2024 Coaching Carousel

If UK hires Pope, maybe we'll see more of the Popes on TV.

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Originally Posted by XUGRAD80

I think I also read where Cal said that HE had to go out and solicit the NIL money himself, while at UK, and that he won’t have to do that at Arkansas. At UA they have donors that seem to be dying to donate money to the NIL fund. That’s a big change.

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Yep thank you. And from what I have heard, he was being nice. It was worse than that and uk donors can be a bitter bunch. It was his own doing, but it was not a good situation at all. You don’t just leave to go to Fayetteville because you want to.

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Originally Posted by XUGRAD80

Good in the sense that I think he is a good coach and as he is a former UK player he will have the support of many fans. Having been a former player he will also understand what the pressures and expectations are that the job brings. I also don’t see him moving from BYU to UK as something that is going to cause ripples in the coaching pool that will be felt across the land, unlike what might have happened if Cronin (UCLA) or someone from another major program had taken the job. Have to believe that Miller at X is a pretty stable situation now.

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Fair. From what I have heard though, Barnhart went rogue on this one. He just wasn’t going to hire someone with any baggage whatsoever and he’s at the end of his career so he doesn’t give an f. If it doesn’t work out, he can ride off into the sunset.

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Originally Posted by JTG

Just remember, that now, whenever you eat chicken or set foot in a Walmart you are helping Cal's quest for a Natty.

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If everyone in KY stopped shopping at Walmart and eating frozen chicken the states economy would collapse.

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Originally Posted by XUGRAD80

Good in the sense that I think he is a good coach and as he is a former UK player he will have the support of many fans. Having been a former player he will also understand what the pressures and expectations are that the job brings. I also don’t see him moving from BYU to UK as something that is going to cause ripples in the coaching pool that will be felt across the land, unlike what might have happened if Cronin (UCLA) or someone from another major program had taken the job. Have to believe that Miller at X is a pretty stable situation now.

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Honestly I feel kind of bad for Pope, imagine getting into coaching, your alma mater is your dream job where you played and won a National Championship at, and it's all becoming real but the majority of the fan base is absolutely bashing your coaching chops and are in arms about the hire. Obviously can be motivating too, and I also completely see UK fan's point of view about this but damn that's brutal.

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Originally Posted by GIMMFD

Honestly I feel kind of bad for Pope, imagine getting into coaching, your alma mater is your dream job where you played and won a National Championship at, and it's all becoming real but the majority of the fan base is absolutely bashing your coaching chops and are in arms about the hire. Obviously can be motivating too, and I also completely see UK fan's point of view about this but damn that's brutal.

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The irony is that UKs fan base is the reason why all the other candidates turned them down. Aside from the fan base UK is an incredibly attractive job. But you gotta deal with the crazies.

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Originally Posted by GIMMFD

Honestly I feel kind of bad for Pope, imagine getting into coaching, your alma mater is your dream job where you played and won a National Championship at, and it's all becoming real but the majority of the fan base is absolutely bashing your coaching chops and are in arms about the hire. Obviously can be motivating too, and I also completely see UK fan's point of view about this but damn that's brutal.

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Yeah they are so upset that only two people have donated 4 million to the NIL fund on his 1st day there. After he puts together a roster and wins a few games the rest will come around. The UK fans are going to support their coach win or win.

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Originally Posted by MHettel

The irony is that UKs fan base is the reason why all the other candidates turned them down. Aside from the fan base UK is an incredibly attractive job. But you gotta deal with the crazies.

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They really only reached out to 2 guys though. They didn't want to wait on Billy D (reportedly) to finish the NBA season (not saying he would have taken it but supposedly did not say no). Surprised they moved on to Pope so quickly. There are guys with a lot more accomplishments who likely would have taken the job. No way Pearl would have said no.

Rick Pitino was practically publicly begging for the job.

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Originally Posted by D-West & PO-Z

They really only reached out to 2 guys though. They didn't want to wait on Billy D (reportedly) to finish the NBA season (not saying he would have taken it but supposedly did not say no). Surprised they moved on to Pope so quickly. There are guys with a lot more accomplishments who likely would have taken the job. No way Pearl would have said no.

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Yeah could have gotten Pearl/beard easily. Barnhart didn’t want “baggage.” It may work out for them like a Hubert Davis or scheyer or it could be a mullin, Ewing, Payne situation.