No UK fan wants Pope to fail. That’s just dumb and inaccurate. I hated the hire. I think he’s way over his head. Didn’t deserve the job. I hope he kills it. That means the Cats are winning and winning big. No real fan hopes he fails. Just a ridiculous statement.
Why don't we wait until the season is over
- Thread starter Ima Alien
- Start date
I wasn’t a fan of the hire and we had a good year last year but we still lost so many games we should have won. Pope plays mid major basketball and he tried to change that this year and get athletes and play the same way. I just don’t think we can ever be a serious contender with pope
Really, have you read some of the post on this site, I know some are trolls but for the most part I know the trolls from regular posters.
I kinda hate that Pope is being put through the wringer. I’m not sure if he can handle the stress when the going gets tough. And it’s going to get brutal for Pope if he doesn’t at least go 4-2 before we play Alabama.
2-4 would be apocalyptic for fans and the media will eat it up if it happens. A former beloved player doesn’t deserve that kind of hate but look what happened with Scott Frost and Nebraska. It’s why I hate hiring former players as coaches.
It really is. Anyone calling for MP's job is either a troll or basketball illiterate
I don't think you're correct on this one. I think some have very high expectations (well, not really) that this program used to meet, and are likely the intolerant type. That doesn't make them trolls or non-fans. In the end they'll either be correct that Pope doesn't meet those expectations, or they'll have robbed themselves of joy in the journey.
imagine using a msg board as your moral compass. We will know very soon what Pope's future is at Kentucky. SEC play will be absolutely brutal and thus far I don't think we can handle it. We will be extremely fortunate to not have more injuries. Again, lose to Louisville early on and if we lose AGAIN to Cal @ arkansas, fans will want him out. I watched a WKU team yesterday that could handle KY I think pretty easily after their showing against Vandy. it's always the same ole thing...glass half full vs glass half empty. it's the same mindset for people who don't want to know what's going on in the world who would rather only pay attention when the nuclear missile is about to land right outside their window. negative reality is really bad for some people to the extent that they literally can't handle it psychologically.
I have. And you’re just being ridiculous if you think and actual UK fan WANTS Pope to fail. I think he will fail. I’ve been critical as hell. That doesn’t mean I want to see him fail. Anyone that truly wants him to fail isn’t a UK fan.
Let’s be honest: we won’t have to, boosters and former players will behind the scenes if he fails to make the tournament. The NIL has changed how we perceive success and failure of coaches and has definitely shortened the period of time you’re expected to “learn on the job”.
You can fail to make a deep run in the tournament because it’s always going to be a toss up when it’s single round elimination and most will understand, albeit reluctantly. But there’s too much money on the line to completely and utterly fail. An NIT with a $20 million roster would make us the laughing stock of college basketball world.
That isn’t even including the top recruits, or lack thereof, that he has failed to bring in for next year. If he’s looking at the end of the season with an NIT or worse and no recruiting class to look forward to, I can’t see any good reason to bring him back.
He signed up for it. He knew before he did. It isn’t hate for him, it’s hate for the product. The fact he’s a former player doesn’t give him any longer of a leash or exonerate him from anything. In fact, given his lack of success as a head coach, it probably gives him a shorter leash. I don’t hate it for Pope. I hate it for UK and the fanbase. We deserve better.
AMEN! it's ALL BUSINESS now. college athletics as we've known it is far gone and won't be coming back anytime soon. so much money and gambling involved now it's over. pay to play and those are just the facts. players aren't coming here "because it's KENTUCKY"...
It definitely gives some leeway him being a former player. Albeit not necessarily much, but if we see there’s a shot it’s working we might wait a second because it’s good for the program for it to work. Anytime you’ve got former players in control it’s a really good thing for the programs standing. We need it to work to balance some of these outsider foreigners like Barnhart who don’t care anything about Kentucky or its standing. This president couldn’t care less, so yes former players being in some sort of control is a big big thing. One of the reasons we’ve stumbled so bad is because the Kentucky men of the past were ran out of here. We need to balance that.
Doesnt mean we can hope it to existence and we can suck and continue to try. We can’t, if it doesn’t work it doesn’t work we move on. We’ve got a lot on the line here. But we will judge this a little differently to make sure he’s not able to catch fire. How much rope I don’t know but it’s not the same as running off a guy who doesn’t bring all of that to the table. I know some guys that contribute to the program and one in particular has said the foreigners in control make it more difficult.
Are you mentally retarded? This is a freaking message board. We’ve played two game against teams with a pulse, and have looked like garbage in both. Do you want fans to sing Christmas Carols and hold hands? Jesus Christ.
And you also think we’re not getting recruits because of our message board. Are you really this clueless? Have you never looked at other teams message boards? It’s no different than ours.
Grow up.
You don’t have a clue. About anything really. But you’re not afraid to express that.
Super insightful. Feel free to explain such an insightful statement. Or just make an ambiguous statement and take a victory lap because you think you’ve proven a point.
You speak in absolutes as if everything is predetermined. You make judgements 7 games into a guys second season after a first season where he had to put an entire roster together on the fly. You don’t know anything. But don’t let me get in the way of your constant **** posting about Pope.
Some have already thought it all out and are salivating for the next coach. It's putrid.
No, in fact. I’ve done the opposite. I explained the concerns I had saying back to the moment the hire was made. I explained the concerns I had during last season and this past offseason. I’ve also talked about the things that are glaring concerns this season. That’s quite the opposite of what you stated. If you’re unwilling to acknowledge that after reading the post you replied to, that’s kind of a you problem. I’m wide open to discussing any of the things I put in the post. But to simply say I’m speaking in absolutes after seven games in this season is just inaccurate. Hell, I did everything BUT that in the post you replied to. Again, open to the banter. If you’re knowledgeable I rather enjoy it.
