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So Kentucky is going with the alumnus hire like UNC and Duke

Posted on 4/12/24 at 8:49 am
Posted by bigDgator
Dallas, TX
Member since Oct 2008
43142 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 8:49 am
How do Cat fans feel about this? I know you don't like the comparison, but it is unavoidable imo.

Seems like a good hire to me, but what do I know, I wanted Scott Frost.
Posted by momentoftruth87
DeSantis Country
Member since Oct 2013
76697 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 8:49 am to
It’s funny a lot of their alum base doesn’t even remember him
Posted by CapstoneGrad06
Little Rock
Member since Nov 2008
72570 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 8:50 am to
It’s amazing that UNC, Duke, and Kentucky jobs were all open in the span of a couple years and not one made a massive splash hire.
Posted by bigDgator
Dallas, TX
Member since Oct 2008
43142 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 8:52 am to
Well he is definitely more enthusiastic about getting his job than Cal, who doesn't know there is always 3 hog calls.

Maybe he will change it to 2 Hog calls. I mean come on we are all busy, right? Ain't nobody got time for 3 hog calls.
This post was edited on 4/12/24 at 8:54 am
Posted by solus
Member since Dec 2019
3568 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 8:57 am to
quote:

It’s funny a lot of their alum base doesn’t even remember him


Does that mean Arkansas fans doesn't remember the last time they went to the final 4? Considering the last time was one year prior to UK winnning the championship with Pope
This post was edited on 4/12/24 at 11:02 am
Posted by BluegrassBelle
RIP Hefty Lefty - 1981-2019
Member since Nov 2010
101696 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 8:59 am to
Hope for the best, prepare for a coaching search in two years at the worst.

Some of the boosters have started ponying up some NIL money to back him, so I hope he at least gets a fair shake. He’s a decent guy and anyone who watched late 90s Kentucky has fond memories of the guy.
Posted by Mizzoufan26
Vacaville CA
Member since Sep 2012
18145 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 10:12 am to
quote:

Hope for the best, prepare for a coaching search in two years at the worst. Some of the boosters have started ponying up some NIL money to back him, so I hope he at least gets a fair shake. He’s a decent guy and anyone who watched late 90s Kentucky has fond memories of the


This is amazing!!! Basketball is all you had and you guys are even more irrelevant than a first round NCAA tourney loss now! How pathetic is that!
Posted by MillerLiteTime
Atlanta
Member since Aug 2018
2828 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 11:00 am to
quote:

the alumnus hire


Typically occurs for one or both of the following reasons:

1. Arrogance of blue blood football and basketball schools who think their prestige is so high that winning is automatic and cultural fits with the old money boosters/power alumni is most important.

2. No premier coach could be hired so if a mid-tier is the only option, it might as well be a popular alum who the fans might warm up to and not get the AD and president fired after the gut punch of multiple rejections.
Posted by kywildcatfanone
Wildcat Country!
Member since Oct 2012
123768 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 11:06 am to
quote:

Seems like a good hire to me


Time will tell. It's working fine for Duke and UNC, so who knows. I think Pope is a better in game coach than Cal, but he's not likely to get a lot of 5* talent initially, which I think overall we are okay with because it's proven that doesn't win at crunch time.

Building a team is what we need, and I think he will do that.
Posted by The Architect
KENTUCKY
Member since Jun 2016
305 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 11:09 am to
Cal lost my support about 5 years ago (but the slide started after the 2015 failure).

That said, I am on board with this hire for Kentucky.

Do I think Barnhart was maybe a little early with this hire? Yes.
Do I think he overreacted to all the things Cal represented? Maybe.

He got a polar opposite of Cal. Pope is UK through and through, and will put the university first. This is the Kentucky way. Cal NEVER understood that (and he won't with Ark either).

Do I think this is what our program needed? Ultimately, yes.

Mitch swung for the fences with Drew and Hurley, and didn't want to wait for Donovan (who has turned UK down before, btw). So, if the option was a "Tier 2" guy, why NOT go with one who bleeds blue?

GO CATS
Posted by MillerLiteTime
Atlanta
Member since Aug 2018
2828 posts
Posted on 4/12/24 at 11:11 am to
quote:

It’s amazing that UNC, Duke, and Kentucky jobs were all open in the span of a couple years and not one made a massive splash hire.


This is why I laugh when people act like Alabama conducted a horrible football coaching search. Big 2 NCAA sports has changed dramatically with every game televised and massive tv contracts split evenly. Home run press conference hires are rare now. Schools like Bama, AU, and Baylor can afford to keep top basketball coaches and recruits are just as willing to play there as Kentucky or UNC if they have a great coach.

Blue blood basketball schools are having to settle for assistants or mid major hires. Same with football and programs like Oklahoma, Ohio St, and Texas hiring or promoting assistants to head jobs.
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