Pope now a legit candidate - CBS

[RoyKent]

It is always darkest right before Dawn.

Speaking of Dawn. I would take Dawn Staley as the next coach over Pope.

 

[CatsFan4Evr]

This is why I was hoping for Drew.

Agreed. The rest were always pipedreams.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Hiring a former player worked out for Duke and UNC but it's a huge gamble. Mark is an excellent coach, I just don't know if he's ready for a job like UK yet

Excellent coach based on what criteria?

And unc and Duke fans won't be patient for long if those guys don't win a title. I predict both are let go within 3 to 5 years.

 

[ukcatz12]

People wanted Cal out so freaking bad they never thought about the possible consequences. It was definitely time for Cal to leave but if we end up with Mark Pope this would have gone about as bad as it possibly could.

Some of us absolutely thought of the consequences and were called Calbois or fake fans or mocked.

 

[treyforuk_anon]

Mark Pope is 51 years old and has never won a game in NCAA tournament as a coach. He’s lost twice as a better seed, and that’s it. We HAVE TO be able to do better than that. Have to.

Sounds better than Calipari's last 5 years.

 

[TFCat11]

This is turning into a nightmare situation! And on top of it, you know Calipari has to be sitting in Fayetteville LHFAO!

I am really REALLY hoping this news is to get our emotions on a roller coaster, while UK really has a big fish in the net.

Mark Pope? There’s 20 guys I’m calling EASILY, before him, and no offense to Pope

 

[Dirk2Bowie]

Mitch should have had a speed dial list of coaches prepared for Cal's departure ready on day one. Especially after Cal flirted with UCLA in 2019.
He is F'ing this up royally if it keeps going down like this.

Mitch had a list. It was 1. Drew 2. Drew and 3. His pal Drew

 

[sam_o]

Some of us absolutely thought of the consequences and were called Calbois or fake fans or mocked.

Regardless of who is hired to coach here, Cal needed to go. He knew it, we all knew it. Just because we haven’t landed our top 2 choices doesn’t mean separating from Cal was a mistake. Because it wasn’t.

 

[mash_24]

Speaking of Dawn. I would take Dawn Staley as the next coach over Pope.

You lose any credibility you may have had with that statement if you’re serious. You should follow Arkansas.

 

[Inlumine]

Sounds better than Calipari's last 5 years.

It’s not. He missed the tournament twice and made the tournament twice and lost in the first round. That’s objectively worse.

 

[mcwildcats04]

This couldn't be going any worse.

 

[mash_24]

Mitch had a list. It was 1. Drew 2. Drew and 3. His pal Drew

Exactly. We all knew it. And that’s why he never should have been allowed to handle this hire solo. He really needs to go.

 

[L.O.D.]

I love Mark but he is in best job he could have and he isn't right for this job its to big for him..

 

[JHannibalSmith]

Fire Mitch. Its already been mishandled beyond belief. But to hear pope is even considered is just beyond pathetic.

There is no way Mitch should've been caught this much by surprise.

I agree. And, offering Drew before Hurley is malpractice, regardless of Hurley’s interest. You make him say no before offering anyone else. Making him feel like the 2nd choice was a HUGE mistake, IMO.

But, MB has botched most of the hires that he’s made & has handed out some of the worst contracts I’ve ever seen. My only worry about replacing Calipari was the fact that MB would be making the hire & he has absolutely confirmed the legitimacy of those worries. Can’t wait til he’s gone, too.

 

[ukcatz12]

Regardless of who is hired to coach here, Cal needed to go. He knew it, we all knew it. Just because we haven’t landed our top 2 choices doesn’t mean separating from Cal was a mistake. Because it wasn’t.

Cal needed to go at some point. Keeping him around one more year to let the coaching landscape shake out a bit was a perfectly reasonable strategy. And yes I understand he chose to leave so at that point it was out of our control.

 

[thefolker]

It’s not. He missed the tournament twice and made the tournament twice and lost in the first round. That’s objectively worse.

You sure about that?

 

[OneOfTheLiberalElite]

And you only post an average of about three times a year, and only show up when the program is vulnerable.

I bet for all your fake online snark, you can't even look women in the eyes in real life,

What? Well, you too Peter Poop Tooth.

 

[sam_o]

Cal needed to go at some point. Keeping him around one more year to let the coaching landscape shake out a bit was a perfectly reasonable strategy. And yes I understand he chose to leave so at that point it was out of our control.

He was being given one more year. He left. He chose that. Mitch literally went on TV and did an interview with him. He chose to leave.

 

[treyforuk_anon]

It’s not. He missed the tournament twice and made the tournament twice and lost in the first round. That’s objectively worse.

Sounds equal to me. Unless one is better than none? Was his loses to 15 and 14 seeds? Did he have a 9-16 record?

 

[TortElvisII]

Somebody call a Mexican Restaurant and ask for Tom Crean.

