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Kentucky's Mark Pope addresses fan bitterness on social media...

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WildcatWally-77

Junior
Dec 6, 2022
85
218
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It's no secret Mark Pope has been the target of anger from fans on social media. Tuesday at the SEC Spring Meeting in Florida, the Kentucky coach talked about the haters during a one-on-one interview with The Cats' Pause.​

A 14-loss season that ended with an opening weekend exit from the NCAA Tournament set the mood and it only soured from there as weeks passed with no massive movement by Kentucky to build a new roster via the transfer portal or in high school recruiting. "If you have a glass chin, don't take the Kentucky job," the coach told The Cats' Pause during a one-on-one interview Tuesday at the SEC Spring Meeting on the Florida gulf coast.
"It's just part of the deal here," Pope said. "It's just baked in the cake. We were hired to win." I'm actually super proud of what we've done over the last two years, especially given the circumstances," Pope said. "I'm excited about the direction we're going. I'm excited about what we've been able to withstand. "One of the things I'm really proud of is our guys being able to keep recreating who we are," he said. "I'm really proud of our culture where our guys stay together and stay in it. When you build from that, you have a great chance to become great

 
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Son_Of_Saul

Son_Of_Saul

Heisman
Dec 7, 2007
45,450
99,820
113
Eleven years.

Eleven years and only one season where he won at least 75% of his games.

No seasons where he's won more than 75% of his games.

Never landed a top 15 recruit.

Never made it past the Sweet Sixteen.

Never won a tournament game before Kentucky.

0/14 on top 20 recruits last season.

Got played like a fiddle by Tyran Stokes.

64% winning percentages over the course of his career.

6th and 9th place finishes in the SEC.

Historic number of 15 point deficits.

Has lost by a combined 32 points in elminination tourney games while at Kentucky.

He's proud of what they've accomplished.

The sickest part is that there are some of our fans who are still proud of what he's accomplished.

This is how you become Indiana, folks.
 
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Cats_2010

Heisman
Jan 8, 2010
11,850
20,232
103
St.Patterson_54_ said:
The problem with Pope is that UK assumed he’d be able to recruit and win at much higher levels with the gravity of UK behind him.

So far, he hasn’t.
Click to expand...
That was my thought when he was hired. I thought we would see a blend of athletes who were fundamentally sound who could actually shoot the ball. His BYU teams, according to fellow coaches, were difficult to prepare for. His recruiting here has been abysmal, his defensive teaching worse, his game planning even worse and his cringe worthy BS he spews from his mouth is intolerable. He has no business being the face of our program, it’s embarrassing really.
 
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Coach777

All-Conference
Dec 19, 2022
479
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Cats_2010 said:
Everytime he speaks my dislike for him grows. These quotes are just cringe. Like WTF is this “I'm really proud of our culture where our guys stay together and stay in it”, supposed to even mean? There is zero doubt in my mind he comes off weird to recruits.
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Yeah I'm right there with you. I really liked him after year 1 but after having 2 years to see his shortcomings he's not going to get it done here. He's philosophical interviews are like finger nails on the chalkboard.
 
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K

KYFOSSIL

Heisman
Jan 13, 2005
8,145
11,043
62
We all be honest for once. Some people are gonna give Pope a pass for whatever he says or does . Many more will find fault with everything he says and every reaction he takes or doesn't take. The tourney ended a little over a month ago and honestly until we start playing games again neither the pope pumpers or the doom sayers are gonna change their opinion one way or the other.
 
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Yardeth

Yardeth

Heisman
Jan 2, 2007
13,504
17,786
67
St.Patterson_54_ said:
The problem with Pope is that UK assumed he’d be able to recruit and win at much higher levels with the gravity of UK behind him.

