We are closer to Indiana than we are Duke. I hate it, but it's the truth.
This is not Kentucky basketball anymore
- Thread starter mg721
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Cal was allowed to stay here too long, and we hired a guy that has never had any success as a coach. A failure at every level.
People act like we need to give Pope another year to be "fair" to him. I don't think they realize how desperate our situation is currently. You have to act quickly. I don't think it will happen unfortunately, but this desperately needs to be Pope's last year.
People act like we need to give Pope another year to be "fair" to him. I don't think they realize how desperate our situation is currently. You have to act quickly. I don't think it will happen unfortunately, but this desperately needs to be Pope's last year.
Yes, I’m not looking after Pope’s career, it’s saving the program that concerns me!
Haven't won an SEC Tournament since 2018. Haven't won the reg. season since 2020. Haven't even played in a semi-final game in the SEC Tournament in four years. Haven't been to a final four since 2015 (which in reality was a failure because that team never should've lost to WI). One title in the last 26 years.
This is the worst decade of UK basketball since Rupp took the job.
Don’t forget Calipari lost 46 games his last 4 years here.
This is all Pitino's fault. Had he not left, UK would be the all time leader in everything now.
UK downgraded when they let Calipari go. That's how bad it's become.
They offered him 50 Million dollars to become the head coach and president of the Boston Celtics! Yes we would’ve probably had around 15 championships by now the way he had the program going, but that would be hard for anyone to turn down. The mistake he made was not coming straight back when it didn’t work out in bean town. He knows that. Kentucky will turn this around in a few years and get back on track, at least I hope so. lol.
These last 7-8 years have been the worst in my lifetime of UK basketball.... Might even go as far to say the worst in program history...
I’m not interested in saving Mark and those of you doing it need to stop doing it. He cannot lead this program. It’s not a possibility. The more support he gets the more you’re going to see “another year” pop up over meaningless sweet 16 seasons and things like that. Mark has NO CHANCE to be the head coach at UK. Not if what we are, the top blue blood” is to remain.
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We are FAR from Duke right now. I mean comically far. Every year Puke manages to pull in a top 3 recruit and that kid ends up being legit - scoring 20-30 pts a night and headlining every ESPN highlight list.
I hate Duke - more than any other school, even IU. But whatever it is their doing, Pope needs to do the same. Clearly it's working.
IU? I have no idea what's going on with them this year, but based on seeing some of their wins and losses, you're probably right. This year we're not much different than IU.
I see very few people here clamoring to keep Pope a 3rd year out of "fairness". Most are saying they know how Mitch operates, and he won't can Pope after 2 years, regardless of how this week and the NCAAT turns out. It's Mitch and whatever lackey he installs as his replacement - those are the problem. We need an AD that's pissed off and aggressive and won't take mediocre. One that sees that Pope is clearly out of his league and will never be anything more than what we've seen this year. He hasn't improved, he's regressed and turned us into an average BYU team. His substitution decisions are of the most mind boggling situations I've ever seen - it's clear he's using some kind of metrics rather than on-the-spot situational events. And at 19-12 clearly the metrics need to be tossed, because they ain't "mathin'".
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Looking back on it... could JMI be the reason cal began looking elsewhere. Knowing the restrictive nature of recruiting in the future
How many threads saying this same thing or a variation thereof are we going to get per day? Can we just combine everything into one "Pope Sucks" thread.
Anyone remember when we were second in the SEC and hadn’t played the meat of our schedule yet and some fans on this site said we would go 6-1 in the last 7. That was a good one.
I actually laugh at people/fans that still tout UK basketball like it's the best (it's not anymore) or like it's feared (it's not anymore). I would say to give it a rest until we do something that warrants it.
It used to piss me off to no end when UL fans would say "you guys count titles from the 50's" as if they're illegitimate. I used to respond with "was UL not allowed to play back then? Why didn't they win those titles in the 50's". But now, with such a long lull in any significant Kentucky-like basketball accomplishments, I'm starting to see their point.
Nobody cares about the lure of yester-year. The luster is gone. It's literally time to put up or shut up. Until we win something today, then no more touting this as a storied program, you just sound like an old-head (and Im 42)
It used to piss me off to no end when UL fans would say "you guys count titles from the 50's" as if they're illegitimate. I used to respond with "was UL not allowed to play back then? Why didn't they win those titles in the 50's". But now, with such a long lull in any significant Kentucky-like basketball accomplishments, I'm starting to see their point.
Nobody cares about the lure of yester-year. The luster is gone. It's literally time to put up or shut up. Until we win something today, then no more touting this as a storied program, you just sound like an old-head (and Im 42)
I’ve wondered, and maybe this has been covered, if Pope can’t get these guys to practice. They’re not living together, concerned with money, no telling what they’re always out doing. I wonder if the subbing is because they really are fatigued and he doesn’t think they can play the full game and stay in game shape all the way through so he’s subbing them out knowing if they stay in, they’ll be dead by the 15 minute mark of the second half. Because like you said the subbing is just bizarre. Losing game by pulling guys out when they’re on a roll. I’ve never seen that. He’s been hinting at issues with this team especially early on. Like he wanted to say things he can’t say.
But it wouldn’t matter anyway, that’s his issue. He recruited them, he can’t control them.
Duke last won it all in 2015, we last won it all in 2012. Indiana last won it all in 1987. As bad as we are we are no where near Indiana. We’d need 2-3 more decades of mediocrity to become them. It’s definitely time for a change and to get on the right trajectory but that comparison simply isn’t true.
100%. That's the simplest way to put it.
I believe this, along with constant friction with Barnhart. ie new practice facility.
All true
Uk basketball was always about winning, but now it is business and uk is nearing bankruptcy
Maybe so, but by then Kansas will be far ahead in all time wins, a record that UK fans want to have desperately
Unfortunately it is modern day UK basketball. Modern UK means being an also ran. The Cats are closing in on a decade of not winning an SEC Championship. We are behind many programs in the SEC and falling further behind.
We spend more money than anyone and can't bring in the best talent. Kentucky is not a place most out of state players want to go to play basketball. The Glory Days are long gone.
We spend more money than anyone and can't bring in the best talent. Kentucky is not a place most out of state players want to go to play basketball. The Glory Days are long gone.
Yeah. I love Kentucky as much or more than anyone I know, I love Fifty Million Dollar in my bank account more though. Set your entire family up for generations and that’s something very few ever get an opportunity to achieve. Thanks Big Blue.
We’re the Kentucky Mitch Barnharts now. Seeing your comment you’ve been just as gaslit by Mitch as everyone else. He’s ensured fans like you accept that it’s our fault, not his. Kids come for coaches, not locations. Acting like the Lawrences, Durhams, and Storrs of the world are any better than Lexington does not make any logical sense.
We suck because we have given into Mitch Barnhart’s will. Will that change? If Mitch has his way and he gets to place one of his lackeys in the AD position while defanging the boosters then no, Kentucky will never be back.
You just answered half of our recruiting issue. Kids today can't remember our Cats being very good and we have a coach who has zero clue how to relate to today's kids. He sounds like a nerd and that is the last think young players want to be around.