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How is Pope still here?

PastorofMuppets82

PastorofMuppets82

All-Conference
Mar 4, 2025
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CRZ4UK said:
My opinion is still out on Pope. I would like to see him get one recruiting cycle out from under Barnhart. If he can’t pull the studs then, he’s gotta go. Pope has opened up a little since Barnhart left. An article in KSR this week quotes Pope saying we have had a lot of guys walk because of Money. Maybe he let them. I just think Pope deserves one cycle with the new AD. JMO.
Im just pointing out the best recruiter in the game was having problems here. Cal was bringing in trash when he left. His last class here had no one drafted. First time since at UMASS. He had 2 first rounders at Arkansas his first cycle there. Hummmm?
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I agree. I was just genuinely curious if (with some of the things you just mentioned here) behind the smoke of Cal's NIL era recruiting difficulties here, and the continued struggles by Pope here, is actually a Mitch enforced and controlled fire that hurts us in recruiting. I don't think anyone questions that Cal can recruit in both era's. He's doing fine, although different than full classes of freshmen phenoms, at Arkansas now. But UK is still stuck in that low right on the 5 star line, questionable potential, high school players being the best we can get. It remains to be seen if that changes post Mitch and it isn't all on Pope being bad at this.
 
RunninRichie

RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
29,764
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MegaBlue05 said:
I went over this ad nauseam last season.

Show me a college basketball coach fired after 2 years solely for W-L record without a hint of off court scandal or doing something really dumb like refusing to sign a contract.

Show me the precedent. What’s that? You can’t find one. Because it’s unprecedented.

Pope was always getting 3 years minimum unless year 1 went Kenny Payne bad. It did not.

The results of year 1 bought him years 2 and 3. The results of year 2 made year 3 a make or break year for Coach Pope.

So, instead of throwing temper tantrums like babies with poop filled diapers, try living in reality. if Pope doesn’t deliver this year he’s gone. It’s not gonna happen after the first loss. It’s not going to happen in December or February, but that’s not gonna stop the screaming and crying now is it?
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Rodney Terry. But I agree.
 
S

Snarks

All-American
Jan 31, 2005
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OliverSimmonsTwinBrother said:
Our long national nightmare is almost over boys!!! Noted UK insider @matti99661 is saying Pope wont even make it through the season!

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Not sure I believe he won’t make it the whole season unless it’s a train wreck. But, I 100% believe Batt told him he had to hire an extra assistant. Why else would he say he’s not, then turn around and hire someone.
 
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FireMarkPope

Redshirt
Oct 22, 2026
5
13
0
CRZ4UK said:
Actually yes I am. Because you’re living in the past. None of these young kids care anything about Kentuckys past Championships . We are all on equal plains in the NIL era. Money is what talks and it’s the biggest difference maker.
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Please read my original post. If it's all about money, then Pope should have the most stacked roster since UK has had among the highest payrolls in the sport every year that he's been here. As I said in the post: "Despite having one of the largest NIL budgets in the sport, he can't recruit, which in the NIL era is all about money money money. That's all we ever hear from the media. And somehow Pope is so repellent and incompetent that even that truism doesn't hold for him."
 
F

fadkins82476

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2019
1,354
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UKWildcats1987 said:
Cal wasnt fired after 9 and 16 or losing to a 15 seed or even a 14 seed. I know its apples to oranges as Cal won a lot that matters. Pope never has won anything. But UK seems to take a while to pull the plug.

Due to injuries Pope was always gonna get a 3rd season. It is what it is.
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And due to injuries this year, a year 4. Gotta call it eventually.
 
Johnnie Africa

Johnnie Africa

All-Conference
Feb 27, 2003
1,153
3,528
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CRZ4UK said:
My opinion is still out on Pope. I would like to see him get one recruiting cycle out from under Barnhart. If he can’t pull the studs then, he’s gotta go. Pope has opened up a little since Barnhart left. An article in KSR this week quotes Pope saying we have had a lot of guys walk because of Money. Maybe he let them. I just think Pope deserves one cycle with the new AD. JMO.
Im just pointing out the best recruiter in the game was having problems here. Cal was bringing in trash when he left. His last class here had no one drafted. First time since at UMASS. He had 2 first rounders at Arkansas his first cycle there. Hummmm?
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Are you drunk? His last class at UK had two lottery picks in Dillingham and Sheppard who was a top 3 pick.
 
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paulcalhoun_rivals397471

paulcalhoun_rivals397471

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Aug 23, 2024
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FireMarkPope said:
Obviously false? Hurley had won two NCAAT games at URI and had won both a regular season conference championship and a confrence tournament championship. Pope hadn't accomplished any of these at the time of his arrival at UK and still has not won a conference title--regular season or tournament. Hurley's resume was more impressive.

Hurley also arrived at UConn, a program that was in the garbage, where they had just vacated their previous season, and in the pre-portal, pre-NIL era, he turned them around immediately and improved each season. Pope has not done anything to show he can be successful here in his first two years.
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I already covered your crowning him for an A10 conference tourney and season title against weak competition. Winning the A10 tourney over three weak opponents and season title over second place St. Bonaventure who never appeared in the AP poll once all year is in no way superior to twice finishing runner-up to a Gonzaga team that finished #1 and #2 in the AP polls those two seasons.

You are calling 73-47 60.8% through four years an immediate turn around. Pope has been here two seasons and gone 46-26 63.9%. Through two seasons at UConn Hurley was 35-29 for 54.7%.
 
C

Cats4321

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2025
1,143
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OliverSimmonsTwinBrother said:
Our long national nightmare is almost over boys!!! Noted UK insider @matti99661 is saying Pope wont even make it through the season!

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One thing I've learned is that these Twitter experts are on a different level than other insiders. If your read it on Twitter, then it's practically a done deal.

I just can't get myself to call it "X". Stupid name.
 
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