Time to say it

[Matt Dillon]

I'm torn about Pope. This team seems to be underachieving on a nightly basis and plays dumb in critical moments - that's coaching, imo. However, this roster without Q and Lowe would have NEVER been viewed as a contender preseason. No way, no how. Throw in other injuries - some that have healed, some not - and this roster is just plain not that good. We have one very good player who sometimes doesn't show up or makes critical mistakes in crunch time and a slew of role players who are hit-and-miss most games. Our inside 'presence' is zero - more times than not, Garrison/Moreno give us very little and almost no rim protection outside the occasional blocked shot. Shooting is a team-wide problem.

Fault Pope for roster building and failure in critical moments in these close games. He didn't cause the numerous injuries that have hamstringed this team from the outset.

Another problem, compounded by the injuries that you rarely hear mentioned, is the fatigue factor. When you have to go to your bench to replace injured starters then when the replacements get tired there's not much, if any, relief on the bench for them.

[Jload]

As Bill Parcels says" YOU are who your record says you are." We have VERY weak bench. We have no point guard. We have a weak post game. We have only 3 players that can hit a shot with any consistency. If ANY of them has an off night we lose. With UGA it was Aberdeen last night Chandler.
I hated this roster construction from day one. He didnt bring in a single shooter in an offense predicated on shooting. I think Pope is a good coach but not sure he is the right one for UK. Right now as things stand I'm not sure there IS a right coach for us, our pro lems seem to go much deeper than just coaching. Bottom line Mitch Barnhart needs to retire AND his replacement doesn't need to be one of his handpicked guys. Pope should get one more year or we risk doing what Auburn has been doing in football for a couple of decades. All this crying about a10 loss season is fristrating but unfortunately nothing new at UK. Cal did it several times as did Tubby and BG. We simply arent on the cutting edge of basketball anymore , havent been for a decade.

[Jaxcat]

^You're right. But how many teams excel when 2 expected starters and one other player who would be 6th or 7th man miss almost the entire season? As I said, Pope should take a lot of blame but this current roster is no where near what we expected preseason, presuming a healthy Lowe, Q and Kam. That's reality. As is the head-scratching substitution patterns, the inability to consistently play defense, the inexplicably bad decisions and plays made in crucial situations, etc. - all those are on Pope. Plenty of blame to be shared along with unexpected bad luck.

[Spica Orbit]

I'm torn about Pope. This team seems to be underachieving on a nightly basis and plays dumb in critical moments - that's coaching, imo. However, this roster without Q and Lowe would have NEVER been viewed as a contender preseason. No way, no how. Throw in other injuries - some that have healed, some not - and this roster is just plain not that good. We have one very good player who sometimes doesn't show up or makes critical mistakes in crunch time and a slew of role players who are hit-and-miss most games. Our inside 'presence' is zero - more times than not, Garrison/Moreno give us very little and almost no rim protection outside the occasional blocked shot. Shooting is a team-wide problem.

Fault Pope for roster building and failure in critical moments in these close games. He didn't cause the numerous injuries that have hamstringed this team from the outset.

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Other teams have injuries as well, but how you respond to that adversity is coach's responsibility. Pope has failed miserably at that.

[JFCats22]

Pope is now 25-21 against P5 competition.

That’s horrendous. He has to go and go now

[Pete Hogwallop]

Solid post.

[Jaxcat]

I'm torn about Pope. This team seems to be underachieving on a nightly basis and plays dumb in critical moments - that's coaching, imo. However, this roster without Q and Lowe would have NEVER been viewed as a contender preseason. No way, no how. Throw in other injuries - some that have healed, some not - and this roster is just plain not that good. We have one very good player who sometimes doesn't show up or makes critical mistakes in crunch time and a slew of role players who are hit-and-miss most games. Our inside 'presence' is zero - more times than not, Garrison/Moreno give us very little and almost no rim protection outside the occasional blocked shot. Shooting is a team-wide problem.

Fault Pope for roster building and failure in critical moments in these close games. He didn't cause the numerous injuries that have hamstringed this team from the outset.

[Pete Hogwallop]

You're right. I'm just tired of UK not being the UK I grew up with. The UK that rarely had more than 4-6 losses a year. That was THE program.

Now, we are mediocre. We are back in the pack. I really like Pope. I really want him to be the one to bring the school back to where it was before.

The Loss to Georgia and Missouri at home we're deflating. No future recruits signed. I'm not seeing a good road ahead right now.

This reply is not to defend Pope, but the nature of college basketball has changed so dramatically from even 10 years ago that I am fairly certain there will never be a dominant team for any length of time. UK or otherwise. That doesn't excuse our mediocrity, but I fear the good ole days are disappearing in the rear view mirror.

[Spica Orbit]

What exactly do you expect next year? There are really bad vibes around the program, zero quality high school recruits incoming & likely mass defections of the current players. Hell, I'd be surprised if any current players return, which might actually be the only plus I see in the situation. In any event, UK will be forced to take nothing but leftovers from the portal. Why in the world anybody would want to suffer through an even worse year under a guy that will be fired after next season anyway, is just beyond me. I'm completely checked out of UK basketball until an adult shows up & makes changes.

[TrueblueCATfan]

I love Mark Pope but he is on over his head

He wasn't a good hire for Kentucky Basketball

[Cawood86]

He may not be the one for this job but we were blatantly cheated out of this game and this in no way shape or form should be the straw on the camels back in your decision.

You're right. I'm just tired of UK not being the UK I grew up with. The UK that rarely had more than 4-6 losses a year. That was THE program.

Now, we are mediocre. We are back in the pack. I really like Pope. I really want him to be the one to bring the school back to where it was before.

The Loss to Georgia and Missouri at home we're deflating. No future recruits signed. I'm not seeing a good road ahead right now.

[***St.Patterson-54***]

Fair or not, he has not improved this team. Quite the opposite in fact.

[Pete Hogwallop]

He's getting next year (unless he quits). Hopefully it's a vast improvement. There's no need to keep calling for him to be fired less than 2 seasons in. It's almost like some people enjoy saying others should be fired.

[CATHYnKY]

He may not be the one for this job but we were blatantly cheated out of this game and this in no way shape or form should be the straw on the camels back in your decision.

It would have been nice for it to not have come down to the last 2 plays. Problem solved!

[Matt Dillon]

He may not be the one for this job but we were blatantly cheated out of this game and this in no way shape or form should be the straw on the camels back in your decision.

Well said.