I got into a bit of a debate in another thread about this. Pope is going to be dealing with a lot and it's his first year. Having said that, this is Kentucky basketball and I think at minimum making the NCAA tournament should be the expectation. You'd be surprised at how many people won't even set the bar that low.
What are your expectations for next year?
- Thread starter The Last Ronin
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What was he going to say? Let's start with being honest with big blue nation. If he was lying right from the begining what little hope I had in him will be completely gone.
With the portal we can easily field a very successful team, we aren’t going .500
I'd say he was being honest. From his point of view he fully expects to compete for the SEC title next season and Make a deep run. That's what he visions.
Will it happen, I don't know but I do know people should allow him time to build the team with players that fit his style and are coachable.
He's not just gonna throw the ball out there and tell em to go make something happen.
New era the old ways are done.
He's a professional. Been in Basketball his entire life, so he knows how to say things and how not to say things. He chose his words and said them. That's the standard. Period. I think he can make the NCAA's and am just waiting to see who he chooses as his staff/puts together a roster.
This is a different era and winning doesn't take long.
I have no problem with what he said-but he said it. He went out of his way to mock how coaches handle their Press Conferences when introduced--that was him-not anyone else-so he has to stand on that. He's never won an NCAA Tournament game but was talking of championships. That's the job he chose and now he's got it. The one thing he can't do is continue to talk like he's still interviewing for the job. We're not hayseeds like Mitch Barnhart. What Mitch is impressed by wouldn't get past most of us but he eats up some really corny BS which already impressed me that Pope knows how to read his audience.
Yesterday was needed for the fanbase. That's great. I personally don't care about that type of thing. Far more interested in the who--as in who is your staff and who is on your roster? Think he's a very good coach who can do great things and willing to give him time, but I don't lower expectations for someone who raises them. He got what he wanted, he said what he did-do what you say and it'll be great. If not-he won't be around long and onto the next guy.
Won't argue anything you typed. He knows what he accepted and he knows what it's going to take so let's give him some time to get it going. I expect announcements with the coaching staff as the week moves forward and I expect some player announcements as well but he sure isn't going to get it done overnight like alot of people want.
He talked about players being a fit and unselfish, not being entitled and showing gratitude....that probably explains why all of Cals boys are leaving.
Patience.
Amen. If we are all about winning go out and do what Nate Oats did last year and get an all new team coach them up throughout the year and then go on a run.
There should be zero expectations for next year. We don’t know a single guy on the roster yet.
You think Pitino only wins 14 if he was in transfer portal era with no scholarship restrictions? You guys sound like we hired somebody's dumb cousin to run our business. He set the bar for himself. No reason for us to lower it for him so that we can feel better if it fails. If that's the case we should have pushed for Nate Oats.
He did set the bar so let's allow him time to get players. I'd say he already knows who his coaching staff will be so that shouldn't be a problem other than fans anxious for names to drop.
Nobody is lowering the bar he set because we already had the bar set for him and the bar would have been set for whomever the hire would have been to begin with.
It would not be an epic failure if we don't make the ncaa tournament this upcoming season. There currently isn't a roster, just how much is he realistically going to be able to pick from the portal when the program is in the dump? To any of the people in the portal looking to head to the NBA he's likely to pass on them if they aren't willing to bring it in terms of team play and UK.
Really depends who he gets assistants and roster. But I want to at least make the tourney. With the portal that should be a no trainer. Look I want FFs yesterday. That's the tough spot Pope gets is Cal left us in a Carter and on a dry streak.
For year 1 don't lose to Louisville or hopefully Ark in Rupp. Don't get embarrassed by Dook and finish top 4 SEC. Win at least 1 tourney game. 2 really and I would be OK and ready for the process to improve in year 2.
SS and I would be pumped for the future. With such a big existing daughter we need to get back to the FF in the next 3 years. Sounds steep but in 3 years that will be 12+ years since our last one.
For year 1 don't lose to Louisville or hopefully Ark in Rupp. Don't get embarrassed by Dook and finish top 4 SEC. Win at least 1 tourney game. 2 really and I would be OK and ready for the process to improve in year 2.
SS and I would be pumped for the future. With such a big existing daughter we need to get back to the FF in the next 3 years. Sounds steep but in 3 years that will be 12+ years since our last one.
Ralph appears to already be counting Pope out, and stacking the odds against him. Hmmmm..
Season 1 fill out roster & sweet 16 (min)
Season 2 fill out roster & sweet 16 (min)
Rinse & repeat
This is the new normal, I'm afraid, just look around.
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I don’t feel that way. He’s not a known commodity and is getting a late start with no staff in place. Twenty wins is the ceiling imo.
Y'know what? Fair. Lowering expectations is just a vestigial reflex from the Cal era.
So you didn't want hurley? His performance wouldn't have been good enough for you before he won back to back. You just admitted it.
