Am I the only one that thinks UK is the team to beat this season?

[Aike]

OP is engagement farming, but I expect us to be one of the best teams in the country by March.

That’s how I feel. Could obviously be wrong. That’s how life works.

But I love our shooting. Like our defense up the middle. And I expect us to be about 20% better than it seems like we should be.

I just think the energy level will be off the charts. Experienced guys came here to win. Two Kentucky kids nipping at everyone’s heels, fighting for minutes. Mature, talented freshman knocking the rust off and rounding into form. Offensive minded coach who understands the effort required to play and win (it all) at UK.

I expect us to fight for wins virtually every night. No team is perfect. We will be flat a time or two. But that’s about it, imo. I expect a lot of victories, and a strong seed in the tournament.

Will we be the team to beat? I don’t think so. More like the team to lose to.

 

[Cleatortoises]

we'll be in the hunt.
There, I said it.
LFG!
GBB!

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Think about it..we not only have a killer roster but we have a competent coach! We not only have talent but we have big time experience! We also have a Pitino guy.

Thats a deadly combo that we really havent had since 1997.

I don’t know about team to beat. We’re always the team everyone wants to beat.

This is going to be a very good team. Going to surprise many.

I’ll be very surprised if we are not a top 10 ranked team by January and stay there.

It’s a very experienced team. It will be well coached.

1 thru 8 we are probably as college talented as anyone. How well they fit together will be the key.

The game has changed. The way teams are assembled has changed.

And at warp speed. UK is as well positioned as anyone to take advantage of this NWO of college basketball.

It’s going to be interesting if nothing else. 🏀

 

[Hoskins91]

A coach that hasn’t proven anything with a roster that isn’t getting anybody outside of Lexington excited…yes, it’s just you.

 

[LmdCat]

A coach that hasn’t proven anything with a roster that isn’t getting anybody outside of Lexington excited…yes, it’s just you.

Why don't you follow your little "g" god to Arkansas?

 

[Hoskins91]

Why don't you follow your little "g" god to Arkansas?

The difference between me and you is I’m not going to be cheering against the program secretly in the hopes I’m eventually proven “right”. I completely supported moving on. The facts are we got in a big rush to hire somebody who hasn’t proven anything. That doesn’t change even if it ends up working out.

 

[Hoskins91]

The difference between me and you is I’m not going to be cheering against the program secretly in the hopes I’m eventually proven “right”. I completely supported moving on. The facts are we got in a big rush to hire somebody who hasn’t proven anything. That doesn’t change even if it ends up working out.

If it wasn’t clear to the particularly slow people here, that means I hope it works out, despite thinking it was a bad decision.

 

[Hoskins91]

No coach. No assistants. A bunch of soft 5-star players that never played together before didn't stop this board from thinking every new season was going to yield #9. So, why the conservative view on things now?

You say shit like this and wonder why nobody takes you seriously.

 

[LmdCat]

You say shit like this and wonder why nobody takes you seriously.

Hello Nobody!! Just in case you haven't figured it out, you are the one that goes unnoticed until you post your typical foolishness.

 

[LmdCat]

The difference between me and you is I’m not going to be cheering against the program secretly in the hopes I’m eventually proven “right”. I completely supported moving on. The facts are we got in a big rush to hire somebody who hasn’t proven anything. That doesn’t change even if it ends up working out.

If you truly have moved on, you would stop posting your Odes to Calipari. Cal hasn't done a darn thing other than talk for years. It was well past time to move on from the mouth of the south. If Pope isn't a success which I don't believe will be the case, we are still better with him than Cal. As for proving something, no one proves anything until they do and it has to happen somewhere. Success at a mid-level program doesn't mean success at a blueblood. However not doing well at a mid-level doesn't mean one won't do much better at a blueblood when provided with much greater resources. An established coach wasn't going to leave a good job to come to Kentucky to put up with crazy fans' comparisons to Cal.

 

[Zissou87]

This may be news to some, but you can be pro-program, anti-previous coach, and skeptical-new coach. It's not irrational.

 

[LmdCat]

This may be news to some, but you can be pro-program, anti-previous coach, and skeptical-new coach. It's not irrational.

You can at least wait until you have something to be skeptical about concerning the new coach. Pope hasn't even coached a pre-season game.

 

[Zissou87]

You can at least wait until you have something to be skeptical about concerning the new coach. Pope hasn't even coached a pre-season game.

-Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, Billy Gillispie, and John Calipari all had at least been to a Sweet 16 prior to being the HC at UK.
-Can he recruit at an elite level?
-Sure, it was hard for him to recruit elite talent to BYU, but Dave Rose had the same obstacles and had plenty of success while he was the HC.

There are other concerns I have, but I don’t think it’s necessary to continue to list them.

I'm going to be cheering for the guy. He has been saying all the right things and it's refreshing to hear from the BS that was constantly spewed from the last few years. However, I'm not going to lie to you and say I wasn't cursing Mitch Barnhart when I heard who he hired.

 

[LmdCat]

-Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, Billy Gillispie, and John Calipari all had at least been to a Sweet 16 prior to being the HC at UK.
-Can he recruit at an elite level?
-Sure, it was hard for him to recruit elite talent to BYU, but Dave Rose had the same obstacles and had plenty of success while he was the HC.

There are other concerns I have, but I don’t think it’s necessary to continue to list them.

I'm going to be cheering for the guy. He has been saying all the right things and it's refreshing to hear from the BS that was constantly spewed from the last few years. However, I'm not going to lie to you and say I wasn't cursing Mitch Barnhart when I heard who he hired.

I was too excited about Cal's departure to be upset.

 

[Zissou87]

I was too excited about Cal's departure to be upset.

There's nothing wrong with that, but I also don’t see anything wrong with someone being thrilled and then somewhat upset. Let's not act like this board wasn't on fire when Mitch made the hire.

 

[Cleatortoises]

There's nothing wrong with that, but I also don’t see anything wrong with someone being thrilled and then somewhat upset. Let's not act like this board wasn't on fire when Mitch made the hire.

I was elated with the choice.
I'm either a sage or a moron.
Time well tell.
GBB!

 

[un4getables]

A coach that hasn’t proven anything with a roster that isn’t getting anybody outside of Lexington excited…yes, it’s just you.

Do you feel the same way about UofL team?

 

[un4getables]

The difference between me and you is I’m not going to be cheering against the program secretly in the hopes I’m eventually proven “right”. I completely supported moving on. The facts are we got in a big rush to hire somebody who hasn’t proven anything. That doesn’t change even if it ends up working out.

What a crappy take.

 

[un4getables]

A coach that hasn’t proven anything with a roster that isn’t getting anybody outside of Lexington excited…yes, it’s just you.

I do have a legitimate question. If he proves you wrong and UK is successful this year (wins one SEC tourney Game, Wins one NCAA tourney game) which is better than UK has done in 5 years, you going to be the first on here to eat crow? Probably not and won't hear from you ever again.

 

[un4getables]

This may be news to some, but you can be pro-program, anti-previous coach, and skeptical-new coach. It's not irrational.

Correct but wouldn't it be HOW YOU FRAME IT?

 

[Disappointed Cat]

Think about it..we not only have a killer roster but we have a competent coach! We not only have talent but we have big time experience! We also have a Pitino guy.

Thats a deadly combo that we really havent had since 1997.

Way too early to cut down the nets.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

There's nothing wrong with that, but I also don’t see anything wrong with someone being thrilled and then somewhat upset. Let's not act like this board wasn't on fire when Mitch made the hire.

If Pope didn't play at UK and was hired, Mitch would have literally needed to leave the state. This is because based purely on prior head coaching resume it was a surprising hire.

 

[Cleatortoises]

If Pope didn't play at UK and was hired, Mitch would have literally needed to leave the state. This is because based purely on prior head coaching resume it was a surprising hire.

But he did play here.
And aced the interview.

 

[LmdCat]

If Pope didn't play at UK and was hired, Mitch would have literally needed to leave the state. This is because based purely on prior head coaching resume it was a surprising hire.

If Cal could coach as well as he sales dreams, he wouldn't be at the Pig Farm. There is no point in playing the if game because it is boundless.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

This board is a ridiculous train wreck. I can’t look away from it. The Political thread has better insight. Well done.

 

[LmdCat]

This board is a ridiculous train wreck. I can’t look away from it. The Political thread has better insight. Well done.

You are not being forced to visit this board.

 

[BBNinSC]

But he did play here.
And aced the interview.

I believe this. None of us were present in the interview. Barnhart made a quick decision right after Hurley was no longer a candidate. I would suggest that Pope impressed

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

You are not being forced to visit this board.

It’s so ridiculous sometimes you can’t look away