Pope and Tom Leach post game

Dec 3, 2024
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Yeah, and where are they? That proves my point.

How many coaching searches since Pitino need to let some of you down before you wisen uo?
One common denominator, Barnhart. If you think coaches won't come to the UK, get paid 10 million, and have 22 million to make a roster, you might be slow. But our AD is scared to death to hire anybody who has a parking ticket.
 

buc puppet

All-Conference
Mar 22, 2004
678
1,221
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I’m way too depressed to argue, but Michigan State isn’t a talented team either. They had the 23rd best recruiting class and no standout talent. The difference is, and I know this sucks, Izzo — even at this washed up age—is a hundred times the tactician than Pope. It’s sad
I thought you said a standout talent isn’t needed. We are all trying to tell you that it is. I’m glad to see you’ve come around. We need at least 1-2 DUDES.

pay stokes whatever he wants and do it now. We spared no expense when we bought this squad
 
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Jul 30, 2024
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I thought you said a standout talent isn’t needed. We are all trying to tell you that it is. I’m glad to see you’ve come around. We need at least 1-2 DUDES.

pay stokes whatever he wants and do it now. We spared no expense when we bought this squad
What DUDES beat us tonight? Looked to me like we got beat by a team with the 23rd best recruiting class and probably no one that’s an NBA lottery pick. They actually beat us much worse than the last team we played that had way more talent and NBA hype. That said, idgaf, too depressing to argue over it, so if you think that was the answer tonight cheers man
 

buc puppet

All-Conference
Mar 22, 2004
678
1,221
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We had a golden opportunity to put all our money in on basketball and pass UCLA while the door was wide open but instead we can win 6 games in football and have a damn good women’s rugby team
Dude we already spent the most money
And this is what we got. Why do you keep saying this? This argument devoid you of any credibility at all.
 

Woodrow24

Heisman
Dec 21, 2015
5,857
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I have actual perspective outside of the state, which you could use.

This is the type of fan kentucky needs to put a helmet on when recruits come to visit. Imagine this guy talking to someone like AJ Dybantsa in passing..
Ive lived outside of the state. You always were a punk and I’ve never liked your posts because of crap like this right here. Keyboard warriors like you are amusing. I know you’re a wuss so I won’t waste my time
 
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Jul 30, 2024
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I'm laughing at him actually. Its pretty funny when the best basketball wisdom someone offers is, "DOH Dat coach. He bad".
Laugh it up. At least I try to be honest. I don’t try to wear a smile and say how great it’s going when I see all kinds of problems. You might simply be better than me, but I’ll always try to stay real
 

ZaytovenCat

All-American
Apr 25, 2013
23,526
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Didn't listen, but I feel bad for him. I mean, we know this is his dream job, and at this moment, he is completely failing. It is what it is but on a human level it's rough.
He’s definitely failing but I don’t really feel sorry for him. He’s brought a lot of this on himself from the start. Recruiting has been an issue for him. He had Antigua sitting at Kentucky already with an office and wanting to stay and he let him go to bring in Hart who hasn’t done a damn thing. His second recruiter he hired hasn’t been much better either, Brooks.

I’m sure he didn’t keep Orlando just because he didn’t want any Cal guys and to prove he could do it on his own. If so then his ego is coming back to bite him in the ***.
 

kybassfan

Heisman
Jul 1, 2005
20,032
16,368
113
You love every coach UK has had and think they are above reproach.
Yes, I don't trash my team on a public national forum. That always seemed really stupid to me. Pope will be the coach next year, the year after and the year after that. The bashing has been going on for a couple decades now. Just look how effective it has been. LOL!!!!
 

ZaytovenCat

All-American
Apr 25, 2013
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I laughed at this. Not because I find it funny in a technical sense or that I disagree with you, but because it is likely true and that it only took barely over a season to have to acknowledge it.

