Coaches

[Cawood86]

Disappointed....was hoping he stayed there for years

[UKHoops01]

Not a big surprise. I'm surprised they kept him as long as they did.

I hope other fan based aren't saying that about Kentucky a few years from now if/when (more likely when) Pope is released.

[TrueblueCATfan]

I read Saturday that Siena Coach Jerry McNamara is headed to Syracuse

[UKHoops01]

I read Saturday that Siena Coach Jerry McNamara is headed to Syracuse

Makes sense, he played for them and was an assistant previously. Nice homecoming for him.

[Matt Dillon]

I hope other fan based aren't saying that about Kentucky a few years from now if/when (more likely when) Pope is released.

I don't think so. Another subpar season next season and I'd say coach Pope will be let go.

[EKYCat]

Makes sense, he played for them and was an assistant previously. Nice homecoming for him.

He was a good player for them.

I think if you look at the overall record of alumni head coaches, it can't be that good. Scheyer is a notable exception, obviously. Painter is a Purdue alum and so is Hoiberg. But then you have Penny, Ewing, Hubert (you'd have thought they'd learned their lesson after Doherty), etc.

[UKHoops01]

He was a good player for them.

I think if you look at the overall record of alumni head coaches, it can't be that good. Scheyer is a notable exception, obviously. Painter is a Purdue alum and so is Hoiberg. But then you have Penny, Ewing, Hubert (you'd have thought they'd learned their lesson after Doherty), etc.

True. Scheyer and Painter are definitely looking like the exceptions, as of now. Everyone else falls into the disappointing (either somewhat or severely) category. I'll add a couple more names: Mike Woodson (Indiana) and Juwan Howard (Michigan), just to further the point.

[bthaunert]

He was a good player for them.

I think if you look at the overall record of alumni head coaches, it can't be that good. Scheyer is a notable exception, obviously. Painter is a Purdue alum and so is Hoiberg. But then you have Penny, Ewing, Hubert (you'd have thought they'd learned their lesson after Doherty), etc.

Hoiberg is an Iowa State alum and was pretty good there. Jamie Dixon has done decent at TCU and you mentioned Scheyer and Painter and obviously Roy Williams at UNC.

The issue with alums is that schools reach for them a lot of times. They work out maybe 10%-15% of the time. The list of misses is looooong:

Kenny Payne at UL
Eddie Jordan at Rutgers
Ewing at Goetgetown
Mullins at St Johns
Lowe at NC State
Woodson at Indiana
Juwan Howard at Michigan (mixed success)
Shaheen Holloway at Seton Hall
Kevin Ollie at UConn (can't believe he won a title)
Drexler at Houston
Doherty at UNC

The list goes on and on

[Cawood86]

Joe B Hall did extremely well

[Pete Hogwallop]

I thought Kenny Payne was excellent at Louisville, personally.

[TrueblueCATfan]

I thought Kenny Payne was excellent at Louisville, personally.

Me too...They did not give hom a chance

[bthaunert]

Joe B Hall did extremely well

I never count Joe B. In his only year at UK, he played 3 games first semester (0 points) and bolted and was playing for Sewanee the second semester the same year. He was actually on a different team when UK won the title in 1949....I never understood why they say he won a title as a player and a coach when he quite as a player.

[Cawood86]

I never count Joe B. In his only year at UK, he played 3 games first semester (0 points) and bolted and was playing for Sewanee the second semester the same year. He was actually on a different team when UK won the title in 1949....I never understood why they say he won a title as a player and a coach when he quite as a player.

Bad take imo....most beloved coach at UK not named Rupp. Kentucky born and bred. He was on the Fab Five team. He left to play. Terrible take

[bthaunert]

Bad take imo....most beloved coach at UK not named Rupp. Kentucky born and bred. He was on the Fab Five team. He left to play. Terrible take

I loved Joe B as a former coach/person around the program. He followed up a legend about as well as you could. I just don't count a guy who was on the UK roster for less than 10 games in his playing career and left midseason as someone who coached at his alma mater like I do all of the other guys listed.

[Cawood86]

I loved Joe B as a former coach/person around the program. He followed up a legend about as well as you could. I just don't count a guy who was on the UK roster for less than 10 games in his playing career and left midseason as someone who coached at his alma mater like I do all of the other guys listed.

To each his own....Joe B was more than just a few games guy to me