When you know, you know! This was also before NIL and The Cards were under probation, they almost got the death penalty. Pope didn’t have to deal with this. UL had so much negative press, how was Payne supposed to build a winner.
Someone explain to me
- Thread starter RunninRichie
- Start date
My understanding is that both were PR options for visibility while Barney was buying time to look at others. Sure...he would have taken either, but Hurley basically laughed and Drew looked out of courtesy and had his family spend a day in Lexington "just to see." Expensive day, and another miss by Barney. Why waste that money?
Call it what ever you like, but it is very true. Let's hear you say they wouldn't, with any coach with the first 3 years with a losing record. Pope hasn't had close to those, and he's on the hot seat.
Last edited:
Thanks for the info. I was wondering what exactly he wanted it for. And I mean Michigan is a really near place with great traditions and the state as a whole has a lot of appeal. Seems maybe he thinks it just needs a coach to get them over the hump to championships and he wants to be that guy. Almost a public version of Duke type of deal.
Backchannel but understand sometimes it’s just not going to happen with certain coaches. Doesn’t mean most won’t, just means sometimes coaches stay for factors other than the game and tradition of a place like UK. He probably has some type of vision for Michigan and that’s his goal, to get his statue and create their foundation of championships. Can’t knock it.
Last edited:
Pope is getting a third year. For sure.
saying that Pearl would be great here is just a discussion. Those tend to happen on discussion forums.
what’s your problem with Pearl and oats? You got something against winning?
Again, Kentucky is a different animal. If Pope had a top class coming in and was not thought to be a bad recruiter, it would slightly change things. The Auburn / Pearl comparison is a really, really bad comparison. I could give reason and reason why it’s something that doesn’t even come close to making sense. Been following college ball since the early 90’s. Auburn is a poverty program. You never relate anything that happens there to UK. They were willing to give pearl 7/8 years. He’s the best they could do, they never get a chance at a coach like him, and he had to built something from scratch.
Pope did okay last season, but even then, he lost a lot of games. This season the wheels are totally falling off. His statistical achievements aren’t close to UK standards. He was able to buy his rosters immediately. He has the UK brand. And still nothing. People have got to also learn the difference in pre and post NIL.
It is almost impossibly to have an under .500 record at UK. Nearly impossible. So that’s not even something we measure a UK coach by. Pope was decent last year with what he had to work with. His recruiting has been bad from the jump, it’s still bad, and we’re entering year 3 at Kentucky (not Auburn), Kentucky, a blue blood, with bad classes, bad seasons, and a bad outlook. Due to recruiting I’d fire him today but that’s not going to happen. Top coaches around the country aren’t worried about Pope being ran off. They know he’s not up to this.
Man, I would love to see his response in 2006 to the people wanting to run Tubby out for Calipari.
“cheating slime!!”
I guarantee it. Then he rode him so hard he’s still having Calipari’s babies.
I still say it's a very small group of guys who can:
-Has a proven track record and can win enough to keep us happy
-Has the personality and emotional strength to survive this job
-Is willing to leave their current job and embrace the pressure.
I don't see a clear cut candidate.
-Has a proven track record and can win enough to keep us happy
-Has the personality and emotional strength to survive this job
-Is willing to leave their current job and embrace the pressure.
I don't see a clear cut candidate.
I got something against scumbags. You clearly don't, so we have nothing in common. Have fun beating your chest after you cheat to win a card game. "Anything goes."
Neither of them will ever get a sniff here. The school won't hire dirtbag coaches just because a very very small portion of our fanbase wants to beat their chest and moon their UL co-worker........at any and all costs. You are completely wasting your time pining for those two. But it's totally your right to waste your time.
Experience? Oh... how many titles has Scheyer won prior to Duke? Pope prior to UK? Jai Lucas? Redick prior to the Lakers?
Notoriously hard to get along with? Says who? His teammates love him... including the young players he's helped developed.
Humor me... why doesn't his personality fit?
I could care less about his resume. This isn't 1988. Mark Pope lacks the personality, basketball acumen, and ability to run a program.
He wasn’t wrong for wanting Mark Pope and if he’s a real fan he should be cheering for Mark Pope to succeed even now.You wanted Mark Pope. You should lay low for a while!
