Body language and faces on the bench tell me one thing....

RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
30,274
73,207
113
Bruce Pearl!!! Equivalent to Tom Izzo. You know his teams will play hard!!!!! Fire Pope!!!
Pearl has been begging for this job for like 10 years. Go listen to his pressers pre/post UK. Hell, last year he basically called Pope trash. Call the guy and let him turn this around for 3-4 years. You talk about an exciting program and a coach that would run through a wall for the fanbase. The BBQ at Rupp for his presser would be legendary.
 

HolySmokes

All-Conference
Oct 23, 2026
786
1,198
93
Pearl has been begging for this job for like 10 years. Go listen to his pressers pre/post UK. Hell, last year he basically called Pope trash. Call the guy and let him turn this around for 3-4 years. You talk about an exciting program and a coach that would run through a wall for the fanbase. The BBQ at Rupp for his presser would be legendary.
Every single one of his teams would run through a brick wall for him
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,868
62,965
113
This team quit and has no faith in Pope or the staff. Lots of losses coming.

A lot of them are thousand-aire type talents who just got paid millions. Thats a real big problem that I think is overlooked: we miss out on the real talent, so now we give lesser talented players money to come here, and thats the obvious problem of overpaying, but the bigger issue happening is that these players, who probably never wanted to play at UK or for Pope, had to take this money.

So you basically overpaid for a team that might not even want to be here. Thats a real recipe for disaster. Some kids are just collecting a pay check, others might be quick to tune out. They're not here because they believed in Pope or had a dream to play at Kentucky.

Its like if Home Depot offered you double your salary to go be a cashier. Sure, you're gonna go, but you're really not gonna give a **** because its not where you wanted to be in the first place.
 

RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
30,274
73,207
113
A lot of them thousand-aire tyoe talents who just got paid millions. Thats a real big problem that I think is overlooked: we miss out on the real talent, so now we give lesser talented players money to come here, and thats the obvious problem of overpaying, but the bigger issue happening is that these players, who probably never wanted to play at UK or for Pope, had to take this money.

So you basically overpaid for a team that might not even want to be here. Thats a real recipe for disaster. Some kids are just collecting a pay check, others might be quick to tune out. There not here because they believed in Pope or had a dream to play at Kentucky.

Its like if Home Depot offered you double your salary to go be a cashier. Sure, you're gonna go, but you're really not gonna give a **** because its not where you wanted to be in the first place.
Eh, I think some of our players do want to play here, UK still has some aura. But, It's pretty obvious how piss poor the talent level is. We have Justin Mcbride on scholarship. Alex Wilkins is a solid bench guard, he's our starting 2 guard. Just awful recruiting and people tried to spin it that the misses weren't so bad, freshmen suck anyway (Stokes just lit us up for 20 points).
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,868
62,965
113
Eh, I think some of our players do want to play here, UK still has some aura. But, It's pretty obvious how piss poor the talent level is. We have Justin Mcbride on scholarship. Alex Wilkins is a solid bench guard, he's our starting 2 guard. Just awful recruiting and people tried to spin it that the misses weren't so bad, freshmen suck anyway (Stokes just lit us up for 20 points).

For sure, maybe its half. Or maybe less. But even just having 3 or 4 guys who are just here for the pay day (and knowing they have that NIL money no matter what now), can poison a team.

I mean thats a bigger issue for college basketball. You can transfer at will now. And youre giving these kids millions, and they don't neccesarily have to keep up any obligation on their end.

Its why Pope isnt cut out for this era. Too soft, too loose.
 
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RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
30,274
73,207
113
For sure, maybe its half. Or maybe less. But even just having 3 or 4 guys who are just here for the pay day (and knowing they have that NIL money no matter what now), can poison a team.

I mean thats a bigger issue for college basketball. You can transfer at will now. And youre giving these kids millions, and they don't neccesarily have to keep up any obligation on their end.

Its why Pope isnt cut out for this era. Too soft, too loose.
That's why I'm a Jai Lucas fan. Just need to see some more coaching chops this year. If he makes a sweet 16 or elite 8/Wins ACC this year, you gotta call him. Will Stein type of hire.
 

NociHTTP

Heisman
Mar 8, 2023
13,327
20,754
113
Your a** hurts
Sexy Horse GIF
 

Bluegrass79

All-Conference
May 4, 2006
658
1,028
61
Well you know the first team it was good because they had Lamont Butler and he could play defense on point guards and stop them.

He was no joke.

You had Amari Williams in the middle who could also play defense and stop people.


His last two teams just doesn't have anybody that can play defense at the point guard and they don't have the real stopper at the center.
 
Feb 3, 2025
2,029
6,973
113
I'm in the minority here but I want Billy D.

1. Personally it would be great to finally get him. Been wanting him since 2007.

2. I don't think he would struggle as much as some think. College basketball is MUCH closer to the pros now vs when he left Florida as far as recruiting and team management goes.
 

Yardeth

Heisman
Jan 2, 2007
13,573
17,886
67
I only hope that the new AD wants to win now and cuts ties with Pope. Maybe agree to agree to part ways. If he truly loves UK Basketball then he should step down he just isn’t a winning basketball coach
 

UKCowboys

Heisman
Oct 14, 2019
5,752
10,946
113
Pearl has been begging for this job for like 10 years. Go listen to his pressers pre/post UK. Hell, last year he basically called Pope trash. Call the guy and let him turn this around for 3-4 years. You talk about an exciting program and a coach that would run through a wall for the fanbase. The BBQ at Rupp for his presser would be legendary.
If you go back to when Pope started, I wanted Pearl. I would love it if he were the hire. Good teams and an exciting brand of basketball. And with his style, at UK, with our budget, he would recruit like Cal did
 
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BAsil2Tyler

Junior
Mar 13, 2003
6,262
378
83
Your a** wanted Mark Pope
Good lord. RunninRichie saw the writing on the wall along with many of us, and before most. If the powerbrokers of the program were sitting with our new AD last night as has been reported, they could not have been happy. And this is not the first game the powerbrokers have seen such a disgraceful exhibit of Kentucky basketball. Jason Batt is going to hear so much from fans and alums - and it's more than those on "X" that Matt Jones points out - that he's going to say "to hell with it. I have other programs and employees to oversee and help." There is no way he wants to hear that constantly, and I suspect he has a list that Barney was supposed to have already had lined up. Following Pope will be a heckuva lot easier than Cal.

Of course there is a season to be played, but in what universe is the current coach the right man for a program that has been at the pinnacle of the sport historically?
 
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