Mark Pope

[preston-lemasterpiece]

Some of our fans are hysterical. First they say that Pope is not the answer after only a year and a few games, those same fans kept saying they don't see any improvement in the team and we should at least be seeing improvement. Then as Pope starts showing improvement by beating to good teams in IU and St. Johns, they then turn around and make fun of us fans that like to point that the team seems to be improving by acting like those 2 teams are trash and don't count.

Yeahhh...the team had maybe the worst loss in program history barely 2 weeks ago. That might explain some of the hesitance

I agree with you 100% about downplaying the wins tho. Those were both good teams we beat. And more importantly both teams that will prepare us somewhat for conference play and give us some momentum going in to Bama

 

[Tim0808]

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.

Definitely injuries played a role. I think Louisville on that night still beats us with a full roster. Now, do I think we can beat Louisville, yes. We probably beat UNC. However, I think MSU still beats us and Gonzaga still beats us.

 

[KFuqua]

Anti-Kentucky? The whole reason I post this stuff, is because I want UK back to being UK. I don't think Pope is the answer for us. He's a mid coach who is a poor recruiter. Duke and Uconn are chipping away at our all time status. Kansas is too. I think we need a truly elite coach who is proven. Because we cant afford to slip after Calipari's last 5-6 seasons. We cant toil in medocrity, thats how we become Indiana. Simple I think. Beat Alabama and UT and I'll agree with you. We are in a final four drought. Uconn, UCLA, UNC, Duke, and Kansas have all made final fours in the 2020s. UK has not. We haven't won the SEC since 2020. The SECT since 2018. So, I'm a little restless. If a coach isn't gonna workout, it's time to cut bait. And I believe Pope isn't the man for the job. Just like you think he is. That's ok, we will see. Hopefully I am wrong. UK has been down too long.

I would say anti-Kentucky fits it well right now. Mark Pope is Kentucky's coach right now and I think all of us want UK back to being UK, but I don't think that Pope has been given enough time to say he can't do the job. Last year was a success. Not a championship, but for a coach that was hired late and had to put together an entire roster; reaching the Sweet 16 was quite an accomplishment. Would I have loved them to do better? Sure; but I also realize that's not realistic. Pope isn't responsible for how bad Calipari sucked and the gap in the all time wins margin shrinking so much. None of us want mediocrity, but we also realize that it's not that easy to change in a short amount of time. I don't know if Pope is the answer or not, but there is no other coach that loves Kentucky like he does, and there no other coach that wants to win more at Kentucky than he does, so I feel like he deserves a chance. Last year was good and I'm hoping this year is now going to take off after the improvement we're seeing. I'm not trying to bash you; we've both been on this board a long time and I've just been surprised at how harsh you've criticized Pope when he hasn't been here that long. Take care!

 

[Kyhoward1]

Basically my thoughts summed up. This is why I'm fire happy.

You have all the answers Richie! Maybe CMP will hire you as a consultant to get us to the Final Four this year. If that does not pan out, you should be fired!

 

[Kyhoward1]

I would say anti-Kentucky fits it well right now. Mark Pope is Kentucky's coach right now and I think all of us want UK back to being UK, but I don't think that Pope has been given enough time to say he can't do the job. Last year was a success. Not a championship, but for a coach that was hired late and had to put together an entire roster; reaching the Sweet 16 was quite an accomplishment. Would I have loved them to do better? Sure; but I also realize that's not realistic. Pope isn't responsible for how bad Calipari sucked and the gap in the all time wins margin shrinking so much. None of us want mediocrity, but we also realize that it's not that easy to change in a short amount of time. I don't know if Pope is the answer or not, but there is no other coach that loves Kentucky like he does, and there no other coach that wants to win more at Kentucky than he does, so I feel like he deserves a chance. Last year was good and I'm hoping this year is now going to take off after the improvement we're seeing. I'm not trying to bash you; we've both been on this board a long time and I've just been surprised at how harsh you've criticized Pope when he hasn't been here that long. Take care!

Amen Brother Fuqua!

 

[MegaBlue05]

I am still in wait-and-see mode, but I have never been on the fire Pope train. It's too soon. The guys wanting/expecting/hoping for a midseason firing in year 2 are the ones who let UK basketball losses affect their real lives.

My only real concern with Pope is high school recruiting, and have a minor concern with substitution patterns. (Playing too many guys.)

I plan to judge conference play as a second season, especially if we have Lowe and JQ available for the bulk of it.

For example, if we go 15-3 in the SEC with JQ and Lowe, 10-4 with a banged up team in nonconference is forgiven. If this team can reach a Sweet 16 or Elite 8, considering the start, I will consider this year a positive one heading into next year. (I don't expect titles or Final Fours every year. That's just setting yourself up to be pissed off 114/122 or 105/122 seasons in program history. I expect to compete for championships (1-3 seed) most years.)

