Travis Branham has removed his Crystal Ball for Collins

[buc puppet]

It does matter though. You have to have a plan and recruit to the plan.

If Pope has a plan, what is it?

His plan was to recruit Caleb Wilson , yaxel, Wilkerson and the like. That was the plan and that what he did. But they said no an here we are. Kam Williams and Lowe and Aberdeen were never the plan.

my plan is plow Megan fox. My Plans not working out either.

 

[BlueBlood96Cat]

Collins is like na I’m not a BOOM either

 

[legalbeagle123]

Mitch Barnhart is an unmitigated disaster. It may take years to clean up his messes.

 

[One2Three]

With the specifics about that JMI deal and this staff’s inability to get talent period coming out. What’s to get excited for? This current team isn’t world beaters and we have nobody better coming. Maybe we rule the portal but we supposedly did that this year. So yay!

His inability to recruit ANYONE, not even just top recruits but ANY RECRUIT, will be what ends up leading to an earlier than expected dismissal at the end of the year if he ends up missing the tournament.

He has nothing coming in next year and I imagine that we’ll be looking at a major team revamp as many of our players will choose to transfer, albeit I won’t pretend I care if most of this team returns with the way things are going.

Maybe he’s a scapegoat with the whole JMI crap, but even before their “introduction” into our program, he wasn’t killing it on the recruiting trail nor the transfer portal. But he has so many things going against him right now. Can’t recruit, p*ss-poor results on the court, not doing a particularly good job of convincing Kentucky fans that he should be given more time. Some of it may be bad luck but he’s just appears so in over his head right now.

 

[Catlogic1552]

Am I worried about our recruiting? Yes

Am I worried about the JMI angle? Yes

Am I concerned with our roster management? Yes

Do I think committing significant resources to a thin athletic 4 freshman that can’t score in the post, nor is a great shooter is a great idea? No

I am also worried that Pope thought it was in the first place.

We’re for sure losing Aberdeen and Oweh. Over 50 minutes a game currently opening up and it didn’t feel like Pope was ever close to landing Holt or Jordan Smith.

Forget the high school class for 2026. Get a couple top 20 transfers, a depth transfer or two, return our core this year minus Oweh, Aberdeen, JQ, and whatever decision they make on Lowe.

Which sounds good but we couldn’t get top portal transfers last year. Don’t see that changing.

 

[TTTblue24]

How can the athletics dept see what Stein is doing then see what pope is doing and not stepping in or a booster or 2 then ask “what’s problem”?

This spring and summer will be very tense at this rate, another 10+ loss season then no big time hs recruits signing……..idc if pope is more in to transfers but as you see that’s not working and this is ky where we recruit everyone.

 

[One2Three]

How can the athletics dept see what Stein is doing then see what pope is doing and not stepping in or a booster or 2 then ask “what’s problem”?

This spring and summer will be very tense at this rate, another 10+ loss season then no big time hs recruits signing……..idc if pope is more in to transfers but as you see that’s not working and this is ky where we recruit everyone.

Boosters will probably demand change if we don’t make the tournament. Next year might be a bigger disaster than this year if he returns without at least getting to the tourney this year.

 

[Anon1759768907]

How can the athletics dept see what Stein is doing then see what pope is doing and not stepping in or a booster or 2 then ask “what’s problem”?

This spring and summer will be very tense at this rate, another 10+ loss season then no big time hs recruits signing……..idc if pope is more in to transfers but as you see that’s not working and this is ky where we recruit everyone.

heck hubert davis had to get wilson to save his job and hubert took them to a final 4, pope has a long leash

 

[One2Three]

heck hubert davis had to get wilson to save his job and hubert took them to a final 4, pope has a long leash

It’s insane if Pope has a long enough leash to miss the tournament with a $22 million roster. 99% of coaches would get fired for that.

 

[Anon1679859502]

Boosters will probably demand change if we don’t make the tournament. Next year might be a bigger disaster than this year if he returns without at least getting to the tourney this year.

