You probably wear the sacred cloth to bed, huh? Adapt or die. You don't have to like the direction, but it's where it is.
Pope on roster cost
- Thread starter Catastic5
- Start date
Roster isn't the problem. Pope's nice guy soft approach is the problem. These players didn't forget how to play basketball, they are just not well coached under Pope. Attack the basket and finish strong, and get to the offensive boards.
He had to overpay for Zoom. Zoom was ready to commit, but then Pope went all in on Rob Wright. After he went back to BYU, he had to get back in Zooms good graces and outbid everyone by a huge margin.
He sounds like a guy who knows he's on his way out after this season...
I got my college degree paid for under the ‘old system’ decades ago, but my degree wasn’t “free” - my teammates and I worked our azzes off on the practice floor, in the classroom, in the weight room, on the track and on game days. But that isn’t the college athletics economic system which is currently in place. I wish it still was because this current system sucks, but it isn’t. And there aren’t any signs that genie is somehow getting shoved back in the bottle.
He’s a complete fraud! I’ll say it til pos is out! You are not welcome mark pope! Leave!
The boosters were BEGGING Pope to take last year and run with it. But as others have mentioned, we overpaid for a large group of average players, and it showed. This year, either win with what money you're given, or you're out.
Including the departure of Oweh, I am struggling to decide if the sum total of the new players is GREATER than the sum total of what left.
For me, it is uncertain now and it will be interesting to see how we play during the first games of the season. We'll know pretty soon, I think,
Hopefully, Moreno, Wiliams, Noah, Hawthorne and Potter have all improved significantly. We need them to ...
Mark pope is the ultimate embarrassment! Feels like mark stoops last year all over!
The more Pope talks the more I want him out of here. What a tool.
Well as usual Popes responses make little to no sense. He sounds like he knows this year is the last ride of the toy Ferrari he has turned UK into.
It does give you that impression. It's like "well I did the best I could with the NIL money we have". Kinda funny because he was basically implying last year at one point that Kentucky had top tier money and I think Cal even said something like "Kentucky players will make more than anyone" when he was still here in regards to the NIL era. I don't think anyone is going to believe any roster failures are the result of Kentucky not spending on NIL. We were always known as the program with a massive budget prior to NIL.
I agree, we will know by Christmas. But currently there sure are a lot of question marks. I can't imagine Potter being a factor at all. I mean, he played like 2 mins against UALR. I'm not optimistic about Noah. Anything we get from him I'm just going to treat as a surprise. Kam is a different story. We need what he gives. I just wonder about his health and he obviously hasn't been doing much of anything basketball related since essentially January (yes, I know he played a few March games). I don't have much hope he will be much different than he was simply because he hasn't been doing anything because he's been injured.
Here you go - I'd have to think Duke and Ville are in their own category.
www.cbssports.com
College basketball's NIL arms race, from $5M to $25M+: Breaking down roster values, spending tiers for 2026-27
CBS Sports contacted more than 100 sources to discover how much each power-conference hoops program invested this season
www.cbssports.com
we wont have to wait until christmas. we play kansas, wichita state, indiana, and virginia by dec 2nd. first 30 days we will know what they are and what they arent.
If I want to be optimistic, I would say your sentiments are cautiously pessimistic.
If I want to be realistic, I would say your sentiments are spot on. Therefore, I pretty much agree with you.
Thanks for the reply ...
what i thought.....there are not more than 3-5 schools that spent more than UK between last season and this season. results are just not matching the investment at this point. unless the results improve significantly, its hard to believe that money will continue to roll in.
I do not disagree, but I think it very safe to say that funding will certainly not INCREASE with similar results. There is more involved than just money.
Asking AI to rank the top FIVE (5) reasons why a player chooses a specific college ... revealed below, fwiw:
The landscape of college recruiting has shifted dramatically in recent years. While traditional factors like academics and campus culture still matter, the modernization of college sports has fundamentally reordered what elite recruits prioritize.
