POLL: Simple Question about Mark Pope and BYU

[megablue]

BEFORE he was announced as part of the search process, were you aware that Mark Pope was the coach at BYU ?? I wasn't ... ignorant me, I guess.
I remembered him coming into Rupp with some team (???) a few years back to play Kentucky with Cal, but honestly did not know he was the coach at BYU.
To my view, it struck me as a very hasty, if not odd, decision to pursue him and award the position. Things moved too quickly and were rushed, I thought.
He's here now and I fully support him, OF COURSE, but never understood the hire. Hopefully, his third year will prove he is up to the task. GO CATS !!

Utah Valley at Kentucky (November 10, 2017)

www.bigbluehistory.com

Mark Pope - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[anon1777473514]

Megablue. You’re a real good poster but this gave me a chuckle.

 

[Johnnie Africa]

I’m sure this won’t go over well here but I became a UK fan in 99 my freshman year at UK so I actually had no idea who mark pope even was.

 

[megablue]

Megablue. You’re a real good poster but this gave me a chuckle.

Village ... Thanks for the kind words, but I'm serious and not trying to be cute. HONESTLY, I did not know that Mark Pope was the coach at BYU.
Perhaps I just don't follow college basketball close enough. His name just came out of nowhere and I learned of his tenure at BYU then,

 

[anon1777473514]

Village ... I'm serious and not trying to be cute. HONESTLY, I did not know that Mark Pope was the coach at BYU. Perhaps I don't follow college basketball close enough. His name just came out of nowhere and I learned of his tenure there.

It’s all good, man. I climbed on a soapbox to say Michigan absolutely cannot win the title — DOH! I also thought the correct phrase was “death nail” rather than “death knell.” I predicted the 2026 team to at least make a Sweet 16 and at least a 5 seed and served avatar punishments for both.

 

[megablue]

It’s all good, man. I climbed on a soapbox to say Michigan absolutely cannot win the title — DOH! I also thought the correct phrase was “death nail” rather than “death knell.” I predicted the 2026 team to at least make a Sweet 16 and at least a 5 seed and served avatar punishments for both.

Interesting ... you got me to thinking ... so here goes, to learn ... after all, we like to think of BBN as the most knowledgeable fans in the country.

Death knell - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

Village ... I'm serious and not trying to be cute. HONESTLY, I did not know that Mark Pope was the coach at BYU. Perhaps I just don't follow college basketball close enough. His name just came out of nowhere and I learned of his tenure at BYU then,

I think it’s fair to say you could have known he was at BYU and it still came out of nowhere.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I knew. A small percentage of the fanbase were talking him up due to beating Kansas. Otherwise I may not have known.

 

[Bluegrasskingreboot]

Yep, my pipedream after we escaped Drew and got turned down by Hurley and seemingly Oats on the downlow was to bring back Pitino and have Pope be the coach in waiting and paying him like 3 or so to give up BYU to it until Rick stepped down in a few years.

I knew he was coaching Utah state as well. I sorta keep up with our guys and with the game broadly. I watch a little west coast ball and such.

It seems like a lot of folks no longer watch much beyond Kentucky and MAYBE big matchups here and there. Many Wildcat fans know ball in general but don't really follow it much anymore so they know but largely out of context.

Some don't even seem to be able to process how competitive the SEC has become or how broadly talent has become distributed in general or that more schools than ever are taking basketball seriously and are investing real resources.

As soon as I see the handwringing about getting kids from "nothing schools" I know the person has let a few software updates go uninstalled and are paying little to no attention what about any teams are doing no matter how successful. Some of the studs being lamented came from some Little Sisters of the Poor. Some even stay in such places and still become NBA stars and contributors.

Another thing I think is overstated is the 10 loss line, with the strength of schedule it doesn't shed much light, it may earn a 2 or 3 seed depending on the year.
It certainly no longer automatically means a bad year at all. More like not a one seed but anything less may be on the table, it just depends on who the wins are against and the manner of the losses.

Last year was pretty rough but we were still a win away from coming in second rather than being ninth in the conference. Clean up a few contests and the whole perception is forced into a different lens. Flip UNC, Missouri, and Georgia and we have a good year with a a more advantageous seed.

 

[Monday Nitro]

Anybody that didn't know he was at BYU is more of a casual UK fan or very young. They just are.

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

I knew he was, not sure how but I did know. I was living in a cabin in the sticks so I did a lot of late night reading in the winter.

 

[Anon200440]

im 21

i didn't even know who mark pope was

let alone him coaching at byu

 

[JAC71]

Didn’t know and I didn’t care… they were irrelevant.

 

[megablue]

Anybody that didn't know he was at BYU is more of a casual UK fan or very young. They just are.

