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Having Mark Pope as Coach at UK is, in effect, similar to the program being on Probation....

G

Goingfor9

All-Conference
Jan 27, 2003
16,280
3,146
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WildcatWally-77 said:
--Few good recruits...
--Horrendous losses...
--Diminished public respect...
--Loss of hope...
--No NCAA Tournament run hope...
--I could go on and on...
--Do you agree or disagree?
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This is far worse. The thing about probation is that it ends and usually programs bounce back fast. Having a bad coach is completely different that can destroy the program.. especially since our athletic department has a guy with a bag over his head driving things it’s about to wreck us into a tree.
 
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MegaBlue05

MegaBlue05

Heisman
Mar 8, 2014
11,046
22,358
66
MidseasonTweak said:
Agree.. Though this may end up being worse. It should be easier for UK to stand up above the rest in this day and age and Barnfart pissed away the lead.
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Nothing Mark Pope can do this season will be worse than: no live television for 2 years, reduced scholarships for 3 years and no postseason for 3 years even if the team is good.

I understand the negativity, but some of the hyperbole I read here daily is astounding.
 
B

Bluegrasskingreboot

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Jul 17, 2025
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Seemingly folks either don't recall probation or have found some weird nostalgia googles to look back at it through.

No TV
Scholarship reductions.
No NCAA at all.
Still manage a great season? Too bad, it doesn't matter.

No, missing on some recruits is in no way equal to probation.

Winning a handful or less more games and landing a high level recruit ends fake probation instantly even if a hire is required to do so.

A 7 seed and a second round exit is a 100,000 light years away from the death penalty.
 
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MegaBlue05

MegaBlue05

Heisman
Mar 8, 2014
11,046
22,358
66
Bluegrasskingreboot said:
Seemingly folks either don't recall probation or have found some weird nostalgia googles to look back at it through.

No TV
Scholarship reductions.
No NCAA at all.
Still manage a great season? Too bad, it doesn't matter.

No, missing on some recruits is in no way equal to probation.

Winning a handful or less more games and landing a high level recruit ends fake probation instantly even if a hire is required to do so.

A 7 seed and a second round exit is a 100,000 light years away from the death penalty.
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Exactly.

Case in point: The 1991 team won the SEC regular season outright but UK was forbidden from officially recognizing it and another school that didn’t actually win the league is credited for it historically in the record books.

That’s much worse than late stage Tubby level recruiting and Round of 32.
 
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WildcatWally-77

Junior
Dec 6, 2022
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MegaBlue05 said:
Nothing Mark Pope can do this season will be worse than: no live television for 2 years, reduced scholarships for 3 years and no postseason for 3 years even if the team is good.

I understand the negativity, but some of the hyperbole I read here daily is astounding.
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Hyperbole huh.....I take it that you are well satisfied with the "Pope Disaster" and the way things are going for UK Basketball right now. To each his own--enjoy the upcoming season!!!
 
MidseasonTweak

MidseasonTweak

Heisman
Mar 1, 2020
10,107
17,067
113
MegaBlue05 said:
Nothing Mark Pope can do this season will be worse than: no live television for 2 years, reduced scholarships for 3 years and no postseason for 3 years even if the team is good.

I understand the negativity, but some of the hyperbole I read here daily is astounding.
Click to expand...
The television thing is the only aspect that can make it worse. Pope isn't fielding any sort of championship nor is he bringing in top talent regardless
 
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seccats04

seccats04

Heisman
Dec 6, 2004
14,472
23,286
113
Bluegrasskingreboot said:
Seemingly folks either don't recall probation or have found some weird nostalgia googles to look back at it through.

No TV
Scholarship reductions.
No NCAA at all.
Still manage a great season? Too bad, it doesn't matter.

No, missing on some recruits is in no way equal to probation.

Winning a handful or less more games and landing a high level recruit ends fake probation instantly even if a hire is required to do so.

A 7 seed and a second round exit is a 100,000 light years away from the death penalty.
Click to expand...
But that was all pre-NIL. We have had coaches on FBI wire taps offering money to players before it was legal and all that happened was the coach lost their job. And one of those coaches just got rehired at the same school. There are no rules anymore. Just win. We instead would rather lose but act like we’re morally superior.
 
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Bleedin Blue in Ohio

All-Conference
Feb 3, 2013
486
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Mark Pope has kept the Cats on the same plane as Cal during this decade. 20 to 25 wins. Early NCAA tourney exits. He must do better next year injuries or no injuries. Replacing Cal was about getting better and so far, the same. If it does not improve in yar 3 then next up. If his time makes a run which is win 25+ games, Wins the SEC tourney, or has at least an elite 8 appearance he gets to move forward. Winning the NBA draft is not the goal at UK neither is winning the off-season November thru March is all that counts. I do not care if Coach Pope signs a #1 Wagner, #3 Edwards, and #5 Bradshaw. Cal won the off season and lost to Oakland. If Coach Pope never signs an elite player but his team wins, I am fine. If he does not win then need to find someone that will win.
 
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TheApostleSaulSmith

TheApostleSaulSmith

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Bleedin Blue in Ohio said:
Mark Pope has kept the Cats on the same plane as Cal during this decade. 20 to 25 wins. Early NCAA tourney exits. He must do better next year injuries or no injuries. Replacing Cal was about getting better and so far, the same. If it does not improve in yar 3 then next up. If his time makes a run which is win 25+ games, Wins the SEC tourney, or has at least an elite 8 appearance he gets to move forward. Winning the NBA draft is not the goal at UK neither is winning the off-season November thru March is all that counts. I do not care if Coach Pope signs a #1 Wagner, #3 Edwards, and #5 Bradshaw. Cal won the off season and lost to Oakland. If Coach Pope never signs an elite player but his team wins, I am fine. If he does not win then need to find someone that will win.
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You know we fired Cal because of that, right?
 
