Xavier’s Mark Lyons is on the board for 2012-2013
Xavier point guard Mark Lyons was one of the best point guards in America last season, averaging 15 points, three assists, and three rebounds per game for the Musketeers. But thanks to a fallout with the coaching staff following the infamous brawl with Cincinnati, Lyons is looking to transfer for his final season of college basketball.
Insert Kentucky.
The Cats have expressed serious interest in the guard, who could be eligible to play next season. Lyons redshirted his freshman year at Xavier and will graduate next month, so he would be considered a graduate student transfer. By NCAA rules, graduate student transfers are allowed to play immediately as long as they enroll in a graduate program that isn’t offered where they completed their undergraduate studies. It’s the same move we saw from Wisconsin star quarterback Russell Wilson last season in college football.
Lyons’ character could be a concern for Kentucky fans — he received a two-game suspension for this role in the brawl — but his game would be a huge addition to next year’s roster. Adding a proven player to compete with Ryan Harrow and provide depth at the point guard position is just what UK needs. Kentucky would once again be a serious contender for the national title if John Calipari can somehow reel Lyons into Lexington.
We’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this one.
109 Comments for Xavier’s Mark Lyons is on the board for 2012-2013
Don’t want him. Don’t care how good he is.
Do want him. Don’t care what Steely Dan says.
just a question but how many scholly’s do we have for next year? know they are trying to add bennett along with already committed noel, cauley, poythress, goodwin……
Don’t know him personally, so I can’t speak to his character (Ahem.) But I doubt he comes to UK to share minutes with Harrow. He could go to KU or a bunch of other schools and immediately take over as the #1 PG on the roster.
Sign him up, we have a serious lack of guards next year
3) You did see the entire starting 5 declare for the NBA draft the other day right?
3. One would think that we would have at least 7 schollys open with our starting 5 plus two seniors departing.
Honestly if Cal thinks he is worth the interest, then he is. Cal won’t offer the kid if he is a thug or gangster or whatever.
Gotta give him a chance. Cal can mould character. If he’s still a thug then nobody will respect him here anyway.
5) Beckham? Really? SMH
Looks like he wants to go play for Miller at Arizona!!! Miller recruited him to Xavier to start with before he went to Arizona, plus they just lost there PG!!!
Pass
Sign him up, we need someone for senior day next year
That new SEC rule could prevent him from coming here but man he would be a great addition and Cal has a good track record with guys with issues…
This would be huge for us. I’d take him in a second. So what, he got in a fight against the rival team. Are you guys that worried that Cal can’t handle that? This guy will be walking old ladies across the street at UK or else he’ll get sent packing.
11.
Thug is a racist term, but it wasn’t originally applied to young black men – it came from the British Raj in India for certain religious ‘cults’ in the east of the subcontinent.
Do not want him. Don’t care if he’s better than Lebron James.
Did you not see his comments after the fight this year. He himself said he wasn’t a thug. . .he’s said he’s a gangster.
screw the small talk…sign him up. If he wants to go play in the NIT with Miller at Arizona that will prove he doesn’t have what it takes to play for UK. But I’m not gonna judge a kid based on one two game suspension in his college career. That was an ugly event that I’m sure he regrets and hopefully he learned from. Bring him to Lexington, hang number 9, and give us a reason to celebrate Senior Day next year…Let’s go Coach, sign him up!!
It’s pretty simple, if Coach Cal wants him, I trust his decision. His game could be a big addition to us next season.
Thug refers to someone who gets paid to beat other people up basically, but I agree with RYNO. It’s just become an acceptable term to call a black guy these days by people who don’t want to be called racist for saying N—-r. Don’t recal every hearing anyone refer to a white kid as a thug.
To everyone saying “We don’t need him, we have Harrow, blah blah blah” you all do realize that he will need a break every so often in games right? Our only backup options at guard are Beckham and Polson, who aren’t bad, but I wouldn’t trust them to provide as quality minutes as Mark Lyons would. Plus, we need some sort of senior leadership/experience. I say sign him up and let Calipari mold him to fit our program.
We only have 3 returning players on scholarship (Hood, Harrow, and Witjer)
Polson and Beckham are preferred walk-ons who olny get a scholarship if we have one left over (like last season they both received one)
Malone and Long are true walk-ons who are paying their own way.
We can issue 13 scholarships each season.
