Pope ain’t it folks. It’s 1/25/2025, 19 games into his first season and I already feel like it needs to be said. It will be interesting to watch on a game by game basis people on here and throughout Big Blue Nation try to convince themselves he is.
Will Mark Pope win games? Sure.
Will we be a 5 or 6 Seed and have fans convince themselves we are on the right path? Yes.
But are we ever going to be at the top of the sport where we rightfully expect to be? Absolutely not.
This University is crippling the Athletic Department more and more by the day. The Board, President, and Mitch for that matter think UK is something it is not. They don’t value winning at almost all costs. Pushing against the line and doing what it takes to win. You could have easily had Bruce Pearl or Chris Beard and either would have been significantly better hires.
Mark Pope is a pretty good coach and seems like a great human. Unfortunately great people typically don’t make great coaches. What makes you a good member of society almost always hinders your ability to be elite in a lot of professions, notably coaching. Pope isn’t a killer. It will take some time because Mark Pope is so likable and bleeds blue, but in 3 or 4 years he won’t be the guy and everyone will know it.
Until this University gets a reality check about what we are and what we are not, it isn’t going to matter.
Will Mark Pope win games? Sure.
Will we be a 5 or 6 Seed and have fans convince themselves we are on the right path? Yes.
But are we ever going to be at the top of the sport where we rightfully expect to be? Absolutely not.
This University is crippling the Athletic Department more and more by the day. The Board, President, and Mitch for that matter think UK is something it is not. They don’t value winning at almost all costs. Pushing against the line and doing what it takes to win. You could have easily had Bruce Pearl or Chris Beard and either would have been significantly better hires.
Mark Pope is a pretty good coach and seems like a great human. Unfortunately great people typically don’t make great coaches. What makes you a good member of society almost always hinders your ability to be elite in a lot of professions, notably coaching. Pope isn’t a killer. It will take some time because Mark Pope is so likable and bleeds blue, but in 3 or 4 years he won’t be the guy and everyone will know it.
Until this University gets a reality check about what we are and what we are not, it isn’t going to matter.
