married with a beautiful kid, have a great job and own a nice home. I have helped many people turn their lives around and find hope in seemingly hopeless situations. Before my second chance, I saw no other way. I was destined to die on the streets or spend much of my life in the prison system or mental hospital. Thanks to someone seeing past what I looked like on the surface, I am able to live a productive and successful life, for which I am VERY grateful! Virtually every instance of substance abuse hides another issue (the drugs/alcohol are merely symptoms).
On the other hand, the circus that would follow a decision to allow Bud onto the UK team would be hard to bear. Without a doubt the signs and taunting would be large and loud. My hope is that perhaps he overcomes it all and uses it as motivation to really live an amazing life. I don’t know what should be done, but I just wanted to let people know that most people who are dealing with substance abuse issues are not “bad people trying to do good”, but “sick people trying to get well”.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
kids can make exceedingly bad decisions. it’s those over 30 still using crack and pot that are pathetic.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
How do we know what the circumstances are for him having the crack on him? Saying he had the choice and made a bad decision, or he took what he had for granted is not known. He might have been in a terrible lifestyle with a poor family who needed the money to get by. Or maybe someone was forcing him to sell the crack as a blackmail. I want to believe that’s what it is. It’s probably not that, but we can’t judge before we know the facts. I say we give him the walk on if he gets off without jailtime and can afford to go to UK on his own bill. If he’s cleared of the charges we give him the scholly. If he goes to jail, we do nothing. People won’t harrass the team if he proves himself on and off the court. In fact I could see ESPN spinning all of this into UK saving Mackey and turning his life around blah blah blah. Also UNLV was never proved to do anything wrong besides losing to Duke so why would it be bad to be the UNLV of the 21st century?
March 1st, 2008 at 1:02 am
If this kid is that good then I say give him a chance. How good is he? I wouldn’t give a kid out of state a second chance like this, but he is an in state kid. I hope we offer Mackey and I hope he proves everyone wrong and becomes a great story.
March 11th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
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