Why hasn’t Mitch been run out of town?

[Wildcats1st]

It’s obvious he has handcuffed coaches by being way behind on nil. He’s an average at best AD who’s been here way too long. In his 20+ years he has wrecked UK basketball. We had a good spurt because of Mike Pratt but when Barney got his hands on it he wrecked our program with the worst contract in history. Rewind 15 years and he was giving a drunk a contract on a napkin and of course pope he just went to hire him didn’t care about getting the best coach at what it would $$$$$. The most unsettling thing? We are about every 7 years missing the tournament under Barney’s leadership.

Football trajectory is also very negative compared to the highs it hit.

Our sports arent great. I don’t understand how an average athletic director that has ruined our bb program continues to operate in his position. Why is this guy celebrated instead of seriously condemned for the basketball results alone. The AD the president both need to be replaced by Kentucky boys/girls. No more imports for either job. There are plenty of talented and successful people in Kentucky. It’s probably popes only hope. A carbon copy of last year next will be difficult for him to overcome. He has to win. He at least needs a team that is a legit final four threat. He can’t lose 10 games.

Time to ramp up Matt Jones and all the media terrified of Barney.

 

[OliverSimmonstwinbrother]

Mens Rifle is ranked top 50.
Coed yak tossing is 23rd.

 

[wccat2969]

If and it's a big if Mitch is the hold up, you can understand where coaches would have problem with him as an AD. At some point Pope or any coach would be forced to strategically call out the AD in public to let everyone know the reason for the 'holding pattern.'

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

Honestly, he should have been fired for the crazy contracts that he gave to Cal and Stoops.

 

[bnewt]

Say what you will, but ul's former ad, and even current one are way ahead of barnhart. All of their programs improved leaps and bounds, while uk has stayed stagnant or regressed

 

[Wildcats1st]

Say what you will, but ul's former ad, and even current one are way ahead of barnhart. All of their programs improved leaps and bounds, while uk has stayed stagnant or regressed

Louisville is on a mission to win. We need to air out the stench Barney has left behind. His conservative crap doesn’t work anymore. When he was hired the environment to obtain and keep players was completely different for all sports. The guy hides when we lose then when we win he’s wants everyone to see him

 

[Blueathletics]

It’s obvious he has handcuffed coaches by being way behind on nil. He’s an average at best AD who’s been here way too long. In his 20+ years he has wrecked UK basketball. We had a good spurt because of Mike Pratt but when Barney got his hands on it he wrecked our program with the worst contract in history. Rewind 15 years and he was giving a drunk a contract on a napkin and of course pope he just went to hire him didn’t care about getting the best coach at what it would $$$$$. The most unsettling thing? We are about every 7 years missing the tournament under Barney’s leadership.

Football trajectory is also very negative compared to the highs it hit.

Our sports arent great. I don’t understand how an average athletic director that has ruined our bb program continues to operate in his position. Why is this guy celebrated instead of seriously condemned for the basketball results alone. The AD the president both need to be replaced by Kentucky boys/girls. No more imports for either job. There are plenty of talented and successful people in Kentucky. It’s probably popes only hope. A carbon copy of last year next will be difficult for him to overcome. He has to win. He at least needs a team that is a legit final four threat. He can’t lose 10 games.

Time to ramp up Matt Jones and all the media terrified of Barney.

I think he's so straight-laced that he operates in a way that HE thinks things should be done and not according to the actual rules

 

[Wildcats1st]

I think he's so straight-laced that he operates in a way that HE thinks things should be done and not according to the actual rules

He operates the way he did 21 years ago. He’s doing what cal what criticized for, not changing and being an innovator. He robbed cal of his motivation through his model.

 

[stuway]

Usual suspects saying the usual dumb stuff. I swear if OP, bnewt and the like are really UK fans, then yall are miserable. Never good enough, nothing is never good enough for fools with unrealistic expectations.

And spare me the drivel, "it's not unrealistic to expect to get guys from the portal" we will get guys, just not in a time frame that suits your chicken little selves

I'm serious, if yall aren't trolls you're horrible fans. Go find another school to love/hate/bitch about....it seems UK brings you no joy ever, because nothing is fast enough or good enough for your standards. You're the problem, not Mitch, not Mark Pope. You all are the problem who constantly embarrasses our fan base woth idiotic takes and expectations

You all suck, and I mean that, have a great Saturday and as always. Go BB!!

