His uncle probably needs to cool it with these posts, but can't say he is wrong about much here.
Jasper Johnson’s Uncle with more comments
- Thread starter ComebackCats98
- Start date
Pope must bear some blame, but he seemed to connect with last year's team so it's probably not ALL him Uncle!
Didn’t seem to mention how jasper sucked and not that big of a loss for us..
He’s worth much less now in the portal than he was out of high school.
Pope has made plenty of mistakes. But this kid has run from coaching his entire career. It’s obvious he’s never worked on his body, his mental approach, nothing that would allow him to compete at the highest level. The kid clearly wasn’t working at it at all. Popes biggest mistake was continuing to give him opportunities. Maybe someone gets thru to him. It’s obviously not gonna be his enabling family. Odds are against him.
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Uncle tried to play the race card without actually playing it.
Loser
Loser
I just hope he ends up somewhere. We don't have to play him during the season, but odds of that happening is extremely low
He connected with last year's team. Jasper jacked up shots, and didn't play defense and turned the ball over. Popes fault for playing him at all. Just an entitled player who wasn't as good as his ranking. Pope did a bad job building but injuries I don't know you can blame on him.
He can be both right about Pope and blind to his nephew’s shortcomings as a basketball player. Jasper wasn’t ready for this level. Could you imagine him playing in this national game? He would have ended up in the ER!
Can’t prioritize
That’s the problem.
Stevie Wonder can see that Pope is not a leader.
It doesn’t take this guy saying it.
This guy is 100% right. If Jasper was the only player that didn’t improve then the popettes might have a point. But no player improved.
To be fair, Mormons are quite “disconnected” even from other white folks. They’re a strange bunch.
Let me say this. Did any of the players that left posted a note expressing thanks or gratitude to their coach Mark Pope?
did Mark Pope put a message thanking the players?
Pope does not know how to play the game. It lo9ks like he took the approach that everyone was at fault , assistant coaches, players, BBN,former coach, the media,but himself.
A leader doesn’t do that. Other players and coaches will take notice.
did Mark Pope put a message thanking the players?
Pope does not know how to play the game. It lo9ks like he took the approach that everyone was at fault , assistant coaches, players, BBN,former coach, the media,but himself.
A leader doesn’t do that. Other players and coaches will take notice.
What Pope needs is to get the **** out of town. Derrick is on point.
Some of you guys are idiots to criticize this family who have been such a big part of Ky athletics. Both brothers could have played football anywhere especially Dennis and chose to stay home and play on a below average uk team. Look Jasper wasn't good and they are smart enough to understand that. It is just so surprising to them and me to see so many people taking up for Pope who is the real problem and taking so many shots at these kids. Jasper wasn't good but he is better than he showed this year. I think is was particularly disappointing after watching so many other freshman at other places excel. Maybe that is his fault but maybe it is Pope and the coaches fault. Either way you should show them as much respect as you show Pope as they have done way more UK sports than Pope will ever do. They are truly one of us born and raised here vs. Pope as a transfer that played here once a point a time.
I don't understand why some of our fanbase has to talk trash about our players your vitriol should be aimed at our AD, He's the one responsible for destroying our Program!
Uncle sounds like 75% of us RR posters
Them handlers though lol.. Not gonna dog out a kid, but his nephew wasn’t UK material regardless the coach.
Guy needs to chill. Pope ain't it, but Jasper was an instant -10 when on the floor on any night. He was well compensated for being unplayable.
I agree. Jasper wasn’t perfect, but it’s very telling that they call out his leadership ability as a coach. We can all see something was clearly off with this team. I really don’t think Pope is cut out for this.
He’s not completely off base. Pope talks more about failing making you a winner than winning making you a winner. Results follow.
He made $1.5 million. Was told he had to take a payout if he were to stay.
It’s as simple as this, both JJ and Pope are not good at what they do.
Facts
It’s hilarious that the Pope defenders are attacking Johnson, while not addressing anything that the uncle said. They’re a hopeless bunch.
Dude is a drama queen. I like Jasper , but glad to get rid of the circus around him.