I'm 73 and have been a fan of KY basketball for many years, since 1959 as a young kid going to Memorial with my uncle.
Did you know he was at Utah Valley before they came to KY to play ?? Did you know he'd been assistant at Georgia. Just curious ... ??

 

[Monday Nitro]

I'm 73 and have been a fan of basketball for many years, since 1959 as a young kid going to Memorial with my uncle.
Did you know he was at Utah Valley State before he came to KY to play ?? Did you know he'd been assistant ag Georgia. Just curious ... ??

I absolutely did. I have followed him since Fox gave him his first opportunity. Haven some more wine with that cheese.

 

[Monday Nitro]

Totally get if someone did not know if he was at Utah Valley or Georgia. But if you didn't know he was at BYU, you are a casual fan, are very young OR are a disingenuous clown scractching your head for reason # 8,765 to start a thead crapping on Pope.

 

[megablue]

Yep, my pipedream after we escaped Drew and got turned down by Hurley and seemingly Oats on the downlow was to bring back Pitino and have Pope be the coach in waiting and paying him like 3 or so to give up BYU to it until Rick stepped down in a few years.

I knew he was coaching Utah state as well. I sorta keep up with our guys and with the game broadly. I watch a little west coast ball and such.

It seems like a lot of folks no longer watch much beyond Kentucky and MAYBE big matchups here and there. Many Wildcat fans know ball in general but don't really follow it much anymore so they know but largely out of context.

Some don't even seem to be able to process how competitive the SEC has become or how broadly talent has become distributed in general or that more schools than ever are taking basketball seriously and are investing real resources.

As soon as I see the handwringing about getting kids from "nothing schools" I know the person has let a few software updates go uninstalled and are paying little to no attention what about any teams are doing no matter how successful. Some of the studs being lamented came from some Little Sisters of the Poor. Some even stay in such places and still become NBA stars and contributors.

Another thing I think is overstated is the 10 loss line, with the strength of schedule it doesn't shed much light, it may earn a 2 or 3 seed depending on the year.
It certainly no longer automatically means a bad year at all. More like not a one seed but anything less may be on the table, it just depends on who the wins are against and the manner of the losses.

Last year was pretty rough but we were still a win away from coming in second rather than being ninth in the conference. Clean up a few contests and the whole perception is forced into a different lens. Flip UNC, Missouri, and Georgia and we have a good year with a a more advantageous seed.

GREAT POST !! I get you on the 10-loss thing and how many good teams are out there right now, but I think it not unreasonable to expect KY to regularly field teams that win at least a 70% overall rate. That would give you a 23-10 record, as example. I'd like to see KY regularly win at least twenty-five (25) games a year, if not a few more.

 

[megablue]

I absolutely did. I have followed him since Fox gave him his first opportunity. Haven some more wine with that cheese.

I'm not sure I understand the "wine and cheese" comment. I was just curious, as you made the point about knowledge. I am definitely impressed that you follow the game so closely ... definitely more than I do. I am the first to admit that I am not a deep fan of college basketball, as except for the NCAAT, I only watch Kentucky games. Thanks for the exchange and GO CATS !!

 

[Phil_The_Music2]

It’s all good, man. I climbed on a soapbox to say Michigan absolutely cannot win the title — DOH! I also thought the correct phrase was “death nail” rather than “death knell.” I predicted the 2026 team to at least make a Sweet 16 and at least a 5 seed and served avatar punishments for both.

Well dang. I also thought it was death "nail." We learn something every day.

 

[anon1777473514]

Well dang. I also thought it was death "nail." We learn something every day.

I assumed it was a literal nail used for caskets back in the day lol. Guess not.

 

[megablue]

Totally get if someone did not know if he was at Utah Valley or Georgia. But if you didn't know he was at BYU, you are a casual fan, are very young OR are a disingenuous clown scractching your head for reason # 8,765 to start a thead crapping on Pope..

In no way, shape or form, was my poll question intended to "crap" on Pope. I fully support him and the program, as I stated. I was just curious, as discussions with many of my friends indicated the same thing. Some did not know that Pope was the coach at BYU before he was considered for the KY job. So, I wanted to ask the board. For that matter, I didn't know who Billy Gillispie was before he was first mentioned for the job. Same way for Mark Stoops before he was considered. Based on the poll reports, it clearly shows that 80% (and climbing) of folks who responded knew that Mark Pope was coaching BYU before he was ever mentioned as a coaching candidate for KY. That impresses me !! Perhaps it's lame, but other than Lloyd, Self, Drew and Sampson, I could not name another Big 12 coach (16 teams in conference). It was the same way when Pope was at BYU ... I didn't realize it ... I didn't know.