With 4 incoming freshmen already committed we can still offer, 4 more scholarships or 2 more before Polson and Beckham need to start paying their own way.
16. I don’t have an opinion on him one way or the other bc I’m uninformed, but I’m pretty sure that was Tu Holloway that said they were gangstas after the brawl.
16) I understand that completely. I didn’t know the origin, but I know when I was growing up Thug just meant a goon, or a common criminal. But now it’s used almost exclusively as a pajorative term in place of n***er. Be up front about who you are. Say what you mean. If you want to be an ignorant racist, be that. Come right out and use the term you want to use. PC racism..what a joke.
Pass. Mark Lyons is trouble that UK does not need.
Winning is important but it’s not everything.
Some of you trolls on here that try and make our program look bad, get a life, we just won the National Championship and lost all six of our guys…why on earth would u not want another great guard to add to this team? Dumb fans are activated.
9. You really think Beckham is going to be able to be a solid guard next season? This year we had Teague at PG and when he sat down, Beckham was never used to fill in, if he was good, he would’ve had some split PG time with Lamb.
16. No, you’re wrong. That was Tu Holloway. How about knowing what you are talking about before you speak?
i trust Cal
… but Miller and AR make a lot of sense given the history
Cal even said BECKHAM IS NOT a PG!!!!
ARZ
If Cal wants him, that is all I need to hear. I’m sure Cal won’t waste his time, if he can’t play and follow the rules. If he doesn’t want to play Cal’s way he will be off the team or the last on the pine. If he wants to go to the NBA, I bet he plays Cal’s way.
Zip ’em up! I mean snatch him up!
RYNO,sounds like your stuck in the 60’s. Take your political tripe somewhere else.
This is a sports site not a site for you to promote your political views.
3.) We are losing 5 players to early entry, plus 2 players to graduation. So that is 7 open scholarships from end of the season departures. We also get back Pooles scholarship, from his midseason transfer. So that is 8! We will be fine.
5.) you just said we have Beckham as our backup! That is enough concern for us to be looking for another PG. We are also looking at Torrian Gram for backup SG, so we could move Goodwin over to be backup PG.
Am I the only one who is content with the roster as it is at the moment? We have plenty of guards. If we add anybody, it needs to be a power forward. We have no depth there.
BOOM! Did you all hear that? That was #18 droppin some knowledge..or at least setting a good example.
If you don’t know, now ya know..
26) No. Beckham won’t be a servicable option as backup PG next year. That’s why I was SMH (Shaking My Head) at the commenter who suggested that UK doesn’t need this guy cause we have Beckham.
17, Arizona will be a pretty solid team next year. Slow your roll and do your homework before you bash a team.
36 – to be honest, I can’t speak for everyone else obviously, but I’m not content with it at all. But I trust our coach, and I love the kids on the roster. I think we have some pieces missing and I think they will get filled accordingly. A little depth at guard, especially a kid that can score the ball like Lyons, would be huge.
Can you say Metta World Peace?????
33) Political? Huh? Its called an observation. I’m not the type to make everything in life about politics. You should try it sometime.
39…hahahahahaha..do my homework. There is a good chance I’ve forgotten more than you know about college bball. However, my comment was a bit of a jab (and one with truth/merit). Miller is a great coach and he will get Arizona turned around. They should be decent next year. They were supposed to be decent this year too though. I’m saying if the kid picks Arizona over UK, then he is missing a valuable asset between the ears. I realize I’m a little biased. I’m sorry for making fun of your team…
NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! We do not need Thug Lyons. He’ll be more worried about gettin dissed than winning games. NO THANK YOU!
Pass. one of the NCAA’s best PG’s? 15 pts and 3 ASST! Good PG’s dont average 3 assist… Beckham can back up the point, or even hood. I know the fans are all about filling that last scholly up with a xfer 1 and done, but come on this kid was one of the trash talkers that started a bench clearing brawl.
37. You replied to number 5, who said we have a lack of guards, but never mentioned Beckham. I thought you were saying that he was wrong for saying that we have a lack of guards and that Beckham would be sufficient. My apologies.
What’s with all the hate on here guys? I say bring him in…if hes good & we need another guard,why do people feel the need to say bad things about another person’s post? Come on people…Hes a good player and Cal has had success with hot heads lol…Hope he wants to come to
UK!!!
