Sad truth of the matter is...

JustBlue

Junior
Mar 29, 2009
195
332
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that head coach at Kentucky is not a job you can do with training wheels. You have to have to have prior success to navigate this program. The "imagine what coach X can do with UK's resources" is just not valid. There is no room for learning on the job.

JB
 

Dr.LutherSan

All-American
Sep 6, 2019
3,994
7,694
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that head coach at Kentucky is not a job you can do with training wheels. You have to have to have prior success to navigate this program. The "imagine what coach X can do with UK's resources" is just not valid. There is no room for learning on the job.

JB
I dunno. I think being an alumnus should be one of the main factors. Just because you have prior success doesn't mean you "understand the assignment at UK."
 
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TippyTap

Freshman
Jan 5, 2026
44
73
18
that head coach at Kentucky is not a job you can do with training wheels. You have to have to have prior success to navigate this program. The "imagine what coach X can do with UK's resources" is just not valid. There is no room for learning on the job.

JB
Yet they passed up proven coaches in the SEC for an unproven Pope. Oats, Pearl, etc. and went straight to Pope. The same goes for players. No player should have to find their game and confidence at Kentucky.
 

Dr.LutherSan

All-American
Sep 6, 2019
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I think that is not an accurate statement in today’s environment!
Prior to Calipari’s exit, there were some on this board legitimately using that excuse to hire Mark Pope. At the time, I laughed it off because I didn't think Mitch would be dumb enough to have that thought process when making a hire. Boy was I wrong...
 

BGCATFAN2012

All-American
Aug 19, 2020
3,765
5,300
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It has to be Bruce at this point. We are in the sewer and it stinks. Its the only thing that gets the fans to buy in and Bruce might not be interested at his age. This place needs a young coach like Florida has that can atleast look like a team. Im starting to think this might be a decade for leadership to fix this mess. Maybe Pearl is interested but we dont have anyone with any sense to make it happen.
 

MoneyMuntz

All-Conference
Aug 13, 2017
2,458
3,977
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I dunno. I think being an alumnus should be one of the main factors. Just because you have prior success doesn't mean you "understand the assignment at UK."
Totally disagree with this in every way. At UK you should try to hire the best in the business no matter where they are. At UK you should be able to be a perennial contender with a top tier coach. I’m actually furious we settled on Pope. Not that I didn’t think he could win, but because he was nowhere close to the best person for the job. Anyone coming to UK understands the assignment, they may just not use it to market themselves the same way Pope did.
 
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MoneyMuntz

All-Conference
Aug 13, 2017
2,458
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The additional truth is, our athletic department is so disorganized and dysfunctional that we are going to need total reform before we plummet all the way to bottom. We have no idea how to operate our program in this landscape of NIL and pay for play. If we continue to think our brand matters in 2026 we are in for a rude awakening.
 

Artlaibesghost

All-Conference
Nov 30, 2022
926
1,795
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So if he retires this summer how will the coaching situation for Next year. Who hires the new coach Mitches hand pi ked successor. We are in deep Kimchi here
 

Hush4872

Sophomore
Oct 9, 2025
84
178
33
I think "imagine what so and so could do with UK's resources" is still as valid as it's ever been, but it's more for coaches that have been successful in the past and cosistently have top teams but they just haven't won a title yet. Pope isn't that guy.
 
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K_TIME

Heisman
Jan 2, 2003
18,370
25,644
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I dunno. I think being an alumnus should be one of the main factors. Just because you have prior success doesn't mean you "understand the assignment at UK."
So with that logic you’d have passed on. Calipari and Pitino …and hired Pope…and a Pelphey, Ford and Sean Wiod?
 

Dr.LutherSan

All-American
Sep 6, 2019
3,994
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Totally disagree with this in every way. At UK you should try to hire the best in the business no matter where they are. At UK you should be able to be a perennial contender with a top tier coach. I’m actually furious we settled on Pope. Not that I didn’t think he could win, but because he was nowhere close to the best person for the job. Anyone coming to UK understands the assignment, they may just not use it to market themselves the same way Pope did.
It was obviously a joke.