Disrespect.

[IL Wildcat]

Kentucky basketball is being disrespected by the national media

The 2024-25 college basketball season is going to be an interesting one as there was a lot of shake-up head coaching-wise, especially in the SEC. John Calipari

www.si.com

I really don't care what the national media thinks right now. Heck, if you haven't been following closely and all you hear is "Cal left and was replaced by Mark Pope," I wouldn't blame someone for taking a wait and see approach. The players coming in should get UK some respect, but it's just not enough to get a top 25 ranking early on.

We all think we've got a good coach with Pope, but we've been following this with a magnifying glass. I'm excited about this upcoming season. Pope needs to establish some chemistry with this group. If he can get them to work together and complement one another, the potential is very high. I love the experience. I love the shooting. I love the defensive prowess. And Pope has shown he can be very creative in finding ways to score. There are many reasons to be high on these Cats. We'll see. 😀

 

[MidseasonTweak]

Most of these guys did not play for winning teams previously. Butler is kind of the exception as he did play for a NC. The rest are mostly solid veteran type players that weren't even the primary options on their previous teams. Some of them weren't even starters. Add that to the fact all but 1 of them are playing for Pope for the first time, and all of them are playing at UK for the first time.

That's a lot to overcome in a few months. I would advise everyone to enter this season without many expectations and just enjoy the change in coaching. It's likely going to take Pope a couple of seasons to really build us back up.

I always enter with a 40-0 mentality.

 

[BC_Wader]

I always enter with a 40-0 mentality.

It just means more here. Al McQuire once said something about UK fans living and dying with each ball game. It's never changed for me.

 

[LmdCat]

I am glad they are disrespected. Veteran players know how to channel those emotions into high energy and production on the court.

 

[catlogic15]

If UK goes .500 or .600 in 2024-25, what would change in 25-26, or 26-27? Better transfers? That’s not logical.
Pope will need to do what?

 

[CELTICAT]

If UK goes .500 or .600 in 2024-25, what would change in 25-26, or 26-27? Better transfers? That’s not logical.
Pope will need to do what?

Obviously if he goes .500 with this group it’s not going to work out and he’ll be shown the door like we did Billy G after two years.

 

[Mr. Stratford]

If UK goes .500 or .600 in 2024-25, what would change in 25-26, or 26-27? Better transfers? That’s not logical.
Pope will need to do what?

In that instance, he would likely have a few more returning players than he did this year, coupled with more time to recruit better HS talent in addition to better transfer portal players.

He would be building a roster with more time and resources than what he had his first couple of weeks here when he was doing it all himself. Like it or not, there was some desperation in trying to fill out a roster as quickly as possible, which likely resulted in taking some players that wouldn't have been a first choice option. Garrison, for instance, was obviously a backup choice to Osobar, but we had to ensure we got one. So we happily accepted a lesser preferred option when he decided to commit vs waiting it out for Osobar to avoid losing on both. That would likely be less of an issue if a coach has more time and a foundation in place.

 

[Elliott Tim]

I really don't care what the national media thinks right now. Heck, if you haven't been following closely and all you hear is "Cal left and was replaced by Mark Pope," I wouldn't blame someone for taking a wait and see approach. The players coming in should get UK some respect, but it's just not enough to get a top 25 ranking early on.

We all think we've got a good coach with Pope, but we've been following this with a magnifying glass. I'm excited about this upcoming season. Pope needs to establish some chemistry with this group. If he can get them to work together and complement one another, the potential is very high. I love the experience. I love the shooting. I love the defensive prowess. And Pope has shown he can be very creative in finding ways to score. There are many reasons to be high on these Cats. We'll see. 😀

I posted the article as a fyi.

 

[Aike]

Most of these guys did not play for winning teams previously. Butler is kind of the exception as he did play for a NC. The rest are mostly solid veteran type players that weren't even the primary options on their previous teams. Some of them weren't even starters. Add that to the fact all but 1 of them are playing for Pope for the first time, and all of them are playing at UK for the first time.

That's a lot to overcome in a few months. I would advise everyone to enter this season without many expectations and just enjoy the change in coaching. It's likely going to take Pope a couple of seasons to really build us back up.

Where did you get the idea that most of these guys didn’t play for winning teams?

 

[Mr. Stratford]

Where did you get the idea that most of these guys didn’t play for winning teams?

I used this thing called the internet to look at their playing backgrounds. Aside from Butler who made a F4 and Robinson who was like the 9th man on an Ark team that went to an E8, none of these dudes were on teams that have done much recently. 5 of these guys have never played in an NCAA tournament game. Several others have only played in 1, and for some of them, it was when they were freshman or sophomores and didn't play much.

I could not care less about cherry picking games. What have their previous teams accomplished at the end of the season. That's all that matters.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

LOL!

I am realistic, but smart enough to know that you don’t have to make deep runs in the tourney to be considered a winner.

Your first post painted a picture of a team that we should not expect much from because they were not winners (except Butler). I disagreed with the winners part.

You said that some didn’t even start. They were all starters last year except for Brea, who averaged 30+ minutes a game and Robinson, who was the leading scorer on his team. Starting experience will not limit this team.

You aren’t changing my mind about my opinion of this team, so give it a rest.

I get it, you think you have to make deep runs in the tournament to be considered a winner. I disagree. The tournament is the most improtant measure, but it’s not the only measure for winning. Especially at programs lesser than UK (which is every other program in the country, IMHO). You can’t hold BYU to that same standard, but it doesn’t mean that BYU isn’t a winning program.

