For those saying we will not be good next year

[JonathanW]

Coach Cal is a HOF coach and Pope hasn't won a NCAA tournament game yet. Maybe let's wait and see before we crowd him to be the best coach ever. Bringing up the past 4 seasons doesn't change the fact that Coach Cal is still a HOF coach and brought us #8.

lol. No one is saying he is the best ever, or even that he will get close to Cal’s first 6 years at UK. We are just seeing reasons to be optimistic.
But it shouldn’t be too challenging to be better than what Cal is now, what he’s done the past 4 years.
Yes Cal was great, for awhile. Brought us #8. Just like Tubby did #7, and Hall did #5. But just like those 2, he was no longer the coach he once was.

 

[bucsrule8872]

We need Sheppard back, plus Robinson from BYU to start.

Then add some portal guys. Lots of possibilities there.

Pope should go after Liam McNeely as well. Should fit well in the system.

But Sheppard back is the key. We should be pretty good with him leading the way.

I know it’s a long shot that he comes back, though.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

No one knows anything about next season until we have a final roster. It depends on who we get and who comes back.

 

[Bloodtypeblue]

Could not agree more OP. Excellent post.

 

[JoshAllenFan]

Most of us had written off next season anyway. At least now we have a guy that doesn't hate us and we will see what he can do. We may be pleasantly surprised. I know I'm looking forward to better offense and less rock fights. And no more insults at us from our coach.

 

[jbne222]

As soon as we start getting some recruits/transfers on paper I think people will be more excited. There’s just way too much unknown right now

 

[catlogic15]

Most of us had written off next season anyway. At least now we have a guy that doesn't hate us and we will see what he can do. We may be pleasantly surprised. I know I'm looking forward to better offense and less rock fights. And no more insults at us from our coach.

Why with the portal do we have to “write off” next season. Kentucky should not have to accept a “write off”.

 

[Bluesbrother]

Who do you give the advantage to (Pope or Cal)?

In game X’s and O’s: Pope
Hunger, passion to win: Pope
Love for Kentucky: I say Pope, but some might say even
Playing style: Pope
Defensive flexibility: Pope
Ability to get top recruits: Cal
Use of transfer Portal: Pope
Support of alumni wrt NIL: Pope (this one is big)

Pope entered the tough B12 last year and tied Self/KU with a winning B12 record, wins over KU and Baylor and Iowa St, winning 24 games. He did this at a school VERY difficult to recruit (non-Mormons) to (the most difficult of any P5 school); without the huge availabile NIL and TV exposure and Brand-name recognition of UK. And there is a transfer portal full of good players available, plus some good ones we could retain. So why again the expectation of a big struggle to win games?

When you buy a stock, for the long term do you want one descending (Cal), at its peak, or ascending (Pope)?

Nice post. Using your stock analogy, Cal peaked, IMO, in 2015. If we had sold Cal then, Pope was still the IPO and who knows who we would have bought. All things work out for the best, whether we fully understand at the time. I'm pumped.

 

[deplion]

Who do you give the advantage to (Pope or Cal)?

In game X’s and O’s: Pope
Hunger, passion to win: Pope
Love for Kentucky: I say Pope, but some might say even
Playing style: Pope
Defensive flexibility: Pope
Ability to get top recruits: Cal
Use of transfer Portal: Pope
Support of alumni wrt NIL: Pope (this one is big)

Pope entered the tough B12 last year and tied Self/KU with a winning B12 record, wins over KU and Baylor and Iowa St, winning 24 games. He did this at a school VERY difficult to recruit (non-Mormons) to (the most difficult of any P5 school); without the huge availabile NIL and TV exposure and Brand-name recognition of UK. And there is a transfer portal full of good players available, plus some good ones we could retain. So why again the expectation of a big struggle to win games?

When you buy a stock, for the long term do you want one descending (Cal), at its peak, or ascending (Pope)?

Pope's ultimate success is going to hinge on recruiting. For this year and going forward.

I'm expecting this year to be a struggle, but if he can bring his best from BYU, convince a couple of our guys to stay, and land a couple of impact portal players, we could be competitive in the SEC this year.

Here's hoping!

 

[JustBlue]

I'm just hoping for a tournament birth next year. Trying to field a competitive SEC roster with almost zero returning players with about 2 weeks left in the transfer portal is going to be tough for anyone.

