I Don't Hate The Hire (*Ducks Down As Things Get Thrown At Me*)

[Tampa_cat54]

Idk guys. I don't hate it.

He GETS it. Duke and UNC hired Davis and Scheyer with ZERO head coaching experience because they were former players who just got it...they just understood UNC and Duke respectively and what it means to be great there. Guys who both won national titles wearing those jerseys and understood what that means.

That is the same mold as Pope.

Mark Pope GETS Kentucky basketball. He knows what it means to play here and he respect what it means to this state. His offense is super fun, and he'll recruit at a high level and blend talent and experience.

He would not have been in my top-5, obviously, but I don't HATE the hire. I'm intrigued.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

Pope is a hard worker, from his time at UK to as a coach. I'm going to get behind him. All fans should regardless of any immediate disappointment.

 

[Coach Marrow]

It’s whatever, but they could have hired him next week or next month. They didn’t have to move so quickly.

 

[mcwildcats04]

 

[Kentucky2022]

As long as he puts together a good roster I guess

 

[SophiesDad]

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Pope is a hard worker, from his time at UK to as a coach. I'm going to get behind him. All fans should regardless of any immediate disappointment.

That is his reputation, he's a grinder who works really hard and players love playing for him.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

As long as he puts together a good roster I guess

This. I'm not accepting a down year next year because he sucks at recruiting.

 

[bookerfan66]

Man you are in denial bigtime.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

I don’t hate it either. But certainly disappointed, as it seemed to most that Mark Pope should not have been in the top 10 on any list.

I’m willing to wait and see what he can do.

 

[UK90]

It’s whatever, but they could have hired him next week or next month. They didn’t have to move so quickly.

There’s a transfer portal that needs plundering and UK players (see Reed Sheppard) that need some convincing into maybe staying.

Those factors alone mandated moving quickly on this hire.

 

[kb22stang]

I don't have a problem with Pope, especially after Hurley and Oats were out of the picture. Hire some recruiters for assistants and let's see what happens.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

There’s a transfer portal that needs plundering and UK players (see Reed Sheppard) that need some convincin into maybe staying.

Those factors alone mandated moving quickly on this hire.

Yeah exactly.

These are dog years right now, every day is like a week basically.

 

[azurricat2010]

What's the name of this gif?

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

That is his reputation, he's a grinder who works really hard and players love playing for him.

It’s gonna be a blast. Epps and other old studs will be in the house for games.

 

[ThroughBlue]

I’ll take the ban. **** the fans that are against mark pope.

 

[deplion]

I like Pope, but we have set him up for failure.

I'll be shocked if he is even remotely ready for this job at this stage of his career.

This was a desperation / joke hire.

 

[travisbickle]

I’m down let’s do this shit.

 

[bookerfan66]

I’ll take the ban. **** the fans that are against mark pope.

See if you feel that way after the 2 NIT season coming up idiot.

 

[RondosRevengeTour]

That is his reputation, he's a grinder who works really hard and players love playing for him.

Pitino brings in grinders on the court and off.

 

[Rockfly78]

It’s gonna be a blast. Epps and other old studs will be in the house for games.

They’re gonna watch us lose

 

[Tampa_cat54]

I like Pope, but we have set him up for failure.

I'll be shocked if he is even remotely ready for this job at this stage of his career.

This was a desperation / joke hire.

2 years ago, we would have been lamenting if we had made a hire like Dan Hurley from Rhode Island or Nate Oats from Buffalo. And look where they are now.

It's alllllll about fit.

Cal was an amazing fit, until he wasn't.

Let's see with Pope.

I am behind him, we all need to be because that's what it takes, and in 2 years, we need to be ready to move on if it's not coming together.

 

[TucsonCat]

Mike Woodson gets it.
Matt Doherty gets it.
Travis Ford and John Pelohrey would've gotten it.
Hell let's just hire Brad, he was a former player.

Being an alum does not give you super powers. Hell, that campus has been torn down and built up again since he was there. Every booster or admin either or blue coattis dead. Ain't nothing he went through prepare him to be a good head coach at BYU, let alone great one here.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

We gotta back him! If people want to complain about Mitch that’s fine but we gotta support our own.

 

[johnc17]

I'm not accepting a down year next year just because we hired a former player. This will not end well. The hotter the seat the faster we can get back to a real search.

 

[Wildcats1st]

Idk guys. I don't hate it.

He GETS it. Duke and UNC hired Davis and Scheyer with ZERO head coaching experience because they were former players who just got it...they just understood UNC and Duke respectively and what it means to be great there. Guys who both won national titles wearing those jerseys and understood what that means.

