Apparently Mahaney is on visit as we speak.

[NociHTTP]

All due respect,

Bullshit. We have great recruiters, we are UK, and we've got NIL money. This isn't Rick Pitino fresh off a death penalty without NIL and the ability to recruit an entire team full of skilled experienced players. I refuse to believe we can't field a top 10 to 15 team.

With all due respect. You're minimizing the damage that Cal did to the reputation of UK and how it's being used against UK in recruiting conversations. Even with NIL and the portal, we're competing with every other team out there looking to pick up players. Right now UK is not sexy with recruits and Pope shouldn't be held responsible for that.

 

[Aike]

With all due respect. You're minimizing the damage that Cal did to the reputation of UK and how it's being used against UK in recruiting conversations. Even with NIL and the portal, we're competing every other team out there looking to pick up players. Right now UK is not sexy with recruits and Pope shouldn't be held responsible for that.

You been chatting with a lot of recruits? Seem to be doing ok.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

Butler is our backup PG, right? I do not want Mahaney as our lead guard next season.

Let Mark know.

 

[Bluegrassking]

With all due respect. You're minimizing the damage that Cal did to the reputation of UK and how it's being used against UK in recruiting conversations. Even with NIL and the portal, we're competing every other team out there looking to pick up players. Right now UK is not sexy with recruits and Pope shouldn't be held responsible for that.

There is no substitute or a better cure than building his brand and improving his reputation for pushing back successfully on negative recruiting.

The kneecapping was going to be baked into anyone with his resume taking the job.

Negative recruiting would be a factor to varying degrees no matter who the coach is, including the former guy, it is a rough and competitive situation, and that is amongst friends much less the prick you can't stand.

 

[TankedCat]

all I'm asking from Pope is to get me excited about UK basketball again. I was at his press conference so he's off to a good start.

I'm not expecting anything but foundational building for the following season when its a level playing field and he can expect some guys to return

If UK accomplishes anything of note beyond that its all gravy to me.

I bet one thing though - UK gets past the first round of the NCAA tournament

and if that doesn't make you happy for his first year, I think your expectations are too high

Pope just can't go out and play highest bidder against the field. He has to deal with an entire team who has expectations about their market value. That will ease up the following year once he has guys in place with a proven track record he can use as a baseline.

 

[anonymous_2011]

Love Hecklefish.

Me too. The entire show is great. Gives me that Classic C2C vibe.

 

[yes_takeaside]

Name one coach that HAS EVER made a Sweet 16 the year after losing EVERY player on his roster and all but one recruit. I'll have a long wait for tour answer because THERE ISNT ONE

First time for everything

 

[Bloodtypeblue]

all I'm asking from Pope is to get me excited about UK basketball again. I was at his press conference so he's off to a good start.

I'm not expecting anything but foundational building for the following season when its a level playing field and he can expect some guys to return

If UK accomplishes anything of note beyond that its all gravy to me.

I bet one thing though - UK gets past the first round of the NCAA tournament

and if that doesn't make you happy for his first year, I think your expectations are too high

Pope just can't go out and play highest bidder against the field. He has to deal with an entire team who has expectations about their market value. That will ease up the following year once he has guys in place with a proven track record he can use as a baseline.

Great outlook. Completely agree. Nice post!

 

[Mike-D]

Let Mark know.

He reads this board.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

He reads this board.

Cool! Then you’ve done good work.

 

[CarolinaCatsFan]

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

View embedded media

Hope we get him.

 

[Cayts69]

Did he already go to UConn? I thought it was after ours

 

[CarolinaCatsFan]

Hope we get him.

Did he already go to UConn? I thought it was after ours

Yes he’s already had his UConn visit

 

[meow_cat]

This one has been pretty quiet the past few hours...

 

[JwUKFan11]

Just seems like the kind of guy Creighton would get.

 

[LmdCat]

Mike, it's a rebuilding year, not a reloading year. NO ONE should be expecting tournament success this year. You're going to drive yourself crazy.

I think we will be as successful in the tourney as we would have with Cal as coach. However, I do realize that isn't a high bar to clear.

 

[bookerfan66]

Just seems like the kind of guy Creighton would get.

Creighton just got that Pops guy from Texas Tech.

 

[Wonky]

Who’s the dude with him?

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

First time for everything

Yes but to expect something from a coach right out of the gate that has never been done because YOU FEEL like it should be possible is not very realistic is it.

 

[CarolinaCatsFan]

Who’s the dude with him?

His brother

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Another good shooter just entered, Nate santos from Dayton. 41 percent from 3, could be a good role player shooter

 

[deep3]

All due respect,

Bullshit. We have great recruiters, we are UK, and we've got NIL money. This isn't Rick Pitino fresh off a death penalty without NIL and the ability to recruit an entire team full of skilled experienced players. I refuse to believe we can't field a top 10 to 15 team.

GTFO how fn stupid are you dudes been here two weeks, go get on your boy Cals shit clown

 

[catben]

Another good shooter just entered, Nate santos from Dayton. 41 percent from 3, could be a good role player shooter

Well, Dayton had 2 of the best shooters in college basketball. Why didn't they win more games?

