We've seen this before

[TankedCat]

Cal has a team that underperforms while he stubbornly clings to whatever "process" he is trying to implement. Hope for the season by the fans is dwindling and apathy is setting in, but there are still a couple of marquee games on the schedule. And then BOOM, Cal's team pulls one out of their butt, shows you how they *COULD* play every night and some fans are thinking "this is a turning point, we're building for March!" until the next game, and they revert back to the team you've consistently seen all season.

I'm still prepared to make excuses for Pope. Butler is gone, and so he goes to Krissa as the backup...nope sorry. Now we are forced to have our 6'11" center take the ball up the court for more possessions than we're comfortable. Give Pope a healthy Butler, Carr and Krissa and we may still have lost last night but I think we'd also have 2 more wins.

You can blame Pope's coaching and adjustments, that's fair, but at the moment he is having to play with a team that doesn't have a front court. How many coaches are going to win with that?

 

[TankedCat]

the second part of that is, as your season implodes with no wins at the SECT, and then an early exit (or not even making) the NCAAT, the fan base looks back on those couple of unexpected wins with the mindset of just think where we'd be "if he only had better players" or "nagging injuries really hurt us" and its not because you really feel that way, its because you know you're stuck with him due to an absurd contract, and its the only way you can rationalize supporting what you are seeing for the following year. Then you start thinking about how much the program and fans invested in players that didn't meet a SINGLE goal for the program and how it only makes sense for them to come back....then the month of June happens.

 

[BGCATFAN2012]

Yeah I'm not just pissed we lost we got blown out and kicked in the nuts. Don't give a shit who we were missing and such. This season is done and I'll start pulling away to keep from being pissed about a game when kids that don't give 2 shits about the brand and just casually lose in our own gym all the time is OK. If they don't care then either will I and not wasting my money on that shit. Things aren't like they used to be and that's fine but letting last night happen on our first prime Saturday night game that we all were up for is deflating.

 

[BIG BLUE GURU]

Yeah I'm not just pissed we lost we got blown out and kicked in the nuts. Don't give a shit who we were missing and such. This season is done and I'll start pulling away to keep from being pissed about a game when kids that don't give 2 shits about the brand and just casually lose in our own gym all the time is OK. If they don't care then either will I and not wasting my money on that shit. Things aren't like they used to be and that's fine but letting last night happen on our first prime Saturday night game that we all were up for is deflating.

What did you expect for this season when Pope had a month to put this team together? We are what we are. Give Arkansas some credit too as that is the best they have played all year by a lot. They couldn't miss. We have had games like that this year to beat teams we shouldn't have but you don't give Pope credit for those wins. Bye. Tune out.

 

[BGCATFAN2012]

What did you expect for this season when Pope had a month to put this team together? We are what we are. Give Arkansas some credit too as that is the best they have played all year by a lot. They couldn't miss. We have had games like that this year to beat teams we shouldn't have but you don't give Pope credit for those wins. Bye. Tune out.

Let me guess you still think we can make a run or win it all. We have no post season experience on or together as a team and can't guard anything. We will be playing on the first day of the SEC Tournament only to be sent home by some hero that we all say had a career game against us and probably as soon as a team sees KENTUCKY across the chest in the ncaa will have another Oakland moment. I'm just tired of the waste of season since the Maxey team that got thier chance shutdown. Our program is bleeding out.

 

[TankedCat]

Yeah I'm not just pissed we lost we got blown out and kicked in the nuts. Don't give a shit who we were missing and such. This season is done and I'll start pulling away to keep from being pissed about a game when kids that don't give 2 shits about the brand and just casually lose in our own gym all the time is OK. If they don't care then either will I and not wasting my money on that shit. Things aren't like they used to be and that's fine but letting last night happen on our first prime Saturday night game that we all were up for is deflating.

I don't think you got the sentiment of my post.

I was talking about Cal getting Arkansas motivated to win a single game

this was not a commentary on Pope

 

[ukwazoo]

Cal has a team that underperforms while he stubbornly clings to whatever "process" he is trying to implement. Hope for the season by the fans is dwindling and apathy is setting in, but there are still a couple of marquee games on the schedule. And then BOOM, Cal's team pulls one out of their butt, shows you how they *COULD* play every night and some fans are thinking "this is a turning point, we're building for March!" until the next game, and they revert back to the team you've consistently seen all season.

I'm still prepared to make excuses for Pope. Butler is gone, and so he goes to Krissa as the backup...nope sorry. Now we are forced to have our 6'11" center take the ball up the court for more possessions than we're comfortable. Give Pope a healthy Butler, Carr and Krissa and we may still have lost last night but I think we'd also have 2 more wins.

You can blame Pope's coaching and adjustments, that's fair, but at the moment he is having to play with a team that doesn't have a front court. How many coaches are going to win with that?

