Mark Pope

[BBNinSCar]

I just finished watching Home Court with Bill Raftery featuring our coach Mark Pope. This was filmed before this season began and although I didn’t learn anything new, it has changed my opinion somewhat on our coach.
Pope is our guy, a bigger Kentucky fan than anyone one in BBN. He will continue to put everything he has into making Kentucky basketball the best brand in the NCAA.
He has an incredibly tough job, but he’s smart and will figure things out and work through the issues our team has had early into this season.

Duke and UNC prioritize “homegrown” coaching hires and I believe we should too. We need a head guy that will never stop working to keep our program at the top of the college basketball world.
We have that guy now. I am in full support of Coach Pope.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Mark Pope will prove his is the guy on the court. He could wear Kentucky tube socks and Joe B. Hall underwear but he won’t be the guy if he doesn’t win. I trust Pope will get it done.

 

[Phil_The_Music2]

I just finished watching Home Court with Bill Raftery featuring our coach Mark Pope. This was filmed before this season began and although I didn’t learn anything new, it has changed my opinion somewhat on our coach.
Pope is our guy, a bigger Kentucky fan than anyone one in BBN. He will continue to put everything he has into making Kentucky basketball the best brand in the NCAA.
He has an incredibly tough job, but he’s smart and will figure things out and work through the issues our team has had early into this season.

Duke and UNC prioritize “homegrown” coaching hires and I believe we should too. We need a head guy that will never stop working to keep our program at the top of the college basketball world.
We have that guy now. I am in full support of Coach Pope.

I'm not sure if he will win a championship here or not. But I'm certainly not going to make a determination that he won't after 1 season and a hand full of games like most on this board have.

 

[KyKevin]

I just finished watching Home Court with Bill Raftery featuring our coach Mark Pope. This was filmed before this season began and although I didn’t learn anything new, it has changed my opinion somewhat on our coach.
Pope is our guy, a bigger Kentucky fan than anyone one in BBN. He will continue to put everything he has into making Kentucky basketball the best brand in the NCAA.
He has an incredibly tough job, but he’s smart and will figure things out and work through the issues our team has had early into this season.

Duke and UNC prioritize “homegrown” coaching hires and I believe we should too. We need a head guy that will never stop working to keep our program at the top of the college basketball world.
We have that guy now. I am in full support of Coach Pope.

I agree 100%
Great wine is not made in a year or two, and neither are great coach's, we will not find a coach that works harder or loves his program more then Mark Pope. His love for Kentucky is genuine, and not just for the money.

 

[Monday Nitro]

Pearl got as close to the UK bench as he'll ever get yesterday. Oats is a haggard elixir salesman. Pope is the perfect hire and will represent the University as well as any coach we've ever had.

 

[NociHTTP]

I agree 100%
Great wine is not made in a year or two, and neither are great coach's, we will not find a coach that works harder or loves his program more then Mark Pope. His love for Kentucky is genuine, and not just for the money.

It's really quiet around here, isn't it? Why why more people aren't in here?

 

[UKWildcats1987]

As long as he wins big he will do fine here.

 

[bbnkat02]

I don't think ANYONE doubts Pope's love for Kentucky.

BUT

You have to win here. Period. This isn't hugs and kisses land. It isn't the University of Pope either.

We do have a standard to uphold- as Pope himself has said. If you win and treat the fans well, you'll be welcome at UK for a long, wonderful time.

Ask Tubby. Ask Cal. Ask Rupp. All great coaches that were loved here and until their last few years, won well.
You have to win. That's our standard. And the jury is still out on Pope so far.

Good 1st year all things considered.

Rocky start to this year to say the least. Let's see how it ends up.

Next year will be the verdict year and we will truly know if he's capable of being a long term guy here.

 

[Monday Nitro]

It's really quiet around here, isn't it? Why why more people aren't in here?

It's really quiet around here, isn't it? Why why more people aren't in here?