Not kidding about laughing. Tears. In. My. Eyes.
Are we really surprised though. It seemed like everyone’s first reaction to the Pope hire was outrage and anger. We knew he wasn’t good enough. Somehow getting 90% of the fanbase to flip overnight and be happy with the hire is the greatest sales job I’ve ever seen. Or maybe BBN was just desperate for it to work and talked themselves into it?
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 .
Because we have a piss poor AD. Mitch is a horrible negotiator and he doesn’t seem very likeable. So I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that he can’t land an elite coach.

But something to note, the board of trustees told him he couldn’t even offer Pearl, Miller and maybe even Oats? If he had any balls he would have told the BOT to shove it. I’m beyond fed up with these holier than thou people at UK in these roles where they basically decide the fate of basketball and football.
And Mitch gave him a huge raise and auto extensions for getting to he Fing sweet 16.
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.
 

true-blue1

All-American
May 15, 2007
11,582
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After seeing this interview something isn’t right. Man this is bad.
 
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ukfan042

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Jul 14, 2025
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He’s definitely failing but I don’t really feel sorry for him. He’s brought a lot of this on himself from the start. Recruiting has been an issue for him. He had Antigua sitting at Kentucky already with an office and wanting to stay and he let him go to bring in Hart who hasn’t done a damn thing. His second recruiter he hired hasn’t been much better either, Brooks.

I’m sure he didn’t keep Orlando just because he didn’t want any Cal guys and to prove he could do it on his own. If so then his ego is coming back to bite him in the ***.
He definitely made a catastrophic mistake not retaining Coach O! That’s gonna be further proven when we sign no one in the early signing period and lose out on Stokes!
 

bnewt

Heisman
May 29, 2001
8,851
11,021
113
To me it demonstrates that he has no concept of understanding real talent. He thought this team would be awesome. Losing Lowe is not a good enough an excuse when you have the depth that Pope bragged about.
Why is everyone so excited about Lowe? He was 2 team acc, and the acc was terrible last year. The kid from university that went to lsu is having a pretty good year. Another one that was supposed to be at uk but mysteriously went elsewhere
 
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bnewt

Heisman
May 29, 2001
8,851
11,021
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Please, he was going to have his salary doubled. His family didnt want to come here, in part because its not exactly a great state/city (sorry), but they would have if Scott really wanted to be here. They chose Waco Texas and a middling Big12 school. Think about that.

Some of you have to wake up. We hired Tubby, meh. We hired BCG when everyone else said no. We only got Cal because he got in trouble at Memphis.. and now this.

You guys have to realize this is not the amazing job you think it is. Its a ton of pressure and scrutiny, in a state void of real basketball talent, with a bad GM, and not a whole lot of money going around. I dont know what is going to make you realize that.
The only thing that makes uk special is the fans love fest with basketball
 
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BlueSince92

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
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Don’t tell me the man who broke the single-season Div 1 record for most wins against top-15 opponents

and did it with a team of mostly scrubs

up and forgot how to coach the very next year.

Something is obviously going on. Something bad, whether it’s just error catastrophe from too many young minds trying to absorb a complicated system too fast or it’s something else more problematic lurking below that.

Something is wrong and it’s starting to look so wrong that it’s not impossible this whole year might be a wash. No need to mince words about that.

But whatever is going on, it doesn’t mean Mark Pope can’t coach or can’t coach well or can’t coach well here. We have permanent undeniable evidence that he can do all those things. He can do all those things with his own players because that’s all he’s ever had except for Travis Perry.

Suddenly believing he can’t just because you’re unhappy is inner-work-needed stuff. Respect yourself more than that.
 

Vek96

All-Conference
Jul 4, 2025
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I’m way too depressed to argue, but Michigan State isn’t a talented team either. They had the 23rd best recruiting class and no standout talent. The difference is, and I know this sucks, Izzo — even at this washed up age—is a hundred times the tactician than Pope. It’s sad
Exactly right. Michigan St is a decent team. They’ll make the tournament, and may win a game or two, but they’re not great. Frankly, neither is Louisville.
 

Vek96

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Jul 4, 2025
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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.
Compete? 😂 That ‘96 team would beat this team by 40, on a bad night.
 
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