I'm 60. My earliest UK memory is crying when Dan Issel fouled out against Jacksonville. I read the Cat's Pause when it was a hard copy tabloid weekly. I say that to offer my bona fides as a UK fan. My fondest memory of Mark Pope is not on the court, but in an interview after the '96 championship. On the VHS retrospective, Pope said this, "When I came here, this song ("My Ol' Kentucky Home") meant nothing to me. Now it means everything to me." That is the guy who's now our coach. GO BIG BLUE 💙
Kentucky fan here who likes to enjoy life. Thank you for helping me find the bright side of this hire and getting excited about the potential of the program in this time of transition!
Mark is the guy I think because he’s Kentucky Basketball the man won a championship here do you know what an opportunity he has to win one as a coach at the school he won one as a player I don’t think it’s ever been done
Joe B Hall did that...Still would be stellar to see Pope do the same tho. Pope played for my favorite UK team of all time. A team that I, and MANY others, consider the greatest NCAA basketball team of all time. The 1996 CATS! DOMINATED. 9 NBA players on that team. Which is still a record. And finished the season with a ridiculous average margin of victory at 22 points. He was a captain of the team that year, and dude is literally a Rhodes scholar. Dude literally has a genius level IQ!! U put all that together with a guy that bleeds blue, and is super humble with no ego!! He's the exact opposite of Coach Cal!! I'm super excited to see what he can build here at UK! This is obviously his dream job, and he will work his ass off to keep BBN happy, and keep himself in position to continue coaching his alma mater for as long as possible. Congrats Mark Pope! Now, let's get to work!!! #BBN
Kentucky native, lifelong UK fan, BYU grad here. I've had the perspective to watch both programs closely. Mark Pope is the real deal. What he has done with severe BYU church-related recruiting restrictions has been phenomenal. Pope's teams are fun as hell to watch and knocked off a lot of good teams last year. They were picked 13th in a 14 team conference and ended up finishing 5th. We are going to love Coach Pope, and have fun while we are doing it!
Agree! People are crazy with this. At least give the dude a chance. I am a UCONN fan. Hurley was not a huge hire....and he told his wife after four and half years he might get fired if they don't start getting the team further in the tournament. So, he had to change his entire offense. These things take time and patience in todays game.
@@freakboy40 exactly I still laugh at UConn fans who wanted Hurley fired. Yes Hurley is a better coach but Kentucky fans should look at the process at UConn and how they ended up going back to back. I am a UConn fan also and I’m glad Hurley was given time. Unfortunately for Kentucky they have a fanbase that is far less patient and would want Pope fired if he starts off like Hurley started off.
@@edwardreynolds3242it’s not just the fanbase unfortunately. if they experience 4 years of mediocrity, not only is barnhart getting fired but the new AD would likely get rid of pope as well.
One of my core childhood memories was watching the unforgettables play. Bringing one of them home to coach the team is a dream come true. Pope is hungry, brilliant on and off the court, has an insane work ethic, and will have one of, if not the largest NIL warchest in the league at (reportedly) 8+ million. If given the leash he deserves he will find a way to win big. I am all in on Pope.
About time we get old kentucky player to coach for UK thats awesome becuz he know what to do for kentucky basketball progam 😊 just need good older players to come play for pope !! 😊 Lets go cats ...BBN...
Even Dan Hurley had no titles when he got to UConn and look! I think once the initial shock wears off this has an opportunity to be a great hire! Very x’s & o’s savvy!!!
Dan Hurley was 0-2 at UConn in the NCAA tournament. Even some UConn fans thought he wasn’t a good coach. Especially after losing 7 conference games the same year he won a title and he was even worried he was going to be fired after January. Now he’s viewed as the best coach in the sport. One thing Pope is bringing with him is an identity on offenses Hurley came to UConn without an offensive identity and didn’t develop one until year 5 where I think UConn was top 5 in offensive efficiency and year 6 they were #1. It takes time and Pope is still taking over a better situation at Kentucky than Hurley did at UConn. That’s how bad UConn was when he arrived in 18.
@@daa_97UConn fans didn’t care about what Dan Hurley accomplished at Rhode Island he also won an A10 conference tournament and A10 regular season title. The only thing brought up was how he started 0-2 at UConn in the tournament and the same year he won his first championship he lost 7 Big East games and people wanted him fired and Hurley himself thought he was getting fired. Hurley is obviously a better coach than Pope but it’s not like it was always easy for Hurley. Hurley always talks about his culture and year 5 and 6 he finally was a able to build UConn back to a powerhouse but with his personal vision not trying to be the next Jim Calhoun. Dan Hurley has always been himself. Kentucky fans wanted him because he’s won back to back titles but I watched UConn fans meltdown after losing to NMST. I always knew he would be a great coach. I would just say don’t judge a coach for lack of tournament success. It only takes one title run like Hurley had in 23 to change the narrative. Pope can do that at Kentucky especially because he understands the program and he’s going to have elite players that he can't get at BYU.
