So, after telling us that he has all pieces…

[Vek96]

…to win a title this season, our defense is as bad as last season, and our offense is worse.

Players look like they’re getting an enema. No pride. No intensity. These dudes are getting paid, and they look like Zombies.

Meanwhile, Pope‘s on the sideline squinting like he doesn’t want to see what’s actually happening.

I’m not sure he has any balls. Get in a players face occasionally, and at least pretend you’re in charge. My God, at least go down fighting.

Has Jelavic entered the Witness Protection Program? How about an update on him.

 

[[email protected]]

Sadly, it was time for Coach Cal to leave but one thing that I did love during that first five season was the fire and passion that he shown and he wasn’t scared to get into the players faces. He didn’t care if you were a 5 star player, he held them accountable. Something he didn’t really do in the last 4 or 5 seasons before he left.

I hate to say it, but Pope personality is too “soft” for this job. I don’t see the fire and passion on the sideline, he looks like a deer in headlights not knowing what to do or say.

 

[Vek96]

Sadly, it was time for Coach Cal to leave but one thing that I did love during that first five season was the fire and passion that he shown and he wasn’t scared to get into the players faces. He didn’t care if you were a 5 star player, he held them accountable. Something he didn’t really do in the last 4 or 5 seasons before he left.

I hate to say it, but Pope personality is too “soft” for this job. I don’t see the fire and passion on the sideline, he looks like a deer in headlights not knowing what to do or say.

Agree. Pope looks like he’s lost, and has no idea what to do.

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

Remember when he yelled at Garrison and people thought the season was turning around? Yeah …

 

[Anon1759768907]

Well theres other deeper rooted issues kther than just wins and losses, i mean we cant properly build a program now because his recruiting is so poor we can only pay for older seniors

 

[kyjeff1]

His church/dad/cheeseball schtick isn’t going to work anymore. It worked last year, because it was a feel good story and the players were engaged in it, but now, that goofy crap is just annoying. Nobody is getting hyped to play for a corny dude.
He has to change his schtick, his wife and daughters won’t like him much, but it's what he has to do.
But what's even worse, is his game planning, lack of adjustments, offensive identity, defensive schemes and lineup philosophies.
Freaking start your best 5 and play them 30 freaking minutes, stop trying to be cute with the lineups, it's not working.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

His church/dad/cheeseball schtick isn’t going to work anymore. It worked last year, because it was a feel good story and the players were engaged in it, but now, that goofy crap is just annoying. Nobody is getting hyped to play for a corny dude.
He has to change his schtick, his wife and daughters won’t like him much, but it's what he has to do.
But what's even worse, is his game planning, lack of adjustments, offensive identity, defensive schemes and lineup philosophies.
Freaking start your best 5 and play them 30 freaking minutes, stop trying to be cute with the lineups, it's not working.

I want to know who his analysts are and where they got their degrees from because what we do doesn’t work according to his numbers.

 

[kyjeff1]

I want to know who his analysts are and where they got their degrees from because what we do doesn’t work according to his numbers.

I think they hired Alabama's assistant coaches to formulate their gameplan for yesterday's game. That is the only thing that makes sense right now.

 

[Woodrow24]

“It’S tHe fAnS FaUlt….”

 

[JHR1932]

Sadly, it was time for Coach Cal to leave but one thing that I did love during that first five season was the fire and passion that he shown and he wasn’t scared to get into the players faces. He didn’t care if you were a 5 star player, he held them accountable. Something he didn’t really do in the last 4 or 5 seasons before he left.

I hate to say it, but Pope personality is too “soft” for this job. I don’t see the fire and passion on the sideline, he looks like a deer in headlights not knowing what to do or say.

Totally agree way to soft

 

[Vek96]

His church/dad/cheeseball schtick isn’t going to work anymore. It worked last year, because it was a feel good story and the players were engaged in it, but now, that goofy crap is just annoying. Nobody is getting hyped to play for a corny dude.
He has to change his schtick, his wife and daughters won’t like him much, but it's what he has to do.
But what's even worse, is his game planning, lack of adjustments, offensive identity, defensive schemes and lineup philosophies.
Freaking start your best 5 and play them 30 freaking minutes, stop trying to be cute with the lineups, it's not working.

