Poole's (either Jr. or Sr.) decision coming Monday

Stacey Poole's future will become more clear on Monday. That is that day that his dad, who has meddled in this affair from the get go, has given. He made the statement after it was reported by several sites that Jr. was leaving the program.

I have said many times that I like Stacey Poole, and I think that he has a TON to offer the Cats. Obviously, the staff sees in him the same, or he wouldn't be there now. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Poole has not got on the floor much, less than even Jarod Polson. Coach Cal has noted on the record, that Stacey needs to grow up, and not be such a clown, then he will be on the floor more. However, his light-hearted spirit and enthusiasm for being a Cat is contagious, and you can see he genuinely enjoys his experience there. Just look at him during the tournament last year. He lived and died with every possession on the sideline, and was his teammates biggest supporter. It's kinda' dis-heartening that he can't be given time to develop. College was intended to be a 4 year thing, but in today's world of one and done, if you don't play like a lottery pick within 3 weeks of getting on campus, you are written off.

I think, his dad needs to let him grow up too, and be his own man. Another unfortunate thing, is that I don't think that is on Sr.'s agenda.

Stacey Poole Sr. does have chops when it comes to college basketball. He is Florida's 4th all-Time Scorer. However, he did that at Florida when they were the basketball equivalent in the SEC of Kentucky and/or Vandy in Football. Basically, Florida was not Florida with the round-ball until Donovan got there.

So, here is my point: I think Stacey Poole Sr. is taking this way too personal in regards to his SON'S playing time, and he may be a little JEALOUS of his son at the same time. His boy got offered and accepted a scholarship from KENTUCKY, from COACH CAL, who get's you to the NBA. No matter what his stat line is there, Jr. is always going to be known at the family reunions in the future as the one who made it to KENTUCKY.

His dad would probably rather him play at a smaller school in Florida, their home state, play a a lot of minutes and score a lot more.... and be in his shadow.

I could be way off here, but I think that I am pretty close to home on this one. Regardless, Stacey Poole Jr. needs to assert himself now, or else Monday will be a day that he regret every future Monday for the rest of his life. I am not saying he needs to stay in Lexington, but if he doesn't , he needs to make sure it is what HE wants.

I guess I am saying a lot of things here that may sound absurd to some, and makes me come off sounding like an extreme homer, for which I don't deny that I am. But, I just get the feeling, when looking over this situation, that it's not necessarily an over-bearing father's love, it's more of a father's self-pride. He want's his child to do good and succeed, like every other dad in the cul-de-sac, but this dad is the 4th all-time scorer at Florida, a rival school with considerably less importance than that of his son's... I think he wants to see him do good, but not too good. If Jr stays and develops as he is capable, Sr. is no longer the talk of the family picnic.

Or, it could be that Stacey Sr. is trying to say he knows more about basketball than Cal, and that he is going to prove this by making his son leave and produce somewhere else.

Oh well, at least he didn't pull an Archie Manning.

My Daddy said I didn't have to play for San Diego, right Eli?