Coach Pope understands Kentucky basketball, loves Kentucky basketball, and will succeed at Kentucky. He has as many NCAA Tournament victories as Jay Wright got in his first 10 years, and as many as Hubert Davis & Jon Sheyer had when they took the HC jobs at NC & Duke.
Mitch Barnhart announced today on KSR. They’ve already brought in over $4 million for NIL money. Mitch also said there’s other people wanting to get on board. Calipari ran all the donors away from Kentucky because he wanted them to go through him. He thought he was bigger than Kentucky, and it was time for him to leave
I love it !! No we didnt need another salesman like Cal , all talk no walk !! Im giving Mark a chance , he loves Ky !! He will be all about The Cats !! Go Cats !!
U only love it cuz dude played for us in 96!!! How can u down play cal for the recent tournament success and go hire a guy like this who has not proven himself at all!!!……. Kilt cal cuz he kept gettin beat in the first round but wanna praise mark pope who is winless in the tournament sound dumb…… yall only happy cuz he played for us and that’s bs cuz he hasn’t done shit……
I'm very happy Cal is gone. His EGO and one and done shit is gone now. Let Arkansas deal with the baggage now! Let's back Pope all the way. I just hope we can get a solid team together.
I sat court-side and watched Pope, McCarty, and Walker destroy Keith Van Horn and then Tim Duncan in the NCAA regional finals in Minneapolis. If anyone knows what it takes to play and win at a high level it’s Mark Pope. Now if he can just put a decent team together for year one. Year one shouldn’t mean everything but it’s UK and it will. I wish him nothing but success. Who knows, maybe this is the formula, a former player who has competed and won at the highest level. And he was a student of Pitino. Best of luck. But the process and messaging was just awful by Barnhart.
those 90's kentucky teams were amazing to watch. coach pope hung a national championship banner in 96 and i look forward to see him raise another!!!! GO BIG BLUE!!!!!
Good video guys. Most Kentucky fans aren't crazy. They just want a coach that cares about winning. Do the things you need to do and build to Final Fours and championships.
I don't know how kentucky fans are unhappy with the pope hire. I'm 58, born raised and live here. Every ky fan i talk to is happy with this hire. Finally we get one of our own, who gets running the Kentucky program, most fans are thrilled, but some are happy, but wanta see what he does , or he surronds his self with on bench. He will b fine, he runs5 out off. And coachs kinda of pitino style, 5 out, shoot 3's, up tempo, and play defense. He was jeff shepards roommate for 3 years, ?????????? Kentucky kids are diffrent bout uk, pope has already talked to jeff, not reed, but jeff. Wouldn't suprise me if reed stays 1 more year, to restruck this program. Can you imagine reed and travis perry, running a 5 out off????????perry can shot it like reed!
What’s the point of recruiting if no one wants to play under you? Let’s face it, Popes not going to have 5 star recruits playing for him after looking at his resume.
It's time for a change and we need to give him a chance. May be a couple years before we get our recruiting back on track but with the NIL and portal we will be back.
Regarding the "backlash" -- most is fake, posted by opponents of Kentucky. They know we Kentucky fans have a reputation for hyperbole and irrationality, and so they see us as easy targets to make look awful by pretending to be UK fans and behaving in an awful manner online.
We'll wait and see! Don't underestimate Mark Pope, he is a dog. As long as boosters anti up NIL cash, he will be ok. One thing for sure there will be more instate players getting recruited. You know Kentucky has never won a NCAA championship without a great instate player on the roster. So give the man a chance😉
Unless those players are good enough then we don’t want that for the program. Hate to break it to you but Kentucky highschool basketball is nowhere near the top in the country. I’m not saying we need all five stars but nobody wants to see a team full of John hoods running around. This isn’t back in the day where that kind of thing worked. This is a new era and one that isn’t able to rely on local talent.
For the life of me, I don't understand why R. Pitino wasn't seriously considered. He would at least brought us some time while getting a couple of titles in the mean time. But, after said and done, I'm getting on the Pope train. ALL ABOARD!!
Kentucky just had 2 Booster combine and donate 4 million and Rick Pitino vowed to send a Check for NIL if Mark Needed it. Kentucky will be rebuilt by Kentucky
Atleast mark should be able to get guys to defend the pick and roll...and maybe..MAYBE...defend an inbounds play? God forbid. Maybe run a play for our best shooter instead of making him run his dick in the dirt hunting for an open look? Give hime a chance bbn. Hes our guy..like it or not.
