UK basketball headed towards worst decade in its history

[DKersey]

Nah. 7 loss season coming up. Illusion shattered.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

And I think this is the best team Pope has assembled....

Well that’s not really saying a whole helluva lot.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

You are such a fool you don’t even realize the posters you chide ARE NOT DEFENDING Pope. Pope IS the coach. And, Pope Derangement Syndrome (you) is real. Fans who don’t have PDS know that Pope is the coach and know this season will happen and know they will judge Pope and this season when it ACTUALLY happens and not on some stupid redundant speculation.

Wait. So there’s no speculation preseason? So when you or others say this is a good roster and think they’ll be a good team, we can’t do that either? Whadya wanna talk about? It’s August. The weather? Under Pope we aren’t allowed to speculate. Perfect.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

I will wholeheartedly disagree with you on Pope’s first team underachieving. He put that squad together out of the clearance bin of the transfer portal and, even with a ton of injuries, beat a lot of good teams and made the second weekend of the tourney. Yes, last year was incredibly disappointing, but you can’t honestly say the first team underachieved.

I don’t think they did either of those things. They probably netted out about where they should’ve. One thing that gets overlooked from that group, that team was full of guys that played four yrs already and knew how to play. That gets lost a lot when talking about that team. They were misfits, no doubt, but those guys understood how to play.

 

[RunninRichie]

lol. Man it’s a couple years difference. I don’t know how maxey could’ve played in all honesty. All UK all we needed was a solid four. Derek Willis is what Derek Willis is European player at the margins.. I mean that’s that was our only weakness on that team and he would’ve been fine off the bench. But we needed someone who could defend better rebound better and it’s gonna be the same with this team this season we have to put some complete rosters together if you want to compete..

The real missing piece to the 2017 team was Jarret Allen. Losing him to Texas cost us a title.

 

[UKCowboys]

Good team? How do you know that?

How do you not? Hater

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

How do you tie a record for beating ranked teams in year one, and say they underachieved? At least be honest, when you fkn bash our team or coach.

What about the bad losses? Do we get to count those?

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

If we have another 10+ loss regular season and first weekend exit, Pope is out. There's no point belaboring day after day after day the same points.

What if it’s another 10+ loss season and a S16 exit? I think that’s the concern for a lot of folks, myself included.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Many ups and downs that season. For some reason people seem to forget the blowouts.

Doesn’t fit the narrative. That team was infuriating. Just didn’t show up some nights and left you scratching your head over it.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Are you convinced BCG gets fired after year two if not for off court issues?

He wasn’t going to get fired if not for the Harrelson thing, the comment at the press conference, and the public embarrassments in town.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

I’ll never agree with Mitch’s philosophy on sports, but I do believe he is a good person and not the egomaniac hypocrite many say. He’s just an old-fashioned straight shooting type of guy who sees things very differently than me. Some people find his personality grating and I understand that — he isn’t exactly a people person. Awful AD by my estimation though, but my lens are different than many others. I do give Mitch flowers for raising virtually every program at the school and creating the best football program we had in 50+ years.

Hard to be an AD at UK and not a people person. Amazing he was able to pull that off for 20+ yrs.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Link?

Did you need to see Barry Bonds stick the needle in his a$$ too?

 

[RunninRichie]

How do you not? Hater

Get a job

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

He engaged you in good faith and you reply with that? Cmon man

That dude is as passive aggressive as they come.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Just messing with Paul. The guy's devotion to anyone who works for UK is amazing. Mark Stoops, Mark Pope, Mitch Barnhart, John Calipari. Dude is devoted. I'm curious if he works for UKAA in some capacity. On the lair he was still defending Stoops, up until the 41-0 UL game.

Would walk straight toward the bright light no matter how loud the train whistle got.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

I'm talking about your devotion to anyone hired by UK. You've never seen a coach or admin you didn't support. You're also not as holy as you think. You lash out and call people negative crybabies and miserbale all the time.

