For being mad when Pope was announced as the hire . Pope says “I was upset too ! Why would they hire him ! “ lmao.
Caller on Mark Popes show apologizes
- Thread starter yoshukai
- Start date
I wish Pope was like 25 years old so he could stay a long time.
He's older than Cal was when he came to UK. Doesn't seem real.Man he is NOT that old !
He is young to me because I am 79
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Even if he was 22 years old his time as coach is limited. This job has a useful life span. Make the first 10 count and then reevaluate.
Reminds me in a round about way of a scene from the movie Patton where an operation Gen. Bradley was in charge of was going bad and he found himself on the front line with the men.
- Soldier : What silly son of a b!#ch is in charge of this operation?
General Omar N. Bradley : I don't know, but they oughta hang him.
Really? That’s hard to believe honestly, Cal looks old as hell now. He looks beat down.
Yeah Pope is the oldest coach UK has ever hired. Seems crazy
I couldn't believe it either, so looked it up, but yeah looks like Cal was 50 at the time, and Pope is presently 52.
Completely bizarre.. Somebody please come on here and set this straight.
Seemed like Cal had coached so many years before UK and Pope not even close.
One of my favorite WWII movies. A Bridge Too Far is another good watch.Reminds me in a round about way of a scene from the movie Patton where an operation Gen. Bradley was in charge of was going bad and he found himself on the front line with the men.
- Soldier : What silly son of a b!#ch is in charge of this operation?
General Omar N. Bradley : I don't know, but they oughta hang him.
Rupp - 28 - Born September 2, 1901 became coach April 9, 1930
Hall - 43 - Born November 30, 1928 became coach April 1, 1972
Sutton - 49 - Born March 12, 1936 became coach April 2, 1985
Pitino - 32 - Born September 18, 1952 became coach March 23, 1989
Smith -45 - Born June 30, 1951 became coach March 27, 1997
Gillispie - 47 - Born November 7, 1959 became coach April 15, 2007
Calipari - 50 - Born February 10, 1959 became coach March 31, 2009
Pope - 52 - Born September 11, 1972 became coach April 12, 2024
Double check me on above, used AI and it doesn't always get it right.
His age is probably the reason he can handle it, plus he doesn’t jump up and down and rave on the sidelines screaming, which helps. Coaching at Kentucky will age you faster than most coaching jobs will, the stress and pressure are unwavering. He is the right man for this job.
Pope spent 7 years in the NBA and then 2 more in pro ball in Turkey. Then he went to Medical School.
Think back to how stupid you were at 25.
I thought I read/saw somewhere that he was in his 2/3 yr of med school?
Yeah I’m pretty sure he was in it and dropped out.
Pope is 52 but he takes care of himself and has a positive outlook on life, and is truly happy. Really I think health wise he's more like 42.
Well, that's true, because Cal went straight into coaching. He didn't first have an NBA career and then go to medical school.
Pope had a late start to his coaching career because he was doing other things.
Pope already looks like he aged alil since taking the job. He's definitely got his candle burning at both ends but I do wonder how long he can sustain it for.
Yes, he did. He did two years at an Ivy League medical school (Columbia) before deciding to change course.
Wikipedia says:
“In 2006, Pope enrolled in medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. In 2009, he left medical school and joined Mark Fox's coaching staff at the University of Georgia as director of basketball operations for the 2009–10 season.”
Cal at 66 is an old coach with an old staff.
Make you wonder how long he can stay relevant in recruiting circles since he no longer has the UK brand to sell to recruits.
The kids entering HS now have never seen Cal win anything.
Make you wonder how long he can stay relevant in recruiting circles since he no longer has the UK brand to sell to recruits.
The kids entering HS now have never seen Cal win anything.
This thread has reminded me how fast time goes. I was 29 when Cal was hired. 
Pope played about 10 years professionally then tried Med school before getting into coaching. Cal started on his coaching journey pretty much straight out of college.
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Right now he’s enjoying the honeymoon period, engaging with the fans as much as possible, selling the program every chance he gets and soaking it all in. I think he will eventually settle in and get things rolling.
The kids leaving HS have barely seen Cal win anything. We haven't been to a Final Four in 10 years. They'd have been 8.
You are correct
"Fox hired him after he took the Georgia job in 2009. Pope was starting his fourth year of medical school at the time at Columbia University "
"Especially when the subject was a former University of Kentucky basketball captain, who walked away from his fourth year of classes from a prestigious Ivy League medical school that admitted about 6% of its male applicants "