So far, he hasn’t.
Click to expand...
That is exactly correct, he is getting the same players he would have gotten at BYU before NIL. Without NIL involved, I actually believe that Pope would be getting better players because of the UK name and of course paying the players on the side like always. (Thanks Dan Issel). But, now that everyone can pay kids, Pope is being used to jack up the price for players and until he develops someone, we won’t get top players. IMO
 
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Yardeth

Yardeth

Heisman
Jan 2, 2007
13,504
17,786
67
KYFOSSIL said:
We all be honest for once. Some people are gonna give Pope a pass for whatever he says or does . Many more will find fault with everything he says and every reaction he takes or doesn't take. The tourney ended a little over a month ago and honestly until we start playing games again neither the pope pumpers or the doom sayers are gonna change their opinion one way or the other.
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Many people won’t change even if Pope wins some big games. The Doomsday group will be waiting for the loss where they can say “I told you so, Pope sucks”. I don’t think Pope is ready for UK, but I will back the team, that’s all we have, no Mashburn is walking in the door this year to save us. We just have to Hope again this year!
 
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Tri-Countycat

Tri-Countycat

All-Conference
Jul 1, 2025
1,714
4,210
113
Cal critics: “you can’t win with Freshman, I’m glad to be getting some older players. Freshman always lose early in the season and take forever to grow up and play like a team”

“Pope has shown he can get it done, remember when he beat Duke in the second game of the year? That’s a freakin huge win!”

The elephant in the room. UK started 4 5th year seniors and Duke started 3 Freshman and 1 sophomore and was missing their star Freshman Center to injury. All of this in their second ever college game on National TV.
 
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TheApostleSaulSmith

TheApostleSaulSmith

All-Conference
Mar 30, 2026
984
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Yardeth said:
Many people won’t change even if Pope wins some big games. The Doomsday group will be waiting for the loss where they can say “I told you so, Pope sucks”. I don’t think Pope is ready for UK, but I will back the team, that’s all we have, no Mashburn is walking in the door this year to save us. We just have to Hope again this year!
Click to expand...
How can you blame anyone for feeling that way? We’re watching the same games, right?
 
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MdWIldcat55

MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,418
85,842
113
Shrug. What’s he supposed to say? “I’m a failure and I hate myself.” Or go into the bunker and never talk to the media, for which he’d also be crucified?

It’s just about winning basketball games. He hasn’t done it often enough in his first two seasons. This is his last chance, which is fair enough. The list of coaches who won fewer games than Pope in their first two seasons at high profile jobs is long, and includes people like Mike K and Danny Hurley. It also includes many, many who never succeeded. Pope is more likely to be in the second category, but still could end up in the first.

With Momcilovic and a big jump from Moreno, Kentucky COULD be special. If Kentucky wins 32 games and goes to the Final Four all the geniuses on here who claim Pope is goofy and stupid and can’t coach a girls’ softball team because he’s a Mormon or too polite or whatever will conveniently forget all that and pretend they backed him all along.

It could happen. More likely he’ll have another year below Kentucky standards and be gone. But to be filled with hatred and vile prejudice and ugly bigotry toward the guy just because he hasn’t fulfilled your wet dreams of being able to strut around and boast that “We” are the pinnacle of the sport (because the mercenaries Kentucky hired for seven months from all points of the globe were better than those hired by other teams) only makes the fan base look infantile and brain dead, not Pope.
 
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B

Beatle Bum

Heisman
Sep 1, 2002
42,106
64,113
113
TX Wildcat said:
The circumstances of not being able to recruit and of paying bench players starter money.
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Diallo, Wilkins, Moreno, and McBride were recruited to get starters’ minutes by every program that recruited them. Kam Williams likely would have, as well. It also appears that Pope told players who received starter minutes last year that they were not getting starter money this year. And, they left.

Cleatly, to most, the guys who started year one were starters, not bench players. They deserved starter pay.

I know neither you nor I are experts when it comes to how our team will play come fall. But, the guys who start were recruited by top programs to play, not ride the bench and provide rotator minutes. If you wanted Pope to pay them like bench players, you would make a bad GM.
 
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TheApostleSaulSmith

TheApostleSaulSmith

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MdWIldcat55 said:
Shrug. What’s he supposed to say? “I’m a failure and I hate myself.” Or go into the bunker and never talk to the media, for which he’d also be crucified?