Me being a lifelong Kentucky fan, I love the passion of our fans…I hate the arrogance. This dude played for one of our greatest teams and he has a good track record. Who cares if he’s not Bruce Pearl, Rick Pitino, or Billy Donovan. Give this dude a chance, and I’m sure we won’t regret it!
5 star portals junior and pay him 150k > 18 year old kid with ZERO experience. This is the direction college basketball is going portal players will only go to teams who can afford them. Kentucky can afford them.
Just about any power 4 team is capable of winning a National championship. The transfer portal and NIL makes it’s possible. Those are reasons Kentucky isn’t the job it used to be for a coach.
Drew would have been insane to go to UK. To uproot his family, to screw the Baylor faithful, to give up HIS program, the one HE built? For what? Money? Yeah, his "lord and savior" would look upon that with great pride. To win a championship? Been there, done that at Baylor. To become the sixth guy to do it at Kentucky? Whoo-hoo, what an achievement! Drew has nothing left to prove. Going to UK would simply be a greed-grab. Better to let a guy like Pope, the UK boy, to take over and see if he can do something.
He's got a shooter, his name is travis perry!!!!!! Your right jeff, i posted on web site last night. With pope as coach, we will not get beat by oakland or st. Peters, we will make the 2nd weekend 9 outta 10 torneys, with a kentucky boy running the show. I think u will see alot of pitino style of play. Pitino would kill oakland or st Peter's with a week to prepare. Let's roll bbn!!!!!!
Bruce Pearl would certainly have come to Kentucky; he considers UK the greatest program. But I prefer the Pope selection, even if it means waiting a couple of years longer for top success.
Pope hasn't had the best talent in the country to work with but he's winning 20+. He has a good offense, switches up defenses and understands the modern game.
KU beat UK at full strength while UK was missing three 7-footers, KU was missing their leading scorer (McCullar) when they played BYU. BYU played well, but these two games are not comparable.
Do you want to go after a story? Go after the fact, there was tons of money on the table in NIL not used with last coach…. Jones had someone on who said that I had already heard that from someone else.
Backlash is from the Keyboard Warriors in Mommy's basement, texting out comments in between hollerin out for a sammich and some Reese cups baaahahahahahahah
Jeff i agree... lets get get the mojo going, win a coupke games in torney. Reed could stay, kentucky kids think diffrent, than a kid from Canada hint hint, or from new yirk, or new jersey. Pope won't recruite 1 and dones, we will have afew hear and there, but he will b fine.
I love this Hire Mark Pope is Kentucky Basketball people he knows what it means to be at Kentucky we expect championship and unlike other coaches Mark has won one at Kentucky and you know what it would mean to win one as a player then return as a coach and win one to at Kentucky oh boy it’s going to be a great tenure
Not Pope's fault but the winningest team of all times should not be making a reach higher particularly with Yukon and Duke at their heights right now and there were so many more better qualified coaches out there this could have waited and there could have been a search firm and it's tore the fan base Ian two in the small state it puts basketball above everything else except for family and God
I think it is a great hire. I bleed blue. I kind of get why coaches don't want to work in Lexington. It is a toxic environment, to say the least. About a little faith. He has performed very well. A 66 year old coach is not a good choice.
The Biggest problem for Kentucky was Roster turnover from year to year… you need to keep 60 to 70 % of your players and let them Develop over 2 to 4 years…. And CAL doesn’t teach Defense until mid season to end …. You got so many Freshman 5 star players that didn’t play much Defense in High school or AAU it becomes a problem. Defense will WIN you games when your not your best . This my take a few years but I think if Mark gets some good players and they stay 2 to 4 years and he is a good X’s and O’s guy he will have some good results .
Not thrilled to have Pope at KY, he wasn't even in my top 10. That said I will support him. But this is Kentucky and there is no patience for a rebuild. Pope took the job and he is getting paid, so he will have to win 20 games and get past the first weekend next year for the fan base to be happy.
Well considering Mark pope is better than Calipari at literally every coaching aspect other than maybe recruiting and marketing. If pope can get even decently talented players he could win at a high level.
Mark Pope is an awesome guy, which is what makes this a difficult conversation to have. The trouble with the hire is not that Mark Pope is inherently wrong for the position, it is that he does not have a resume (yet) that makes sense for this type of job. However, the deal is done, so there is no sense now in being a cry ass about it. Rather, I will support Pope and the team as hard as I ever have. I hope he wins big and believe that there is a decent chance that he will do just that. However, there is no getting around the fact that this was a leap of faith by Mitch Barnhart.