How about just playing your best lineups most of the time?

Can’t possibly get tired, because there’s like a thousand time outs.

 

[Vek96]

I want to know who his analysts are and where they got their degrees from because what we do doesn’t work according to his numbers.

 

[Vek96]

I know this, Oats has absolutely owned Pope so far.

Those of you that say you don’t want Oats here, are foolish. Did you see that dude coaching yesterday? He was full throttle on the refs, his players, and didn’t stop the entire game, and it sure seems lIke his players would run thru fire for him.

 

[CELTICAT]

I know this, Oats has absolutely owned Pope so far.

Those of you that say you don’t want Oats here, are foolish. Did you see that dude coaching yesterday? He was full throttle on the refs, his players, and didn’t stop the entire game, and it sure seems lIke his players would run thru fire for him.

has coached circles around pope then after game laid out how ****** our schemes and coaching are.

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

I want to know who his analysts are and where they got their degrees from because what we do doesn’t work according to his numbers.

He's given analytics a bad name honestly. Analytics doesn't mean you ignore your eyes. It doesn't mean you bring your best players off the bench. It doesn't mean you have ZERO intuitive feel for the game.

A lot of these decisions are just Mark Pope decisions and he's hiding behind "well the numbers say". Many great modern coaches use analytics extensively, Mark Few and Nate Oats being two of the biggest proponents. BUT they also know the spreadsheet will only take you so far. There's a world of difference between a good team on paper and a good team in practice.

 

[kyjeff1]

How about just playing your best lineups most of the time?

Can’t possibly get tired, because there’s like a thousand time outs.

Yeah, he hasn't learned his lesson after a year and a half. The old Rocky Balboa vs Ivan Drago game plan works when it's a David vs Goliath situation, but going to that well every game, is stupid. It causes us to be down big against any team with a pulse and more importantly, it's costing us recruits.

How does he not see what's happening? He doesn't start his best players, he jumbles up the lineups, we get down by 20, he plays the best 5 players, we surge and sometimes make it competitive, then he does the same thing the next game.

It's dumb. Start your best players and play them 30 minutes, this isn’t hard to figure out.

If he starts the Missouri game with Lowe and JQ on the bench, I'm done and he should be done too.

 

[Vek96]

has coached circles around pope then after game laid out how ****** our schemes and coaching are.

Exactly right.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

He's given analytics a bad name honestly. Analytics doesn't mean you ignore your eyes. It doesn't mean you bring your best players off the bench. It doesn't mean you have ZERO intuitive feel for the game.

A lot of these decisions are just Mark Pope decisions and he's hiding behind "well the numbers say". Many great modern coaches use analytics extensively, Mark Few and Nate Oats being two of the biggest proponents. BUT they also know the spreadsheet will only take you so far. There's a world of difference between a good team on paper and a good team in practice.

Very well said. Add Dusty May, Todd Golden, Dan Hurley and Jon Scheyer to that list as well. Pope makes weird assumptions with data —- that’s not on the data, that’s on Pope.

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

Yeah, he hasn't learned his lesson after a year and a half. The old Rocky Balboa vs Ivan Drago game plan works when it's a David vs Goliath situation, but going to that well every game, is stupid. It causes us to be down big against any team with a pulse and more importantly, it's costing us recruits.

How does he not see what's happening? He doesn't start his best players, he jumbles up the lineups, we get down by 20, he plays the best 5 players, we surge and sometimes make it competitive, then he does the same thing the next game.

It's dumb. Start your best players and play them 30 minutes, this isn’t hard to figure out.

If he starts the Missouri game with Lowe and JQ on the bench, I'm done and he should be done too.

He's being a stubborn prick

 

[sefus12]

This team simply doesn’t have the skill to run Pope’s offensive system. Yes, a lot of that is on Pope for roster construction but some of it is on the players who just aren’t living up to expectations, especially when it comes to shooting, and injuries played a part as well.

