2024 Coaching Carousel

[JWags85]

Imagine running John Calipari out of town for Mark Pope.

A blue blood hires a 50 year old coach who has never won an NCAA game in a decade of being a head coach and who spent only half of his college career in Lexington, as a role player at that.  And has spent basically his entire coaching career out west.  Its the kind of hire you'd expect for Vandy or UGA, not Kentucky.

Also, lot of chatter that, given his roommate at UK was Jeff Sheppard, part of his appeal was getting Reed Sheppard to stay another year.  Even more embarrassing for a school like UK to place any emphasis on coach selection on the whim of a returning freshman.

[GoldenEagles03]

Yikes, Trilly Donovan says the only other person who had interviewed with UK before they made this hire, other than who already gave them a flat out "no" was Shaka who had a zoom call interview..

Where did you read that?

[MUfan12]

Where did you read that?

On his Discord. Shaka and Sean Miller.

I'm not alarmed. It's Kentucky. You take the call.

[Tyler COLEk]

Could we get a screenshot from the enlightened ones?

[MurphysTillClose]

Could we get a screenshot from the enlightened ones?

[GoldenEagles03]

Agreed. That could be interpreted many ways, but I'll assume Shaka was the one who ended it at a zoom interview.

Can't imagine a better fit for him than Marquette.

[BM1090]

My goodness.

Just take the L.

I mean, I disagree with 99% of what Rocket says. But Drew planning on going there and changing his mind is feasible. Feels like a case of a guy getting judged by his past posts instead of his posts on this topic.

No idea either way, but it seems possible he had some info and communication on this and it just didn't turn out the way he'd heard.

[rocket surgeon]

My goodness.

Just take the L.

listen jagles, the job was his for the taking!  why do you have to be such a d!ck about such a benign topic??  oh, i know why...grow up man!

  for reasons i cannot disclose here, he actually turned them down at the last minute and decided to stay at baylor.  i know for a fact his family was flown in to lexington via private jet yesterday.  they made their decision overnight/this morning



thank you bm1090-you are absolutely correct

[GoldenEagles03]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

https://twitter.com/ML_BBN/status/1613572990179938304?t=DHSwSh9WEw03xlhTUphERA&s=19

[TallTitan34]

I'm old enough to remember UK fans mocking Louisville for hiring their third choice Pat Kelsey.

[Dr. Blackheart]

If Drew turns them down, I predict that Kentucky turns into the College of Cardinals.






And chooses a Pope.

Nailed it

[Tyler COLEk]

Thank you!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I mean, I disagree with 99% of what Rocket says. But Drew planning on going there and changing his mind is feasible. Feels like a case of a guy getting judged by his past posts instead of his posts on this topic.

No idea either way, but it seems possible he had some info and communication on this and it just didn't turn out the way he'd heard.

The risk you take with sharing premature info as if it is going to happen is that you will look foolish if you are wrong.  Has nothing to do with the poster.

Same thing happened with #donedeal. Deal was never done. Looked like it was going to be done so someone races to the internet to try to be first and get internet points.  Ends up losing internet points instead.

[Oldgym]

I'm old enough to remember UK fans mocking Louisville for hiring their third choice Pat Kelsey.

I wandered over to the Rupp Rafters forum last night and came away wondering if Lexington would be burned to the ground by morning.

[Uncle Rico]

listen jagles, the job was his for the taking!  why do you have to be such a d!ck about such a benign topic??  oh, i know why...grow up man!

  for reasons i cannot disclose here, he actually turned them down at the last minute and decided to stay at baylor.  i know for a fact his family was flown in to lexington via private jet yesterday.  they made their decision overnight/this morning



thank you bm1090-you are absolutely correct

You just don't know ball

[Uncle Rico]

College of Cardinals has spoken.   Send up the smoke.




I'll just take the W

Glad someone here knows ball

[tower912]

College basketball is different now.   There is enough money that coaches look at the Kentucky or Indiana jobs and decide to not mess with their happy.   Pope is Kentucky's Wardle.   The one who would never.say no to going home.  All of the other people approached decided that what they had was fine and the blue Kentucky juice wasn't worth the squeeze.

[Uncle Rico]

College basketball is different now.   There is enough money that coaches look at the Kentucky or Indiana jobs and decide to not mess with their happy.   Pope is Kentucky's Wardle.   The one who would never.say no to going home.  All of the other people approached decided that what they had was fine and the blue Kentucky juice wasn't worth the squeeze.

I think he's a better coach than Wardle.  His offenses are pretty to watch and if he gets elite shooters to KY, he can win with his offense.  That's something they've lacked lately under Cal, good shooters.

He'll need to hire a Luke Yaklich type to coach defense, but I think he's a good coach.  Kentucky is a different animal, but he has a good idea of what to expect and I bet he embraces it.  I'm bullish on this hire.  Staff will matter.  That's the first test.  If he puts together a solid staff, I think he'll do well

[tower912]

I think he can succeed also. 

[barfolomew]

College basketball is different now.   There is enough money that coaches look at the Kentucky or Indiana jobs and decide to not mess with their happy.   Pope is Kentucky's Wardle.   The one who would never.say no to going home.  All of the other people approached decided that what they had was fine and the blue Kentucky juice wasn't worth the squeeze.

Maybe there are a few things left in CBB that aren't all about the money, after all.

[Hards Alumni]

They want someone with a proven postseason track record

hehehe

[rocket surgeon]

The risk you take with sharing premature info as if it is going to happen is that you will look foolish if you are wrong.  Has nothing to do with the poster.

Same thing happened with #donedeal. Deal was never done. Looked like it was going to be done so someone races to the internet to try to be first and get internet points.  Ends up losing internet points instead.

once again, i never announced "donedeal" but you guys are always quick to dance on others apparent miscalculations.  i stand by my prognostications as i know my sources here are ironclad i merely said scott was going to be offered.  NEVER said he was going to take it as no one yet knew for sure.  i can tell you this however-it was a group decision.  if it were up to one person...

some of you out there-true character revealed-sad

[rocket surgeon]

College basketball is different now.   There is enough money that coaches look at the Kentucky or Indiana jobs and decide to not mess with their happy.   Pope is Kentucky's Wardle.   The one who would never.say no to going home.  All of the other people approached decided that what they had was fine and the blue Kentucky juice wasn't worth the squeeze.

  you are absolutely right on here tower!  bingo!

[Hards Alumni]

The thing about Pope is that there will be almost zero expectations.  He has nowhere to go with the fan base but upwards.

Now, having said that, Kentucky's AD will not be having an easy couple of years.

[rocket surgeon]

The thing about Pope is that there will be almost zero expectations.  He has nowhere to go with the fan base but upwards.

Now, having said that, Kentucky's AD will not be having an easy couple of years.

one could almost call pope an "interim' coach??

  who were cals assistants?  they might have been just as worthy?