8 minutes ago, mcpapa said:

I keep hearing Matt Jones call Pope “Barnhart’s third choice”, as if that is a pretty good thing.   
 

I’m assuming that Mitch at the very least made Hurley and Wright say no, and possibly (but not certainly) Donovan.  Drew was on the short list. What am I missing)

There were a handful of coaches that the UK Admin ruled out before Barnhart started the process, Pearl, Beard and a couple others.

Oates and Wright pulled themselves out of any conversation before it even started. Hurley turned down a Brinks truck of money and Drew and family didn't want move. Donovan was going to wait at least a week plus to even speak to UK with no guarantee that he'd take the job. After being turned down twice before by Billy D, I think his name was just floated to placate a segment of the fans that were hung up on him. I don't think Donovan was on top of Mitch's list, just on top of fan's list.

Pope was the next rung of coaches they considered and chose him over the others. Pope was officially the third person actually offered or pitched the job.

2 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

There were a handful of coaches that the UK Admin ruled out before Barnhart started the process, Pearl, Beard and a couple others.

Oates and Wright pulled themselves out of any conversation before it even started. Hurley turned down a Brinks truck of money and Drew and family didn't want move. Donovan was going to wait at least a week plus to even speak to UK with no guarantee that he'd take the job. After being turned down twice before by Billy D, I think his name was just floated to placate a segment of the fans that were hung up on him. I don't think Donovan was on top of Mitch's list, just on top of fan's list.

Pope was the next rung of coaches they considered and chose him over the others. Pope was officially the third person actually offered or pitched the job.

Thanks for the clarification.   Sounds like semantics. Third choice/offered vs third seriously considered/wanted. 

4 hours ago, FrankNicodemus said:

I totally understand FC!  I love your thoughts. You’re like my straight man to my borderline over the top enthusiasm. I BLEED BLUE! 

I have faith that we will both be very happy come next March/April that UK made a great hire, I just feel it in down to my soul brother.

 

Love it! I can’t wait for the season! Go Cats!

I don't think this has been mentioned. 

Pope brings a youthful exuberance to the program and a sense of renewal, I think we can all agree. He at the time of his hiring is the oldest hire in modern UK basketball history.

Pope dob 9.11.72 hired 2024 51 yo
Calipari dob 2.10.59 hired 2009 50 yo
Eddie dob 3.12.36 hired 1985 49 yo
Billy Clyde dob 11.7.59 hired 2007 47 yo
Tubby dob 6.30.51 hired 1997 46 yo
Joe B dob 11.30.28 hired 1972 44 yo
Pitino dob 9.18.52 hired 1989 37 yo
Rupp dob 9.2.01 hired 1930 29 yo

 

Who would have guessed that?

11 hours ago, Jumper_Dad said:

I don't think this has been mentioned. 

Pope brings a youthful exuberance to the program and a sense of renewal, I think we can all agree. He at the time of his hiring is the oldest hire in modern UK basketball history.

Pope dob 9.11.72 hired 2024 51 yo
Calipari dob 2.10.59 hired 2009 50 yo
Eddie dob 3.12.36 hired 1985 49 yo
Billy Clyde dob 11.7.59 hired 2007 47 yo
Tubby dob 6.30.51 hired 1997 46 yo
Joe B dob 11.30.28 hired 1972 44 yo
Pitino dob 9.18.52 hired 1989 37 yo
Rupp dob 9.2.01 hired 1930 29 yo

 

Who would have guessed that?

50 is the new 30 or 40 or something like that!  I agree, his enthusiasm alone has been a fresh of breath air.  But now I am also realizing he can coach a little also!

12 hours ago, Jumper_Dad said:

I don't think this has been mentioned. 

Pope brings a youthful exuberance to the program and a sense of renewal, I think we can all agree. He at the time of his hiring is the oldest hire in modern UK basketball history.