The low hanging fruit is gone, most of them can't even tie their own shoes without messing that up and hence they lumbered elsewhere. How can you be considered a "fan" if you don't celebrate the wins? I think it's cool that so many posters now are seeing who the REAL trolls are. It couldn't be any more obvious.

 

[Tim0808]

It's really quiet around here, isn't it? Why why more people aren't in here?

I hope he does well, but wins over Indiana and St. John's have not erased memories of Louisville, MSU, and Gonzaga. He has a lot more to do to prove he is the right man for the job. Everyone wants to quote Pitino about Pope, but overlook what Pitino said about his own team. They were a decent team not great, but could be a good team at the end of the year.

 

[CATS1945]

I agree 100%
Great wine is not made in a year or two, and neither are great coach's, we will not find a coach that works harder or loves his program more then Mark Pope. His love for Kentucky is genuine, and not just for the money.

I just finished watching Home Court with Bill Raftery featuring our coach Mark Pope. This was filmed before this season began and although I didn’t learn anything new, it has changed my opinion somewhat on our coach.
Pope is our guy, a bigger Kentucky fan than anyone one in BBN. He will continue to put everything he has into making Kentucky basketball the best brand in the NCAA.
He has an incredibly tough job, but he’s smart and will figure things out and work through the issues our team has had early into this season.

Duke and UNC prioritize “homegrown” coaching hires and I believe we should too. We need a head guy that will never stop working to keep our program at the top of the college basketball world.
We have that guy now. I am in full support of Coach Pope.

Is there somewhere I can watch this

 

[Monday Nitro]

The Freshman that people want so badly are one and done Freshman that are here and gone. Funny how that's suddenly en vogue. smh

 

[bbnkat02]

The Freshman that people want so badly are one and done Freshman that are here and gone. Funny how that's suddenly en vogue. smh

I think there's a balance though. You don't want a whole team of those dudes. They'll crap the bed too often. Shoot, even the Fab Five couldn't pull it off and they got close.

You need one maybe two really good freshman to give you some extra offense (think Dilly) when needed. Dilly was a great playmaker but not sure if I would've trusted him with the rock at all times in crunch time.

 

[Woodrow24]

The Freshman that people want so badly are one and done Freshman that are here and gone. Funny how that's suddenly en vogue. smh

it’s honestly easy for any fan to forget that this years freshman class is a lot better than usual. That’s probably why so maybe people have been bringing that up recently.

 

[bbnkat02]

it’s honestly easy for any fan to forget that this years freshman class is a lot better than usual. That’s probably why so maybe people have been bringing that up recently.

This. Remember that's why Reed and Rob bolted when they could. Yes, they were AMAZING players, but that class sucked over all. Not a lot of dudes. Then Pope's first year- a stronger class showed up around CBB and that's only grown this year.

There were several years when the freshman crop just wasn't that good save one or two dudes.

 

[Runt#1969]

Thanks for sharing, it's nice to see some positive support for CMP. I do trust the man as our coach, but this year has me being a little more invested in the end results with him, now, as we move forward, as it should be.

Love him as a person and an optimistic, positive leader of our program. We couldn't be in better hands from that perspective.

I still think he's got wehat it takes to bring us #9. It was never going to happen in one year, but I still feel that in 5,6 years, he will have done more than enough to validate his tenure here, won enough to satisfy the naysayers, and will get that title for himself, the Univertsity, and for the fans.

He's one of us. Don't forget that. Have faith, stay patient.

 

[Farsight Clone]

If he can turn the season around and we can make the tournament and make it passed 2nd round, I would say yes.

If he can recruit better and fix schemes and not be one dimensional on schemes based off who he has, I would say yes. (He proved that in 2nd half in St. Johns. Defense was all around good against St. Johns)

But the key is consistency. We need that from him. If he can't do that to an improving degree, then no.

 

[KyKevin]

The Freshman that people want so badly are one and done Freshman that are here and gone. Funny how that's suddenly en vogue. smh

What's the difference in a one and done transfer, or senior, and a one and done star freshman. Nothing, there both one and done. There all looking for the same thing, the most money they can get. And you have to have those horses to win the race, whether they are freshman or great transfer stars.

