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GYERO

Vismund

Vismund

All-American
Mar 30, 2007
10,714
9,517
113
Thankfully we aren't beating Louisville and it won't matter anyway. I'm resigned to the fact that Mitch is (and always has been) chicken ****.

It's why he reacts to us the way he does. When he made "good" hires, he overplayed his hand for fear of losing them to other programs. When he has made bad hires (short of outright abuse to players) he's stuck by them for fear of being seen as making a bad decision.

He's so terrified he isn't making any decisions now and we are all worse for it. Any Ad worth their salt AT MINIMUM has to make the dreaded "We will evaluate all aspects of the football program at the end of the season". What did we get? A tearful full chested hug for finally beating an SEC opponent that had just fired it's coach because the team was so ****.

**** right off with that.
 
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Kooky Kats

Kooky Kats

All-Conference
Aug 17, 2002
561
1,100
93
We need a total badass for AD. An enema of the old guard.

Ostensibly, if Mitch retires 1/1/26 (as posited by Mags), the new guy will be in charge of making a critical Football HC HIRE and be monitoring the Pope tenure closely (as he isn’t his guy). We need someone OUTSIDE the UK family and will do anything to lasso the best coaches and rally boosters like a rodeo cowboy.

We deserve not better, but the best.
 
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J

jayroon41

Junior
Aug 22, 2024
236
361
63
Kooky Kats said:
We need a total badass for AD. An enema of the old guard.

Ostensibly, if Mitch retires 1/1/26 (as posited by Mags), the new guy will be in charge of making a critical Football HC HIRE and be monitoring the Pope tenure closely (as he isn’t his guy). We need someone OUTSIDE the UK family and will do anything to lasso the best coaches and rally boosters like a rodeo cowboy.

We deserve not better, but the best.
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If Mags said/posted that, I think he's wrong. Mitch will be here at least until July 1st since that's when he can resign and become a special assistant to the president for 2 years/800k per year.

Capiluto won't dismiss him before that as they've always had a good relationship and even if they hire a new president between now and July I doubt that would change anything.
Mitch Barnhart Receives Extended Contract – UK Athletics
 
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Kennedy_UK

Kennedy_UK

Heisman
Nov 24, 2007
73,973
19,010
96
My interest in UK sports is reaching an all-time low. Not a fair-weather fan by any means. But the days of organizing my schedule around kick-off and tip-off are long gone.

Calipari catalyzed that trend. Stoops finished it off. And Pope has done little to revive my interest reserving time to watch us get blasted by most teams with a pulse.

Also, f*ck Mitch.
 
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anthonys735

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
62,831
51,910
113
Kennedy_UK said:
My interest in UK sports is reaching an all-time low. Not a fair-weather fan by any means. But the days of organizing my schedule around kick-off and tip-off are long gone.

Calipari catalyzed that trend. Stoops finished it off. And Pope has done little to revive my interest reserving time to watch us get blasted by most teams with a pulse.

Also, f*ck Mitch.
Click to expand...
Its hard sledding right now. Couldn't even bring myself to make fun of the Bengals last night.
 
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pretzel__logic

pretzel__logic

All-American
Jul 20, 2020
1,545
6,952
113
Kennedy_UK said:
My interest in UK sports is reaching an all-time low. Not a fair-weather fan by any means. But the days of organizing my schedule around kick-off and tip-off are long gone.

Calipari catalyzed that trend. Stoops finished it off. And Pope has done little to revive my interest reserving time to watch us get blasted by most teams with a pulse.

Also, f*ck Mitch.
Click to expand...
I shamefully admitted as much to my husband a few weeks ago. I lost something in 2015, like everybody else, and Cal being Cal crushed my remaining spirit into dust after that. I love Pope, but this team isn't good, and the game just isn't what it was. The shift in the game itself is not Pope's fault, obviously, but the college basketball landscape has changed so much it's difficult to get excited for a revolving door of transfers from Directional State who will leave after six months, not for the NBA, but for NIL at some other school. College football isn't quite that bad yet, but it's not far behind. Couple that with all the other life things I cope with on the daily, I just...can't make myself care that much. I can't even hate rivals the way I used to. I still want them to lose every game, but not in the Good v. Evil insane way I did for most of my life.

Feels awful, tbh. I miss being rabid.
 
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Century Cat

Century Cat

Heisman
Jan 3, 2003
17,995
11,858
113
-OF COURSE Mitch isn't firing Stoops, let's all accept that. And Eli isn't firing Mitch.

Their calculus is dollars and compliance, not Wins. Eli will also be retiring in the next 1 to 2 years and he doesn't want to have to hire a new AD.

