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Pope with an interesting quote on next years roster

But it is, unless the liquor business and horse business contribute, there are limited contributors to nil. Coal business used to be the money, but that business is gone
Why would either really want to contribute to UK athletics?
Individuals who work in those industries might but I'm sure there's plenty of horse people and bourbon people who could care less.
When you factor in corporate ownership it further complicates any NIL contributions.
 
not completely related to this thread but tampering is going to be a huge issue in college sports now.

I see on Twitter where fans, among others, are going after players having a solid year, saying they should be in a Kentucky uniform next year.

and I'm not against that, but you can see the writing on the wall. This is going to get worse as programs move away from freshmen recruiting to portal recruiting. If its being done in the open on twitter, its being done behind the scenes with NIL promises
 
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Why would either really want to contribute to UK athletics?
Individuals who work in those industries might but I'm sure there's plenty of horse people and bourbon people who could care less.
When you factor in corporate ownership it further complicates any NIL contributions.
exactly
what few corporates are in Ky, most are in Louisville
 
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Chandler, Noah, Perry, Garrison, and Oweh? We would need at least 3 other starters if this is the returners. Probably 4.
I know it’s an unpopular take for some reason, but I would love if 2 of this year’s freshman would transfer.

We were happy to lose guys like Green and Whitney because they were overrated. This freshman class is so bad that it would be so so easy to replace them with better players. The replacemts would 100 percent be better defenders and just as easily better scorers.
 
Chandler, Noah, Perry, Garrison, and Oweh? We would need at least 3 other starters if this is the returners. Probably 4.
What we know we need is a couple of big bodied bruisers to compete down low in the SEC. Garrison can't go it alone next year assuming he stays. Moreno needs to put on about 20-30 pounds of muscle, or he's gonna get tossed around like a rag doll in this league as a Freshman. Noah need to hit the weight room too and transform his body. If he could put on some muscle, he could be a pretty good defender and rebounder and could take the minutes Almonor leaves behind next year.
 
not completely related to this thread but tampering is going to be a huge issue in college sports now.
Tampering..... it's on the books, I guess, but it's not being enforced.

Please name a school in trouble for tampering........ you can't.

Even Mitch said in an interview after Pope was hired that it's an everyday thing in every sport..... and he wouldn't say shit if he had a mouthful.
 
That’s where I’m at too
I would assume a lot of really good players have seen what this team did healthy and want to join the party while making a lot money.
People that are paid to know stuff like that have been hearing that we are going do very well in the portal. They won’t give out any names at this point though.
 
not completely related to this thread but tampering is going to be a huge issue in college sports now.

I see on Twitter where fans, among others, are going after players having a solid year, saying they should be in a Kentucky uniform next year.

and I'm not against that, but you can see the writing on the wall. This is going to get worse as programs move away from freshmen recruiting to portal recruiting. If its being done in the open on twitter, its being done behind the scenes with NIL promises
Wouldn’t surprise me if numbers were being exchanged in the hand shake line .
 
I'm floored at people worried if he can roster a team next year. Dude pulled in like 13 guys last minute for this year. With almost zero incoming recruits. I think he's going to crush it.
Exactly right.

And NOW, they've seen the Pope offense at Kentucky. They've heard Pope talk about "we need to shoot more 3's." Guys are going to want to be part of this.

I also think Pope and his staff have done an amazing job at identifying under the radar talent. I think they'll continue to succeed on that level better than other teams. However, this off-season is when he starts getting the big fish.
 
People that are paid to know stuff like that have been hearing that we are going do very well in the portal. They won’t give out any names at this point though.
that would be great if true, but I haven't read any such forecast other than just fans assuming
 
What we know we need is a couple of big bodied bruisers to compete down low in the SEC. Garrison can't go it alone next year assuming he stays. Moreno needs to put on about 20-30 pounds of muscle, or he's gonna get tossed around like a rag doll in this league as a Freshman. Noah need to hit the weight room too and transform his body. If he could put on some muscle, he could be a pretty good defender and rebounder and could take the minutes Almonor leaves behind next year.
Believe it or not, in SEC play Noah is our second best rebounder on a rate basis. He's getting 8.1 rebounds per 40, pretty dang good for a guy his size. He's getting them with pure hustle and by anticipating where the ball is going to go. Add muscle and he can be a PLUS rebounder for his position.
 