 

[CoffeeCat]

The big Q may save Pope’s career at UK

 

[BBNinSCar]

I don't think ANYONE doubts Pope's love for Kentucky.

BUT

You have to win here. Period. This isn't hugs and kisses land. It isn't the University of Pope either.

We do have a standard to uphold- as Pope himself has said. If you win and treat the fans well, you'll be welcome at UK for a long, wonderful time.

Ask Tubby. Ask Cal. Ask Rupp. All great coaches that were loved here and until their last few years, won well.
You have to win. That's our standard. And the jury is still out on Pope so far.

Good 1st year all things considered.

Rocky start to this year to say the least. Let's see how it ends up.

Next year will be the verdict year and we will truly know if he's capable of being a long term guy here.

There is no prep course for Head Coach of Kentucky basketball. It is the most unique, demanding job in the NCAA. I have faith in Pope’s ability to learn and adapt to become a championship winner.
What we don’t need during this process is a mutiny every time we lose a game.
We have our guy. It’s up to the BBN to support the coach and program through wins and losses.

 

[Hoskins91_rivals]

There is no prep course for Head Coach of Kentucky basketball. It is the most unique, demanding job in the NCAA. I have faith in Pope’s ability to learn and adapt to become a championship winner.
What we don’t need during this process is a mutiny every time we lose a game.
We have our guy. It’s up to the BBN to support the coach and program through wins and losses.

If he can’t take the fans questioning him he won’t be here long.

 

[KyKevin]

The big Q may save Pope’s career at UK

I hope this whole team goes back to thinking #9 again
Go cats

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

There is no prep course for Head Coach of Kentucky basketball. It is the most unique, demanding job in the NCAA. I have faith in Pope’s ability to learn and adapt to become a championship winner.
What we don’t need during this process is a mutiny every time we lose a game.
We have our guy. It’s up to the BBN to support the coach and program through wins and losses.

I agree. We don’t have to agree with everything the coach does —- we can be critical, have our questions, have our dilemmas —- but I think we are a part of the sauce. We gotta be the best version of ourselves. That goes far beyond just Pope.

 

[rivercatinfl]

I just finished watching Home Court with Bill Raftery featuring our coach Mark Pope. This was filmed before this season began and although I didn’t learn anything new, it has changed my opinion somewhat on our coach.
Pope is our guy, a bigger Kentucky fan than anyone one in BBN. He will continue to put everything he has into making Kentucky basketball the best brand in the NCAA.
He has an incredibly tough job, but he’s smart and will figure things out and work through the issues our team has had early into this season.

Duke and UNC prioritize “homegrown” coaching hires and I believe we should too. We need a head guy that will never stop working to keep our program at the top of the college basketball world.
We have that guy now. I am in full support of Coach Pope.

Well said and all true!!

 

[rivercatinfl]

I don't think ANYONE doubts Pope's love for Kentucky.

BUT

You have to win here. Period. This isn't hugs and kisses land. It isn't the University of Pope either.

We do have a standard to uphold- as Pope himself has said. If you win and treat the fans well, you'll be welcome at UK for a long, wonderful time.

Ask Tubby. Ask Cal. Ask Rupp. All great coaches that were loved here and until their last few years, won well.
You have to win. That's our standard. And the jury is still out on Pope so far.

Good 1st year all things considered.

Rocky start to this year to say the least. Let's see how it ends up.

Next year will be the verdict year and we will truly know if he's capable of being a long term guy here.

You don't think the dang injuries made this a tough start? Let give him more time to sink or swim.
I think he's gonna do really well here. Recruiting will come and he's got a good team n the floor finally.

 

[KyKevin]

If he can’t take the fans questioning him he won’t be here long.

It's all of the people that have a say, that listen to the fans, that worry's me, not Pope. People act like he has had a losing season at Ky, he will have a very good team this year, and shut the negative BS up.
As a fan for 60 years, I truly believe that he will.
If not I will still be a fan next season, and until I die.