Ryno, sorry I have to agree with Alger Hiss. You need to take your political views to a Marvin Gaye messageboard or something.
FACTOID: Lyons hails from Schenectady,New York. The same city that brought you Pat Riley. It may not be relevent in this situation, but I just thought it was kiind of interesting.
Post-UC game interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gpS7PSYWcM
I’ll pass. We don’t need Xavier’s rejects.
44.) I am all down with backing up Harrow with a 4 year type guy, but Beckham has shown not 1 ounce of being able to be a solid backup that can create (looked super tentative last season), and Hood is not a PG on top of coming off a season ending injury. To be honest, Goodwin would be our backup, and we would slide the players around, or we would grab Torrian Gram to put in at SG.
Conway is ready for the next blog post. The comments on this one are getting repetitive. zzzzzz
Nothing but trouble, move along
He’s Darnell Dodson 2.0
If this guy is in consideration, I’ll take Anthony Hickey.
I would pass on him he is a thug. I know one when I see one
Being from NKY, I got to watch a lot of Xavier games this past season. Trust me, you don’t want this punk. Every time he does ANYTHING good, he flexes and talks trash at the other team’s bench; and every time he gets a foul called on him he swears at the ref. Kid is 100% a THUG. He should transfer to UC to fit in with the rest of those clowns.
Twany Beckham is going to play football.
Ryno here is an example of a black man calling a white man a thug.
Dennis Rodman noted this in his book Bad As I Wanna Be, saying, “He (Laimbeer) was more than a thug, but that’s what he’ll be remembered for.”
Upon Further Review, I trust that Cal will take a PASS on this kid. Unless he thinks he can help the kid act like he has some sense. Either way, I trust our coach to make the right decisison.
I agree with 56. If not UC maybe this gangsta should go to Huggins he loves thugs.
Zip’em up guys, Zip’em up.
People get on here saying we don’t need this, that, and the other. Well, why don’t you negative a$$ people let the Coach that just won a National Championship make that decision. Go Cats!!
I would pass, but I’ll trust in our coaching staff to make the right decission!!
No.No.No.
A self-admitted “gangsta”? No, no, no. We don’t need Carruth 2.0.
No gangsta needed. What would that do to the chemistry of the team? Coach probably reconsider after seeing the Lakers game yesterday.
More cowbell, no Lyons. Bad apple will make the entire crotch stink.
A thug is considered a violent person/criminal or one of a former group of professional robbers and murderers in India who strangled their victims.
It isn’t a racist term but because TuPac and others used to refer to themsleves as thugs now when a person uses that term they feel it is demeaning to african americans….the definition says nothing about, nor has it in the past, race.
I hope he does not get to UK. I live between cincy and Dayton and freinds are big X fans. They don’t even want him. How this thug got a degree I will never know.
58) That’s awesome. One example? How much digging did you have to do, just to find that ONE EXAMPLE- The fact that you dug through all kinds of search results to attempt to disprove something that you can easily see on an every day basis is all I need to know about you.
Keep his “gansta” thug ass as far away from Lexington as possible!
67) This is hilarious- “It isn’t a racist term but because TuPac and others used to refer to themsleves as thugs now when a person uses that term they feel it is demeaning to african americans….the definition says nothing about, nor has it in the past” By that logic, because black people call each other N***er, I guess that’s not a demeaning, racist term either? Quoting the Webster’s definition of the term is completely irrelevant. It’s the context of comments made. If you can’t see that, then your blind to the world around you.
67) Here’s your examples RIGHT HERE IN THIS THREAD!! No need to go to Websters…
#68 I hope he does not get to UK. I live between cincy and Dayton and friends are big X fans. They don’t even want him. How this THUG/N***ER got a degree I will never know. See what I mean? It’s right there. You switch those two words, and the meaning is exactly the same. Not doing it for you? How about this one, just 3 comments down:
#70 Keep his “gangsts” THUG/N***ER ass as far away from Lexington as possible.
Do you really not see it? It’s pretty obvious.
72)You P.O.S., if you’re going to quote me, actually quote my actual comment. If not, zip it.
73, screw you. WE WANT THIS PORCHMONKEY.
73) Say what you want to say then. Stop hiding behind the vail of political correctness. You don’t know the kid. You know nothing about him except what he looks like and that he got in a fight. I know about as much about you as you know about him, so if you feel justified to call a kid a thug, I feel justified to call you a closet racist.