 

[backinky2018]

There's no doubt that Mitch was behind on NIL, and it definitely cost our football program for a few years (though it seems as if things are better). What evidence do we have that he is still an issue with our NIL? By all accounts, UK has a huge war chest, so how is Mitch to blame?

I'm not a blind defender of Mitch, but I don't agree with your post:

-He hired Stoops, the best coach in UK modern history (though trajectory is definitely down).
-He hired Mingione, who got us to Omaha for the first time ever.
-Our softball coach is the best in school history, got us to WCWS, and is now a consistently good program.
-Our volleyball team won natty.
-OUr tennis team has made the final four.

None of these things is as important as football (and to a lesser extent, basketball), but we have a great all around athletic program now. If Mitch can't modernize, then by all means, he should retire. But, I am struggling to figure out how this is his fault?

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Careful, this place really does not tolerate questioning the AD.

 

[flacat22]

Usual suspects saying the usual dumb stuff. I swear if OP, bnewt and the like are really UK fans, then yall are miserable. Never good enough, nothing is never good enough for fools with unrealistic expectations.

And spare me the drivel, "it's not unrealistic to expect to get guys from the portal" we will get guys, just not in a time frame that suits your chicken little selves

I'm serious, if yall aren't trolls you're horrible fans. Go find another school to love/hate/bitch about....it seems UK brings you no joy ever, because nothing is fast enough or good enough for your standards. You're the problem, not Mitch, not Mark Pope. You all are the problem who constantly embarrasses our fan base woth idiotic takes and expectations

You all suck, and I mean that, have a great Saturday and as always. Go BB!!

OPs a sad little one trick pony.

 

[stuway]

JALAND LOWE TO UK

 

[stuway]

There's no doubt that Mitch was behind on NIL, and it definitely cost our football program for a few years (though it seems as if things are better). What evidence do we have that he is still an issue with our NIL? By all accounts, UK has a huge war chest, so how is Mitch to blame?

I'm not a blind defender of Mitch, but I don't agree with your post:

-He hired Stoops, the best coach in UK modern history (though trajectory is definitely down).
-He hired Mingione, who got us to Omaha for the first time ever.
-Our softball coach is the best in school history, got us to WCWS, and is now a consistently good program.
-Our volleyball team won natty.
-OUr tennis team has made the final four.

None of these things is as important as football (and to a lesser extent, basketball), but we have a great all around athletic program now. If Mitch can't modernize, then by all means, he should retire. But, I am struggling to figure out how this is his fault?

No you're not struggling nor wrong. The OP and a few in this thread are clueless dolts who bitch about everything UK, our AD, our coaches, players nothing is ever good enough for them.

I've read their same tired BS for years and am sick of it, really. Just best yo ignore them and not let it get under your skin like I have today. Does no good to argue with them either. Closed minded ilk

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Careful, this place really does not tolerate questioning the AD.

Mitch has his family posting on the football board when you question anything about him lol

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

Careful, this place really does not tolerate questioning the AD.

Man, I love your posts but this has to be one of the most misguided things you’ve said. This website hates Mitch almost unanimously. I tried floating the theory that is widely perpetuated on Rafters about Mitch interfering with portal contracts on another website. Even the anti-Mitch people thought it was a laughably absurd theory that doesn’t have a basis in reality. On this website though I often second guess even typing a rebuttal because I know how it will be met. This place really doesn’t tolerate fair handling about discussion of anyone that isn’t liked. There’s a difference between not liking someone and making them a scapegoat for things without evidence. I see a lot of the latter and that’s really too bad. I’m not a Mitch guy and a year from now I might be on my knees begging for him to be fired due to revenue sharing, but blaming him for the portal this year seems a bit unfair.

Close it out by reminding you that we all BBN no matter what and I’ll this is a tertiary in-house matter for the real ones.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Honestly, he should have been fired for the crazy contracts that he gave to Cal and Stoops.

Not to mention hiring billy Clyde and joker back to back hires. No one at any other school survives simultaneous catastrophic coaching hires in the top two revenue sports

 

[truebluewildcat]

There’s not very many people who can run MB out of town.