Agree about Ark, but don't agree about Pope. We were missing key players, yes. But you still have to do everything in your power to win. I don't feel that Pope pressed all the buttons he could press last night...not by a long shot.

 

[TOMCATS1990]

It’s not just that we lost but how we lost, letting Arkansas bomb 3’s mostly uncontested and drive the lane with little resistance. Our Offense is stagnant and not getting open looks for shooters. Arkansas overplaying the 3 and only remember a couple back door cuts. Injuries aside this team is regressing and limping down the stretch.

 

[chroix]

Yeah the silver lining is Cal just had it reinforced that his system still works and there is no need to change.

 

[dnorman0301]

Yeah I'm not just pissed we lost we got blown out and kicked in the nuts. Don't give a shit who we were missing and such. This season is done and I'll start pulling away to keep from being pissed about a game when kids that don't give 2 shits about the brand and just casually lose in our own gym all the time is OK. If they don't care then either will I and not wasting my money on that shit. Things aren't like they used to be and that's fine but letting last night happen on our first prime Saturday night game that we all were up for is deflating.

Have to admit I kinda agree. However, is our reality with NIL. The days of Goose, Phillips, Mashburn, Walker, and I could go on are over. College is more and more like pro sports and the loyalty and fight to what is on your jersey doesn’t mean shit. Reed is great example … he owes Cal cause he got NBS paid. A former UK player back in the day would not be caught dead in an opposing team’s shirt. College sports have changed and for us long time UK fans, it just feels different.

 

[YardCat]

Let me guess you still think we can make a run or win it all. We have no post season experience on or together as a team and can't guard anything. We will be playing on the first day of the SEC Tournament only to be sent home by some hero that we all say had a career game against us and probably as soon as a team sees KENTUCKY across the chest in the ncaa will have another Oakland moment. I'm just tired of the waste of season since the Maxey team that got thier chance shutdown. Our program is bleeding out.

You just need to back away and realize that this team was picked 8th in the SEC to start the season. What were you expecting? If this bothers you that much then you have unrealistic expectations. IMO
If we make the NCAA Tournament and win a game then I think we have had a good season.

 

[TTTblue24]

The lineups he played for an extended period of time was beyond terrible, and why can’t the starters play 35 or so mins??? There’s tv TOs along with coaches calling them then 100 reviews, the participation trophy stuff has got to stop. I still can’t believe Noah had zero PT, I mean how could he play any worse defensively than what we saw??? Noah can run the point, he’s did it since 8th grade & I would bet he’ll take care of the ball a lot better than we saw last night.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Built for Groundhog Day.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

Speaking of seeing this before. Some stats that blew my mind this morning. These are KenPom ranking numbers for Kentucky basketball with very different coaches and rosters.

2024: overall 23, offense 7, defense 109
2025: overall 22, offense 3, defense 89

The more things change the more things stay the same apparently!

 

[Rockfly78]

What did you expect for this season when Pope had a month to put this team together? We are what we are. Give Arkansas some credit too as that is the best they have played all year by a lot. They couldn't miss. We have had games like that this year to beat teams we shouldn't have but you don't give Pope credit for those wins. Bye. Tune out.

Everyone gave pope credit for those big wins.

There’s no spin here. That was a bad loss AT HOME even if cal wasn’t involved.

 

[Warf2012]

You just need to back away and realize that this team was picked 8th in the SEC to start the season. What were you expecting? If this bothers you that much then you have unrealistic expectations. IMO
If we make the NCAA Tournament and win a game then I think we have had a good season.

And they’re not even meeting that expectation of 8th.

 

[JohnnyGreen1975]

Everyone gave pope credit for those big wins.

There’s no spin here. That was a bad loss AT HOME even if cal wasn’t involved.

It made it 1000% times worse given how bad Arkansas was playing before this game and also that Cal was coaching them.

Pope needs to spend all of the next practices only working on defense. On offense, I feel like we are ok. On defense, our guys get lost FAST.

 

[runt#69]

Built for Groundhog Day.

simply and perfectly succinctly put, my friend.

There's no more need to really expend the effort to tell anyone where the Hogs will end up. And we will at the very LEAST be in the tournament. I wouldn't trade the direction of our program for retaining Cal. Good riddance and move on.

This season is still one that can be totally great. Some of those ready to jump ship and give up, well ... I'm glad I bleed blue and have been a loyal fan for 50 years. Hope to see 50 more of the wild shenanigans ! Let others fainter of heart go sulk and cry and throw a tantrum. I've no use for fair weather fans like that.

 

[JimBR]

I agree with the OP. I believe we won at Auburn last year, unexpectedly. Cal can do this one game thing and they probably will not play that well the rest of the year. Might even get killed the next game.
Pope said post game the players were hurting and disappointed. Bad loss and they know it.