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I've heard there is a bunch of player agents back channeling to the Kentucky coaches. There are 2 top players in particular, one of them from overseas, that we are strongly interested in. But pope wants to talk to them in person and do more evaluation before offering. This will all pick up steam after our last game. The coaches are evaluating other players that are merely rumored. They want to go after the top few on their board early and save an offer for a possible late transfer.
 
I've heard there is a bunch of player agents back channeling to the Kentucky coaches. There are 2 top players in particular, one of them from overseas, that we are strongly interested in. But pope wants to talk to them in person and do more evaluation before offering. This will all pick up steam after our last game. The coaches are evaluating other players that are merely rumored. They want to go after the top few on their board early and save an offer for a possible late transfer.
hopefully this is true
 
I'm floored at people worried if he can roster a team next year. Dude pulled in like 13 guys last minute for this year. With almost zero incoming recruits. I think he's going to crush it.
Optimist: Pope will get every player he wants with a single phone call no matter what.

Pessimist: Pope can’t get players because he didn’t have a good roster this year.

Realist: Pope put together a top 10 team (when they were healthy) in year one with only a month of portal access. There is reason for hope that Pope will only increase his roster talent going forward, given the fact that he has a fully assembled coaching staff, a base roster to build from, and a positive track record of portal success.
 
I've heard there is a bunch of player agents back channeling to the Kentucky coaches. There are 2 top players in particular, one of them from overseas, that we are strongly interested in. But pope wants to talk to them in person and do more evaluation before offering. This will all pick up steam after our last game. The coaches are evaluating other players that are merely rumored. They want to go after the top few on their board early and save an offer for a possible late transfer.
Due to the injuries we’ve sustained limiting our ceiling…….I’m more enthusiastic about the “transfer portal season “ than the ncaa tournament. Probably a bad fan but it’s the truth.
 
Optimist: Pope will get every player he wants with a single phone call no matter what.

Pessimist: Pope can’t get players because he didn’t have a good roster this year.

Realist: Pope put together a top 10 team (when they were healthy) in year one with only a month of portal access. There is reason for hope that Pope will only increase his roster talent going forward, given the fact that he has a fully assembled coaching staff, a base roster to build from, and a positive track record of portal success.

The thing is, you really don't have anyone in the "optomist" category above, but there's quite a few in the "pessimist".

I have faith in Pope and believe he can carve our some nice classes, and hit the portal well enough, to give UK a top25 team most years. Some will be top10, some might be top40ish. We won't be able to just get anyone we want.. but its still UK, we can pay good NIL and it's a up and coming coach that players will want to play for.

He won't be unstoppable putting a team together, but i think he's going to be VERY good.
 
Due to the injuries we’ve sustained limiting our ceiling…….I’m more enthusiastic about the “transfer portal season “ than the ncaa tournament. Probably a bad fan but it’s the truth.
I don’t think it makes you a bad fan, I’m kinda the same way. I still hope they can make some noise in the tournament but with the injuries it’s just not as exciting as the possibilities for next season and the players we can add
 
I've heard there is a bunch of player agents back channeling to the Kentucky coaches. There are 2 top players in particular, one of them from overseas, that we are strongly interested in. But pope wants to talk to them in person and do more evaluation before offering. This will all pick up steam after our last game. The coaches are evaluating other players that are merely rumored. They want to go after the top few on their board early and save an offer for a possible late transfer.
If you had to guess who do you think those 2 players are?
 
Matt Jones and Drew Franklin both said on KSR today that they believe Kerr will play college basketball next year, it just won't be at Kentucky.
 
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