He might be right
- Thread starter UKCats_1019
- Start date
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Yes...and a reason why this "hire in the family" is complete stupdity.
UNC did this Guthridge which was not great, Doherty which was a disaster, Roy Willaims was in the family...but he was proven as heck at Kansas before UNC....and now Hubert is not so hot.
So why Mitch did this is just lazy....I'm passionate about UK....but I ain't got the chops to coach UK. Passion isn't the job description.
He offered Dan Hurely a gazillion dollars.
Dan Hurley was smart
I don't think a lot of uk fans can accept, many coaches DONT want this job
ChatGPT:
Here are the most common reasons many coaches—especially established high-major head coaches—might find the Kentucky men’s basketball head coaching job unattractive, despite its prestige:
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1. Unrealistic Expectations (National Title or Bust)
Kentucky is one of the only jobs where anything short of a Final Four is viewed as failure.
Coaches know they will be judged every single season against the program’s entire history, not just the roster they have.
• A 25–8 season is considered a bad year.
• A Sweet 16 is considered underachievement.
• A single missed tournament can stain a résumé.
This level of pressure is unmatched even relative to Duke, UNC, Kansas, or UCLA.
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2. Lack of Job Security
Kentucky fans and boosters expect immediate success.
• Coaches can be pushed out within 2–4 years if they don’t meet massive expectations.
• Even sustained success might not be enough (e.g., consecutive early tournament exits).
• You rarely get the “wait and see” patience other elite programs give.
Many coaches worry: “If I take this job, I could be fired quickly and damage my long-term career.”
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3. Constant Fan and Media Scrutiny
Kentucky is a 12-month news cycle:
• Every substitution is analyzed.
• Every recruiting miss is a crisis.
• Radio/TV/podcasts dissect the coach’s tone, decisions, and personal life.
• Social media criticism is relentless.
Coaches with introverted or low-drama personalities often want no part of this.
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4. Historic Shadow of Previous Coaches
Kentucky has had:
• Adolph Rupp (4 titles)
• Joe B. Hall
• Rick Pitino
• Tubby Smith
• John Calipari (4 Final Fours, a title)
It’s one of the few jobs where the standard is:
“Win championships, reload instantly, and become a legend.”
Some coaches don’t want to compete with ghosts.
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5. Recruiting Pressure on a Different Level
At Kentucky you’re required to:
• Land elite recruits every year
• Navigate NIL demands
• Beat out bluebloods annually
• Keep fans satisfied with 5-star talent
• Retool the roster every offseason
You can’t take developmental 3-stars or transfer projects—the fanbase expects stars.
This creates huge stress, especially for coaches who prefer system continuity.
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6. NIL Dynamics + Booster Influence
NIL at Kentucky is massive—but not simple.
The coach must:
• Constantly manage player NIL negotiations
• Balance boosters, collectives, and internal politics
• Rebuild NIL deals year-by-year due to roster turnover
Many coaches prefer more controlled, quieter NIL environments.
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7. Lack of Patience with Modern Rebuilds
Even with the transfer portal era:
• Most top jobs allow a 1–2 year reset.
• Kentucky expects instant Final Four contention, even with a brand-new roster.
If a coach wants to build slowly, UK is the wrong job.
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8. Pressure on Family and Lifestyle
Coaching families often avoid:
• Intense local media culture
• Lack of privacy in Lexington compared to L.A., Austin, or Columbus
• Hostile fan reactions after losses
For spouses and kids, the Kentucky job is a spotlight they may not want.
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9. It’s a “No-Win” Situation for Some Coaches
Many established coaches feel like Kentucky is:
• Too risky for career longevity
• Too high pressure with limited patience
• Too public
• Too emotionally draining
A coach can win 25 games every year and still be hated by a vocal part of the fanbase.
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10. Timing of the Job
The job usually opens when:
• The previous coach struggled
• The roster is unstable
• Portal recruiting is chaotic
• Expectations are sky-high for the next hire
So the next coach often steps into a no-margin situation.
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11. Better Lifestyle Jobs Are Available
Coaches increasingly value:
• Stability
• Long contracts
• Lower expectations
• More control over roster construction
• Less fan pressure
Places like Villanova, Baylor, Virginia, Tennessee, or Arkansas offer elite resources with far less pressure.
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12. Kentucky Is Not a “Career-Ending” Job—But It Can Be a Career-Damaging One
If a coach fails at Kentucky:
• They often fall several rungs in prestige afterward.
• They may not get another elite job.
• Their reputation can become “couldn’t handle the pressure.”
Many big-name coaches simply won’t risk it.
Only two coaches were offered that declined. That’s not a lot. Scott Drew would also not be successful here. Most coaches would crawl through glass to get the chance to coach here if offered.
Big name coaches might be reluctant, but there are still plenty of quality coaches who could do great with Kentucky's resources.
This dope should’ve checked the spelling before tweeting.
Matt Doherty, not Dougherty.
That’s basically saying if you’re not a great coach, don’t have great coaching qualities, and don’t want to be great then you don’t fit at Kentucky.
Great coaches and most coaches want Kentucky because it gives you the best chance at winning championships. Even introverted Scott Drew wanted it and nearly came, and he’s already got a championship and family established. His wife talked him out of it. Kentucky is the only program that almost guarantees you a championship if you’re even decent. Nowhere else is like that.
Nah, most coaches want to go where they’re famous, where basketball is king, and where they have the best chance to win. That’s Kentucky. They want history, and prestige, that’s Kentucky.
Some can’t handle it but most men that make it to this level can handle it and want it. I’d say those qualities ChatGPT lists don’t fit the personality of most high level coaches.
Hurley is an east coast guy with a eye to NBA
And Ky ain't for all but to argue a ton of coaches wouldn't come to KY before Pope ......looney talk
Mitch is just lazy is how we ended up with Pope
Much easier to follow Pope instead of Cal! The coaching search will go much different once this job opens up again! 
I think this is a very good point.....it's like you don't want to follow a good coach but instead followbthe coach after the good coachMuch easier to follow Pope instead of Cal! The coaching search will go much different once this job opens up again!
If you people will leave Pope alone and let him coach, it will be ok. Pope is a good coach, a lot better than any of you that are wanting to fire him. I guess you forgot about the game before when they had a chance to beat North Carolina.They only had to make 2 more shots and they would have won. A lot of you people want to fire the coach every time you loose a game. Why don't you grow up, no team wins every game.Some of you act like a spoiled 12 year old kid.
I don’t think anybody is upset because we lost to Gonzaga. Probably because Kentucky got embarrassed by them and Michigan State and Louisville. Would have been nice if they didn’t go almost 12 minutes without scoring against North Carolina. I think people are more upset because we have lost every game against power conference teams.
Dan Hurley is 1 friggin coach. Your logic would have prevented lane kiffin from going to lsu. Nate Oates was always the guy but Barney isn’t going to do what it takes like lsu did. Hurley isn’t leaving the NE for anything . Nate Oates is a final four coach in the mold of Pitino who is at a football school. Anyone thinking he won’t leave for a blue blood their mindset represents what’s wrong. That’s Barney bs propaganda and it is absolutely wrong with our bb program. You have to sell it and that dude Barney always takes the path of least resistance. It’s why other ads love him. He’s a pushover. There is no skin in the game for him at UK. He isn’t depressed after a loss: the man is fine as long as he has money flowing.
Are you 10 years old? Your post has that feeling.