Tar and Feather me!

[Jamal Mercer]

I stated that there’s no way Pope would get Johnson over coaches that had been recruiting him for years.

Don’t care that he’s from Lexington, this shows that Pope can recruit fine.

Let me have it!

 

[BBUK]

 

[lazycat75]

I just said this in another thread Pope got the right guys on staff that can flat out get what Pope wants Love its paying off year 1

 

[kennyskywalker34]

I stated that there’s no way Pope would get Johnson over coaches that had been recruiting him for years.

Don’t care that he’s from Lexington, this shows that Pope can recruit fine.

Let me have it!

I'm not letting you have it.
But it just goes to show that You, me or anyone else that it's silly to try and predict where a 17 or 18 year old kid will attend College.

Came on here today. Saw he was announcing today so I watched 2 minutes of the announcement.
I'm happy when they pick UK. I lose zero sleep over it when they don't.

 

[kyrx]

Well, now we have to keep him in this era of transfer portal madness in March/April.

 

[Cawood86]

 

[kywildcat41086]

Nope not letting you eat any crow here. I’ve been wrong plenty times so I don’t throw rocks at glass houses. I’m just glad he’s following in his dad’s footsteps and playing for UK!

 

[catsfanbgky]

Well, now we have to keep him in this era of transfer portal madness in March/April.

I do not think that will be an issue. The are both KY kids and really are looking forward to playing here. I can't see any thing that could come up to cause them to want to leave.

 

[ChicagoCat1990]

I know we haven't played a game yet, but my child like freak out the night Pope was hired is looking more and more ridiculous each day. Keep up the good work, Coach Pope!

 

[cats#1again]

I think the majority freaked out. Mine lasted about the end of Matt Jones live Twitter feed. Once I realized the 90's era fun was coming back I believed in Pope.

 

[NociHTTP]

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

This is a statement recruitment. Pope just beat Cal, Davis, and Oats, who all had a longer relationship with Jasper.

This is pretty huge.

 

[Random UK Fan]

 

[BlueSince92]

Off the wall question: I haven’t seen a boom in quite a while. Is Cody not doing that for next year’s class?

 

[NoDef]

I stated that there’s no way Pope would get Johnson over coaches that had been recruiting him for years.

Don’t care that he’s from Lexington, this shows that Pope can recruit fine.

Let me have it!

Every recruit now will be influenced by NIL in some way. Teams that were not relevant will be now. Pope is a smart man and is proving that he knows how to work the money in his favor. Having the Kentucky brand doesn't hurt him, but it's still going to take somewhat equivalent payouts from the other schools to get recruits.

 

[Elliott Tim]

Fowl play!

 

[chroix]

This is a statement recruitment. Pope just beat Cal, Davis, and Oats, who all had a longer relationship with Jasper.

This is pretty huge.

And there were idiots out there that denied that the program makes a difference. This is a win for the coach and the program in my book.

 

[chroix]

Arkansas money green right?

 

[BBUK]

Fowl play!

😅

 

[chevyman 50]

Great pick up, who say Pope cannot recruit? Cal who.

 

[Mozzie]

This is a statement recruitment. Pope just beat Cal, Davis, and Oats, who all had a longer relationship with Jasper.

This is pretty huge.

Those individuals might have had longer relationships with JJ, but his longest relationship was with the state of Kentucky, and nobody promotes that brand quite like Pope.

 

[Fox2monk]

I stated that there’s no way Pope would get Johnson over coaches that had been recruiting him for years.

Don’t care that he’s from Lexington, this shows that Pope can recruit fine.

Let me have it!

 

[ukfan1622]

Just being wrong about something isn't enough to make me go after you. Because I was also wrong one time.

 

[Skyguyb27]

Remember that time people said recruiting would die when Cal left and who else could we get? Cal’s little secret this program makes a difference is getting out.

 

[Cleatortoises]

Chest out.
Chin up.
Coach Pope's got this.

 

[Wonky]

Remember that time people said recruiting would die when Cal left and who else could we get? Cal’s little secret this program makes a difference is getting out.

Those people were teenagers or twenty something’s. Zero perspective on what Kentucky basketball actually is, always has been, and always will be. All they know is Cal (and BCG and the last couple crappy Tubby years).

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/s/7pLHEafkxd

 

[TopCatCal]

I stated that there’s no way Pope would get Johnson over coaches that had been recruiting him for years.

Don’t care that he’s from Lexington, this shows that Pope can recruit fine.

Let me have it!

Pope signing Johnson when other coaches have been recruiting him for years, just shows the power of the Kentucky name. Any coach at UK with an ounce of work ethic will have no problem signing 5-Star recruit after 5-Star recruit.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

I don’t think there’s any reason to feel like you got something wrong with that prediction. I’m not even too sure how much of a “recruiting” win it was. We opened up the checkbook in a big big way and in my opinion he didn’t want to go to Alabama bad enough to pass up all that cash at home.

But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you got em, just that you did.

 

[Fox2monk]

Pope signing Johnson when other coaches have been recruiting him for years, just shows the power of the Kentucky name. Any coach at UK with an ounce of work ethic will have no problem signing 5-Star recruit after 5-Star recruit.

Well to be fair we the fans and boosters, university stakeholders, former rich players, etc. need to make sure NIL is flush with cash now too. It sucks but it’s a large part of recruiting. The sole reason that Johnson was though to go to Bama or UNC was because of their NIL offer and Pope didn’t want to spend his expected budget so much on freshman this early. The boosters said”we won’t lose an in state kid ranked this high due to a couple hundred thousand dollars if we need it go get him and it will be there.”

 

[MrHotDice]

And there were idiots out there that denied that the program makes a difference. This is a win for the coach and the program in my book.

110% correct.

 

[MrHotDice]

Those individuals might have had longer relationships with JJ, but his longest relationship was with the state of Kentucky, and nobody promotes that brand quite like Pope.

Another 110% correct post.

 

[CatFanInIlliniLand]

All you have to do is start winning. Coaches are recruiting at non traditional bball schools like Alabama & Auburn. Winning gets kids attention. Now, magnify that times 100 with the UK Brand.

 

[Mike-McD]

This is a statement recruitment. Pope just beat Cal, Davis, and Oats, who all had a longer relationship with Jasper.

This is pretty huge.

I just don't get it. I was told by dozens in the last year that the only reason we had any success in the last 10 years was Cal, and that the UK brand was declining.

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

Lance Russell just looked down and smiled.

 

[Skyguyb27]

I don’t think there’s any reason to feel like you got something wrong with that prediction. I’m not even too sure how much of a “recruiting” win it was. We opened up the checkbook in a big big way and in my opinion he didn’t want to go to Alabama bad enough to pass up all that cash at home.

But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you got em, just that you did.

Not a personal attack, but did you grow up in Kentucky? NIL makes a difference but even if it’s less than the others offered a little, no way a Kentucky boy walks away from UK. Sorry but checkbook or not, UK is the big dog in that race.

 

[kywildcat41086]

Off the wall question: I haven’t seen a boom in quite a while. Is Cody not doing that for next year’s class?

This was for Moreno

This was for Jasper

 

[Kybluedude]

Every recruit now will be influenced by NIL in some way. Teams that were not relevant will be now. Pope is a smart man and is proving that he knows how to work the money in his favor. Having the Kentucky brand doesn't hurt him, but it's still going to take somewhat equivalent payouts from the other schools to get recruits.

I have to think as time goes on and UK rises back to the top nil won’t be the deciding factor with CMP.

I get the feeling he will walk away from the guys who just have their hand out and recruit players that share his vision.

In other words “ it won’t be all about the money”.