I’m hoping Pope learns a lot of lessons from what’s happened so far this season, but unless these guys miraculously start playing against better teams the way they do against lesser teams, I don’t see much hope for a big turnaround. Just the wrong pieces to make it work.

 

[Stenchymouse]

Geez!

There are a dozen other threads saying that Pope sucks.

Couldn't you just have commented on one of those?

 

[Woodrow24]

Geez!

There are a dozen other threads saying that Pope sucks.

Couldn't you just have commented on one of those?

Geez, why did you read this if it bothered you? SMH

 

[kyjeff1]

This team simply doesn’t have the skill to run Pope’s offensive system. Yes, a lot of that is on Pope for roster construction but some of it is on the players who just aren’t living up to expectations, especially when it comes to shooting, and injuries played a part as well.

I’m hoping Pope learns a lot of lessons from what’s happened so far this season, but unless these guys miraculously start playing against better teams the way they do against lesser teams, I don’t see much hope for a big turnaround. Just the wrong pieces to make it work.

They have the skill to run many different offenses, the issue is, the offense pope is trying to run, makes zero sense. The players look confused. Heck, we're all confused, nobody has any idea what Pope is trying to do. It just looks like guys trying to go one on 4.

We're 14 games in and the offense has not changed. It’s Cal ball without NBA talent. Why does this guy think this is what this team should he doing?

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

Very well said. Add Dusty May, Todd Golden, Dan Hurley and Jon Scheyer to that list as well. Pope makes weird assumptions with data —- that’s not on the data, that’s on Pope.

Yep. All great examples.
I work in financial data analysis so I get a bit defensive when people diminish sports analytics and just have a purely old school "eye test" mentality.
You need both.
We collect a ton of data on teams, Pope is always going on about it. But how are we interpreting said data? What data told him to leave Bama open from 3 all game?? What data said he should bench Kam Williams after an 8 3pter game?

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Yep. All great examples.
I work in financial data analysis so I get a bit defensive when people diminish sports analytics and just have a purely old school "eye test" mentality.
You need both.
We collect a ton of data on teams, Pope is always going on about it. But how are we interpreting said data? What data told him to leave Bama open from 3 all game?? What data said he should bench Kam Williams after an 8 3pter game?

You absolutely need BOTH.

 

[kyjeff1]

I get this feeling Pope is going to wake up one day in Mid March and realize he should try something different offensively with this team and do it with the 5 best players.

Hopefully when/if that happens, we aren't in a hole that is too deep to climb out of.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

I get this feeling Pope is going to wake up one day in Mid March and realize he should try something different offensively with this team and do it with the 5 best players.

Hopefully when/if that happens, we aren't in a hole that is too deep to climb out of.

Honestly, I think offense is an easy fix. In the off-season, he prioritizes guys better that fit his system. He took a gamble trying to improve defense and it tanked his offense. I keep coming back to how does he fix the defense. Only way I can see it working is if he fires Fox and gets a defensive coach —- maybe a Buzz Williams or Kelvin Sampson protege and entrusts it to them.

 

[Tprinceuk]

Sadly, it was time for Coach Cal to leave but one thing that I did love during that first five season was the fire and passion that he shown and he wasn’t scared to get into the players faces. He didn’t care if you were a 5 star player, he held them accountable. Something he didn’t really do in the last 4 or 5 seasons before he left.

I hate to say it, but Pope personality is too “soft” for this job. I don’t see the fire and passion on the sideline, he looks like a deer in headlights not knowing what to do or say.

Exactly if Cal had kept that level of intensity i would have never wanted him to leave but he got to comfortable and complacent, after last year i thought Pope could succeed here but now I doubt it.

 

[kyjeff1]

Honestly, I think offense is an easy fix. In the off-season, he prioritizes guys better that fit his system. He took a gamble trying to improve defense and it tanked his offense. I keep coming back to how does he fix the defense. Only way I can see it working is if he fires Fox and gets a defensive coach —- maybe a Buzz Williams or Kelvin Sampson protege and entrusts it to them.

