Mark Pope Officially Becomes UK's 23rd Basketball Coach

[Joneslab]

Exactly the same here. That's how I've been with every new hire in my lifetime. I'll never tell anyone how they should "fan", but this is by far the way for me to find personal happiness in being a fan.

Can't fathom why anybody would do it any differently.

Only downshot are these people who see things collapsing and still don't jump off the wagon. We saw that a little with Tubby and with Cal: fans who think the status quo is fine because we got THE RECRUITS and nothing else really matters.

[Jload]

I love this hire smart,enthusiastic and a UK guy who knows what's important here, and also knows what he is getting into here and embraces the challenge. The last UK player we hired did alright here if I recall.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Congratulations, let's go.

[Jody Porter]

Can't fathom why anybody would do it any differently.

Only downshot are these people who see things collapsing and still don't jump off the wagon. We saw that a little with Tubby and with Cal: fans who think the status quo is fine because we got THE RECRUITS and nothing else really matters.

Yep. Always give them a chance, and when you notice that it's just no longer working out...that's when you bail.

I don't know about you all, but I was out on Cal after 9-16, but got sucked back in the next season, but St Peter's sealed it. Been a long two years since then.
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[KentuckyWild2020]

If this fails, next coach probably going to be a AI hologram of Rupp on the sidelines...

[lilproUK98]

The new developments of NIL money flooding in has soothed my thoughts. I always have liked him as a man and coach. He knows what UK Basketball is all about and he has a mountain of support from everyone around the program, especially former players. I'm 100% in and excited. I even said on a podcast 3 yrs ago I could see him being UK coach one day and tweeted it long ago too. If the $$ comes through he can absolutely win big.

[TrueblueCATfan]

Welcome home Mark Pope....Let's do this

[TrueblueCATfan]

Pitino said if he needs NIL money he will write the check

[KCKUKFan]

The Trash Era.

Screw Mitch. Hope I'm wrong and we win every game by 30.

[Joneslab]

Back to Reed Sheppard, it would be a little weird for Jeff to be doing sit-down interviews about this on Lexington news...only for Reed to go pro.

[JFCats22]

Back to Reed Sheppard, it would be a little weird for Jeff to be doing sit-down interviews about this on Lexington news...only for Reed to go pro.

Agreed. But I feel like it's being setup for people to get real mad at Reed (and Jeff and probably Pope) when he goes to the NBA. I feel a little bad for Reed, the pressure must be tremendous

[Joneslab]

I'm sure he's under pressure, but it's a type of pressure many of us would like. Millionaire or millionaire?

But again, I don't mean to be harsh and I ain't mad but we're a damn college basketball program. Countless players have come back to college over the time where we've convinced ourselves they don't...or, in some bizarre cases, shouldn't return here.

You've got have great players. You've got to have at least NBA caliber players. You have to. No choice. But again, we've been brainwashed into believing the only possible outcome for these guys is to leave. That's not how it should be happening. Really not even five years ago but particularly not now when these guys are freakin pro athletes right now.

[capcat]

Welcome home, Mark. More than any who were in consideration, I believe you understand what it means to be here. I know you will work with the most heart for the program. Couldn’t be happier.

[Jody Porter]

You've got have great players. You've got to have at least NBA caliber players. You have to. No choice. But again, we've been brainwashed into believing the only possible outcome for these guys is to leave. That's not how it should be happening. Really not even five years ago but particularly not now when these guys are freakin pro athletes right now.

this is absolutely 100% the truth and it's going to take some time to adjust some mindsets I believe.

To me it's culture. Every program, everywhere, has a culture. Might be good, might be bad, and even with each there are different kinds of good and different kinds of bad. Cal's culture was getting guys to the League. Players First. We heard it all the time. If a kid came here and DIDN'T leave, the culture made him and others think it was a failure of sorts.

That's very unfair. As we've seen, NBA players also come from two-year, three, four, even five-year players. Get the good ones, coach them up, and win basketball games. We don't need to be making this any more difficult than that.
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[capcat]

Agreed. But I feel like it's being setup for people to get real mad at Reed (and Jeff and probably Pope) when he goes to the NBA. I feel a little bad for Reed, the pressure must be tremendous

Reed has more than proven himself to be good under pressure, and I think it’s a disservice to Kentucky fans to say they’d be “real mad”. The people I know of course want him to stay, but they have the common sense to understand whatever he decides.