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[Pobilly]

I may seem new here, but I used to be here on the old forum and remember names like Lighthouse (RIP from what I understand) and Will Lavender and posted under the name Blue Dude a long time ago. I deleted my profile back then because I didn't have much to say about UK Athletics but I figured it was time to come out of retirement and make a new profile. I have been checking in with no profile from time to time. That said...

I understand that Basketball and Football are both totally different sports, but I find it incredibly difficult to believe that the principles of recruiting are that much different when Will Stein and even Kenny Brooks for the women's are getting recruits in with JMI hanging over their heads as well. I think it is a MARK POPE problem and having 2 years of sample size at UK with his bizarre sub patterns, I can definitely see why players and recruits wouldn't want to come here. Pope kills momentum in games with those patterns, more often than not.

This is all said with all due respect of course, and not necessarily going after the poster quote here because I see this JMI Argument all over the internet/socials. Being a former member of our military, I see it as recruiting is recruiting and each branch, like a University, is competing for a person to join their team and people are going to take the best offer that fits them at the time. With this also being said, JMI could be an issue, but I don't think it is the main issue as you see people argue all over the web.

Also good to be back. I hope if I have an opinion that disagrees with the vast majority that it will not be taken as a sign of disrespect or hostility. I am a call it as I see it guy and I will do my best to ensure that it doesn't go there should I have a disagreement.

Welcome back!!! Glad to get all opinions. Yes we disagree a bit on this thing here but I like the perspective. For other sports (not football and basketball), JMI deal gets them more not less. I do not see a problem there. Their sports do not bring in the bacon like football and mens basketball.

Football is in a different boat as you have 105 guys splitting about the same size pie as 15 guys slicing the pie, one getting 1/4 to 1/6 of a piece and some getting 1/16 to 1/24 piece and the rest licking the pie pan. So the difference is glaring in that room compared to the other room. Plus basketball guys at that level are more pampered than football players (less QB, most pampered in sport today).

[EKYCat]

Nope cannot say the same for every era.

This is the era where you pay players above board and some of these players are making more than coaches make. That changes everything. This isnt 50 dollar handshakes and such. This is guys in a locker room, one make 250k and playing his butt off trying to reach the next level and another making 2 mil, thinking they are better than everyone else in the locker room. It cannot work in college athletics year to year. You can have a great group one year and not the next.
From the time NCAA started with their 10 volume 250000 page books and such on rules and regs, there was some type of stability (be it they look past issues with team a and kill team b for the same issues) but guys in the locker room became teams easier.

Getting players was different as well. Again, you had some players getting money but not life changing money. Maybe short term changing money.

Nothing is even close to the same. Nor will it be ever again. We are watching the end of the NCAA and the beginning of the next phase of semi pro sports through Universities.

I get the money aspect of it. My point is you don't know how any team will gel until they actually do it. But, the bigger point is, UK is consistently whiffing on the cream of the crop lately (pending Stokes). So, yes, you can reasonably predict what a team could or should look like based on who is or isn't signing.

[UKHoops01]

I may seem new here, but I used to be here on the old forum and remember names like Lighthouse (RIP from what I understand) and Will Lavender and posted under the name Blue Dude a long time ago. I deleted my profile back then because I didn't have much to say about UK Athletics but I figured it was time to come out of retirement and make a new profile. I have been checking in with no profile from time to time. That said...

I understand that Basketball and Football are both totally different sports, but I find it incredibly difficult to believe that the principles of recruiting are that much different when Will Stein and even Kenny Brooks for the women's are getting recruits in with JMI hanging over their heads as well. I think it is a MARK POPE problem and having 2 years of sample size at UK with his bizarre sub patterns, I can definitely see why players and recruits wouldn't want to come here. Pope kills momentum in games with those patterns, more often than not.

This is all said with all due respect of course, and not necessarily going after the poster quote here because I see this JMI Argument all over the internet/socials. Being a former member of our military, I see it as recruiting is recruiting and each branch, like a University, is competing for a person to join their team and people are going to take the best offer that fits them at the time. With this also being said, JMI could be an issue, but I don't think it is the main issue as you see people argue all over the web.

Also good to be back. I hope if I have an opinion that disagrees with the vast majority that it will not be taken as a sign of disrespect or hostility. I am a call it as I see it guy and I will do my best to ensure that it doesn't go there should I have a disagreement.

^^^^ Welcome, Bluehausen.....

I'm glad you mentioned that you weren't singling out my post, since I was actually just responding to someone else who had brought up and mentioned JMI first (LOL).

I think it's several problems that's hampering recruiting. I definitely agree that Pope doesn't help himself with some of his coaching decisions, chief among them is his substitutions pattern as you pointed out. Also, I don't know if recruits pay enough attention or care about things like this, but his tendency to put his foot in his mouth and say things that shouldn't be said doesn't help any. Last year's problems all started with the Louisville game where he aired some dirty laundry about a pregame incident that should have been kept in-house. And there were other gaffs like that throughout the year. Pope really needs to learn what to say and (more importantly) what not to say. The "fatigue" comment was ridiculous and even Jelavic had to set the record straight and say that wasn't true. All teams have to deal with that, so it's nothing new to Kentucky...Pope was just making excuses. The "cheated us" comment, while true, came across kind of childish as well.

