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Joe hall vs Mark Pope...1st 2 years

Grevey1975

Grevey1975

Freshman
Mar 23, 2026
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I admit I've been a Pope basher and didn't like the hire to begin with BUT that being said, for those of you that remember Joe Hall's first 2 years here...First year after taking over for a legend, got to the elite Eight before losing to Indiana. Next year went 13-13 and I can remember back then, alot of talk about if he was the right guy to lead this program and the very next year,took them to the final four and the rest is history.Overall record for the first 2 years 33-21...Pope first 2 years 46-26...I'm not saying that Pope will get to a final four, just comparing the first couple of years...And I know that this is a different time and era of college basketball but hopefully Popes year 3 can produce the magic Joe Hall did in his 3rd year......
 
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BlueBomb

BlueBomb

Heisman
Apr 3, 2009
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Hall had one of the best assistant coaches/recruiters in the country at the time -- Leonard Hamilton -- which was a significant part of his success.

I'm not trying to make any comparison with Pope. Just sharing a tidbit that us old timers will recall fondly.
 
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PastorofMuppets82

PastorofMuppets82

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Mar 4, 2025
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Not my intention to compare Pope to Hall directly, but let's not act like Hall came into an empty cupboard like Pope did. Hall kind of got the left overs from a good UK team (ala Tubby, and Hubert Davis his first year at UNC).

Hall had been an assistant on staff at UK for what, 7 years at the time he took over as head coach? His first team which went to the Elite 8 returned quite a few players, specifically Jim Andrews. Completely different eras, conference strengths, NIL vs no NIL, etc. Just too many differences to make even an attempt at a fair comparison. But it wasn't like Hall was starting from scratch or coming from a mid major to take over fresh.

Players and their stats from the 71-72 team who returned for Hall's first season.
Jim Andrews 1971-72 6'11" JR Center (21.5 pts, 11.3 Reb, 2.5 Ast)
Larry Stamper 1971-1972 6'6" JR Forward (10.3 PTs, 10.2 Reb, 1.4 Ast)
Ray Edelman 1971-1972 6'2" SO Guard (0.8 pts, 0.4 Reb, 03. Ast)
Greg Smith 1971-1972 6'3" JR Guard (1.0 Pts, 0.0 Reb, 0.5 Ast)
Ronnie Lyons 1971-1972 5'10" SO Guard (13.2 Pts, 2.1 pts, 2.5 Ast)

Players who were on UK's roster when Pope was hired.
Travis Perry...
 
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mjj_2K

All-American
Jul 11, 2010
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Then Hall signed one of the best recruiting classes in school history and proceeded to lead the team to the NCAA final, including handing IU the only loss they would suffer in 74-75 and 75-76.

I'm not old enough for first-hand memories, but I suspect that Hall would have been under serious pressure if 74-75 hadn't been such a success. Pope is in a similar situation, but probably worse since the great "recruiting" class was supposed to be last year. And was a big swing and a miss. If that happens again this year, he's highly unlikely to get another swing. He might not have to make a title game, but he also can't have a team where that's completely unthinkable. Especially not one where that's the obvious case by the end of November, like last year.
 
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FLBBNFAN

FLBBNFAN

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BlueBomb said:
Hall had one of the best assistant coaches/recruiters in the country at the time -- Leonard Hamilton -- which was a significant part of his success.

I'm not trying to make any comparison with Pope. Just sharing a tidbit that us old timers will recall fondly.
Click to expand...
Whoever decided Bird was to slow to play here should of been read the riot act.
 
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UKBB4Ever

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Grevey1975 said:
I admit I've been a Pope basher and didn't like the hire to begin with BUT that being said, for those of you that remember Joe Hall's first 2 years here...First year after taking over for a legend, got to the elite Eight before losing to Indiana. Next year went 13-13 and I can remember back then, alot of talk about if he was the right guy to lead this program and the very next year,took them to the final four and the rest is history.Overall record for the first 2 years 33-21...Pope first 2 years 46-26...I'm not saying that Pope will get to a final four, just comparing the first couple of years...And I know that this is a different time and era of college basketball but hopefully Popes year 3 can produce the magic Joe Hall did in his 3rd year......
Click to expand...
You never saw a Joe B team not play hard. You never saw a Joe B team quit.
 
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mjj_2K

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jedwar said:
100% this. Different eras.
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A big part of which is the NCAA Tournament.