Football will have that new car vibe so the boosters won’t even bat an eye at the basketball nonsense.
Pope just won’t get any funding for a bit so he will have to build next season’s team using EBT

 

[20MRoster]

Damn so beating an unranked team of slow white guys didn't convince Collins that everything's fine. I'm stunned.

 

[Kentucky15]

popes recruiting has single handedly removed all the excitement i have for kentucky basketball, when things go bad his recruiting gives me nothing to look forward to

I think it’s mainly the NIL. These kids are not giving their rights away when they can go elsewhere for the same cash and have unlimited options. Mitch Barnhart and the BOT do NOT want us to know it. They’re gaslighting. Full pressure needs to be put on the administration and stadiums need to start emptying.

 

[Kentucky15]

The combination of Pope’s recruiting and the JMi contract is a total disaster.

This is likely the case, but it’s far more to do with JMI. There’s a reason our rosters are mid and we lose out in ways never before seen. That contract is killing us. They’re hoping congress cleans this up and everyone is playing by rules soon. Problem is, I don’t see it happening. Kentucky is money hungry to the 10th degree. They’ve been doing this for years now. The NIL made them quickly go with the highest bidder to get out in front of it and lock in all ability to keep as much profit in house as possible. That’s what’s going on. Everyone else is playing to win and get recruits however they can, Mitch is focused on the profits for the university and bloated salaries.

 

[Anon1751335390]

So is our $22 million roster small potatoes now?

 

[MidseasonTweak]

This isn't on Pope, at least I am not convinced anymore that it is. Something else must be happening with NIL for us.

 

[Kentucky15]

Collins to UK was as done as they come. I'm not sure people understand how bad our recruiting is going to be under JMI until something changes.

Been saying it and saying it. I remember half the board arguing me that “Mitch is the greatest AD in their lifetime”. He never was, he was choking the life out of our sports teams and the brass behind the scenes had to continue to bail this program out by applying pressure. Now they can’t even help because he’s got too much power and he’s signed away our rights to the grave
.
They say renovations and thought that was Mitch. It was REVENUE STREAMS. Mitch has been lowering our expectations here since 2001 slowly year to year. How more people didn’t notice is beyond my understanding. It was right in front of your face.

 

[Kentucky15]

Mitch Barnhart is an unmitigated disaster. It may take years to clean up his messes.

he’s doing what the administration want. Lock in that money for them, take the hits in sports. It’s a choice and they’re making it right in front of everyone.

Mitch has always been what you call a Hatchet Man. He’s here to do a job and Winning isn’t that job. Everyone still think he went hard after Hurley? lol. Hell no. He just wanted it to appear that way. He can’t control Hurley. He wanted control and someone to help him temper these expectations so they can continue the status quo.

 

[SkyPrince]

His plan was to recruit Caleb Wilson , yaxel, Wilkerson and the like. That was the plan and that what he did. But they said no an here we are. Kam Williams and Lowe and Aberdeen were never the plan.

my plan is plow Megan fox. My Plans not working out either.

Go back and look at the timeline of commitments.
Kam was definitely the plan.
Both Yaxel and Wilkerson made their decisions late in the process.

 

[Woodrow24]

he’s doing what the administration want. Lock in that money for them, take the hits in sports. It’s a choice and they’re making it right in front of everyone.

Mitch has always been what you call a Hatchet Man. He’s here to do a job and Winning isn’t that job. Everyone still think he went hard after Hurley? lol. Hell no. He just wanted it to appear that way. He can’t control Hurley. He wanted control and someone to help him temper these expectations so they can continue the status quo.

It’s all your fault. You’re a terrible fan lol

 

[SkyPrince]

This is likely the case, but it’s far more to do with JMI. There’s a reason our rosters are mid and we lose out in ways never before seen. That contract is killing us. They’re hoping congress cleans this up and everyone is playing by rules soon. Problem is, I don’t see it happening. Kentucky is money hungry to the 10th degree. They’ve been doing this for years now. The NIL made them quickly go with the highest bidder to get out in front of it and lock in all ability to keep as much profit in house as possible. That’s what’s going on. Everyone else is playing to win and get recruits however they can, Mitch is focused on the profits for the university and bloated salaries.

