Is Kentucky.....

[nicky]

No longer relevant on the CBB scene....? I certainly hope not, but I'm afraid they might be

It seems like unless they completely revamp they're going to fall further and further behind and risk becoming an afterthought in college basketball...they're teetering on the brink as it is

They obviously haven't recognized that the landscape has changed DRASTICALLY and their unwillingness (so far) to adapt could be a death knell for the program

Barnhart leaving COULD be a first step but only depending on who they get to replace him....I have no idea who that person should be but it cannot be a MB "disciple"......There needs to be a fresh set of eyes..

No clue if Pope is the right guy....hope he turns out to be but it's looking murky so far...

What do y'all think....?

 

[wildcat111]

No longer relevant on the CBB scene....? I certainly hope not, but I'm afraid they might be

It seems like unless they completely revamp they're going to fall further and further behind and risk becoming an afterthought in college basketball...they're teetering on the brink as it is

They obviously haven't recognized that the landscape has changed DRASTICALLY and their unwillingness (so far) to adapt could be a death knell for the program

Barnhart leaving COULD be a first step but only depending on who they get to replace him....I have no idea who that person should be but it cannot be a MB "disciple"......There needs to be a fresh set of eyes..

No clue if Pope is the right guy....hope he turns out to be but it's looking murky so far...

What do y'all think....?

Probably going to get worse...maybe a lot worse. UK is no longer feared or even respected any more.

 

[RunninRichie]

No longer relevant on the CBB scene....? I certainly hope not, but I'm afraid they might be

It seems like unless they completely revamp they're going to fall further and further behind and risk becoming an afterthought in college basketball...they're teetering on the brink as it is

They obviously haven't recognized that the landscape has changed DRASTICALLY and their unwillingness (so far) to adapt could be a death knell for the program

Barnhart leaving COULD be a first step but only depending on who they get to replace him....I have no idea who that person should be but it cannot be a MB "disciple"......There needs to be a fresh set of eyes..

No clue if Pope is the right guy....hope he turns out to be but it's looking murky so far...

What do y'all think....?

With Mark Pope on the scene, yes. UNC is also irrelevant.

 

[anon1777473514]

I don’t think we are irrelevant but I do think we are currently behind in prowess. We need a good year this year badly. I’m talking top ten virtually the whole season, legit threat to win it.

 

[kywildcat1021979]

I don’t think we are irrelevant but I do think we are currently behind in prowess. We need a good year this year badly. I’m talking top ten virtually the whole season, legit threat to win it.

You, I, and the rest of the room knows this isn't happening until a change is made....

 

[FitchandMurray29]

Irrelevant? No. But programs have very little relevance these days in general. It’s all the coaches and the players. To be frank we had a mid group of both last year.

Pope needs a star with an NBA future though to help spark things. That’s why he’s been so desperate for Stokes even given the cost and headache that could go along with him.

Assuming we don’t get Tyran, Pope will need to clean up in the portal. With our budget I still expect us to be top 15 again in the preseason and thus not irrelevant.

 

[BookofMormon]

Your only as relevant as you are being F4 potential.

 

[WeWant9]

I think it all moves in cycles, but UK basketball certainly seems pretty low on the totem pole in the present moment. The whole program has felt stale for over a half decade.

 

[Yardeth]

I don’t think we are irrelevant but I do think we are currently behind in prowess. We need a good year this year badly. I’m talking top ten virtually the whole season, legit threat to win it.

I agree, and anything less is unacceptable. UK needs to hire the new AD ASAP and then he has a good year to start finding our new coach. Once he talks to Pope and see’s the roster he can start making phone calls to agents.

 

[TFCat11]

A sports program will become what the administration and fan base will allow and enable, and both parties have allowed and enabled mediocrity, and anyone still smoking hopium is just delaying the inevitable.

Pope will get his collection of mid major level talents again, and we’ll spend the rest of the offseason pretending that they will be overachievers again, only to be brought back to reality when Stokes and Co. whip their butts by 30 next November in the Champions Classic. Yawn

 

[anon1777473514]

I agree, and anything less is unacceptable. UK needs to hire the new AD ASAP and then he has a good year to start finding our new coach. Once he talks to Pope and see’s the roster he can start making phone calls to agents.

I definitely think the moment they know for sure Pope isn’t going to be returned, they need to backchannel and have a coach at the ready for a smooth transition. No UNC-type of situation.

 

[dckala2_]

can only think this is a louisville troll, and if so, imagine missing out Dusty for whoever their coach currently is.

 

[MegaBlue05]

Lol no.

