from a BYU alum...Pope's rise in the coaching ranks is truly astonishing. I wish him nothing but the best and you've just gained another Wildcat fan. I'll be cheering right along side ya'll. Go Coach Pope and go Kentucky Wildcats!
Not gonna lie....Dude had tears streaming down my face from the time he got off the bus and hosted the "96 plaque. I hope he has unprecedented success!!!!!!!!!!
@@JWCFBlmao be nice they were the ones calling the restaurant where Scott Drew was eating and tracking Joe Crafts jet around during the coaching search , they are truly special
UT fan here. Dude gets it. I've told my Vol fans here stop laughing at this hire as we have a big hire coming in next couple of years. It's not always the big name. I think you all nailed it. Looking forward to those UK UT games next season.
@tystarnes appreciate man. We were so close. Can't seem to best Purdue. Our other best chance with Grant Williams and Admirals team they beat us in a close one too. Smh. I agree. I our guards would have challenged them a little more but man Uconn is soo good. Their offense is a well oiled machine.
@@thetip.offpodcast I agree. Don't worry as UK fan been more frustrating against the UConn Purdue machines at least Tennessee has had the better teams of late. As UK fan I admit that and I appreciate Cal early years 2012-2015 brought a title all those final 4s etc. But despite the COVID year Cal has fallen really bad he can do those exits Arkansas or etc but yea Kentucky wasn't going put up.with that forever even tho they wouldn't going fire him the 33$ million buyout I understand that. I'm assuming that lifetime contract was after 2012 or when Cal got offered the UCLA coaching job.
Thanks to my Dad and the '96 Championship team I've been a massive Kentucky fan for most of my life but to hear my Dad say he's excited about the basketball program again nearly brought me to tears. I'll forever be grateful to Calipari but Pope is the piece Kentucky has missed for several years now. The timing was perfect.
Mark’s time at UK is the end of the beginning of my fan status. I became a fan of the team during 1992, and Mark Pope’s 1996 team brought the program into brilliance from the 1992 low. I am very excited to see what he does as UK head coach. It’s so fantastic to have him back!!
As a BYU fan, I think I speak for a lot of Cougar Nation saying how lucky we feel you are to have Coach Pope and how sad we are to see him go. The only thing we had to give us hope after the highly disappointing loss to Duquesne was the opportunity we saw in next season. We were really looking forward to the growth BYU could experience in the next few years with the leadership of Coach Pope. Sad time for the Cougars indeed.
@@TurdSlingerI know a lot of UK fans were not happy with this choice, but I think BYU fans might be even more upset-if that’s possible. 😉 I believe Pope is extremely hungry and desperately wants to prove himself at Kentucky. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. He will give it his all-and it might be just what Kentucky needs to get that next National championship.
@@sunshinegirlshop2311 I was definitely unhappy until I realized who he was. He played for UK, he won a championship at UK in 96. So he definitely bleeds blue. I still think we could of gotten a more skilled coach. But with his system and the kentucky name behind him. He will get way better players just because it's kentucky basketball.
Two wonderful statements coach Pope constantly used "We don't do that here" and " that's the Job, that's the assignment" Folks those are real fighting phrases...this coach is about kicking real ass. He's really wants to win EVERY GAME! HERE WE GO WILDCATS!!
Haters can't dampen the enthusiasm of anyone in BBN lol.... It was good to see Derek, Jeff, Tony, Richie and all the other former players show up for support. Mark Pope will work his ass off to deliver the expectations he has laid out. I'm excited about the upcoming season!
I don't care if they skyped him from prison. Farmer made mistakes post basketball but I watched him and his brother Russ play at the state tournament and loved ever moment he wore the Kentucky jersey.