In 1973, UK entered the NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16. Where they played Austin Peay (which actually was a top 20 team).

The tournament structure from the mid 50's until 1975 was weird, with a lot of elements that seem arbitrary. The Mideast Region always featured the Big 10 champ and the SEC champ, who both sat waiting in the Sweet 16. I think it also included the MAC and the OVC champ, and then you'd get 2 independents (in 73, #5 ranked Marquette and Jacksonville). But I have no idea how they determined which indy played the MAC or OVC champ, or which teams would be lined up to play the SEC or Big 10 in the Sweet 16. In 73, Marquette (really frequent UK NCAA opponent in that era) ended up with Indiana, even though Indiana would have had claim to a higher seed than UK, if there had been seeding.
 
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kyjeff1

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
51,289
72,074
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Pope doesn’t have an E8, but he also doesn't have a 13-13, or even close to anything like that and he played top 4 SOS' and had bad injury problems.

You can't draw conclusions about a coach after 2 years, especially when those 2 years were riddled with injuries.

There are definitely red flags, but nothing that can't be easily fixed.
 
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rivercatinfl

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kyjeff1 said:
Pope doesn’t have an E8, but he also doesn't have a 13-13, or even close to anything like that and he played top 4 SOS' and had bad injury problems.

You can't draw conclusions about a coach after 2 years, especially when those 2 years were riddled with injuries.

There are definitely red flags, but nothing that can't be easily fixed.
Click to expand...
Finally a response that makes perfect sense. It’s true and I think this will be his best year by a mile.
 
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Ednunn

Ednunn

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Mar 8, 2023
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kyjeff1 said:
Pope doesn’t have an E8, but he also doesn't have a 13-13, or even close to anything like that and he played top 4 SOS' and had bad injury problems.

You can't draw conclusions about a coach after 2 years, especially when those 2 years were riddled with injuries.

There are definitely red flags, but nothing that can't be easily fixed.
Click to expand...
And Joe B was left with Grevey, Connor, Flynn, jim Andrews Larry Stamper etc…
pope had nothing But a 6’ Lyon Co. frosh. Had to start from scratch.
 
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BlueSince92

BlueSince92

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TheApostleSaulSmith said:
Where's Pope's Elite Eight?
Stop tearing down UK legends to prop up Pope
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What a bitter, useless comment.

As if there’s a world of distance between making the Elite Eight and making the Sweet Sixteen when Jaxson Robinson was out for good and Lamont Butler was struggling with multiple injuries including a dislocated shoulder, whom many national basketball commentators were calling the best guard in the country before he got injured. We don’t have to prop up Pope but we don’t need your gibbering drivel fantasy either.
 
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TheApostleSaulSmith

TheApostleSaulSmith

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BlueSince92 said:
What a bitter, useless comment.

As if there’s a world of distance between making the Elite Eight and making the Sweet Sixteen when Lamont Butler was struggling with multiple injuries including a dislocated shoulder, whom many national basketball commentators were calling the best guard in the country before he got injured. We don’t have to prop up Pope but we don’t need your gibbering drivel fantasy either.
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Good then stop doing it
 
kyjeff1

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
51,289
72,074
113
Ednunn said:
And Joe B was left with Grevey, Connor, Flynn, jim Andrews Larry Stamper etc…
pope had nothing But a 6’ Lyon Co. frosh. Had to start from scratch.
Click to expand...
Correct and I get it, it's a different time now, but it's a different time for everybody and back in the 70's, the amount of schools that even cared about basketball, was maybe 20 and the ones thst were elite, even less.
Today, every school in the country is all in on basketball and a massive amount of schools are dumping massive amounts of money into basketball each year. It's harder to win now. Much harder.
 
TheApostleSaulSmith

TheApostleSaulSmith

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kyjeff1 said:
Pope doesn’t have an E8, but he also doesn't have a 13-13, or even close to anything like that and he played top 4 SOS' and had bad injury problems.

You can't draw conclusions about a coach after 2 years, especially when those 2 years were riddled with injuries.

There are definitely red flags, but nothing that can't be easily fixed.
Click to expand...
easily fixed?
 
Jedsanalplug

Jedsanalplug

Redshirt
Jun 4, 2026
1
0
0
Joe hall would easily wipe his *** with Pope then flush him down the toilet for being a disgrace to Kentucky Basketball
 
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