Has Pope ever threatened to sit players for not defending?

[bluedom44]

This is small, but somehow important. Calipari, BCG, Tubby, and Pitino have all said at different times that if a player doesn't defend they will not play....simple as that. They would even sacrifice wins to get players to defend.

The great Bobby Knight once said the bench is the player's greatest motivator. If Pope doesn't threaten to sit anyone not playing D, then nothing will change.

Now I know that right NOW we are short-handed, but I don't recall him ever talking as such even when we had a full roster in the beginning. As a matter of fact, I don't remember him talking like that at BYU either.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

Cal said it, don’t remember him doing it.

 

[Delk#00]

Pope is soft

 

[Dreklie]

Just going off everything we can see, I highly doubt he would say that to anyone. He is a very friendly coach, which I think is going to be an issue.

 

[NociHTTP]

Just going off everything we can see, I highly doubt he would say that to anyone. He is a very friendly coach, which I think is going to be an issue.

It already is, and people are trying to deflect from it.

 

[docholiday51]

Well he'd have to sit the whole team so who would play? When we have the ball
we have basketball skills, when the other team has the ball not so much.

 

[GoAndRunIsGoneAndDone]

Tough time to judge a coach when the bench is short and he's desperately searching for answers to that. I don't know the answer to the op's question because it's irrelevant atm. Pope's trying just about every conceivable lineup, which means people ride the bench or get PT, right now and already. So, I guess I'm missing the point here.

 

[GoAndRunIsGoneAndDone]

It already is, and people are trying to deflect from it.

I hope Pope's style is a good thing, long term. I've said it before and I'll say it again...every coach is recruiting his own players(and others)every single day with this nil thing being what it is. We're seeing coaches retire or get out commonly, right now and because of it and the style of coaching they employ likely conflicting with new players that are now professional athletes.
If I were coaching today, I'd get out. I think we might have a good thing in our hands with Pope, going forward, though. CBB is evolving before our eyes and we are in uncharted waters today.

 

[TFCats11]

Probably not, and to be honest, what’s the point if the player behind them doesn’t contribute either?

I’m seeing a trend, and with a lot more teams than just UK…

Dudes with no NBA future to audition for, plus some fat NIL up front, equals playground defense and effort!

These older guys know there’s no “2nd contract” waiting for them to show out for, so take the NIL and just coast on defense, and dare the coaching staff to do anything about it! They are getting paid whether they show up or not!

 

[bnewt]

Cal said it, don’t remember him doing it.

only for his "non favorites"

 

[Bereacat420]

Cal said it, don’t remember him doing it.

if he did it last year they wouldn’t have had any one to play

 

[wkycatfan]

i felt he did a little bit of that last night honestly, with Brea and even Robinson in the 1st half.

 

[BlueTick2]

This is small, but somehow important. Calipari, BCG, Tubby, and Pitino have all said at different times that if a player doesn't defend they will not play....simple as that. They would even sacrifice wins to get players to defend.

The great Bobby Knight once said the bench is the player's greatest motivator. If Pope doesn't threaten to sit anyone not playing D, then nothing will change.

Now I know that right NOW we are short-handed, but I don't recall him ever talking as such even when we had a full roster in the beginning. As a matter of fact, I don't remember him talking like that at BYU either.

Has it ever occurred to you UK doesn't have much in the way of good defense talent?
We have some great shooters not so much great defense skills.

 

[bnewt]

not sure if the lack of defense is lack of effort, or lack of ability.
rebounding is mostly effort, but trying to guard someone that is stronger, quicker is different
no reason that some can't do a better job than we've seen
blocked shots are practically non existent......is that effort or ability

 

[NociHTTP]

Has it ever occurred to you UK doesn't have much in the way of good defense talent?
We have some great shooters not so much great defense skills.

People are talking about lack of effort, not the execution. It does not take a skilled player to put his hands in the air on defense. If the players need to be told to do this, and Pope isn't then he's worse coach than we imagined. It does not take a skilled player to go OVER a screen to put pressure on the 3 pt shooter.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Just like in Rounders. Generally the rule is: the nicer the guy, the poorer the card player, these guys despite being cops are real sweet hearts. I'm right on schedule, I'm up forty two hundred. The morning can't get here soon enough.

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

Defense is 80-90% effort and attitude.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

I mean even in Mayberry that put Otis in jail even if it was lighthearted 🤡

 

[gojvc]

Probably not, and to be honest, what’s the point if the player behind them doesn’t contribute either?

I’m seeing a trend, and with a lot more teams than just UK…

Dudes with no NBA future to audition for, plus some fat NIL up front, equals playground defense and effort!

These older guys know there’s no “2nd contract” waiting for them to show out for, so take the NIL and just coast on defense, and dare the coaching staff to do anything about it! They are getting paid whether they show up or not!

Chris Beard has some guys with no “2nd contract” that play like piranha.

 

[JumperJack]

Then let an assistant be the bad guy. Pitino would have scared the shit out of his guys for this kind of defense. Who wouldn’t?

 

[CrimsonCats]

Defense is 80-90% effort and attitude.

Maybe at youth levels. I don’t really agree with that at the high D1 college level like we’re talking about. There’s some truly elite athletes at that level, and if you don’t have that lateral quickness to stay in front of them, you’re not going to no matter how much you’re focused on wanting to.

Other than Butler, who’s currently hurt, and maybe Oweh and Chandler (even though his offense is bad), we mostly have spot up shooters who lack the first step quickness needed to be good on ball defenders. I do hope we’re able to change that roster construction in the next year or two when Pope isn’t scrambling just to put a team together, but it might just be what it is for this year. I don’t think any amount of browbeating from the coach is going to significantly change it with this group of players.

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

This is small, but somehow important. Calipari, BCG, Tubby, and Pitino have all said at different times that if a player doesn't defend they will not play....simple as that. They would even sacrifice wins to get players to defend.

The great Bobby Knight once said the bench is the player's greatest motivator. If Pope doesn't threaten to sit anyone not playing D, then nothing will change.

Now I know that right NOW we are short-handed, but I don't recall him ever talking as such even when we had a full roster in the beginning. As a matter of fact, I don't remember him talking like that at BYU either.

Did you ever consider he might handle such matters in private, say between him and the player. I think if I hear any more of this HORSESHIT : Pope is too nice, my head will explode.

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

Defense is 80-90% effort and attitude.

At the high D1 level it IS NOT.A high school mentality that in no way describes the realities of elite level basketball

 

[cathouse]

i felt he did a little bit of that last night honestly, with Brea and even Robinson in the 1st half.

He does it in every game.

Not sure what some of these "fans" are watching.

 

[GoAndRunIsGoneAndDone]

People are talking about lack of effort, not the execution. It does not take a skilled player to put his hands in the air on defense. If the players need to be told to do this, and Pope isn't then he's worse coach than we imagined. It does not take a skilled player to go OVER a screen to put pressure on the 3 pt shooter.

Totally agree about the "hands up" on D point. I told a friend the same earlier today. It's not new. We've been doing this most or all season long. It's been worse without Butler. Hell, everything has been worse without him! But Carr, too. Lots of examples of most everyone with hands down or at head height... bs. It shouldn't take much coaching but a bit of listening and doing what you were told! I put that on the players, frankly. It's about as elementary as a teacher telling her students to bring their pencils.

 

[Boyd94]

Trolls are out in full force.