One of my favorite memories was Richie Farmer and Pitino talking out on the court and comparing Boston and eastern Kentucky accents. So much fun. I was smiling and laughing like I am tonight. ‘65 graduate with Adolph at Memorial Coliseum 😁💙
No matter what the future brings, I will always carry this moment in my heart. I live ten minutes from Rupp and go to most home games and was ready to get there early that day, but came down with covid the day of and stayed home. But looking at the pictures online of the crowd, seeing the videos, and watching it with my parents, I wasn't surprised that Kentuckians rallied to show our love for the Cats, even after a miserable few weeks, but I was surprised by Pope. I had never been more dejected than in that few weeks between the Oakland loss, Cal's absence and eventual radio appearance, the TV sham with Barnhart and then out of nowhere seeing him in red. Those few weeks felt like months. I was just starting the third grade when Cal got here, and now I'm graduating from UK. To go from that surreal, miserable stretch in limbo without a coach to where we are today has all been due to this guy's heart and his hustle. Love our coach.
I agree was time for a change as former player that 96 final 4 with UMass. 3 our coaches that game Patino, Calipari opposite teams now Pope a former ky player. No doubt a change was needed. Wishing Pope nothing but the best.
I'm crying just watching this! I've bled blue for almost 60-years and the last several years have been so depressing and made me very sad. Well today is a new beginning, it's time to get back to the glory of Kentucky Basketball! I know Cawood is looking down on us with a big smile on his face!
Ikr rumor is him and Mitch already purchased tickets to church camp in early March and welcomes everybody to come on out to see them and buy a few UK tee shirts and hats while ur there
That was electric!!!! I’m fired up. He referenced pretty much every grievance we had with Calipari. 1. Losing SEC tournaments 2. Calling us Basketball Bennys 3. Putting players ahead of UK 4. Generally just not caring about winning lol I’m jacked to the tits to see what he can do.
@@cambmw93😂 that’s why there’s a UConn fan stalking a Kentucky video huh? I wonder how many Kentucky fans were commenting on videos of UConn hiring Hurley… I’m thinking zero…
I’ve seen tons of comments people saying Kentucky is doomed or washed, but selling out rupp for a press conference should say different to all those doubters
Mark may not succeed, but it won’t be because he doesn’t love Kentucky and wants what is best for the University and fan base! I am very excited for the next chapter in the history of Kentucky basketball! I believe he will do well! The BBN made him proud today! I doubt there’s ever been a crowd like that in the history of college basketball for a press conference! Go big Blue!
Yes, Michigan fan here. I'ts nice for introductory press conferences but does not translate into success in college hoops...exhibit A Juwan Howard. He actually cried for half of his presser a couple years ago!
Me too. But i don’t think he is though. There was a moment during the introduction between Pope and Jeff after Mark said the name “Sheppards”. When the camera zoomed in on Jeff, you could see him saying “That wasn’t good.”
Honestly I was unsure of this hire but with all the support he's getting from everyone if he can do it and all the support will see what he can do give him a shot has a good chance
TBH, when I first saw that Mark Pope was our new coach, I immediately thought "Oh no. I hope this isn't our Kenny Payne moment." But now, I'm all in! This may be what BBN needed. I know he's got the passion, I just hope he's successful LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOO!
Arkansas had 500 show up for cal, I told my cat, kitty that's how u know who Kentucky fans are. The greatest fan base in world. Man pope, gonna make it so much better. Joe.b up there smiling high fiving. Bill keightly.
I would run through a brick wall for Pope right now....I'm juiced.He has already brung me back to a time that I had forgot I got numb to Kentucky basketball watched numbly we lost in a tournament I use to not sleep when I cared...I lost that with John I lost it that passion..... it's finally back!
I am a Louisville fan, but I will say Kentucky made the right hire. Mark Pope checks all the boxes for what you should want in a coach. He has a very high basketball IQ and is a great strategist. If you look at Mark Pope's resume, then you will see progressive improvement throughout. This past year was his first year in the Big 12, and he finished in the top half of the conference and had some impressive wins. This tells me Mark Pope will do well in the SEC. Honestly, I think the SEC is a tougher league than the Big 12 overall.
