That locker room energy...

[know1]

I'm going to defend Butler. He's a guy who has proven to be a tough kid/winning player. He's playing through a severe shoulder injury and it's obvious he's been compromised. Imagine having a shoulder that you separated/dislocated and having to play a sport where you have to raise it above your ahead/extend from body to shoot/pass/rebound/defend? Would be better off sitting but he knows this is it...no more after this year and he's toughing things out. Wheeler QUIT on this program and nothing was wrong other than bruised ego.

Unless we personally know someone or know of what is going on behind the scenes with them.....hard to gauge what their reaction actually means? Could be more of a "Can you believe the F'ing day we are/I am having?"

Butler came from a better program recently than what UK was under Cal. San Diego State was 7-2 in the last two NCAA Tournaments with both losses coming to UConn. He's hit a game winning shot in the Final Four. He's done what was asked while being here.

Nobody's happy with the turn of the season but really injuries to Butler/Robinson are why this is going on. I appreciate him gutting this out. Now I do understand why you/other fans might not have cared for the reaction but based on what he's shown in his career/while he's been here and fact he's out there playing injured, I respect him and appreciate him. He's the antithesis of the crap we'd been seeing recently which includes guys like Wheeler, Theiro (he sat out because his Dad wanted more NIL $) DJ Wagner's "mental break" etc..

Agree 100%. There's no way to judge him just because he laughed after a turnover. I think prerty much everyone has laughed in irony at some point.

If someone is going to get bent out of shape and fixated on it, then they are just trying to find things to be mad about.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

Maybe Pope has a routine that keeps their mind clear and focused. How many time have we heard Pope say he doesn't want their emotions to high or to low? Without more context I'd say this is with purpose.

Well stated. I'm not being critical of Mark Pope for having the all access locker room stuff. It's something all the conferences do for "all access" stuff and Universities think it makes you more inclined to donate if you know more of the "inner workings". Just saying I personally don't care for it because it means 0 to the outcome. Not criticizing him/how he addresses the team, just the concept of the "lets show this before a game" from ESPN/ABC.

Really is up to the individual how they respond to rah-rah stuff. I'm one that was self motivated and focused where others love that stuff. Fine either way but one thing I do respect is that you have to be who you are as a person/coach with the team. Pope isn't someone who is going to scream/holler and fine by me. He's been who he is and that's how it should be. The #1 issue moving forward is getting talent that can withstand the athleticism/physical play of the SEC. With Pope's personality, you win games, it's because he was "calm and measured" and when you lose people like to point out he's not "fiery enough". Main thing is the main thing--win. Tom Osborne was seen as a loser of big games until he won. Same with Tony Dungy. They didn't have enough "fire". When they won, they were "calm geniuses who don't get too up/down". It's life as a Coach.

Far more important for Pope to get off the 0 for NCAA Tournament column this year than anything to help cap off a solid first year hampered by injuries and some roster weaknesses that were to be expected in his first year with 0 returning players. What they do from here out is most important but would love to get him to knock another "Can He..." off the list.

 

[Runnin'Ramel]

I could tell by their hangdog faces and slack posture in the locker room pregame AND halftime that we were going to lose.

Contrast that with Pearl's energy in Auburn's locker room.

Something needs to change. Our guys look defeated.

I've wondered this all season. Pope's demeanor has an impact on the locker room before games and at halftime.

We've never seen this many slow starts or double digit deficits in the first half ... when you look for root causes, Pope's demeanor is certainly one of them.

 

[AshWilliams]

I think its a team trying to play beyond their abilities.. getting banged around in SEC play.. no help from the refs.. and they know it. It's starting to wear on them. It's like pushing a car up hill. They got it like 100 feet, but you mentally and physically start to have a toll taken.

I think trying to take it any further than that is stretching it. I don't think there's chemistry issues or bad coaching.

The team is what it is at present time. It's a mid-major roster trying to play in the best conference in NCAA history. It's going to show. It's actually kind of amazing we're in the middle of the pack.

It's possible that they believe Pope isn't going to stand up for them against the officials either. Pope needs to get tossed from a game.

 

[AshWilliams]

Maybe Pope has a routine that keeps their mind clear and focused. How many time have we heard Pope say he doesn't want their emotions to high or to low? Without more context I'd say this is with purpose.

No. Sports psychologists agree that emotion and adrenaline are big factors in success.

 

[true blue1]

If you can’t get up for a home game against the number 1 team then I don’t know what to say .

I agree. Their body language was terrible in the pregame speech. No energy at all.

 

[wildcat_nation28]

Saw the Pregame locker room broadcast of UK vs Auburn and I felt Auburn was going to win and it wasn't going to be close

what happened pregame

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

An under manned UK squad gets hammered by the #1 team in America and you guys are bitching about a 30 second snipit of ou lockeroom being one of the reasons. I don't even know how to respond to such NONSENSE!!!!!!

 

[FitchandMurray29]

Speaking of “energy” I thought there was none from our fanbase going into the game. (Not commenting on the Rupp atmosphere as I wasn’t there). We were top 20 with a number 1 SEC coming to town and it just had historically low buzz given that imo. Throwing myself in that bucket as well. Just wasn’t as excited about the game as I should’ve been that ls for sure.

 

[SmoothRunner32]

Speaking of “energy” I thought there was none from our fanbase going into the game. (Not commenting on the Rupp atmosphere as I wasn’t there). We were top 20 with a number 1 SEC coming to town and it just had historically low buzz given that imo. Throwing myself in that bucket as well. Just wasn’t as excited about the game as I should’ve been that ls for sure.

I guess the fans thought it was 2012 against Tony Barbee’s garbage Auburn team.

 

[Stretch98]

An under manned UK squad gets hammered by the #1 team in America and you guys are bitching about a 30 second snipit of ou lockeroom being one of the reasons. I don't even know how to respond to such NONSENSE!!!!!!

Pope is very respectful of his players. This season, he has a mature group who has played a lot of college basketball. I watched the brief pregame clip from UK's locker room and it looked like what a coach like Steve Kerr in the NBA or Bill Belichick would do. He prepared his team to play the game on the practice floor and in the film room and he used the few minutes before they took the floor as a final systems check before lift off. It did not bother me at all, and I know the players themselves got together in the tunnel and turned up the temperature.