Seems to me like he knows BBN would like to run him out of town yesterday and he’s turned on the fans similar to Cal at the end. It’s like he’ll now do everything he can to stay even though he’s terrible and the fans want him out. I understand he’d give up a lot of $$ but he’s already rich for life. Why has he become a total ***.
My impression of Pope. Am I right ?
- Thread starter Hunting9
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People are naturally defensive of themselves, it's understandable. He probably thinks he has been dealt a raw hand with injuries both years and he's right, but its not a good enough excuse for what we've seen. I think people would support him if we were losing close games to good teams instead of getting blown out all the time. And, of course, if he had demonstrated any ability at all to recruit. Right now there is literally nothing to look forward to.
What do you mean ? If he adores UK like he said in the beginning he’d leave. He’s now talking about plans for next year. Not trying to be a jerk like you and Pope, just curious why he’s burning the program down.
If we got blow out yesterday but we were still trying to run any offensive sets or even attempted switching defenses or anything when Iowa State was on a run, it would have been easier to swallow. Pope didn’t coach, he actually did more damage than good.
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He can't coach
He can't recruit
His teams quit on him
He has no clue what in game adjustments mean
He has no clue what game preparation means
He can't recruit
His teams quit on him
He has no clue what in game adjustments mean
He has no clue what game preparation means
This ^. And he knows it but won’t do the right thing for the school or the fans he supposedly loves.
He has the real facts. Most stupid fans are still stupid and stay stupid.
Real facts got our azzes beat the past two years in the tournament. I guess you like a coach that sputters his way around the head position at UK.
Nail on the head. I really can’t think of anything that is in his job description that he’s good out. He’s horrible with media now too. You could have had a drawing at halftime selecting a random seat number to coach the 2nd half and got a better effort than what pope gave yesterday. Truly one of the worst coaching performances I have ever seen and that is saying something after watching cal for 15 years.
Win the fans by doing the right thing and step down. Blame it on us and say we deserve better. Take your money and let the program move fowards. Make a public offer to Bruce Pearl atleast he knows offense and defense development. Then if it don't work out go hire whom ever they want. Bruce is sitting there waiting for a Blue Blood interview and UNC might take him. Then we are looking stupid next year looking for a coach with nobody with SEC experience left out there. It might not be the best thing but we are desperate incase everyone didnt know.
Are you dumb, drunk, or just plain stupid ? Your post makes absolutely no sense. Go away please.
WHY DOESNT HE WALK AWAY FROM MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND A GIANT BUYOUT BECAUSE I AM MAD???
This is an administration issue. Mitch made the hire. This is a business. If the school wants the coach to leave, they have to fire him with cause if such a reason exists (no, getting a 7 seed isn’t a for cause worthy firing according to the contract) or fire him without cause and pay $17M.
Anyone who says they would just up and quit a $5M a year gig because a bunch of fans are mad at them is either a moron or a liar. The resign with honor thing some of y’all are dreaming up is like a plot to a Hallmark sports movie or something. Pope gonna be here next year. The university can’t afford to fire him at this point considering we’re already paying Stoops $38M to not coach here and with Barney’s $1 million annual golden parachute. I don’t think we can afford another $17M.
This is an administration issue. Mitch made the hire. This is a business. If the school wants the coach to leave, they have to fire him with cause if such a reason exists (no, getting a 7 seed isn’t a for cause worthy firing according to the contract) or fire him without cause and pay $17M.
Anyone who says they would just up and quit a $5M a year gig because a bunch of fans are mad at them is either a moron or a liar. The resign with honor thing some of y’all are dreaming up is like a plot to a Hallmark sports movie or something. Pope gonna be here next year. The university can’t afford to fire him at this point considering we’re already paying Stoops $38M to not coach here and with Barney’s $1 million annual golden parachute. I don’t think we can afford another $17M.
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He should not have took the job because there was no way he would be able to be perfect. I wish he would just step down saying he couldn't walk that perfect line and it's time for somebody else to try.
Unload it onto fan expectations and walk away and go back to being fan favorite Mark Pope. Nobody will hate you for it and everybody will get over these two years.
