Did Mitch make the right call?

[Blueworld_3.0]

OP, to be honest no one (or at least only a very few) here were talking about Pope as a legit consideration after Calipari officially left. It was all Hurley, Donovan, Wright, Beard, Pearl and Drew. Some were ready to jump off a bridge if it wasn't one of those guys. So, I'd say the Pope hire was a out-of-left-field type thing. Even in Vegas the odds were long that Pope would get the job. And those guys know a thing or two.

But, he is now our coach and hopefully we all support him 100%. He deserves that and a chance to succeed or fail. But, supporting Pope does not guarantee success. For me (and many other Cat fans if they're honest) we need to be convinced and that only comes with winning and contending against a very tough schedule of opponents in the OOC and SEC. Pope has never led a program the likes of UK. Never been overly scrutinized and criticized over every post/pre-game comment, substitution or in-game adjustment like he will here.

I still maintain Pope was a gamble hire for Barnhart. But, probably the best gamble he could make. Pope 'gets' what UK basketball is about and what it means to the fanbase. He knows the passion. Now, he has to make it work. Again, I think he deserves every chance to do that.
So, OP your question is valid IMO. But, we won't really know the answer until 3-4 years have passed.

 

[Ceeph]

Thank you sir. A 70 year old man like me, doesn't give a shit if every word is spelled correctly, but apparently jerks do. Have a great day!

I responded to you being a JERK telling me not to post. If you had just made comment on the content and left that little jab at me on the end off. I would have let it slide because I knew what you were trying to say but failed at in the execution.

 

[Ceeph]

Not to be the grammar police but it's moot point.

OH no he says it was autocorrect. Right! My phone always changes MOOT to mute. Not

 

[BlueWhite21]

This is a discussion for 4-5 years from now.

It will be done 4-5 times by then 😂.

 

[NociHTTP]

It will be done 4-5 times by then 😂.

It won't be.

 

[BlueWhite21]

It won't be.

Well I'm just gonna stick with my own opinion here and say it's got a good chance, but I'm here for it. Maybe it won't be done in that same form of question every time but as soon as Mark Pope loses a game somebody will say man we could've had Bruce Pearl but that damn Mitch can't never make a good hire. Then somebody else comes out and says Tommy freaking Lloyd damnit. Oh goddd!!!! why didn't we just hire Tommy. 😭.

 

[Fox2monk]

Well I'm just gonna stick with my own opinion here and say it's got a good chance, but I'm here for it. Maybe it won't be done in that same form of question every time but as soon as Mark Pope loses a game somebody will say man we could've had Bruce Pearl but that damn Mitch can't never make a good hire. Then somebody else comes out and says Tommy freaking Lloyd damnit. Oh goddd!!!! why didn't we just hire Tommy. 😭.

That’s a guarantee, maybe not after year 1, but if we really get momentum and underachieve you know it will definitely happen. An early tourney loss or 10 Loss season will be followed by criticism for sure.

 

[NociHTTP]

Well I'm just gonna stick with my own opinion here and say it's got a good chance, but I'm here for it. Maybe it won't be done in that same form of question every time but as soon as Mark Pope loses a game somebody will say man we could've had Bruce Pearl but that damn Mitch can't never make a good hire. Then somebody else comes out and says Tommy freaking Lloyd damnit. Oh goddd!!!! why didn't we just hire Tommy. 😭.

Well, if they're mature and wise, they won't.

 

[Codeartist]

I've said all along it's impossible to know at this time. There does seem to be better coaches out there but I'm not going to criticize before the first game is even played. I expect better than the last coach. If Pope delivers and we get to the second round of the NCAA tournament then Mitch made the right call.

 

[UKAlum84]

lets start with easy goals, like winning exhibition games. i know it sounds stupid, but lets face it. we lost some of those under Cal.

 

[fatguy87]

Cal had to go. The sooner it happened, the better even if we had to pay a performance tax in the short term. We'd have to replace him soon anyway and the program was deteriorating under his regime.