Like clockwork.
- Thread starter PoopooPeePee
- Start date
Vaaks is low priority currently. He’s on the list if we don’t get Stokes. There has been contact though to answer the original question. Vaaks to Illinois seems more likely because I believe we get Stokes more often than not.
I am a UK fan. When you have 3 off seasons to see how Pope works and it’s the same each year with alarming concerns he needs to go. Do I want Pope to succeed? Absolutely. But I’ve seen enough to know that it’s not going to happen. He’s a career 63% winner, even at UK. He’s not it for our program.
Must just be a money thing I guess because those two together would be amazing. Put wright on the ball and that’s a championship level start to a team, Not saying Pope should do anything, but if it’s me I’m not going down without the top players I thought could get us over the hump. Maybe if Stokes does commit, some donors may gain some confidence and throw in some extra change. Haha.
Pope has a war chest and although smaller than last season (he will not be getting a large amount compared to last time), we still offer more than most. And it won’t matter. I don’t think some of you understand how this works. Mark doesn’t have a reputation. That makes recruiting really rough. Mark has not done well at UK on the court, large blowouts, can’t manage rosters, families sounding off on how he handles their kids etc. that’s compounding the problem. In recruiting scenes, people talk. Handlers talk. Agents talk. Families talk to families. You build a reputation for good or bad. Add to this, mark is really soft, it doesn’t help any of that.
Mark is already at a disadvantage before he begins. You can easily tell he thought the Uk brand was going to change his ability to recruit and with many it does, but it’s not happening with him. His former players aren’t interested in him, Oweh and others will talk also. These groups talk to each other.
If you don’t think about this stuff then you simply don’t know how these scenes work. Mark is a dead man walking and no he’s probably not getting any big time recruits. Even if he did land, say, Stokes (highly unlikely), it really would only be because he offered a crazy amount that couldn’t be turned down and others wouldn’t match. And he would only do that to try and throw a raft boat into the ocean in hopes he’s found. In other words, it wouldn’t matter he’s in the middle of the pacific.
And if he did do that, others will take notice, agents will take notice, and gouge the F out of him. It’s another reason he can’t do things like that. Stokes is likely saying if you want me, given you have no pedigree and no success, you have to pay. And Kentucky can’t because it’s sets a horrible precedent we can’t set. Agents know Kentucky is ready to win and win now. They will use that pressure to get bigger payments. We must have a coach who gives something other than a check, a coach that players are willing to compromise to play for. Kentucky + Mark Pope makes it so we have to incentivize them to play for him given they know how bad we want to win and how little leverage the coach has.
Some of you are operating like this is old times. “Give him time”, “Coach X did this too” etc. like you’re in the mindset that he’ll somehow grow into this and then everyone will want to play for him. I’m sorry, no they won’t. This is BUSINESS now. And some here don’t know what that means and I understand that, but in negotiation business it’s all about RISK and leverage. Mark has risk, and no leverage. And these agents will do nothing but exploit someone like that especially with a soft guy like Mark. It’s why I say he has ZERO chance here. And mark likely knew that at the beginning of year 2. Y’all just aren’t getting it.
Mark absolutely had no idea what he was getting into here, you can tell how he was the first months he was hired and how he looks and acts now. He’s in over his head and we need to pull this as fast as possible for him and his legacy and his family. Mitch Barnhart can go to hell for what he’s done to that guy, and it shows Barnhart has no idea how to manage this era. He doesn’t understand risk and leverage either. It’s just obvious some people have no idea what they’re talking about. Some people just show without even saying it they have no idea how this kind of business is run.
Mark is already at a disadvantage before he begins. You can easily tell he thought the Uk brand was going to change his ability to recruit and with many it does, but it’s not happening with him. His former players aren’t interested in him, Oweh and others will talk also. These groups talk to each other.
If you don’t think about this stuff then you simply don’t know how these scenes work. Mark is a dead man walking and no he’s probably not getting any big time recruits. Even if he did land, say, Stokes (highly unlikely), it really would only be because he offered a crazy amount that couldn’t be turned down and others wouldn’t match. And he would only do that to try and throw a raft boat into the ocean in hopes he’s found. In other words, it wouldn’t matter he’s in the middle of the pacific.
