We Have Turned On Each Other

[I’m The Village Idiot]

If you’re going to be here, have thicker skin. Yes, some things are over the top but much of it is ignorable.

I hear you on that, but it’s sure beginning to feel like anyone who says anything remotely positive is not welcome here. Go look at every thread title. Whatever title it says, you can guarantee the moment you open the thread, very little out the thread title is being discussed. Every thread devolves into some form of “Pope sucks” and the “Popettes” are ruining Kentucky basketball. There is no common ground to be had if this stuff is the only topic we get to have.

Something as simple as “hey guys, can we keep the extreme gatekeeping out” would be nice. We can all get along even if we disagree. What would prevent that is the heavy gatekeeping.

 

[jedwar]

I hear you on that, but it’s sure beginning to feel like anyone who says anything remotely positive is not welcome here. Go look at every thread title. Whatever title it says, you can guarantee the moment you open the thread, very little out the thread title is being discussed. Every thread devolves into some form of “Pope sucks” and the “Popettes” are ruining Kentucky basketball. There is no common ground to be had if this stuff is the only topic we get to have.

Something as simple as “hey guys, can we keep the extreme gatekeeping out” would be nice. We can all get along even if we disagree. What would prevent that is the heavy gatekeeping.

It goes both ways. Perhaps one way more than the other but it goes both ways.

 

[Woodrow24]

I hear you on that, but it’s sure beginning to feel like anyone who says anything remotely positive is not welcome here. Go look at every thread title. Whatever title it says, you can guarantee the moment you open the thread, very little out the thread title is being discussed. Every thread devolves into some form of “Pope sucks” and the “Popettes” are ruining Kentucky basketball. There is no common ground to be had if this stuff is the only topic we get to have.

Something as simple as “hey guys, can we keep the extreme gatekeeping out” would be nice. We can all get along even if we disagree. What would prevent that is the heavy gatekeeping.

Trolls don’t help things. It’ll be alright man. Use ignore more often. That will help you on this board I believe

 

[kyjeff1]

The alternative is we keep Pope because we are afraid of being told no? That's the same mentality Calipari's troops had.

No, that's not what I'm saying at all, I'm simply saying we might want to be careful what we wish for, we could very well end up with someone worse and that would be incredibly bad.

It’s why I'm hoping Pope somehow fixes his issues and get us back on track. I damn sure won't wish for us to lose.

 

[kyjeff1]

That's such BS. Dumb Mitch went after literally 3 guys.

Uh, okay, but are you confident in the next AD to pull a Todd Golden, or a Nate Oats?

Lets face it, unless we get Golden, McCasland or Phil Jackson out of retirement, half this board is going to go apesh*t the second we lose a game and we wonder why nobody wants to coach here.

 

[kyjeff1]

Surprised to see Jeff eat up Mitch Barnhart propaganda. "We got turned down by every coach in America. Except Mark Pope. He's the best and only we can do. So just rally around the flag. The fans are too mean".

I'm eating up Mitch Barnhart propaganda? WTF? Because I'm hoping we win? Because I'm choosing to see the good things Pope has done?

Okay, you got me.

 

[kyjeff1]

People swear up and down Oats said no. Even though, per his own words, he was never offered.

Do we really want Oats? Half this board wants nothing to do with him.

We crush Pope for being a terrible defensive mind, Oats is worse, way worse.

 

[wildcat111]

It’s not possible to post anything positive or supportive on this board without someone attacking you for being dumb or a homer. We’re all disappointed about our team’s and Coach Pope’s lack of success, but could we stop with the hatred?

Just what is there to be positive about? The program is literally in free fall with no light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Not one site had JQ playing half the year. I don’t know where something like this got started, but some reports had him possibly coming back by February. Most said maybe sometime in January. That’s not half a year.

And that injury isn’t something that you spring back 100% anywhere close to half the season. And you’re always at risk of going back down, we knew this when he was recruited. JQ was likely only at UK under Pope because everyone backed off. They knew he wanted the NBA. Pope took him because he needed recruiting momentum not to be an impact.

Even here everyone said sometime in January / February.

In the off season as we got closer to the start of the year, the majority of the reports were that he’d be back for the IU game. Ended up being a bad decision and an extremely bad investment but it was one Kansas, Arkansas, Louisville and others were willing to take. If we had gotten over 2/3 of the year with St. John’s JQ, I would have taken that all day. Unfortunately we did not.