I don’t understand why it’s so hard for folks to understand that MB has been great for the program. Some bumps, but he managed to correct and get through them.

He made the athletic department profitable. He’s made the two best football hires since Bear Bryant. Both saved and stabilized the program and won bowls.

He’s made two great MBB and WBB hires.

Volleyball, softball, and baseball. All solid.

He’s improved, renovated, built new facilities.

He’s one of the better more well respected ADs in the land and consigliere to one of the most powerful people in sports in Sankey.

He actually gives AD money to the University so I doubt Capiluto is interested in trying to make a move. Even if he was interested in a power play I got my money on MB for all of the above.

 

[Oboro3]

Good grief, some of you all are really reaching now. It's embarrassing to read some of what you consider logical posts.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Man, I love your posts but this has to be one of the most misguided things you’ve said. This website hates Mitch almost unanimously. I tried floating the theory that is widely perpetuated on Rafters about Mitch interfering with portal contracts on another website. Even the anti-Mitch people thought it was a laughably absurd theory that doesn’t have a basis in reality. On this website though I often second guess even typing a rebuttal because I know how it will be met. This place really doesn’t tolerate fair handling about discussion of anyone that isn’t liked. There’s a difference between not liking someone and making them a scapegoat for things without evidence. I see a lot of the latter and that’s really too bad. I’m not a Mitch guy and a year from now I might be on my knees begging for him to be fired due to revenue sharing, but blaming him for the portal this year seems a bit unfair.

Close it out by reminding you that we all BBN no matter what and I’ll this is a tertiary in-house matter for the real ones.

No, I mean the mods. I know the people here are souring on Mitch. But there was a thread yesterday where people really started to take him to task and then it was gone. And as I recall it never got anywhere close to being a full on hate filled pissing match (where other threads get deleted here at times)..

 

[Wildcats1st]

No you're not struggling nor wrong. The OP and a few in this thread are clueless dolts who bitch about everything UK, our AD, our coaches, players nothing is ever good enough for them.

I've read their same tired BS for years and am sick of it, really. Just best yo ignore them and not let it get under your skin like I have today. Does no good to argue with them either. Closed minded ilk

your schtick is to take your anger out on fans who have expectations. Your fixed mindset doesn’t win anything. And if you’ve read the same thing because we’ve had big problems. Do you deny that? Of course you do because everyone call for change 3-4 years ago and you were just attacking fans. Someone using the word “ilk” is calling folks who want growth “closed minded”. At what point would you call out the leadership and demand better? That’s what I thought so just stay out of the way.

 

[Worf88]

Barnhart is a joke and should have been fired years ago. The Gillespie and Joker hires alone should have got him fired. Add in 2 of the dumbest contracts in college sports history with Cal and Stoops and it’s honestly mind blowing how he still has his job. He NEVER should have been allowed to make the basketball hire when Cal left. He MUST NOT be allowed to make the football hire when Stoops is gone.

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

No, I mean the mods. I know the people here are souring on Mitch. But there was a thread yesterday where people really started to take him to task and then it was gone. And as I recall it never got anywhere close to being a full on hate filled pissing match (where other threads get deleted here at times)..

Ah gotcha, my man. Disregard my prior post then.

 

[Wildcats1st]

No, I mean the mods. I know the people here are souring on Mitch. But there was a thread yesterday where people really started to take him to task and then it was gone. And as I recall it never got anywhere close to being a full on hate filled pissing match (where other threads get deleted here at times)..

Are we in the business now of censuring Barney posts and threads? There are significant questions about this guy and the cbb results can’t be refuted. A tourney miss every 7 years.

 

[Rockfly78]

I’m not trying to carry the water for Mitch. He’s just a suit to me. But can anyone provide a shred of proof in what yall are saying?

 

[Wildcats1st]

Usual suspects saying the usual dumb stuff. I swear if OP, bnewt and the like are really UK fans, then yall are miserable. Never good enough, nothing is never good enough for fools with unrealistic expectations.