 

[Catfanlou]

Who do you give the advantage to (Pope or Cal)?

In game X’s and O’s: Pope
Hunger, passion to win: Pope
Love for Kentucky: I say Pope
Playing style: Pope
Defensive flexibility: Pope
Ability to get top recruits: Cal
Use of transfer Portal: Pope
Support of alumni wrt NIL: Pope (this one is big)

Pope entered the tough B12 last year and tied Self/KU with a winning B12 record, wins over KU and Baylor and Iowa St, winning 24 games. He did this at a school VERY difficult to recruit (non-Mormons) to (the most difficult of any P5 school); without the huge availabile NIL and TV exposure and Brand-name recognition of UK. And there is a transfer portal full of good players available, plus some good ones we could retain. So why again the expectation of a big struggle to win games?

When you buy a stock, for the long term do you want one descending (Cal), at its peak, or ascending (Pope)?

Absolutely agree.

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

Speaking of favorite teams/players. I ran into Eric Daniels yesterday at the store. He and that team were one of my favorites and the defensive run they got on halfway through that year was still the greatest run of defense we've seen. Too bad it didnt last through the tourney but man they were good together. And it all came out of nowhere during halftime of a Vandy game like a switch turned on.

Eric was one of the most instinctive players we've every had. Just a step a head reacting on the court from every body else. The perfect glue guy.

Couldn't agree more. That team's half court defense and interior passing were top notch.

 

[BlazerHallsBallsN96]

Who do you give the advantage to (Pope or Cal)?

In game X’s and O’s: Pope
Hunger, passion to win: Pope
Love for Kentucky: I say Pope
Playing style: Pope
Defensive flexibility: Pope
Ability to get top recruits: Cal
Use of transfer Portal: Pope
Support of alumni wrt NIL: Pope (this one is big)

Pope entered the tough B12 last year and tied Self/KU with a winning B12 record, wins over KU and Baylor and Iowa St, winning 24 games. He did this at a school VERY difficult to recruit (non-Mormons) to (the most difficult of any P5 school); without the huge availabile NIL and TV exposure and Brand-name recognition of UK. And there is a transfer portal full of good players available, plus some good ones we could retain. So why again the expectation of a big struggle to win games?

When you buy a stock, for the long term do you want one descending (Cal), at its peak, or ascending (Pope)?

Great post and exactly how I see it too

 

[BlueVoodoo]

Concerns me that the slow, over- weight Egyptian who averaged 4 pts per game may end up here. There has to be much better options in portal.

 

[Rockfly78]

I love everyone’s optimism. I’m not sure “love for ky” is a measurable though haha.

For me, show me what the roster looks like.

 

[Deli owl]

Alot of the Debbie downers are still pissed their hero packed his bags and ran his 1 and done shitshow too Arkansas

I don’t think more than a couple feel that way. It’s blatantly obvious they wanted Hurley , oats, Drew, or Donovan, etc. Didn’t want to settle. I get it but I highly doubt it’s how you portray it as a Cal thing. Cal also left on his own so there’s no stopping that.

 

[jeffky]

Coach Cal is a HOF coach and Pope hasn't won a NCAA tournament game yet. Maybe let's wait and see before we crowd him to be the best coach ever. Bringing up the past 4 seasons doesn't change the fact that Coach Cal is still a HOF coach and brought us #8.

Get over it man your hero ran and took his shitshow to Arkansas

 

[JoshAllenFan]

Why with the portal do we have to “write off” next season. Kentucky should not have to accept a “write off”.

I said with Cal I had written off next season. I'm saying with the portal and new coach I have some hope.

 

[dl51344]

Someone said they’re hoping to get NIL up to around $5 to 8,000,000 per year, every year for basketball. If that’s the case, pope will be in pretty good shape. They’ve got $4 Mil + already for 2024-25

If there is a player Pope wants and nil is not there he can call RP. He said publicly if needed he would open his checkbook.

 

[Ugoff]

Concerns me that the slow, over- weight Egyptian who averaged 4 pts per game may end up here. There has to be much better options in portal.

Mark is attempting to fill out a roster that will suit up for madness in October. If he has to bring a couple of BYU players with him then so be it. This is a transitional period. The following seasons will tell the tale.