Going Forward - Blow it Up

FLBBNFAN

Senior
Mar 25, 2025
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If you mean in recruiting, yes they are- only way to respond to that, other than going back to, we aren't who we think we are. Pope is not the reason why we aren't getting top 5 ish recruits. We haven't in years, we haven't won anything in years...... and that started long before Pope. Which was my point, our fans think we can just say hey come here and that is not our reality. Also, Duke isn't winning a lot of hardware with those recruits, but they have won more than we have. Boozer said in his post game interview Duke was the top Brand in bball, and whether you agree with that or not, I think my point was, we aren't as big of destination spot as many of our fans think we are,
Yes the hard truth is we weren't relevant the last 5 years of Cal and it's year 13 since our last banner. Pope didn't create this dryspell.

Maybe Im wrong but it seems like the ex Duke guys help with recruiting. Doesn't seem that way really with our guys or maybe that's because Cal is still coaching and competing against us so their loyalty is split.
 

rivercatinfl

All-Conference
Nov 21, 2012
1,686
1,591
97
And yet 1 month ago we thought this team was going to be great and prolly make an elite 8 or final four.
Either we were sold a bill of goods or this team needs to cut the crap and play to their potential.
I don't think it's as bad as we think it's gonna be. But I'm a glass half full kinda guy.

I'm rooting for em to stop reading their own press clippings good or bad and man up!!
 

KYWC36

All-Conference
Jul 11, 2013
1,093
1,598
113
Yes the hard truth is we weren't relevant the last 5 years of Cal and it's year 13 since our last banner. Pope didn't create this dryspell.

Maybe Im wrong but it seems like the ex Duke guys help with recruiting. Doesn't seem that way really with our guys or maybe that's because Cal is still coaching and competing against us so their loyalty is split.
I would agree, I do think Pope is trying to bring people in but UK has struggled with that in general for years. Cal did too, he didn't reach those before him well, that is a void we need to fill - a hard truth to is that before Cal, we didn't have a ton of NBA players. Like the 1 and done culture or not, ( I don't) it does help there, that is one thing that Cal was right about - it may not yield wins or trophies, but it helps keep you relevant and your recruiting profile up. But that is the problem with kids today, they dont care about the program, they care about the perception and that in turn actually hurts us. Pope is trying to build a system and maximize both, it will be a change for sure.
 
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One2Three

All-Conference
Nov 15, 2025
785
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Ever hear of a guy named Mitch Barnhart? Pope isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He got rewarded for making the S16 last year. We’re stuck with him for better or worse.

Mitch won’t be the one deciding if boosters aren’t happy with the results of their NIL spending.