when John Calipari The day is over in Kentucky, but the only certainty about what's to come is uncertainty. A 15-year run that started in legendary fashion eventually took a turn for the worse. This off-court antics have been as big a setback for Big Blue Nation as early NCAA Tournament losses over the past five seasons.
The infamous “Calipari-ism” and the “I've never seen him” remark were enough to make some people want Calipari gone. Sure, losing to a double-digit seed in the first round sucks, but the non-basketball shenanigans were a killer in and of themselves in the eyes of many. Calipari contributed a lot to all of Kentucky, but his words in interviews started to become clichéd (with every interview he attended).
That's why it was so refreshing to listen to it. Mark Pope He spoke at his inaugural press conference on Sunday. Finally, it felt like Kentucky and this program were in the hands of someone who wanted to be here, someone who understood what this meant to the fans. Mark Pope laid it out in a nearly 30-minute press conference.
Pope had fans, former teammates and even some members of the media holding their breath. Rupp Arena had an energy that hasn't been present in Kentucky basketball for a long time. It was more than special. Come to think of it, BBN hasn't felt this positive about the program since the Cats defeated No. 1 Michigan State in the 2019 Champions Classic. It's a far cry from the matchup they had earlier in the season.
Now, once the season starts, you never know what you're going to get. It's hard to set expectations at this point in the offseason — he still has a team to build. However, before we delve into all his X's and O's, let's enjoy what we currently know about Mark Pope before we dig deeper into the roster and staff composition.
A man who lives and breathes Kentucky basketball and a man who will do everything in his power to represent this state and BBN in the best way possible.
Next, make space for the banner.