Actually kelvin Sampson said popes teams were the most difficult to prepare for.
This guy is high on Pope's Cats
- Thread starter HagginHall1999
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He can go .500 as long as he wins all the home games. Seriously, this was a tear down to the studs rebuild. I wonder if Mitch explained that going in??
I don’t remember Billy Clyde getting anything close to all-conference guys in his first year.
I don’t remember Billy Clyde getting anything close to all-conference guys in his first year.
I saw it .. It was on one of the many videos of POPE that were out there when he was hired.
Over the last 5 years Cal lost a lot of games at UK, A LOT!
So you think we finish with 11 losses instead of 12? Odds of winning sec or ncaa tourney are low statistically.
I 100% agree with the point about parity though. I think over time with NIL we will see it more and more. People may have to temper their overall record and wins/loss expectations a bit most seasons.
Well, if we do lose 12 games and make the tournament, it will be just about as good as last year with a team full of All Americans. I'd be happy with that, having to hand pick your team late in the process with a new coach and still having a bull's eye on the program every game, I'll take it.
BYU is in the running for some big names now largely bc they have a year under their belt on the B12 now. They aren’t viewed as a step down in competition level on the recruiting circuit. They are in, what previously was, arguably the top basketball conference and had a year to show they contended.
Point 2 of the boost in recruiting is that they are riding the wave of being associated with UK/Cal-Arkansas media cycle. They got a lot of free press and went and hired a big name NBA up and comer coach to try to rebrand theirselves as a “we have nba connects” 1nD get to the league route. Being included in the UK/Cal-Ark media frenzy also awakened some of the deep pocket boosters into the bidding war that recruiting fully turned into this offseason (and there are some biggggg money Morman boosters and BYu is the premier default Morman university similar to Notre Dame for Catholics). I doubt it continues to stay this way and last in the long run but it’s been a perfect storm for BYU the last 6-12 months with perfect timing to join the B12.
BYU is in a position now that they weren’t in 2+ years ago
For Vandy 52 isn't a lot in 5 years for UK and the 10 million per year salary he was making it will get you ran out of town.Just 52
Saw a TikTok where students at BYU were asked which they would choose, war or caffeine (chose war), caffeine or killing a dog (chose killing a dog). They are out there at BYU.
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You're an idiot. It's no comparison. He couldn't get good players at BYU because young adults like to party and touch each other. At BYU they couldn't even drink a Mt. Dew.
Stop talking about things you don't understand. Maybe go back to being racist, your sweet spot.
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I saw it on a You Tube video of one of the BYU vs Houston games. During the post game interview of Sampson he talked about how difficult it was to prepare for Pope's teams and the difficulty of defending them. The West Virginia coach that replaced Huggins said essentially the same thing in his post game interview on You Tube after thy WVU vs BYU game last season.
Our new coach Pope is going to surprise a lot of opposing coaches in the SEC and basically every team we play this year. It is extremely hard to game plan against his style especially if it's the first or first few times you try to scout his system like the coaches said it's very hard.
I would disagree concerning your last sentence:
Statistically speaking, Amari Williams is one of the best Centers in the country overall.
Otega Oweh and Lamont Butler are two of the best defensive guards from the transfer portal, if not the entire nation. Brandon Garrison is high up there as a Center as well.
Koby Brea and Andrew Carr were top-20 offensive transfers.
Brea, Kriisa, and Almonor shoot 40% from 3PT. Plus, we don't even know about Perry, Noah, and Chandler in that regard.
This is, by far, a more complete roster than what Calipari put on the floor last year. I doubt we have historic offensive numbers like 23-24, but I bet we have far superior defensive number than 23-24 and show-out in the tournament better than they did.
Problem is with NIL and the transfer portal, it’s hard to keep good players on the roster. It becomes a bidding war, so hope our coffers are filled.
So if he didnt get good recruits at BYU because they like to party, why is he striking out on top ones here? His best player so far is a kid he coached last year.
Climbing high on that horse.....thats an assumption, the verdict won't come for a few months. But we definitely dont have a Patterson or Meeks this season.
So about the same as the last guy did with a roster of 5 stars . I like our chances of getting at least to the final 16 better than if we had kept what was left of our last coach that you loved so much .
In the transfer portal theyre good. Overall, as a college D-1 player with KY on the chest? I dont know, i dont see it.
This reminds me of the football board. "Theyre going to compete for an SEC title" talk, till about 3 games in.
Most people are actually agreeing with you with regards to 12 losses and the sweet sixteen, it’s just the way you’re saying it, probably to get a rise out of people.
