Good morning, BBN!
The question that everyone has been asking, really, since the Gonzaga game is:
Will Mark Pope turn things around for Kentucky Basketball? Not just this season, but can it be turned around next
season, or the season after that? Will it ever be fixed?
It may sound dramatic to phrase it that way, but I believe the questions are fair to ask.
It’s not just about the play on the court. It’s terrible most of the time, and if it weren’t for some miraculous comebacks and shots, it’d be a lot worse.
It’s about the energy that this team plays with in big games. The look of disorientation, confusion, and lack of accountability all point to something wrong with coaching.
We don’t know exactly what it is and probably never will, but to answer the question of whether it will be fixed this season, the answer is no.
He didn’t build this team to fit the system he wants to play in; therefore, there is no system, and that’s why it feels like they’re grasping at straws each game.
Now, can it be fixed next season and beyond? Absolutely. While I am an optimist, I’m also a realist, and I believe the pressure of spending the most money and having each top portal guy was too much for Pope and this staff.
Next year, I expect him to get back to what he knows best and get players who fit his system, rather than trying to fit his system to the best players.
What do you think? Am I too optimistic, or do you still have hope in Pope?
Tweet of the Day:
Some happy vibes, love seeing Maxey get so excited for his teammate.
Headlines:
CBS Sports Classic Event Extended through 2029 – UK Athletics
Unfortunate to see St. John’s pull out of this.
Tom Brady slams Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub – ESPN
As he should.
Alright, I was fine with him not being a first-ballot or second-ballot, but next year, it’s time.
This would be fun.
Sources: Heat, Wolves, Knicks, Warriors among Giannis suitors – ESPN
I would love to see him in Miami.
The Browns’ Todd Monken hire makes sense in some ways, but the risks are hard to ignore – CBS Sports
This was… an intersting hire to say the least.
Ranking the last 2 NFL head coaching openings: Raiders vs. Cardinals – CBS Sports
Raiders all day long. Mendoza and $100M in cap space, oh, and Tom Brady.
Patriots list Drake Maye as limited prior to Super Bowl practices – ESPN
This is scary.
Cignetti has to be the greatest second year of all time and it’s not even close.
Is Victor Wembanyama ‘floating around the perimeter’ too much for the Spurs? – Yahoo Sports
Teams are doing better against Wemby, excited for his response.
