I find it inconsistent that some of the same people who allow very little context when discussing Pope will have this type of view when it comes to the 2021 Kentucky team under Cal. I’d go as far as considering myself a Cal defender in many respects, at least compared to most, but I don’t think there was any good reason for that team being as bad as they were. The same goes for the 2014 regular season and the 2023 team. I do think there’s a difference between weighting context and making excuses. To me, the 2021 year gets helped out by a lot of people making excuses. Too much talent to have been that bad.
And yes, I still think Cal was an outstanding coach, far better than most of the Kentucky fanbase gives him credit for, but he didn’t bat 1.000 — no one does. That was a pisspoor coaching job by a HOF level coach.
