Mark Pope Is A Kentucky Basketball Hero

This isn't me just blowing the guy who coaches my favorite team. This is me doing that with facts. Mark Pope is a Kentucky basketball hero. Captain of the 1996 national title team, took over a program who needed a reset and did this in year 1. Pretty good hire! Not only that, he did it while dealing with major injuries. He's had the same roster for 7 games this year, that's it. Jaxson Robinson out for the year. Andrew Carr missing games, Lamont Butler missing games, Kerr Kriisa out for the year. None of it mattered, he just found his guys and gets them in winning positions. 

This was one hell of a first regular season. Setting a record in the sport seems good, breaking news I know. Didn't matter if it was on the road or at home either. Beat Duke on a neutral court, beat Gonzaga in Seattle, won at Tennessee and now won at Missouri. 10 wins in the best conference in America. 12 on KenPom as we speak and basically locked up a 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. All while doing it with a roster he put together in a month, late in the portal year. 

Now is the time that matters obviously though. He wants to win games at the SEC Tournament, something we haven't seen much of lately. He wants to win in the NCAA Tournament. That's how he's judged from afar and knows what he needs. But up until this point, he's been the guy who rejuvenated the program. He embraced every single insane member of Big Blue Nation. He's answered every question people had about him and if he could do it at this level. He's one of us and we're better because of it. 

Now let's go win some goddamn March games. 

PS: Pope effect