Travis Perry in Portal

[BobbyKnight]

Where will he end up? Tennessee Tech, Murray State, EKU, WKU? 

[futurecoach]

Definitely the right move for Perry. It is still funny though how the reactions to things like this are different based on the coach. If this was Cal, and Cal had basically forced the hand of Perry to transfer by recruiting over Perry by bringing so many guys in, to where Perry knew he wouldn't really play much. Then people would have thrown a fit about how Cal was being unfair to a Ky boy bringing so many guys in over him. 

Which I 100% think Pope has done the right thing here, as he is just trying to put the best roster he can together. Which unfortunately for Perry, there are better options right now. I also think Perry is doing the best thing for him too by transferring. However, it is just funny how reactions would be so much different from some if this same situation played out with Cal. 

[bugatti]

27 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

Definitely the right move for Perry. It is still funny though how the reactions to things like this are different based on the coach. If this was Cal, and Cal had basically forced the hand of Perry to transfer by recruiting over Perry by bringing so many guys in, to where Perry knew he wouldn't really play much. Then people would have thrown a fit about how Cal was being unfair to a Ky boy bringing so many guys in over him. 

Which I 100% think Pope has done the right thing here, as he is just trying to put the best roster he can together. Which unfortunately for Perry, there are better options right now. I also think Perry is doing the best thing for him too by transferring. However, it is just funny how reactions would be so much different from some if this same situation played out with Cal. 

There would be a demand for his resignation.

[I gotta go to work]

Where's the outrage for this like it was for Cassidy Rowe? 

 

[gchs_uk9]

7 minutes ago, I gotta go to work said:

Where's the outrage for this like it was for Cassidy Rowe? 

A lot of that seemed to come from Rowe's dad, in many ways intimating a type of "damsel in distress" story that often gets associated with female athletes but not males. Perry seems to be making a smart decision for his future and can't really be upset by his time at UK because he ended up playing a lot more minutes than most expected. Perhaps his father will say something in the press but I kind of doubt it. They seem to know the drill.

[Bluto]

1 hour ago, bugatti said:

There would be a demand for his resignation.

As if there wasn't pressure for that already!

[ChunkT]

On the surface it seems that TP is making this decision for himself (to be soph).  Whereas, it's been pretty well documented  that Brooks made the decision for Cassidy Rowe (to be senior).  Those are two pretty big differences in my opinion.

[futurecoach]

2 hours ago, ChunkT said:

On the surface it seems that TP is making this decision for himself (to be soph).  Whereas, it's been pretty well documented  that Brooks made the decision for Cassidy Rowe (to be senior).  Those are two pretty big differences in my opinion.

True. However, while Pope maybe didn't actually make the decision for TP. His actions for the most part helped make the decision for TP. I am sure Pope and his staff even had conversations, saying you know if we go get this guy. We most likely will lose TP, because he would know he isn't really going to play much at all. So while Pope maybe didn't actually tell TP he should leave, like Brooks may have. I would say it safe to assume Pope knew his actions in regards to who he is bringing in, was going to cause TP to leave. Since it wouldn't be in TP's best interest to stay. So one coach may have actually told the player to leave, while the other coach did the same thing essentially by his actions in regards to who he was bringing in. 

Which as I have said before though, I 100% think Pope made the right decision at going out and trying to make the roster better. Regardless if it may have caused a Ky boy to leave. 

[okie1]

On 4/24/2025 at 12:19 PM, futurecoach said:

True. However, while Pope maybe didn't actually make the decision for TP. His actions for the most part helped make the decision for TP. I am sure Pope and his staff even had conversations, saying you know if we go get this guy. We most likely will lose TP, because he would know he isn't really going to play much at all. So while Pope maybe didn't actually tell TP he should leave, like Brooks may have. I would say it safe to assume Pope knew his actions in regards to who he is bringing in, was going to cause TP to leave. Since it wouldn't be in TP's best interest to stay. So one coach may have actually told the player to leave, while the other coach did the same thing essentially by his actions in regards to who he was bringing in. 

Which as I have said before though, I 100% think Pope made the right decision at going out and trying to make the roster better. Regardless if it may have caused a Ky boy to leave. 

TP had the chance to stay and compete for minutes against a quality roster.  He has chosen to leave and take his talents elsewhere.  

I also believe that had TP been a top player in production in practice next year...he would have played.  Folks new based on the level of recruit that Cal brought in, who was going to get the minutes regardless of production.

Rowe was told she was no longer on the team and retired from basketball.  These are completely different circumstances.  

[futurecoach]

4 hours ago, okie1 said:

TP had the chance to stay and compete for minutes against a quality roster.  He has chosen to leave and take his talents elsewhere.  

I also believe that had TP been a top player in production in practice next year...he would have played.  Folks new based on the level of recruit that Cal brought in, who was going to get the minutes regardless of production.

