Full disclosure “MY TAKE ON THIS SEASON”

[yabbadabbadoo]

I want to say a couple of things before we play Illinois. I want to say them while I’m calm and thinking with a level head and hopefully using a few brain cells.

1—I’m perfectly satisfied with this season and very happy as a die hard UK basketball fan up to this point. Anything beyond this point, in my eyes, is gravy.

2—I feel our beloved program is in good hands and the trajectory is upward from here. It has been a refreshing season with some understandable ups and downs, even though we sometimes question some things. That’s what fans do.

3—The fact that CMP strategically put together this squad in such minimal time is truly amazing. The fact that he got good guys, who came here for the right reasons, and got them playing at this level is nothing short of remarkable.

4—The way CMP has dealt with our injury situation, brought along younger players, and kept the vibe positive throughout is stunning really. We’ve beaten top tier teams with patchwork lineups at times. It’s also bitten us to an extent at times, but our coach never waned or gave the impression that we were doomed. Inspiration and positivity always ruled the day, even though our conference was a gauntlet to navigate.

5—Lastly, I just want the guys to finish the season playing as hard as they can, as loose as they can, and together for each other as best they can, whether we play 1 more game or 5 more games. There should be NO pressure on these guys at all from this point. This goes for the coaching staff as well 100%. It’s time to have fun with it and see where we end up.

Everyone I talk to, and trust me it’s a bunch of UK fans from all walks of life, is giddy about the future of UK basketball with CMP and his staff at the helm. AWESOME JOB on all fronts and from this point forward just have fun, keep wearing the Big Blue proudly, and GIVE THEM HELL !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[actionjaksen]

I want to say a couple of things before we play Illinois. I want to say them while I’m calm and thinking with a level head and hopefully using a few brain cells.

1—I’m perfectly satisfied with this season and very happy as a die hard UK basketball fan up to this point. Anything beyond this point, in my eyes, is gravy.

2—I feel our beloved program is in good hands and the trajectory is upward from here. It has been a refreshing season with some understandable ups and downs, even though we sometimes question some things. That’s what fans do.

3—The fact that CMP strategically put together this squad in such minimal time is truly amazing. The fact that he got good guys, who came here for the right reasons, and got them playing at this level is nothing short of remarkable.

4—The way CMP has dealt with our injury situation, brought along younger players, and kept the vibe positive throughout is stunning really. We’ve beaten top tier teams with patchwork lineups at times. It’s also bitten us to an extent at times, but our coach never waned or gave the impression that we were doomed. Inspiration and positivity always ruled the day, even though our conference was a gauntlet to navigate.

5—Lastly, I just want the guys to finish the season playing as hard as they can, as loose as they can, and together for each other as best they can, whether we play 1 more game or 5 more games. There should be NO pressure on these guys at all from this point. This goes for the coaching staff as well 100%. It’s time to have fun with it and see where we end up.

Everyone I talk to, and trust me it’s a bunch of UK fans from all walks of life, is giddy about the future of UK basketball with CMP and his staff at the helm. AWESOME JOB on all fronts and from this point forward just have fun, keep wearing the Big Blue proudly, and GIVE THEM HELL !!!!!!!!!!!!

I like all points except #1. 2nd round isn't where Kentucky hangs its hat. We know we can beat great teams. Done it all year. Through various players being injured. Now we are laying down in front of Illi frickin' nois?

Future is bright but, no, we aren't playing with house money yet.

 

[TOMCATS1990]

BYU and Arkansas making the Sweet 16 has now added a little more pressure on Pope to win. Bad look to most if we bow out now.

 

[CUJO_1970]

We need to beat Illinois and make the S16.

Lose today and there are more questions than answers moving forward. Winning one game over freaking Troy and then turning around and losing to a lower seed will be a major disappointment and a major momentum killer going into next season.

It’s honestly amazing how some of you are so beaten down that a single win is good enough for Kentucky basketball now. This mentality is how you become freaking Indiana.

Get hold of yourselves, just damn.

