The grass might not be greener after Mitch is gone.

[Tri-Countycat]

I talked to a couple of my friends this morning who just so happened to have played for Tubby. Apparently the Mark Pope hire was encouraged by Jeff Sheppard and crew but one of the main voices to get Pope hired was this guy:

He apparently is the heir to the Mitch Barnhart throne. And not to bring religion into this but he is Mormon and has been close friends with Pope. This explains the lazy hire without even looking at the numerous other coaches that were actually qualified to coach here. Nepotism at its finest and a huge gamble that apparently is going to fail. Wins are important this year but if Pope doesn’t sign some (like any top 20 Freshman) big names soon, that will be a better indicator of if this is gonna work, at all.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

This guy absolutely has some wild tofu parties

 

[Argonaut]

It’ll probably take the boosters to take over and get a good hire, imo.

 

[Anony Moose]

He was supposedly a big voice in the Will Stein hire and I think he is going to be a phenomenal hire. And I don't think Stein is overly religious or anything. Certainly not mormon.

 

[Tri-Countycat]

This guy is and has always been a football guy, was on the coaching staff for years. He should have never had an say so in basketball.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

The grass is not green now. It's the Sahara desert covered with a layer of coal slag, coated by hardened lava from twin volcanos.

I would welcome virtually any human being with the brain power to tie his shoes at this point, because I really wonder if Mitch Barnhart fits into the category of those with that much sense. Someone should check his contract and see if state taxpayers are on the hook for "Shoe Tie-er."

 

[Farsight Clone]

It has nothing to do with religion or lack thereof. Its absurd that people on here think that is some of the case.

It has everything to do with personality and drive. Pope doesn't have it. Cal was Catholic and he had the personality.

But to the topic of the thread, this has starting to be my concern as well. That If this guy or anyone from Mitch's reach of influence takes over when he's gone, may be Mitch 2.0.

If this is true and he does take over, I don't see how Pope is going to get fired. Indiana territory here we come. (Pls God no)

 

[Tri-Countycat]

He was supposedly a big voice in the Will Stein hire and I think he is going to be a phenomenal hire. And I don't think Stein is overly religious or anything. Certainly not mormon.

Before a coaching search for football even started the regular joes on this board named about four coaches that would be good replacements. Stein, Sumrall, Hartline. We don’t work for UK but knew who the candidates would be even before the process even started or was made public. I give him credit for selling the idea to come to UK but Stein wasn’t exactly pulled out of a hat by this guy.

 

[Tri-Countycat]

My only guess and hope for such a lazy hire is that finding a coach to follow a hall of fame coach might not be as easy as we think. UK might have needed a buffer coach before they find the next truly qualified man for the job.

 

[Anony Moose]

Before a coaching search for football even started the regular joes on this board named about four coaches that would be good replacements. Stein, Sumrall, Hartline. We don’t work for UK but knew who the candidates would be even before the process even started or was made public. I give him credit for selling the idea to come to UK but Stein wasn’t exactly pulled out of a hat by this guy.

Pope was similar though. His name had been mentioned here by several posters in the couple years prior to him being hired.

 

[OGtruebluewildcat]

The thing about the FFFFAAAARRRRR MB crowd is that at least everyone has a list to replace coaches.

Football, basketball…everyone has a list ready to go at the beginning of the season. Even if the previous season was good to great! Folks and administrators always have a list.

Who’s on the short list to replace an AD?! After 25 years.

There’s not a lot of guys who can coach FB or BB at the SEC P2 level, but in a pinch you can find someone and at least you can make a case. He was a great recruiter, coordinator, play caller developer of talent etc…

There’s fewer people who can run a P2 athletic department.

Who’s on the short list to replace MB and what is the reasoning?

 

[akaukswoosh]

No Final Fours since 2015. Not a serious contender for the SEC crown the last few years. Doesn't matter who the AD is, if he doesn't repair the basketball program quickly he's going to be out the door pretty damn quick as well.

 

[Tri-Countycat]

The thing about the FFFFAAAARRRRR MB crowd is that at least everyone has a list to replace coaches.

Football, basketball…everyone has a list ready to go at the beginning of the season. Even if the previous season was good to great! Folks and administrators always have a list.

Who’s on the short list to replace an AD?! After 25 years.

There’s not a lot of guys who can coach FB or BB at the SEC P2 level, but in a pinch you can find someone and at least you can make a case. He was a great recruiter, coordinator, play caller developer of talent etc…

There’s fewer people who can run a P2 athletic department.

Who’s on the short list to replace MB and what is the reasoning?

Mark Pope

 

[true-blue1]

That explains it! A total disgrace!!! Now we know why the lazy hire occurred!!!!

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Mike Pratt (R.I.P.) have to really push Mitch to get Calipari in 2009?

