Its not just Mitch, its about getting the right AD after him. We are further off than you think than righting this ship. And whether we want to blame the AD or JMI or whatever...
It is not, presently, a top job in college basketball.
This has got to be over now, right?
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Its not just Mitch, its about getting the right AD after him. We are further off than you think than righting this ship. And whether we want to blame the AD or JMI or whatever...
It is not, presently, a top job in college basketball.
the saddest part of this season was when we were talking about "must win games" about 3 to 4 losses ago
Like I said, i disagree 100 percent. We have awesome boosters, we travel better than majority of fanbases, Forbes has had us as the most valuable program, our historical significance to the sport, etc. This is a great job. Pope literally had 22 million to spend on a team this season. Mitch should have hired a better basketball coach is the issue.
God even Nate Oats, I dont know. I like it, I dont know if I love it. His reliance on the 3 is a little too heavy for me. I dont know who else though.
We need someone who can go get some of the elite talent and whose Xs and Os are pretty solid. We need a young personality thats like a Cal/Pearl. I want a coach who recruits and players will be drawn to.
We need someone who can go get some of the elite talent and whose Xs and Os are pretty solid. We need a young personality thats like a Cal/Pearl. I want a coach who recruits and players will be drawn to.
Man Billy G was a legend in his own way. Not for being a good coach but pretty much what you just said lol. Pope is just blahhhh
Cool. We dont agree, but again.. none of this matters until Mitch is gone and JMI fixes their business model (if thats even the culprit, im not sure now).
IDK, removing Pope from a job he's not qualified for, definitely does matter. He's about to take a massive wrecking ball to this program.
You can greatly improve the situation without firing Mitch. Mitch needs to go, but what we really care about here, is getting our basketball program back where it belongs. We can get Mitch fired later.
Wait you also disagree that this doesnt get fixed WITH Mitch here? Im saying that we arent a top coaching destination with him running the show. If you disagree with that ..lol. Well, we may find out who is right with potentially his next hire in a year. We better hope Mitch is gone by then.
I mean the two arent mutually exclusive. Get rid of Pope, I couldn't care less. Im not one of these "oh now, he was a wildcat, ill be sad" types.
But the fact remains and this is indisputable, Mitch has not been able to get the coaching hires right. For whatever reason that may be, I don't know. But we can not move on as a program until he is gone
I mean how do you guys think this next coaching hire will go? You think NOW is when Mitch figures it out?
No I don’t disagree on that part of it. I’m not a Mitch fan at all. The next hire, he can’t be trusted to make it. Just like with calipari, the boosters need to step in on the next one.
So you’re suggesting that Mitch Barnhart talked to Scott Drew and the proceeded to call at least two dozen coaches throughout college basketball and the NBA and they all told him “no” and had no choice but to hire Mark Pope?
Mitch cannot be the AD when we hire our next coach. MITCH needs to be fired!
Nate oats January 7th 2026. Idk if he has balls like Kiffin tho
I dont think anyone knows exactly who he reached out to, who got the offer, etc.
But he either 1. Was turned down by all these guys. 2. Never reached out to them and went right for Pope (after Scott Drew which was such a lukewarm hire anyways).
In either scenario, that's on Mitch. And if its not on Mitch and he wasnt the issue (for #1) then we arent the job we think we are. Either way, there is *something* thats been stopping Kentucky from being able to hire the top guys. We have to wake up and establish that. It means either Mitch has to go or we have to rethink what were offering these coaches.
It’s like Mitch was sentenced to death for murder, got off due to faulty chain of evidence, then left the courtroom and killed an old lady on the stoop - right I front of the jury.
In a just world he would be perp walked around a sold-out Rupp Arena where we could all throw rotten tomatoes at him.
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At this point, I just want the right guy coaching the team and I don't care who hires him.
After this debacle, Mitch won’t be allowed to hire another unqualified stiff. The donors are going to have a say.
But, there's no doubt, Mitch has to go. I know he's done some good things here, but he’s done way too much damage to our 2 biggest programs. I just don't know if those above him have the balls to fire him.
I disagree that we’re not a top 25 job, but yes, we’re not as attractive as we were in the past.
We all know Pearl would give us 5-7 years if offered…and that’s exactly what needs to happen to fix this dumpster fire. But we all know that Mitch and Eli would never do that…which means they put their own personal beliefs and interests above those of the program and university as a whole. That, combined with the repetitive AD failures, should be a fireable offense.
This is not a “learn on the job” type position, the players are terrible and the game decisions are beyond questionable. In the end, the coach gets the praise and also criticism when things are bad. He & Mitch have to go, no recruit or transfer is going to sign up for this and why would they.
I’ve ran better offense playing pick up games on Sundays at the park, we run no offense and middle school D teams look more organized than us.
I’ve ran better offense playing pick up games on Sundays at the park, we run no offense and middle school D teams look more organized than us.
And a prospective new coach might be might be a lot more interested now in turning around the program after Pope. Much easier than following Calipari.
I’m sure no one will read this but went to bed thinking. “Who in their right mind, up 3-4 points with a couple minutes to go, in the double bonus. With guys like Oweh that can get downhill, would have Moreno and Garrison handling the ball at the top of the key, throwing back door bounce passes. That is coaching malpractice” am I stupid or something?
We’re all bummed right now, but I’m telling you, if we can just get through next season, year 4 is going to be a return to glory!
We have to let Pope learn on the job, and I believe that he will, but patience is key…
So please, let’s exercise grace, and weather the rest of this season and the next, and we’ll be back in the hunt for #9 in 2028, 2029 at the absolute latest! Go Cats
We have to let Pope learn on the job, and I believe that he will, but patience is key…
So please, let’s exercise grace, and weather the rest of this season and the next, and we’ll be back in the hunt for #9 in 2028, 2029 at the absolute latest! Go Cats