 

[bbnkat02]

This board was uncharacteristically positive last season/off-season. Rupp Rafters is back to it's default state.

It's almost as if results matter.......nah

 

[WeWant9]

It’s always risky to hire a beloved alum as HC. Hopefully UK brings in an outside AD who can then fairly judge Pope next season and go from there.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Trolls don’t help things. It’ll be alright man. Use ignore more often. That will help you on this board I believe

I’m not in favor of making a bubble. I like to hear opposing opinions. That said, I may start using a little more. Unfortunately, even when I have used it for Anon907, OleTiredBum and others who just ridicule in every post, you still see their damn posts. It’s like the feature doesn’t even work.

 

[Phil_The_Music2]

Trolls don’t help things. It’ll be alright man. Use ignore more often. That will help you on this board I believe

Me and you have gone at it pretty hard before but I agree with you here. I think more folks need to use the ignore feature, at least for awhile. If you can't respond to someone who disagrees with you in a civilized manner, just ignore them. It would make this board a nicer place for everyone.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

I’m not in favor of making a bubble. I like to hear opposing opinions. That said, I may start using a little more. Unfortunately, even when I have used it for Anon907, OleTiredBum and others who just ridicule in every post, you still see their damn posts. It’s like the feature doesn’t even work.

It won’t ignore it if they are the last one to post in a thread. Once someone else post it goes away.

 

[kywildcat1021979]

I've never attacked anyone on here.

We ALL want to win, we all have different opinions, and we all handle losing differently.

When we're hurting and frustrated, many of us are desperately looking for an outlet, and unfortunately that outlet can become a fellow fan who's handling the same disappointment in a different way.

At the end of the day, we're all Cat fans, so hopefully some of us can keep that in mind when we're attacking or being attacked.

Remember, we ALL hate UT, UofL, Danny Hurley, Todd Golden, and DUKE!!

I don't hate Hurley or Golden I think they're excellent coaches. I think if we replace Pope, I think Golden has what it takes to excel in Rupp's seat!

 

[Crestcat]

Nobody said Pope was a young guy, but how long has he been coaching at a power 4 school? Only a few years.

Also, last year, the SEC was, by the numbers, the best conference in the history of college ball and through injuries, Pope coached his best season ever, got a 3 seed and won 2 games in the tournament.

I keep seeing comments about Pope being the same coach he's always been, what previous year did he do anything close to what he did last year?

And injuries matter, especially when your star pg (Butler) pf (Carr), sf (Robinson) go down.

Also, I know you hate Lowe and JQ, but this team is greatly improved with both those guys. Not good enough to be title worthy most likely (we'll never know), but we wouldn’t have 13 losses if we had those 2 guys.

Show me another team in the history of cbb that lost 3 guys and even made the tournament.

The JQ that played against St John's would have made a lot of difference in the SEC

 

[kyjeff1]

The JQ that played against St John's would have made a lot of difference in the SEC

Huge difference, definitely.

 

[crashtestdummy_rivals61973]

I come to this site for good conversation about Kentucky basketball, and over the years there have been some very knowledgeable and level-headed posters who have offered it.

The overly exuberant posters can be tedious, but the miserable posters who take every loss as an occasion to stoke misery make this board toxic.

If you want Pope fired, fine, walk out of Rupp, or send a letter to the President and Board of Trustees. Fighting with other fans on a message board ain’t moving the needle.

Not just the losses....It's also how this team was constructed. how this team has performed, and the inability to recruit.
You say we that want Pope fired, need to walk out of Rupp. Well, if you're in search of "good" conversation. Perhaps it would lessen the damage to your delicate sensibilities, if you gather the other cuck's, and start your very own online community.

 

[rivercatinfl]

Just win and all the bs goes away. Pope can do it. He needs what everyone is saying, more talent.
That's why he's here. Put the best team on the floor and win.
I predict it will happen.

 

[rivercatinfl]

Uh, okay, but are you confident in the next AD to pull a Todd Golden, or a Nate Oats?

Lets face it, unless we get Golden, McCasland or Phil Jackson out of retirement, half this board is going to go apesh*t the second we lose a game and we wonder why nobody wants to coach here.

Let them freak. Who cares. This is a process for any coach. Pope will have a better product on the floor next year.

 

[preacherfan]

Do we really want Oats? Half this board wants nothing to do with him.

We crush Pope for being a terrible defensive mind, Oats is worse, way worse.

