Positivity can still be present amongst Big Blue Nation, even with how the last week has gone for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Yes, the losses to Louisville and Michigan State aren’t good. But the season is only
five games in. There are plenty of big games remaining in the regular season.
Mark Pope has done a lot of good since becoming the head coach of the Wildcats. Look at last season and how he brought the fanbase back together. The fact that he said Tuesday night, “we will not fail,” is something I can get behind. His dedication to this university and program is strong enough to make me think he’s going to get this season in the direction we all want it to.
Former Wildcats’ head coach Rick Pitino is backing Mark Pope after Tuesday night’s dismantling at the hands of Michigan State in the Champions Classic.
“Michigan State made threes, which was very unexpected,” Pitino said in an interview with Adam Zagoria. “But there’s no question in my mind that Kentucky, come March, will be a great basketball team.”
A lot of those who don’t root for the Wildcats are going to point out and be critical of them because of the reported $22 million they spent on building their roster. But is their roster really worth $22 million?
For what it’s worth, as the head coach of a program that also spent a lot in the transfer portal, Pitino doesn’t believe it.
“First of all, everything is exaggerated,” Pitino told Zagoria. “I hear these numbers, and it’s not proven. Unless it’s proven, it’s not factual. So nobody said the payroll’s $22 million, nobody knows that, nobody’s confirmed that, so people can’t make up numbers.”
“I’m close with Mark, and I don’t believe in these numbers,” he added. “I think everybody exaggerates these numbers. I know they do with us (St. John’s), and they do with every place.”
It’s still early in the season, but adversity has already hit a Wildcats team that is supposed to be among the elite teams in college basketball this season.