This dude with Brea should have been a potent combo.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Well, Dayton had 2 of the best shooters in college basketball. Why didn't they win more games?

This dude with Brea should have been a potent combo.

They won 20 plus games, and were competitive all year.

 

[catben]

They won 20 plus games, and were competitive all year.

So were they similar to us, in that they could score but couldn't defend well enough to get very far in the post season???

Was just wondering.

 

[1war]

Well, Dayton had 2 of the best shooters in college basketball. Why didn't they win more games?

This dude with Brea should have been a potent combo.

They also had one of the best players in the nation, Daron Holmes(AP second team AA).

 

[G-PIP]

Hurley wants Mahaney. That’s all I need to hear.

I hope that's not all he needs to hear, too. Honestly, that worries me. UConn is also a BIG draw these days, especially I think with transfers.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

So were they similar to us, in that they could score but couldn't defend well enough to get very far in the post season???

Was just wondering.

They also had Daron Holmes who is one of best bigs in the nation

 

[GuyFromKY]

Anon, I wonder how many people know who that is in your avatar.

Everyone knows that’s Nemo

 

[catben]

They also had Daron Holmes who is one of best bigs in the nation

Then I would guess that the coaching at Dayton is more than likely the reason these 2 kids are transferring.

 

[UK90]

Well, Dayton had 2 of the best shooters in college basketball. Why didn't they win more games?

This dude with Brea should have been a potent combo.

So after a season where we flamed out in the first round with two lottery picks …as our 6th and 7th men off the bench …you’re asking why Dayton didn’t do more with it’s talent?

I mean, UD did go 25-8 with those two guys. Is that not good enough?

 

[cawoodsct]

Who’s the dude with him?

We may not want to know.

 

[catben]

So after a season where we flamed out in the first round with two lottery picks …as our 6th and 7th men off the bench …you’re asking why Dayton didn’t do more with it’s talent?

I mean, UD did go 25-8 with those two guys. Is that not good enough

They also had a good Big Man. I was just curious if Dayton was in the same situation we were. I wasn't familiar with their team this year. So you're saying they were BETTER than UK. Our coach fell WAAAAYYYYY short and looks like Dayton did too.

Both of those shooters are leaving.

Who is their coach?

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

They also had a good Big Man. I was just curious if Dayton was in the same situation we were. I wasn't familiar with their team this year. So you're saying they were BETTER than UK. Our coach fell WAAAAYYYYY short and looks like Dayton did too.

Both of those shooters are leaving.

Who is their coach?

Daytons issue was their pg tore his acl in the offseason and their guard play was bad

 

[Loucatfan30]

With all due respect. You're minimizing the damage that Cal did to the reputation of UK and how it's being used against UK in recruiting conversations. Even with NIL and the portal, we're competing with every other team out there looking to pick up players. Right now UK is not sexy with recruits and Pope shouldn't be held responsible for that.

Thats just dumb. We were a 3 seed this year. Cal didn't damage anything he just didn't win in March.

 

[Wonky]

Thats just dumb. We were a 3 seed this year. Cal didn't damage anything he just didn't win in March.

After telling us all year long his team was “built for March”

Bounced first game sec tourney. Bounced first game ncaa tourney by a scrub team whose coach shit talked us beforehand. Season over, mass exodus of players imminent. Same story as past 5 years. But nah, Cal didn’t damage anything 😂

 

[Loucatfan30]

After telling us all year long his team was “built for March”

Bounced first game sec tourney. Bounced first game ncaa tourney by a scrub team whose coach shit talked us beforehand. Season over, mass exodus of players imminent. Same story as past 5 years. But nah, Cal didn’t damage anything 😂

You are talking about 2 games this year. I am talking about the whole year. I am talking about the relevance of the Kentucky Basketball program legacy here and as I sit here watching the NBA playoffs. Each of you will say you don't care about NBA but anyone that watches it will say he was a UK guy when they watch them including Reed.

I think many of us me included are about to find out what damage Mitch has done to our basketball team. It isn't Pope's fault he was dangled a big carrot of a job and he took it as most of us would. I would have taken it myself. Cal is not a great in game coach and he was slow to change his roster construction as transfer portal/NIL area began. But this job is too big for Pope right now. We will be a middle of the pack SEC team the entire time he is here. I wish it was different but nothing I have seen on his past coaching experience or since he has been hired here will make me feel otherwise.

 

[Mike-D]

GTFO how fn stupid are you dudes been here two weeks, go get on your boy Cals shit clown

Lol

 

[The_Ghost_of_Born_and_Bread]

I haven't seen Mahaney getting proper respect on RR with regards to the guard prospects available -

When Mahaney first announced for the portal a couple days back, before anybody mentioned Kentucky, half of the national analysts were salivating on Twitter, saying this is an all conference/possible AA kid wherever he goes next year. The only guard in the portal that they were hyping up more was Johnell Davis.

Whether we get him or not, don't let the armchair QBs on rafters fool you - this kid is a first tier transfer.

Nah not good enough to start at Kentucky, butt he be okay 7th or 8th in the rotation