I don’t think that’s right. All of the guys I’ve been around for decades here were all livid at the hire or the ones I saw. I was in tollyho when my wife told me downtown Lexington, the original. And I went crazy. Believe Rich did too. I began to look deeper and realized with the NIL era recruiting for him, maybe there was more to it than I realized and got behind it. Quickly saw he has having trouble even buying players and wasn’t the floor coach may thought he was. Saw his evaluation abilities. And was like man nah we can’t do this. Might be wrong but I believe Richie was around the same. Originally dumbstruck at the hire. I’ll let him speak to his side.
There’s nothing fans gain by piling on their coach. It only makes the job even harder and potentially lowers the ceiling. This false idea of “we are saving the program” by taking a dump all over every possible thing we can is just dumb. It’s another of those things you and I disagree on. Be frustrated. Be pissed. Be angry. But keep criticism within bounds, otherwise we hurt our program, not help it.
Last edited:
I dont root for soft individuals. I root for killers. I root to win! Im capable of seeing what wins and what doesn't! So far, I'm right!
No he didnt. He was here the minute he was hired, trying to get UK fans to burn Lexington down, get Mitch’s contact info, etc. they had to delete half lf it….he did that .because he’s a Notre Dame fan, not a UK fan. He admitted in the paddock that be loves seeing people unhappy. He lives for UK losses and a angry people. Sick? You betchuh, lol.You wanted Mark Pope. You should lay low for a while!
Last edited:
Go pound sand clown. He went nuts about the hire. You’re wrong so go lie down and deal with it
They all had previous experience coaching in college and the pros are a totally different thing to coach vs college.
Let me tell you my philosophy on this. It’s basketball. It’s a bunch of college age kids that I don’t know chasing a big orange ball for my enjoyment. I could give a rats *** if the coach is a scumbag or not. I want my team to WIN. Period.
I don’t care if our coach is a dick or has a shady past. I don’t care if the kids have been in jail or whatever. Hell I got cousins in jail right now and I still love em. I don’t need these people to be role models to my kids and as a Kentuckian I don’t need an ambassador. This is entertainment buddy. I’m not entertained by losing. Don’t make this bigger than what it is. It’s just ball
Mitch won’t hire Pearl or oats and I think Mitch is stupid for that. Pope is a great guy and he was never qualified for this gig. Also on Mitch.
Oh I forgot we were a title contender when Pope took over with 0 players and dog **** post season victories the last 4 or 5 years.
I hope you're right. Have you heard he gave his 6 month notice?
Im going to explain something right now. Bruce Pearl needs to be hired yesterday. I just hope he doesn't take his shirt off if we hire him
No. But Matt was saying just a few days ago that Mitch won’t be around beyond this year. I trust Matt on big picture stuff.
Hell, if Bruce Pearl gets hired, I say there shouldn’t be a shirt in Lexington. Just a parade of titties running full speed, couches burning on the sidewalks and charcoa grills lighting up the horizon.Im going to explain something right now. Bruce Pearl needs to be hired yesterday. I just hope he doesn't take his shirt off if we hire him
I hope matt is right.
Imagine if Bruce Pearl's first press conference at Kentucky is inviting BBN over for a cookout
I think Mexico just hired Bruce Pearl!
And what titles have they won before getting their current jobs? The value you are putting in sitting in on practices is wild. We have assistants right now that I wouldn't want to chaperone a field trip to a Dave & Busters.
I remember a thread saying he was retiring, but I'm pretty sure the same thread also said his buddy was getting the job, and I don't remember the name.
Imagine if Bruce Pearl's first press conference at Kentucky is inviting BBN over for a cookout
Those Mexicans will be balling then
I do know that during the last hire, Pilgrim and co were saying that Golden was basically begging for the UK job. I’m sure things are very different now, but could you imagine having Golden?
We would be set for probably decades. Dude’s basically in diapers
Alvin Brooks Knows more about college basketball players and recruiting than Rondo and it’s not even close. It’s not working for whatever reason but what makes you think Rondo would come into this NIL environment and know what to do at all? I am not comparing our assistants to the job though, I’m comparing guys like Tommy Lloyd to him and it’s not close.
Yea that guy sitting there with his sphincter tight as can be next to Cal and runway model knows more about basketball that two time world champion Rondo! And if he doesn’t he sure knows how to look like he does…..not.