It’s just about winning basketball games. He hasn’t done it often enough in his first two seasons. This is his last chance, which is fair enough. The list of coaches who won fewer games than Pope in their first two seasons at high profile jobs is long, and includes people like Mike K and Danny Hurley. It also includes many, many who never succeeded. Pope is more likely to be in the second category, but still could end up in the first.

With Momcilovic and a big jump from Moreno, Kentucky COULD be special. If Kentucky wins 32 games and goes to the Final Four all the geniuses on here who claim Pope is goofy and stupid and can’t coach a girls’ softball team because he’s a Mormon or too polite or whatever will conveniently forget all that and pretend they backed him all along.

It could happen. More likely he’ll have another year below Kentucky standards and be gone. But to be filled with hatred and vile prejudice and ugly bigotry toward the guy just because he hasn’t fulfilled your wet dreams of being able to strut around and boast that “We” are the pinnacle of the sport (because the mercenaries Kentucky hired for seven months from all points of the globe were better than those hired by other teams) only makes the fan base look infantile and brain dead, not Pope.
Click to expand...
Stop whitewashing last season would be a good start. The culture he’s cultivating here is rotten.
Idk how people read these quotes and don’t want Pope escorted out of Lex immediately. He talks like a loser who’s already preparing his excuse for next season. How can people not see this? I thought this fanbase was crazy and had super high standards. So many of y’all are soft as hell.
 
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K

kyhankypanky

All-American
Mar 21, 2004
4,441
7,768
113
WildcatWally-77 said:

It's no secret Mark Pope has been the target of anger from fans on social media. Tuesday at the SEC Spring Meeting in Florida, the Kentucky coach talked about the haters during a one-on-one interview with The Cats' Pause.​

A 14-loss season that ended with an opening weekend exit from the NCAA Tournament set the mood and it only soured from there as weeks passed with no massive movement by Kentucky to build a new roster via the transfer portal or in high school recruiting. "If you have a glass chin, don't take the Kentucky job," the coach told The Cats' Pause during a one-on-one interview Tuesday at the SEC Spring Meeting on the Florida gulf coast.
"It's just part of the deal here," Pope said. "It's just baked in the cake. We were hired to win." I'm actually super proud of what we've done over the last two years, especially given the circumstances," Pope said. "I'm excited about the direction we're going. I'm excited about what we've been able to withstand. "One of the things I'm really proud of is our guys being able to keep recreating who we are," he said. "I'm really proud of our culture where our guys stay together and stay in it. When you build from that, you have a great chance to become great

Click to expand...
🤮
 
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TX Wildcat

TX Wildcat

All-Conference
Apr 12, 2024
1,130
2,447
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Beatle Bum said:
Diallo, Wilkins, Moreno, and McBride were recruited to get starters’ minutes by every program that recruited them. Kam Williams likely would have, as well. It also appears that Pope told players who received starter minutes last year that they were not getting starter money this year. And, they left.

Cleatly, to most, the guys who started year one were starters, not bench players. They deserved starter pay.

I know neither you nor I are experts when it comes to how our team will play come fall. But, the guys who start were recruited by top programs to play, not ride the bench and provide rotator minutes. If you wanted Pope to pay them like bench players, you would make a bad GM.
Click to expand...
No complaints about the ‘26-‘27 squad from me until we see the product on the court.

We did pay several bench pieces starter money last season of course. Not all, but most of the hired guns brought in would have been ideal 6th or 7th seats.

I actually like the squad we have heading into next season, despite the fact we still do not have a true All American type star on the roster and/or no stud recruit to watch. Just really need Mom at this point.

Pope knows his back is against the wall. Injuries have sucked, but that is a smoke cloud he can hide behind for only so long.

I’m a semi-Pope basher that actually wants him to prove me wrong. Super smart guy, high quality individual, and a former UK champ….of course I want him to prove me wrong. Time will tell. but the clock is ticking.
 