JMI doesn't control the bottom line offer to a recruit and has nothing to do with the rev share portion or how it distributed.
UK had the money to get Stokes if it's a priority for Pope.
Pope is the one who decides what percentage of total resources go to a particular player.
If Pope refuses to get in a bidding war or if he has a max offer then that's on him.
A player like Stokes would never lose financially by coming to UK since he already has name recognition.
He's the player that UK's NIL partners would want to do deals with..
He's also totally free to do outside deals with any company that approaches him.
The only restriction that JMI could put on such a deal is that he couldn't do it in a UK jersey unless JMI also got a cut.

 

[buc puppet]

His inability to recruit ANYONE, not even just top recruits but ANY RECRUIT, will be what ends up leading to an earlier than expected dismissal at the end of the year if he ends up missing the tournament.

He has nothing coming in next year and I imagine that we’ll be looking at a major team revamp as many of our players will choose to transfer, albeit I won’t pretend I care if most of this team returns with the way things are going.

Maybe he’s a scapegoat with the whole JMI crap, but even before their “introduction” into our program, he wasn’t killing it on the recruiting trail nor the transfer portal. But he has so many things going against him right now. Can’t recruit, p*ss-poor results on the court, not doing a particularly good job of convincing Kentucky fans that he should be given more time. Some of it may be bad luck but he’s just appears so in over his head right now.

It’s all recruiting. All of our issues are a result of bad recruiting. Pope was never a good recruiter. I guess everyone expected the Kentucky name to cover that up but that not how it works. These kids don’t care. They wanna know how much money and how many minutes. I think he’s probably a great in game coach. We’ve seen it. But it doesn’t matter if the other team has the better players.

Go back and look at the timeline of commitments.
Kam was definitely the plan.
Both Yaxel and Wilkerson made their decisions late in the process.

if kam was really the plan then pope sucks at recruiting and evaluating even more than I thought.

 

[KYFOSSIL]

Been saying it and saying it. I remember half the board arguing me that “Mitch is the greatest AD in their lifetime”. He never was, he was choking the life out of our sports teams and the brass behind the scenes had to continue to bail this program out by applying pressure. Now they can’t even help because he’s got too much power and he’s signed away our rights to the grave
.
They say renovations and thought that was Mitch. It was REVENUE STREAMS. Mitch has been lowering our expectations here since 2001 slowly year to year. How more people didn’t notice is beyond my understanding. It was right in front of your face.

Would you show me just five posts where anybody said Mitch was The greatest athletic Director of all time.

 

[buc puppet]

His inability to recruit ANYONE, not even just top recruits but ANY RECRUIT, will be what ends up leading to an earlier than expected dismissal at the end of the year if he ends up missing the tournament.

He has nothing coming in next year and I imagine that we’ll be looking at a major team revamp as many of our players will choose to transfer, albeit I won’t pretend I care if most of this team returns with the way things are going.

Maybe he’s a scapegoat with the whole JMI crap, but even before their “introduction” into our program, he wasn’t killing it on the recruiting trail nor the transfer portal. But he has so many things going against him right now. Can’t recruit, p*ss-poor results on the court, not doing a particularly good job of convincing Kentucky fans that he should be given more time. Some of it may be bad luck but he’s just appears so in over his head right now.

It’s all recruiting. All of our issues are a result of bad recruiting. Pope was never a good recruiter. I guess everyone expected the Kentucky name to cover that up but that not how it works. These kids don’t care. They wanna know how much money and how many minutes. I think he’s probably a great in game coach. We’ve seen it. But it doesn’t matter if the other team has the better players.