Rowe was told she was no longer on the team and retired from basketball.  These are completely different circumstances.  

I acknowledge that it was not exactly the same, as Pope didn’t literally tell him he was going to be gone. However, let’s not act like Pope didn’t know that by bringing in so many guys. That most likely TP would leave by doing that, and he did it anyways and was right to do so.  Especially in today’s world with the transfer portal and being able to transfer right away. A guy isn’t going to stay on a team where he most likely would be the 13th guy on the roster and not play much. Yes technically he could have stayed and tried to earn his minutes. However, that doesn’t happen today, and coaches know that too. So while Pope may not have directly said you are not going to be back. Can almost guarantee Pope and his staff knew their actions though by bringing so many guys in, would lead to a player down at the bottom like TP to leave. 

[sportsfan41]

1 hour ago, futurecoach said:

I acknowledge that it was not exactly the same, as Pope didn’t literally tell him he was going to be gone. However, let’s not act like Pope didn’t know that by bringing in so many guys. That most likely TP would leave by doing that, and he did it anyways and was right to do so.  Especially in today’s world with the transfer portal and being able to transfer right away. A guy isn’t going to stay on a team where he most likely would be the 13th guy on the roster and not play much. Yes technically he could have stayed and tried to earn his minutes. However, that doesn’t happen today, and coaches know that too. So while Pope may not have directly said you are not going to be back. Can almost guarantee Pope and his staff knew their actions though by bringing so many guys in, would lead to a player down at the bottom like TP to leave. 

50/50, really depends on how much he wanted to be at UK vs how much he wanted to be a starter or at least a guy seeing 20+ minutes ago game. I'd say it could've gone either way. 

[sweet16]

3 hours ago, futurecoach said:

I acknowledge that it was not exactly the same, as Pope didn’t literally tell him he was going to be gone. However, let’s not act like Pope didn’t know that by bringing in so many guys. That most likely TP would leave by doing that, and he did it anyways and was right to do so.  Especially in today’s world with the transfer portal and being able to transfer right away. A guy isn’t going to stay on a team where he most likely would be the 13th guy on the roster and not play much. Yes technically he could have stayed and tried to earn his minutes. However, that doesn’t happen today, and coaches know that too. So while Pope may not have directly said you are not going to be back. Can almost guarantee Pope and his staff knew their actions though by bringing so many guys in, would lead to a player down at the bottom like TP to leave. 

And is Pope not supposed to bring in guys? If he doesn't then the fans would be calling for his head. He is bringing in guys he thinks he needs to win. 

[sportsfan41]

24 minutes ago, sweet16 said:

And is Pope not supposed to bring in guys? If he doesn't then the fans would be calling for his head. He is bringing in guys he thinks he needs to win. 

I think @futurecoach is kinda riding the fence on this one. Saying Pope did what he should be doing but also stating it likely compelled Perry to look for a better fit for himself.

IMHO this shows that simply recruiting a Kentucky kid, doesn't mean you're going to have a solid veteran player for their junior and or senior season. It's a very different landscape in college basketball and people are starting to see that. Kentucky won't be the only program that experiences similar situations. 

[futurecoach]

2 hours ago, sweet16 said:

And is Pope not supposed to bring in guys? If he doesn't then the fans would be calling for his head. He is bringing in guys he thinks he needs to win. 

I have said multiple times on here that Pope 100% made the right decision to bring these other guys in. It is his job to try to put the best team possible together. I have zero issues with Pope building the roster like he is, and for the most part leaving TP no choice but to leave if he wants to play. 
 

It is more just getting back to my original post in this thread. On how it is funny how peoples opinions change depending who the coach is. If this was Cal, and he basically over recruited a Ky boy, basically forcing the hand of that player into probably needing to leave if he wants to play. People would have gone crazy on Cal for this. However, since Pope is still in his honeymoon period, people don’t seem to mind. 
 

No issue here with what Pope has done,  because I could care less if the roster has 13 Ky boys or zero Ky boys. To me all that matters to me is the Ky coach putting a roster together that wins. 
 

 

[sweet16]

Just now, futurecoach said:

I have said multiple times on here that Pope 100% made the right decision to bring these other guys in. It is his job to try to put the best team possible together. I have zero issues with Pope building the roster like he is, and for the most part leaving TP no choice but to leave if he wants to play. 
 

It is more just getting back to my original post in this thread. On how it is funny how peoples opinions change depending who the coach is. If this was Cal, and he basically over recruited a Ky boy, basically forcing the hand of that player into probably needing to leave if he wants to play. People would have gone crazy on Cal for this. However, since Pope is still in his honeymoon period, people don’t seem to mind. 
 

No issue here with what Pope has done,  because I could care less if the roster has 13 Ky boys or zero Ky boys. To me all that matters to me is the Ky coach putting a roster together that wins. 
 

 

I would feel the same no matter who the coach is. They need to recruit the players they think they need to win.