The top five reasons a player chooses a specific college are Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, professional player development, coaching relationships, immediate playing time, and program prestige.
Here is the definitive ranking of those factors based on insights from modern recruiting analysts, sports media, and player movement trends:
1.
NIL Opportunities & Financial CompensationIn the modern era of college athletics, financial compensation through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collectives is the single most important factor for top-tier recruits. Players are looking for schools with well-funded collectives, aggressive marketing opportunities, and a strong history of securing lucrative deals. For many athletes, the ability to immediately capitalize on their value and secure financial stability for their families outweighs almost every other traditional recruiting metric.
2.
Professional Development & Track Record to the ProsHigh-level recruits almost universally believe they have a future in the professional ranks. Because of this, players heavily scrutinize a program’s ability to prepare them for the draft and the next level. Recruits look closely at:
- The "Draft History" of the head coach and position coaches.
- The caliber of the training staff, nutritionists, and sports psychologists.
- The quality of the weight rooms and rehabilitation technology.
3.
Relationship with the Coaching StaffAthletes rarely commit to an institution; they commit to people. A player's connection to the head coach and their specific position coach is vital. Because the demands of college sports are intense, players must trust that a coach will advocate for them, mentor them, and remain stable at the school. Misrepresentations regarding a coach's true plans for a player or a breakdown in communication are among the leading reasons athletes end up entering the transfer portal later on.
4.
Immediate Playing Time & Scheme FitAthletes do not want to sit on the bench, especially in an era where patience is thin and the transfer portal is always an option. Recruits carefully analyze a team's current roster depth and the offensive or defensive scheme to see how quickly they can get on the field. They want a system that highlights their specific skill set so they can maximize their exposure on a national stage.
5.
Program Prestige & "The Big Stage"Winning matters, as does the brand recognition of the jersey. Players frequently choose schools that offer maximum media exposure, frequent primetime television slots, and a realistic shot at championships. Playing for a blue-blood program elevates an athlete's personal brand, which directly feeds back into their potential NIL value and long-term career opportunities.
Last edited:
Victim, Mark Pope! What a sad, sad coach! Total joke! Complete fraud!!!
That's a fair point. I just always think it takes a while to gel, especially in this age of huge roster turnover every season. I always think there's a pretty line around the start of conference play when you just are who you are.
Agreed. I think the only thing off the table for this team is being a title contender. I just can't see any scenario they get to a FF or win the SEC or SECT. Meaning their ceiling isn't terribly high, which is a huge bummer. I can, however, see a scenario where the question marks become positives and they finish top 4ish in the conference and get to the second weekend of the NCAAT and maybe even the weekend of the SECT. Sadly, I can see where things completely flop and they finish bottom 1/3 of the SEC and barely squeak in the NCAAT or even possibly miss the tourney all together (although I don't think that's a very big possibility).
they play way more basketball now than they did 20 years ago. more practices in the summer. more camps. they have money to pay for real trainers. practices start earlier. more exhibition games.
i get the "it takes time to gel" stuff, but if we are doing all this extra work in the off season, i dont think we should have to wait half the season to see the gains.
My reply, in that regard, was more of us the fans seeing what we truly have. I'm sure the staff probably has a pretty clear idea long before us. That's all I meant by the Christmas comment. I think all the offseason stuff helps the gel, but I don't think that truly starts happening until you play games that count for something. But totally agree, the process is definitely sped up with the way things are done now.
Pope already coming up with excuses. Every time he talks, I like him less and less. He’s reaching Billy G territory for me.
Cliff Notes:I do not disagree, but I think it very safe to say that funding will certainly not INCREASE with similar results. There is more involved than just money.
Asking AI to rank the top FIVE (5) reasons why a player chooses a specific college ... revealed below, fwiw:
The landscape of college recruiting has shifted dramatically in recent years. While traditional factors like academics and campus culture still matter, the modernization of college sports has fundamentally reordered what elite recruits prioritize.