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TFCat11

TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
6,222
11,413
108
keiths said:
" especially given the circumstances " What circumstances is he talking about?
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Not having the NIL backing the rest of the other high major programs do, but he can’t directly come out and say it, because he’d never be in on a single star recruitment ever again!

UK’s “new normal” in the NIL era✅
 
jedwar

jedwar

Heisman
Moderator
Dec 30, 2002
20,005
34,204
113
Mark and I do not agree on things. 12 and 13 loss seasons so far is not something to be super proud of imo. But he does average 12 losses a season for his career so he is who/what he was when he was hired. Was hoping the UK job would help him rise above his averages.
 
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St.Patterson_54_

St.Patterson_54_

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Apr 15, 2026
105
402
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I mean, if he's saying that it's impressive that he managed to limp his way through 3-4 hurt PGs his first season, and then come back with even less depth (and more key injuries) his 2nd season, then great. I'd prefer he find a way to build more depth. By all accounts, he's done so this year. Trouble is, we don't have a stud. So it's going to be another rough road for season 3.
 
The Space Happy Cat

The Space Happy Cat

Junior
Apr 6, 2026
99
236
33
MdWIldcat55 said:
Shrug. What’s he supposed to say? “I’m a failure and I hate myself.” Or go into the bunker and never talk to the media, for which he’d also be crucified?

It’s just about winning basketball games. He hasn’t done it often enough in his first two seasons. This is his last chance, which is fair enough. The list of coaches who won fewer games than Pope in their first two seasons at high profile jobs is long, and includes people like Mike K and Danny Hurley. It also includes many, many who never succeeded. Pope is more likely to be in the second category, but still could end up in the first.

With Momcilovic and a big jump from Moreno, Kentucky COULD be special. If Kentucky wins 32 games and goes to the Final Four all the geniuses on here who claim Pope is goofy and stupid and can’t coach a girls’ softball team because he’s a Mormon or too polite or whatever will conveniently forget all that and pretend they backed him all along.

It could happen. More likely he’ll have another year below Kentucky standards and be gone. But to be filled with hatred and vile prejudice and ugly bigotry toward the guy just because he hasn’t fulfilled your wet dreams of being able to strut around and boast that “We” are the pinnacle of the sport (because the mercenaries Kentucky hired for seven months from all points of the globe were better than those hired by other teams) only makes the fan base look infantile and brain dead, not Pope.
Click to expand...
Yeah...I don't get the "whats he supposed to say" take
Don't say you're proud of your culture and the team "staying together" when the only dudes back are Moreno and Kam. And we all witnessed horrible team chemistry and the team giving up.
Don't have to trash yourself or your team but c'mon dude just be real and honest. Acknowledge its not up to par and that fans deserve better. Not this it is what it is and I'm proud of the 14 loss progress nonsense
 
C

CATALCOHOLIC

Junior
Apr 13, 2018
202
336
52
Tri-Countycat said:
Cal critics: “you can’t win with Freshman, I’m glad to be getting some older players. Freshman always lose early in the season and take forever to grow up and play like a team”

“Pope has shown he can get it done, remember when he beat Duke in the second game of the year? That’s a freakin huge win!”

The elephant in the room. UK started 4 5th year seniors and Duke started 3 Freshman and 1 sophomore and was missing their star Freshman Center to injury. All of this in their second ever college game on National TV.
Click to expand...
So I guess that win comes with a check beside it. I bet you didn’t give Cal a break when he said he had young teams. I loved beating Duke. We had some great wins with that team until our best players went down!!
 
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Cats4321

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2025
933
2,692
93
TFCat11 said:
Not having the NIL backing the rest of the other high major programs do, but he can’t directly come out and say it, because he’d never be in on a single star recruitment ever again!

UK’s “new normal” in the NIL era✅
Click to expand...
Just curious...is there any proof we don't have the NIL money of other programs? That certainly wasn't the sentiment from last year. If we don't have NIL, then there is something severely wrong. We have one of the biggest and most passionate fan bases in college basketball, and at least a couple very wealthy donors. We should be in the top tier...if we aren't then someone needs to explain why. Is it a JMI problem?
 
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