Like I said, if you’re going to quote me, at least be honest enough to quote my “actual” comment. You can blab all you want, but the more you do, you’re only exposing you’re true stupidity…especially when it comes to having common freaking sense!
My point is that the words are used to achieve the same meaning. I used your quote to illustrate that you can use the words interchangebly. You said thug, I added the n***er to show that when you substitute it, the meaning remains the same. Don’t like being unfairly characterized as something you’re not? Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it.
Common Sense Says- How many people have called this kid a thug on just this one message board thread? Why does that one word description keep showing up more than any other? I think it’s safe to say that not one person on here really knows anything about him, right? So why is it still the most commonly used term? Given the lack of people’s real knowledge of Lyon’s character, if he was a white kid, I’d bet anything that “thug” would not be used once to describe him.
What ever Coach wants to do.
78) I’ve got two 2nd cousins, who I found out today, have both sentenced to prison. News came from my mom. My reaction to her was both are “thugs” and should of been locked up a long time ago. And guess what…both are WHITE/CAUCASION/PALE…what ever term you want to use. Geez…is stupidity ever rampant in this nation. Everyone making excuses for everything & everything.
78) You sound like you need to join Sharpton & ol’ Jesse and do some ambulance chasing…I’m sure you’d fit right in.
Seriously…the kid said something after a fight with an arch-rival and people latch on to the thugs thing. He spent four years at X with minimal issue and because of that he should never play again? Lyons is more a 2 guard who can be the lead guard and would be a great addition in a position we need help with for next year.
Seriously guys? Relax! If Cal offers to this guy then he will be worth it. Trust in Cal he’s the best recruiter and IMO the best COACH in the NCAA!
Stay away from this kid!!! Know what I am talking about!!
Never met the kid, so I don’t know what kind of person he is…I’ll trust Cal’s judgement. As I thought by now, that all of you would…
Pretty sure he was the 2 guard though, Tu Halloway ran the point.
80) Wow. So you admit that you would equate this kid’s character, who you know nothing about besides what he looks like, with your two 2nd cousins who were recently sentenced to prison. Do you enjoy making my point for me?
82) If it were just this kid, maybe I’d understand more, but it’s used to describe young black athletes all the time. And if he’s got more than one tattoo, forget about it. He’s a thug for sure.
81) Again, wow- anyone who says, “Hey, maybe you shouldn’t attack this guy’s character by calling him a thug” is an ambulance chaser? I’m not sure how Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson fit into the equation (maybe there is somthing in common there but I can’t quite figure it out). Anyway, I’m sure your reasoning is totally solid. Have a wonderful day in la-la land.
Quote from Paul Daugherty in today’s Cincinnati Enquirer:
Mark Lyons is leaving X. Or maybe he isn’t. It’s very odd for a rising senior who has started two years to leave. Watching from afar, it was obvious that Lyons had his own agenda last winter, much of the time. Good player. Not as good as he believed himself to be. Never in sync with Tu Holloway. What should have been one of the best back courts in the country was instead a road trip seeking a destination. Good luck to Cheekz. And to whoever brings him in if he leaves. Both will need it.
I want to be a thug, but my mom won’t let me. Plus, the Brady Bunch is on.
Will people stop thinking hood is ever going to comtribute at UK. He simply is not good enough.
DeMarcus Cousins (beloved by most of BBN) carried a similar label when he came to UK. Cal will either get him to do it right, or he’ll put him on the bench until he does it the way the coaching staff wants it done.
watch the press conference and see how impressed you are with this guy. . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gpS7PSYWcM
I believe in second chances for anyone who is remorseful and wants another chance. I am sure our coaching staff is checking him out. He would be a great addition to our backcourt. Still hoping Anthony Bennett, Amile Jefferson, and Torian Graham decide and come to the University of Kentucky.
92) I saw nothing wrong with any of that. My objective first impressions, not bad at all. Sounds like a couple of guys who are emotional because they just got into a fist-fight with a rival team. Ever been in a real fight with someone else, much less a brawl with a group of people? Your adrenaline is pumping for a long time after it’s over. You’re shaken up, angry, and even a little euphoric. Again, you can’t snap to judgements. There’s a history between the programs and the players.
