Barnhart never contacted Donovan, Pope was a top candidate all along?
- Thread starter RunninRichie
- Start date
they probably know at least as much as most posters on this board
I'm seeing a lot happy. Me for one. If I wasn't I would still give the new guy a chance. Posters here is one reason we didn't get drew. You think Mitch should be fired. All the guys posting this crap should be banned for impersonating fans. Actually if you're on here already spreading discord your not one. Just a bunch of trouble makers. Lot of you would complain over anything. We got a great coach. A AD that had the guts to hire him. Lot more for him than against
At least he's not a complete USEFUL IDIOT MORON like you and several others on this post. How about you do some research and watch some BYU games to watch his coaching and what others say about coaching against him . He's going to lot better HC than some of you simpletons are at being a fan.
Not even sure why this popped up again but nobody cares about Donovan anymore. It's Coach Pope's Time either jump on or jump off. #9 is the ASSIGNMENT let's go BBN!
One can:
Support pope
Question his hire initially
Question the entire process and why others weren’t contacted
Think Barnhart should’ve been gone before this and reaffirm that with this
Be as much a Kentucky fan as anyone else
One cannot:
Act like a blubbering idiot regarding our last coach
Use personal insults
Suffer from CDS
And then attack people for not being a UK fan because you don’t like the way they received the news of this hire. You just got done calling our coach a fat ass piece of shyt and acted like he stole your woman - now want to be the decider of who is and isn’t a fan? lol only in your narcissistic lala land.
This board has a LOT of people who don’t have much going for them in life. They live vicariously through college basketball players. Their happiness is determined by basketball game results. They think they’re basketball savants but really don’t know shyt. It’s sad.
Support pope
Question his hire initially
Question the entire process and why others weren’t contacted
Think Barnhart should’ve been gone before this and reaffirm that with this
Be as much a Kentucky fan as anyone else
One cannot:
Act like a blubbering idiot regarding our last coach
Use personal insults
Suffer from CDS
And then attack people for not being a UK fan because you don’t like the way they received the news of this hire. You just got done calling our coach a fat ass piece of shyt and acted like he stole your woman - now want to be the decider of who is and isn’t a fan? lol only in your narcissistic lala land.
This board has a LOT of people who don’t have much going for them in life. They live vicariously through college basketball players. Their happiness is determined by basketball game results. They think they’re basketball savants but really don’t know shyt. It’s sad.
I know most here don't like Barnhart and mostly I agree, with that being said I think he made the correct call in this case. Hurley ,Donovan were never coming here ,waiting to begin the process of putting together a coaching staff and team wasn't a good option. Cal's timing left us way behind with a lot of ground to make up. I doubt than any viable candidate could have done a better job than Pope has done to this point. We are 2 players away from putting together a competitive team(at least on paper)
That’s where I am
I never thought Donovan was coming either
And to be honest I’m relieved Scott Drew turned us down. I’d have supported him of course but I just don’t feel he’s the guy we needed at this time
I understand why we didn’t go after some of the names thrown around . Too much baggage.
And to be fair, I was concerned about Mark Pope but that’s mostly because this is a BIG job and I didn’t know enough about his coaching, but I certainly didn’t trash the hire as some did
I’ve watched games and done some research since then and I like what I see
I do believe Mitch knew how the fan base felt about him and he wants to go out with a better reputation. He knew how divided we were. So he hired a beloved former player who was on arguably the best team we’ve ever had. With the exception of a small percentage of fans, this hire reunited the fan base as no other could have at this time
Mark has hired a staff that by all accounts couldn’t be better.
I’m excited and hopeful for the future of Kentucky basketball
I think Pope's coaching will be fine, this is a big job that has burned out several coaches. My concern is can Pope handle the stress and pressure. NIL and the portal have put college basketball in uncharted territory, how well does he navigate that in the long run? UK isn't BYU so will his approach change. Pope knows what UK basketball is he saw Pitino up close. I'm just glad the Cal of the last 5 years is gone
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I don't agree with Pope being 3rd option or even top 10 option. He wasn't ready. I do think Barney was looking g for easiest route to finish hunt.
He thought he had his buddy Drew (minimum work) , then he said throw max offer at Hurley - No. After this Barney knows its not easy not Pope would say yes right away = no work. Pope was then brought in.
That said I believe Mitch did get the right guy on accident seeing how hard he works and loves an respects the tradition I know I chsnged my mind on Pope . But when hired Pope was the Lazy n easy choice.
He thought he had his buddy Drew (minimum work) , then he said throw max offer at Hurley - No. After this Barney knows its not easy not Pope would say yes right away = no work. Pope was then brought in.
That said I believe Mitch did get the right guy on accident seeing how hard he works and loves an respects the tradition I know I chsnged my mind on Pope . But when hired Pope was the Lazy n easy choice.
This is where I'm at. I didn't like the Pope hire because I didn't think he had the resume one should have to get the job. But he's the coach so I'm in. Lfg.
We had absolutely no shot with Hurley and Donovan. I don't disagree with throwing bag at Hurley at all, but there was no shot, ever. Donovan is a smart guy and it probably would have worked, long term. In the short term I absolutely do not think he could have pulled the roster Pope has.
Pope was a better hire than Drew (truly believe that)....much better than Pearl or whatever other re-tread middling hot name you could throw out there.
By the time I jumped on the Oats wagon it was full...to me that is the only guy I'd want as much as Pope. Personally, never wavered from that.
Mitch stuck his neck out to hire Pope, so if it doesn't work out his neck will be chopped along with Pope's. With Eli in a bit of trouble I don't see him riding to the rescue this time.
What I don't want to see happen is Pope get fired. It's business, I know. But he's a good person and LOVES UK more than ANY of the other hires possibly could have. He's got a good family, they all seem like good people. That's my worry. The guy can coach. And God willing, he's got years ahead of him. I hope that down the road we're all cheering Pope as he retires from UK and coaching and then eventually is helped as he strolls across the court with a cane, to cheers and waves from 40 something's who grew up watching his Wildcat teams. That's my hope and dream for Mark Pope.
