Kentucky Basketball Presents: Mark Pope

Kentucky Basketball Presents: @CoachMarkPope - A new era.

[@Paducahrus]

Gratitude. He has it. We have it. The team will have it. Welcome home, Coach. Let's hang some banners.

[@John-ne4fq]

How much gratitude does it take to win a championship?

[@tystarnes]

Cal didn't seem have gratitude the 2012 title, sec tournament let's for forget "were built for March" after losing lower seeds again can't keep getting bounced first round Cal is what it is.

[@ScratchCat-im7fe]

Btw we were there on the front row. My kids will never forget it!!! Thank you mark Pope!!

[@ScratchCat-im7fe]

Thank you Mark, thank you! Calipari sucked the life out of us, he wanted to erase who we are and promote himself and his players. You brought us home!! You did that!!! Now go kick his ass.

[@CameronWhitlock-sh6hv]

Hyped is an understatement for next season

[@pullchop]

Can't help but get a lil teary eyed. I'm getting up in age and have been hoping and praying for this moment when one of our own could coach here. Thank you Mitch. Thank you Coach Pope and family. We are UK! Go Big Blue!!!!!

[@KentFoy]

Cats Cats Cats!!!!! The one and done era is done

[@bigbluegr8ness383]

This is what you call going full circle and I can feel the passion through the screen GO BIG BLUE!!! 🔵⚪️🏀☝️😼

[@rossbourne809]

im not crying, you're crying!!!

[@UKBLUE1]

No more proof needed... Best fan base in SPORTS

[@atlantic_love]

IMO there wasn't a better fit for this program at this point in time, than Mark Pope. He is the only out of ALL the candidates who 'gets it', the DNA and what UK's history is about. The pressure no doubt is on him, but he's doing the best he can with what he's given, and what the rules will allow him to do. Go Big Blue!

[@wildcatrewind]

We get the honor of seeing players that used to ONLY play for the name on the back of the jersey......back to players who know the privilege of playing with Kentucky across the front of the jersey! Been a looong time!

[@rollin92gt]

Go Big Blue! I was deployed back in 96 and we did some training in Pohang Korea. The '96 NC game was on and the Seabees had a small barracks that they built, well, me and another Marine (he was from NY) snuck in there and watched the game while they were away. Great times!!

[@jerricalewis7887]

The love you see in this video says a lot about the friendships these guys have. It's great to be a Wildcat fan and witness this fan base get behind a former player. Go blue!!!

[@steves.2867]

D.A. looked honored to be there with him and i guarantee every other player showed that same love!! Go Big Blue...❤

[@msh6865]

@@steves.2867 it was a homecoming for DA and many other Cats legends too.

[@hartmtg4316]

Never seen someone so grateful and just honestly loves to be part of Kentucky. Someone who understands and cares about the people. We love you Pope.

[@lynnewampler6543]

I am so glad he was celebrated so wonderfully.

[@beckypatrick7811]

No better person to be our Coach than a former player! Coach Pope is the man! We are so excited to have him and feel he gets us! There are no pro teams in Kentucky. UK Basketball is our team! GO BIG BLUE!!! GOOD LUCK COACH POPE!

[@alexrankin6376]

I love the fact that he is and always has been someone who cares more about the name on the front of the jersey, rather than the back of it. Excited for the Pope Era and genuinely wishing him the most success! It’s an honor to put on the UK jersey and an even bigger honor to come back and coach at that same program.

[@NoUseForAName0626]

I remember like last night when Pope played at KY.. I think this is awesome and I really hope he does well

[@clavd8932]

Let's goooo! Bye cal, good luck Arkansas, and THANK YOU to the donors who bought him out. He's your problem now. #9 is coming BBN.... Bro, his interaction with the fans!!!! I'm so hyped

[@lauragray3421]

Can't wait for the new season to start.

[@spiffy8576]

Let’s go Mark Pope. He’s here for the right reasons.

[@Grayswandiir]

Ugh, so many good tears. Thank you coach pope for reuniting this fan base!

[@joelspaulding5964]

I like my coach!

[@caleboo528]

This made me so happy! The Pope era has begun! Let’s go!

[@harrisonburchett4745]

Awesome work by the UK Sports Video team! LETS GO COACH!

[@judahshort08]

The UK media team NEVER misses.

[@theMermaidRhonda]

The captain is now the coach! I'm beyond excited! GO BIG BLUE!

[@BigBlueReefAquatics]

Loved the behind the scenes footage!!! I'm So pumped for Coach POP and all of BBN!!!

