A masterclass of coaching tonight. And the denims looked damn good, glad he got Nike to bring these back. It’s about time we got some cool throwbacks.
Props to Mark Pope
- Thread starter RunninRichie
- Start date
Hope we get a road set of denims too.
Huge props to Coach Pope ! Very impressive, indeed.
Factoring in the injuries coach has had to deal with, Popes done an absolute amazing job. I doubted him and it taught me a lesson that I’ve seen before when it comes to sports. Never give up! Hard work and dedication can turn things around and these guys have shown that.
I don't think I have heard coach make excuses of having his starting point guard, his lottery pick center and his sharp shooter sitting on the bench. The guy has class, he loves his players and is workin' it. He deserves a HUGE high five from BBN.
Wonder how we we would be doing if all three of those players were healthy and playing?
I think the floor is 19-5.
I was expecting a "Build the Statue!" post from you Rich, pleasantly surprised.
There may be hope for you yet.
The denims are the best lookin UK uniforms were worn in a long time. That font straight across in big letters looks incredible. I would absolutely encourage keeping them around to wear at least 5 games per year or something. Wouldn’t hurt feelings if we wore them more. Everything is great from the placement of the patches to the font to the shorts. Everything.
Or just take those exact uniforms traditional blue and white and keep them forever.
My issues with Pope are a little more than our wins and losses right now as you’re aware but you have to be happy with where we’ve been the last few weeks. He’s got work to do here so it’s not like he’s clear. But he’s working to maintain it even if not. Also Not lowering the bar “this isn’t how Kentucky usually does things”. Statements like that show he’s not lowering it and that’s All I ask.
Pope has done an A++ job of turning this team around. The X's and O's are top notch. We were slow to figure it out. But we figured it out. We're down 3 starters, and we're in 2nd place in the SEC. We have a chance to take the lead next weekend at Florida.
At one point, we were talking about missing the tournament. We're probably a 6 seed now. Win @ Florida, and I think we're realistically in the 5 seed discussion.
For all of the early season problems, he's righted a ship that was VERY far off course. He's a good basketball coach.
Whether or not he can recruit and get the talent needed to win championships is still to be determined. And I think this off-season will be very telling.
At one point, we were talking about missing the tournament. We're probably a 6 seed now. Win @ Florida, and I think we're realistically in the 5 seed discussion.
For all of the early season problems, he's righted a ship that was VERY far off course. He's a good basketball coach.
Whether or not he can recruit and get the talent needed to win championships is still to be determined. And I think this off-season will be very telling.
Man, those looked like an and 1 set from Walmart. I don’t like small Kentucky across the chest or turned into a half circle. The full block big letters looks incredible UK across the chest, nothing comes close.
those Bahamas looked like something thrown together for a charity event. Hard pass. if I’m remember right post them.
I think Pope dropped a nugget earlier his year when he said he had to dumb his system down for the current team. Pope is going to be here for a LONG time and create many great memories.......promping posting names changes, vanishing acts, etc. roflu
I like the arcing KENTUCKY in white trimmed in blue on white uniform. Wore those a bit during Tubby's tenure maybe?
I know some do like those I’m just not a fan of them over the full big block font. But I’d take them over the checkers any day of the week. Hands down.
Btw I was talking about the guy that said the Bahamas black uniform there was as good or better than the denims last night. That’s why I said is bro serious.
The ones you’re talking about were what we wore when I was in middle and high school. Probably why I’m so hard up, grew up learning UK in that 90’s era. More then half the time we were elite 8’s final dours, title games and titles. I was just not a fan of the small font arch. But, there are way, way worse. I honestly hope there never a reunion to bring back the checkered jersey. It’s an absolute abomination. Should have just been an alternate for secretariat. Mitch.