 

[Macy's socks_rivals]

I want to see him land Stokes and move forward from there. I’m a believer in one superstar surrounded by excellent teammates. Lord let Pope get over this major hurdle and land a top prospect.

 

[Anon1679859502]

The Freshman that people want so badly are one and done Freshman that are here and gone. Funny how that's suddenly en vogue. smh

JQ would have been a one and done had he not getting hurt. Pope got him at a discount and that is fine, he’s the type of talent you need to win. I don’t care if it’s high school or portal but you need talent like JQ to win here

 

[Beatle Bum]

Like everything UK, when he wins, the trolls will hide. When UK loses, the trolls will be boisterous. Basketball fans don’t have to forget what we saw last year. Even with a lot of injuries, UK did the Sweet 16 with a brand new portal team. Had Lamont been healthy, UK may have gone farther. He was really special.

This year’s team will have to win in a much different way. Only if Lowe can stay on the floor will UK make an SEC run.

 

[Woodrow24]

A few things I can say I have noticed with our program recently:
1) getting healthier has changed this whole team.

2) The coaching staff and players have obviously worked hard to fix the issues they’ve had.

3) Pope needs to work on recruiting and make the changes necessary to put an end to striking out on his main targets.

I really hope Coach Pope makes it here because he’s a good guy and an alumni. This is a hard job and I believe he has the work ethic to get things done. At this point the main thing he has to work on is recruiting at this level. He can’t keep missing on his top targets. If he can improve on that, I believe he will do a great job here.

 

[bbnkat02]

You don't think the dang injuries made this a tough start? Let give him more time to sink or swim.
I think he's gonna do really well here. Recruiting will come and he's got a good team n the floor finally.

at the end of the day it’s still losses.

Yes that sucks. yes it yet another flip of the bird from the basketball universe.

But that is also part of the sport.

 

[KFuqua]

I hope he does well, but wins over Indiana and St. John's have not erased memories of Louisville, MSU, and Gonzaga. He has a lot more to do to prove he is the right man for the job. Everyone wants to quote Pitino about Pope, but overlook what Pitino said about his own team. They were a decent team not great, but could be a good team at the end of the year.

Seriously though, do you not think injuries were a part of those losses? No way Louisville or North Carolina beats this team if we had our full roster. So at 10 -2 (and I'm not sure the record wouldn't be better than that), things would be much brighter, even to some of the doubters.

 

[RunninRichie]

We entered the season ranked 9th in the country. We have blowout losses to Gonazaga and Michigan state. We lost to hated rivals UNC and Louisville. We can't recruit, have 0 2026 recruits commited. But, Mark Pope is killing it, because he beat a soon unranked St Johns team. And an unranked Indiana squad? Is this real life? This is Kentucky. Win the SEC. Go to a sweet 16 or better. Then we can say he turned this season around. Glad he has fixed the effort. Benching BG has brought life into him. All good things. But to say he's killing it, or this has been a good start is hilarious. Last 2 weeks have been good. But we still can't come out and play well in the 1st half. Beat Alabama and we can start talking.

Sounds a lot like "the movement" around here.

 

[One2Three]

We entered the season ranked 9th in the country. We have blowout losses to Gonazaga and Michigan state. We lost to hated rivals UNC and Louisville. We can't recruit, have 0 2026 recruits commited. But, Mark Pope is killing it, because he beat a soon unranked St Johns team. And an unranked Indiana squad? Is this real life? This is Kentucky. Win the SEC. Go to a sweet 16 or better. Then we can say he turned this season around. Glad he has fixed the effort. Benching BG has brought life into him. All good things. But to say he's killing it, or this has been a good start is hilarious. Last 2 weeks have been good. But we still can't come out and play well in the 1st half.





Sounds a lot like "the movement" around here.

Seriously. If he makes the Final Four, I’ll forgive him for the early season woes. Nobody remembers the mediocre regular seasons in 2011 and 2014 after we made the Final Four.