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TFCat11

TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
6,194
11,355
108
I’d say it’s close… Pitino’s first season under probation, he lost 14 games (undefeated at Rupp!)…

I’ve got Pope losing 1 more than that, for a total of 15 (with multiple Rupp losses)… So, like I said, it’s close.
 
TFCat11

TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
6,194
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TheApostleSaulSmith said:
You know we fired Cal because of that, right?
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Calipari wasn’t fired, he got the memo about the NIL he wanted not being there, so he went looking for the $$$ he needed/ wanted, and John Tyson (and others) said, “You bring the players, we’ll give you the money!”, and the rest as they say, is history.
 
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M

megablue

Heisman
Oct 2, 2012
16,002
16,364
113
Want to see something that is eye-opening ... I never looked until this afternoon ... I must say I was surprised, if not shocked.
Compare the lifetime HEAD COACHING RECORDS and winning percentages for these two (2):
Drew 63.6%, Pope 63.2%
en.wikipedia.org

Scott Drew - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org

Mark Pope - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Last two (2) years:
Drew 20-15, 17-17 = 37-32 ... 53.6%
Pope 24-12, 22-14 = 46-26 ... 63.9%
 
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U

UKBB4Ever

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Jul 3, 2025
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Bluegrasskingreboot said:
Seemingly folks either don't recall probation or have found some weird nostalgia googles to look back at it through.

No TV
Scholarship reductions.
No NCAA at all.
Still manage a great season? Too bad, it doesn't matter.

No, missing on some recruits is in no way equal to probation.

Winning a handful or less more games and landing a high level recruit ends fake probation instantly even if a hire is required to do so.

A 7 seed and a second round exit is a 100,000 light years away from the death penalty.
Click to expand...
True. But there is one big difference. No UK fans wanted probation to continue.

Some want this to continue.

That’s worse. 👿
 
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Cat_Man_Blue

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2003
1,800
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When I look at the way our rivals have loaded up on tallent, I don't want Pope coaching another game at UK. This coming season is going to be a wasted season. The sooner the rebuild starts the better.

For the record I was not against the hire. In fact I said that between UNC, Duke and UK hiring former players, I thought UK made the best hire. Man was I wrong. I was fooled by his success in year 1 putting together a roster on short notice and no time to recruit highschool players.
 
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WildcatWally-77

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Dec 6, 2022
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TFCat11 said:
Calipari wasn’t fired, he got the memo about the NIL he wanted not being there, so he went looking for the $$$ he needed/ wanted, and John Tyson (and others) said, “You bring the players, we’ll give you the money!”, and the rest as they say, is history.
Click to expand...
True...but it was time for Calipari to move on...we just didn't need Mark Pope to be handed the job when he was not close to being qualified to run a Blue Blood Program. The OVC would be a better match for Pope...but he wouldn't be a tremendous success even there....
 
Crazy4Blue

Crazy4Blue

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Aug 5, 2021
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Here is another thing that bothers me. We have been holding off Kansas the past few years with the all-time wins record. This year will be the year that they pass us. I don't think that this roster can win enough to hold the lead. Not that this record means much but it was something that Cat fans could cling to.
 
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Cats_2010

Heisman
Jan 8, 2010
11,846
20,201
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This is worse than our probation. At least during our probation our games weren’t shown live on TV. Now we have to endure this **** show 33-35 times a season in real time.
 
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wkycatfan7

All-Conference
Oct 16, 2002
9,070
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While still subpar by UK's standards, I would argue that MP's first 2 seasons were better than Cal's last 2 seasons at UK. I don't know what will happen with MP in season 3, but at this point, things are not quite as bad as some are saying. Jury still out for me, I'm going to support the team and the coach at this point.
 
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UKBB4Ever

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wkycatfan7 said:
While still subpar by UK's standards, I would argue that MP's first 2 seasons were better than Cal's last 2 seasons at UK. I don't know what will happen with MP in season 3, but at this point, things are not quite as bad as some are saying. Jury still out for me, I'm going to support the team and the coach at this point.
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You would argue that finishing 3rd and 2nd in the SEC is worse than finishing 6th and 9th?

Interesting argument.

I would like to be the opposing council on that. 🤪
 
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WildcatWally-77

Junior
Dec 6, 2022
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Crazy4Blue said:
Here is another thing that bothers me. We have been holding off Kansas the past few years with the all-time wins record. This year will be the year that they pass us. I don't think that this roster can win enough to hold the lead. Not that this record means much but it was something that Cat fans could cling to.
Click to expand...
Speaking for myself, the all time wins record means a lot. It is part of our legacy and seeing it slip away is painful...
 
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Kantucke_rivals

Kantucke_rivals

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Mar 9, 2015
803
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Crazy4Blue said:
Here is another thing that bothers me. We have been holding off Kansas the past few years with the all-time wins record. This year will be the year that they pass us. I don't think that this roster can win enough to hold the lead. Not that this record means much but it was something that Cat fans could cling to.
Click to expand...
The fact that we may actually lose this 😩 Pope is not recruiting like he is actually serious about defending it.
 
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