If this year goes poorly and we were to miss the tournament or have a losing season, next year becomes a win big or get out season. I have confidence Pope can guide this team to a strong SEC season IF we can keep key guys in the lineup. Basketball is a long season, and can be a season of runs both good and bad. Hopefully the Cats have their bad out of the way,

 

[Monday Nitro]

Amen Brother Fuqua!

Nicest way possible to tell someone to STFU, lol.

 

[MegaBlue05]

Anti-Kentucky? The whole reason I post this stuff, is because I want UK back to being UK. I don't think Pope is the answer for us. He's a mid coach who is a poor recruiter. Duke and Uconn are chipping away at our all time status. Kansas is too. I think we need a truly elite coach who is proven. Because we cant afford to slip after Calipari's last 5-6 seasons. We cant toil in medocrity, thats how we become Indiana. Simple I think. Beat Alabama and UT and I'll agree with you. We are in a final four drought. Uconn, UCLA, UNC, Duke, and Kansas have all made final fours in the 2020s. UK has not. We haven't won the SEC since 2020. The SECT since 2018. So, I'm a little restless. If a coach isn't gonna workout, it's time to cut bait. And I believe Pope isn't the man for the job. Just like you think he is. That's ok, we will see. Hopefully I am wrong. UK has been down too long.

History is rhyming again, my friend.

Have you ever looked back at our entire history, and not just the two recent-ish glory periods of 1992-98 and 2010-15? Going back to 1950, we suck every even decade. Every. Single. One.

1960s: 1 runner-up, no titles
1980s: 1 Final Four, no titles
2000s: 0 Final Fours, 0 titles
2020s: 0 Final Fours, 0 titles (through exactly half of it).

1950s, 1970s, 1990s, 2010s: 6 titles, 13 Final Fours.

Sure, there were good years in all of those even decades, but if you're only counting titles and FFs, we have good decades and bad ones. Currently in a bad one.

As to the topic, I am still TBD on Pope, but think suggesting midseason firings 1/4 through year 2 (not saying you did) is dumb because of how unrealistic it actually happening is.

 

[Vek96]

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. He’ll figure it out. Calipari went his last four seasons here without getting to the second week of the tournament. I think we can give Mark some time.

 

[UKortho]

Anti-Kentucky? The whole reason I post this stuff, is because I want UK back to being UK. I don't think Pope is the answer for us. He's a mid coach who is a poor recruiter. Duke and Uconn are chipping away at our all time status. Kansas is too. I think we need a truly elite coach who is proven. Because we cant afford to slip after Calipari's last 5-6 seasons. We cant toil in medocrity, thats how we become Indiana. Simple I think. Beat Alabama and UT and I'll agree with you. We are in a final four drought. Uconn, UCLA, UNC, Duke, and Kansas have all made final fours in the 2020s. UK has not. We haven't won the SEC since 2020. The SECT since 2018. So, I'm a little restless. If a coach isn't gonna workout, it's time to cut bait. And I believe Pope isn't the man for the job. Just like you think he is. That's ok, we will see. Hopefully I am wrong. UK has been down too long.

We will likely have 11 plus loses this year. That’s Pope’s resume though. Right at his average.

 

[Vek96]

We will likely have 11 plus loses this year. That’s Pope’s resume though. Right at his average.

Not worried about how many losses. Just get rolling by March. Thats all that matters.

 

[UKortho]

[

Not worried about how many losses. Just get rolling by March. Thats all that matters.

Seeding matters.

 

[Kyhoward1]

Nicest way possible to tell someone to STFU, lol.

No, that was not my intention
I liked his post

 

[Monday Nitro]

No, that was not my intention
I liked his post

Not your post, I was referring to the longer one.

 

[Monday Nitro]

History is rhyming again, my friend.

Have you ever looked back at our entire history, and not just the two recent-ish glory periods of 1992-98 and 2010-15? Going back to 1950, we suck every even decade. Every. Single. One.

1960s: 1 runner-up, no titles
1980s: 1 Final Four, no titles
2000s: 0 Final Fours, 0 titles
2020s: 0 Final Fours, 0 titles (through exactly half of it).

1950s, 1970s, 1990s, 2010s: 6 titles, 13 Final Fours.

Sure, there were good years in all of those even decades, but if you're only counting titles and FFs, we have good decades and bad ones. Currently in a bad one.

As to the topic, I am still TBD on Pope, but think suggesting midseason firings 1/4 through year 2 (not saying you did) is dumb because of how unrealistic it actually happening is.

Dumb is the proper take. Disgraceful behavior after 2 very satifsfying wins. This troll starts multiple "the world has ended" threads after every loss and does everything he possibly can to make UK fans angry at our coach. Funny and sad to watch, lol. I'm losing count of how many posters are calling his crap out.