Will Mark Pope Make it Through the 2026-2027 Season?

[CRZ4UK]

Another thing besides the money Duke has people don’t realize is team USA. Grant Hill runs it and helps place kids at Duke. It’s why Boumtje Boumtje ended up there when he could’ve gotten way more elsewhere and more playing time guaranteed. They also have Nike backing especially with the GM who is a former Nike employee. Then the head of the NBA graduated from Duke. All the stars have aligned for them to be the flagship team USA/NBA/Nike flagship school. Kentucky can find the money to compete but Duke gets discounts and help securing guys to make it way easier.

The Dame Sarr thing also pissed me off. We waited and put up a billboard to get bigZ eligible in January. Jelivic arrived the day classes started. Last day possible. Duke had Sarr come over for the under18 in March. Had him commit while here. Took up residence, got an extension on a visitation visa , stayed and practiced with the team while his application went thru. They also have political power and don’t have to follow immigration rules everyone else does.
I hate them.

 

[ScWildcat3]

Yep a lot of powers to be are in their corner. Duke unfortunately is the “it” school now. UK will always hold their own in ratings but Duke has all the people influential in basketball pushing their product like they used to push UK.

The Dame Sarr thing also pissed me off. We waited and put up a billboard to get bigZ eligible in January. Jelivic arrived the day classes started. Last day possible. Duke had Sarr come over for the under18. Had him commit while here. Took up residence and stayed and practiced with the team while his application went thru. They also have political power and don’t have to follow rules everyone else does.

 

[NociHTTP]

Well, I am still in my 20's. You're in your 60's, so you will stop posting long before I do.

I'm in my 50's, and I don't like turtles, so you may have a chance, albeit a very slim chance.

 

[ComebackCats98]

I don’t view it as final four or bust. I want to watch a really good UK team. Top 10-15 all season. Legitimate SEC title contenders. It has been way too long for this program since winning an SEC title. Then a 2nd weekend run would be gravy

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

I voted let go at end. New AD will want to hire his own guy. He will also look at coaches resumes, not just where they went to college like barnie.

Did BCG and Cal play at UK? You can stop your hyper negative agenda posting anytime now.

I never thought they would pay Stoops buyout. So,??? How could we possibly afford to pay 2 guys not to coach. We have lost 10 games every year but one the last 6 years. Lost 8 that year. 10 loss seasons seem to be normal now. Calipari lost 10 his last 4 years I believe.

They have always been the norm when playing a schedule rated above 10.50 and have occurred every time without exception.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Based on this poll, 81.1% of BBN thinks Pope won't make it past next season. If you polled the entire state and fanbase, I think the numbers would probably be closer to 60% to 70%. Regardless, he has done very little to give the overall numbers of BBN any confidence.

Here's his chance to prove us all wrong. Finish top 3 in the SEC. Make it past the Sweet Sixteen. Land some studs to join Hampton. Bring back an abundance of our rotation guys.

There will be one person who controls whether or not Mark Pope returns - and it will be the man he sees in the mirror every day.

No excuses.

 

[DKersey]

Such silliness.

 

[DudahUK]

Yep a lot of powers to be are in their corner. Duke unfortunately is the “it” school now. UK will always hold their own in ratings but Duke has all the people influential in basketball pushing their product like they used to push UK.

UK has never received an ounce of the influence that Duke gets handed to them. Not sure what you are talking about.

 

[ScWildcat3]

UK has never received an ounce of the influence that Duke gets handed to them. Not sure what you are talking about.

That’s false. When cal got here world wide Wes was the influence. Cal also had massive pull but WWW was the man. Duke has more than what cal had now but NIL has made that a possibility for them along with who runs team USA stuff.

 

[Snarks]

I never thought they would pay Stoops buyout. So,??? How could we possibly afford to pay 2 guys not to coach. We have lost 10 games every year but one the last 6 years. Lost 8 that year. 10 loss seasons seem to be normal now. Calipari lost 10 his last 4 years I believe.

I blame Mitch for that! His contracts were laughably bad. We just need to get out from Popes bad contract and start fresh. Getting an automatic extension for a sweet 16 was a terrible idea.