Truthfully , I wasn't thrilled with the Pope hire. I thought Barnhardt panicked after his first two choices (Drew and Hurley) said no....but, what was done was done, and there was nothing I could do about it. So I decided to get on board and give him a chance, and his first season went pretty well, so I was content heading into year # 2. This past year was a disaster, though, so I'm thinking this is a make or break year for Pope. And with the coaching departures and lack of recruits and portal difficulties, it's not off to a great start, that's for sure.

[Tomcats1990]

Sebastian Rancik is trending toward KY. 6”9 PF from Colorado.

[UKHoops01]

Sebastian Rancik is trending toward KY. 6”9 PF from Colorado.

6'11". He was ,6'9" when he entered college.

Here's a video, for those unfamiliar with him. Love the ball handling and passing for a guy his size. Really nice shot form and deep range, and nice moves with both hands around the rim. He was a top 10 PF in the 2024 HS class:

https://youtu.be/h9MyQPLwYKo?si=GvUTJA5wMThRypiG

[Bluehausen]

^^^^ Welcome, Bluehausen.....

I'm glad you mentioned that you weren't singling out my post, since I was actually just responding to someone else who had brought up and mentioned JMI first (LOL).

I think it's several problems that's hampering recruiting. I definitely agree that Pope doesn't help himself with some of his coaching decisions, chief among them is his substitutions pattern as you pointed out. Also, I don't know if recruits pay enough attention or care about things like this, but his tendency to put his foot in his mouth and say things that shouldn't be said doesn't help any. Last year's problems all started with the Louisville game where he aired some dirty laundry about a pregame incident that should have been kept in-house. And there were other gaffs like that throughout the year. Pope really needs to learn what to say and (more importantly) what not to say. The "fatigue" comment was ridiculous and even Jelavic had to set the record straight and say that wasn't true. All teams have to deal with that, so it's nothing new to Kentucky...Pope was just making excuses. The "cheated us" comment, while true, came across kind of childish as well.

Truthfully , I wasn't thrilled with the Pope hire. I thought Barnhardt panicked after his first two choices (Drew and Hurley) said no....but, what was done was done, and there was nothing I could do about it. So I decided to get on board and give him a chance, and his first season went pretty well, so I was content heading into year # 2. This past year was a disaster, though, so I'm thinking this is a make or break year for Pope. And with the coaching departures and lack of recruits and portal difficulties, it's not off to a great start, that's for sure.

1 - Thanks for noticing that I was not singling you out, but rather the internet as a whole.

2 - I was NOT thrilled either. Pope's resume was far too light, in my view, to be considered for the job. Barnhart definitely panicked and got desperate too quick. I wanted to wait the week to talk to Billy Donovan. I've seen all the posts saying he would have said no like before. Before Billy was at Florida when we asked him, he had it made there so I see why he said no, twice. Now, up to 2 years ago, He is struggling in Chicago, I think it's a front office issue gathering talent, and was sub 500 then as he is now, I think he MIGHT HAVE said YES this time around. I'm not rooting for Pope to fail, but should he be removed this time next year and Billy happens to be available, I say go ask him one more time. Like with UNC this year, all he said this past time around was that he was wanting to focus on finishing the season with the Bulls before speaking to anyone about anything from everything I have seen. I think that is a reasonable request.

Back to Portal: I hope they can get Freeman and this Rancik kid from Colorado at PF. I'm told from Syracuse friends of mine, Freeman will be a great get. They're sad to have seen him enter the portal.

[EKYCat]

^^^^ Welcome, Bluehausen.....

I'm glad you mentioned that you weren't singling out my post, since I was actually just responding to someone else who had brought up and mentioned JMI first (LOL).

I think it's several problems that's hampering recruiting. I definitely agree that Pope doesn't help himself with some of his coaching decisions, chief among them is his substitutions pattern as you pointed out. Also, I don't know if recruits pay enough attention or care about things like this, but his tendency to put his foot in his mouth and say things that shouldn't be said doesn't help any. Last year's problems all started with the Louisville game where he aired some dirty laundry about a pregame incident that should have been kept in-house. And there were other gaffs like that throughout the year. Pope really needs to learn what to say and (more importantly) what not to say. The "fatigue" comment was ridiculous and even Jelavic had to set the record straight and say that wasn't true. All teams have to deal with that, so it's nothing new to Kentucky...Pope was just making excuses. The "cheated us" comment, while true, came across kind of childish as well.

