Pope and Tom Leach post game

[TFCat11]

Exactly. He failed everyone talking about how great this team was going to be. Comparing it to the 1996 team. This team would not be able to compete with the 1996 team.

I must have missed that! Did he really publicly compare the two? Just wow!

If so, he’s getting the karma he deserves for jumping that shark!

 

[TFCat11]

Wayyy too early to be talking about "buyouts".

Correct! Pope would resign first, I have no doubt.

 

[Monday Nitro]

Wayyy too early to be talking about "buyouts".

Its beyond embarrassing……in mid November no less.

 

[TFCat11]

Hold up what are you saying?? You criticized everyone when some were saying he couldn’t recruit. Why the change of heart?

I will give credit where credit is due… He did change, so I have mad respect for that

 

[Monday Nitro]

Hiring a coach is like recruiting a high school or portal coach. The coaches have to want to like the ADs to want to coach for them.

No, it’s likely that Mitch went after Scott Drew, appeased boosters with Huxley and then settled with Pope after spending most of his time finding a great women’s basketball coach.

Either possibly makes Barnhart look awful by the way. Remember when no one wanted the job in 2007 and we ended up with BCG? Remember when Mitch wasn’t involved with the Calipari hire in 2009? What does that say about Mitch Barnhart?

Mitch and Scott are VERY close friends. If he was scared off, its because of the absurd way the loud minority behaves.

 

[TFCat11]

Scott Drew’s family didn’t want to move or he would have most likely taken the job. Mitch could have hired someone with a good resume. This is a premier job in college basketball.

Not to defend Mitch here, but he was running out of time for the next coach to build a team, and probably paused at wanting to wait for a Billy D. decision.

 

[wkycatfan7]

Mitch despite all his faults, got Cal out of here pretty seamlessly. That is worth a lot.

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter_rivals62132]

To clarify, I was talking about the extension. Don't see any reason to give an extra year after one season if there was no chance of losing him. Maybe after a few years of success. I'm still not giving up hope that he can turn it around. Just very concerned.

It wasn't "given". It is a contracturual obligation.

It is in Pope's contract that if he makes the Sweet 16 an extra year is added automatically.

Just another example of overcompensation given to coaches by Barnhart.

 

[TFCat11]

Pope needs to get rid of some his assistant coaches but he is to nice of a guy to do that

And there I was, believing UK had the premier coaching staff when it was put together!

Wrong!!!

 

[RunninRichie]

Pope will go on his own before there’s ever talk of buyouts. If this year collapses he will likely bow out on his own.

Yeah, Pope is an honorable guy. If he thinks he can’t do this job, he’ll bow out. He loves UK and the state too much. He’s not like Calipari.

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter_rivals62132]

Please tell me the auto extension part isn’t true. Mitch is the worst contract negotiator in history and it’s really not even close.

It's 100% true.

UK also owes 75% of the remaining contract if Pope is fired without cause. Because of the extension, UK would still ow 75% of the original contract.

Barnhart is the issue here, folks...always has been.

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter_rivals62132]

Not to defend Mitch here, but he was running out of time for the next coach to build a team, and probably paused at wanting to wait for a Billy D. decision.

Bruce Pearl would have crawled to Lexington if offered, and would have killed it here, IMO.

It's Barnhart's pearl clutching that got us here.

 

[3 Putts]

We had no one else. Even mid tier guys like Scott Drew said "thanks but no thanks".
That is troublesome. For such a storied program, we sure dont seem to have people lining up to coach here .

Makes no sense with the way Mitch hands out raises and extensions for mediocrity. If I’m a coach with a really good resume I’d have to jump on the gravy train and negotiate a Stoops or Cal like buyout.

 

[RunninRichie]

Bruce Pearl would have crawled to Lexington if offered, and would have killed it here, IMO.

It's Barnhart's pearl clutching that got us here.

How much to get him out of retirement?

 

[Wildcat Sheli]

Not to defend Mitch here, but he was running out of time for the next coach to build a team, and probably paused at wanting to wait for a Billy D. decision.

I’m going to hold my comments about the current situation, except to ask why Billy D wasn’t asked? I understand they had to recruit a roster for UK’s next season quickly and the mad rush to do so with deadlines, but Billy D’s season ended just a few days after the announcement. In the long scheme of things, would 4 days have made a huge difference in gathering a quality roster, or did MB already know BD would say no? I haven’t heard much about this and my curious mind would like to know.

 

[RunninRichie]

I’m going to hold my comments about the current situation, except to ask why Billy D wasn’t asked? I understand they had to recruit a roster for UK’s next season quickly and the mad rush to do so with deadlines, but Billy D’s season ended just a few days after the announcement. In the long scheme of things, would 4 days have made a huge difference in gathering a quality roster, or did MB already know BD would say no? I haven’t heard much about this and my curious mind would like to know.

Mitch panic hired

 

[travisbickle]

I think Pope’s words over the next few weeks will be very telling. He seems to be honest to a fault which is why the weird pregame Louisville comment came out.

I’m rooting for him to figure it out but it’s such a night and day difference from last year that it’s pretty shocking.