The top five reasons a player chooses a specific college are Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, professional player development, coaching relationships, immediate playing time, and program prestige.
Here is the definitive ranking of those factors based on insights from modern recruiting analysts, sports media, and player movement trends:
1.
In the modern era of college athletics, financial compensation through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collectives is the single most important factor for top-tier recruits. Players are looking for schools with well-funded collectives, aggressive marketing opportunities, and a strong history of securing lucrative deals. For many athletes, the ability to immediately capitalize on their value and secure financial stability for their families outweighs almost every other traditional recruiting metric.
2.
High-level recruits almost universally believe they have a future in the professional ranks. Because of this, players heavily scrutinize a program’s ability to prepare them for the draft and the next level. Recruits look closely at:
- The "Draft History" of the head coach and position coaches.
- The caliber of the training staff, nutritionists, and sports psychologists.
- The quality of the weight rooms and rehabilitation technology.
3.
Athletes rarely commit to an institution; they commit to people. A player's connection to the head coach and their specific position coach is vital. Because the demands of college sports are intense, players must trust that a coach will advocate for them, mentor them, and remain stable at the school. Misrepresentations regarding a coach's true plans for a player or a breakdown in communication are among the leading reasons athletes end up entering the transfer portal later on.
4.
Athletes do not want to sit on the bench, especially in an era where patience is thin and the transfer portal is always an option. Recruits carefully analyze a team's current roster depth and the offensive or defensive scheme to see how quickly they can get on the field. They want a system that highlights their specific skill set so they can maximize their exposure on a national stage.
5.
Winning matters, as does the brand recognition of the jersey. Players frequently choose schools that offer maximum media exposure, frequent primetime television slots, and a realistic shot at championships. Playing for a blue-blood program elevates an athlete's personal brand, which directly feeds back into their potential NIL value and long-term career opportunities.
1. Money
2. Player Development and Pro Track
3. Coaching Staff
4. Minutes and Scheme Fit
5. Program Prestige
Pope is a strange dude. One of his legitimate faults ( as opposed to all the bullshi% you usually find on here) is he is very awkward with the media. I have found myself saying " What did he just say" after several of his press conferences. I have often wondered if this awkward communication style has carried over to his interactions with recruits, and might explain why he has had such spotty recruiting results. I THINK he is saying here that money is not an issue here but he isn't going to spend it indiscriminately? He doesn't seem to be a great communicator and thats a problem.
I’m ok with it. Coaches need players who share their vision and passion. CMP did not get those guys last year and it showed. Looks like he has them this season.
He wants guys who embrace UK’s history and enjoy the ride here like he and his teammates.
I don’t want anymore nor do I want to pull for mercenaries who could care less what color jersey they put on. This should be a good group to pull for.
It ultimately just comes down to winning. If we need to overspend to get talent to win, that's fine if it's avaliable. If we can win with a bunch "good fit" type if guys, then that's fine too. But Pope has to win now. It's been far too long without any meaningful success. This year has to be very good, or he needs to go. I don't think anyone cares how we win. I'm good with either philosophy as long as the record is good..
Mark pope will finish 12th place in the SEC!
No one in Kentucky wants that either. Milan or Stokes. Should answer the questions.
Not sure I get your point unless you are saying it was one or the other as we couldn't afford both. Which one would you have picked?
I feel like I saw that Kentucky is doing a different basketball/ football split when it comes to revenue sharing compared to the rest of the SEC. I think Kentucky was giving a slightly higher percentage to basketball. With footballs recent success, you'd think that would change, that UK would start doing what everyone else is doing and giving football as much as possible. This will be a problem for basketball going forward, whether Pope is the coach or it's someone else.
Why? I want them to spend whatever it takes to win
The sport is a mess anyway. You gotta go all in at UK
I think he has and missed though. Covering his a**
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