Coaching Carousel

[84Cat]

The panic in the comments is hilarious

[Merkin]

A Mormon who has double digit losses most years and never won a conference championship?

Can't imagine that will win the presser.

[AzCatFan2]

Pope's also never won a game in the NCAA Tournament. Five years at BYU, one COVID year, 1 no bid, 1 NIT bid, and 2 first round losses. Can't see Kentucky fans too happy about this record. Sean Miller might not win the press conference either, but he has taken two teams to the Sweet 16 and has 3 Elite 8 trips. Only Pope has over Miller is being an alum, and being 4 years younger.

[wyo-cat]

A Mormon who has double digit losses most years and never won a conference championship?

Can't imagine that will win the presser.

That would be a shit sandwich of a presser.

[Merkin]

Just can't even imagine having BYU code of conduct athletes then trying to deal with elite athletes who are normal college aged students doing normal college aged student things. Kind of reminds me of Ben Lindsey who won two NAIA championships, then had to deal with scholarship athletes at Arizona.

Recall one BYU athlete a few years back had premarital sex and was kicked off the team.

[84Cat]

It's happening

[CatsbyAZ]

Kentucky set to hire Pope feels a lot like Kentucky hiring Billy Gillispie from Texas A&M back in 2007. Except with less excitement and less potential upside. Lexington will chew Pope up and spit him out. A placeholder, like Gillispie, until the "right" guy becomes available. Then, like Gillispie, preemptively run out of the building.

[Chicat]

Panic hiring always works out well.

Maybe next time spend a week or two on the search before settling on the guy you could have gotten at literally any time.

[TheCat]

AD should be fired. Everyone knew Cal was on the clock. He should have gauged coaches for interest 6 months ago then make a move.

[Djcat]

He caved to boosters and rabid fans unrealistic expectations and demands. He got the wrong signal too. Thought his crush Scott Drew will come running or Hurley will fall for the big bag of cash. Pretty sure he didn’t think he will have to fall back on Plan C

[Chicat]

Pope should have been Plan F.

[Djcat]

Pope should have been Plan F.

Agree but the AD had him at C. Livengod level buffoonery

We almost got Tim Floyd…..

[Catintheheat]

This is mind-boggling. I think the fanbase thinks any coach UK wants will come crawling to coach for them. Very unrealistic expectations. There are a lot of reasons not to coach at UK, the rabid fanbase being one of them, creating a pressure cooker. Often coaches like where they coach and are settled in. Why would they want to uproot a good situation, even if the money is good. There are a lot of delusional fanbases, and UK is one of the blue bloods on this list.

[TheCatInTheHat]

Naturally, the Lexington newspaper is spinning it as a good thing:

https://www.kentucky.com/sports/

[Merkin]

AD getting roasted, but not ratioed so I guess that's a good thing.

[Beachcat97]

My oh my how the mighty have fallen.

This isn't just losing the press conference. It's hiring Kevin for David Wallace's job.

I guess the ucla situation from a few years back wasn't an isolated incident. Programs with unrealistic expectations are no longer able to poach whoever they want, whenever they want. I remember when the UNC job opened up in 2003, it was seemingly preordained that Williams would leave Kansas for UNC, given his history with that program. UNC was able to get a guy who'd already been to four FFs, and I don't even think they had to sweat it out.

It's also crazy how fantastic hiring Lloyd looks in hindsight. Think of it: we could've had Mark Pope.

[Fishclamps]

Here's the thing though, this could work out great for Kentucky. Now that so many schools are having to take flyers on unproven coaches, you just never know.

[AzCatFan2]

If Pope matches or exceeds Cal's level, then this is a homerun hire. Kentucky fans will give Pope a little more rope, because he's an alumni. If Pope fails, and doesn't last his first full contract, then expectations will be lower, and the next guy can come in and reach Cal's level and fans will be happy just to be back there.

The latter is much more likely to happen than the former with Pope. Let's be honest, would any blue blood even mention Pope as a candidate unless he was an alum? No. And alumni hires that other schools in the conference wouldn't hire rarely work out.

[Beachcat97]

Here's the thing though, this could work out great for Kentucky. Now that so many schools are having to take flyers on unproven coaches, you just never know.

If Calipari weren't in the SEC, I'd be more willing to consider this possibility. Cal is going to get better recruiting classes than Pope. Every year.

[Fishclamps]

Any scuttlebutt on who BYU is targeting?

[84Cat]

Any scuttlebutt on who BYU is targeting?

[Fishclamps]

They even got Rick singing his praises!

[Beachcat97]

I can't even get my head around the level of PR desperation emanating from that Pitino video. Since when do we need Xitter letters of rec from former bosses, just to keep Kentucky fans from walking into the ocean this morning?

[Chicat]

Those Barnhart tweets have a real Jeb Bush “Please Clap” quality to them.

[Alieberman]

This is almost as bad as a certain powerhouse in the West having to settle for a no name lifelong assistant coach...

[Irish27]

I hate when fans rip the hire of a new head coach. Give the guy a chance and be quiet.

[Postmaster]

Be thankful BYU won’t be knocking on Tommy’s door.

[84Cat]

[AZCatGirl]

I knew Dan Monson would land on his feet. Glad it was a lot sooner than I expected.

[Postmaster]

He should have held out for BYU

[KaibabKat]

Has deep roots in the area. His dad still lives in Spokane. Probably feels like coming home to him.

[84Cat]

[Merkin]

I guess you have to be a Mormon to be a BYU coach. Don't think any other religious schools require the coach to be the same religion as the school sponsor.

Only 2 years coaching in college, all the rest have been in different pro leagues so very limited recruiting experience.

[Winger]

This is almost as bad as a certain powerhouse in the West having to settle for a no name lifelong assistant coach...

Worse, Pope was high up on Arizona’s list so be careful throwing stones.

Also, not being able to turn the corner at BYU has zero bearing on what kind of record he will have at Kentucky. Not saying he is a slam dunk hire but he isn’t what Gillespie was either. If he can recruit well enough I wouldn’t be surprised if he is successful.

Maybe not UK-fan-expectation successful but …

[TheCat]

Pope is a good coach and better be because all his players have left.