 

[SkyPrince]

H

It’s all recruiting. All of our issues are a result of bad recruiting. Pope was never a good recruiter. I guess everyone expected the Kentucky name to cover that up but that not how it works. These kids don’t care. They wanna know how much money and how many minutes. I think he’s probably a great in game coach. We’ve seen it. But it doesn’t matter if the other team has the better players.

if kam was really the plan then pope sucks at recruiting and evaluating even more than I thought.

He was the first portal commit.

 

[Kentucky15]

Would you show me just five posts where anybody said Mitch was The greatest athletic Director of all time.

Oh listen man, it was said CONSTANTLY that Mitch was the greatest AD of all time here. Many also said of “their lifetime”. So many people argued that for years, if you don’t remember it then you must have not been here, or you don’t have a good memory at all. I’m sure there are many who can vouch for that, it was a point of argument here for years. No I’m not going to waste my time researching that out for you. You can ask others or look yourself. You not remembering it or knowing about it has nothing to do with me. Or you can take my word for it as, well, what the hell would I lie about that for. I had argument after argument with many here about that. I’d say probably 2/3 out of 10 held that belief. They just aren’t saying it now. They know who they are. This went on for over a decade here. Be honest, did you think he was the best we’ve had here? Did you ever say that?

@RunninRichie ever heard it? lol.

 

[Kentucky15]

JMI doesn't control the bottom line offer to a recruit and has nothing to do with the rev share portion or how it distributed.
UK had the money to get Stokes if it's a priority for Pope.
Pope is the one who decides what percentage of total resources go to a particular player.
If Pope refuses to get in a bidding war or if he has a max offer then that's on him.
A player like Stokes would never lose financially by coming to UK since he already has name recognition.
He's the player that UK's NIL partners would want to do deals with..
He's also totally free to do outside deals with any company that approaches him.
The only restriction that JMI could put on such a deal is that he couldn't do it in a UK jersey unless JMI also got a cut.

Apparently there’s a lot more to it than that. What you’re saying is the nonsense Mitch is pushing. There are media and agents who apparently say different. And I believe it’s killing our recruiting because it’s more restrictive here and anywhere else. We are th only program to go with JMI. The only one. Tennessee players according to many of them say they don’t have these restrictions. I’ve asked a guy who’s a former beat writer in Tennessee and he says it is an issue he’s heard.

they don’t want to get involved with JMI. It’s been rumored lately. We’re hemorrhaging recruits left and right and that information has come to light. What Mitch is gaslighting is irrelevant. I mean we just went through this.

Let me say I fully believe JMI is a huge problem, but also Mark might be the issue as well. Or he’s not the issue and it’s JMI. But JMI is an issue I do believe that. Mitch thought the SCORE would pass and it didn’t. Mitch doesn’t want collectives and everyone else is using them. “We aren’t going to break rules”. There are no rules, he wants to keep it all in house. It’s all you need to know.

Also it’s a dream world Mark would recruit THIS bad. He beat Duke and a ton of good teams last year. Sweet 16, talk of basketball. Then he’s got the money and the UK brand. Someone explain to me how he’d be THIS bad? He wouldn’t. I know it feels better to think that but it can’t be true.

 

[One2Three]

I think it’s mainly the NIL. These kids are not giving their rights away when they can go elsewhere for the same cash and have unlimited options. Mitch Barnhart and the BOT do NOT want us to know it. They’re gaslighting. Full pressure needs to be put on the administration and stadiums need to start emptying.

I agree that going forward the JMI deal will make it worse. But Pope wasn’t really capable of pulling in big recruits/transfers before the deal went through either. Even worse is he’s pretty much Mitch’s yes-man so I place the blame squarely on those two.

 

[Kentucky15]

I agree that going forward the JMI deal will make it worse. But Pope wasn’t really capable of pulling in big recruits/transfers before the deal went through either. Even worse is he’s pretty much Mitch’s yes-man so I place the blame squarely on those two.

I just don’t think it would be THIS bad. Yall we’ve never had this level of bad recruiting here. Billy G was recruiting blue chips here while beating them. Tubby landed top classes, number 1 classes, and he sucked at recruiting lol.