 

[BMR_1987]

I love the notion that Pope losing today would be "devastating" for momentum, despite everything this team has had to overcome and going up against a team with two future lottery talents, but Self having an awful season by KU standards and losing in the first round will still see them land elite transfers. Hubert Davis continues to prove he's an awful coach (contrary to the popular prisoner of the moment mentality of this board, one tournament run does not a coach make) and yet UNC will still get talent. Penny wet the bed in the tournament but Memphis will still get talent. Same with Rick and SJ. Hurley, Drew, and Few, HOF coaches with disappointing seasons but everyone expects them to recover from it and come roaring back. Lots of coaches longer tenured at their schools than Pope that didn't even make the tournament this year will probably land great transfers and be able to do a remarkable turnaround ala Mizzou, but people have dreamed up that if Pope doesn't have the "perfect" end to a season where the deck was stacked against a coach in a way I honestly don't think I've ever seen before, then it's over for him before it starts and will be used against him as negative recruiting? I did think this team when healthy had Elite 8 potential, maybe even Final Four with a good draw and hot shooting. As it stands now, any win from here on will be difficult and hard fought. That's the reality of playing a one armed point guard with no legitimate backup. Even if we go on some magical run and win it all (we won't, not this season), it's still not going to make the OAD Burger Boys magically fall in love with Pope, which I think is the real issue for some. A lot of you were addicts for Calipari's recruiting and draft night.

 

[BIG BLUE GURU]

I like all points except #1. 2nd round isn't where Kentucky hangs its hat. We know we can beat great teams. Done it all year. Through various players being injured. Now we are laying down in front of Illi frickin' nois?

Future is bright but, no, we aren't playing with house money yet.

We have beat some good teams but guess what? So has Illinois and they are healthier than us. Just facts

 

[hotelblue]

We need to beat Illinois and make the S16.

Lose today and there are more questions than answers moving forward. Winning one game over freaking Troy and then turning around and losing to a lower seed will be a major disappointment and a major momentum killer going into next season.

It’s honestly amazing how some of you are so beaten down that a single win is good enough for Kentucky basketball now. This mentality is how you become freaking Indiana.

Get hold of yourselves, just damn.

one doesn’t just “become” indiana.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

Our coach this year has outperformed our coach for the last five years prior.

I’m very satisfied with Mark Pope. He seems to know what the hell he is doing.

 

[Butters' Dad]

Our coach this year has outperformed our coach for the last five years prior.

I’m very satisfied with Mark Pope. He seems to know what the hell he is doing.

Our coach the last five years prior is in the Sweet 16. We have an uphill battle just to equal that. Him doing what he couldn't do here at a different school doesn't invalidate that. If anything it should alarm you.

 

[AshWilliams]

Pope knows his job and what he’s doing. It remains to be seen whether or not he is elite, but he’s showing the right signs. This season has been chock full of adversity and here we are, one win away from the Sweet Sixteen.

 

[Runnin'Ramel]

BYU and Arkansas making the Sweet 16 has now added a little more pressure on Pope to win. Bad look to most if we bow out now.

How so? UK worked this year and became a legit title contender because it was a roster of good players working together. I believed in many ways they resembled a classic Gonzaga type team before Gonzaga became a national powerhouse. Butler now has one arm, Robinson is out, Kriisa is out. UK is on borrowed time and we all know it.

Arkansas is a much more talented group and we all know it. They have multiple guys who will be in the NBA. Thiero out? They still have 6 other players every UK fan would love to have right now over guys like Perry, Chandler, Garrison, and a one-armed Butler .... yet we will have all 4 on the floor playing extended minutes in a tournament game.

Year one for Pope has been a success. There is no other way to look at it.

 

[CUJO_1970]

one doesn’t just “become” indiana.

Yes, it takes Evansville, St. Peter’s and Oakland, etc. etc. Takes doing things like getting blown out of the SEC tourney and not winning NCAA games for 5 years running.