Oats just lost to the 15 seed! The same team that had lost 13 of 15 games, as I recall. This board would have melted down if we had done that. Heck, we beat the 8 seed and there was a ton of negativity!

 

[kyjeff1]

Oats just lost to the 15 seed! The same team that had lost 13 of 15 games, as I recall. This board would have melted down if we had done that. Heck, we beat the 8 seed and there was a ton of negativity!

Half this board already hates Oats, the ones that want him are putting him on their lists, because there aren't very many other options, but they think we can just push a button and get whoever we want. That's just not true and Oats would have us hating each other worse than we do now.

Too many shallow minded dudes on here.

 

[preacherfan]

Half this board already hates Oats, the ones that want him are putting him on their lists, because there aren't very many other options, but they think we can just push a button and get whoever we want. That's just not true and Oats would have us hating each other worse than we do now.

Too many shallow minded dudes on here.

I don't really know why Oats is even mentioned on this board considering this:

As of March 2026, Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats' buyout is $18 million if he leaves for another job before April 1, 2026. This high figure was established in a March 2024 extension and is considered one of the largest in college basketball to deter potential suitors

I wonder what the buyout is after April 1?

 

[megablue]

It’s not possible to post anything positive or supportive on this board without someone attacking you for being dumb or a homer. We’re all disappointed about our team’s and Coach Pope’s lack of success, but could we stop with the hatred?

I understand the sentiment. It does seem that there is a growing sense of tribalism within the BBN. It appears to be a divided, if not unreasonable, fan base.
Dealing with the failure to meet expectations has created intense frustration and friction ... no doubt. It may well be that only immediate success will re-unite the BBN. We'll see ...

 

[kyjeff1]

I don't really know why Oats is even mentioned on this board considering this:

As of March 2026, Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats' buyout is $18 million if he leaves for another job before April 1, 2026. This high figure was established in a March 2024 extension and is considered one of the largest in college basketball to deter potential suitors

I wonder what the buyout is after April 1?

Yeah, he ain't worth it.

 

[Pidgie]

No, that's not what I'm saying at all, I'm simply saying we might want to be careful what we wish for, we could very well end up with someone worse and that would be incredibly bad.

It’s why I'm hoping Pope somehow fixes his issues and get us back on track. I damn sure won't wish for us to lose.

Does Bill Gillespie ring a bell...........the university traded Tubby Smith for that clown.....if someone like him didn't run the program off of the rails......I am for letting Pope have some time........

 

[FatCatMan]

Let them freak. Who cares. This is a process for any coach. Pope will have a better product on the floor next year.

With Lowe as PG? With no recruits coming in next year? We don’t even know how the portal is going to turn out or who is going to leave. We have no clue how next year will turn out and frankly, he’s 2 seasons in with both ending in 10+ loss seasons. What is the likelier scenario: he loses 10+ games next year or he wins the SEC?

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

Let them freak. Who cares. This is a process for any coach. Pope will have a better product on the floor next year.

What makes you so sure about that? Guy can't even land 1 top recruit.

 

[Pidgie]

Not just the losses....It's also how this team was constructed. how this team has performed, and the inability to recruit.
You say we that want Pope fired, need to walk out of Rupp. Well, if you're in search of "good" conversation. Perhaps it would lessen the damage to your delicate sensibilities, if you gather the other cuck's, and start your very own online community.

Speaking of the ignore button.....

 

[Monday Nitro]

Oats just lost to the 15 seed! The same team that had lost 13 of 15 games, as I recall. This board would have melted down if we had done that. Heck, we beat the 8 seed and there was a ton of negativity!

That durtbag would never get a sniff here. That's why he took his name out of consideration so fast, to save himself the embarrassment of not even being considered.

 

[Pidgie]

Yeah, he ain't worth it.

Not only that.........I am not sure a coach with a punk attitude would make it at UK.......hell, the ref's seem to hate the program........just what we need is a punk to really piss them off........

 

[FatCatMan]

Here's the thing, you go to the Kentucky fan Subreddits and you’ll find that anyone who is remotely negative gets dogpiled on and downvoted for even implying that Pope isn’t going to work. Not to mention crazy threads implying “Pope is the perfect coach for the job and poops ice cream” when everything so far has proven on the contrary.

That isn’t including Facebook crazies or the Twitter nuts where many have the same level of delusions.

How do you deal with people who refuse to see what is in front of you? Right now we finished 9th in the SEC after finishing 6th last year. Neither cases did we make it beyond Friday in the SECT.