Problem is, he can't wait until the season is over to fix the offense. He has a 22 million dollar roster this year. It has a couple of shooters, it has size, it has athleticism and it has depth. He has a lottery pick in the paint.

We're 14 games in and he has tried to jam a square peg into a triangular hole. Stop the Iso crap and run an offense that this team can relate to.

On defense, we should be elite. Again, we have size, length, athletesism and depth. Our issues are with the coaches and their incredibly bad game planning.

You can't leave anyone open at this level and you damn sure can't do that with Alabama from 3 point range. This coaching staff decided to do all the things you absolutely cannot do against Bama and did it all game long.

I would love to sit in the film room with Pope and hear what he says when he watches yesterdays tape. I just don't understand the thought process.

 

[Coach777]

Well theres other deeper rooted issues kther than just wins and losses, i mean we cant properly build a program now because his recruiting is so poor we can only pay for older seniors

And trust me the only way Kentucky will get players in the future is they’ll have to pay more than other teams. Pope definitely doesn’t offer any incentive on how he coaches for someone to want to play for him.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Problem is, he can't wait until the season is over to fix the offense. He has a 22 million dollar roster this year. It has a couple of shooters, it has size, it has athleticism and it has depth. He has a lottery pick in the paint.

We're 14 games in and he has tried to jam a square peg into a triangular hole. Stop the Iso crap and run an offense that this team can relate to.

On defense, we should be elite. Again, we have size, length, athletesism and depth. Our issues are with the coaches and their incredibly bad game planning.

You can't leave anyone open at this level and you damn sure can't do that with Alabama from 3 point range. This coaching staff decided to do all the things you absolutely cannot do against Bama and did it all game long.

I would love to sit in the film room with Pope and hear what he says when he watches yesterday’s tape. I just don't understand the thought process.

I feel like offense is as simple as guys making more shots and I’m confident they will at some point. That will mean the zoom sets will work more because defenses can’t just go under everything. The offense has a glass ceiling based on personnel though — it was clearly meant to be a “win with defense” and “generate offense with defense” type of team — but the defense is far too conservative for that. I still think we end up a top 25 offense by year’s end. Defense falling game by game without marked improvement scares the hell out of me, because there isn’t a single good reason that should be happening. If there is, I’d welcome someone to correct me so I can be more optimistic. I hate feeling hopeless about everything.

 

[Madhuvan]

I get this feeling Pope is going to wake up one day in Mid March and realize he should try something different offensively with this team and do it with the 5 best players.

Hopefully when/if that happens, we aren't in a hole that is too deep to climb out of.

It’ll be an NIT game if he doesn’t figure something out before mid March.

 

[kyjeff1]

I feel like offense is as simple as guys making more shots and I’m confident they will at some point. That will mean the zoom sets will work more because defenses can’t just go under everything. The offense has a glass ceiling based on personnel though — it was clearly meant to be a “win with defense” and “generate offense with defense” type of team — but the defense is far too conservative for that. I still think we end up a top 25 offense by year’s end. Defense falling game by game without marked improvement scares the hell out of me, because there isn’t a single good reason that should be happening. If there is, I’d welcome someone to correct me so I can be more optimistic. I hate feeling hopeless about everything.

IDK if this can be a top 25 offense. He would need to change everything he's tried to do up to this point and he’s going to have to come off of his starting lineup and substitution philosophies.
Seems to me he thinks his stuff will eventually work, but I have news for him, it won't.

 

[BlueBlood96Cat]

Jobs bringing Pope down. It’s clearly affecting him. He’s not the same coach as when he started. Something happened to this team. Idk which rumor was true but something happened.

Pope isn’t the same and the team is not right. Something happened. We aren’t 20 -35 points worse than everybody.

 

[kyjeff1]

It’ll be an NIT game if he doesn’t figure something out before mid March.

If the obvious changes haven’t hit him between the eyes after 14 games with this team, I have no reason to believe it will any time soon.