 

[Tri-Countycat]

No Final Fours since 2015. Not a serious contender for the SEC crown the last few years. Doesn't matter who the AD is, if he doesn't repair the basketball program quickly he's going to be out the door pretty damn quick as well.

It’s been an embarrassment compared to the other blue bloods. Duke, Carolina and Kansas have 13 1 seeds in the NCAA since 2015. UK has zero.

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

It’s been an embarrassment compared to the other blue bloods. Duke, Carolina and Kansas have 13 1 seeds in the NCAA since 2015. UK has zero.

Not to mention that UK will probably lose the all-time wins this season to Kansas. And real talk, there's a large possibility that UNC could pass us soon.

 

[MarvinHagler89]

Mormons will always look out for Mormons and I don’t have a problem with them at all. But they will hire their own before anyone else even if they are a rat bastard. Marc hill looks like a rat bastard himself. Uk sports is about to turn into a joke ran by money grubbing parasites.

 

[MegaBlue05]

My only guess and hope for such a lazy hire is that finding a coach to follow a hall of fame coach might not be as easy as we think. UK might have needed a buffer coach before they find the next truly qualified man for the job.

This point is often overlooked. Nobody wanted to follow a guy with a title and 4 Final Fours.

Similarly, coaches weren’t kicking down our door to follow Tubby, but didn’t mind following BCG’s failure.

Following a legend is hard. Joe Hall deserves more credit than he gets for successfully following Rupp and winning a title.

 

[rick64]

The thing about the FFFFAAAARRRRR MB crowd is that at least everyone has a list to replace coaches.

Football, basketball…everyone has a list ready to go at the beginning of the season. Even if the previous season was good to great! Folks and administrators always have a list.

Who’s on the short list to replace an AD?! After 25 years.

There’s not a lot of guys who can coach FB or BB at the SEC P2 level, but in a pinch you can find someone and at least you can make a case. He was a great recruiter, coordinator, play caller developer of talent etc…

There’s fewer people who can run a P2 athletic department.

Who’s on the short list to replace MB and what is the reasoning?

DeWayne Peevy was the associate AD. He got hired to be the AD at DePaul. Maybe you try to bring him back?? Would he be any better?? No idea.

 

[BlueBlood96Cat]

My only guess and hope for such a lazy hire is that finding a coach to follow a hall of fame coach might not be as easy as we think. UK might have needed a buffer coach before they find the next truly qualified man for the job.

Well it has been buffered and ready

 

[LineSkiCat14]

This point is often overlooked. Nobody wanted to follow a guy with a title and 4 Final Fours.

Similarly, coaches weren’t kicking down our door to follow Tubby, but didn’t mind following BCG’s failure.

Following a legend is hard. Joe Hall deserves more credit than he gets for successfully following Rupp and winning a title.

I think it's a bit of that, but I also think that sort of only applies to following Cal. I don't think coaches would have any issue following Tubby or BCG. Instead I don't think this job is as coveted as we think. Geographically, Politically, Financially, a subpar AD, Lots of expectations, lack of instate recruiting, etc. I think this is what happened to IU, and I think it's what will happen to Kansas once Self is gone. With NIL in play and the ability of big markets to just buy teams, the playing field has leveled. The only way out of this is programs like UK are going to have to really fund this thing, and probably pay a little more than what some of the big market schools would offer.

 

[bnewt]

why is it that UK has problems hiring anyone for any sporting related position?
Why does everyone they hire have to have a connection to somebody.
again this is where Mike Pratt would have been such a help.
Why would Jeff Sheppard have any say? His son bailed to the NBA & didn't even play for Pope
UL brought in an AD that no one had heard of & he seems to be doing a good job.
He brought in Kelsey and that was a very good hire.
They brought in the guy that hired Pitino & he improved their entire sports program.

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

why is it that UK has problems hiring anyone for any sporting related position?
Why does everyone they hire have to have a connection to somebody.
again this is where Mike Pratt would have been such a help.
Why would Jeff Sheppard have any say? His son bailed to the NBA & didn't even play for Pope
UL brought in an AD that no one had heard of & he seems to be doing a good job.
He brought in Kelsey and that was a very good hire.
They brought in the guy that hired Pitino & he improved their entire sports program.

Jurich might have been a jerk, but he was a helluvan AD. Also, once Scott Drew rejected UL's offer, their current director was smart enough to hire a search committee to find Pat Kelsey.

 

[loublue22_rivals308424]

The thing about the FFFFAAAARRRRR MB crowd is that at least everyone has a list to replace coaches.

Football, basketball…everyone has a list ready to go at the beginning of the season. Even if the previous season was good to great! Folks and administrators always have a list.

Who’s on the short list to replace an AD?! After 25 years.

