Michigan State Game Thread

[Jload]

Extremely disappointing start to season. Based on what I've SEEN we could actually lose 6 games before conference play. Hard to see us beating UNC, Gonzaga, St Johns or even Indiana the way we are playing. Our schedule is just too tough to be playing this way.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Pope at a loss for words after the game. Pretty much did not answer the questions. He would answer a question with something like "That would be a long answer" or "I am taking the hit here" or "I am going to temper my words". Said he is the failure so far this season but not for much longer. To me reading between the lines he is letting the millionaire players run the roost. Problem is Pope is now coaching professional paid players (yes he makes more) but he is trying to do it nicely and they up till now have not listened. (tempering his words to the public).

If it were me I would put in Van Horn, Tow and some others to start next game and tell my guys you do not want to listen, fine you are not going to play. You might have to burn the locker room down to make the point and do it for a half against Suck U team. I see no urgency (did not watch past 9 minute mark so there is that) but what I saw made me think we had Cal on the sidelines just not the yelling part.

Even Oweh did not have much insight on why he is not playing hard. Just I have to play hard and I have not so far.

Yes he needs to channel his inner Rick Pitino and lay down the law for better or worse. If people quit and violate their NIL agreement then so be it..

[PadCatFan]

This team can't shoot or play defense. They can't play a running game, and don't have the inside players to slow the tempo and move the offense inside, nor play full court defense to slow the tempo. I'm not impressed, so far.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Unpopular opinion with how it all ended but ol John always seemed to have a handle on the player ego part of things.

Cal also had the advantage of a player submitting and wanting to trust and listen because of his NBA track record, that helped keep egos in check.

Think about what we are asking of Pope now. Take a young millionaire surrounded by noise and convince him to listen and follow directions.

I hope Pope isn't out of his league in this regard. Other coaches seem to have player's believing, I ain't seeing that right now.

[WeWant9]

This looks like a team who hardly practices together. There is something going on. Pope is going to have to make some hard decisions.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Pope can’t beat good teams

Pope had $22 million and couldn’t land a star

Pope can’t land an elite high school player.

Mitch - cut your losses and end this please.

Maybe Maybe not but nobody wanted the job it seemed.

My long time ambition of Billy Donovan coaching Kentucky was once again pissed in the wind. He should have been hired before Tubby two years in at Marshall but I assume Pitino for whatever reason did not want that.

I think Frank Vogel or someone with clout may have worked but who knows.

It's ironic and also sucks perhaps the best freshmen in college basketball Dybansta plays for BYU not Kentucky.

If we still can't land the Dybanstas Petersons Boozer Aments of the world, it's a problem..

[PadCatFan]

Maybe Maybe not but nobody wanted the job it seemed.

My long time ambition of Billy Donovan coaching Kentucky was once again pissed in the wind. He should have been hired before Tubby two years in at Marshall but I assume Pitino for whatever reason.

I think Frank Vogel or someone with clout may have worked but who knows.

It's ironic and also sucks perhaps the best freshmen in college basketball Dybansta plays for BYU not Kentucky.

If we still can't land the Dybanstas Petersons Boozer Aments of the world, it's a problem..

Tubby was hired because when asked about Donovan, Pitino said he wasn't ready and recommended Tubby.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Tubby was hired because when asked about Donovan, Pitino said he wasn't ready and recommended Tubby.

Of course, that's like 30 year old news.

Or maybe just maybe (egos to the side) Rick just couldn't fathom his protégé taking his dream job..

Thing is if you had watched Georgia and Marshall way back when, it was easy to see who the better coach was. One stubborn coach decided to destroy and implement his way while the other coach used the 90-97 UK system and won two titles. Imagine Donovan recruiting on behalf of Kentucky through that late 90s 2000's era?

Don't matter, Donovan seems to have taken that whole Kentucky situation personal and I don't think he ever had desire to coach Kentucky ever since then in my opinion.

I talked to Anthony Grant there one time roughly 10-11 years ago and I never got that far in the conversation to get his insight and opinion on all that.

[BJD]

Tubby was hired because when asked about Donovan, Pitino said he wasn't ready and recommended Tubby.

Pitino did not recommend Tubby at all. Pitino lobbied hard for Williard. CM did not vetting and no interviewing. He had made his mind up on Tubby and there was nothing going stop him.

[Jeffky62]

For the first time I thought mark looked lost out there. He seems to be having player issues . This team should not be playing this bad . Mark needs to go out and get a defensive minded asst popes defense is God awful to watch and we need a elite player too ?

[Pete Hogwallop]

This looks like a team who hardly practices together. There is something going on. Pope is going to have to make some hard decisions.

This is basically what I saw. Good players who don't have a clue what they are doing. The offense is completely out of sync and the defense is the same.

[TrueblueCATfan]

IMO NIL has ruined college basketball..period

[EKYCat]

IMO NIL has ruined college basketball..period

Ehhh, all schools are dealing with it. I don't like the landscape either but Duke, Alabama, Purdue, St. John's aren't struggling to field good teams. UK paid $22MM for this roster? They've played 4 good teams if you count the exhibition games and 3 of those teams have essentially run them off the court.

[TrueblueCATfan]

Ehhh, all schools are dealing with it. I don't like the landscape either but Duke, Alabama, Purdue, St. John's aren't struggling to field good teams. UK paid $22MM for this roster? They've played 4 good teams if you count the exhibition games and 3 of those teams have essentially run them off the court.

And until they start playing like it none of them should get any of that money
from the sound of Popes press conference last night they dont seem to be listening to him

[EKYCat]

And until they start playing like it none of them should get any of that money
from the sound of Popes press conference last night they dont seem to be listening to him

Maybe they're not. Can we fire non-performers? ?

Is Pope in over his head? These guys didn't look like they could run a 3 man weave like we used to do in 5th grade to start practice. Very disheartening and certainly concerning. Honeymoon is officially over for him now. Time for results. No, I'm not saying throw him out the door but the concerns from the Georgetown exhibition and then the loss at Louisville are now more than concerns. They appear to be reality and not just fluky.