Oh, I knew you were talking about those. It just made me remember the white lettered ones. I grew up in the late 70s early 80s era. Just so you know, the 90s were the peak....not the norm. Every time we have a period like that or Cal's early run, it will be offset by lower periods. That's why our statistical average is lower (although still the best!). But, you know all this. That is why I don't get as tore up about the "standards" as you. It will go back to the norm....which is still better than anyone else.
To be honest, during those peak runs, i always got a little nervous because I realized that level cannot be sustain forever, there will always be a drop off.
Yep, not a fan of checkerboards.
Well just before that Rupp didn’t lose a game in Lex for 10 years. Won (more than 4) titles. I think UK has made some key mistakes, but should still adhere to elite 8’s the majority. I mean we have 40 of them. If we’re not in the elite 8, we did something wrong. If we’re not in the sweet 16 it’s a failure on all fronts. I don’t think we should deviate from that. Every coach should win a national championship or it’s a bad hire. I don’t think that’s extreme for a program that leads in the majority of 64 NCAA categories. Top 2 in most of the rest. No worse than top 5 in any.Oh, I knew you were talking about those. It just made me remember the white lettered ones. I grew up in the late 70s early 80s era. Just so you know, the 90s were the peak....not the norm. Every time we have a period like that or Cal's early run, it will be offset by lower periods. That's why our statistical average is lower (although still the best!). But, you know all this. That is why I don't get as tore up about the "standards" as you. It will go back to the norm....which is still better than anyone else.
To be honest, during those peak runs, i always got a little nervous because I realized that level cannot be sustain forever, there will always be a drop off.
Yep, not a fan of checkerboards.
you’re right that regardless it’s still better than the rest. I always say this when opposing fans say things like “you haven’t done so and so”. I’m like well, if we aren’t doing it nobody is. What we do is the best from the beginning.
Indiana was a lot like us at one time as you know. What killed them is selling out to a coach who should have retired years earlier. Putting coaches ahead of the program, and allowing their administration to lower standards. Kentucky should always be held to a standard. I’m encouraged that Mark is doing that and it takes balls. Most coaches gaslight and want those standards lowered. Calipari wanted them lowered too. Mark said “this isn’t how we do this here”. Love it, just keep to the standard and it goes a long way way. Always talk championships and final fours and if you don’t hit it, admit that’s our standard and keep at it.
What killed Indiana was just several bad hires, LETTING Sampson go. Yeah, they kept Knight too long, but when they had Sampson, he had them rolling. Getting rid of him is what killed them. Then bad hire after bad hire. Maybe they couldn't get good candidates, but they definitely did it too themselves.
Rupp's big run was you speak of was in the 50s. Pitino's in the 90s. That's 40 years. Now we still had a couple championships in there, plus a lot of post season success, but those big runs are the peaks...not the norm. Although I wish it was.
Pitino's to Cal almost 20 years...and although Tubby had some great teams that were nearly FF after the championship, most point to his later years and BCG as the bottom. So, it is like a sine wave, up and down, up and down. Now our downs usually aren't as down as others, but sustaining those peaks is not feasable.
Take Duke, with all their advantages (and they are substantial) they are over 10 years without a championship. Although last years FF has to help, along with K's farewell tour to the FF. Ugh.
I couldn’t agree more. Thru all the boos, harsh criticism from media & fans calling for his job, he never made excuses or passed blame onto anyone else. Despite actually having valid excuses. Or, if he did, I don’t remember hearing it.
I’ve been aggravated a lot this season & concerned with recruiting. Didn’t like how defeated he looked & sounded at times. But, I’ve bitten my tongue & refrained from going in on him bc I like him so much as a person & I truly WANT him to succeed, here. And, I was so down on Calipari for so long that I’m still just happy that he’s not the coach & that bought Pope a little more time & patience from me that I normally wouldn’t have.
And, when you step back & think about it, how many coaches could keep their team on track after losing 3 of their top 6-7 players, including a lottery pick defensive anchor & the only true PG on the roster, playing the type of schedule that we play? Plus, Pope truly loves UK & honestly wants to do good things FOR the school & fans, not just himself. I have no doubt about that. Not many coaches that I would put in Pope’s class as far as being genuine & real. I’m pulling hard for him.
