Post by crosscreek on Apr 15, 2024 7:52:11 GMT -5
A week ago I woke up to the news Begok had bolted to Arkansas. I was excited to say the least. My prayers had been answered and it was true. Begok was GONE.
Like all fans I was anxious to see who are new coach would be. I questioned what would happen then I saw where UK was going after the big boys. Hurley, Scott Drew and Billy D, a man who has said no to UK twice before. We were willing to throw $100 million at Hurley. I was confident one of the big names would be in Lexington next year. I was excited and anxious at the same time.
Then I wake up one morning and see Mark Pope had been hired. What? I had no idea what kind of head coach Mark Pope was because he coached at BYU. A school that won't allow their players to drink coffee or Cokes. Or have sex out of wedlock. How could he even recruit at a place like that muchless win games. I was so unsure of the hire that I decided to spend all day watching YouTube videos. I had forgotten his team beat Kansas in Allen Field House and Baylor. The same Baylor we were trying to hire their coach from.
I watch YouTube videos until my eyes started burning and I was becoming amazed at what I was seeing. This was exciting basketball and Mark Pope was connecting with fans like no other coach I had seen. Fans were on his Weekly Coach Show and they were active and allowed to make comments or ask questions. My former coach would run from questions after a loss and send some poor assistant out to face the music. A coward. Not a man.
I became convinced this was the man for UK basketball at this time in history. He checks every box you want from a coach. He will work and he will connect. What a week it was.
I hear Z will sit down with Coach today and discuss his future or non future at UK. I trust Z goes in with an open mind and does some homework. Maybe watch a few videos and see how a big man is used in the Mark Pope system. If he does that, there is no comparison which system is best for him. He should be convinced to stay as far away from Arkansas' new coach as possible and become a star in the UK system. Because he would and fast.
