Kerr Kriisa took photos with fans after Saturday's win. (Vicky Graff Photo)
When it comes to Kentucky coach Mark Pope, nothing should surprise any of us anymore.
He bought ice cream for fans when he couldn’t stay to sign autographs after his postgame radio show earlier this season. He’s taken his team to eastern Kentucky to help build houses. He’s been out and about in Lexington almost from the day he arrived in Lexington.
The list could go on and Pope certainly added to it Saturday night after his team beat Louisville.
“We were sitting in the locker room (after the game) talking and the guys were talking about this gym is just incredible to play in,” Pope said on his postgame show on the UK Radio Network with Tom Leach. “Why not go out and sign some autographs? Merry Christmas from me and them.”
Fans obviously were delighted to have players, including injured Kerr Kriisa on his scooter after his foot surgery, back on the court signing autographs and taking photos with them.
“It is really good for our guys. Our guys are so grateful for everybody coming to these games,” Pope told Leach. “We were watching a top 25 team today and looked around the gym and they don’t have BBN to show out.
“To walk into this gym and feel the BBN energy is what you dream of as a coach and player. We want to express gratitude for them.”
This was Pope’s first time coaching in the rivalry but he did play against Louisville twice during his UK career — even if he tried to forget one game.
“You guys know I have a terrible memory. You guys know I was with (my wife) Lee Anne yesterday. It was last night. I looked up at the two games that I actually played in and in the game my junior we lost by two at Louisville. When I saw it, I was like, wait, what?” Pope said.
“I promise you, so I remember now. It was like locked away. The bus ride home from Louisville. I was in a full-on teary-eyed sweat last night. I blocked it out of my memory. And all of a sudden it all came rushing back. I’m starting to sweat right now. You get locked in the bus with Coach P (Rick Pitino) for an hour and a half after a two-point loss against Louisville. I don’t wish that on any of you, actually. I bet only half of you guys would come out alive, I kid you not. And our senior year we had a runaway win.”
Pope also expressed his appreciation to UK athletics personnel who reached out to former UK players to write a letter to current UK players about what the UK-Louisville game meant to them.
“That probably says it better than I ever could. If you haven’t seen it, take a look at it because it’s really special to our guys. It is what Kentucky basketball is. Generation after generation being connected and understanding what it means,” Pope said.
“Those letters, I’ve got a copy of each one of those on my desk and they are really special to me and I think they are special to our guys. Sometimes, five, 10, 15, or 20 years from now, our guys are going to be writing letters to the next generation of players and keeping this connection going. That’s really special, super cool. That’s the good and bad of my memories about Louisville.”
8 Responses
A stirring article with past & present tied into a BIG BLUE bundle!
Coach Pope is is like a…
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLE WATERS…
From the great UK Coach Pitino seasons in the 1990’s to the incredible UK 2024 Coach Pope year of recovery…
Pope is a link that soars over the “FF is not important” to the “SECT” is not important.
Pope is doing a great job. Might be among the best ever before he is done. As far as Pitino, he and Gillespie are neck and neck as the biggest creeps to ever coach the Cats. Basketball games are far less important than integrity. It’s incredible to me that people want to forget the millions Calipari raised for the disasters in this state and all the good he did. Pitino has always been morally bankrupt and always will be.
Jimmy, just remember Rick P. brought our program from the ashes when he took over. He did nothing wrong while at UK. He’s a master in coaching one of the best.
Calipari should join Samaritans Purse and quit coaching basketball.
Like I said, No Integrity.
If u r looking to hold people in the sports world accountable for integrity in the year 2024-2025, good luck with that—u are going to be one disappointed, unhappy camper. And it’s amazing that u would get on here and virtue-signal and preach to our fans about how important integrity is to u while in the same breath defending John Calipari…..LOL. THATS A LAUGH. John Calipari doesn’t know the word "integrity". Whether u like it or not, Mark Pope is here to win bball games for KY because THATS HIS JOB DESCRIPTION, as was CAL’s job description, and Billy Clyde’s job description, and Tubby Smith’s job description, and Rick Pitino’s job description–Pope’s seemingly virtue of integrity is a rare bonus in the sports world these days, and KY got lucky as hell to get the type character traits that Mark Pope possesses–so if I were you, I would appreciate it for what it is, and realize that in todays sports world, there is no REAL integrity. Just be real: YOU ARE A CAL-SHAMER. U get on here to shame KY fans who were sick of CAL and wanted him gone. That’s not a real KY fan. Take up a new hobby, dude.
Kentucky is over rated. The only place they exceed expectations is when they buy into Pope’s infectious overhype.
Their defense is suspect, their 3 point shooting is also suspect, and team quickness is questionable.
Unless things improve, a March flameout is possible. HOWEVER, I prefer these Wildcats than sCALawags last 4 or 5 bunches of non-achievers! I am glad sCALawag is gone!
Have a blessed CHRISTmas!
Ed you are right. Our 3 point shooting is suspect, but our defense needs a major overhaul. Brea and Perry don’t stop anyone…they just follow behind them on the way to a layup for the other team. I would play Collins and Noah ahead of these two from what I saw this past week. Williams defensive effort has been up and down. We will have to play more zone against the better teams. Our first 5 SEC games will give us a pretty good idea of what we can expect from the rest. From what I have seen from the rest of the league, we are the 4th best team and that might be stretching it. They played like they were sleep walking this past week. They better wake up quick.