Pope dob 9.11.72 hired 2024 51 yo
Calipari dob 2.10.59 hired 2009 50 yo
Eddie dob 3.12.36 hired 1985 49 yo
Billy Clyde dob 11.7.59 hired 2007 47 yo
Tubby dob 6.30.51 hired 1997 46 yo
Joe B dob 11.30.28 hired 1972 44 yo
Pitino dob 9.18.52 hired 1989 37 yo
Rupp dob 9.2.01 hired 1930 29 yo

 

Who would have guessed that?

Those are fascinating numbers to look at. I was especially surprised with Tubby, I figured he was a little older upon hiring just given the head coaching experience he had at Tulsa, Georgia, and prior to his experience as an assistant at UK he spent a decade as an assistant at VCU and South Carolina.

Personality-wise, Pope is totally different from the typical college coach and potentially represents how that field is evolving. Having interacted with many, if I had to describe my interactions with Pope I would describe him as that guy you would want to watch a game with on the big screen at the local restaurant. He's relatable to the common man. This summer at one of the events I had the opportunity to be at he was dressed in normal UK clothes while many other coaches were dressed up. The high energy is definitely something he brings to the table, that is for sure but he also carries a laid back disposition. He is definitely different in terms of how he carries him self from, say, Calipari. And I don't mean that as a knock on Coach Cal who carries himself professionally and is always polite and courteous. They're just two entirely different people with how they go about things.

Saw this online this afternoon. It’s awesome! This is Coach Pope saying this during his playing days for the 
Cats  

Bump.

On 4/12/2024 at 11:17 AM, Randy Parker said:

I like the guy a lot and will be rooting for the Cats no matter what.  But I don't think it's a good hire at all.  Will love to be wrong.

Ball knower.

To revisit this some more. A lot of times when a coach gets hired to a top job like this. They have had at least some success as a head coach at a smaller school. A deep tournament run, winning the conference something. Mark Pope had none of that. Had never won a NCAA tournament game. Had never won a conference regular season title, or conference tournament title. In his last 5 years as a head coach, his teams has finished 5th or worse in conference play. 

So before he was ever hired, and also now including his time here. He still has not shown anything for why he should have this job. The only reason he got this job was because he played for Pitino's title team in 96. 

The most disapointing and surprising thing with Pope has been his inability to recruit high quality talent. Truly shocking. There are 50 or more coaches that would bring better talent to UK. 

35 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

To revisit this some more. A lot of times when a coach gets hired to a top job like this. They have had at least some success as a head coach at a smaller school. A deep tournament run, winning the conference something. Mark Pope had none of that. Had never won a NCAA tournament game. Had never won a conference regular season title, or conference tournament title. In his last 5 years as a head coach, his teams has finished 5th or worse in conference play. 

So before he was ever hired, and also now including his time here. He still has not shown anything for why he should have this job. The only reason he got this job was because he played for Pitino's title team in 96. 

All this is exactly what I was alluding to when talking about people ignoring his resume because of the UK team he played on. 

Without that connection, most of BBN would riot over the hire.

11 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

The most disapointing and surprising thing with Pope has been his inability to recruit high quality talent. Truly shocking. There are 50 or more coaches that would bring better talent to UK. 

Is it shocking though? Kids don’t care about UKs history. Kids play for coaches, not schools. Too many UK fans still believe kids go there for “the name on the front.” They do not care. At all. 

Just now, TheDeuce said:

Is it shocking though? Kids don’t care about UKs history. Kids play for coaches, not schools. Too many UK fans still believe kids go there for “the name on the front.” They do not care. At all. 

They do care about the name on the front, but it isn't the reason why they choose a school. It is probably factor #4. Factor 1 and 2 are coach and NIL by a good margin. For the highest level recruits, NBA positioning is in the top 3. 

31 minutes ago, TheDeuce said:

Is it shocking though? Kids don’t care about UKs history. Kids play for coaches, not schools. Too many UK fans still believe kids go there for “the name on the front.” They do not care. At all. 

Agreed for the most part. The name on the front will almost always get them in the door, but that name definitely isn’t going to close the deal. That takes the coach in order to be able to seal it, once they are in the door.