You're an absolute liar. You don't believe that for one moment.. starting Center on the championship team and team captain.
Question for those who are against Pope
- Thread starter MY_POPE
- Start date
I’ve been on board since end of last year that this is his last year if he doesn’t do well in March. I never said sweet 16. I said elite 8. He gets there we definitely keep him and he would deserve it. The injury excuse can’t be used again no matter what imo.
BBN wants him to succeed because we want to win! The question is will he succeed? The fan base is tired of losing!
IMO this is why we have CMP. Barnhart and his reluctance to accept NIL made it impossible to attract an established coach. Come to UK where their HOF coach has to attempt to start his own collective and raise his own NIL money.
Those who cry about Pope being unqualified need to understand no one wanted to come work for Mitch. His own best friend turned him down and blamed it on his wife. Hurley too. Oats didn’t even want to be interviewed.
J Batt has a lot of fence mending to do before we can succeed.
Exactly. Zero response which was expected. Cal is catholic was that ok with you?
I believe it bigtime because I watched it and saw it with my own fkn 2 gdamn eyes...trust me i fkn know.
I don’t hate him. I just think he’s in over his head and is just a mediocre coach. Honestly couldn’t care any less what he does if this year doesn’t work out and he’s fired. I never really followed his games or seasons prior to him being hired. Won’t give him much thought if/when he flames out. If he so happens to figure it out and actually build consistent winners, then sure. He will have built equity and I will follow him more closely.
You know the funny thing? Him being here and getting to see what he’s truly like has made me like him less, not more. Just think he’s completely disingenuous and a bit of a fraud. He’s completely the opposite of what I thought he’d be in that regard.
Mitch isn’t the coach. Pope has been given all the resources any competent coach would need to be successful. And he’s lost 26 games in two seasons. Thats on him, 100%. But you’re correct, it was a bad hire too.
Just curious how is he disingenuous and fake? Have you met him at all or just going off what media says about him? I’ve met him a few teams at aau events and everyone talks great about him and he’s a super nice. Also a very personable guy to talk to when he didn’t have to speak with me at all. But that’s my opinion after meeting him on few different occasions.
That’s total BS. I’d say I dislike his coaching about as much as anyone on here. And I hope he absolutely kills it. I just happen to know enough to understand that’s a completely unlikely scenario. My fear has always been that he will be just barely good enough to survive. I’d much rather him win something of significance than be like that.
We don’t need a “big name” to get a significant upgrade.
Put any one of those dudes on the 96 team in place of Pope and that team still hangs a banner. And all three of those guys weren’t very good. Pope was along for the ride. But because he was captain he’s revered.
Not necessarily a big name but need the next guy locked up either before you let him go or within a few days and have a great idea of who it will be. Can’t redo the cal to pope scenario and have 0 players left.
You find a competent coach. There are plenty out there that would surpass these results with one of the biggest NIL warchests in the sport.
Now that’s a real ball coach. Dude would be a serious get. You wanna win and do it quick, he’s your first call. He’s the next in the line of May or McCollum. I’d love to see him in Lexington. Best part, he’s just a damned ball coach. Not cut from Cal and Rick’s cloth. Just a real dude that knows how to win.
Nope. But it certainly buys him equity. But if you watched that squad last night and think that somehow Pope coaches them to an E8, just lolz.
I don’t buy stock into exhibitions. Just like Purdue last year. Doesn’t mean anything. There is a reason we are still 0-0 and even Milan after the game said it’s just a scrimmage.
I don’t think Pope is the guy, but one fluke run won’t change my mind either. I need to see consistent results. If he makes the Elite 8 or has a great regular season he deserves another year. He can’t even do that during the regular season. It’s fine that you keep defending everything he does, but I’m not sure why.
His interactions in the media since being hired here. His comments in pressers. The posturing and excuse making. That’s what I mean.
Yes, I’ve met him. To say he doesn’t have the personality that a ton of successful coaches have would be an understatement. He’s nice, sure. But he’s also an odd dude. There’s zero debate about that.
Will certainly cheer for him elsewhere. Never thought he should have been considered for the job. That's not his fault, that is 100% on Mitch. Have zero problem with him personally, just a terrible fit from day 1.
Schertz is a serious upgrade and you could have him in a 30 second phone call. It ain’t hard. Mitch was just a friggn doofus.
This isn’t correct. There are quite a few on here that want him to fail. They refuse to say a nice word about him, they refuse to admit he has done anything good at all and we even have a guy that has a handle that says "Resign Mark Pope". That's hate and these people want to see Pope fail, even if it means UK has a terrible season. I don't get it.
He had a terrible season last year. He tried to get tougher and he brought on players that didn't fit his style, then he had lockeroom issues and injuries. It was a struggle, but he still got to the tournament and won a game. If that's the worst he does, that's not bad.
Keep in mind, the schedules we played the last two years, are the toughest in our history by the numbers. Every other coach that has played top 10 SOS in our history, has lost 10+ games.
All these negative "UK fans" only want to talk about last year and act like Pope went to the NIT both years. That 24/25 season was awesome, we all enjoyed it, but now, because he had 1 bad year, he’s the worst coach in our history.
I get the thought that he isn't the right guy for this job, but the hate and criticisms seen on here daily, are ridiculous.
He’s different but that’s what makes the world great. I’m sure whatever profession you are in you are considered weird to some people.
No way of knowing how he would do under the pressure of a place like Kentucky. Same with McCollum.
While leading a quarter pounder and being chased by Joe Hall.
I could care less what happens to him once he is gone. He should have known better than to take this job with his coaching ability. I don't feel sorry for a man that has fleeced the university for all these millions of dollars. If his career is over so be it.
I’m not talking about the result. Talking about the process. The result of an exhibition means nothing. But watching the players can tell a story. This team has serious issues, especially in the backcourt.
For sure. But he’s an odd dude in regards to the kids he’s trying to coach. And has essentially a bunch of odd dudes around him. Maybe Mo helps that. Maybe it doesn’t. At the end of the day, fit matters. Don’t see a lot of elite talents signing up for Pipe and his chess games.
Guys like them aren’t bothered by pressure. They’re a million percent confident in the process and their abilities. They give zero effs what the outside noise is.
Just look at Will Stein. Then compare to Mark Pope. Will has it, Pope doesn’t.
I’m not bitter, I just don’t think he can handle this job. Of course I’d like to see him succeed here or elsewhere. It’s not his fault Mitch hired an unqualified guy, of course he’s gonna take his dream job..
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