And spare me the drivel, "it's not unrealistic to expect to get guys from the portal" we will get guys, just not in a time frame that suits your chicken little selves

I'm serious, if yall aren't trolls you're horrible fans. Go find another school to love/hate/bitch about....it seems UK brings you no joy ever, because nothing is fast enough or good enough for your standards. You're the problem, not Mitch, not Mark Pope. You all are the problem who constantly embarrasses our fan base woth idiotic takes and expectations

You all suck, and I mean that, have a great Saturday and as always. Go BB!!

That’s not what I would say. I would say you were defending cal when he had clearly thrown in the towel. You’re defending him now by acting like i and others complain about “nothing good enough”. Look in the time I’ve been here. Point to the good. The good with cal? How can you attack fans who worked to save our program. And don’t act like this is something mark pope. That’s not your call out. You just smashed a big part of the fanbase then gloss over the fact that the program has been struggling pre pope. Instead of holding a coach or admin accountable you project your anger about our struggles against our fanbase. Then you act like you’re above it all. Clearly a personal attack against people with the mindset for our cbb program to be the best.

 

[Wildcats1st]

I’m not trying to carry the water for Mitch. He’s just a suit to me. But can anyone provide a shred of proof in what yall are saying?

We ve heard from coaches he has held back on nil. Hell cal was joyed to go to a school where he could compete because the leadership there is all in. The proof is clearly in front of you. And Barney is far more than a suit maybe that’s the problem here. He’s a very active ad in every sport. He’s a bean counter and very conservative. (Bean counter isn’t a slander). He’s held us back while coaches were buying teams we operate by old laws.

 

[FitchMields]

I’ll never understand why people shill for Mitch. He’s good at one thing and one thing only - making money.

 

[Wildcats1st]

Careful, this place really does not tolerate questioning the AD.

This is the problem the guy is protected like no other figure ever from the university

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I’ll never understand why people shill for Mitch. He’s good at one thing and one thing only - making money.

Some big fan of his yesterday was adamant that he's done no wrong, despite tons of reports that question if he's cutting it. Then the thread got deleted.

I have no ill will towards MB at all, but I look at this like any of my other sports teams. First you get rid of the Offensive Coordinator.. if that doesn't cut it, then it's the head coach.. if there's still issues then it's the GM.. and if that's not cutting it, then it goes to the very top, the owner.

No one should be safe here. We have issues with Cal, Mark stoops, and now we're hearing some doubts about our NIL offering and how we're handling the transfer protocol. That points to the "GM" or in this case Mitch. If this can't be fixed then that's on him. Its just business.

 

[Wildcats1st]

Some big fan of his yesterday was adamant that he's done no wrong, despite tons of reports that question if he's cutting it. Then the thread got deleted.

I have no ill will towards MB at all, but I look at this like any of my other sports teams. First you get rid of the Offensive Coordinator.. if that doesn't cut it, then it's the head coach.. if there's still issues then it's the GM.. and if that's not cutting it, then it goes to the very top, the owner.

No one should be safe here. We have issues with Cal, Mark stoops, and now we're hearing some doubts about our NIL offering and how we're handling the transfer protocol. That points to the "GM" or in this case Mitch. If this can't be fixed then that's on him. Its just business.

Exactly just business and fans blaming him leaves with him. Fans blaming fans and starting a civil war to protect this guy is concerning. Cal divided the fanbase too. I will call out fans for being satisfied but I’m not going to say they aren’t fans. It’s one thing to blame the powers to be it’s detrimental to the future of UK sports to blame fellow fans. The way I see it fans did what Barney wouldn’t do. We made cal so uncomfortable he ultimately left. Collectively we were able to fix the giant problem created with that insane contract. Anyone who cried for cal was just in the way. Doesn’t mean you’re not a fan.

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

Mitch is too busy using his influence to create opportunities for his friends and family. A lot of people will be very upset if his daughter (AD at LCA) is hired in any role at UK as Mitch is walking out the door.

 

[wldctky]

It’s obvious he has handcuffed coaches by being way behind on nil. He’s an average at best AD who’s been here way too long. In his 20+ years he has wrecked UK basketball. We had a good spurt because of Mike Pratt but when Barney got his hands on it he wrecked our program with the worst contract in history. Rewind 15 years and he was giving a drunk a contract on a napkin and of course pope he just went to hire him didn’t care about getting the best coach at what it would $$$$$. The most unsettling thing? We are about every 7 years missing the tournament under Barney’s leadership.

