I haven’t played organized basketball since 1982 and after that today I’m ready to suit up. That was awesome!

Shep is going to return for next season, just feel confident with that.

1 hour ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

Kentucky is going all out and Rupp is packed and wild. This will kill Cal and his ego. It is live on WLEX now.

Sounds like 3 to 5,000 were turned away. That's crazy.

I was hoping there would be enough fans show up that it wouldn't look empty in the lower bowl.

The former players coming in on the bus and his 96 teammates going out of their way to get there to support him was awesome. 

Derek Anderson for one flew up this morning and is flying back out this afternoon just to be here to support him.

That was awesome! So far he is doing and saying everything right. However, now just comes down to getting it done on the court. Which is really the only question in regards to the hire. Other than that it is a home run so day. 

ONLY at Ky with a press conference, ONLY at Ky

Meanwhile, Scott Drew and his wife had a quiet dinner at a diner in Waco.

Yesterday's press confernce just shows how much BBN had become disconnected with basketball program.  

Kudos to Mitch for realizing exactly what UK needed at this time.  Pope's success will untimately come down to how he is able to construct his roster year and year out.  His ability to Coach and communicate with a team are not concerns of mine.

This is a QUALITY hire!  When the emphasis is on QUALITY then quantity comes as a natural event.  Continue to lead from the heart; I'm looking forward to the ride!

BBN spoke pretty loudly yesterday at the Presser turned Pep Rally welcoming Mark Pope back to lead the Cats.  Very easy to conclude the NBA farm team objective had run past its’ sell-buy date.  I personally had two things that broke my support:  1).  Not playing S. Sharpe 2 years ago when he was desperately needed because it might hurt his draft stock, and 2). This team is “built for March”.

1 hour ago, Oldercoach said:

BBN spoke pretty loudly yesterday at the Presser turned Pep Rally welcoming Mark Pope back to lead the Cats.  Very easy to conclude the NBA farm team objective had run past its’ sell-buy date.  I personally had two things that broke my support:  1).  Not playing S. Sharpe 2 years ago when he was desperately needed because it might hurt his draft stock, and 2). This team is “built for March”.

Cal is not the one that decided for Sharpe not to play. Sharpe is the one who chose not to play. 

14 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

Cal is not the one that decided for Sharpe not to play. Sharpe is the one who chose not to play. 

Cal allowed him to stay on the bench and use up NIL money and UK resources.

23 minutes ago, okie1 said:

Cal allowed him to stay on the bench and use up NIL money and UK resources.

You realize they can’t remove NIL money once it’s signed based on playing time, etc. right?

8 minutes ago, ChickenWyngz said:

You realize they can’t remove NIL money once it’s signed based on playing time, etc. right?

I did not, but that makes sense.  I don't even remember the dynamics of that whole situation (I guess I had already checked out).  I just remember that was maybe the first year of the NIL stuff and UK basktball had a collective, and he was suposedly still getting paid.  

1 hour ago, okie1 said:

Cal allowed him to stay on the bench and use up NIL money and UK resources.

Remember his camp also kept telling Cal that he was not going to the NBA and only enrolled early in January so he could get use to college, and would be getting ready for the next season to help the Cats. I guarantee you that Cal wouldn’t have ever brought him in, if he knew Sharpe and his camp was basically going to use him and UK like that.