Top Ten Villains of the Decade

There's not a day that goes by where Wildcat fans feel assaulted by villains. This past decade introduced the Big Blue Nation to the Internet, a resource by which Kentucky fans can type ALL CAPITAL LETTERS in abject rebuttal. Villains off-the-court are easily identifiable and addressed. We tend to forget that opposing players -- not just the coaches, definitely not the local/national media -- are the actual opponents of our Wildcats.

With that in mind, I opted not to include media members or opposing coaches in my top-ten list. Hunters awesome Player Haters' Ball does a great job of addressing the villains of the airways and the sidelines.

What makes a good Wildcat villain? Making game-winning (or game-tying) shots. Pouring on the points and otherwise being unstoppable, no matter the defense. Being demonstrative or openly taunting Wildcat fans and players. And, of course, winning against the Wildcats.

With those criteria in mind, the top 10 Wildcat Villains of the 2000s shakes out like this:

 

10) Robert Vaden (UAB G 2007)

* 1-0 vs. UK

* Scored 33 points (7-11 3FG) in UAB's upset of the Wildcats.

* Followed Mike Davis from Indiana.

* Patient Zero of "Robert Vaden Syndrome"

 

9) Jarvis Hayes (Georgia G 2001-2003)

* 2-2 vs. UK

* Scored 30 points to help the Bulldogs break a 17-game losing streak to Kentucky in 2002.

* Hurt his knee and then got fat writing reviews for restaurants.

 

8) Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina C 2005-2007)

* 3-0 vs. UK

* Hard-working, dedicated, over-hyped by talking heads.

* Confused with a famous muppet.

* Professional product spokesman.

 

7) Chris Lofton (Tennessee G 2004-2008)

* 3-5 vs. UK

* Averaged nearly 19 points per game and 4 3-pointers made per game against Kentucky

* Created the crappy "Chris Lofton Effect", where UK fans would get anxious for not offering a scholarship the best high school senior in the state.

* Should be better liked by UK fans.

* Not chosen by Kentucky over Rondo.

 

6) Taurean Green (Florida G 2004-2007)

* 6-1 vs. UK

* Scored 10 points in an 18-1 run and 29 points overall when #8 Florida scorched Kentucky at Gainesville in 2006.

* Eats at Friday's even though he lives (and works) in Athens, Greece.

* "Seal lookalike"

 

5) Teddy Dupay (Florida G 1998-2001)

* 3-3 vs. UK

* Scored 28 points (5-6 3FG) when #6 Florida beat #15 Kentucky in 2001.

* Gambled on basketball games and was kicked off the team before the start of the 2001-02 season.

 

4) Al Horford (Florida C 2004-2007)

* 6-1 vs. UK

* Couldn't be stopped by Randolph Morris.

* Couldn't contain his laughter in an epic Matt Jones vs. Mosley 1-on-1 showdown.

 

3) Jamont Gordon (Mississippi State F 2005-2008)

* 2-2 vs. UK

* Averaged 19.5 points per game and 9 rebounds per game against Kentucky.

* Scored 26 points and the game-winning 3-pointer to knock Kentucky out of the 2007 SEC Tournament. (This was the Sheray Thomas Lane Violation game.)

* Named SEC Freshman of the Week four times.

 

2) Shan Foster (Vanderbilt G 2004-2008)

* 5-3 vs. UK

* Averaged 14.4 points per game against the Wildcats. (18.5 ppg against the Wildcats in 2007 & 2008.)

* Scored 20 points in Vandy's 41-point thrashing of Kentucky in 2008.

 

1) Joakim Noah (Florida F 2004-2007)

* 5-1 vs. UK

* Repeated swiper.

* Runner-up of the KSR Player Hater's Ball.

* Gives great interviews to Jeff Goodman

* Stole my glasses from 6th Grade and built castles in the sand.

* Mouthed off to King James.

 

I'm sure that I left off somebody important that should be in the Top Ten. Feel free to let me have it in the comments. After the jump, you'll see the Honorable Mention villain list.

 

Nick Calathes (Florida G 2007-2009)

* 2-2 vs. UK

* Scored 33 points (11 of 15 FT) and 7 rebounds in Florida's 2009 loss in Rupp Arena.

* Mistaken for a famous television character.

* Distracted by nipple.

 

Udonis Haslem (Florida F 1999-2002)

* 3-5 vs. UK

* Had 20 points and 9 rebounds when #6 Florida beat #15 Kentucky in 2001.

* Has a tattoo of the entire state of Florida on his back.

 

Corey Brewer (Florida F 2004-2007)

* 6-1 vs. UK

* Scored 16 points when #1 Florida defeated #20 Kentucky at Rupp in 2007.

* "...screamed random words so loud that Billy put his arm on him with a 'please pipe down and dont look silly' look on his face."

* Wasn't recruited by Tubby because Corey "wasn't phyiscal enough".

 

Matt Freije (Vanderbilt F 2000-2004)

* 2-7 vs. UK

* Averaged over 15 points and 5 rebounds per game against Kentucky.

* Helped break Kentucky's 18-game winning streak over Vandy in 2002.

* First new millennium member of the "Incredible White Guy From Vandy Who Kills Us" Club.

* Forgotten if it wasn't for the NBA-DL.

 

A.J. Ogilvy (Vanderbilt C 2007-2009)

* 1-2 vs. UK

* Averaged 16.7 points per game and 8.3 rebounds against the Wildcats.

* Austrailian for, “Incredible White Guy From Vandy Who Kills Us”.

 

Mario Austin (Mississippi State C 2000-2003)

* 1-3 vs. UK

* Averaged 19.3 points and 7.8 rebounds against the Wildcats.

* Scored 32 points (including his first career 3-pointer to force OT) in the Bulldogs' win against #6 Kentucky in 2002.

 

Corey Allmond (Sam Houston St. 2009)

* 0-1 vs. UK

* Scored 37 points (11-16 3FG) in near-upset of #4 Kentucky.

* Favorite movie: Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.

 

Luke Harangody (Notre Dame C 2009)

* 1-0 vs. UK

* Dominated with 30 points and 11 boards in Notre Dame's victory against Kentucky in the NIT.

* Deceptively good, considering people don't expect him, "...to be good at anything other than running a Dungeons and Dragons campaign."

 

Brandon Rush (Kansas G/F 2006-2007)

* 2-0 vs. UK

* Averaged 21.5 points per game against the Wildcats.

* Made 6 of 7 three-pointers to help Kansas knock out the Wildcats in the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

* Attended four different high schools.

* Emulated by Jon Hood.

 

D. J. White (Indiana F 2004-2007)

* 1-2 vs. UK

* Averaged 15.6 points and 9 rebounds a game against the Wildcats.

* Just said no to drugs.

 

Bracey Wright (Indiana G 2002-2004)

* 0-3 vs. UK

* Averaged 24 points per game against the Wildcats. Shot an outstanding 12-23 3FG in his last two games against the Wildcats.

* Scored 23 of the team's 41 points when IU fell to the Wildcats in 2003.

 

Terrence Williams (Louisville F 2006-2009)

* 2-1 vs. UK

* Averaged 13.7 points and 6 rebounds per game against the Wildcats.

* Arguing with his new coach about taking it to the basket.

* Gave good advice to Jodie Meeks.

* Suspended for Twittering.