Football trajectory is also very negative compared to the highs it hit.

Our sports arent great. I don’t understand how an average athletic director that has ruined our bb program continues to operate in his position. Why is this guy celebrated instead of seriously condemned for the basketball results alone. The AD the president both need to be replaced by Kentucky boys/girls. No more imports for either job. There are plenty of talented and successful people in Kentucky. It’s probably popes only hope. A carbon copy of last year next will be difficult for him to overcome. He has to win. He at least needs a team that is a legit final four threat. He can’t lose 10 games.

Time to ramp up Matt Jones and all the media terrified of Barney.

ruined the basketball program? you do realize that if there were no injuries we would have been a higher seed and quite possibly playing this weekend right? he made 2 really good basketball hires last spring...and the football team will never be great regardless of who is AD

 

[Rockfly78]

We ve heard from coaches he has held back on nil. Hell cal was joyed to go to a school where he could compete because the leadership there is all in. The proof is clearly in front of you. And Barney is far more than a suit maybe that’s the problem here. He’s a very active ad in every sport. He’s a bean counter and very conservative. (Bean counter isn’t a slander). He’s held us back while coaches were buying teams we operate by old laws.

Source?

 

[Cuello Azul]

Question for the bennies. Who do you replace MB with?

 

[Wildcats1st]

ruined the basketball program? you do realize that if there were no injuries we would have been a higher seed and quite possibly playing this weekend right? he made 2 really good basketball hires last spring...and the football team will never be great regardless of who is AD

No with a full roster we weren’t going any further it didn’t matter. uT smashed us and nothing Kerr or Jaxson bring would have stopped that. Fully loaded we are probably still the 12th best team. Defense was our problem and neither made us better defensively. I actually think we went further because of injury. Chandler who wouldn’t have played at all turned out to be one of our top defenders. And yeah we have become a program that loses as a high seed to a low seed (Syracuse or 2), misses 3 tournaments during the AD tenure a losing season. The only other time this has happened most of our lifetimes was late 80s when we were basically given a form of the death penalty. No tv, no tourney, no recruiting very few schollys

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

I can't speak to what he's doing regarding NIL situation right now-but I can speak to the fact he held back the Program in several ways because he was in a dick off with Calipari. There were many fans who didn't see the big picture and loved how he sniped at Calipari and ignored the message out of disgust with Cal being the one sharing the message.

My thing is Barnhart is a Calipari hire away from doing absolutely NOTHING over a long time. I don't think much of Stoops-think he's the type of Coach that placates a Kentucky FB fanbase where they do just enough to give you hope-but if you really peel the layers back-he's about what you will be with/without him in the monster that is SEC FB. The fact Barnhart chose that side when Calipari was spitting facts about the University's Flagship program--was a prime example of why things are where they are right now. Hell Calipari leaving that $$$ behind by talking to Arkansas did Barnhart a huge favor and do you trust him at the helm of what to do with it? I don't want to hear about magical talk and "that's already planned"--when things start happening-then I believe. Too many politicians promise things and talk out their ass-what you do matters more. This guy is a Cal hire away from being a total goober and he's praying Brooks/Pope come through because he's living in a damn era that has been put to pasture. Embrace changes/be proactive or retire. Either way-things need to get done and this isn't the man I'd want to lead the University's Athletic Program in these times.

 

[TheBlueMist]

Here's your answer:

 

[3632]

Mitch is too busy using his influence to create opportunities for his friends and family. A lot of people will be very upset if his daughter (AD at LCA) is hired in any role at UK as Mitch is walking out the door.

I know people don’t follow Lex hs sports a ton but ironically lca is quietly regressing to the bottom of the 3 main private schools in Lexington….Lexcath moving back in front of them and Sayre pushing ahead for the first time ever maybe.

 

[Farsight]

If and it's a big if Mitch is the hold up, you can understand where coaches would have problem with him as an AD. At some point Pope or any coach would be forced to strategically call out the AD in public to let everyone know the reason for the 'holding pattern.'

I see Pope as the nice guy. I don't think it's in his personality to do it. Cal is not the nice guy and he didn't do it either.