Jay Wright wouldn't have been good enough for you either.
That's a cheap shot at the players who were going to come play for the program. It's far more simplistic than some want it to be. They have known the coaches recruiting them for 2 to 3 years. If you build relationships and know someone, sign on and then they leave, what would you do? No matter what the school is, players go to play for the HC/Staff at that school. These guys weren't the problem, it was what Cal was NOT doing with them as a team on the court. That's on him/his staff. I think Pope will take a different approach in recruiting by blending talent pools to make his program, but you still need elite HS talent.
Some of the shots taken at players leaving or choosing to go elsewhere is really strange to me. Fland had UConn and Alabama after him hard. He chose UK. He didn't switch HS/AAU teams. He was a loyal guy and helped recruit on the program's behalf. Right now in addition to Arkansas, there's heavy buzz that Alabama, UConn, and UNC have all reached out-UNC being where current Tar Heel and former Stepinac HS grad RJ Davis is and of course his good friend Ian Jackson. Fland waited for today to pull trigger on decommit and not really a coincidence that it was rumored that Orlando Antigua (his recruiter for UK/relationship guy) was told he would NOT be a member of Pope's staff.
Billy Richmond was committed/never signed. Son of an ex Cal player at Memphis and also was recruited by UConn--and Hurley's made it clear they don't mess around with Dbag parents or kids who aren't about winning. Another guy Alabama liked a lot. And for those who want to bash Oats-he also offered Travis Perry and liked him a lot too.
Somto talked with Pope already. Great physical presence and athlete. Rim Protection and defense which are needed at the elite level. Don't think UK prefers him but they reached out and talked with him. He's kept door open.
Jayden Quaintance is a 2 yr CBB player. UK reached out and he's a fine young man. Exploring options.
Karter Knox was actually considering Arkansas before Cal left UK so combine those 2 elements and it would make sense for him. Personally think his best fit would be staying close to home and playing at USF.
Travis Perry is staying. Which makes complete sense.
To mock elite talent is not fair to the players. They don't hate Kentucky but they move to where they have relationships. It's happening every year now with guys on teams everywhere which is why the Portal is heading toward 3500/4000 players in it. Loyalty is gone period. The front of the jersey matters for a year--then you see if people stay as long as the $/situation is right. If you want to build a program a certain manner-then you'll do so but guys will still be in/out as you are always needing to get the best players/roster you can get. Pissing on talented people isn't the way to go.
WTF are you talking about? I'm talking about what the Coach set as the expectations and how he went about saying it. If Hurley or Wright would've said what Pope did-and had same resume, they'd be held to the same standard. They didn't. Pope did.
Pope either was caught up in the Pep Rally environment or truly believes what he said. I love if he truly believes what he said, because that means he's going to plan on getting this thing going. I think he's an excellent coach but there's a reason every coach in America that he openly mocked--talks a certain way to the media. They may feel the same inside/behind the scenes but Pope was out there calling it out and what the expectations are/will be and that's his doing.
All I'm doing is following the coach's lead and holding him to his word. If he hires a great staff/gets a bunch of talented guys in the next week/months ahead, then let's go!
But if he tries to walk things back or can't back it up--then he's on the same hot seat as Cal and Mitch's ass is really on the hot seat because Barnhart is a hayseed. His comments about what he liked come off as ignorant as it gets. The University of Kentucky's AD was on the air talking about guys Pope has a chance to recruit at UK he didn't at BYU. No ****. It's Kentucky. Does Mitch know where he works? Everyone wanted Cal gone but doesn't make Mitch a hero. On record as saying I wanted both wrong and the Pep Rally doesn't change a thing for me. What Pope does is all that matters.
Seems like people are coming down from the nostalgia wave that swept over everyone on Sat/Sun and realizing why this hire was so risky to begin with.
Next year will likely be extremely ugly.
Next year will likely be extremely ugly.
That's a cop out. Every Coach in the country who aspires to get a job like this has a list of guys he has in mind to bring with him/reach out to join his staff. If he can't sell them to join him in Lexington, that's on him. More $/resources are available and he's got damn good job security after reading those contractual details in a conference every coach knows will still be around/school that will exist over crazy climate of college sports. Again, that should've been a question Barnhart asked. It matters. I think Pope has great ideas and is going about this correctly but Mitch's comments come off as a fan who is impressed by hearing how great the University is and that's awful in making business decisions. Barnhart sucks as much as Cal IMO though so I'm biased in my take on him.
Portal changes the expectations. He's got thousands of options available and a ton of $/resources. There's plenty of time to get players. The Portal date closes on May 1st but that's just to say you want to be contacted-players can make decisions up to start of next school year if they choose.
This can be done in year one and NCAA Tournament is the expectation.
Probably not but it is also asking a lot for Pope to be Pitino.
You can be a Hall of Fame coach and still not be in his class.
Pope also doesn't come with Pitino's brand and already decades deep connections either.