Ope…

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

It was not actually a lifetime contract. It was a 10 year extension. While I would have preferred it to have been a bit shorter I have no knowledge of how negotiations went and I do not really think it was all that out of line with what other schools would have done in a similar situation.

Iowa St just signed T.J. Otzelberger to a 10 year extension for example and his success has not been in the same world as Cal's was at that point.

Iowa St basketball has never been in the same stratosphere with UK basketball either. Both were awful contracts.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

How do you not? Hater

I don’t. But I believe it will be about like his first two. You don’t either, but you sure speak like we’ve got another Ferrari. Pumper (see how easy that is). Paul…make sure and like his reply to this. You two are cute together.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

Did you need to see Barry Bonds stick the needle in his a$$ too?

Nice clownish response.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

That dude is as passive aggressive as they come.

I try to engage in good faith exchanges. I try to deal in facts and back them with links to the information. When all you want to do is spew irrational agenda driven insults and hate backed by nothing but ignorant opinion in response I go full on aggressive. There is really nothing passive about it.

 

[RunninRichie]

I try to engage in good faith exchanges. I try to deal in facts and back them with links to the information. When all you want to do is spew irrational agenda driven insults and hate backed by nothing but ignorant opinion in response I go full on aggressive. There is really nothing passive about it.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

This is just more stupidity with no substance designed to irritate because honest discussion never goes your way.

 

[UKCowboys]

I don’t. But I believe it will be about like his first two. You don’t either, but you sure speak like we’ve got another Ferrari. Pumper (see how easy that is). Paul…make sure and like his reply to this. You two are cute together.

Typically childish.

 

[UKCowboys]

Get a job

LMAO. Get a woman

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

The term "lifetime contract" is subjective. With Cal's contract, a 10-year extension was interpreted by many as an end-of-career offering, hence the use of "lifetime" in many of the headlines and articles written at the time. (The term also garners more clicks, of course.) I was of the opinion then--and still hold this view--that had Mitch let Cal go to UCLA, UK would have fared better and Cal's legacy here would been more revered. I also think Cal would have done well at UCLA by their standards post-Wooden.

Lifetime contract would certainly seem to imply the job is his as long as he wants it and that is simply inaccurate. Wanting to let him go after the 2019 season is absolutely stupid after a 10 year run of 305-71 81.1%, with a title, another title game appearance, 4 Final Fours, and 7 Elite Eights.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

Iowa St basketball has never been in the same stratosphere with UK basketball either. Both were awful contracts.

In Cal's case that is entirely based on hindsight. In TJ's case it is yet to be determined.

I'm obviously well aware that there is a huge difference in the UK and Iowa St jobs but the difference in accomplishments is massive. The Cal contract at the time made a lot more sense imo than the Iowa St deal just signed. A 10 year run of 305-71 81.1%, with a title, another title game appearance, 4 Final Fours, and 7 Elite Eights vs 124-53 for 70%, a first round loss, a second round loss, 2 sweet 16's and 1 Elite Eight is obviously vastly different.

 

[RunninRichie]

LMAO. Get a woman

Pope already took you.

 

[UKCowboys]

Pope already took you.

You are one of the guys on the board that constantly goes to that kind of post. I think its obvious you are projecting your personal desires fella, and its ok, its 2026, just admit who you are, you'll feel better!

 

[The Ganner]

What if it’s another 10+ loss season and a S16 exit? I think that’s the concern for a lot of folks, myself included.

That's the tough one. Lose 10-12 games, get a 5 or 6 seed, one upset to make the sweet 16... Hard to fire a guy coming off a sweet 16 (2 in 3 years) but doesn't inspire confidence that he's on the path to bringing home hardware which is the expectation of a UK coach.

 

[RunninRichie]

You are one of the guys on the board that constantly goes to that kind of post. I think it’s obvious you are projecting your personal desires fella, and it’s ok, it’s 2026, just admit who you are, you'll feel better!