Of course this guy has an agenda, but this remains my biggest concern going forward: the failure to connect/lack of cool factor. Obviously there’s really nothing too cool about guys like May or say Bruce Pearl, but a lot of coaches kind of fake it by being a bit of a bulldog or a cool hand luke or ‘don’ type etc and build an image that works for them. Pope has a seemingly total aversion to image consciousness (think ‘I shave my head not because I’m bald because it’s easier that way,’ appearing to believe throwing af1s on with no socks as a lanky 50 something white man is somehow cool, the three piece suit w the rented prom outfit belt buckle, etc etc etc) that I think puts him a step behind out of the gate, and doesn’t seem to have picked a lane to lean into and compensate for that innate aloof/goofiness (even pat Kelsey’s youth pastor ‘one of the guys’ routine is at least something). Add to that the point I think Johnson alludes to by bringing up Chandler — that Mormon, for better or worse, does code as something ‘different’ for a lot of people, vs the Catholic/ambiguously Protestant/occasionally secular Jewish vibes the kids he has to recruit are almost universally more used to — and it’s a recipe for kids not really connecting to the point where they want YOU to be their mentor or want to lay it all on the line for you to get to that second or third weekend.
The counter argument I suppose is that the guys in his first year seemed to connect with him fairly well. I think those guys were at the median more adult, and more awed by the Kentucky brand, so I think they were less likely to get distracted by the goofiness etc, and could see through to the good person inside. So maybe you learn to identify and build around the more mature kids who will respect you for being a smart former pro who genuinely wants the best for you (which he is—compared to some of these snake oil salesmen he has a lot going for him! And he can coach—see ut x4, uf, St. John’s, Duke, etc). But I’m not sure we’ll ever get the cool kids here — guys like May (the quiet killer), Hurley (the psycho competitor), Cal (the nba/players coach), Pitino (the godfather) are starting on third base compared to a guy who, fairly or unfairly, is always going to code a little silly/‘different,’ failing some major reinvention.
I’ve never thought this about anyone in my life, but Pope really makes me think ‘that guy needs a full time image consultant.’
The counter argument I suppose is that the guys in his first year seemed to connect with him fairly well. I think those guys were at the median more adult, and more awed by the Kentucky brand, so I think they were less likely to get distracted by the goofiness etc, and could see through to the good person inside. So maybe you learn to identify and build around the more mature kids who will respect you for being a smart former pro who genuinely wants the best for you (which he is—compared to some of these snake oil salesmen he has a lot going for him! And he can coach—see ut x4, uf, St. John’s, Duke, etc). But I’m not sure we’ll ever get the cool kids here — guys like May (the quiet killer), Hurley (the psycho competitor), Cal (the nba/players coach), Pitino (the godfather) are starting on third base compared to a guy who, fairly or unfairly, is always going to code a little silly/‘different,’ failing some major reinvention.
I’ve never thought this about anyone in my life, but Pope really makes me think ‘that guy needs a full time image consultant.’
It’s interesting he cites Chandler as the only one he relates to, I wonder is Pope overly pushing Mormonism within the team, he’s very religious and coming from BYU, I wonder is that what the uncle is implying.
Another confirmation to me that pope isn’t the right fit. Hes a square peg and uk’s a round hole.
Pope was bad for sure but let's not act like Jasper was developing during his time at ote, throughout his high school career he stayed the same or regressed, maybe his uncle should have spoke out about him joining ote and stayed with link academy to get better coaching and development.
But his uncle actually knows what's going on behind closed doors. He knows why Lowe finds it hilarious that the players are leaving.
Is Lowe delusional as well?
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Agree with everything you said but this made me chuckle and takes me back to the “fast paste” and “Pre-Madonna” days.
I doubt it, but would it surprise me? Not really. Mark Pope is a weird guy.
If he made 1.5 million he needs to thank his lucky stars and quietly go elsewhere , he basically got a windfall based upon his performance . will be interesting to see what he accepts elsewhere . maybe e a grant in aide?
well said
Why did Lowe say he wanted to return at the end of the year, I think he was asked to leave and now he's pissed about it if he didn't like Pope why would he want to return next year