You guys are so dramatic.

We still play tournament games in lead in slots for CBS even as a lowly 7 seed. Our games are still some of the most watched in the country and we still play on primetime all the time.

We’re in a down swing, which is kind of what we do in even decades. Pesky history and what not.

Irrelevant is Northwestern or South Carolina. We are a big name going through a rough patch. I am not sure the current staff can get it turned around, but don’t write our obituary just yet.

 

[UKGrad24]

Guys it’s been said before yes and yes and yes. It’s a bad hire and indictment on Barnhart. Has nothing to do with the program. If you were old enough to like through Gillispie you’d get it. If you weren’t sit tight and hold on lol.

 

[Wildcat_in_DC]

folks here care more about being relevant than they are at winning.

 

[Damage_inc]

As long as we can keep outspending everyone then we will be relevant...........provided we spend the money on the right kids next time.

 

[JonathanW2]

No longer relevant on the CBB scene....? I certainly hope not, but I'm afraid they might be

It seems like unless they completely revamp they're going to fall further and further behind and risk becoming an afterthought in college basketball...they're teetering on the brink as it is

They obviously haven't recognized that the landscape has changed DRASTICALLY and their unwillingness (so far) to adapt could be a death knell for the program

Barnhart leaving COULD be a first step but only depending on who they get to replace him....I have no idea who that person should be but it cannot be a MB "disciple"......There needs to be a fresh set of eyes..

No clue if Pope is the right guy....hope he turns out to be but it's looking murky so far...

What do y'all think....?

I saw a video this past week by one of the National college basketball reporters, (not a pro-UK person) who was saying that Kentucky is still in the top tier of Elite Programs.
That said, we can't go too much longer like this (6 years now with just 4 tourney wins).

 

[nicky]

folks here care more about being relevant than they are at winning.

No winning equals no relevancy....cannot believe that had to be explained

 

[Catlogic1552]

I don’t think we are irrelevant but I do think we are currently behind in prowess. We need a good year this year badly. I’m talking top ten virtually the whole season, legit threat to win it.

I’m not confident Pope can overcome his 63% CAREER win percentage, in-game head scratching decisions, and consistent lack of preparedness, regardless his roster. And we know his construction won’t include the best of the best. Would love to be wrong, but with his history, it would be a miracle.

 

[anon1777473514]

I’m not confident Pope can overcome his 63% CAREER win percentage, in-game head scratching decisions, and consistent lack of preparedness, regardless his roster. And we know his construction won’t include the best of the best. Would love to be wrong, but with his history, it would be a miracle.

I understand your skepticism. I hope he proves us all wrong, but let’s be real…he hasn’t done enough to believe so far.

 

[BleedBlue747]

Not irrelevant, but the NIL transition has not gone as well for the Cats as other teams... Great players used to come to us, now we have to identify the great players and compete with many other $chools.

 

[PoopooPeePee]

If you’re talking about viewership then no, but if we’re talking program prestige then yes. Mitch Barnhart and now Mark Pope are damaging this program to the point of no return. Something has to change.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

A sports program will become what the administration and fan base will allow and enable, and both parties have allowed and enabled mediocrity, and anyone still smoking hopium is just delaying the inevitable.

Pope will get his collection of mid major level talents again, and we’ll spend the rest of the offseason pretending that they will be overachievers again, only to be brought back to reality when Stokes and Co. whip their butts by 30 next November in the Champions Classic. Yawn

Which is exactly why I'm so hard on those who still support Pope. We're wasting a year while being stuck on the road to mediocrity

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

folks here care more about being relevant than they are at winning.

One comes with the other Dc

 

[Johnfarrel]

Guys it’s been said before yes and yes and yes. It’s a bad hire and indictment on Barnhart. Has nothing to do with the program. If you were old enough to like through Gillispie you’d get it. If you weren’t sit tight and hold on lol.

Also here for the point shaving scandal in the early fifties and the Sutton sutton. I've seen the dark side several times.

 

[anot]

Who cares. All I know is Mitch is getting paid and that's what is important. We don't need to take young black athletes off the streets and make them millionaires. We need to make sure the multi millionaires get their money after retirement. I mean who else was gonna do mitches new job if he didn't .

9th place in sec... You guys are spoiled ungrateful fans wanting to win games. It's bigger than sports.

We did have this guy named Rupp one time tho that was cool.

 

[LexingtonThoroughblade]

I warned about this when the NIL era started. We're a welfare state. That's just the way Kentucky is. We don't have a lot of money. I know people throw around the big basketball figure but we haven't ever confirmed that and I'm skeptical. We don't have the deep pockets of other schools and IMO this era isn't going to be kind to us.