There’s not a lot of guys who can coach FB or BB at the SEC P2 level, but in a pinch you can find someone and at least you can make a case. He was a great recruiter, coordinator, play caller developer of talent etc…

There’s fewer people who can run a P2 athletic department.

Who’s on the short list to replace MB and what is the reasoning?

Someone at UK is paid a lot of money to know the answer to this, they should do their job.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

I talked to a couple of my friends this morning who just so happened to have played for Tubby. Apparently the Mark Pope hire was encouraged by Jeff Sheppard and crew but one of the main voices to get Pope hired was this guy:
View attachment 1115369
He apparently is the heir to the Mitch Barnhart throne. And not to bring religion into this but he is Mormon and has been close friends with Pope. This explains the lazy hire without even looking at the numerous other coaches that were actually qualified to coach here. Nepotism at its finest and a huge gamble that apparently is going to fail. Wins are important this year but if Pope doesn’t sign some (like any top 20 Freshman) big names soon, that will be a better indicator of if this is gonna work, at all.

Well let's take that chance!!

 

[BlueSince92]

Our athletics department is an extinction level event.

 

[Argonaut]

No Final Fours since 2015. Not a serious contender for the SEC crown the last few years. Doesn't matter who the AD is, if he doesn't repair the basketball program quickly he's going to be out the door pretty damn quick as well.

You’d think. Any other blue blood in both basketball and football? Absolutely. Except Kentucky. I’ve never seen anything like it before in my life. That’s how bad things are at UK right now.

 

[UKCowboys]

The grass is not green now. It's the Sahara desert covered with a layer of coal slag, coated by hardened lava from twin volcanos.

I would welcome virtually any human being with the brain power to tie his shoes at this point, because I really wonder if Mitch Barnhart fits into the category of those with that much sense. Someone should check his contract and see if state taxpayers are on the hook for "Shoe Tie-er."

Thats what folks said about Cal and now, a year and a half later....

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

I talked to a couple of my friends this morning who just so happened to have played for Tubby. Apparently the Mark Pope hire was encouraged by Jeff Sheppard and crew but one of the main voices to get Pope hired was this guy:
View attachment 1115369
He apparently is the heir to the Mitch Barnhart throne. And not to bring religion into this but he is Mormon and has been close friends with Pope. This explains the lazy hire without even looking at the numerous other coaches that were actually qualified to coach here. Nepotism at its finest and a huge gamble that apparently is going to fail. Wins are important this year but if Pope doesn’t sign some (like any top 20 Freshman) big names soon, that will be a better indicator of if this is gonna work, at all.

We are all worried about this dude, we all know the good ole boys run the AD and we need to clean house and get a real search for a true AD to change our culture here.

 

[UKnine]

DeWayne Peevy was the associate AD. He got hired to be the AD at DePaul. Maybe you try to bring him back?? Would he be any better?? No idea.

DePaul has been awful under Peevy. He should be a hard no. Matt Jones is good friends with Peevy so he will advocate for him.

 

[lookinfor8]

It’ll probably take the boosters to take over and get a good hire, imo.

Agree entirely. I don't want anyone who was near Barney to get the job.

 

[lookinfor8]

Mormons will always look out for Mormons and I don’t have a problem with them at all. But they will hire their own before anyone else even if they are a rat bastard. Marc hill looks like a rat bastard himself. Uk sports is about to turn into a joke ran by money grubbing parasites.

Your right on the Mormon thing & I have no problem with that.
It's not about ethnic or religion it's about getting someone who
understands & can fix the problem.

 

[lookinfor8]

DeWayne Peevy was the associate AD. He got hired to be the AD at DePaul. Maybe you try to bring him back?? Would he be any better?? No idea.

Wasn't he tied to CM's belt? CM was a legacy & he didn't do us any favors the last few years
he was employed

 

[lookinfor8]

Jurich might have been a jerk, but he was a helluvan AD. Also, once Scott Drew rejected UL's offer, their current director was smart enough to hire a search committee to find Pat Kelsey.

Jurich was a complete *** & maybe a little shady but he was probably the
best AD around in his tenure.

I'm tired of this goody two shoe's image. Hell everybody was under the table
& the only difference now is that it's out in the open.

 

[lookinfor8]

We are all worried about this dude, we all know the good ole boys run the AD and we need to clean house and get a real search for a true AD to change our culture here.

Yes sir & they can send Eli back to his dental practice

 

[Argonaut]

Jurich was a complete *** & maybe a little shady but he was probably the
best AD around in his tenure.

I'm tired of this goody two shoe's image. Hell everybody was under the table
& the only difference now is that it's out in the open.

Jurich made Louisville the best college sports program in the state. It sucks to admit it, but we all know we’re 2nd rate in our own f-ing state thanks to Mitch Barnhart.