This business over the term “thug” is ridiculous. It isn’t a racist term at its core. First thing that popped in my head was the old Looney Tunes cartoon with Bugs Bunny and the 2 mobsters. Guess what “race” they were? White. Guess what they were called? Thugs. For crying out loud, the episode was called “Bugs and Thugs” (thanks wikipedia). Thug = mobster = gangster = criminal. All are synonyms with no racial connotations. RYNO, quit acting like such a self-righteous a$$hat
I follow a school in the A-10 in addition to the Cats, and there’s a TON more to Lyons resume than just the UC brawl. Anyone that says bring on Lyons doesn’t get what an idiot, what a cancer, this guy truly is. I trust that Call will figure it out and not go after this guy when push comes to shove. Let’s just say, there’s a REASON he was run off X’s team. Plus, he’s not THAT good of a player. Tu Holloway – that kid can play. Lyons is good, but nowhere near as good as Holloway and NOT 1st round good like we’re getting used to.
@RYNO – “By that logic, because black people call each other N***er, I guess that’s not a demeaning, racist term either?”
Thug wasn’t a racist term that was inturn used by the ones that it was demeaning. Your logic is flawed. For anyone to take offense to someone be called a thug as a racist statement would probably turn around other words and take offense to them as well. Let me fix one of your posts……
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67) Here’s your examples RIGHT HERE IN THIS THREAD!! No need to go to Websters…
#68 I hope he does not get to UK. I live between cincy and Dayton and friends are big X fans. They don’t even want him. How this GENIUS(/N***ER) got a degree I will never know. See what I mean? It’s right there. You switch those two words, and the meaning is exactly the same. Not doing it for you? How about this one, just 3 comments down:
#70 Keep his “choir boy” SMART(/N***ER) ass as far away from Lexington as possible.
Do you really not see it? It’s pretty obvious.
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I think it is you who is reading into this….maybe they are racist or maybe just maybe they don’t like a thug/brute/brusier/dirty ball player on their team and since thug is a popluar one to be associated with rough player it was used.
I mean did anyone cry out at John Channey when he said he was going to call in some goons to handle buisness on the court? Try it with you sentence again……
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I hope he does not get to UK. I live between cincy and Dayton and friends are big X fans. They don’t even want him. How this GOON(/N***ER) got a degree I will never know.
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Same meaning at thug here yet it could be a racist term if you allow it.
Bill Lambeer was called a thug and bad boy all his career….quit trying to make something more thatn what it is.
98) Wrong. People don’t use the term GOON to refer to young black athletes. If they did, I would be saying the same thing about that. It’s not the word itself, it’s the meaning behind it. It’s not only obvious, it’s widely accepted and used!! I think it’s wrong. I know you can’t believe it because you are obviously out of touch with reality, so I’ll just quit. At this point, I think the mods are deleting my posts- Later
98) Bill Lambeer hasn’t played a game in 20 years. There, I’m done now. Promise
What I think is pretty obvious is that you think that word is racist when most everyone else on here doesn’t. Maybe you should stop promoting your agenda where it doesn’t fit. Oh wait RYNO has declared thug=the N word. The world must change accordingly. Personally when I hear the word thug I think of a Tony Montana……I guess by your flawed logic I hate Cubans. Your done? Ya right. Me on the other hand….I’m out.
76 – “zip” it — I see what you did there.
Ryno likes those black boys. Ryno is a queer.&
Don’t care if he is the reincarnation of Wilt Chamberlain. Don’t want any thugs on our team, it would only bring out the worst in the other guys.
OMG…all the butt-hurt people in here again. If Cal wants him and has a chance, then trust Cal knows what he’s getting into. A lot of bball players talk trash, and if you’ve ever played, you know this. Yes, what he did was bad, but he was punished accordingly. So, since nothing has even happened yet, STFU all that are complaining, sheesh. If he comes to UK, and he does something Cal doesn’t like, I am sure he’ll be a pine-rider. Think about it. Trust the coaching staff.
Sorry I had to fight during your Black Panther party.
Thug life baby. Don’t beleive everything ya read. Alazae and weed.
If gentlemen of color were to begin using the term “thug” when referencing athletes of Caucasian descent, would it be considered racist? Would the term then become interchangeable with “honky” or “whitey”? How is one to know whether or not the individuals who used the term “thug” when commenting were in fact Caucasian? And where is Caucasia by the way?
Ryhno, it looks like it is you who has made the generalization my friend.
Don’t trust whitey.