JQ hurt again?

Goingfor9

All-Conference
Jan 27, 2003
15,653
2,271
113
I've already made my points. I am tired of the constant piling on him.
The piling on are losses. Every loss is turning fans against him. I think it’s correct that defense of him stands in the way of the problem being fixed asap. We have fans running out of time who want hope. UK basketball is extremely important to the well being of the state. Grandpa to dad to son. It brings families in KY together. 11 years no ff. That’s alot of kids who abandoned being a uk fan because the kids don’t waste time on a loser. There are a lot of grandparents and other die since the last ff. Folks who are always enjoying life more when UK is winning. Other programs and states other than a few in fb would understand.
 

Son_Of_Saul

Heisman
Dec 7, 2007
44,315
94,184
113
I actually think that Mark Pope should accept the NIT if it's offered. Maybe we can scrap two or three wins against garbage competition in the NIT and keep Kansas at bay until we can get a real coach in here after the season. Someone might say that we're better than that, but since 2021 we really haven't been.
 

NociHTTP

Heisman
Mar 8, 2023
10,703
16,870
113
Mark Pope is like a substitute teacher that can't control a rowdy class.

He's horrible at this. How did we let this guy through the gates?
Try and be positive. At times I haven't been. Wait and see what transpires the rest of the season, see what Pope does in the offseason. The guy is smart.
 
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Son_Of_Saul

Heisman
Dec 7, 2007
44,315
94,184
113
Try and be positive. At times I haven't been. Wait and see what transpires the rest of the season, see what Pope does in the offseason. The guy is smart.
My attempt to remain positive went out the window the second we lost the Gonzaga by 35.

It was only reinforced by the fact that Pope is not going to bring in any substantial recruits.

This all season has been like a living nightmare.
 

NociHTTP

Heisman
Mar 8, 2023
10,703
16,870
113
My attempt to remain positive went out the window the second we lost the Gonzaga by 35.

It was only reinforced by the fact that Pope is not going to bring in any substantial recruits.

This all season has been like a living nightmare.
I know it's just words, but I think he's going to pull a rabbit out of his *** with the portal again, and I think he's going to frame things differently. Along the lines of "I need guys who want to play in a motion offense, lots of cuts, hard screens", stuff like that. And I bet that he's going to be removed from the NIL process (Mitch won't be there to **** things up again), and a GM wil be added so that he can focus on coaching and holding guys accountable.
 

UKWildcats1987

Heisman
Sep 9, 2021
18,638
31,714
113
I know it's just words, but I think he's going to pull a rabbit out of his *** with the portal again, and I think he's going to frame things differently. Along the lines of "I need guys who want to play in a motion offense, lots of cuts, hard screens", stuff like that. And I bet that he's going to be removed from the NIL process (Mitch won't be there to **** things up again), and a GM wil be added so that he can focus on coaching and holding guys accountable.

Lol dude sucks. He isnt even a drunk like G but he coaches like a drunk.
 

preston-lemasterpiece

All-Conference
Apr 15, 2025
804
1,564
91
Awful. Just f*ckin awful.
SICK of dealing with this sh*t from players.
Did he come here to play basketball or did he come here to f*ck around? Dude walks everywhere with a basketball cuz he’s so passionate about the game but he’s gonna shut it down after 4 friggin games? dude
 

preston-lemasterpiece

All-Conference
Apr 15, 2025
804
1,564
91
Fleecing us the same way he fleeced ASU. Get a huge contract based on potential, look great in practice, do f*ck all in actual games, then sit out. Great. Thanks for coming. Go live your dream as backup center for the Milwaukee Bucks or whatever the f*ck, you clearly don’t want to be here
 
Jul 30, 2024
3,981
6,979
113
Awful. Just f*ckin awful.
SICK of dealing with this sh*t from players.
Did he come here to play basketball or did he come here to f*ck around? Dude walks everywhere with a basketball cuz he’s so passionate about the game but he’s gonna shut it down after 4 friggin games? dude
Somebody was saying he had some knee soreness or something of the sort, so maybe he isn’t shutting it down. 🤷‍♂️ Frustrating either way
 
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Son_Of_Saul

Heisman
Dec 7, 2007
44,315
94,184
113
I know it's just words, but I think he's going to pull a rabbit out of his *** with the portal again, and I think he's going to frame things differently. Along the lines of "I need guys who want to play in a motion offense, lots of cuts, hard screens", stuff like that. And I bet that he's going to be removed from the NIL process (Mitch won't be there to **** things up again), and a GM wil be added so that he can focus on coaching and holding guys accountable.
Then best case in year 3 is another return to a 24-12ish team.

That's still not Kentucky standards.

What I find fascinating is that we all understand if a guy loses his job for accidentally destroying a $20,000 piece of machinery at the factory, but Mark Pope can turn a a 22 million dollar roster into an NIT team and there are still fans that want to give him more time and "see how it goes."
 

#1 cat fan

Redshirt
May 7, 2009
13
5
3
Pope needs to have 1 on 1s with every player, look them in the eye and find who is fully bought in or not. Play Reece Potter and Braydon Hawthorne if you can’t find enough bodies that still want it. I’m sick of the shenanigans.
Problem is JQ was one of the few that would have brought it for you every play. Pope has destroyed the he whole team. Can't even get the dude a touch. Before any of you say he can't play offense, watch the st johns game and the crossover drive and score over a stud big east center. You just gotta have a team around him that can breathe a little
 
Jul 30, 2024
3,981
6,979
113
Problem is JQ was one of the few that would have brought it for you every play. Pope has destroyed the he whole team. Can't even get the dude a touch. Before any of you say he can't play offense, watch the st johns game and the crossover drive and score over a stud big east center. You just gotta have a team around him that can breathe a little
I’m not hating on the kid at all, I still believe he can be a top 5 draft pick in this loaded class. Yes, he is great in transition and much faster than bigs of his size but his offensive game is very raw. Depending on him getting touches wouldn’t be a good thing. I do agree having spacing would allow him a lot more opportunity to be a slashing threat, but we don’t have any spacing on the way soon.
 