As for being a sunshine pumper, I have been accused of that. I have also been accused of being doom and gloom. I am somewhere in between. It’s called being realistic.

I call it like I see it, and I see this team as being a team made up of mostly winners that could come together and make some noise, if the chemistry is there and they jell.

They won’t win a title this season, probably won’t make a very deep run. It’s year one, that’s a big ask. But their shortcomings won’t be because they don’t know how to win or because some of them weren’t even starters or were all second and third options on teams.

That’s my opinion, and you won’t change it. So give it a rest or continue to argue. I don’t care.

I enjoyed the discussion with you, but it’s over, at least from my point of view. We’ve both said everything that needs to be said.

I am clear on your opinion. I have made my opinion clear. Let’s leave it at that.

Or you can continue to discuss this with someone else.

I’m out.

Have a great day and God bless.

And this we can surely agree on…

Go Cats!

OT: Bucs..Baker Mayfield. Feel good about him?

 

[bucsrule8872]

OT: Bucs..Baker Mayfield. Feel good about him?

Pretty good.

Last year was a good first season as a Buc. I was pleasantly surprised. He was better than I expected.

This season I have higher expectations.

And it helps that he still has the best WR tandem in the league to throw to.

 

[IL Wildcat]

I posted the article as a fyi.

Hey Tim, I wasn't directing my post at you personally. I intended to just speak generally when I said "you" in the message. Maybe I should have made that more clear.

I've heard and read some similar articles and interviews saying the same kinds of things. For my part, it's just not worth getting too worked up over these opinions of folks who don't know much and haven't been following it as closely as we have. I'd be more concerned if I heard such unflattering kinds of outlooks from some of our regulars around here or from someone who has seen or been around these players, coach Pope, or some of our assistants. But these opinions I've read putting UK outside the top 25 or not expecting much from UK next season are really pretty uninformed from what I see. So, I'm not worried. 😀

 

[Aike]

I used this thing called the internet to look at their playing backgrounds. Aside from Butler who made a F4 and Robinson who was like the 9th man on an Ark team that went to an E8, none of these dudes were on teams that have done much recently. 5 of these guys have never played in an NCAA tournament game. Several others have only played in 1, and for some of them, it was when they were freshman or sophomores and didn't play much.

I could not care less about cherry picking games. What have their previous teams accomplished at the end of the season. That's all that matters.

Kerr was also on a Sweet 16 team. Started on it.

Seems to me that you’re looking for puppies to kick. Most of these players played on winning teams. Some have had tournament success. I’m excited about their potential. Enjoy being miserable.

I know I know. You aren’t miserable. Just realistic. Blah blah blah

 

[blubo]

I do expect big things…maybe not a national championship this year, but we have proven players that are men instead of boys.

and pope is a seasoned coach. some fans comment as though he is a rookie.

 

[Mr. Stratford]

Kerr was also on a Sweet 16 team. Started on it.

Seems to me that you’re looking for puppies to kick. Most of these players played on winning teams. Some have had tournament success. I’m excited about their potential. Enjoy being miserable.

I know I know. You aren’t miserable. Just realistic. Blah blah blah

OMG, a SW16!! This changes everything. 🤣


Lol, it must be hard living in a world where providing an honest assessment of achievements is kicking puppies or being miserable. What's even funnier is you seem to miss the whole point where I was telling people not to have expectations so as to not be miserable of we don't achieve them year 1 or 2.

 

[Aike]

OMG, a SW16!! This changes everything. 🤣


Lol, it must be hard living in a world where providing an honest assessment of achievements is kicking puppies or being miserable. What's even funnier is you seem to miss the whole point where I was telling people not to have expectations so as to not be miserable of we don't achieve them year 1 or 2.

I’m going to have reasonably high expectations and be excited, but thanks so much for your guidance, Mr. “this is my 412th different account in the last 3 months.” 😂

 

[Mr. Stratford]

I’m going to have reasonably high expectations and be excited, but thanks so much for your guidance, Mr. “this is my 412th different account in the last 3 months.” 😂

And you're allowed to do as you wish. No one has tried stopping you.😉

Oh, is that how you go about rationalizing being all up in your feelings? What a dull existence that must be. 🙄

It's a Friday and you're upset on an internet message board because a poster advised against setting high expectations and instead offered advice to just enjoy the ride and change of philosophy. 🫠

 

[bucsrule8872]

I’m going to have reasonably high expectations and be excited, but thanks so much for your guidance, Mr. “this is my 412th different account in the last 3 months.” 😂

Aike, I am so sorry. I should have warned you not to engage this guy. My apologies.

Just ignore him, like I am doing. He won’t listen to reason.

 

[Mr. Stratford]

Aike, I am so sorry. I should have warned you not to engage this guy. My apologies.

Just ignore him, like I am doing. He won’t listen to reason.

Doesn't appear you're doing a very good job with that whole ignoring thing. 🤣

What's it like living your worlds where you guys get so worked up over someone having a different opinion from you, and feeling like you need to convince everyone you're ignoring them?

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

Just read an article about UK's front line this season. It said it could be one of the very best in college basketball this season. Pointed out how great of a defender Williams is. Said that Carr at 6-10 handles the ball and shoots the 3 like a guard. Then mentioned that Garrison and Almonor are very high ceiling and high talented guys that could start for a whole lot teams and they would be backing up at the 4 and five.