Truthfully , I wasn't thrilled with the Pope hire. I thought Barnhardt panicked after his first two choices (Drew and Hurley) said no....but, what was done was done, and there was nothing I could do about it. So I decided to get on board and give him a chance, and his first season went pretty well, so I was content heading into year # 2. This past year was a disaster, though, so I'm thinking this is a make or break year for Pope. And with the coaching departures and lack of recruits and portal difficulties, it's not off to a great start, that's for sure.

Serious question, do you all think Pope's personality drives guys away? He seems like a nice guy. But he also seems weird. Lots of word salad. He's kind of weird, I think. Also, doesn't he do strange things like take his daughters on trips and whatnot? You couple that with the sub patterns and then throw in the JMI deal... Kind of a perfect storm?

[UKHoops01]

Serious question, do you all think Pope's personality drives guys away? He seems like a nice guy. But he also seems weird. Lots of word salad. He's kind of weird, I think. Also, doesn't he do strange things like take his daughters on trips and whatnot? You couple that with the sub patterns and then throw in the JMI deal... Kind of a perfect storm?

Billy Gillespie was weird.

I really don't think Mark Pope is "weird", I think he's a little bit awkward. Awkward in the sense that he wants to be liked and wants to be thought of as "having personality", so he's trying too hard. He's following up Cal...and Cal did have personality. Personally, I think he rehashed things and repeated them too frequently and found him a bit borish at times, but most people probably disagree with me. At least, most NON-die hard UK fans. That said, I think Pope is trying too hard to kind of follow in the footsteps of Cal and trying to be liked too much. He's not even as weird as Dan Hurley, but Dan Hurley is an asshole....and people tend to give assholes the benefit of the doubt more so than a nice guy like Pope. It's completely bassackwards from what it SHOULD be...but that's the world we live in today.

[Rondo#9]

D***head Fans on rhe UConn board couldn't be any more confident that Freeman is theirs. & They mention they worry about a lingering injury issue with him... so if that's true I don't even really care if he ends up at UConn.

I'm getting real tired of players using UK to get better offers from where they really want to go. Pope needs to start laying the smack down on some of these jabronis.

[Tomcats1990]

Pope is a genius correct me if I’m wrong. The average person has trouble having a conversation with someone who is higher up the IQ chain. Pope needs to fill the other assistant spot with a Top notch guy. If I was Pope offer your players a 48 hour window to say yes if they don’t bye on to the next. He is too nice. Needs to captain the ship, not let the inmates run the asylum.

[EKYCat]

D***head Fans on rhe UConn board couldn't be any more confident that Freeman is theirs. & They mention they worry about a lingering injury issue with him... so if that's true I don't even really care if he ends up at UConn.

I'm getting real tired of players using UK to get better offers from where they really want to go. Pope needs to start laying the smack down on some of these jabronis.

Do we really think that is what is happening? Or, are they getting here and after discussions with the staff realizing this isn't the place they want to be? For the average kid not enamored with UK basketball, why would you pick UK over UCONN based on the recent trajectories of both programs?

[Rondo#9]

Do we really think that is what is happening? Or, are they getting here and after discussions with the staff realizing this isn't the place they want to be? For the average kid not enamored with UK basketball, why would you pick UK over UCONN based on the recent trajectories of both programs?

Yes, we think there are definitely cases of that happening. If you have a functional brain you realize that it's happened before and it will happen again.

As far as why someone would pick UK over UConn other than money I don't have an answer for that, I'll plead the fifth. You can go discuss it with UConn fans if you want though. I'll drop a link for you.

[Rondo#9]

Pope is a genius correct me if I’m wrong. The average person has trouble having a conversation with someone who is higher up the IQ chain. Pope needs to fill the other assistant spot with a Top notch guy. If I was Pope offer your players a 48 hour window to say yes if they don’t bye on to the next. He is too nice. Needs to captain the ship, not let the inmates run the asylum.

Amen

[UKHoops01]

As far as why someone would pick UK over UConn other than money I don't have an answer for that, I'll plead the fifth.

I can take a guess why someone might choose UK over UCONN.

For starters, Kentucky is not a deep blue, one political party state. If a recruit is somewhat or very conservative, Connecticut's politics could be a turnoff.

Also, Kentucky experiences winter, but nowhere close to the extreme cold, snow and lengthy degree that they do up there.

Not to mention, I've heard (never been there, do don't know for sure) that UCONN's facilities are nowhere close to being as nice as Kentucky's.

While I'm not authority on Connecticut women, from what I can tell Kentucky has them beat in that regard.

And lastly, Dan Hurley is a dick. Maybe some recruits don't want to play for a guy like him.

I'm sure there's others, but that's all I've got for now.

[UKHoops01]

Pope needs to fill the other assistant spot with a Top notch guy.

If it was up to me, if replace Mark Fox with Matt McMahon and name him Associate Head Coach. He's available. Them, I would do whatever was necessary to get Orlando Antigua back on staff.

Pope - Head Coach
McMahon - Associate Head Coach
Antigua - Assistant Coach
Mo Williams - Assistant Coach
Fueger - Assistant
McLean - Assistant

Not a bad staff.......