Regarding the uniforms - YES!
I really like the font-style on the denim jerseys. I like the big-lettering straight across the chest. I like the wide stripe on both sides of the jersey. I like the little UK logo in the circle on the shorts.
I would love to see this uniform kept for a bit longer. I would love it even more if they applied these things to a regular uniform and got the shade of blue more spot-on.
That UK logo with the basketball in it is top tier.
@UKGrad24 check out the denim varsity jackets the 1996 team got.
I wouldn’t mind seeing this uniform one more time
Wish they’d put one out for us to get.
I’ve got one of Tony’s game used icicle jerseys. This exact one. That very well might be the one I have, believe they made 2 and 1 issued. Tony gave it to Joe B, Joe gave it to my uncle. Got lucky on that one.
Mark has got to get away from this interlocking junk. He can get it done. I hope he’s working on it I know he knows how much we hate it. This one works he’ll all of them work. Just ditch this one we’re currently wearing.
I am one that said numerous times that Mark isn’t the right guy for this job… .
And I was wrong. But, in my defense, it was really bad when I said those remarks. Then, I started to feel good about him and @ Vanderbilt happened.
Thing is, if Mark was a bad coach, there is no way he could have righted this ship. It’s one thing to do it with your full roster, but he’s doing it while missing 3 starters and in one of the toughest leagues. This team is humming pretty good right now and there aren't many coaches in the country that can do what CMP is doing, given the circumstances.
However, there are still red flags. Recruiting, slow starts, defensive toughness and his cheeseball personality and how that relates to the recruiting issues. It’s tough to relate to today's kids when you use "beautiful" every other word.
But, I know this for a fact, that guy loves UK basketball, he will work harder than anyone else and he wants titles and final 4's as bad as we do. So for that, I'm just going to have to be patient with Pope and give him a fair shot to do this. That doesn't mean I will just ignore the failures, but I'm not going to run the guy down.
And I was wrong. But, in my defense, it was really bad when I said those remarks. Then, I started to feel good about him and @ Vanderbilt happened.
Thing is, if Mark was a bad coach, there is no way he could have righted this ship. It’s one thing to do it with your full roster, but he’s doing it while missing 3 starters and in one of the toughest leagues. This team is humming pretty good right now and there aren't many coaches in the country that can do what CMP is doing, given the circumstances.
However, there are still red flags. Recruiting, slow starts, defensive toughness and his cheeseball personality and how that relates to the recruiting issues. It’s tough to relate to today's kids when you use "beautiful" every other word.
But, I know this for a fact, that guy loves UK basketball, he will work harder than anyone else and he wants titles and final 4's as bad as we do. So for that, I'm just going to have to be patient with Pope and give him a fair shot to do this. That doesn't mean I will just ignore the failures, but I'm not going to run the guy down.
How things have changed after starting 9-6 and 0-2 in the SEC with a massive blowout loss to Gonzaga and the terrible loss to Missouri most everyone was wanting to run Pope out of town here.
I wanna know where you can get the denim jackets the former players were wearing.
Gives one hope if we can bring in some elite studs. I like popes defensive shift. That’s the difference maker.
'74-'75 through '77-'78 was pretty special as well. 102-21 2 title games and an elite 8 with an NIT and NCAA championship.Oh, I knew you were talking about those. It just made me remember the white lettered ones. I grew up in the late 70s early 80s era. Just so you know, the 90s were the peak....not the norm. Every time we have a period like that or Cal's early run, it will be offset by lower periods. That's why our statistical average is lower (although still the best!). But, you know all this. That is why I don't get as tore up about the "standards" as you. It will go back to the norm....which is still better than anyone else.
To be honest, during those peak runs, i always got a little nervous because I realized that level cannot be sustain forever, there will always be a drop off.
Yep, not a fan of checkerboards.