Isn’t that the same ridiculous approach the front office at Ford took with the Pinto? “Why don’t we wait until we’ve ended production of the Pinto before we consider whether these fires are really much of an issue…” C’mon Alien, you don’t really believe this squad and coaching staff is suddenly gonna do a 180, do you?
I read it. You’re making statements about future records of a hire you admittedly hated as if they’re pre ordained. You are making these statements 7 games into the guys second season. You really don’t know anything. You think things. And you may end up correct. You also may end up very wrong. If you are I expect you to come here and admit to that, because I assure you if he fails I will be here to say I was wrong. But I’d like to see just a little bigger sample than one thrown together at the last minute roster and 7 games of the second season.
Few a good coach no question. He also didn't make it past the second round for his first 5 years at Gonzaga.
He's had time to get the system and players in place to succeed.
My main point is let's give it a little more time. You may not be calling for his head but many are. Makes no sense to me.
Go Cats!
There are quite a few outsiders drooling on the board.
Well of course I don’t know anything. I used past history to base the thoughts on. I literally used Popes 10 yr history as a head coach for the basis of the 10 loss Tubby fear. Surely that’s not a tough concept. I’m pretty sure I explained all of it with past evidence or past results. I could very well be dead *** wrong. Hell, I hope I am. I don’t think an ounce of it is unfair. And none of it is based on just seven games this season.
Totally different landscapes. And Gonzaga when Few took over isn’t UK when Pope took over. It’s apples and oranges as a comp.
Sorry, edit to say I think anyone currently calling for his job is silly. That’s not realistic. I probably doubt his ability to do this job the way it needs to be done as much as anyone. That said, he’s in the position and at least deserves the chance to get it right.
Or maybe we just got blown out at home by Georgetown.
Or maybe it was because UofL had us down 20 midway through the 2nd half.
Or maybe because Michigan State blew us out.
But yeah, you're right. The fans were just waiting to pounce on Pope.
To show me you’re capable, there needs to be improvement from year to year. This season isn’t over yet, if he makes it to the Elite 8 or better, that’s an improvement over last year, even if the regular season was bad. But if he ends up not even making the tournament, then what? That’s a major slide from a 3 seed last year.
What do we have going into next season? Pope brought in a few decent top 30-top 50 recruits last year, that’s fine. But we have no recruits going into next year. Not even a 4 star recruit or two. Are we even favored with any? I’d take a few borderline 4-5 star players, even if we didn’t get someone like Stokes or Collins, at least I’d be able to see some kind of vision for what Pope is cooking. But so far Pope is cobbling together teams in the transfer portal and hoping to see what sticks.
We’re a headless chicken without any sense of direction right now. I have no idea what Pope’s vision is. Why shouldn’t I be concerned?
Then no you have not read all the negative post, I know some are legit UK fans. But that is your opinion.
Oh! there are plenty of trolls, just watch they only pop up during loses etc, and never comment when times are good, but I really do there are a few UK fans who never wanted Pope and would love to see this season fail.
And that is yours. You’re free to post the evidence. I’ll own it. I’m wrong plenty, or so my wife says.
I don't want to stay away, OCCASIONALLY some actual UK basketball is discussed. Besides right or wrong , I get some personal satisfaction in telling " the fellowship of the miserable" what IDIOTS I think they are.
Am I mentally retarded? "Grow up" you say? Well no. I am not retarded, but I am probably not as smart as you, being as I only have q PHD and am a Kentucky Professor Emeritus. This retarded one will explain to you that this means retired professor with privileges. But as smart as you must be I probably do not need to explain anything to you.
And to those that have asked if I am "new", I have been on this board since it began. I moved here from Wildcat Faithful which I was a member of since it began as well. I am 80 years old and have been a wildcat fan since I was 8 years old. That is more than 70 years. Is that long enough to not be "new" any longer? Granted I don't post much, but I enjoy reading about my cats more that posting.
As for my original post, I knew that most of you would not agree with it. But you see, I was raised to believe that one should always try to treat people with respect. Some on this board obviously were not.
You "deserve" better? Why exactly do YOU deserve better? Spoiled, unrealistic, entitled fan or troll. Why do you deserve more than what Pope has done to this point?
Man, thinking that Kentucky is better than 10-loss seasons every year is unrealistic. Who’s the troll again?
I was raised to treat people with respect also. However, you post on a message board, and preach at our fans, like you’re holier than thou, and we’re all insane, because we’re questioning the players effort, and coaching strategies. Get over yourself.
Pope is getting paid at least $5 million, and apparently, all of our players are being paid $1 million or more.
They are all fair game for criticism.
The days of pampering and patting them on the backs for trying, is over with. They are professionals, and with that, comes responsibility, results, and high expectations.
I am good with losing 10 every year as long as we at least make the sweet 16. That's a Hell of a lot better than a better regular season and 1st round loss in my book
I never said they did not deserve criticism. My opinion is that one can do so with a little more respect instead of saying things like Pope sucks, for example. I remember when Kentucky fans were considered to be the classiest fans in the nation. I doubt that is true anymore.
Not preaching to anyone. Just expressing my opinion. My opinion is that the acrid criticism many here bestow upon our coaches and players would be best if it were a wee bit less hateful. I think we would be more attractive to players and prospective coaches if so. And saying "everybody does it" is not an excuse. That's the type of thing we said as children when we were caught doing something we shouldn't
Deserve better than a lazy hire of a guy that would’ve never been given the job were he not a former UK player. Comment had nothing to do with what he’s done so far. Was completely based on his resume at the time of the hire. If you don’t think fans of arguably the most storied basketball program ever deserve better, cool. I do.