Damn shame that these bureaucrats won't do what is in the best interest of our athletic programs. THAT should be the #1 criterion of integrity, but it's not.

And, after being personally enriched beyond an AD's wildest dreams - mostly because of SECN and SEC expansion - WhyTF does Mitch still need to hang on the $800k / year "ambassador" teat?

Infuriating. They really don't give a **** about the same stuff we do.
 
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S

Strokin' Bandit

Junior
Jul 9, 2025
72
335
53
If FSU ain't firing Norvell, we ain't firing Stoops. I know it's not apples to apples, but still. College sports is just different now. Every level. Every sport. The schools that know who/where to go to get the $$$$$ are going to excel; the ones that don't are S-O-L.

Cal and Stoops are good scapegoats for my waning interest in UK athletics, but I'm also getting older, more cynical, and more interested in my son's basketball journey.

There's too much negative energy attached to UK Athletics right now and I don't want any of it in my life.
 
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H

Hank Camacho

Heisman
May 7, 2002
28,043
11,343
113
I disagree about college basketball in general. I think it is at a historical high and going to get better. NIL and the portal are awesome. Boomer thinking otherwise.

It just sucks that our team inexplicably sucks and our coach went from being the brightest bulb in every room to mortal overnight and we have no clear explanation why.
 
anthonys735

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
62,831
51,910
113
Hank Camacho said:
I disagree about college basketball in general. I think it is at a historical high and going to get better. NIL and the portal are awesome. Boomer thinking otherwise.

It just sucks that our team inexplicably sucks and our coach went from being the brightest bulb in every room to mortal overnight and we have no clear explanation why.
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It's better than where we were and the charade of amateur sports. Just like they always do, the NCAA is f*cking this up. Just admit they're employees.
 
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B

BigBadBlueDaddy

Senior
Jan 6, 2002
10,598
818
113
This is why GYERO is a cut above; we realize that the coaches are a symptom, not the disease. I know I beat this drum too often in here but I still think back to that game at Neyland in 2022 and the stark contrast in the way things were run there as compared to here. Mitch trembled in his shoes thinking we might commit an NCAA violation while Danny White was putting QR Codes on the scoreboard to donate to their NIL fund. They bought a QB, dared anyone to challenge them on it or it would result in a lawsuit, then prospered. NIL has given literally everyone a chance to compete and the ones who do the best management of personnel and contracts will be the ones who succeed just like in the professional ranks. Fundraising is basically ownership opening up the wallet. In no way, shape or form will the guy who signed Billy G to a Memorandum of Understanding on a napkin or set up a $37 million buyout due within 6 months of dismissal ever be the one to navigate such a landscape.

In other words, it is only going to get worse, UK is going to get further behind, there is no reason for joy right now and only death will eventually take us out of this misery. I just hope our broke dick basketball team with the largest payroll in college basketball finally plays like one or otherwise I'm just holding out for baseball. Mitch has literally driven me into the arms of Nick Mingione and that is unsettling. About time we get the success of landing the equivalent of a 25 year old UC student in our laps.
 
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Century Cat

Century Cat

Heisman
Jan 3, 2003
17,995
11,858
113
anthonys735 said:
It's better than where we were and the charade of amateur sports. Just like they always do, the NCAA is f*cking this up. Just admit they're employees.
Click to expand...
Since 1906.

The whole reason the NCAA was created, the schools were trying to avoid workers comp claims.
 
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Catman100

Catman100

Heisman
Jan 3, 2003
6,944
10,258
96
pretzel__logic said:
I shamefully admitted as much to my husband a few weeks ago. I lost something in 2015, like everybody else, and Cal being Cal crushed my remaining spirit into dust after that. I love Pope, but this team isn't good, and the game just isn't what it was. The shift in the game itself is not Pope's fault, obviously, but the college basketball landscape has changed so much it's difficult to get excited for a revolving door of transfers from Directional State who will leave after six months, not for the NBA, but for NIL at some other school. College football isn't quite that bad yet, but it's not far behind. Couple that with all the other life things I cope with on the daily, I just...can't make myself care that much. I can't even hate rivals the way I used to. I still want them to lose every game, but not in the Good v. Evil insane way I did for most of my life.

Feels awful, tbh. I miss being rabid.
Click to expand...
Unbelievably accurate and excellent post.
It's like someone transcribed my thoughts.
Thank you.
 
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J

jayroon41

Junior
Aug 22, 2024
236
361
63
-UK will probably win this weekend because Louisville is in worse shape with injuries on offense than we are on defense. Top 3 RBs out, best WR out (who’s the best player on the team) QB who sucks and they hate is banged up but their other QBs are a lot worse somehow. Parlay the points (while they last) with the money line.

