This makes me sick...

[ToniTonyToneDelkDelkDelk]

We used to have this type of energy. And we still have NBA star power, but weak leadership that doesn't bring the alumni to Lexington or recruits.

 

[Anon520599]

FARRRRRRR Pope!!

 

[Starrcade]

#bEtABrotHerHoOd

 

[OldScratchBlues]

Faaar Strickland.

 

[Resignmarkpope]

FARRRRRRR Pope!!

This guy gets it! Long live anon’s

 

[ToniTonyToneDelkDelkDelk]

Are vibes are low to non-existent. And that matters.

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

Faaaar Jerry Rivers

 

[Global Havok]

Dukes guys were all around when Scheyer was also there, no? Most of our alumni in the league don't really have ties to Pope.

There are a lot of legitimate complaints to make about Pope, but I don't think this is one.

 

[JPFisher]

We used to have this type of energy. And we still have NBA star power, but weak leadership that doesn't bring the alumni to Lexington or recruits.

Are we just ignoring John Wall coming to BBM last year and WCS and KAT talking to the team at practices? What are we doing here, Y'all?

Besides, 90+% of the guys Cal brought in were here to get to the NBA. UK was a pit stop to their careers and a nonzero number of them couldn't have given less of a f--- about UK if they tried. If anything, blame Cal for bringing in talent for talent's sake.

You don't get a Shaedon Sharpe situation when you bring in characters that give af.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Are we just ignoring John Wall coming to BBM last year and WCS and KAT talking to the team at practices? What are we doing here, Y'all?

Besides, 90+% of the guys Cal brought in were here to get to the NBA. UK was a pit stop to their careers and a nonzero number of them couldn't have given less of a f--- about UK if they tried. If anything, blame Cal for bringing in talent for talent's sake.

You don't get a Shaedon Sharpe situation when you bring in characters that give af.

But you do get Nowehs that just walk out of bounds with the ball and he and the coach shrug it off.

Duke guys are just on a pit stop to the NBA too.

So why spend that year at UK? We even pay better.

What’s the obvious difference?

 

[TheResistance]

I for one have been surprised by the lack of past players around the program (exception of Pope's teammates, and even they haven't been around that much.). But what do you expect from all these Arkansas short wearing ex UK cal players..

 

[ToniTonyToneDelkDelkDelk]

Dukes guys were all around when Scheyer was also there, no? Most of our alumni in the league don't really have ties to Pope.

There are a lot of legitimate complaints to make about Pope, but I don't think this is one.

No... that's a cop out. He's a Kentucky Player. He's now the head coach. You galvanize the fanbase and alumni. It's that simple. Cal was able to do it by reaching back (had Wayne on staff. Tayshaun and Rondo would show up among others).

 

[ToniTonyToneDelkDelkDelk]

I for one have been surprised by the lack of past players around the program (exception of Pope's teammates, and even they haven't been around that much.). But what do you expect from all these Arkansas short wearing ex UK cal players..

Most of them were at the Pep Rally and that's it.

 

[JPFisher]

But you do get Nowehs that just walk out of bounds with the ball and he and the coach shrug it off.

Fair enough, last year was bad all around. Pope's first team gave a **** though, which was nice.

Duke guys are just on a pit stop to the NBA too.

So why spend that year at UK? We even pay better.

Citation needed. Duke (and for that matter, nobody, really) has to disclose how much they pay. Article last year said they had a budget around $35 mil IIRC.

What’s the obvious difference?

TBH? Fan bias that looks for someone and somewhere to point blame.

OP found a social media post that's the first I've seen of its kind from Duke and called it proof that they have a better culture than us. Respectfully, that's BS.

We have guys come back and get shots up all the time. Hell, those posts get thrown on this board half the time. The difference is that some fans want there to be a difference because it explains why we're in the drought we're in. Humans seek patterns – to our benefit in the wild and often times the chagrin of most others in modern times.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

We used to have this type of energy. And we still have NBA star power, but weak leadership that doesn't bring the alumni to Lexington or recruits.

Cal should have finished here. We could have endured Sweet Sixteen finishes for 5 to 7 more years with maybe one or two legit shots at a Final Four. It would have been worth it.