Kentucky is barely a top-5 team in our own conference right now, and (some) Kentucky fans are now happy with a win over Troy. Pope taking Kentucky to the S16 is a positive climb out of the hole Calipari dropped us down.

We need this game today.

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

I want to say a couple of things before we play Illinois. I want to say them while I’m calm and thinking with a level head and hopefully using a few brain cells.

1—I’m perfectly satisfied with this season and very happy as a die hard UK basketball fan up to this point. Anything beyond this point, in my eyes, is gravy.

2—I feel our beloved program is in good hands and the trajectory is upward from here. It has been a refreshing season with some understandable ups and downs, even though we sometimes question some things. That’s what fans do.

3—The fact that CMP strategically put together this squad in such minimal time is truly amazing. The fact that he got good guys, who came here for the right reasons, and got them playing at this level is nothing short of remarkable.

4—The way CMP has dealt with our injury situation, brought along younger players, and kept the vibe positive throughout is stunning really. We’ve beaten top tier teams with patchwork lineups at times. It’s also bitten us to an extent at times, but our coach never waned or gave the impression that we were doomed. Inspiration and positivity always ruled the day, even though our conference was a gauntlet to navigate.

5—Lastly, I just want the guys to finish the season playing as hard as they can, as loose as they can, and together for each other as best they can, whether we play 1 more game or 5 more games. There should be NO pressure on these guys at all from this point. This goes for the coaching staff as well 100%. It’s time to have fun with it and see where we end up.

Everyone I talk to, and trust me it’s a bunch of UK fans from all walks of life, is giddy about the future of UK basketball with CMP and his staff at the helm. AWESOME JOB on all fronts and from this point forward just have fun, keep wearing the Big Blue proudly, and GIVE THEM HELL !!!!!!!!!!!!

Hell of a post!

 

[king of cali]

What exactly does “came here for the right reasons “ mean?

 

[L.O.D.]

We lose today an I got no idea how I will be. On 1 hand we had alot of good wins n a 3 seed year 1 with Pope on a rebuild. On the other hand Cal beat us in Rupp and advanced further in tourney. I likely take it badly and call for Pope's head. Not saying I would be right in doing it just being honest.

 

[BIG BLUE GURU]

If we lose today I want login for a few days. Not going to feed the cancer of this board and the trolls. Win or lose we are on the right path with Pope. If we lose hit the portal hard and recruit your ass off while the other top teams are occupied.

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

What exactly does “came here for the right reasons “ mean?

Seriously
That doesn’t even deserve a response
Wow

 

[billoliver40]

BYU and Arkansas making the Sweet 16 has now added a little more pressure on Pope to win. Bad look to most if we bow out now.

No.

 

[Bleedin Blue in Ohio]

I want to see the Cats win today as much as anyone. I never want to see them lose. The bottom line is the reason the Cats are underdogs today is the health of the team and not the quality of the players or coach. Did you not see Amari Williams Friday night? He is 7'1 and could not hit a layup. I don't believe 48 hours later he will be 100%. Our point guard is playing with 1 arm He scored 31 pts vs Louisville and could not score vs Troy. Also, No Jaxson Robinson the team's 2nd leading scorer. No Kerre Krisaa the team backup point guard. Finally, Carr is still not 100% but who is at the end of the season, but he also missed quite a few games with a bad back. Back injuries just do not go away. Can they win yes but it will take a huge effort. This game will not define this season The injuries will define this season. When we wall look back on the 24-25 season years later it will be what could have been no matter how far this team goes in the tournament. The huge wins throughout the season proved that a team coached by Pope is capable of winning at the highest levels.

 

[runt#69]

one doesn’t just “become” indiana.

 

[bucsrule8872]

BYU and Arkansas making the Sweet 16 has now added a little more pressure on Pope to win. Bad look to most if we bow out now.

BYU have several key guys back from last year. Four of their top five scorers were returnees.

Arkansas has three guys that followed Cal from UK, plus one back.

Kentucky has nobody on this roster who played at UK last year. And with Robinson out, nobody who played for Pope last year.

There’s really no comparison.