[@marymays8846]

That moment of the bus pulling in I will always remember 🎉🎉🎉🏀🏀🏀💙💙💙

[@user-bz8zv4zq9c]

thanks you calipari but it was just time for a change... The pope Era has begun . I'm predicting he'll at least lead me Kentucky to three championships in the next 20 years

[@chadsimpson9757]

That would be awesome! Doubt he’ll be here 20 years though just because I think the job is too tough to be doing to the age of 71. If he’s successful though we have a coach for at least 10-15 years

[@user-yg3ic2sc5y]

So lo ng bud

[@Novak958]

Welcome home, Coach Pope! Big Blue Nation has been blessed with a coach who loves this state and program as much as we do!

[@jaymeharl3270]

I attended UK in 88-90. I lived in Blanding Tower my freshman year and knew a girl named Iris who played in the Pep Band. I went to her room one day and she introduced me to her roommate and her roommate's boyfriend. He was a big dude. He said his name was Winston. I said, "Winston....." He just stared at me a minute and said, "Bennett". I didn't know! You don't know what you don't know!

[@bigj2518]

The Captain of the best college basketball ball team of all time, consider that for a minute!

[@oakleyjack7600]

This Coach is special !! And there will be many future NBA Stars and Championships going forward and a fan base that will be Proud !! Again. He will recruit players that fit each particular position, like Hurley, Self, Coach K and Pitino did, not just pick out players with five stars, he will put together rosters that put up Banners and there will still be five stars and they won’t waste a season sitting the bench but will progress and shine. UConn won the championship this year with one Freshman starting the game, Hurley knows how to recruit and so does Pope. You can’t drag Hurley away from UCONN and you won’t drag Pope away either. We have already Won and we haven’t even started the new season yet. Go Big Blue🏀💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@MattN03]

I love our new coach! Can't wait for the season to start! Go Big Blue! 💙

[@danielhall-wl4ql]

I thought it said Mark Stoops on the Radio, yea I was really lost for a min .well always have been but you get the point.

[@digging6068]

Can’t help but feel like we got our are heart and souls back as a college, community, and commonwealth. Calipari was a like a deal with the devil : we sold our program for a bit of instant gratification and a few good years. I believe cal loved us at one time but I think he was ready to move on 4 years ago.

[@thasanman2504]

Let’s Go .!!! Feels like KY Basketball again.!! Hope everyone has patience with Pope .. he is having to build this program from ground up. Go Big Blue #BBN

[@wildcatrewind]

Kentucky basketball is an absolute beautiful thing! Pope gets that. Its gonna be one hell of a ride with Coach Pope, He and Jeff Sheppard were my first favorite players as a kentucky kids and now its all come full circle.... Lets get it Wildcats....GO BIG BLUE GO BIG BLUE GO BIG BLUE #BIGBLUENATION

[@harveyblevins74]

Man I love this guy. So glad we gave him a chance. I think if he can get some help on recruiting he's gonna go down as one of the greats to ever coach them game. His offense is genius and witu the right players others are gonna have a hard time stopping them. Go CATS and Go COACH Pope!!!

[@sahasralah]

Sports video team knocked this one out. Nice work! 👊🏽

[@dredennis113]

We have 2 Marks coaching at Kentucky. One turned the football team around. And then Pope gives us hope.

[@sportspm]

Awesome, I love it!❤

[@lyndagilbert9884]

Welcome back to the Big Blue Nation! You are here where you belong!

[@ShawnD-tp3id]

I'm so freaking PUMPED¡!!!!!!!!!!¡ Let's go C A T S !!!!!!!!!

I totally agree. I feel hopeful

[@dannyyork1142]

Let's go!!!! Time put up some new banners!!!!! Now we got a coach that will take every loss personally!!!!! He wore that jersey!!!!!!

[@FlyingMonkeys69]

I just had a premonition of Coach Pope in 15 years being discussed in the same class as a Coach K ,Dean Smith, or even Coach Pitino in terms of being a historically great coach. He has all the ingredients , and his humility is so refreshing. I was on the fence when it was announced that he was our head coach , but now I think it was a genius move by Mitch Barnhart. I’m sorry for doubting you sir ! I love the hire more each day

[@RobintheHood17]

GRATITUDE AND PASSION BABY! GOBIGBLUE

[@theblakex]

A hero to save us

[@garyjrsonny]

Pope gives me hope.

[@user-vh6uc7fi6y]

THE BIGBLUE POPE IS BACK IN THE CATICAN

[@jamescurry9764]

Welcome back

[@pidjones]

Bring back the denim! GBB!

[@blublood22]

Welcome Home Coach Pope!!!!! #BBN #GoBigBlue #WeAreUK

[@TasteTheRambo812]

FIRST FAN POST

[@billytownsend237]

He wants to win. I love it. Not saying I put 26 first rounders in the nba with one banner showing. And that was with Davis. Would rather have a team with the the will to win!