It's a mystery to me how Calapai was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but the minute he leaves he is a total asshole. Seems to me all these talking heads are so knowledgeable why aren't they making millions coaching.
Look Guys, The UK name alone will recruit itself. With a coach that wants to be at Kentucky, NIL and transfer portal Mark Pope will be fine!! At least he wants to be a coach and not a manager of PRO's. He will rebuild our program the way it is suppose to be built. To CONTEND EVERY YEAR! Cal is gone and now Barnhart needs gone, in order for our Historic Program can be re-vamped!! Go Cat's BBN!!!
Im sorry but saying you cannot win a national title at Auburn is just a terribly asinine take. What decade are you living in? Ofcourse you can. They could have won one this year. If you can go to a final 4 you can win a title. If florida atlantic can go to a final game, then there are many programs around the country that can, especially now. What a ridiculous thing to say.
BARNHART PANICKED! I love Mark Pope (and he loves KY), but Kentucky is NOT BYU. Were you embarrassed that Hurley, Oates, and Drew turned you down, Mitch? Seems like it, but be glad they did. KY is special and they didn't have "the right stuff", anyway. Still, apart from just getting lucky, you've set up a really good guy for failure. If you really wanted Pope to succeed, why not hire him as assistant and eventual successor to a guy like Rick Pitino? He'd learn how to win championships (not just games) and manage a program the stature of KY's. But no, you didn't have the patience or creativity (or humility?) to think about something like that. Asking a well-intentioned, likeable (but inexperienced), coach like Pope to resurrect (yes, I said RESURRECT) a program like KY? Astounding irresponsibility! Admit it, Mitch. This was the easy hire; it took absolutely no guts -- something we've come to expect from the AD's office.
I'm 60. My earliest UK memory is crying when Dan Issel fouled out against Jacksonville. I read the Cat's Pause when it was a hard copy tabloid weekly. I say that to offer my bona fides as a UK fan. My fondest memory of Mark Pope is not on the court, but in an interview after the '96 championship. On the VHS retrospective, Pope said this, "When I came here, this song ("My Ol' Kentucky Home") meant nothing to me. Now it means everything to me."
That is the guy who's now our coach.
GO BIG BLUE 💙
Kentucky hasn't had a former UK player as head coach since Joe B. That's been four decades! It's about time!
Mark Pope is gonna be a great underdog story! We need to get behind him and give him support! Great Hire!
Kentucky fan here who likes to enjoy life. Thank you for helping me find the bright side of this hire and getting excited about the potential of the program in this time of transition!
Mark is the guy I think because he’s Kentucky Basketball the man won a championship here do you know what an opportunity he has to win one as a coach at the school he won one as a player I don’t think it’s ever been done
Joe B Hall did that...Still would be stellar to see Pope do the same tho. Pope played for my favorite UK team of all time. A team that I, and MANY others, consider the greatest NCAA basketball team of all time. The 1996 CATS! DOMINATED. 9 NBA players on that team. Which is still a record. And finished the season with a ridiculous average margin of victory at 22 points. He was a captain of the team that year, and dude is literally a Rhodes scholar. Dude literally has a genius level IQ!!
U put all that together with a guy that bleeds blue, and is super humble with no ego!! He's the exact opposite of Coach Cal!! I'm super excited to see what he can build here at UK! This is obviously his dream job, and he will work his ass off to keep BBN happy, and keep himself in position to continue coaching his alma mater for as long as possible. Congrats Mark Pope! Now, let's get to work!!!
#BBN
Kentucky native, lifelong UK fan, BYU grad here. I've had the perspective to watch both programs closely. Mark Pope is the real deal. What he has done with severe BYU church-related recruiting restrictions has been phenomenal. Pope's teams are fun as hell to watch and knocked off a lot of good teams last year. They were picked 13th in a 14 team conference and ended up finishing 5th. We are going to love Coach Pope, and have fun while we are doing it!
100% RIGHT!
I am thrilled to support Mark Pope. He is just as proven as Dan Hurley was when UConn hired him!
Nah Hurley had a couple tournament wins to his resume
Agree! People are crazy with this. At least give the dude a chance. I am a UCONN fan. Hurley was not a huge hire....and he told his wife after four and half years he might get fired if they don't start getting the team further in the tournament. So, he had to change his entire offense. These things take time and patience in todays game.
@@freakboy40 exactly I still laugh at UConn fans who wanted Hurley fired. Yes Hurley is a better coach but Kentucky fans should look at the process at UConn and how they ended up going back to back. I am a UConn fan also and I’m glad Hurley was given time. Unfortunately for Kentucky they have a fanbase that is far less patient and would want Pope fired if he starts off like Hurley started off.