Rick was an assistant back to the 70's including under Boeheim, had a Final Four under his belt, and was fresh off bringing the Knicks back to life.
It just isn't the same or even similar but I think he will piece it together but it isn't going to be Boogie, Wall, and Bledsoe to kickstart the party.
Then he needed to speak differently when he was behaving like The Rock in front of the fans yesterday. Either say what you mean about what this job and it's expectations are, or measure your words. He chose to amp things up. Take him for his word. He's got a plan and he's worthy of this job in an ever changing environment of CBB.
Making the NCAA Tournament at Kentucky is expected. If not, it's failure. When you call out every coach in America in how they speak when getting jobs, it's adding a target that is personal with them. One thing to say "I think we can exceed expectations very quickly" and play to an audience but when you choose to shit all over the rest of the coaches in sport and how they go about speaking when they get hired....it's a target. If you win, you get credit (See Hurley's "You better get us now because we're coming ") and if you don't--see if the crowd squeals and roars at losing games.
He's got a ton of time to build this roster. He mentioned how he'll have some pieces in place and then build around that which is smart. But he doesn't have to rush to fill this out-he does need to get this staff announced and going soon though. Longer you wait, you are missing time and that doesn't even mention having to start recruiting the '25 HS recruits which Pope gets benefit of not having to be on trail now. In recent years, he'd have not had a PC this weekend as it would've been 1st Live Period to get out and watch recruits. This would be PC week-then back on road next week-now imagine having that responsibility along with building a roster from scratch?
He has until May to focus on Roster/Portal. He can recruit the NBA Combine too-go see players who are in Draft/but also the Portal and they can be options as coaches are allowed to recruit there--May 12-19th I believe this year.
This is Kentucky. If the expectations are lowered, then they made the wrong hire.
Maybe his AD should've advised him what NOT to say in front of a packed Rupp and entire fanbase watching.
The more the fans who ate up the Pep Rally are walking back what the man actually said, the more concerned I am about what the hell is going on with the program and expectations?
There were other candidates out there and they chose Coach Pope. I like his style of basketball and think he can win right away. I wouldn't have fired a shot at every other coach in the sport who conducts interviews in a more conservative manner but that's just how I am. He was himself and that's great. Now that some of us want to hold that standard and buy in, we're to lower our expectations and give a pass as to what the new HC said?
Not happening. Now let's get a great staff and start bringing some players in! It's going to be fun to see a roster build and how they shape it.
If you talked the junk he did and don't make the NCAA's--after calling out every coach how they temper expectations-it's an epic failure. Especially when Barnhart took a gamble on one of Kentucky's "own".
Again, I don't think he'll fail either. I think he'll get this team to the Tournament and from there, we'll see his bracket, health of team, etc....but standard has been set by the Boss of the program, no reason to doubt him but not going to dumb things down either. He embraced the standard.
- Guys are gonna play more for the name on the front of the jersey than on the back.
- The Cats will actually run an offense.
- Players will set some occasional picks in an attempt to get their teammates open.
- The ball is going to move between players more on offense.
- UK basketball will be fun to watch again.
- Robic will be in the stands for at least one game next season.
- Go Cats!
Look Boogie, Wall and Bledsoe aren't available this year. We all know that but if we are UK and we eat first we can get a very competitive team together in the transfer portal era as long as we have a coach with a plan and not a cheerleader spewing rhetoric at a pep rally. He is supposed to be a genius coach.
It will definitely feel epic if he doesn't make the tournament I will give you that. If he doesn't make the tournament the job will be too much for him.
I agree with you on almost all your thoughts especially on Mitch. I cant wait for the day Mitch is gone. I just hope we don't end up with a Joker Phillips type hire for our basketball team. This whole hiring process should have been handled differently IMO.
Maybe not win SEC or SEC Tourney, but definitely win the first game of the NCAA tournament. Anything less would be a disappointment for me … because the NIL$$$ and portal should allow CMP to build a roster that can do this, at a minimum.
For the first two -three years I have no expectations but to rebuild the program and create a philosophy that will work and relationships that will help him recruit, maintain boosters involvement and BBN excited.
The DNA he was talking about will take time and players to buy into it and also him to develop a staff that can evaluate talent, develop players, and manage the new reality of college basketball with NIL, transfer portal, social media, conferences realignment, sports betting, etc
We need to understand that NCAA titles are hard to get and a lot of time, the outcome is circumstantial … yes , you need to have the right players , the right philosophy but then also the luck to be on your side..
The DNA he was talking about will take time and players to buy into it and also him to develop a staff that can evaluate talent, develop players, and manage the new reality of college basketball with NIL, transfer portal, social media, conferences realignment, sports betting, etc
We need to understand that NCAA titles are hard to get and a lot of time, the outcome is circumstantial … yes , you need to have the right players , the right philosophy but then also the luck to be on your side..
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