And if he did do that, others will take notice, agents will take notice, and gouge the F out of him. It’s another reason he can’t do things like that. Stokes is likely saying if you want me, given you have no pedigree and no success, you have to pay. And Kentucky can’t because it’s sets a horrible precedent we can’t set. Agents know Kentucky is ready to win and win now. They will use that pressure to get bigger payments. We must have a coach who gives something other than a check, a coach that players are willing to compromise to play for. Kentucky + Mark Pope makes it so we have to incentivize them to play for him given they know how bad we want to win and how little leverage the coach has.
Some of you are operating like this is old times. “Give him time”, “Coach X did this too” etc. like you’re in the mindset that he’ll somehow grow into this and then everyone will want to play for him. I’m sorry, no they won’t. This is BUSINESS now. And some here don’t know what that means and I understand that, but in negotiation business it’s all about RISK and leverage. Mark has risk, and no leverage. And these agents will do nothing but exploit someone like that especially with a soft guy like Mark. It’s why I say he has ZERO chance here. And mark likely knew that at the beginning of year 2. Y’all just aren’t getting it.
Mark absolutely had no idea what he was getting into here, you can tell how he was the first months he was hired and how he looks and acts now. He’s in over his head and we need to pull this as fast as possible for him and his legacy and his family. Mitch Barnhart can go to hell for what he’s done to that guy, and it shows Barnhart has no idea how to manage this era. He doesn’t understand risk and leverage either. It’s just obvious some people have no idea what they’re talking about. Some people just show without even saying it they have no idea how this kind of business is run.
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Ten thousand ky comedians out of work and here's this pop up lately trying to be funny
Someone yells "hey Kate" in public and this "dude" turns around. I didn't quote you, Anon, sorry if your feelings were hurt.Ten thousand ky comedians out of work and here's this pop up lately trying to be funny
It’s really concerning we appear to be going into this portal cycle without a full staff. Why? He should have had replacements for Brooks and Hart last week before the portal opened. And why is Mark Fox still on the staff? I tried to hope it would be different this year, but there’s so many questions that make me think: something is wrong.
We don't have three offseasons though. The first year doesn't count because he was hired extremely late in the process. He actually did an incredible job putting that team together. Last year was a total bust. This year is yet to be determined. So when you say this happens "every year" we're really talking about one year. Now, if he bricks on Wright, Diallo, Stokes, Hill Jr, and Murauskas we have a problem, but we aren't there yet.
Fox is his support staff. He should have never been hired. Hiring Fox was the first sign Pope didn’t know what he was doing. Pope is soft, Fox is probably a guy he feels comfortable with. But we need real coaches and real recruiters. Mark just isn’t cut for any of this the signs are so obvious it’s blinding.
Thanks for your excellent insight. Please, explain further in paragraph form the exact signs that blind you.
Agree 100%, can’t see how all three aren’t priorities, this is the outcome when you fail to get any elite HS players. Saw Duke is leading for the big man coming out of Kansas, #1 player in the portal, they also have the top freshman class.Must just be a money thing I guess because those two together would be amazing. Put wright on the ball and that’s a championship level start to a team, Not saying Pope should do anything, but if it’s me I’m not going down without the top players I thought could get us over the hump. Maybe if Stokes does commit, some donors may gain some confidence and throw in some extra change. Haha.
It makes no sense. Just another in a long line of examples that proves everything that ole Morgouskavich said was correct.
Didn’t the Kansas guy commit to Louisville along with the Oregon. Pretty sure I read that and thought, “what the helll is going on here”!!
. If that’s the case we need to put the big boy pants on and man up. I believe we will but man Pope makes it tough to figure out. # 2 quarterback in the country my man. Wooo. Can’t believe that. Crazy sorry got off track a little. Ha.
Yes, was crazy ESPN and 24-7 had him as heavy Duke lean and as their top priority. Yeah, massive win on that QB, big time!Didn’t the Kansas guy commit to Louisville along with the Oregon. Pretty sure I read that and thought, “what the helll is going on here”!!