@@edwardreynolds3242it’s not just the fanbase unfortunately. if they experience 4 years of mediocrity, not only is barnhart getting fired but the new AD would likely get rid of pope as well.
Fact : there’s 10,000 Billy Gilispes born for every Dan Hurley, I’m sure all these excited fans buy 1000’s of Lotto tickets sold to these same people
Mitch Barnhart never got to Nate freaking oates 😂😂
One of my core childhood memories was watching the unforgettables play. Bringing one of them home to coach the team is a dream come true. Pope is hungry, brilliant on and off the court, has an insane work ethic, and will have one of, if not the largest NIL warchest in the league at (reportedly) 8+ million. If given the leash he deserves he will find a way to win big.
I am all in on Pope.
About time we get old kentucky player to coach for UK thats awesome becuz he know what to do for kentucky basketball progam 😊 just need good older players to come play for pope !! 😊 Lets go cats ...BBN...
100% RIGHT
Even Dan Hurley had no titles when he got to UConn and look! I think once the initial shock wears off this has an opportunity to be a great hire! Very x’s & o’s savvy!!!
Dan Hurley was 0-2 at UConn in the NCAA tournament. Even some UConn fans thought he wasn’t a good coach. Especially after losing 7 conference games the same year he won a title and he was even worried he was going to be fired after January. Now he’s viewed as the best coach in the sport. One thing Pope is bringing with him is an identity on offenses Hurley came to UConn without an offensive identity and didn’t develop one until year 5 where I think UConn was top 5 in offensive efficiency and year 6 they were #1. It takes time and Pope is still taking over a better situation at Kentucky than Hurley did at UConn. That’s how bad UConn was when he arrived in 18.
Hurley came to UConn with 2 tournament wins…
@@daa_97UConn fans didn’t care about what Dan Hurley accomplished at Rhode Island he also won an A10 conference tournament and A10 regular season title. The only thing brought up was how he started 0-2 at UConn in the tournament and the same year he won his first championship he lost 7 Big East games and people wanted him fired and Hurley himself thought he was getting fired. Hurley is obviously a better coach than Pope but it’s not like it was always easy for Hurley. Hurley always talks about his culture and year 5 and 6 he finally was a able to build UConn back to a powerhouse but with his personal vision not trying to be the next Jim Calhoun. Dan Hurley has always been himself. Kentucky fans wanted him because he’s won back to back titles but I watched UConn fans meltdown after losing to NMST. I always knew he would be a great coach. I would just say don’t judge a coach for lack of tournament success. It only takes one title run like Hurley had in 23 to change the narrative. Pope can do that at Kentucky especially because he understands the program and he’s going to have elite players that he can't get at BYU.
Dan Hurley had a NCAAT win.
I LOVE this hire. Pope is one of us. He loves this school and wants it.
You love it until we get a losing season because no recruits want to play under him….
@@thedavid3737arkansas is looking for fans...
@@thedavid3737 recruits chase money now
Yes they do chase money, that’s why they want to play for a coach that has a great record and reputation.
He’s your Kenny Payne
Coach Pope understands Kentucky basketball, loves Kentucky basketball, and will succeed at Kentucky. He has as many NCAA Tournament victories as Jay Wright got in his first 10 years, and as many as Hubert Davis & Jon Sheyer had when they took the HC jobs at NC & Duke.
Mitch Barnhart announced today on KSR. They’ve already brought in over $4 million for NIL money. Mitch also said there’s other people wanting to get on board. Calipari ran all the donors away from Kentucky because he wanted them to go through him. He thought he was bigger than Kentucky, and it was time for him to leave
Even Rick Pitino publicly pledged a NIL donation to Kentucky because of Pope!
Long time KY follower. Pope will be a very good coach for KY. Pro knowledge, smart, experienced.
I love it !! No we didnt need another salesman like Cal , all talk no walk !! Im giving Mark a chance , he loves Ky !! He will be all about The Cats !! Go Cats !!
Amen brother!
💯
There were 10 people that should have been contacted before Pope. That's the problem. Still a much better coach than we just had.
U only love it cuz dude played for us in 96!!! How can u down play cal for the recent tournament success and go hire a guy like this who has not proven himself at all!!!……. Kilt cal cuz he kept gettin beat in the first round but wanna praise mark pope who is winless in the tournament sound dumb…… yall only happy cuz he played for us and that’s bs cuz he hasn’t done shit……
He also runs a modern offense
Mark Pope is not a big name but he will be
I'm very happy Cal is gone. His EGO and one and done shit is gone now. Let Arkansas deal with the baggage now! Let's back Pope all the way. I just hope we can get a solid team together.