@@TheRealSpenco I am not sure how much weight that should carry, because he has spent most of his career coaching in non-power conferences. Meaning, even if he had won his conference tournament, he would be going in as a lower seed. He went in as a 6 seed this year and lost to an 11 seed, but that should not be concerning. Usually 6 vs. 11 games can go either way. Not to mention, Duquesne was under seeded.
@@kimmie-kat I really think both Louisville and Kentucky made great hires. I really think the rivalry will be better than it has been in a long time. I really thought Louisville was going to look at Mark Pope, but I think they decided not to, because he stated very clearly he wanted to coach at Kentucky.
amazing, the start of a new Era, The arm chair coaches are in trouble, they need to go back to rooting for Louisville. Get ready for a team that will play outstanding offense and outstanding defense and not worry about 1 and done
Pat Kelsey and Mark Pope definitely will bring the energy and offense in this rivalry. I’m a Louisville fan, but I definitely like Mark Pope better than Cal, and this will be a GREAT rivalry game this season
That was one of the most awesome experiences of my fan life! I grew tired of cal and hadn’t been to rupp since 2012. Quit watching the cats in 2017. It was a welcoming home for me as well.
The resume starts this season! I don't care about the past, I wanna know the future that should have nothing but Ws in it. That Kentucky you wear across your chest means more than what it says.
I am a Louisville fan, and I have a few questions for Kentucky fans. Would you rather hire Scott Drew for A LOT more money and run the risk of him not going to a Final Four and/or winning an NCAA championship while at Kentucky? It's very likely that Scott Drew has already hit the peak of his coaching career. Danny Hurley? Same question. It could be the case that Danny Hurley continues to be a huge success at UCONN, but do you think that necessarily means he would come to Kentucky and be successful? What if you had hired Danny Hurley for even more money than you would have paid Scott Drew, and he had already hit his peak? I would much rather pay a coach like Mark Pope less money and catch him on the rise, because his resume seems to indicate that he is on the rise. The same could be said for Louisville's hire of PK. Louisville should have NEVER been looking at Scott Drew and Dusty May.
I was so scared we were going to hire one of those guys. I did not want either of them here. This was the guy I wanted. I want him here because he wants to be here.
I have never felt so much true raw emotions for none of the other coaches that's been at UK . And I don't only think Mark is going to be at UK for a long time...im predicting he retires at UK . And people this is the difference in coaches that kinda cares about winning verses Been a winner ever since he first set foot on UK turf . And he's just All around a good man and has a very beautiful family and he's the first person I've ever heard say that he understands the system and knows how it works and he does because he was there when him and the other ones carried that big Beautiful National Title right through Rupp Arena. I know what's coming and everyone should be very very happy that UK hired him and im gonna be one to admit a bad mistake and when I kept seeing and hearing that he was going to be our next coach I shook my head and said this has to be a joke and I said that because I haven't watched a Kentucky Ballgame in about 10 years or so. I just stayed upset and my health means more than a ball game and dying with a stroke or heart attack and it was bound to happen if I hadn't quit watching them. And even then I was already on 4 different Blood pressure pills and I finally just quit watching them especially after it was pretty obvious that Coach Cal was more of a NBA scout and recruiter than a coach . So now I just take 1 BP pill and im ready to Go Cats ❤
60,200 views? My wife thinks I've watched it that many times already. Thank you for doing this! Who's the guy beside Prickett (that was him, right)? Tall dude.
Whenever he said “we get to be Sheppards” and the camera panned on Jeff you could see him say “that wasn’t good”… I think that says a lot about if Reed will be back next year
Aint gonna lie was disappointed when news broke that pope was getting job...I wanted the big name...however after this press conference he makes me want to run though a brick wall .....Go Big Blue
I hope and pray he doesn't bend the knee, I'm now a BBN Basketball fan again. Now if we can get rid of that Stooped over knee bending Stoops, that would be even better.
I wonder if Calipari's ego will ever let him admit he could have been adored like this until retirement if he had just done his job instead of his stupid 5 stars first strategy. And yea I said it that way because it was never players first. Anybody under a 5 star had to just deal with disappointment.