 

[Goingfor9]

Sadly, it was time for Coach Cal to leave but one thing that I did love during that first five season was the fire and passion that he shown and he wasn’t scared to get into the players faces. He didn’t care if you were a 5 star player, he held them accountable. Something he didn’t really do in the last 4 or 5 seasons before he left.

I hate to say it, but Pope personality is too “soft” for this job. I don’t see the fire and passion on the sideline, he looks like a deer in headlights not knowing what to do or say.

Pope is a women’s coach if coaching is his gig. IMO he’s not wired to coach men. His demeanor does not bring out the dawg in his players. Hes better off in medicine or women’s basketball. He has dudes who need a strong masculine man to look up to. I used to really like mark but he is doing damage to our program with the feelings approach he takes. I think barney banked on him being a little better and getting away with that image. Bbn went nuts the night he was hired many people couldn’t sleep until they got an explanation and Barney gave it. Feelings. “Dont worry just enjoy watching we are going to give you a former player so your feelings guide you as a fan”. This is disgusting what Barney has done. And the longer this goes and more pope does the more complicit he is with barnsack. Pope needs to step down when the season is over. I can hear the “I’m not a quitter blah blah blah”. But pope is a smart guy and “quit” on being a dr. Sometimes passing the torch is the best especially if you recognize bbn was apoplectic when you’re hired. I mean bbn was pissed beyond any time I remember. Friends who don’t cuss and are goody goodys were fbombing on texts. Pope was hired under those conditions and if he truly loves BBN he ll walk away unless this team turns it around and makes a run in the ncaat like a ff run. We don’t have time for more of the same. 11 years since a final four.

 

[BlueBlood96Cat]

Pope is a women’s coach if coaching is his gig. IMO he’s not wired to coach men. His demeanor does not bring out the dawg in his players. Hes better off in medicine or women’s basketball. He has dudes who need a strong masculine man to look up to. I used to really like mark but he is doing damage to our program with the feelings approach he takes. I think barney banked on him being a little better and getting away with that image. Bbn went nuts the night he was hired many people couldn’t sleep until they got an explanation and Barney gave it. Feelings. “Dont worry just enjoy watching we are going to give you a former player so your feelings guide you as a fan”. This is disgusting what Barney has done. And the longer this goes and more pope does the more complicit he is with barnsack. Pope needs to step down when the season is over. I can hear the “I’m not a quitter blah blah blah”. But pope is a smart guy and “quit” on being a dr. Sometimes passing the torch is the best especially if you recognize bbn was apoplectic when you’re hired. I mean bbn was pissed beyond any time I remember. Friends who don’t cuss and are goody goodys were fbombing on texts. Pope was hired under those conditions and if he truly loves BBN he ll walk away unless this team turns it around and makes a run in the ncaat like a ff run. We don’t have time for more of the same. 11 years since a final four.

100%

 

[gbl97]

Jobs bringing Pope down. It’s clearly affecting him. He’s not the same coach as when he started. Something happened to this team. Idk which rumor was true but something happened.

Pope isn’t the same and the team is not right. Something happened. We aren’t 20 -35 points worse than everybody.

Imagine how frustrated Pope must be. Every player on this team has performed below expectations (except maybe Moreno). He's baffled how he misjudged so badly and nothing he tries seems to work. He can't publicly say how bad the players are. He just has to sit in it and wait for it to end in March, so he can replace this roster and try again.

 

[Henogee1975]

These dudes can’t shoot a lick and can’t play perimeter defense at all. You can’t have both of those things.

 

[fisherscatfan]

His church/dad/cheeseball schtick isn’t going to work anymore. It worked last year, because it was a feel good story and the players were engaged in it, but now, that goofy crap is just annoying. Nobody is getting hyped to play for a corny dude.
He has to change his schtick, his wife and daughters won’t like him much, but it's what he has to do.
But what's even worse, is his game planning, lack of adjustments, offensive identity, defensive schemes and lineup philosophies.
Freaking start your best 5 and play them 30 freaking minutes, stop trying to be cute with the lineups, it's not working.

Not to get too far off track but when I watch his locker room talks on the videos UK puts out I think does Pope believe he is reaching and motivating them?