Just walk away. And if you do it like in the next couple days. We can get another coach. And we can fill the roster out before it's too late.
Unless you have some kind of super roster hidden from us that you haven't revealed yet that includes Stokes and a bunch of freaking Kobe Brea shooters
Unload it onto fan expectations and walk away and go back to being fan favorite Mark Pope. Nobody will hate you for it and everybody will get over these two years.
Just walk away. And if you do it like in the next couple days. We can get another coach. And we can fill the roster out before it's too late.
Unless you have some kind of super roster hidden from us that you haven't revealed yet that includes Stokes and a bunch of freaking Kobe Brea shooters
No he wouldn't. No coach in America would nor would anyone in any job. Hubert Davis is a tarheel he didnt step down out of love for unc as soon as the season was over, they'll fire him or work a separation out.
I dint really see him bashing fans at all either. As far as talking about next year, yeah? Is he supposed to just give up?
You mentioned golden. lol Could you image the team he would have with 22m? He would dominate at Kentucky!
I could.You mentioned golden. lol Could you image the team he would have with 22m? He would dominate at Kentucky!
I could also imagine the orgy I’d have with all the Victoria Secret models but it doesn’t mean it’s in the realm of possibility.
Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles can see that Mark Pope IS and WILL REMAIN a failure as the coach at UK and they’re both blind and one is dead to boot. Pope came in and was given a chance at his dream job. Coaching UK whom he said he loved, the greatest program in college basketball, Kentucky was his ‘home’. In two years he’s made a fool of himself, become a laughing stock, and made UK basketball a laughing stock while giving BBN a pretty nasty black eye along the way. Do I want him to just give up you ask ? I don’t care what he calls it …. I just want him to take his unearned bag of money and get as far away from UK basketball as humanly possible.
Pope starts the games apprehensively and our players sense it as does the other team..players take on a coaches persona and they get down big before the second tv timeout.
Since we are stuck with him I wish he would learn to teach pressure defense at least if shots aren’t falling you always have that in your bag
Since we are stuck with him I wish he would learn to teach pressure defense at least if shots aren’t falling you always have that in your bag
My guess is he knows deep down he isn't going to be successful here.
We should try to negotiate a mutual separation package that is less than hisfull buyout. We could tell him the alternative would be for him to be fired and have that on his resume.
Of course, all of that would require a competent AD, so I'm not holding my breath.
We should try to negotiate a mutual separation package that is less than hisfull buyout. We could tell him the alternative would be for him to be fired and have that on his resume.
Of course, all of that would require a competent AD, so I'm not holding my breath.
Amen brother, he’s not leaving without a big fat check in his hand and neither would you or I. This whole sad situation is totally the fault of our lazy and incompetent administration! Bad part,I believe we are stuck with this for longer than many believe!
Except that’s not really how it’s works. Mark cannot recruit to Kentucky. He’s going to be absolutely humiliated and the entire state wants him out minus the slow among us which, there’s always a few of them (Nitro etc).
He has a family and stress and future to worry about. Staying at Kentucky and having your teeth kicked in for another year isn’t something the average human can deal with.
You come together and say it’s over, boosters pull funding, Mark sees the writing on the wall and thinks about his family. You come together and settle an agreement over time at a price both sides think is fair. Mark gets dignity and money on the way out and allows Kentucky to move on.
That’s how this should happen and it might. The problem people don’t seem to grasp is mark knows more about the future than we do. We see it’s Dark, he’s KNOWS it’s dark. HE CANNOT RECRUIT PLAYERS. Nobody is going to play for him. So yes he can and should settle out and step aside. Hanging in would make sense if he could RECRUIT. he can’t.
I’m afraid you might be right with your last line.
With the UK president putting out that video last week saying the future of UK athletics is generating more revenue and cutting expenses. Reading between those lines, buying out a coach for $17M doesn’t fit into the cutting expenses bucket. We might be saddled with Pope another 2 years, barring a return to form for UK or an unmitigated disaster next season.
I’m not pleased with Pope after the results of this season, but I can’t fault the man for taking the job. I am more angry with Mitch for making what seems to be the “safe” hire when Mitch knew he was on his way out the door.