I know Pope just got here and needs to assemble a roster, but with his NIL$$$ budget and the “Kentucky” name, is it unreasonable to EXPECT a first-round win in MARCH ?? Not winning the SEC conference or the SEC tourney, just winning a first-round NCAA tournament game … ?? Or, does CMP get a pass on this first season ??
Is it unreasonable ???
- Thread starter megablue
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No pass. I'm with him all the way BUT he knows what the expectations are. He embraced it the second he said yes to the job.
He has stated he knows what the assignment is...so get it done.
No pass.
He has stated he knows what the assignment is...so get it done.
No pass.
No Pass. It doesn’t matter anyway he’s winning more than 1 NCAA tournament game next year… You heard it here 1st…
We get disappointed more because of our expectations.
I knew the past 5 years that things weren't going to change while "that other coach" was here.
I didn't like it, but I knew that it was unrealistic to expect change.
As far as time goes, it took Jay Wright 11 years to win a c'ship.
He was wise and left on top.
To your no pass: Hope you learn patience because we're probably going to need a lot of it.
First year pass. Second year should have a level of success
I'm not advocating a national title in year one. Only a complete idiot would think that but he gets a no pass simply because he has everything he needs...NIL money, a portal full of players to choose from that he will get to fit HIS style. His words, not mine.
I'm with him, I'm gonna go on this journey with him but a first round NCAA win is not unreasonable to expect or demand really. When all is said and done, the roster will be what he wants so no excuse not to have the expectation of winning a first round game.
If he can land Williams and Davis you have to expect a first round win at least . I think expectations will be A lot higher than that once the roster is set if we start off building around those two
Considering we are having to piecemeal a roster together this late in the game, I know next years roster won’t be quite the ideal one by the standards Pope set. So I may give a pass with the condition that we know the following years roster is well on its way to being set, that we’ve recruited the high school ranks well, and won’t be having a massive roster turnover. So yeah, a pass if all the news around the program is boding well for the future, but not necessarily a pass if things are in major flux still.
I find it more interesting to have an over/under on 23 wins……. same as we won last year.
Pope would be the first to tell you that he expects wins.
I’m not trying to mount high expectations on him year one. If we’re a bubble team and come up short, I expect to see a team that wants to compete for an NIT Championship, then those who are eligible return to chase the real thing. I just want to see heart and culture building more than anything. A tournament appearance gets Pope a Pat on the back, a win gets a standing ovation honestly. From there, it’s all gravy. If Pope gets UK to a Sweet 16 in 2025, he should win Coach of the Year.
Just depends on the roster. He’s building an entire team from guys from the portal save one guy right now. That’s going to be difficult no matter the talent that is assembled beside it all comes down to chemistry on the team. If they were to get in the tournament and win a game, I’d be excited
He can only get who wants to be here.
He can recruit,but the onus of decision belongs to the recruit.
Do NIL$$$ money and the transfer portal:
1) Increase the probability that players will have more heart ??
2) Facilitate culture building ??
3) Essentially, make every year another "first year" type of situation ??
4) Increase or decrease the probability that players, especially non-starters, to return ??
These are questions I have, but do not pretend to have the answers. This whole NIL$$$ / Transfer Portal mess is still in the evolutionary phase and both players and coaches are learning how to navigate through it to improve themselves and their teams. My sense is that season-to-season continuity will be decreased, for the most part, but I hope I'm wrong and players will stay, improve and contribute more each year ... not just for UK, but for college basketball overall.
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100% this ^^^
Both of your points are the obvious ones, of course, but everyone must remember them !!!
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Total wimps in this thread.
Pope gets his first NCAA tourney win next March and there is no doubt about it.
Pope gets his first NCAA tourney win next March and there is no doubt about it.
Every coach is dealing with complete roster building just look at our in state rival. Adidas influence and their booster money is opening doors for them that has not been there the last few years.
I voted yes for that reason, if they have the booster money like they claim then should be an achievable goal
True but his words were that he'd identify players that fit his style and wanted to be here. I'm not going to hand out a free pass based on his words.
This will be an ongoing problem every year with mass exodus to the portal unless changes are made. That's price each coach and school pays for the mess we see.
I have confidence that Mark Pope will get whom he wants and our roster will be competitive that we will win and make the dance this upcoming season and win a few games in it.
To expect anything less would be akin to just keeping Crapapari and his shitshow.
We should always expect more than that.
If Coach K can lose in the first round then anyone can ... its if Pope loses 10 games , loses in the first round, then does it again the next year thats the real problem.
