Do we miss Calipari yet?

BigBlue1992

All-Conference
Apr 17, 2011
1,960
3,596
81
Doesn’t matter either way. We now have Mark Pope and he’s gotta go. This is an embarrassment to the university.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RoyKent

LadyCaytIL

Heisman
Oct 28, 2012
32,592
33,850
113
Darius Acuff Jr. He could have been a Kentucky. You boys want experience tho!

Talent > Experience all day everyday
Having Acuff and not even a top 10 team. The talent and experience that Arkansas team has , has no excuse to not be a top 7 team in the country this season and thats why we fans knew it was time for Cal to go. Its also not our fault our AD is a mental midget trying to sabotage our program by hiring the worst replacement we could get
 

MegaBlue05

Heisman
Mar 8, 2014
10,716
20,949
66
I was firmly in “careful what you wish for”camp with Cal.

I was tired of him by the end, but knew replacing a GOAT level recruiter and mediocre tactician with someone else who wasn’t on his level could lead to a step backwards.

That said, I have moved on. I am not jealous of Cal, nor do I pine for him. This fanbase collectively decided we’d had enough of Cal and he decided likewise about us.
 

Cats4321

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2025
753
2,095
93
I’d take him back in a heartbeat. Posters can be prideful if they want, but I can admit I’d rather see my team win than watch Mark Pope’s sorry excuse for teams lose double digit games every year
If we absolutely had to pick between those two, then of course Calipari would be the better choice. Who knew that Mitch would make a guy with zero success his top pick. Would rather not have either of Cal or Pope.
 

Stenchymouse

All-American
Jul 31, 2005
12,721
6,417
113
No one will admit it lol.

They will just say yeah Pope isn't the answer but neither was keeping Cal.

IIWII
Cal wouldn't be winning at UK.

The reason I don't miss Cal is because he was full of contempt for UK fans and UK media.

He had burned bridges with the boosters and he was done here.

What he's doing at Arkansas has nothing to do with UK in any way shape or form.
 

BLOBUK11

Freshman
Nov 26, 2025
52
51
18
Maybe if he would have played Reed and Rob as much as he plays Acuff and Thomas he'd still be here. Or at least beat Oakland.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kyjeff1

Skyhigh0324

Sophomore
Mar 3, 2026
86
117
18
Having Acuff and not even a top 10 team. The talent and experience that Arkansas team has , has no excuse to not be a top 7 team in the country this season and thats why we fans knew it was time for Cal to go. Its also not our fault our AD is a mental midget trying to sabotage our program by hiring the worst replacement we could get
Well, youre going to find out in the field of 68 just how good Arkansas is. Acuff is Derrick Rose 2.0! I hate it but thats the type of talent you wanted to run out of Kentucky!

Mark Pope- "I understand the assignment!" 😂😂
 

Skyhigh0324

Sophomore
Mar 3, 2026
86
117
18
Well, youre going to find out in the field of 68 just how good Arkansas is. Acuff is Derrick Rose 2.0! I hate it but thats the type of talent you wanted to run out of Kentucky!

Mark Pope- "I understand the assignment!" 😂😂
AD or not. Im living in 2026.
 
Jul 22, 2025
137
255
63
Having Acuff and not even a top 10 team. The talent and experience that Arkansas team has , has no excuse to not be a top 7 team in the country this season and thats why we fans knew it was time for Cal to go. Its also not our fault our AD is a mental midget trying to sabotage our program by hiring the worst replacement we could get
Like I said earlier, Cal has the most talented team on the floor 95% of the time when he plays and still loses a lot of games.
 

LadyCaytIL

Heisman
Oct 28, 2012
32,592
33,850
113
Well, youre going to find out in the field of 68 just how good Arkansas is. Acuff is Derrick Rose 2.0! I hate it but thats the type of talent you wanted to run out of Kentucky!

Mark Pope- "I understand the assignment!" 😂😂
Nice of an arkansas fan to sign up on march 3rd in preparation to sh*t on UK for our down season
 

FatCatMan

All-Conference
Feb 19, 2026
1,355
3,219
113
If we knew Pope was going to be our next coach, no one would’ve wanted Cal to leave. Now we’re stuck in this perpetual nightmare and it’s only going to get worse.
 

*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
44,550
80,135
113
He would finally decide to do something after BS’ing his way they tournament after tournament here.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,302
70,421
113
Boy our fanbase has it all figured out.. Ran off a hall of fame coach.
F that, Cal quit on us, he deserved what he got after his last 4 years here.
If he coached like this his last 4 years here, he would still be a king in Lexington.
 
Jul 30, 2024
5,595
10,657
113
Well you say you’re glad to have pope so I would assume you think he’s a top coach, otherwise are you happy to have a mediocre coach?
No. I don’t think he’s elite right now. He has things to correct to get there. I believe almost every issue he has is correctable. He will have to show some of that potential next season or he won’t be here 380 days from now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KyKevin and kyjeff1

TotheMoon88

Senior
Apr 12, 2024
508
710
93
No. I don’t think he’s elite right now. He has things to correct to get there. I believe almost every issue he has is correctable. He will have to show some of that potential next season or he won’t be here 380 days from now.
I don’t see him fixing it but hopefully he does. Would love to end this embarrassment and win something of substance next year
 

Noledynasty2490

All-American
Jul 31, 2022
4,284
7,827
113
Like I said earlier, Cal has the most talented team on the floor 95% of the time when he plays and still loses a lot of games.

8 is a lot? Todd Golden is supposed to be Jesus reincarnated to a lot of people here and he lost 7 with a team that's supposed to be loaded and just got smacked by a team Cal just smacked.


So...ok lol
 

Noledynasty2490

The Battles's End Collective Member

The Battle's End enables FSU athletes to maximize the value of their NIL. Click Here to Sign Up

Rise

Sophomore
Oct 11, 2014
156
186
43
Cal lost all motivation at Kentucky. He needed a change as did we. Not sure if Pope was the change we needed though.
 

FatCatMan

All-Conference
Feb 19, 2026
1,355
3,219
113

Maybe the Kentucky media won’t do anything, but the outside media will be on Pope harder than even freaking Kentucky fans are, which is pathetic when you think about it.

Even they know something is wrong with our dope of a coach. Why are they more concerned about the direction of our program more than
Kentucky fans are!?
 

Jazzycat

All-Conference
May 23, 2002
16,086
4,681
113
No. He was clearly burned out and needed the change as much as we did. Vandy shot their wad against UF and Arkansas had the better athletes. Congrats to the Hogs.
 

kfwa

Senior
Oct 12, 2014
394
737
93
what UK fans saw was Calipari with all the leverage and no motivation.

His last 5 years here were the worst version of Calipari as a coach and one could argue it was intentional on his part because he simply didn't care enough to put in the work and shake up the process to prioritize winning at Kentucky. He got Fat, Cocky and Lazy to the extent he talked about wanting to be with his dogs than in the gym.

For the people that want him back, do you think he still had a final four in him? That he was capable of getting another title?

Don't answer that question referencing Pope, just tell me whether Cal had a final four in him if he stayed at UK