 

[Skyguyb27]

What kind of bs troll post is this? No middle ground trolling post. Don’t feed the troll.

 

[DudahUK]

That’s false. When cal got here world wide Wes was the influence. Cal also had massive pull but WWW was the man. Duke has more than what cal had now but NIL has made that a possibility for them along with who runs team USA stuff.

But that was Cal. Not UK. And nobody gave that to Cal. He earned it by being friends with him for years.

What has the current Duke coach done to garnish that level of influence? I won’t even attempt to spell his name.

 

[ScWildcat3]

But that was Cal. Not UK. And nobody gave that to Cal. He earned it by being friends with him for years.

What has the current Duke coach done to garnish that level of influence? I won’t even attempt to spell his name.

Same as cal. He is friends with the right people. Grant hill is a Duke alum. Adam silver is a Duke grad. And scheyer hired a Nike exec as his GM. It’s the same thing. It’s who you know not what you know. Also a coach K disciple pulling in those connections too.

 

[DudahUK]

Same as cal. He is friends with the right people. Grant hill is a Duke alum. Adam silver is a Duke grad. And scheyer hired a Nike exec as his GM. It’s the same thing. It’s who you know not what you know. Also a coach K disciple pulling in those connections too.

Right. But Scheyer didn’t deserve any of it. He’s a first time head coach. Name another first time head coach that recruits like that? You can’t.

 

[ScWildcat3]

Right. But Scheyer didn’t deserve any of it. He’s a first time head coach. Name another first time head coach that recruits like that? You can’t.

Deserve it lol. What are you 12. He was already on staff doing recruiting anyway. I hate duke and can’t stand scheyer nor do I think he’s a great coach. But whether he deserves it don’t matter. He’s a Duke guy. The perks come because of that.

 

[DudahUK]

Deserve it lol. What are you 12. He was already on staff doing recruiting anyway. I hate duke and can’t stand scheyer nor do I think he’s a great coach. But whether he deserves it don’t matter. He’s a Duke guy. The perks come because of that.

And you made my point. No, I am not 12. Are you? How much did Nike help Tubby and BCG? Were you around than?

 

[ScWildcat3]

And you made my point. No, I am not 12. Are you? How much did Nike help Tubby and BCG? Were you around than?

Yep I sure was. Did uk have an ex nike employee as the GM? Did they have the connections scheyer obviously has? Every job basically is who you know first.

 

[DudahUK]

Yep I sure was. Did uk have an ex nike employee as the GM? Did they have the connections scheyer obviously has? Every job basically is who you know first.

Since the GM role is new. No. But Newton was on Nike payroll. CM’s son.

 

[ScWildcat3]

Since the GM role is new. No. But Newton was on Nike payroll. CM’s son.

So scheyer shouldn’t get any help since he’s a new head coach?

 

[Buckwheat Otay Is Dead]

View attachment 1373726

Your a. Waste

 

[Battle_Cat]

OP prob got a TOP 5 STUPID post of the summer, congrats.

 

[UKCowboys]

This is going to be a terrible season. Pope hasn’t been able to coach good players. And can’t manage good or bad players.

Now he’s assembled a team that couldn’t win the old metro conference.

Pope doesn’t do anything well as a head coach.

You're nuts. I am gonna bump this ridiculous post when we are in the middle of a good season

 

[UKCowboys]

You're not hearing more "rumblings" are you ?

LMAO

 

[UKBB4Ever]

You're nuts. I am gonna bump this ridiculous post when we are in the middle of a good season

Personal attacks when you have nothing else.

Makes my day!!

 

[GWillikers]

Personal attacks when you have nothing else.

Makes my day!!

Take it easy on Cowboy. Surely you know by now he's a little tarded.

 

[UKCowboys]

Personal attacks when you have nothing else.

Makes my day!!

"Personal attack" saying I will bump a thread? The Horror!!!

 

[Im The Village Idiot]

There will be one person who controls whether or not Mark Pope returns - and it will be the man he sees in the mirror every day.

I think this is true.