[@bluearcherx]

i'm not crying, you're crying

[@Waylenjones34]

Let’s go win a chip

[@dredennis113]

Now we just need a Shepard.

[@Nsgbro1]

💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@SlyFox4569]

2:20

[@Potts87_Thor_RIP_Adp]

Let’s Fcking GOoo baby!!!!!!! C A T S ……CATS CATS CATS

[@DustinWagers]

Let's go cats!!!

[@terpheavy]

Cal could never

[@loganmclean6510]

Thank you for selling out... We like Kevin Young !!

[@Katrinamhigginbotham]

Let make wildcat win a lot

[@mzee4076]

Go cougs

[@j-ferrell144]

You guys have went hardcore on the mark pope stuff Lol yes he is our coach, yes I am excited. But enough of blowing each other… he needs to focus on getting some players. I feel like everyone has hyped him up soooo much that it’s almost unfair to the guy. He literally has nothing to work with player wise at this very moment. As it stands we are in worse shape then last year, until he builds a roster, so while I commend the support everyone has given to mark, I think we should pump the breaks a little bit and not expect this guy to be Jesus in the first year

[@mjm1100]

I think people will give him time. Except those that are already negative. People are just excited to have some hope.

[@williamreinhard]

It's just fun to lean into the nostalgia and feel something besides apathy at the end of a season. Nobody reasonably expects that we're going to start winning championships his first year. We're just having fun with it. The recruiting season is only getting started.

[@ShooterMcGavin32]

I couldn’t agree more. They are overhyping this man so much it’s driving me insane. He does not have the coaching resume to coach at Kentucky, he amounted to zero wins in March two years in a row. The false positivity is real. Boy I hope he proves me wrong. He needs to start talking about what he’s going to do to win and to recruit. Not oh I loveeee my family and the fans, awesome man talk basketball.

[@msh6865]

It will calm down over the summer and as football starts it will move to the background. Pope will easily have three to four years to make it work.

[@j-ferrell144]

@@ShooterMcGavin32 nothing wrong with all our fans showing up for him, don’t get me wrong. But I think there was still 3-4 more qualified guys that were out there to take over Ky. Mitch really gambled here. Again, I hope pope proves me wrong and he wins every game. But I don’t see anyone wanting to come to my for a while, or at least until he has some solid winning seasons.

[@solobusiness4320]

It’s funny because he’s gonna be fired within 4 years if you think mark Pope is the coach to win a national championship than you are lost there’s no helping you dude was at a mid major with zero NCAA wins if he didn’t play for Kentucky he’d still be a mid major coach

[@msh6865]

You mean like Hubert Davis and John Sheyer?

[@dredennis113]

Technically he is a coach now that won a national championship.

[@theoptimist9605]

BYU just hired a much better coach than Pope…. And they’re celebrating getting rid of him. We’re screwed… Again‼️

[@scottwhiting3716]

BYU will never match the intensity of this press conference I listen to both Kevin young is a good hire for byu mark pope is a good hire for Kentucky I love this emotion passion I love the history

[@theoptimist9605]

@@scottwhiting3716 Let’s hope for the best!

[@ShooterMcGavin32]

So much false positivity in this comments thread, he is such a downgrade as a coach it isn’t even funny. He amounted to jack shit at byu in March. He does not have the resume to coach at Kentucky, I really hope he does well, but boy oh boy does he have a lot to prove. He needs to talk more about what he’s going to do to win and recruit. He’s a great speaker, great personality, but great coach?? We’ll see. Can only polish a turd so much, it’s still a turd. Yay you love Kentucky basketball woohooo you love your family, I love to win and keep the standard of Kentucky basketball strong. Also just to add, why the fk are they offering him 5 million a year for 5 years, the man would have taken 1 mil a year for 5 years. I’m trying so hard to not be bitter.

[@msh6865]

You're doing a terrible job at not being bitter. You sound like one of Cal's daughters. Calipari was flirting with Ohio State back in February, when he should have been focused on fixing the program he was being paid $9 million per year to run. Downgrade? Hardly. You already forget about 9-16, St. Peters and Oakland???

[@dredennis113]

Thought you were talking about Cal until you said “yay you love Kentucky “. Then understood who you were talking about.

[@ShooterMcGavin32]

@@msh6865you are proving my point, we hired a coach with no wins in March himself…. Mitch should be fired. This is such a downgrade of a hire. Also the fact you are basing an entire season on one a loss to Oakland and a guy who made 10 threes in one half. Any team would have lost the that guy.

[@hdhxhebdh]

Welcome home pope 😊 lets get this job done and make it happen 🏆#9 🙏🏻 get it done pope. Lets go cats BBN.... 💪😺💙🤍💙🏀🔥🔥.. love the video 😊

[@heathertye7492]

I am so excited for Kentucky basketball next year!! Welcome home coach!!