Big Blue fan from Kentucky and I say Welcome home Mark
Amen my friend
I sat court-side and watched Pope, McCarty, and Walker destroy Keith Van Horn and then Tim Duncan in the NCAA regional finals in Minneapolis. If anyone knows what it takes to play and win at a high level it’s Mark Pope. Now if he can just put a decent team together for year one. Year one shouldn’t mean everything but it’s UK and it will. I wish him nothing but success. Who knows, maybe this is the formula, a former player who has competed and won at the highest level. And he was a student of Pitino. Best of luck. But the process and messaging was just awful by Barnhart.
those 90's kentucky teams were amazing to watch. coach pope hung a national championship banner in 96 and i look forward to see him raise another!!!! GO BIG BLUE!!!!!
This is a good move that's what everyone wanted someone who loves UK and I know he will work his butt off
Mark Pope will do a fine job at UK
Good video guys. Most Kentucky fans aren't crazy. They just want a coach that cares about winning. Do the things you need to do and build to Final Fours and championships.
I don't know how kentucky fans are unhappy with the pope hire. I'm 58, born raised and live here. Every ky fan i talk to is happy with this hire. Finally we get one of our own, who gets running the Kentucky program, most fans are thrilled, but some are happy, but wanta see what he does , or he surronds his self with on bench. He will b fine, he runs5 out off. And coachs kinda of pitino style, 5 out, shoot 3's, up tempo, and play defense. He was jeff shepards roommate for 3 years, ?????????? Kentucky kids are diffrent bout uk, pope has already talked to jeff, not reed, but jeff. Wouldn't suprise me if reed stays 1 more year, to restruck this program. Can you imagine reed and travis perry, running a 5 out off????????perry can shot it like reed!
Already has 4 Million NIL and growing. He will recruit
What’s the point of recruiting if no one wants to play under you? Let’s face it, Popes not going to have 5 star recruits playing for him after looking at his resume.
It's time for a change and we need to give him a chance. May be a couple years before we get our recruiting back on track but with the NIL and portal we will be back.
Regarding the "backlash" -- most is fake, posted by opponents of Kentucky. They know we Kentucky fans have a reputation for hyperbole and irrationality, and so they see us as easy targets to make look awful by pretending to be UK fans and behaving in an awful manner online.
Love the show! Going to be an awesome hire for Kentucky. Im excited to see what he can do! Go Cats
What ever UK fans are mad about this hire is ignorant. This guy will win a chip there.
Thank you for this! Welcome John Pope💙🏀
The truth is we don't know if it's a good hire or not. Time will tell. I'm rooting for him. An alum and seems to be a good person
Love the hire. Go Cats
Substance over style, I dig it
We'll wait and see! Don't underestimate Mark Pope, he is a dog. As long as boosters anti up NIL cash, he will be ok. One thing for sure there will be more instate players getting recruited. You know Kentucky has never won a NCAA championship without a great instate player on the roster. So give the man a chance😉
Unless those players are good enough then we don’t want that for the program. Hate to break it to you but Kentucky highschool basketball is nowhere near the top in the country. I’m not saying we need all five stars but nobody wants to see a team full of John hoods running around. This isn’t back in the day where that kind of thing worked. This is a new era and one that isn’t able to rely on local talent.
This is a Great hire IF everyone will give Coach Pope a Chance!! This guy is one of your own so he has BLUE BLOOD in his veins!
For the life of me, I don't understand why R. Pitino wasn't seriously considered. He would at least brought us some time while getting a couple of titles in the mean time. But, after said and done, I'm getting on the Pope train. ALL ABOARD!!
Kentucky just had 2 Booster combine and donate 4 million and Rick Pitino vowed to send a Check for NIL if Mark Needed it. Kentucky will be rebuilt by Kentucky
Exactly! Kentucky belongs to Kentuckians again.
Coaching pays way more than being a doctor…at least in big D1 schools.
Atleast mark should be able to get guys to defend the pick and roll...and maybe..MAYBE...defend an inbounds play? God forbid. Maybe run a play for our best shooter instead of making him run his dick in the dirt hunting for an open look? Give hime a chance bbn. Hes our guy..like it or not.
hes not just a recruiter, hes a coach, and he was on those GREAT kentucky teams from the mid 90's that i LOVED, i'm getting excited about this hire.
Pope is going to prove all the haters wrong..