 

[megablue]

Well dang. I also thought it was death "nail." We learn something every day.

Me2 ... it never hurts to build up your data base for a night out to play trivia at your favorite bar or restaurant.

 

[Bluegrasskingreboot]

im 21

i didn't even know who mark pope was

let alone him coaching at byu

It feels like when I was 21 there had to be at least twice as many hours in the day, maybe tripple. I watched so much ball then while working and going to school, chasing skirts, read for pleasure, played video games, drank all night, went to shows, hung out with friends daily.

I'd know because I'd watch BYU at least a handful of times a year even before they bumped up to the Big 12 but I was a Basketball Jones type at that age. The brackets would come out and I'd generally have actually informed thoughts on and had seen most teams play full games.

 

[Anon200440]

It feels like when I was 21 there had to be at least twice as many hours in the day, maybe tripple. I watched so much ball then while working and going to school, chasing skirts, read for pleasure, played video games, drank all night, went to shows, hung out with friends daily.

I'd know because I'd watch BYU at least a handful of times a year even before they bumped up to the Big 12 but I was a Basketball Jones type at that age. The brackets would come out and I'd generally have actually informed thoughts on and had seen most teams play full games.

that's great unc i love that for u

 

[RedwoodHigh]

Mark Pope was not the best known former player nor former Pro. That team he played on had many well known names besides him. I did not follow his career until he got the BYU job & coaching against WCC teams . I did support him being hired.
A quick google search did educate me about him. - As a lifetime Mormon , BYU embraced him & stated as much when he was hired. The only job he would have left Utah for was Kentucky. Considering that Kentucky is the home of Bourbon & Horse racing Gambling- both things that Mormons avoid by faith , Pope was probably the wrong choice from both social & cultural standpoints.
Just Saying

 

[Monday Nitro]

This poll started on March 9th by the OP and his comments in the thread show that the OP is full of sh*t with his "aww shux I had no idea he was at BYU ." stuff. He's anti-Pope and has been from day 1, as he says in this post. Just another stupid poll he's starting to drum up Pope-hate.

Mark Pope - Simple Poll - Forums

Going back to the day he was hired, what was your honest and immediate opinion and reaction THEN of the hiring of Mark Pope ?? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Pope

www.on3.com

 

[megablue]

This poll started on March 9th by the OP and his comments in the thread show that the OP is full of sh*t with his "aww shux I had no idea he was at BYU ." stuff. He's anti-Pope and has been from day 1, as he says in this post. Just another stupid poll he's starting to drum up Pope-hate.

Mark Pope - Simple Poll - Forums

Going back to the day he was hired, what was your honest and immediate opinion and reaction THEN of the hiring of Mark Pope ?? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Pope

www.on3.com

No ... not anti-Pope. Would he have been my choice, obviously not. Just like to see what others think. That is the purpose of exchanges on the Board. As I have said, I did not understand the hire. I never have. It confused me because I did not feel he was qualified and was surprised, not shocked, to see it.

If I were anti-Pope, I would be rooting against him and hoping he fails. I fully support him as our coach and hope he finishes this recruiting season strongly and next year is highly-successful. I'm not one of those that thinks a so-so year would require his firing. He is obviously learning and growing into the job at Kentucky. It is very demanding and there is a huge pressure to win. Can he, will he, be successful ... we'll find out.

In my mind, with the NIL and portal, coaching has become more difficult than ever, especially here at KY and at other "blue blood" programs. I'm not one who thinks the "home run" hire would automatically be successful here or elsewhere. It's all so much different now ...

 

[Monday Nitro]

No ... not anti-Pope. Would he have been my choice, obviously not. Just like to see what others think. That is the purpose of exchanges on the Board. As I have said, I did not understand the hire. I never have. It confused me because I did not feel he was qualified and was surprised, not shocked, to see it.

If I were anti-Pope, I would be rooting against him and hoping he fails. I fully support him as our coach and hope he finishes this recruiting season strongly and next year is highly-successful. I'm not one of those that thinks a so-so year would require his firing. He is obviously learning and growing into the job at Kentucky. It is very demanding and there is a huge pressure to win. Can he, will he, be successful ... we'll find out. In my mind, with the NIL and portal, coaching has become more difficult than ever, especially here at KY and at other "blue blood" programs. I'm not one who thinks the "home run" hire would automatically be successful here or elsewhere. It's all so much different now ...

You’re starting these threads because you know what will come. Passive aggressive people are THE worst. Later.

 

[Jtf2217]

NGL last thing I had heard about Mark pope he was coaching Utah Valley or something in rupp against a Cal team.