Sweet 16, talk of college basketball, known as an excellent floor coach and Pitino tree, media loved him, beat Duke, beat our rivals, won the most games against top teams in our history last year. Top 5 NIL….Kentucky brand.

And he can’t sign a single top recruit? Makes no sense. Being below what we’re used to I could see. Think about it. Being THIS bad given all that? I don’t think it takes much to see JMI is the issue especially given the rumors lately from agents that the JMI deal makes them hesitant. The media is hearing it too. Notice they didn’t say “Mark is struggling to recruit”. They went right after the JMI deal. Their sources are clearly telling them the JMI contract is causing problems.

 

[Kentucky15]

It’s all your fault. You’re a terrible fan lol

I’ll admit, I’m a microwave fan. 39 years waiting on football to win the SEC or make a major bowl, and now a decade of ineptitude for basketball, I should wait longer. I’m a bad fan.

 

[Hush4872]

So is our $22 million roster small potatoes now?

I don't think it's that it's small potatoes. More that top talent will still make just as much wherever they sign, and they won't have to sign their NIL rights away to JMI to do so. As a result, we're left getting a bunch of mid guys for top dollar because their likeness wouldn't be in such high demand if they were the 6th man somewhere else so they may as well sign away those rights for the starter money that we're forced to offer.

Add to that the fact that most of these guys will be back next year (because where else could they possibly go), leaving us with less NIL to go around, the fact that Pope hasn't exactly inspire confidence in anyone with the way he sulks in press conferences, and the on-court disaster we've been witnessing and you end up appealing to basically nobody except more 6th-7th men who can come start here.

I will say though, that the clause requiring players to sign away NIL rights doesn't seem to have been added until August of this year. Pope was missing on most of his priorities well before that, so I think many are underestimating his role in a lot of this and chalking it all up to JMI.

 

[Woodrow24]

I’ll admit, I’m a microwave fan. 39 years waiting on football to win the SEC or make a major bowl, and now a decade of ineptitude for basketball, I should wait longer. I’m a bad fan.

I hadn’t seen anyone randomly accuse you of being a bad fan today like a select few does when they see you bash their hero Mitch LOL so I figured I would tell you

 

[buc puppet]

I don't think it's that it's small potatoes. More that top talent will still make just as much wherever they sign, and they won't have to sign their NIL rights away to JMI to do so. As a result, we're left getting a bunch of mid guys for top dollar because their likeness wouldn't be in such high demand if they were the 6th man somewhere else so they may as well sign away those rights for the starter money that we're forced to offer.

Add to that the fact that most of these guys will be back next year (because where else could they possibly go), leaving us with less NIL to go around, the fact that Pope hasn't exactly inspire confidence in anyone with the way he sulks in press conferences, and the on-court disaster we've been witnessing and you end up appealing to basically nobody except more 6th-7th men who can come start here.

I will say though, that the clause requiring players to sign away NIL rights doesn't seem to have been added until August of this year. Pope was missing on most of his priorities well before that, so I think many are underestimating his role in a lot of this and chalking it all up to JMI.

I didn’t realize that about the August timeline. Interesting. I think it’s a perfect storm of crap. Pope can’t recruit at this level and JMI isn’t making it any easier. I feel like we have just squandered 2 seasons when we had some real momentum. I’d be shocked if we make the tournament and next year could very well be just as bad if not worse. Then we maybe have to start over again. At that point, how much damage will have been done to the brand.

 

[SkyPrince]

I don't think it's that it's small potatoes. More that top talent will still make just as much wherever they sign, and they won't have to sign their NIL rights away to JMI to do so. As a result, we're left getting a bunch of mid guys for top dollar because their likeness wouldn't be in such high demand if they were the 6th man somewhere else so they may as well sign away those rights for the starter money that we're forced to offer.

Add to that the fact that most of these guys will be back next year (because where else could they possibly go), leaving us with less NIL to go around, the fact that Pope hasn't exactly inspire confidence in anyone with the way he sulks in press conferences, and the on-court disaster we've been witnessing and you end up appealing to basically nobody except more 6th-7th men who can come start here.

