He probably won't be Kenny Payne bad, but
- Thread starter deplion
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I respect your opinion but I disagree completely. He knows how to run an offense. If he can leverage UK's historic reputation in recruiting and the transfer portal, I think we will be in good hands. I am excited!
The number one choice on this board was Hurley. Up until 2 years ago, he would never ever have been considered. His record was simply not good.
Possibly. Definitely an upgrade over what we have had as far as coaching ability and putting UK basketball first.
You all are delusional if you think it can’t be a hell of a lot worse.
He was 24-10 in the Big 12 at a Mormon school that has strict conduct rules for all players and enforces those rules.
Will we have blockbuster recruiting classes? Most likely not. Here’s the thing people suffering PTSD from living under Cal for so long, a good coach doesn’t need 5 NBA players on the team to win basketball games in college.
Here’s another thing a lot of people don’t consider, Cal isolated himself, he made himself into the University of Cal and the boosters weren’t lining up to help him in NIL. Theres 2 boosters that have already pledged a $4 million dollar war chest for Pope to go transfer portaling with, or to recruit existing Kentucky players and commits to stay in Lexington.
There’s rumors going around the Crafts are going to back up the Brinks truck to Reed if he stays, one rumor I heard was $7 million. Not that money is probably a huge factor to Reed, the opportunity to be a top 10 pick vs leaving a bigger legacy in Lexington is probably the decision.
500 fans joined Club Blue basketball NIL in 20 minutes after the Barnhart interview this morning, I just got home from work, I’m about to join it myself.
The Great John Calipari wasn’t winning and tournament games so I guess we are prepared for that.
Geez Deplion, you're usually more positive.
It's like Walter Cronkite saying "this war is lost".
I'm not gonna lie. The Mitch news has put the damper on Pope. Still support him. And all that. But I have questions. Did Mitch make the hire because he was trying to overshadow the news breaking? Did he make the hire because he knew other coaches wouldn't come here after the news broke?
I understand both sides. We all need to support him right away and give to NIL to help give him the tools to succeed. If he doesn’t, then he will be replaced fairly soon I’d think.
One is smart and can speak the other had dear in headlights look and couldn’t speak
Couldn’t make it any clearer
Not as delusional as the Cal fans who keep waiting for Cal to suddenly figure out how to win a close game........or get back to a FF.
My personal opinion. He made the other two tries because he knew he had too. He had to try. He probably knew Hurley wasn't going to happen. But the optics would have been terrible if he didn't try with Drew and Hurley.
To go from those two to Pope seems like he maybe already wanted to go that route but had to make a try with championship coaches..
This^^^^^
At least we are no longer being held hostage by a non performer with a lifetime contract.
The guys UK wanted weren't coming.
Barnhart wasn't going to hire a reformed cheater, a guy on an FBI wire tap or a wifebeater
Not sure what you do after that, but hiring a guy that loves the program as much as the fans, and giving him the resources to succeed seems to be the answer
Looks like a bunch of fans agree
Barnhart wasn't going to hire a reformed cheater, a guy on an FBI wire tap or a wifebeater
Not sure what you do after that, but hiring a guy that loves the program as much as the fans, and giving him the resources to succeed seems to be the answer
Looks like a bunch of fans agree
Allegations are not proof of guilt. Tap the brakes scoop.
from what I've read, Pope was higher up the list than we thought. This wasn't a desperation move, he was going down the list .
Maybe because his future employment at UK is riding on the decision.
Who would you trust to make the decision if your neck was on the chopping block?
I have watched BYU play. Have you? Pope's offense is impressive. He learned from Pitino, for one. If you gave him our team this past season I honestly think we would have been in much better shape.
As for Hurley, he did NOTHING until last year in the tournament.
Facts and personal observations are more than nothing!
I wonder what would had been said about Dan Hurley if we had hired him after coaching at Wagner or Rhode Island. I guess winning at those places was more relevant than winning in the Big 12, beating teams like Kansas, Iowa State and Baylor. With recruiting limitations… idk. I still think he will do awesome. Sure seems like he is getting major NIL support!
Somewhere on this site is a list of all the coaches people wanted when Calipari was hired. There were a couple of decent coaches. Most were middling and many have fallen by the wayside. My takeaway is that nobody can see the future and that few of us can identify a good coach from their resumes. But, as we well know, people will spit nails to defend their preferences.
Imagine if we had hired him AFTER 4 years at UConn. He missed the tournament 2 years and lost in the first round 2 years. Yeah, the last 2 years at UConn have been phenomenal but before that not so much.
Some of us have changed our minds several times as well. I wasn't thrilled with Pope at all when his name first came up but I went back and watched a few of his games, looked at his resume and did some thinking. He just grew on me in a short time. Every candidate has pros and cons.
I think the first two were so he could say he tried. I think Pope was way more wanted than we thought.
Yes he was.
I highly respect Deplion.
He has been on here for a long time and it makes me sad to see him with his current mindset.
Most on here I take with a grain of salt.
It's just telling when someone like Deplion comes from a near hopeless angle.
Cal sucks balls. I’m all over here advocating to be done with him so no, I’m not a Cal guy.
Me too. He is an excellent candidate to continue our downward trajectory. He just isn’t a UK caliber coach. In a few years I can hear some folks asking what in the hell was Mitch thinking. Overpayed a coach that wouldn’t get an interview with any other top tier team.
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