Kentucky Hires Mark Pope

[FrankNicodemus]

I mean seriously, this is AWESOME!!!!!

The Pelphrey story makes me watery eyed…

This is UK, Let’s GO!!!!

[sportsfan41]

2 hours ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

I wouldn't mind his best player from last year, Jaxson Robinson to follow him.

Does he have another year left of eligibility, I thought he was a senior but didn't know if he might still have a Covid year. I agree, on paper he looks like a nice addition for UK if he can play another season. 

[okie1]

10 minutes ago, FrankNicodemus said:

I mean seriously, this is AWESOME!!!!!

The Pelphrey story makes me watery eyed…

This is UK, Let’s GO!!!!

Wow, I am not sure I would have ever expected this from Pitino!!  Let's GO!

[MaddenCurse44]

Great hire!  Can't wait to see how the roster turns out.

[98NCCalum]

It's amazing how much better of a coach he has become in the last 12 hours! 

[sportsfan41]

1 hour ago, bugatti said:

I've mentioned this before, but coaching college basketball is a diminishing proposition and not attractive; hence why you see all programs dice rolling these days. It is 2024, not 1994, and college basketball may not exist in 5-10 years.

I think it will continue to exist. And while it may not be as glamorous as the 90's, there's a lot of money to be made out there as a college coach for a team in a power conference. 

[okie1]

8 minutes ago, 98NCCalum said:

It's amazing how much better of a coach he has become in the last 12 hours! 

The Kentucky Effect!!  UK makes the Coach, not the other way around!

[16thBBall Fan]

Looks like he will be welcomed at Rupp on Sunday afternoon according to Barnhart. 

[FrankNicodemus]

59 minutes ago, 98NCCalum said:

It's amazing how much better of a coach he has become in the last 12 hours! 

I think what is selling me on Pope is the fact that you have soooooo many people that are a lot closer to the Coaching circles (I.e. media people, former players, other coaches) that are coming out saying how GREAT of a hire this is.  I also go back to @TheDeuce comments that we might need to go find a diamond in the rough coach that hasn't been plucked by another Top Tier program and build something special.  I think like Goose Givens stated on KSR you are going to see a lot of 90 Pitino style of play with some tweaks to it, which should excite this fan base.  BBN LOVES offense and 3s and scrappy defense that just creates havoc, and that's what type of teams Pope (it sounds like) will give us.  I am excited, if you can't tell.

 

[TheDeuce]

1 hour ago, 98NCCalum said:

It's amazing how much better of a coach he has become in the last 12 hours! 

Like clockwork brother. 

[TheDeuce]

7 minutes ago, FrankNicodemus said:

I think what is selling me on Pope is the fact that you have soooooo many people that are a lot closer to the Coaching circles (I.e. media people, former players, other coaches) that are coming out saying how GREAT of a hire this is.  I also go back to @TheDeuce comments that we might need to go find a diamond in the rough coach that hasn't been plucked by another Top Tier program and build something special.  I think like Goose Givens stated on KSR you are going to see a lot of 90 Pitino style of play with some tweaks to it, which should excite this fan base.  BBN LOVES offense and 3s and scrappy defense that just creates havoc, and that's what type of teams Pope (it sounds like) will give us.  I am excited, if you can't tell.

 

We are in a transition period. The next crop of "great" coaches is TBD and hiring the old ones isn't going to happen. 

[Voice of Reason]

I am more excited for next year with Pope and without knowing one person who will be on the UK roster, then I would have been with Calipari and one of the best recruiting classes in the nation.

[FrankNicodemus]

7 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

I am more excited for next year with Pope and without knowing one person who will be on the UK roster, then I would have been with Calipari and one of the best recruiting classes in the nation.

I am just glad we didn't lose you to UofL if Pearl was the hire.

Let's RIDE!!!!  GO Big Blue!!!

[FrankNicodemus]

I mean I feel like a kid again....  This hire brings back so many fond memories from 1992 - 1998, the true sweet spot in my BBN heart!  Mark Pope being such a great player smack dab in the middle of that time.

I sure hope Sunday is rocking at Rupp, Big Blue Madness is going to be INSANE.  The turn around of the massive support I see online for this hire is INCREDIBLE.  The more and more the onion is peeled the more and more I am soooo pumped for College Basketball season!  

[hrcarrier]

I think that this was a good decision by UK. Whether things take time or not, this was a good choice in my opinion. It’s about being open to new things and change, which is more important now than ever and will remain a constant. I know different people were hoping for a bigger and more accomplished coach, but they aren’t as about the changes, particularly those who have been out of college basketball.