If you were given the choice…

TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
5,745
10,072
108
You could have Todd Golden or Mark Pope as your 2026-2027 University of Kentucky MBB head coach, but which ever one you chose, you would be stuck with them for a minimum of 8 more years… Who would you trust to lead your Wildcats back to a National Championship?
 
Feb 21, 2026
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The best realistic options are May and oats and maybe you offer Lloyd despite he seems happy out west and Arizona is the real deal

Hurley or golden or pearl coming out retirement to coach here those are pipe dreams
 

MichaelGray

All-Conference
Jan 13, 2026
708
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If they hire SS from Florida as the new AD it could very well happen, however, Mitch will get his chosen person in there & we all know whom that'll be lol.
 

ZaytovenCat

All-American
Apr 25, 2013
23,880
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How is this even a question? It’s with a doubt Golden. If anyone says Pope then they’re either the biggest homer or a moron.

Not only has Golden proven to be better than Pope but he’s also wayyyy younger.
 

UKWildcats1987

Heisman
Sep 9, 2021
19,665
34,274
113
Good Lord. We have so many fans all over Golden’s nuts, it’s hysterical. Dude had the best player in the country last year. The ONLY reason they won was because Clayton was basically a cheat code. They’re not even making the FF this year. Book it.

So what. He's still way better than Pope. He would easily win another title at UK.

And your logic is silly. Cal had the best player n 2012 and Pitino had a dream team of players to win n 96 and so did hall n 78. I'll give tubby credit for 98 as he didn't have as high level of studs.
 
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Mar 27, 2009
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Good Lord. We have so many fans all over Golden’s nuts, it’s hysterical. Dude had the best player in the country last year. The ONLY reason they won was because Clayton was basically a cheat code. They’re not even making the FF this year. Book it. How did that "best player" get on the team?
To be fair, Golden did bring in Clayton from Iona and developed into "the best player in the country".
Pope did bring in JQ.
 
Jul 30, 2024
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good jeans
jeans GIF
 
Feb 21, 2026
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Good Lord. We have so many fans all over Golden’s nuts, it’s hysterical. Dude had the best player in the country last year. The ONLY reason they won was because Clayton was basically a cheat code. They’re not even making the FF this year. Book it.
Who's gonna beat em Houston ? I doubt it
 
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Mar 27, 2009
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Developed my a**. He was good at Iona.
He was also a two sport star in HS and could've played D1 football
If you want to credit his development to someone it should be Mr and Mrs Clayton who gave him those good genes.
Did Pope bring in Clayton?
Was he, as Cowtown called...."the best player in the nation" at Iona?
How was JQ here?
 
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Mar 14, 2026
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You could have Todd Golden or Mark Pope as your 2026-2027 University of Kentucky MBB head coach, but which ever one you chose, you would be stuck with them for a minimum of 8 more years… Who would you trust to lead your Wildcats back to a National Championship?
I would want to bring Nolan Richardson out of retirement.
 
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Mar 27, 2009
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Yeah. Who cares? Either way, it nullifies your point about trying to use JQ for comparing development. It’s a bad faith apples to oranges argument. FWIW I actually agree with you that Golden is a great coach but your argument using JQ was straight manure. Argue better my guy.
Wasn't comparing development. I was comparing recruiting decisions and ability per coach. Clayton did develop under Golden.
 

Dr.LutherSan

All-American
Sep 6, 2019
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Good Lord. We have so many fans all over Golden’s nuts, it’s hysterical. Dude had the best player in the country last year. The ONLY reason they won was because Clayton was basically a cheat code. They’re not even making the FF this year. Book it.
That may well be true, but one school is a one seed and the other is a seven seed. Neither team has the best player in the country this year.
 
Jul 30, 2024
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Wasn't comparing development. I was comparing recruiting decisions and ability per coach. Clayton did develop under Golden.
JQ didn’t belong in either of those discussions. It was a risk that Bill Self and other coaches wanted to take as well. We took it and it didn’t work. Simple as that.
 

Tri-Countycat

All-Conference
Jul 1, 2025
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Umm, I don’t know man. I love being a Cuck to other programs that want to win. Pope is a great guy and I would love to see him coach a season without any adversity. I think he can get it done here because he beat Duke with the oldest team ever against a bunch of freshman playing their first college competition. Also he won a couple of games in the tourney!! FML, those two losses that Cal had has fractured our fan base and now some think getting to the sweet 16 and getting ran in our own conference is the standard. We have finished 6th and 10th in the SEC for gods sake. In all honesty if Pope will actually Coach, run some offense, put together a decent roster, I’m all for it. He just didn’t do it this year.
1774129533095.jpeg
 
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UKCowboys

All-American
Oct 14, 2019
3,324
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You could have Todd Golden or Mark Pope as your 2026-2027 University of Kentucky MBB head coach, but which ever one you chose, you would be stuck with them for a minimum of 8 more years… Who would you trust to lead your Wildcats back to a National Championship?
Question...
If you are Todd Golden, would you rather:

A) Stay at Florida where you might have won back to back National Championships, or a Title followed by an E8 or FF
B) Go to UNC where Hubert Davis was let go for losing in round one after losing the possible NPOY and going to the NCAACG in 2022 and FF in 2024
C) Go to UK where Mark Pope was fired after making the S16 year one when he had no players in mid April and lost to ISU in the round of 32 after losing two of his best players for the season
 
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