I wanted a coach that teaches the game and a coach that is hungry. I think Mark Pope is that guy
Me being a lifelong Kentucky fan, I love the passion of our fans…I hate the arrogance. This dude played for one of our greatest teams and he has a good track record. Who cares if he’s not Bruce Pearl, Rick Pitino, or Billy Donovan. Give this dude a chance, and I’m sure we won’t regret it!
Great hire! There will be rebuilding but this is good
Look at the players already coming to Kentucky, GO CATS GO CATS GO CATS GO CATS
5 star portals junior and pay him 150k > 18 year old kid with ZERO experience.
This is the direction college basketball is going portal players will only go to teams who can afford them. Kentucky can afford them.
Great hire
UK recruits that haven't left yet PLEASE STAY I promise you'll still get to where your going just the same. WE ARE UK!
Hurley's wife wasn't coming south of the Mason-Dixon line. After that, all these guys have similar resumes. Pope can coach.
Just about any power 4 team is capable of winning a National championship. The transfer portal and NIL makes it’s possible. Those are reasons Kentucky isn’t the job it used to be for a coach.
My god man he had sorry ass byu in the top 20 no offense if given time and support he will be king👑👑👑👑👑.
Drew would have been insane to go to UK. To uproot his family, to screw the Baylor faithful, to give up HIS program, the one HE built? For what? Money? Yeah, his "lord and savior" would look upon that with great pride. To win a championship? Been there, done that at Baylor. To become the sixth guy to do it at Kentucky? Whoo-hoo, what an achievement! Drew has nothing left to prove. Going to UK would simply be a greed-grab. Better to let a guy like Pope, the UK boy, to take over and see if he can do something.
We have a true blue blood at Ky let’s get behind him and see what happens
He's got a shooter, his name is travis perry!!!!!! Your right jeff, i posted on web site last night. With pope as coach, we will not get beat by oakland or st. Peters, we will make the 2nd weekend 9 outta 10 torneys, with a kentucky boy running the show. I think u will see alot of pitino style of play. Pitino would kill oakland or st Peter's with a week to prepare. Let's roll bbn!!!!!!
Lets go!
Bruce Pearl would certainly have come to Kentucky; he considers UK the greatest program. But I prefer the Pope selection, even if it means waiting a couple of years longer for top success.
We do love him
Bragging about “he tied Kansas” when they had their worst season in 20 years is an insane
How did Cal do against Kansas in their worst season in 20 years?
@@jasonmartin7997Cal finished 2nd in the SEC not 6th in the Big 12…
@@michaelbrooks7613 He also lost to that 6th place Big 12 team
Pope hasn't had the best talent in the country to work with but he's winning 20+. He has a good offense, switches up defenses and understands the modern game.
KU beat UK at full strength while UK was missing three 7-footers, KU was missing their leading scorer (McCullar) when they played BYU. BYU played well, but these two games are not comparable.
Do you want to go after a story? Go after the fact, there was tons of money on the table in NIL not used with last coach…. Jones had someone on who said that I had already heard that from someone else.
The used car salesman is gone. Enough to make me happy. Pope is one if our own, why not. Hard to do worse than Cal this decade.
Backlash is from the Keyboard Warriors in Mommy's basement, texting out comments in between hollerin out for a sammich and some Reese cups baaahahahahahahah
Jeff i agree... lets get get the mojo going, win a coupke games in torney. Reed could stay, kentucky kids think diffrent, than a kid from Canada hint hint, or from new yirk, or new jersey. Pope won't recruite 1 and dones, we will have afew hear and there, but he will b fine.
I love this Hire Mark Pope is Kentucky Basketball people he knows what it means to be at Kentucky we expect championship and unlike other coaches Mark has won one at Kentucky and you know what it would mean to win one as a player then return as a coach and win one to at Kentucky oh boy it’s going to be a great tenure
God told Scott not to leave Baylor; Andrea told Dan not to leave UConn.
Is this podcast done by mark pope’s agents?
Did Rob just say pipe down if you’re not rich basically? WTF fuck that shit 15:57 😮
Not Pope's fault but the winningest team of all times should not be making a reach higher particularly with Yukon and Duke at their heights right now and there were so many more better qualified coaches out there this could have waited and there could have been a search firm and it's tore the fan base Ian two in the small state it puts basketball above everything else except for family and God
I think it is a great hire. I bleed blue. I kind of get why coaches don't want to work in Lexington. It is a toxic environment, to say the least. About a little faith. He has performed very well. A 66 year old coach is not a good choice.
At least Big Blue Nation got the bald, white guy part right. But can he do what Hurley did?
I am going to miss hating on Kentucky. This guy seems like a decent person. This sucks! RCJ!