But until then, let’s just wait a few more games before acting like this season has turned around. Win against Alabama and maybe I can start feeling some of this confidence being spouted being warranted.

 

[HappyBlue]

We entered the season ranked 9th in the country. We have blowout losses to Gonazaga and Michigan state. We lost to hated rivals UNC and Louisville. We can't recruit, have 0 2026 recruits commited. But, Mark Pope is killing it, because he beat a soon unranked St Johns team. And an unranked Indiana squad? Is this real life? This is Kentucky. Win the SEC. Go to a sweet 16 or better. Then we can say he turned this season around. Glad he has fixed the effort. Benching BG has brought life into him. All good things. But to say he's killing it, or this has been a good start is hilarious. Last 2 weeks have been good. But we still can't come out and play well in the 1st half.





Sounds a lot like "the movement" around here.

I am with you Richie. I don't care that Pope hasn't even been here a year and a half. We should have fired Pope already. I mean like you said my God we still can't even come out and play well in the 1st half. That should be in his contract that if the team can't play well in the 1st half he gets fired. His 1st year we can give him a pass, but he should have been able to at least go undefeated and brought us title number 9 in his 2nd year. Even if he goes on a run and wins the title this year, he still like you said lost UNC and UL. And he failed to go undefeated this year, so we need to cut him loose at the end of the year no matter what.

 

[RunninRichie]

I am with you Richie. I don't care that Pope hasn't even been here a year and a half. We should have fired Pope already. I mean like you said my God we still can't even come out and play well in the 1st half. That should be in his contract that if the team can't play well in the 1st half he gets fired. His 1st year we can give him a pass, but he should have been able to at least go undefeated and brought us title number 9 in his 2nd year. Even if he goes on a run and wins the title this year, he still like you said lost UNC and UL. And he failed to go undefeated this year, so we need to cut him loose at the end of the year no matter what.

Tom Crean is a great coach, who needs more time.

How did that work out against UT last season? Playing well in the 1st half actually doesnt matter.

 

[Beatle Bum]

We entered the season ranked 9th in the country. We have blowout losses to Gonazaga and Michigan state. We lost to hated rivals UNC and Louisville. We can't recruit, have 0 2026 recruits commited. But, Mark Pope is killing it, because he beat a soon unranked St Johns team. And an unranked Indiana squad? Is this real life? This is Kentucky. Win the SEC. Go to a sweet 16 or better. Then we can say he turned this season around. Glad he has fixed the effort. Benching BG has brought life into him. All good things. But to say he's killing it, or this has been a good start is hilarious. Last 2 weeks have been good. But we still can't come out and play well in the 1st half. Beat Alabama and we can start talking.

Sounds a lot like "the movement" around here.

Typical strawman post. Defend the chicken little perspective by acting like people are claiming Pope is killing it, when people are not claiming Pope is killing it. Who claimed this is a “good start?”

 

[RunninRichie]

Typical strawman post. Defend the chicken little perspective by acting like people are claiming Pope is killing it, when people are not claiming Pope is killing it. Who claimed this is a “good start?”

Really? Because I assumed the people jumping down the throats, of people who dared question Pope. For this start, were implying that, he was in fact killing it. And we were idiots for questioning him. Lol, get out of here dude.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

I love Mark. I want him to succeed. But he has to recruit at a high level or he won’t make it. I think he can, but there are some obstacles to overcome; most not his doing, but some maybe? I’m rooting for him hard. Through 11.5 games so far this season, this team hasn’t been good (if you want to toot the horn over the 300 KP teams, go ahead). The last half was pretty good. Build on it, stay healthy; but he has to get some players. If not freshman, has to be best of the portal. But I love the guy and want him to be successful.

 

[rivercatinfl]

I'm just not gonna lay that on Pope. We have struggled yes, but IMO you'd have to really crazy to run off Pope.

We all want the team to do well and I think based on the last 2 games that we are seeing a different version of this team.
We'll see in the next few games if it sticks.

We still have lots of things to clean up but I fully believe Pope can get it done.