I will say though, that the clause requiring players to sign away NIL rights doesn't seem to have been added until August of this year. Pope was missing on most of his priorities well before that, so I think many are underestimating his role in a lot of this and chalking it all up to JMI.

You repeatedly bring up " signing their rights away"
Do you have a complete understanding of this process and it's ramifications on a players earnings.
I know the players do not forfeit the ability to pursue outside NIL deals.
Hypothetical here, Bryce James is an end of the bench player at Arizona but probably has more outside NIL revenue than anyone on the team.
Nothing to do with being an Arizona player but everything to do with being LeBron James' son.
If he transferred to UK how would JMI limit his earnings?

 

[megablue]

It’s all recruiting. All of our issues are a result of bad recruiting. Pope was never a good recruiter. I guess everyone expected the Kentucky name to cover that up but that not how it works. These kids don’t care. They wanna know how much money and how many minutes. I think he’s probably a great in game coach. We’ve seen it. But it doesn’t matter if the other team has the better players.

if kam was really the plan then pope sucks at recruiting and evaluating even more than I thought.

It appears Pope thought Williams is a young Koby Brea, as Williams shot well at Tulane.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Apparently there’s a lot more to it than that. What you’re saying is the nonsense Mitch is pushing. There are media and agents who apparently say different. And I believe it’s killing our recruiting because it’s more restrictive here and anywhere else. We are th only program to go with JMI. The only one. Tennessee players according to many of them say they don’t have these restrictions. I’ve asked a guy who’s a former beat writer in Tennessee and he says it is an issue he’s heard.

they don’t want to get involved with JMI. It’s been rumored lately. We’re hemorrhaging recruits left and right and that information has come to light. What Mitch is gaslighting is irrelevant. I mean we just went through this.

Let me say I fully believe JMI is a huge problem, but also Mark might be the issue as well. Or he’s not the issue and it’s JMI. But JMI is an issue I do believe that. Mitch thought the SCORE would pass and it didn’t. Mitch doesn’t want collectives and everyone else is using them. “We aren’t going to break rules”. There are no rules, he wants to keep it all in house. It’s all you need to know.

Also it’s a dream world Mark would recruit THIS bad. He beat Duke and a ton of good teams last year. Sweet 16, talk of basketball. Then he’s got the money and the UK brand. Someone explain to me how he’d be THIS bad? He wouldn’t. I know it feels better to think that but it can’t be true.

We literally just lost Collins because of it. We were “inevitable “ that he was gonna commit early period. After they got into the contract he didn’t commit and waited. Now we lost the CB pick. It’s a huge issue and anyone who doesn’t see that is blind.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

I don't think it's that it's small potatoes. More that top talent will still make just as much wherever they sign, and they won't have to sign their NIL rights away to JMI to do so. As a result, we're left getting a bunch of mid guys for top dollar because their likeness wouldn't be in such high demand if they were the 6th man somewhere else so they may as well sign away those rights for the starter money that we're forced to offer.

Add to that the fact that most of these guys will be back next year (because where else could they possibly go), leaving us with less NIL to go around, the fact that Pope hasn't exactly inspire confidence in anyone with the way he sulks in press conferences, and the on-court disaster we've been witnessing and you end up appealing to basically nobody except more 6th-7th men who can come start here.

I will say though, that the clause requiring players to sign away NIL rights doesn't seem to have been added until August of this year. Pope was missing on most of his priorities well before that, so I think many are underestimating his role in a lot of this and chalking it all up to JMI.

That clause needs to be gone today. If I were Kentucky and these coaches I would demand the lawyers and AD do something about it now. It’s ridiculous. Pope is the one who will be out of a job soon if it doesn’t.

 

[Vek96]

I think a lot of fans are overreacting. Duke must have the most money to offer, because they’re getting whoever they want. It seems

It seems like JMI has the final say on dollar amounts to high school recruits. That’s not Pope’s fault. Probably not smart to bash Pope on this issue. There’s no such thing as “recruiting“ now.
It’s all about the money, and since JMI controls the money, AND who it’s spent on, bashing Pope for this is ignorant, and unfair.

