4 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

Also to add on to your examples. Florida, Auburn, and UConn all had losing records the year before Donovan, Pearl, and Hurley took over. Which was also before the transfer portal, so wasn't easy to just completely flip the roster over like it is now. A coach can literally come in from day one and completely flip the roster and win now. 

While obviously all UK fan were upset with the lack of tournament wins the last few years with Cal. let's also not act like Pope was taking over as bad of teams as those coaches did and having to stick with those rosters. While UK may have had some early round exits. They were good teams, they simply got upset. So Pope was not taking over a bad program like those coaches were. Plus Pope is in a time where he could flip a roster over and make it very good right now. 

So even with those examples, not much is comparable. 

Just to your point bolded above, Pope took over a team with basically no roster. I know you can build quicker now, but the cupboard was left pretty bare.

10 minutes ago, TheDeuce said:

Apples to cinder blocks.

In the world of NIL and the transfer portal, you win and you win immediately or you’re out. You’re not getting 4-5 years of what Pope has produced so far at any big school. 

You missed my point. If those guys had those years at UK they'd never made it long enough to reach their eventual successes. Even if they were here pre NIL, they'd never made it long enough to be successful. 

22 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Just to your point bolded above, Pope took over a team with basically no roster. I know you can build quicker now, but the cupboard was left pretty bare.

Which in today's world that's not a bad thing or even that hard of a thing. Unlike those examples you listed. Where Pearl, Donovan, and Hurley were taking over rosters that had a losing record the year before, so simply taking over a bad team. Pope with the transfer portal, with the UK name, and even the money. Has had every opportunity to make this roster and team win at a high level, but just like he has done at every place, he simply has never got it done. 

Ben McCollum with Iowa was a winner everywhere he has been, and in his first year at Iowa they make the elite 8 and only had 2 players on the roster from the year before. 

Mark Pope is a great guy, and he loves UK. He is the type of coach you definitely want to see do well, as it would be amazing to see him be the guy leading this team to a title or titles. There simply just nothing to to suggest in his coaching career, that shows or even gives you hope that he will get it done here. As he has never won anything anywhere. 

28 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

You missed my point. If those guys had those years at UK they'd never made it long enough to reach their eventual successes. Even if they were here pre NIL, they'd never made it long enough to be successful. 

If Pope was taking over a roster at UK that had a losing record the year before, and still had many of those same players like those guys. Then I do think he would have been given a little more grace, as he would have been taking over a bad roster like those guys did. Much like Pitino was going to be given some grace, since he was taking over a team that had a losing record the year before and on probation. So his 14 and 14 record his first year, was going to be given grace, because people knew he was taking over a bad team in a bad situation and would take some time. 

In today's world though, that is not how things are. So those examples just really don't fit with this Pope situation and his struggles and trying to give him a chance to get through it. 

You guys can cut it anyway you want, but the bottom line is, Pope will have to produce wins next year.

28 minutes ago, 4 Quarters said:

You guys can cut it anyway you want, but the bottom line is, Pope will have to produce wins next year.

No doubt, and I truly hope he goes out and does great and shows he is the guy for this job. 

2 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

It is PR, media and marketing. Name recognition is a factor. 

The name Kentucky sure doesn't seem to be helping Pope.

3 hours ago, 4 Quarters said:

The name Kentucky sure doesn't seem to be helping Pope.

The name factor has gotten Pope in the door to get the recruits to come visit. He simply can't close the deal. 

21 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

The name factor has gotten Pope in the door to get the recruits to come visit. He simply can't close the deal. 

Yeah, every knows UK has a large amount of NIL money, so they visit UK to help them in the bidding war.  I believe it has already been done a few times.  When Chandler left to return to BYU, that should have told us something.

1 hour ago, 4 Quarters said:

Yeah, every knows UK has a large amount of NIL money, so they visit UK to help them in the bidding war.  I believe it has already been done a few times.  When Chandler left to return to BYU, that should have told us something.

Wasn't there about a million dollars difference in the offers? I'd loved to have kept Chandler but I think $3,000,000 was too much to pay for him.

5 hours ago, 4 Quarters said:

You guys can cut it anyway you want, but the bottom line is, Pope will have to produce wins next year.

 

5 hours ago, futurecoach said:

No doubt, and I truly hope he goes out and does great and shows he is the guy for this job. 

Agreed!

15 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Wasn't there about a million dollars difference in the offers? I'd loved to have kept Chandler but I think $3,000,000 was too much to pay for him.

After Pope brought him with him, then to leave to go back to BYU tells me the money is worth more than a name on the jersey.

On 5/1/2026 at 5:06 PM, 4 Quarters said:

After Pope brought him with him, then to leave to go back to BYU tells me the money is worth more than a name on the jersey.

Wearing a UK jersey isn't worth $1 million for any kid.  

On 5/1/2026 at 3:30 PM, 4 Quarters said:

Yeah, every knows UK has a large amount of NIL money, so they visit UK to help them in the bidding war.  I believe it has already been done a few times.  When Chandler left to return to BYU, that should have told us something.

Bingo. 

Has happened to Louisville a couple times as well.