Better athletic administration could help, though, but I still think we're at a big disadvantage.

 

[wildcat111]

Irrelevant? No. But programs have very little relevance these days in general. It’s all the coaches and the players. To be frank we had a mid group of both last year.

Pope needs a star with an NBA future though to help spark things. That’s why he’s been so desperate for Stokes even given the cost and headache that could go along with him.

Assuming we don’t get Tyran, Pope will need to clean up in the portal. With our budget I still expect us to be top 15 again in the preseason and thus not irrelevant.

So is top 15 in preseason really relevant considering we were almost universally thought of as # 1 for years? So what did top 10 preseason get us this year...9th seed in our own conference plus a total beatdown in the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament.

 

[mhs1964]

I warned about this when the NIL era started. We're a welfare state. That's just the way Kentucky is. We don't have a lot of money. I know people throw around the big basketball figure but we haven't ever confirmed that and I'm skeptical. We don't have the deep pockets of other schools and IMO this era isn't going to be kind to us.

Better athletic administration could help, though, but I still think we're at a big disadvantage.

Exactly what I posted on the old KSR site under another name. Follow the money. It’s partly why the Big 10 has had a resurgence and will continue spending at record levels. NIL will not be kind to our major sports programs. Tradition and history mean nothing.

 

[ChocoChicken]

I warned about this when the NIL era started. We're a welfare state. That's just the way Kentucky is. We don't have a lot of money. I know people throw around the big basketball figure but we haven't ever confirmed that and I'm skeptical. We don't have the deep pockets of other schools and IMO this era isn't going to be kind to us.

Better athletic administration could help, though, but I still think we're at a big disadvantage.

We’re finding every excuse we can to not blame the AD and head coach. Like it or not, UK spent the most out of everyone last year and will likely be in the top 5-10 this year.

 

[W1LDCAT22]

A sports program will become what the administration and fan base will allow and enable, and both parties have allowed and enabled mediocrity, and anyone still smoking hopium is just delaying the inevitable.

Pope will get his collection of mid major level talents again, and we’ll spend the rest of the offseason pretending that they will be overachievers again, only to be brought back to reality when Stokes and Co. whip their butts by 30 next November in the Champions Classic. Yawn

Well said

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

I would be a lot more confident if college basketball wasn't currently like the wild west.

 

[Resignmarkpope]

I don’t think we are irrelevant but I do think we are currently behind in prowess. We need a good year this year badly. I’m talking top ten virtually the whole season, legit threat to win it.

Kentucky is a hot fudge sundae with no nuts

 

[crazywill]

No longer relevant on the CBB scene....? I certainly hope not, but I'm afraid they might be

It seems like unless they completely revamp they're going to fall further and further behind and risk becoming an afterthought in college basketball...they're teetering on the brink as it is

They obviously haven't recognized that the landscape has changed DRASTICALLY and their unwillingness (so far) to adapt could be a death knell for the program

Barnhart leaving COULD be a first step but only depending on who they get to replace him....I have no idea who that person should be but it cannot be a MB "disciple"......There needs to be a fresh set of eyes..

No clue if Pope is the right guy....hope he turns out to be but it's looking murky so far...

What do y'all think....?

Better find a New Word/ Because Relevant left the Building! Joke , Laughing Stock come to mind!

 

[BleedBlue_22]

We’re just average

 

[LineSkiCat14]

We are not relevant at present time. Don't know how anyone can think otherwise. A few days into the portal and the results so far, have been lukewarm at best. Players we want are already going elsewhere.

We have two more chances to right the ship and both need to hit. Land the AD and land the coach. Maybe we do OK if we split the difference, but if we get lukewarm hires, Kentucky basketball is toast.

 

[rick64]

NIL has changed the landscape. Lots of other D1 schools have big time donors so they can compete now in recruiting. Having the right coach certainly helps too with a style of play that attracts players.

 

[LexingtonThoroughblade]

We’re finding every excuse we can to not blame the AD and head coach. Like it or not, UK spent the most out of everyone last year and will likely be in the top 5-10 this year.

This isn't excuse, it's reality. Also, my post didn't say that I'm giving the AD/head coach a pass at all. What I'm saying is that in an era where you have to pay players, I feel we're going to be in a disadvantageous position relative to more wealthy areas of the country. We heard reports we spent more but the problem with NIL if we can't verify these figures/stats at all, so color me skeptical.