That being said, he did over value some portal additions. He’ll definitely have to improve that, and I think he will. He’s still new to this. Injuries have hurt some, but, it looks like Mo is healthy now, and apparently JQ may play Saturday, This could still be a team that hits its stride late.

It looks like Pope is willing to adjust and try different strategies. That’s the sign of a very open minded and forward thinker. That’s a really good sign.

We’ll have a good roster next season. Zero doubt about that. Like I said, he’ll have to make better decisions on who to get from the portal, and, I think he will.

 

[SkyPrince]

I think a lot of fans are overreacting. Duke must have the most money to offer, because they’re getting whoever they want. It seems

It seems like JMI has the final say on dollar amounts to high school recruits. That’s not Pope’s fault. Probably not smart to bash Pope on this issue. There’s no such thing as “recruiting“ now.
It’s all about the money, and since JMI controls the money, AND who it’s spent on, bashing Pope for this is ignorant, and unfair.

That being said, he did over value some portal additions. He’ll definitely have to improve that, and I think he will. He’s still new to this. Injuries have hurt some, but, it looks like Mo is healthy now, and apparently JQ may play Saturday, This could still be a team that hits its stride late.

It looks like Pope is willing to adjust and try different strategies. That’s the sign of a very open minded and forward thinker. That’s a really good sign.

We’ll have a good roster next season. Zero doubt about that. Like I said, he’ll have to make better decisions on who to get from the portal, and, I think he will.

Where did you get that JMI controls offers to recruits or has any say whatsoever on who UK makes offers to?

 

[SkyPrince]

That clause needs to be gone today. If I were Kentucky and these coaches I would demand the lawyers and AD do something about it now. It’s ridiculous. Pope is the one who will be out of a job soon if it doesn’t.

I'm not advocating to not fix what needs to be fixed as far as JMI but I don't see how Pope was handcuffed in any way in the Collins recruitment.
Pope controls the rev share allocations 100%.
I seen where Collins signed a NIL deal with Crocs, a deal JMI would have no involvement in unless Collins wanted to incorporate the UK brand .
Idk if other schools are giving players free reign to use the schools brand in outside NIL deals or not.
That's a lot of small details to take in and I'm sure it varies from school to school.
I still think a lot of the problem is Pope wanting a "spread the wealth" approach to recruiting where he prioritizes depth.

 

[RunninRichie]

Oh listen man, it was said CONSTANTLY that Mitch was the greatest AD of all time here. Many also said of “their lifetime”. So many people argued that for years, if you don’t remember it then you must have not been here, or you don’t have a good memory at all. I’m sure there are many who can vouch for that, it was a point of argument here for years. No I’m not going to waste my time researching that out for you. You can ask others or look yourself. You not remembering it or knowing about it has nothing to do with me. Or you can take my word for it as, well, what the hell would I lie about that for. I had argument after argument with many here about that. I’d say probably 2/3 out of 10 held that belief. They just aren’t saying it now. They know who they are. This went on for over a decade here. Be honest, did you think he was the best we’ve had here? Did you ever say that?

@RunninRichie ever heard it? lol.

Mitch Barnhart is far and away the best AD we've ever had. Did he have some hiccups along the way ? Absolutely. But he rectified them in a timely manner IMO. I understand those still upset about the microwave comment. But at the same time, he fixed it. So anyone holding out is hamstringing the school they root for. Mitch gets paid regardless...

He’s still the best AD we’ve ever had by a long shot. He is one of the best AD’s in the nation, if not the best.
That doesn’t mean he hasn’t made mistakes, and won’t in the future.

The beer issue at games, football will be what drives the contract with a provider. When will UK be in the best position to negotiate? After a year when the stadium will have a higher attendance or after a couple of years low averages?

Barnhart is the best AD we’ve ever had.