Pope: I refuse to give control outside of our program "Fans included"

mash_24

Heisman
Sep 26, 2011
9,342
27,384
108
It’s not that I don’t agree with some of that, but this is a top 5 program / organization for recognition and fanbase in ALL OF sports College or pro. That’s how big that seat is. So they signed up for this. They get no excuses. They get paid period end of story and they’re paid to produce. Everything else is just noise.

Mark wasn’t a standout player he was very fortunate to play here. And to coach here? My God, the guy really isn’t assistant quality not top assistant. He’s been the most fortunate guy associated with UK basketball in history.

And this is what he does? No. People are going to be upset and he should be the first to get it. 100 years building this place. No, he needs to stop wining and leave.
Im fine with all the coaching criticism he’s getting. But the Mormon crap and other personal stuff is stupid and childish.
 

Farsight Clone

All-American
Aug 30, 2025
2,698
5,235
103
He said 'outside of our program'. You don't seriously think he is trying to isolate the team from the fans? He is stating that he won't blame the refs or fans or anything else inside the game for a loss.

Pick on Pope all you want but he wouldn't insinuate that he can separate the UK fans from the team.
Like others said, we need more context. I post it when I was emotional. I wanted to know what the question was beforehand.
 
Sep 6, 2025
180
300
63
Pope is done, man. Caved to the pressure. We would be a 1 seed with Donovan right now

Hard for me to see Donovan coming here but I gladly keep saying he's my #1 choice if we need a coach next year. I don't see his tenure with the Bulls lasting much longer and the stars might align if Donovan wishes to continue coaching. I still think we should've just waited for the NBA playoffs to be done two years ago and nabbed him. Yes, we would've been behind a recruiting 8-ball but suffer through the bad season and we are on a better trajectory the following year.
 

actionjaksen

Junior
Oct 20, 2002
189
232
43
Like others said, we need more context. I post it when I was emotional. I wanted to know what the question was beforehand.
Trust in that. For all his flaws as a coach, I can all but guarantee that he isn't talking about the UK fans. He was talking about things in the environment of the game...and it was an away game.

UK is nothing without the fans.
 
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MidseasonTweak

Heisman
Mar 1, 2020
9,808
16,166
113
Hard for me to see Donovan coming here but I gladly keep saying he's my #1 choice if we need a coach next year. I don't see his tenure with the Bulls lasting much longer and the stars might align if Donovan wishes to continue coaching. I still think we should've just waited for the NBA playoffs to be done two years ago and nabbed him. Yes, we would've been behind a recruiting 8-ball but suffer through the bad season and we are on a better trajectory the following year.
Yep. Barnhart made a terrible mistake.
 

fisherscatfan

All-Conference
Jan 17, 2010
1,120
2,451
113
He said 'outside of our program'. You don't seriously think he is trying to isolate the team from the fans? He is stating that he won't blame the refs or fans or anything else inside the game for a loss.

Pick on Pope all you want but he wouldn't insinuate that he can separate the UK fans from the team.
Well for a man who is supposed to be so smart, he communicates like a moron.
 
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NociHTTP

Heisman
Mar 8, 2023
12,472
19,535
113
Hard for me to see Donovan coming here but I gladly keep saying he's my #1 choice if we need a coach next year. I don't see his tenure with the Bulls lasting much longer and the stars might align if Donovan wishes to continue coaching. I still think we should've just waited for the NBA playoffs to be done two years ago and nabbed him. Yes, we would've been behind a recruiting 8-ball but suffer through the bad season and we are on a better trajectory the following year.
Brad Stevens is another one I would love here, but he's not leaving his seat. Bruce Pearl? He would already have ripped so many of the kids new axe holes.
 

actionjaksen

Junior
Oct 20, 2002
189
232
43
Well for a man who is supposed to be so smart, he communicates like a moron.
Yeah it was real clumsy. He was emotional. I was too. That one view where you saw Chandler so.happy because he thought he was going to the line and then he realized what was happening. Made me sick to my stomach.
 

Blues10

Freshman
Dec 1, 2025
56
68
18
I’m surprised he didn’t call us basketball Bennies!
He’s lost it. He’s melting Under the pressure.

Hmmm! Hold me accountable. And I understand the assignment.🤣🤣🤣💙🤍
 
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UKGrad24

All-American
Apr 2, 2024
2,939
7,210
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Im fine with all the coaching criticism he’s getting. But the Mormon crap and other personal stuff is stupid and childish.
The only think I think about the Mormon stuff is I don’t see how someone who believes that can fit in with corrupt SEC sports. You literally cannot do the things you need to do to be good. He can’t cheat, nothing corrupt at all, can’t curse, can’t scream and chew out.

It’s literally everything that you must be to be a college head coach in this league lol. Mark should have stayed at a Mormon college. This isn’t for him.
 

ToniTonyToneDelkDelkDelk

All-Conference
Feb 20, 2007
2,428
2,285
113
This is NOT how you win over BBN Pope. What happened to you telling the fans to HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE??????

I was there at Rupp during you're rally when you said this.


Now you guys said... you hated when Cal turned on the fans.

Now this whiny goof is doing it, and doesn't even have the courtesy to win games, get recruits, or play exciting basketball.
 
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Woodrow24

Heisman
Dec 21, 2015
6,500
15,694
78
Pope should’ve kept his mouth shut in that press conference for obvious reasons. It’s not a good idea to say things like that in front of the media. I know it’s tough when someone’s mad but theirs a time and a place for everything and that wasn’t it.