Tri-Countycat

Senior
Jul 1, 2025
391
851
93
Pope looks unwell. He is pale and obviously has lost weight. Money is important when you don’t have any but Pope should be set. Why would he come back, this is clearly having an effect on his health. I could see him stepping down. No way Pope tries to run this back if the season doesn’t turn around. IMO
 
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Jul 30, 2024
3,981
6,979
113
Pope looks unwell. He is pale and obviously has lost weight. Money is important when you don’t have any but Pope should be set. Why would he come back, this is clearly having an effect on his health. I could see him stepping down. No way Pope tries to run this back if the season doesn’t turn around. IMO
I’ve heard a lot of people say a whole lot of things but I’ll tell you one thing that I’ve never heard a single person ever say, “I think I’ve got enough money and I don’t want any more of it.”
 

Argonaut

Senior
Jan 3, 2026
289
598
93
Then best case in year 3 is another return to a 24-12ish team.

That's still not Kentucky standards.

What I find fascinating is that we all understand if a guy loses his job for accidentally destroying a $20,000 piece of machinery at the factory, but Mark Pope can turn a a 22 million dollar roster into an NIT team and there are still fans that want to give him more time and "see how it goes."
Mitch Barnhart never experienced consequences for his actions, including sweeping sexual harassment under the rug. Why would his buddy experience consequences? The whole damned UK sports program lacks accountability. It’s rotten to the core.
 

Skyguyb27

All-American
Feb 12, 2008
4,340
7,215
113
The piling on are losses. Every loss is turning fans against him. I think it’s correct that defense of him stands in the way of the problem being fixed asap. We have fans running out of time who want hope. UK basketball is extremely important to the well being of the state. Grandpa to dad to son. It brings families in KY together. 11 years no ff. That’s alot of kids who abandoned being a uk fan because the kids don’t waste time on a loser. There are a lot of grandparents and other die since the last ff. Folks who are always enjoying life more when UK is winning. Other programs and states other than a few in fb would understand.
It’s not just the losses. I’d agree losses will make your seat warm at Kentucky but how he is losing and the culture around this team is what got his seat so hot so fast. Lack of effort, no basic skills, no offense, word salads to account for everything. And the Stoops standard response of we’re gonna get better because we are gonna practice isn’t acceptable when there are no signs of improvement. Add in the recruiting is dead in the water and Pooe is cooked. I don’t think anyone is piling on there’s just absolutely no positive things to talk about.
 

NociHTTP

Heisman
Mar 8, 2023
10,703
16,870
113
Pope looks unwell. He is pale and obviously has lost weight. Money is important when you don’t have any but Pope should be set. Why would he come back, this is clearly having an effect on his health. I could see him stepping down. No way Pope tries to run this back if the season doesn’t turn around. IMO
You don't quit if you're Pope. You figure how to resolve the issues, and may have to wait until season to solve things. Unless he suddenly decides to tell a player or two to hit the road. I think there are things going on that he is patiently working on, that he feels he can't make public.
 

megablue

Heisman
Oct 2, 2012
14,144
13,963
113
Mitch Barnhart never experienced consequences for his actions, including sweeping sexual harassment under the rug. Why would his buddy experience consequences? The whole damned UK sports program lacks accountability. It’s rotten to the core.
Too much good old boy stuff ... !!
 

NociHTTP

Heisman
Mar 8, 2023
10,703
16,870
113
It’s not just the losses. I’d agree losses will make your seat warm at Kentucky but how he is losing and the culture around this team is what got his seat so hot so fast. Lack of effort, no basic skills, no offense, word salads to account for everything. And the Stoops standard response of we’re gonna get better because we are gonna practice isn’t acceptable when there are no signs of improvement. Add in the recruiting is dead in the water and Pooe is cooked. I don’t think anyone is piling on there’s just absolutely no positive things to talk about.
If you weren't piling on, you'd see that change isn't going to happen as fast as some want. People are flat out refusing to look at things from Pope's perspective.
 
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Argonaut

Senior
Jan 3, 2026
289
598
93
If you weren't piling on, you'd see that change isn't going to happen as fast as some want. People are flat out refusing to look at things from Pope's perspective.
Nobody cares about Pope’s perspective. He’s making millions of dollars to perform and is failing at a level no other coach in Kentucky basketball history has done. This goes beyond even Kentucky. Pope is taking probably the most expensive roster in college basketball history so far and has a chance to go .500 or sub .500. Not in college basketball or even college football has someone failed so miserably on a $20 million budget. That’s historic for all the wrong reasons.
 

Eastkybball

All-Conference
May 7, 2019
1,386
2,442
98
What I hate about Mark Pope and Cal is this hush hush BS.
why can’t we get a coach who can treat us like this is our team too? Be honest with us and quit dancing around every question. If he’s hurt let us know and if he’s wanting to sit out to save face let us the f know.
 

Crestcat

Junior
Sep 5, 2025
114
212
43
I’m not hating on the kid at all, I still believe he can be a top 5 draft pick in this loaded class. Yes, he is great in transition and much faster than bigs of his size but his offensive game is very raw. Depending on him getting touches wouldn’t be a good thing. I do agree having spacing would allow him a lot more opportunity to be a slashing threat, but we don’t have any spacing on the way soon.
Somebody has to make 3's to create space. Hard to make plays when everybody is in the paint.