BG AND JJ TO THE PORTAL

[EKYCat]

And people wonder why we struggle to find someone to coach here.

I don't think UK has historically struggled to find people to coach here. We've had guys like Pitino, Cal, Tubby come here to coach. What we struggle to do is go down the list of likely candidates after the first guy turns us down and settle for Mark Pope.

[EKYCat]

I do wonder about the “goober” factor with him, particularly the rumors that he didn’t present well at the closing table, I.e., put off potential signees with his personality and UK boosterism.

I think the "goober" factor is real! I also like this phrase to describe Pope! He's just a strange guy.

[UKHoops01]

I don't think UK has historically struggled to find people to coach here. We've had guys like Pitino, Cal, Tubby come here to coach. What we struggle to do is go down the list of likely candidates after the first guy turns us down and settle for Mark Pope.

I think that's a "Mitch Barnhardt and his pride" thing. When Mitch got turned down by Billy Donovan, he settled on Billy Gillespie... probably because he didn't want the process drawn out and have to deal with multiple rejections. Same for Pope after being turned down by Drew and Hurley. I don't think that was the case when C.M. Newton was AD and he was being turned down by P.J. Carlesimo and Lute Olson and still ended up with Rick Pitino. Thankfully we'll soon have a new Athletics Director and hopefully won't have to worry about bad coaching hires and bad contracts as much (or preferably, at all).

[Pobilly]

MO D in the portal now. I expected this one more than any other. He was not a fit for this offense. Hope he gets himself to the right program. He is (as of today) not an NBA prospect and will likely play overseas after college.

[Phil_the_Music]

I don't think UK has historically struggled to find people to coach here. We've had guys like Pitino, Cal, Tubby come here to coach. What we struggle to do is go down the list of likely candidates after the first guy turns us down and settle for Mark Pope.

There were two names above Pope we know for a fact turned us down. And we really don't know if there were more or not. Cal left Memphis because he was getting into trouble. Tubby was an average coach at best and never did anything of note anywhere else. Pitino was a great hire but he wasn't exactly tearing it up before he came here, plus that was a lifetime ago.