I liked you better when you never posted.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Nice clownish response.

Solid deflection

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

In Cal's case that is entirely based on hindsight. In TJ's case it is yet to be determined.

I'm obviously well aware that there is a huge difference in the UK and Iowa St jobs but the difference in accomplishments is massive. The Cal contract at the time made a lot more sense imo than the Iowa St deal just signed. A 10 year run of 305-71 81.1%, with a title, another title game appearance, 4 Final Fours, and 7 Elite Eights vs 124-53 for 70%, a first round loss, a second round loss, 2 sweet 16's and 1 Elite Eight is obviously vastly different.

Only kind of joking here but does anyone else just count where the season ended? EX: A final four is a final four not a final four an elite eight and a sweet sixteen.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

In Cal's case that is entirely based on hindsight. In TJ's case it is yet to be determined.

I'm obviously well aware that there is a huge difference in the UK and Iowa St jobs but the difference in accomplishments is massive. The Cal contract at the time made a lot more sense imo than the Iowa St deal just signed. A 10 year run of 305-71 81.1%, with a title, another title game appearance, 4 Final Fours, and 7 Elite Eights vs 124-53 for 70%, a first round loss, a second round loss, 2 sweet 16's and 1 Elite Eight is obviously vastly different.

Correct. The differences in both are massive. The Cal contract was awful not in hindsight. The ONLY way that contract was going to be successful is if Cal continued to kill it. Part of contract negotiation is realizing you’re paying for future performance and not past performances. At that point, UK could’ve hired about anyone they wanted. Why? Cal had the program at the top of the mountain. Call his bluff, and if he bolts then go hire the best that’s out there. Mitch handcuffed the program, just like he did with the Stoops deal.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

That's the tough one. Lose 10-12 games, get a 5 or 6 seed, one upset to make the sweet 16... Hard to fire a guy coming off a sweet 16 (2 in 3 years) but doesn't inspire confidence that he's on the path to bringing home hardware which is the expectation of a UK coach.

Couldn’t agree more. And it’s been my concern since the hire was made.

 

[UKCowboys]

I liked you better when you never posted.

I don't comment on your takes until you make one of your homophobic insult posts to me

 

[CRZ4UK]

Problem is, it’s Popes job to get the players. He hasn’t been very successful in doing that.

Neither had Cal. Since NIL was adopted. Lost 10 games every season but one. His players were busts. The best recruiter of our era. Mitch slow walked NIL so bad agents don’t want to send their kids here. He was completely against it. It’s why he is gone. He didn’t retire. He was forced out. No coach could have recruited well under Mitch’s NIL stance.

 

[RunninRichie]

I don't comment on your takes until you make one of your homophobic insult posts to me

I don’t think you know what that means.

 

[UKCowboys]

I don’t think you know what that means.

You

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Neither had Cal. Since NIL was adopted. Lost 10 games every season but one. His players were busts. The best recruiter of our era. Mitch slow walked NIL so bad agents don’t want to send their kids here. He was completely against it. It’s why he is gone. He didn’t retire. He was forced out. No coach could have recruited well under Mitch’s NIL stance.

This is about Pope. Not Cal. I don’t disagree with anything, but getting players to UK is now Popes job. Say what you will, they spent as much or more than anyone last season. Then lost 14 games. That’s a problem.

 

[L.O.D.]

And the Band played on.


We know the reason/s
We know what fix is or attempt to fix is.
We wont do it

Yet we got many wanting to appologize for and pump a coach that was hired after not having a single career accomplishment worth a damn. Only career accompmishment was a 16 his first year here. The man ffs csnt evrn make tbe Friday game ( top 4 seed) in sect. 1/2 time his teams just dont play hard , all the time we play first 10 min like we just woke up . As Popes pregame has less excitement than a weekly staff meeting in an office.

How a decent portion of tbis board wants him to remain coach I have no idea where their loyalties lie. Things wont improve we are stuck as a Blue Blood INO untill he finally leaves.