When Lee Anne Pope Talks, Mark Pope Listens

Vicky Graff Photo

Maybe it wasn’t the way Kentucky coach Mark Pope expected his first postgame press conference Wednesday night might end but he certainly handled a non-game question with his normal poise and wit.

Instead of talking more about UK’s potent offense and superb defense, the first-year UK coach was asked what he meant about having a “partnership” with his wife, Lee Anne.

And how could you not love his response.

“It means Lee Anne tells me what to do and I do it really – come on, man. I’m not shy
about it. Lee Anne is the best part of me. I’m super blessed. You know, she’s my best friend. I’m madly in love with her,” Pope said.

“I still can’t believe that she takes the time to talk to me from time to time. It just doesn’t make sense to me. I’m super blessed. I’m really blessed. It’s just incredible.

“And she does tell me what to do. And I do it. It’s awesome. Okay.”

Remember a day earlier his wife ran out of gas a few miles from Memorial Coliseum and Pope left a Zoom meeting with UK graduate assistants to rescue his wife. First reports had indicated it was the UK coach who ran out of gas but he corrected that on a national podcast. Some considered it a “mistake” for the coach to make it clear it was his wife who ran out of gas.

However, the focus to me was that he immediately left what he was doing in the UK basketball office to take care of the love of his life. So when he says he is blessed to be with her, believe him.