 

[Catastic5]

Cal should have finished here. We could have endured Sweet Sixteen finishes for 5 to 7 more years with maybe one or two legit shots at a Final Four. It would have been worth it.

Better than dealing with 3, potentially even 4 or 5 years of finishing in the lower end of the SEC and getting blown out in the SEC and NCAA tournament that we’re getting currently.

 

[Global Havok]

No... that's a cop out. He's a Kentucky Player. He's now the head coach. You galvanize the fanbase and alumni. It's that simple. Cal was able to do it by reaching back (had Wayne on staff. Tayshaun and Rondo would show up among others).

No, its not a cop out. You just can't be objective.

Also LOL@ Tayshaun and Rondo. Current players dont care about guys who were in college before they were born.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Better than dealing with 3, potentially even 4 or 5 years of finishing in the lower end of the SEC and getting blown out in the SEC and NCAA tournament that we’re getting currently.

Downside to keeping Cal:
1. He lost his fast ball. Those early exits were horrific.
2. He has only partially adapted to the NIL era. He still downplays older transfers. He takes them, but not nearly at the rate needed to win in the modern era.

Upside to keep Cal:
1. Elite freshmen recruits.
2. NBA alumni players would still be favorable to UK.
3. More exciting players.
4. Cal as an ambassador for UK after he retires.

I'm still not sure if there is even one upside to having Pope here. Maybe the X and O factor, but is it significant enough to negate Cal's strengths? I don't think so.

 

[Catastic5]

In all honesty, our current situation with former players is a combination of Cal at Arkansas and probably Pope giving the former Cal guys the cold shoulder, if we’re being honest. We don’t really have a coach who is encouraging former players into buying into the program right now.

Pope is very secretive about the program for some reason since he’s been here. Look at how badly our media has become at predicting recruits. It’s very peculiar.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Fair enough, last year was bad all around. Pope's first team gave a **** though, which was nice.


Citation needed. Duke (and for that matter, nobody, really) has to disclose how much they pay. Article last year said they had a budget around $35 mil IIRC.


TBH? Fan bias that looks for someone and somewhere to point blame.

OP found a social media post that's the first I've seen of its kind from Duke and called it proof that they have a better culture than us. Respectfully, that's BS.

We have guys come back and get shots up all the time. Hell, those posts get thrown on this board half the time. The difference is that some fans want there to be a difference because it explains why we're in the drought we're in. Humans seek patterns – to our benefit in the wild and often times the chagrin of most others in modern times.

Pope’s first team here quit just as often as his second team.

As for the pay, it’s correct that no one knows to the decimal point. But pretty much everyone knows ballpark. And no one is outbidding UK.

 

[Catastic5]

Pope’s first team here quit just as often as his second team.

As for the pay, it’s correct that no one knows to the decimal point. But pretty much everyone knows ballpark. And no one is outbidding UK.

A lot of people understandably ignored the first year’s flaws as “growing pains”. Little did we know that quitting was the defining feature of a Mark Pope team.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Downside to keeping Cal:
1. He lost his fast ball. Those early exits were horrific.
2. He has only partially adapted to the NIL era. He still downplays older transfers. He takes them, but not nearly at the rate needed to win in the modern era.

Upside to keep Cal:
1. Elite freshmen recruits.
2. NBA alumni players would still be favorable to UK.
3. More exciting players.
4. Cal as an ambassador for UK after he retires.

I'm still not sure if there is even one upside to having Pope here. Maybe the X and O factor, but is it significant enough to negate Cal's strengths? I don't think so.

It was time for Cal to go. And I say that as a Cal fan.

That has nothing to do with Pope being the wrong guy. 2 seasons were enough to see BCG was the wrong hire and 2 seasons were more than enough on Pope.

The real error here is giving him another season.

 

[Trinity45]

FARRRRRRR Pope!!

And the troll come out of his cave.

 

[NineIsOnTheWay]

Duke did it better than us. That part is clear to see. They have a brand. We don't. Even when we had the NBA it was never the UK brand. It was the Cal brand.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

A lot of people understandably ignored the first year’s flaws as “growing pains”. Little did we know that quitting was the defining feature of a Mark Pope team.