We have fans aggressively pushing that other fans with higher expectations should settle. That “no one wants to coach here.” That somehow out of 360 Division 1 coaches, only Pope accepted the job. It doesn’t even make sense. Between that and people desperately pushing the comparison between Pope and Hurley/Golden and it becomes exhausting.

Something Pope fans can’t accept is that none of it is very realistic. Pope likely won’t lose fewer 10 games a year. He likely won’t finish in the top 4 of the SEC and probably won’t make it further than Friday of the SECT or the Sweet 16 in the tournament. Because that’s been results of Pope’s entire coaching career.

What’s even more unrealistic is expecting boosters to continue to spend over $20 million a year when the results are nowhere close to expectations. Pope will likely continue to lose NIL spending the longer he is here and will likely have worse results because of it. At some point fans need to be realistic. No not realistic in the sense that we all have to accept Pope as our Lord and Savior. But realistic that Pope is doomed to fail because people with money will not continue throwing money into failure.

 

[Monday Nitro]

Here's the thing, you go to the Kentucky fan Subreddits and you’ll find that anyone who is remotely negative gets dogpiled on and downvoted for even implying that Pope isn’t going to work. Not to mention crazy threads implying “Pope is the perfect coach for the job and poops ice cream” when everything so far has proven on the contrary.

That isn’t including Facebook crazies or the Twitter nuts where many have the same level of delusions.

How do you deal with people who refuse to see what is in front of you? Right now we finished 9th in the SEC after finishing 6th last year. Neither cases did we make it beyond Friday in the SECT.

We have fans aggressively pushing that other fans with higher expectations should settle. That “no one wants to coach here.” That somehow out of 360 Division 1 coaches, only Pope accepted the job. It doesn’t even make sense. Between that and people desperately pushing the comparison between Pope and Hurley/Golden and it becomes exhausting.

Something Pope fans can’t accept is that none of it is very realistic. Pope likely won’t lose fewer 10 games a year. He likely won’t finish in the top 4 of the SEC and probably won’t make it further than Friday of the SECT or the Sweet 16 in the tournament. Because that’s been results of Pope’s entire coaching career.

What’s even more unrealistic is expecting boosters to continue to spend over $20 million a year when the results are nowhere close to expectations. Pope will likely continue to lose NIL spending the longer he is here and will likely have worse results because of it. At some point fans need to be realistic. No not realistic in the sense that we all have to accept Pope as our Lord and Savior. But realistic that Pope is doomed to fail because people with money will not continue throwing money into failure.

 

[Bleedin Blue in Ohio]

I don't hate Hurley or Golden I think they're excellent coaches. I think if we replace Pope, I think Golden has what it takes to excel in Rupp's seat!

Just why do you think Golden would come here? He won a Natty where he is at and has another team capable of winning it again. He does not need Kentucky neither does Hurley. He already has a job where he can win it all. Some people need to get a clue.

 

[FatCatMan]

And then there’s just douchebags like this poster who attacks anyone who isn’t on the Pope train.

 

[UKAlum84]

Travis Perry made a 3 in the second half against Arkansas just now... Wonder if Cal was recruiting him before leaving UK?

 

[Farsight Clone]

You can’t post anything positive or it gets quickly mocked and stomped out. You know this.

Yet you're the guy who does most of the mocking

 

[Monday Nitro]

Travis Perry made a 3 in the second half against Arkansas just now... Wonder if Cal was recruiting him before leaving UK?

He keeps getting better as he's making some good passes, mixing it up on defense, etc. I thought Noah was going to be better. Boy was I wrong.

 

[UKAlum84]

We as UK fans, shoulda realized that something was amiss having Travis Perry transfer. You could say it was playing time...imo Travis Perry has potential to be like Colin Chandler. Oh well, it's been a tough season. Just look at ole miss's record for the year.

 

[preacherfan]

What’s even more unrealistic is expecting boosters to continue to spend over $20 million a year when the results are nowhere close to expectations. Pope will likely continue to lose NIL spending the longer he is here and will likely have worse results because of it. At some point fans need to be realistic. No not realistic in the sense that we all have to accept Pope as our Lord and Savior. But realistic that Pope is doomed to fail because people with money will not continue throwing money into failure.

yeah, and of course, according to this board, there would be a massive boycott of the SEC tournament this year. My friend was there and said that there were very few UK fans.....Oh wait....that is not what my friend said. My friend said it was full of UK fans.