The Biggest problem for Kentucky was Roster turnover from year to year… you need to keep 60 to 70 % of your players and let them Develop over 2 to 4 years…. And CAL doesn’t teach Defense until mid season to end …. You got so many Freshman 5 star players that didn’t play much Defense in High school or AAU it becomes a problem. Defense will WIN you games when your not your best . This my take a few years but I think if Mark gets some good players and they stay 2 to 4 years and he is a good X’s and O’s guy he will have some good results .
When Mark Pope shines at UK, all of you haters will want to jump on the band wagon! Get ready UK is back and Mark Pope will prove himself!!!!!!!!
It is called a rehearsal dinner!
Donovan Cingan he is top 50 recruit 2022
Haha God told him to go back to Baylor...btw looks like Mitch was hunting for a religious fellow.
Not thrilled to have Pope at KY, he wasn't even in my top 10. That said I will support him. But this is Kentucky and there is no patience for a rebuild. Pope took the job and he is getting paid, so he will have to win 20 games and get past the first weekend next year for the fan base to be happy.
Well considering Mark pope is better than Calipari at literally every coaching aspect other than maybe recruiting and marketing. If pope can get even decently talented players he could win at a high level.
Pope would destroy it with Reed & Perry backcourt
more like he is going to destroy the program, have fun losing
Mitch Barnhart has never liked or supported Coach Cal.
We'll know what the offer to Danny was when we see his new contract at UCONN cause you KNOW if that's the case, they'll have to match it close 🤷♂️
Mark Pope is an awesome guy, which is what makes this a difficult conversation to have. The trouble with the hire is not that Mark Pope is inherently wrong for the position, it is that he does not have a resume (yet) that makes sense for this type of job. However, the deal is done, so there is no sense now in being a cry ass about it. Rather, I will support Pope and the team as hard as I ever have. I hope he wins big and believe that there is a decent chance that he will do just that. However, there is no getting around the fact that this was a leap of faith by Mitch Barnhart.
We riding with the pope!
Love it! Go CATS!!
Backwards hat is such a hater😭😢 he said we could maybe get Sean miller🤣🤣 he don’t know Kentucky ball
hired a bald john pelphrey
It's a mystery to me how Calapai was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but the minute he leaves he is a total asshole. Seems to me all these talking heads are so knowledgeable why aren't they making millions coaching.
NIL has ruined college basketball!
yep
Goodman says pour urself some of that KY Bourbon ur gonna need it
I appreciate Goodman
Tottenham scarf in the background.... get outta here. COYG!
We're so back
😂😂😂😂😂KEEP DREAMING
Look Guys, The UK name alone will recruit itself. With a coach that wants to be at Kentucky, NIL and transfer portal Mark Pope will be fine!! At least he wants to be a coach and not a manager of PRO's. He will rebuild our program the way it is suppose to be built. To CONTEND EVERY YEAR! Cal is gone and now Barnhart needs gone, in order for our Historic Program can be re-vamped!! Go Cat's BBN!!!
Lot of cope here 😂
Great point glad I won’t have to learn a whole new roster every year
Pope had the sixth best man in the Big 12 let's welcome Jaxson to UK 6" 7 guard
He can play, for sure. He'd look great in a UK uniform.
Im sorry but saying you cannot win a national title at Auburn is just a terribly asinine take. What decade are you living in? Ofcourse you can. They could have won one this year. If you can go to a final 4 you can win a title. If florida atlantic can go to a final game, then there are many programs around the country that can, especially now. What a ridiculous thing to say.
RECRUIT KENTUCKY!!
I wonder what Cal thought when he thought he couldn't be replaced him being catholic I bet it shocked him when he found out we hired the Pope lol
If had missed on Pearl or Beard he still could have got Pope who cares for ego ur foolish Goodman
He could have waited on Billy Donovan.
Was Billy Gillespie unavailable?
BARNHART PANICKED! I love Mark Pope (and he loves KY), but Kentucky is NOT BYU. Were you embarrassed that Hurley, Oates, and Drew turned you down, Mitch? Seems like it, but be glad they did. KY is special and they didn't have "the right stuff", anyway. Still, apart from just getting lucky, you've set up a really good guy for failure. If you really wanted Pope to succeed, why not hire him as assistant and eventual successor to a guy like Rick Pitino? He'd learn how to win championships (not just games) and manage a program the stature of KY's. But no, you didn't have the patience or creativity (or humility?) to think about something like that. Asking a well-intentioned, likeable (but inexperienced), coach like Pope to resurrect (yes, I said RESURRECT) a program like KY? Astounding irresponsibility! Admit it, Mitch. This was the easy hire; it took absolutely no guts -- something we've come to expect from the AD's office.