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Coach Mark Pope

If anyone blames anything that's gone wrong during this season on Coach Pope, then they really need to educate themselves on the sport of basketball. Coach has done in outstanding job!
I’m not blaming him for anything. And we understand basketball. But you have no idea what future looks like. He has to do 2 things. First recruit athletic dudes that are hungry. Next he has to get them to play defense. We shall see but no one knows
 
Hurley just won 2 straight national titles. The expectation that he isnt allowed a down year is comical. He's a megalomaniac ahole though and some of our sensitive fans couldn't have handled that. He would have won big here though.

There are also a couple of guys that should have got a call that didn't that are having great seasons.

Pope will win big here too. I also don't think any real fan would hate him. Let's not act like he's the only guy that would have been a good hire though.
Hurley couldn’t handle the Kentucky job. He’s losing his mind in the middle of an average season at UConn. He needs to stay in Storrs where they care more about girls basketball anyway.
 
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I’m not blaming him for anything. And we understand basketball. But you have no idea what future looks like. He has to do 2 things. First recruit athletic dudes that are hungry. Next he has to get them to play defense. We shall see but no one knows

In fairness, this team has been decimated by injuries. We will obviously never know but if healthy all season I think we are competing for a one seed.

The challenge with this team is they are made up almost entirely of complimentary pieces. When you lose not one, but four of those pieces for good chunks of the season it created a depth issue. There isn't the same talent backing up those guys.
 
There's a lot of "see I was right" online fans that took a stance against him from day 1 and would rather their avatar be correct than Pope succeed. Petulant, yes, but true. WHEN he succeeds, they'll just leave or change names, lol.

It will never end and I'm having fun and won't let them ruin it. Have sent countless of them to the Ignore button abyss.
They sure have come out in full force, eh ? lol

I'm not sure there's another coach in the country, except maybe Rick Pitino, that could have gotten the results within the circumstances that Coach Pope had to face this year. Even Pitino would have been hard pressed to get the results Pope already has achieved, especially when the conference play began. The injuries just destroyed any continuity for the team.

Predictions for the long term future :

It's going to be looked back, in the future, that Coach Pope managed an unmanageable situation very well this year. Next year, Coach Pope will put together a team that will be ranked in the top 10 to start the season. We're going to count ourselves very lucky, fortunate, and blessed, that we've got Coach Pope. And we are still not done with this year yet.

Barnes may retire after this season, and what will happen to Tennessee when that happens? He's not going to be there much longer. I don't see Beard staying at Ole Miss, he will end up on the sidelines with IU against us next year when we play them. What happens to Ole Miss if he leaves? Golden will have other very interested teams offering, surely. But I think he will stay at Florida. Perhaps other SEC coaches will leave the league.

The SEC will be strong once again, but nowhere near this level of overall top to bottom strength.

Just keep the faith, I say. Same as it ever was here. I've probably been the most positive supporter here on the board for Coach Pope. And I like everyone "keeping him on his toes" with the critique and critical thinking. He wouldn't want it any other way, himself ! That stands in stark contrast to the attitude and ego of what we had here before.

When you stop to consider what has happened around here for the past 5, 6 years, ask yourself this :

Would you want to go back ?

I know what my answer is to that. Regardless how this season ends. It's been an incredible season to follow Pope's patchwork rollercoaster cats ! The ride is not over yet. It'll be bittersweet to see it end.

Go Big Blue (Trust in Coach Pope!)
 
Let’s clear up a couple things about OPs post. I don’t think ANYONE on here hates Pope. I’m also not terribly sure there were very many on here very excited about Drew. Hurley, sure. And for good reason. He just came off back to back nattys. Btw, one off year doesn’t change that. He’s clearly gotten too big for his britches, but he’s also really really good. That’s undeniable.

Back to the “hate” on Pope. It doesn’t exist. What does exist is a reasonable size faction of the fanbase that is cautiously optimistic about Pope and his ability to produce. No evidence exists that he can. It’s fair. I think those (myself included) recognize his career has been pretty mid to this point. I know I don’t find comfort in the praise that “he built this roster in a week” and “the injuries have derailed the season”. Those are both true statements, but I still don’t find comfort in it. I hope like hell it works because he’s what the majority of the fanbase wants and needs.
 
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What part of injured players doesn't get through your thick skull? How can Pope be responsible for injuries.......And for crying out loud, try to answer with anything but" "he is getting paid to do better".......up until the injuries happened..........I was back to feeling like UK could win any game they were in.....you wouldn't be happy with a perfect season.........I would hate to be you...........
We got our butts beat at home early in the season by Bama when there was no injuries. Just stating the facts. My skull is really not that thick.
 
Dude… I’m glad you’re not coaching. You are clueless. I bet you couldn’t coach a Junior Pro team to a win. Keep being you.
Losing 3 times to Bama guess its ok with you being beat by Bama at home early in the season when there was no injuries, dude.
 
He has shown he is brilliant Xs and Os coach. The question remains can he get equal talent compared to the top teams. Yes he wins championships - No top 20 teams at best.
 
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For those on here that still hate Pope, take a look at a couple of the other guys we were looking at, and many wanted to hire. How have Hurley and Drew done this year? With returning players and a full roster that they recruited, not the last minute one that Pope was able to throw together.

GO CATS
Why leave off Oats, Pearl from the list of coaches that were top notch choices in addition to Pope?

I'm fine with the year and injuries surely derailed a fuller evaluation...but

1. The defensive philosphy is very suspect going forward...we look like we want to just outscore teams
2. Toughness of the team is also suspect....defense as mentioned, rebounding, etc..
3. His approach to refs is pacifist.....more fire could help the team and some rogue ref behaviors.
 
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