I guess im just direct. I'm a huge fan, attend a lot of games, but just like football.....i have perspective. Dont forget, this board was in full meltdown mode when Pope was hired. Now he's great cause we've convinced ourselves he's now better than Oats, Pearl, Barnes, Scheyer, etc.
I have low expectations this year. By the 2nd season we should be great, right? Dont overlook a coaches past record.
This will be a fun post to look back on mid-season. So many so angry that i predict 12 losses.
The bottom line is, Pope lost a lot of games at BYU. You can make an excuse why he lost so much, you can also do that for any program.
I could be wrong, but is there a coach that had a bad record at a inferior school, but then killed it when he went to a blue blood? The coaching patterns show that when a coach is great at a little school, theres a good chance he'll be great in the spotlight. But what happens when that coach is meh at a crap school? I hope im wrong, ill own it, but i just dont see him better than Barnes, Oats, Cal, Scheyer, Self, Hubert....the first couple of years. I'll stick with 12 losses this season.
The bottom line is, Pope lost a lot of games at BYU. You can make an excuse why he lost so much, you can also do that for any program.
I could be wrong, but is there a coach that had a bad record at a inferior school, but then killed it when he went to a blue blood? The coaching patterns show that when a coach is great at a little school, theres a good chance he'll be great in the spotlight. But what happens when that coach is meh at a crap school? I hope im wrong, ill own it, but i just dont see him better than Barnes, Oats, Cal, Scheyer, Self, Hubert....the first couple of years. I'll stick with 12 losses this season.
We have some guys that will play in the NBA for one Robinson. The difference is the parts around Meeks and Patterson were very sub par. This team has high quality at those other positions. You will see.
I will say 9 regular season losses. I think we have a team that will be incredible cohesive on offense and defense and shoot the lights out of the ball. We have guys thar aren't going to back down or get bullied by anyone and a little bit of everything on offense.
Trying to estimate our losses next year is like estimating how many hemorrhoids you're going to get. If you think that is a productive way to think 
then best of luck.
then best of luck.I think it's pretty cut and dry this team is more talented than last year's BYU team.
As far as mediocre stars from crap teams--look at the best players in college basketball last year. Knecht, Kolek, Sears, Scheierman. A lot of these dudes started off at smaller schools.
Brea was considered the best shooter in the portal/one of the best in the country.
Butler was on a SDSU team that went to the Championship game in 2023 and the Sweet 16 in 2024. His two tournament losses were both to eventual National Champions UCONN.
Robinson, Kerr, Garrison and Oweh played in the Big 12.
Carr played in the ACC
Amari Williams was considered one of the best defensive bigs in the portal as well as the best passing big in the portal.
I'd be way more upset if we had gotten the entire BYU team to come over with Pope.
He's got a bench full of experience, as opposed to Cal's usual bench full of excuses.
You're right. We got everything switched from what we always complained about. Lots of experience and kids that dont have enough talent to be stars.
Cal beat Oats, Pearl, Barnes, and UNC last year. I like Pope, but i dont think we beat all those guys this year. 12 losses is my guess.
ok, so you predict about 11 total......considering you dont think UK wins the NCAA and SEC tourney? We're on the same page.
Please expound on what "elite" recruits he has lost out on? I will sit here and wait. This comment right here explains that you are nothing but a Troll (Arkansas maybe, Louisville) who knows but I don't care. He has not lost one Elite recruit because the ones we are listed with have not made any decisions. If you are basing your broad based statement on the RUMOR that Jasper is going to Alabama.. God bless your little heart.. You are so very clueless and it shows.. Please go back to whatever team site you belong too. This forum is too much for you.
The Davis kid from FAU was the first one Pope missed. He was the prized target.
Then there was an Osobor/Onier dilemma (forgive my spelling). After that there was a kid named Lanier. Wasn't Toppin in the mix, too? Cant remember on that one. Popes missed out on quite a few, it happens. You sure do seem angry, tho. Take a break from the screen.
As for being from UL or Ark, no. Im a huge UK fan, born in Lex, but also realize we're not winning every game (especially this year). Have a great day!
I’m not agreeing or disagreeing. I don’t see how anyone can tell what kind of a season we will have. Way too many variables for me to even guess . But if what you said happens , it is as good or better than what we’ve been having.
Ahhh its fun to guess. Its a sports board, we're not setting up your IRA or anything. I promise, i won't hold it to you if youre wrong. How many losses do you predict?