I get that. I did too. While I saw it first hand in very expensive seats and was concerned I blamed it on the makeshift roster and staff that was put together in 2 weeks. And on Pope being one of my favorite players because of how hard he played. But the SEC game against Alabama was really a defining moment for me.

Just an absolute no show. Once they announced that morning that Butler was not going to play they should have told the fans they were going home and forfeiting.

Because that’s what they did without saying so.

But I had some hope that it was an aberration.

We learned very quickly that it was not.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Duke did it better than us. That part is clear to see. They have a brand. We don't. Even when we had the NBA it was never the UK brand. It was the Cal brand.

I agree, but Duke had all the help to get there. The NCAA, Team USA, Nike, ESPN, the selection committee, the referee community. They all gave Duke the fair-haired child treatment.

 

[Blu-ish]

But you do get Nowehs that just walk out of bounds with the ball and he and the coach shrug it off.

Duke guys are just on a pit stop to the NBA too.

So why spend that year at UK? We even pay better.

What’s the obvious difference?

Cal was selling Cal, not the UK college experience.

I believe ratface and his replacement sell the Duke experience.

 

[Blu-ish]

DUPLICATE POST

 

[JPFisher]

Pope’s first team here quit just as often as his second team.

I think they were outgunned and out manned more so than they quit. Half the team was in the ICU by the end of the season. Guys definitely disappeared at times, but besides Robinson, I never felt like it was from a lack of effort or want to.

As for the pay, it’s correct that no one knows to the decimal point. But pretty much everyone knows ballpark. And no one is outbidding UK.

"Nobody knows how much schools are paying exactly... But UK is definitely paying the most." Until I see a source that's more than vibes or a buddy of a buddy of a guy who has a class with a player, I'm not buying it. I feel like that's a healthy amount of skepticism.

Agents control the narrative around spending, and I trust them as much as I trust a tick crawling on my nads. At this point, we should assume we have solid NIL backing, but that's about it.

 

[Global Havok]

Pope’s first team here quit just as often as his second team.

As for the pay, it’s correct that no one knows to the decimal point. But pretty much everyone knows ballpark. And no one is outbidding UK.

It sounds like I'm standing up for Pope here, but I'm not. His results thus far are unacceptable.

BUT.... there are definitely schools out there that are outbidding UK these days. And not just traditional basketball blue bloods. I dont know why people think UK has more money to spend on NIL in ANY sport than schools with way richer alumni bases. We are in the upper echelon for basketball NIL for sure, but we arent the Dodgers or Yankees of CBB in that regard.

 

[paulcalhoun_rivals397471]

Pope’s first team here quit just as often as his second team.

As for the pay, it’s correct that no one knows to the decimal point. But pretty much everyone knows ballpark. And no one is outbidding UK.

False and false.

 

[Snarks]

Pope invited our NBA guys over for cookies and milk.

 

[rivercatinfl]

We need a GM who can work with all these posse’s the players have now.

 

[Starrcade]

Pope invited our NBA guys over for cookies and milk.

I forget Duke’s record so far against Pope?

 

[mhs1964]

I agree, but Duke had all the help to get there. The NCAA, Team USA, Nike, ESPN, the selection committee, the referee community. They all gave Duke the fair-haired child treatment.

Don’t forget the media

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Cal should have finished here. We could have endured Sweet Sixteen finishes for 5 to 7 more years with maybe one or two legit shots at a Final Four. It would have been worth it.

I was one of the loudest Cal critics at the end. It was time. That said…had you given me the choice of even THAT Cal and Pope…I’d have chosen Cal without a seconds thought. You could’ve knocked me over with a feather when the Pope news broke.

 

[Anon200440]

I forget Duke’s record so far against Pope?

We have 18 more losses than they do since then btw

 

[billCgmx_]

Was Kyle Singler invited to this little brotherhood shindig?

Seems like he needs the support of the brotherhood more than anyone else these days.

 

[Trinity45]

FARRRR TrinityDouche45!!!

Seems I touched a nerve on the stupid troll, I call them like I see them, you are a troll, you only post negative stuff, thus you are a troll, most likely a UofL fan.

 

[Starrcade]

We have 18 more losses than they do since then btw

Then they surely beat us going away that night and Pope was totally outcoached, right?