The Big Blue Nation was at its absolute best on Sunday afternoon. Kentucky fans showed up the morning of Mark Pope‘s introductory press conference as the new men’s basketball head coach — and they just kept showing up as the doors opened an hour before the scheduled 4:30 p.m. EST start time.
In fact, they never stopped showing up, to the point where Rupp Arena had to begin turning fans away from entering the jam-packed building. It was announced on the TV broadcast that roughly 5,000 fans were denied entrance due to the arena — which holds over 20,000 people — hitting capacity.
The press conference was even delayed about 15 minutes to allow every fan in the building a chance to settle into their seat. Even Pope didn’t seem to believe what he was seeing.
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34 Comments
Tyler’s probably the only one of them that remembers Mark playing lol.
Heck Yeah. So glad I was part of it !! Amazing !!
I still can’t believe this. 😕
The 96 team my all time favorite team great to see a true blue coach
I’m a BYU alum and a big Mark Pope fan. I’m also a Nebraska football fan and I thought we had the best fans in sport (with 400 consecutive sellouts happening this year with the past decade being mostly a losing team). However, when it comes to basketball I can’t imagine a more passionate fanbase than Kentucky. I was impressed. Count me as a new Kentucky fan!
Just FYI Dan Hurley has personally directly confirmed in interviews that he never got a UK offer. He was just one of those guys like Nate Oats trying to jump on the news cycle and trick their bosses into a raise. Which makes me glad he didn't get an offer, pretty dishonest, he's probably cheating and got NCAA violations incoming at some point.
But to be clear not one of these guys who hopped in twitter to say they'd never come here actually had any opportunity to come here ever in their lives. The list was Scott Drew and Mark Pope, no one else was on it.
If you think UK isn't the top job, look at the Mark Pope intro presser crowd with 5K people turned away, and look at UConn's "crowd" for winning back to back titles. UK is the clear #1 and the difference between them and #2 is exponential.
I'm all in on The Pope…..Let's go Cats…..I'm finally excited again, and it feels so good.
JEFF SHEPPARD AS AN ASSISTANT
Mitch went WWE and got yall drinkin the kool aid 4 shoo 😂 nice.. smoke & mirrors 🪞 💨
#9 here we come!
What the fans haven’t seen yet, is the connections coach has at his fingertips.
Every one says that now press conferences are fine but he struggles and they will want his head and i don't truly believe that most wildcat fans are very happy about the hire but i will say as a Vols fan be careful what you wish for
NPD is real. Educate yourself.
Pope is genuine. After years of BS, this was very refreshing
Felt like I was there. Emotional. Tears shed. GREAT broadcast! Never get rid of Tyler. Eye candy accompanying you dudes is much appreciated. 😊
Such a big change from Swaggy Cal to humble Pope. That's what the true blue fans want to see.
He was a decent player, dunno what kind of coach he'll be. I'm glad Calipari is gone!
Vols rent free in KSr heads
I think a lot of UK fans that stepped away from the game because of Calipari, will be back cheering on Coach Pope and his team this year. We finally hv a coach who’s only priority isn’t getting players to the NBA, we hv a coach now who wants to coach college basketball and hang banners in Rupp. He will build a team with players who hv the same vision as him-winning titles. Plus we’re finally gonna hv players who mk it to their jr and sr years, no use UK as a stepping stone to the pros. I’m more than ready for Coach Pope’s era. Let’s get back to UK basketball! So happy Cal is someone else’s problem now. BBN loves Mark Pope!!!!❤🏀❤
Tom V and Justin C would be a better coach than Pope
I’m starting to see why Mitch made this choice. We’re getting the pre taking a knee fanbase back! Go bbn
You guys forget wha t was like in 2009. College game day that year vs Tennessee was every bit as energetic as yesterday. That said it was awesome
The only challenge for the current crowd of UK sports pundits is they weren't really around for the 96,97,98 teams, and Pope brought that feeling back for the first time in ages. Those were my first 3 years at UK and the environment you saw yesterday was every single game during that stretch! It was electric, uniting, and dominant. I'm thrilled to see it coming back!!
Whoever filmed this needs a different job
This is what is needed to bring to games. This enthusiasm, and certainly this volume. I once heard a UK player say, “I could not here myself speak.”
The Kentucky Tradition is back. Thank you, Mitch and Coach Pope. Go Cats!!!
5 star recruit decommints from Kentucky because Pope is now the head coach
We are Back ❤💙🏀 Go Big Blue Forever
Kentucky fans: “We have the best fan base in the nation!”
Half the comment section is people admitting they gave up supporting Cal 7 years ago 😂
If only we could pack Rupp full of PASSIONATE fans for the games! Get those old blue hairs out of the good seats and let the ones who know how to cheer their Cats to a victory fill those seats. I'm tired of seeing the Duke crazies do what we should have been doing all along!
Gonna be a disaster.
And maybe Barnhart felt like he had to go after the other two bigger names to silence the grumbling he KNEW he’d get? All I know is, I’m hopeful!
People who make hurtful comments about a wonderful man and coach should go look in the mirror!!
I Am Kentucky Fan #BBN I Hope Our New Head coach Mark Pope Will Do Great