Ideally we would win a national championship! That’s not being realistic. My expectations for next year is to see improvement from what we have seen the last few years. That isn’t necessarily measured by number of wins, but how much CMP can change the culture from what we have witnessed for the last few years. One of my favorite teams was Pitino’s first team. That year we were 14-14, but you knew great things were coming!
I expect a first round win.
Reasons why…
1. A HC who gives a flip
2. Players will be well prepared for game (see #1)
3. Staff will game plan accordingly. (see #1 again)
4. Staff will make any ingame needed adjustments
Reasons why…
1. A HC who gives a flip
2. Players will be well prepared for game (see #1)
3. Staff will game plan accordingly. (see #1 again)
4. Staff will make any ingame needed adjustments
No. Most need to replace good players. Very, very few need to find 13 brand new players. We have one or none that has practiced with the coach, have played together, can give the ins and outs of coaching staff, guide through campus and the city. All that can add up.
If we can get Thiero and another current player, I'll expect more. But if not, I'll give more grace for a first round exit.
If this isn’t a troll post idk what is anymore. We don’t even know who is on the team yet.
I don’t see why it has to be one or the other.
I feel like it is pretty much automatic Pope will get a first round win this year, with the caliber of players he’s able to attract here compared to what he beat Kansas with for BYU.
At the same time, in the highly unlikely chance he flubs his first year, why would I be pissed at him? He’d do all the being pissed at him for me. Plus, bare minimum, here is a guy who is passionate about winning every single game for Kentucky basketball following all our greatest traditions, who is fascinating to listen to and really answers questions, who plays a very exciting offensive style and a very scrappy defensive style, who has a tiny little ego, who is a Rhodes scholar, who respects my opinion and does not call me a Benny, who is trying his guts out to build a lethal team of high-IQ high-skill actual basketball players who love the university, love each other, are absolutely frenzied to win, and in general will be a lot more likely to want to hang around than the average under the last regime with at least no interest from the coach in making any splash on draft night.
Bare minimum. Guy like that, I honestly don’t see how I would be physically capable of being mad at him over a first-round loss his first year here. Sad, sure. Probably a lot more sad than usual lately because probably I will have grown to love his team and certainly I won’t be waiting for the other shoe to drop like I always was in March with post-2019 Cal. But I still don’t honestly see how I would be mad at him.
All the same, I have essentially zero expectation of a first round loss or of missing the tournament this year.
I feel like it is pretty much automatic Pope will get a first round win this year, with the caliber of players he’s able to attract here compared to what he beat Kansas with for BYU.
At the same time, in the highly unlikely chance he flubs his first year, why would I be pissed at him? He’d do all the being pissed at him for me. Plus, bare minimum, here is a guy who is passionate about winning every single game for Kentucky basketball following all our greatest traditions, who is fascinating to listen to and really answers questions, who plays a very exciting offensive style and a very scrappy defensive style, who has a tiny little ego, who is a Rhodes scholar, who respects my opinion and does not call me a Benny, who is trying his guts out to build a lethal team of high-IQ high-skill actual basketball players who love the university, love each other, are absolutely frenzied to win, and in general will be a lot more likely to want to hang around than the average under the last regime with at least no interest from the coach in making any splash on draft night.
Bare minimum. Guy like that, I honestly don’t see how I would be physically capable of being mad at him over a first-round loss his first year here. Sad, sure. Probably a lot more sad than usual lately because probably I will have grown to love his team and certainly I won’t be waiting for the other shoe to drop like I always was in March with post-2019 Cal. But I still don’t honestly see how I would be mad at him.
All the same, I have essentially zero expectation of a first round loss or of missing the tournament this year.
Question: If a player has a good year and wants to return, but wants (if not demands more money) does he have to enter the portal, or can he negotiate with/through the KY staff ?? I assume second-year NIL renegotiations are available, but do not know.
I think the only way I’m disappointed at the end of this first year is if we fail to make the tournament. If MP’s 1st year ends and he only makes the tournament and nothing more—I’m good with it as long the next year looks to be exciting.
I don’t give him a total free pass for the first year, but I’m going to give him a lot of grace in year 1. That’s about a big a free pass as I’m comfortable giving out here. Year 2 will be full expectations for something more.
Have to keep in mind that it’s a total rebuild for Pope. Cal had an incredible first year but he had multiple good players stick around after Gillespie leaving. The program was a disaster at the time but the cupboard was far from bare.
I don’t give him a total free pass for the first year, but I’m going to give him a lot of grace in year 1. That’s about a big a free pass as I’m comfortable giving out here. Year 2 will be full expectations for something more.
Have to keep in mind that it’s a total rebuild for Pope. Cal had an incredible first year but he had multiple good players stick around after Gillespie leaving. The program was a disaster at the time but the cupboard was far from bare.