 

[JwUKFan11]

I think at a certain point when you aren't succeeding at UK, the pressure just becomes immeasurable.

That last Cal team was for the most part everything we could hope for, shooting, Legacy top 3 pick Kentucky born player, top recruits, fun, etc. But you could literally feel that no matter how good the regular season was that first round NCAA tournament game was going to have immense pressure. Feels like that could be about to happen to a Pope team coming up.

 

[VC99]

I voted let go at end. New AD will want to hire his own guy. He will also look at coaches resumes, not just where they went to college like barnie.

Jon Hood went to Kentucky and is coaching the TBT team in the final four, we should hire him!

 

[VC99]

This is a really bad poll. I neither think he will win the SEC (Florida), nor think he will be fired this year. I expect Nate Oats is the next coach at Kentucky, which means Pope is kept on a tight leash but not fired outside of a catastrophe this season. Why? Nate Oats’ buyout drops to $0 immediately following the 2028 season.

I want Pope to do the best he can and I'll obviously root for him, but I hope J batt is keeping close contact with Oats behind the scenes.

 

[Im The Village Idiot]

I want Pope to do the best he can and I'll obviously root for him, but I hope J batt is keeping close contact with Oats behind the scenes.

Agreed on both fronts. Think Oats would be great here. Hope Pope crushes and we don't need him though.

 

[KyKevin]

I think most die hard UK fans are at a breaking point with the mediocrity we’ve had the last several years. You can blame NIL, can blame Cal, you can blame Barnie, you can blame Pope. Whatever the excuses are hasn’t affected Duke. They have remained a blue blood through all the changes. They win their league every year. They usually have less than 5 losses going into the NCAAT. They continually have high draft picks.

Duke is a prime example of just how hard it is to win a championship. They get stud after fkn stud, and how many have they won with all of these great players. If Sheyer can't win with the players he gets, I would be questioning his coaching ability.

No doubt in my mind, Pope would do as good with those players. Do any of you think Sheyers coaching ability is questioned by Duke fans? I have no clue, and don't give a s.hit enough to go to a Duke forum.

Duke may win the ACC, but is that there goal , it's amazing with all the talent there getting, they haven't won a championship with it.

Give Rick Pitino that talent, and he would win a championship quick.

 

[bleedsblue5]

I am voting for him to win the SEC. I think he gets this team to PLAY SOME GREAT DEFENSE and we are the team to beat.
He is a smart guy, he has to look at what hasn't work and fix it right? RIGHT?

 

[seccats04]

Duke is a prime example of just how hard it is to win a championship. They get stud after fkn stud, and how many have they won with all of these great players. If Sheyer can't win with the players he gets, I would be questioning his coaching ability.

No doubt in my mind, Pope would do as good with those players. Do any of you think Sheyers coaching ability is questioned by Duke fans? I have no clue, and don't give a s.hit enough to go to a Duke forum.

Duke may win the ACC, but is that there goal , it's amazing with all the talent there getting, they haven't won a championship with it.

Give Rick Pitino that talent, and he would win a championship quick.

Titles are hard to come by. But Duke is constantly going to E8’s and F4’s and winning their league regularly. I would take that over a 6th and 9th place finish in a better league.

 

[CatBearPig]

What do you do when only the least likely answers are available?

 

[Catphright23]

all the downers in a post before the season starts, not surprising on the results of poll. this place isn't representative of bbn it's only like maybe the most negative, ten percent of our fan base.
.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

Titles are hard to come by. But Duke is constantly going to E8’s and F4’s and winning their league regularly. I would take that over a 6th and 9th place finish in a better league.

Tied for 7th not 9th and if not for an obviously crooked call against Auburn it would have very likely been tied for 4th.

 

[bluebornwildcat]

I'm going to take The wait and see approach before I pass judgement.

 

[Artlaibesghost]

all the downers in a post before the season starts, not surprising on the results of poll. this place isn't representative of bbn it's only like maybe the most negative, ten percent of our fan base.
.

Who says they are actually UK fans. Many of them aren't.

 

[James Arington]

About as much as you will. Stupid question.