-Lowe did non-contact skill work today; JQ 3 on 3.

-Pel coming in Wednesday has dealt with a lot of family tragedies; his wife is dealing with cancer currently and they lost a high school aged nephew to cancer and had another nephew with cancer at age 5 that survived. Also lost his brother in law (Brian Lyon) to an accidental overdose about 15 years ago who was my best friend.

Brian was the leading scorer our senior year/95 and we/Paintsville made it back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since Pelphrey/Couch in 87.

That team also had J.R. VanHoose and Todd Tackett who were freshmen at the time and they won the state tourney the next year in 96.
 
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K

Krazykats1

Junior
Aug 29, 2025
163
276
62
I remember VanHoose and Tackett, both were insanely tall and deliberate, but maybe it was just the both of them together when most teams in Louisville had maybe one dude at 6’7.

I believe that was the same year Ty Rogers came out of western ky to WKU and hit a March madness buzzer beater.

Oh what I’d give to go back to the 90’s!
 
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J

jayroon41

Junior
Aug 22, 2024
236
361
63
Krazykats1 said:
I remember VanHoose and Tackett, both were insanely tall and deliberate, but maybe it was just the both of them together when most teams in Louisville had maybe one dude at 6’7.

I believe that was the same year Ty Rogers came out of western ky to WKU and hit a March madness buzzer beater.

Oh what I’d give to go back to the 90’s!
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J.R. was 6-11 and in 96 they had a frontline with him of guys that were 6-9 and 6-6. Todd was 6-2 and played the 2. They made it back to the state finals but lost in 98.

Pretty crazy run for a school that had about 250 kids 9-12. Their coach wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box but to his credit figured out that we weren’t going to be able to survive playing man so played mostly zone in the tournament. J.R. had 27 rebounds in a state tourney game sitting in the middle of the zone.

UK should’ve offered J.R. instead of Todd but they had too many bigs at the time (could have redshirted him though) and he would’ve been a double double machine (ended up in Marshall’s HOF). Todd got some minutes early on one year with Tubby; people forget he platooned early one year like Cal in 15.
 
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Kennedy_UK

Kennedy_UK

Heisman
Nov 24, 2007
73,973
19,010
96
My Sr. year in 2001, played Louisville Seneca twice. Once at the KoB and once at the LexCath Christmas tournament.

They started 6’1, 6’1, 6’5, 6’7, 6’9. Saw nothing like that in Region 1.

Our tallest player was 6’3.

Went 2-0 against those guys. Height doesn’t mean **** if you’re lazy and poorly coached.

Also played North Hardin and got dunked on by Andre Woodson.

Was a helluva 2 week stretch for a little team from Paducah.
 
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august-west

august-west

Heisman
May 21, 2002
61,574
18,220
78
Kennedy_UK said:
My Sr. year in 2001, played Louisville Seneca twice. Once at the KoB and once at the LexCath Christmas tournament.

They started 6’1, 6’1, 6’5, 6’7, 6’9. Saw nothing like that in Region 1.

Our tallest player was 6’3.

Went 2-0 against those guys. Height doesn’t mean **** if you’re lazy and poorly coached.

Also played North Hardin and got dunked on by Andre Woodson.

Was a helluva 2 week stretch for a little team from Paducah.
Click to expand...

St. Mary’s?
 
K

Krazykats1

Junior
Aug 29, 2025
163
276
62
Oh the big kids at Seneca weren’t like JR VahHoose and his state champion teammates?

I still think that 97 Eastern team is the best HS team I’ve ever seen.
 
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Btoddisabish

Btoddisabish

Senior
Sep 11, 2025
192
463
63
When I was a kid the 4th region was loaded.

Tony Key
JP Blevins
Josh Carrier
Brandon Stockton
Strokin Bandit

right up the road you had Kevin Bridgewater at Adair County (5th region)

Those early 00s Warren Central teams were nasty too.they had a dude named Lonell Dewalt that could barely read and ended up playing football for kentucky. He blocked a ton of kicks. Against Mason County in the state championship game he goaltended a three pointer from about middle of the paint. Highest Ive ever seen someone jump in my life.


EDIT:

Does anyone remember watching OJ Mayo at Rose Hill? Looked like a league player as an eighth grader
 
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C

Catsfan2025

Junior
Jul 8, 2025
289
292
63
My sophomore year (84 I think), MNHHS played Seneca in the KOB. That was when they had Tony Kimbrow and Keith Williams. We hung around, think they ended up winning by 12 or so. Man that team was sooooo FN good. LOL, Louisville Eastern also played in it, Felton Spencer came rolling out on the court in some white, high top chucks. Our team shoe was New Balance, they was bad *** though. White, with Maroon N.
 
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