Radical changes needed for UK's Basketball Program

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

Thanks to the transfer portal, everyone starts off with an empty roster. This isn’t unique to Kentucky and Pope. Even Cal at Arkansas had an empty roster when he was first hired.

You have a 1000 excuses for Pope with problems every single college coach has. Nothing about injuries or “schedule difficulty” or roster turnover or any of that nonsense is any different for any other SEC coach.

This is false and it's utterly ridiculous to try to sell it as being accurate.

 

[mash_24]

We have a backcourt of 2 highly regarded guards both of whom could have gone about anywhere. We have a veteran small forward who is one of the best shooters in the country. We have a couple kids for the power forward spot who “should” complement each other well. We have one of the top young up and coming centers in the country backed up by a defensive minded vet. In K Williams, Hawthorne we have two long wing guys who can possibly be 3 and D guys. Noah despite all the ridicule could develop into a nice bench piece as could M Williams. The makeup of this team looks good. Will it translate on the court? That’s the question Popes job hinges on.

 

[Catastic5]

This is false and it's utterly ridiculous to try to sell it as being accurate.

I suppose if you claim it’s untrue long enough, even you’ll begin to believe it.

 

[dckala2_]

What will really irk me is losing to the 11 through 14 teams…by double digits.

 

[WallMash]

I'm a Pope critic, but I'm excited for the season, I always am, because Pope did well in the portal and because I'm a UK basketball fan. End of story.

 

[RunninRichie]

That's definitely going off topic but I had nothing to do with running off Cal. Pope is trying to clean up the mess of inheriting an empty roster and has had his two seasons severely hampered by injuries and the two most difficult schedules in school history as I said.

Dusty May took over a Michigan program coming off 8 wins. He won a NCAA title in 2 seasons. Pope has some of the highest NIL in the country, to put together elite rosters, he's failed.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Dusty May took over a Michigan program coming off 8 wins. He won a NCAA title in 2 seasons. Pope has some of the highest NIL in the country, to put together elite rosters, he's failed.

They like to ignore the Michigan story.

They also ignore u when u ask them to compare Popes first 2 seasons of ncaa eligibility to Cals or Smiths or Pitinos or Halls.

They dont want to compare Pope to his UK peers because all those guys made a final four n year 1 or 2. And none of this guys had a NIL war chest to install build a mega roster like Pope too. Pope cant recruit still though, and thats pathetic.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

They like to ignore the Michigan story.

They also ignore u when u ask them to compare Popes first 2 seasons of ncaa eligibility to Cals or Smiths or Pitinos or Halls.

They dont want to compare Pope to his UK peers because all those guys made a final four n year 1 or 2. And none of this guys had a NIL war chest to install build a mega roster like Pope too. Pope cant recruit still though, and thats pathetic.

This been posted and corrected before.. Hall did not make the Final Four in his first two seasons. Joe B was 33 and 21 after two seasons. Tubby made it season one with a loaded roster he inherited but never again.

Rupp and Pitino left JH and TS well stocked talented rosters. Cal left MP incoming freshman Travis Perry and nothing else.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

Dusty May took over a Michigan program coming off 8 wins. He won a NCAA title in 2 seasons. Pope has some of the highest NIL in the country, to put together elite rosters, he's failed.

That is one isolated example. It does not prove what you want it to. There are always exceptions to the rule and it just does not carry the weight you seem to think it does.

 

[RunninRichie]

That is one isolated example. It does not prove what you want it to. There are always exceptions to the rule and it just not carry the weight you seem to think it does.

You just respond to everyone with "no, you're wrong". You're the same guy who shilled for Stoops, right up until 41-0, even when he tried to bail for Texas 7&5. This is just another shill job, you can't be taken serious, because you have no objectivity, you're the ultimate homer.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

You just respond to everyone with "no, you're wrong". You're the same guy who shilled for Stoops, right up until 41-0, even when he tried to bail for Texas 7&5. This is just another shill job, you can't be taken serious, because you have no objectivity, you're the ultimate homer.

You just spout stuff that does not actually make the point you insist it does. Picking out one coach who quickly made a tremendous turn around doesn't prove anything. There is a difference in what is possible with the right situation when everything comes together and what is a reasonable immediate demand.

Pope has gotten off to a fairly pedestrian start which I have said many times must improve but there are some legitimate reasons to believe it could well improve. I'm not the one claiming to have a crystal ball and thinking I can tell the future. He will either succeed or a change will be made. Firing him after only two seasons short of catastrophe or off court issues is no way to do business imo and regardless of what his name is or whether he had any previous connection to UK it would not change my opinion on that.

 

[RunninRichie]

This been posted and corrected before.. Hall did not make the Final Four in his first two seasons. Joe B was 33 and 21 after two seasons. Tubby made it season one with a loaded roster he inherited but never again.

Rupp and Pitino left JH and TS well stocked talented rosters. Cal left MP incoming freshman Travis Perry and nothing else.

Your argument would hold credence in 1998. Not in 2024, when Pope was hired, with this thing called the transfer portal, and NIL.

 

[PooPooPeePeePoo]

Pope is guaranteed to lose 8-12 games per year, finish middle of the pack in SEC and flame out in the Sweet 16. Win some huge games, lose games we have no business losing. It is what it is and he is what he is. The question is how long will the new AD deem that to be okay?

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

Your argument would hold credence in 1998. Not in 2024, when Pope was hired, with this thing called the transfer portal, and NIL.

The factual correction I made there is in no way dependent on the portal or NIL. Every team has the transfer portal and Nil now. It is not the magic wand you believe it to be.

 

[Kingslayer07]

Pope is guaranteed to lose 8-12 games per year, finish middle of the pack in SEC and flame out in the Sweet 16. Win some huge games, lose games we have no business losing. It is what it is and he is what he is. The question is how long will the new AD deem that to be okay?

Not very long hopefully!

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

Pope is guaranteed to lose 8-12 games per year, finish middle of the pack in SEC and flame out in the Sweet 16. Win some huge games, lose games we have no business losing. It is what it is and he is what he is. The question is how long will the new AD deem that to be okay?

We sure have a lot of posters who imagine themselves to have Nostradamus like powers on here.