 

[catsfanbgky]

I will still stop watching college basketball all together then. I will stick to watching UK and OSU football, Cincinnati Bengals, Cincinnati Reds, AD/LeBron/Booker, Woods/Koepka and that's it.

Well looks like your sports viewing is getting really thin, LOL. Off season in football, Reds season will be over halfway thru, Woods is literally on his last leg and never makes cuts in the 3 events he can muster up per year, and Koepka plays LIV golf. Might want to find some new teams and / or hobbies to pass your time.

 

[Catscratchfever8]

Mark Pope would do a terrific job. He’s winning at BYU. We could hire the Murray St coach (don’t even know his name) and I’d be more excited than I was with the used car salesman at the helm

 

[Inlumine]

You sure about that?

Making the tournament 3 times, one win, and missing it once is objectively better than making it two times, zero wins, and missing it twice (although neither is good enough). Need to be considering candidates like Beard before this, who has an actual history of tournament success.

 

[OneOfTheLiberalElite]

This couldn't be going any worse.

Never say that, absolutely never. Damn it *knock, knock, knock"

 

[ukcatz12]

He was being given one more year. He left. He chose that. Mitch literally went on TV and did an interview with him. He chose to leave.

And the fanbase was furious he wasn’t fired. He was absolutely run out of town because of the environment of the last few years.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Mark Pope would do a terrific job. He’s winning at BYU. We could hire the Murray St coach (don’t even know his name) and I’d be more excited than I was with the used car salesman at the helm

You people are delusional.

 

[Phil_The_Music2]

Sometimes you have to get these guys before they go onto their P5 job and then don't want to leave.

I don't know what the hangup with Pope is, other than that he's still pretty inexperienced. But he got a Mormon school to compete in a B12 that was FAR above BYUs standards, got them into the tournament, pulled off some upsets this year.

What if Pope turns out to be a true top5 coach? Well now we have a guy in his early 50s who could coach here 20 years.

And if you're upset about this being "all we can get", then maybe this is your wake up call.

You know what's funny? Our fans would have thrown a damned hissy fit if Mitch had have hired Dan Hurley away from Rhode Island.

 

[flacat22]

You ain’t alone buddy.

Buh bye. The coach isn’t KY basketball, it’s bigger than him and the players wearing the jersey, regardless of the coach deserve our attention and respect.

 

[billCgmx]

When K and Roy retired, Duke and UNC didn't offer any the elite candidates. They promoted from within. Times have changed.

We are going to end up with a good coach but I feel like maybe we need to find the next Brad Stevens or Hurley instead of throwing money at current coaches who don't won't to be here.

 

[DreadLox]

Surprised to see that the anti-screaming Narcan shot wore off so quickly.

 

[Catscratchfever8]

You people are delusional.

Go root for Arkansas bro it’s over he ain’t coming back

 

[blubo]

i wouldn’t be opposed to pope at uk. i’ve watched some of his games these past several years and he’s a decent coach. byu probably not an easy place to attract players. he might already have his dream job at byu though since he’s mormon.

 

[Hjack]

I was hoping they were talking about The Pope.

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

Don't drop the soap Mitch!

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

I agree. And, offering Drew before Hurley is malpractice, regardless of Hurley’s interest. You make him say no before offering anyone else. Making him feel like the 2nd choice was a HUGE mistake, IMO.

But, MB has botched most of the hires that he’s made & has handed out some of the worst contracts I’ve ever seen. My only worry about replacing Calipari was the fact that MB would be making the hire & he has absolutely confirmed the legitimacy of those worries. Can’t wait til he’s gone, too.

Hurley wasn't coming anyway but I agree. Just proves the word was right that drew was who Mitch has lined up. But oops forgot to sell the real decision maker.

What an inexcusable cluster.

 

[WeWant9]

When K and Roy retired, Duke and UNC didn't offer any the elite candidates. They promoted from within. Times have changed.

We are going to end up with a good coach but I feel like maybe we need to find the next Brad Stevens or Hurley instead of throwing money at current coaches who don't won't to be here.

It is interesting that both of them went with in house hires with no prior experience. I think ku will go through the same thing we are when Self hangs it up (I’m not aware of any in house hire for them). I think Wright was correct when he said the blue blood era is over. Not to say any of us still can’t be successful, but it’s a more even playing field.

 

[Cats192]

Zero chance ALL of his wives are ok with this.

 

[UK90]

Technically he spent 2 years at Kentucky since he had to sit out as a transfer.

You and @Wildcats1st are both wrong. Pope spent THREE years at UK, his sit out year in 94, and his two years as an active player in 95 and 96.

I’m endlessly surprised how poorly informed supposed die hard UK fans are about these things. Y’all shouldn’t need to be corrected so often.

 

[Rockfly78]

Sounds equal to me. Unless one is better than none? Was his loses to 15 and 14 seeds? Did he have a 9-16 record?

We have to have some self respect. Enough of the pope talk. He’s a loser

 

[jr40831]