That is the same mold as Pope.

Mark Pope GETS Kentucky basketball. He knows what it means to play here and he respect what it means to this state. His offense is super fun, and he'll recruit at a high level and blend talent and experience.

He would not have been in my top-5, obviously, but I don't HATE the hire. I'm intrigued.

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No it’s terrible of course Seth would love it.

 

[RondosRevengeTour]

I like Pope, but we have set him up for failure.

I'll be shocked if he is even remotely ready for this job at this stage of his career.

This was a desperation / joke hire.

When the girl you made the poster for prom says no, so you take your cousin.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

I just want to know who his staff will be--he needs recruiters and he'll have a budget because they saved a shitload of $ getting him. This is vital. This isn't Utah Valley or BYU--he needs an elite staff.

Secondly--bring Jaxson Robinson with him from BYU and keep Reed Sheppard and you have 2 All SEC caliber players. Now fill out the rest of the roster.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

I'm not accepting a down year next year just because we hired a former player. This will not end well. The hotter the seat the faster we can get back to a real search.

How do you think UNC fans felt when they hired Hubert Davis? A guy with 0 career wins

 

[wccat2969]

No it’s terrible of course Seth would love it.

Since Seth likes it, you know we should not like it.

 

[SophiesDad]

What's the name of this gif?

Suicide clown

 

[RondosRevengeTour]

How do you think UNC fans felt when they hired Hubert Davis? A guy with 0 career wins

Better than we do about the fake pope.

 

[EliteBlue]

It’s whatever, but they could have hired him next week or next month. They didn’t have to move so quickly.

This is where a little disappointment comes from. We had time to wait til Wednesday and offer Billy D. We had time to have a legitimate conversation with Pearl. And thennnn you look at Pope/Lloyd/Smart etc.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

It’s whatever, but they could have hired him next week or next month. They didn’t have to move so quickly.

Well no, they reqlly don't have next week or next month. Maybe next 2 or 3 years.. but we need a coach asap to hit the ground running for next year.

 

[ThroughBlue]

See if you feel that way after the 2 NIT season coming up idiot.

I’m gonna ride with our guy you can bitch on a message board. I may make the two hour drive to greet him off a plane with a sign that says bookerfan666 isn’t a real fan anyway

 

[RobEStacy]

Was not the sexy homerun hire that we expected. But falls in line with how historiclly we have got coaches. You ask/offer a few homerun gems, then get a up and comer that with the resources Kentucky has, and hope it all takes off. Not so much concerned with Pope, but more so in the administration, in that they don't hamstring the program with insane buyout and length of contract. Laden it with huge incentives, and always leave an out.

 

[JFCats22]

It’s a laughably stupid hire

 

[Wildcats1st]

I just want to know who his staff will be--he needs recruiters and he'll have a budget because they saved a shitload of $ getting him. This is vital. This isn't Utah Valley or BYU--he needs an elite staff.

Secondly--bring Jaxson Robinson with him from BYU and keep Reed Sheppard and you have 2 All SEC caliber players. Now fill out the rest of the roster.

Won’t matter we’re looking at 2-3 more years to make the tournament maybe 4-5 to advance to a sweet sixteen. This hire is a program killer for what you’ve just laid out. No connections to fill a roster and may bring 1 guy

 

[Tampa_cat54]

I just want to know who his staff will be--he needs recruiters and he'll have a budget because they saved a shitload of $ getting him. This is vital. This isn't Utah Valley or BYU--he needs an elite staff.

Secondly--bring Jaxson Robinson with him from BYU and keep Reed Sheppard and you have 2 All SEC caliber players. Now fill out the rest of the roster.

Pay his assistants $1.5 mil/year and go get the best ones in America.

I am looking at YOU, Luke Murray.

I am looking at YOU, Jai Lucas.

I am looking at YOU, anyone else from Purdue, Houston or UCONN

 

[W1LDCAT22]

Idk guys. I don't hate it.

He GETS it. Duke and UNC hired Davis and Scheyer with ZERO head coaching experience because they were former players who just got it...they just understood UNC and Duke respectively and what it means to be great there. Guys who both won national titles wearing those jerseys and understood what that means.

That is the same mold as Pope.

Mark Pope GETS Kentucky basketball. He knows what it means to play here and he respect what it means to this state. His offense is super fun, and he'll recruit at a high level and blend talent and experience.

He would not have been in my top-5, obviously, but I don't HATE the hire. I'm intrigued.

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So 2/3 offers from Mitch have seemed like homer picks!