We had our guy. We just finished 5th in the B12. We have a top 50 and two top 100 guys on the way. Program on a big time upswing. Incredibly positive national recognition for BYU.
But then the BOT, which apparently thinks basketball doesn’t matter to BYU’s “mission,” lets Pope walk.
I bet by Monday half the rotation players are in the portal. I give us a 1% chance that Chandler and Davis even show up on campus.
I predict: we are a national joke next year. All goodwill for BYU basketball will disappear. The Marriott center will be half empty as BYU goes 3-15 in league next year. It takes years for BYU basketball to recover, and it may never.
I have never met a non member sports fan who does not equate our church and our university with LaVell Edwards, Steve Young, Jimmie Mac, Ainge, Jimmer, etc. ALL recognition of BYU from my friends is 100% SPORTS RELATED, and that recognition is ALL positive.
I put ZERO blame on Pope. I HAVE BEEN PREDICTING THIS WOULD HAPPEN if the BOT didn’t man up and understand that the modern sports landscape can no longer be navigated without an elite coach who can keep players now that EVERY player is a free agent. We had our guy. BYU let him walk. Get ready to be embarrassed in basketball.
How many more years did Pope have on his contract? Greed. Oh well, I’m sure the next coach will do just fine. Some of us have hope. Let’s see if the rich alumni can make a difference now.
Sounds like it’s Hall and Khalifa. How about Chandler, Baker and others? BYU better get a good coach fast or you’ll be able to walk on and play next year. If Knell stays, he’s got good character. I’ll take that. Keeps his commitments.
Do you really think BYU just let him walk? Sounds to me like it was a quick decision on Pope’s part. He had a real good chance to make BYU a really great team next year and chose not to. Greed.
Sad to see Pope go. However, lets not forget that Pope wasn’t a BYU alumnus. He never went to school at BYU and thus doesn’t “bleed blue”. I think its not realistic for us fans to expect he would stay around once he had success. He got a better opportunity and a pay raise. In the end, its just a job. I’ve watched many work colleagues frustrated with corporate because they weren’t valued/paid what they were worth. Its the system we all work in and for me I always smile when a hard working person is rewarded with a better opportunity. Some will call this greed, but I call it “progression”. Stings for us BYU fans but it is what it is.
I’d like to know how many years he had left on the contract he signed. People don’t keep commitments anymore. Most jobs in the corporate world don’t have a specific time period they agree to stay with a company. So, leaving a job isn’t the same as leaving a contract. What Pope did is the same as a contractor doing 70% of the work and then quitting to work on another job that will pay more.
You are correct that it’s a great opportunity for him. And he doesn’t bleed Blue. But, students come to BYU and learn to bleed Blue. So can coaches. And, Pope is probably taking players and coaches with him. Hall and Khalifa are in the portal already.
The contracts that the colleges and coaches sign have buyout clauses. Both parties are not only agreeing on the length of the contract but also on the terms if either party wants to terminate the contract early. Its all spelled out in print. Note that sometimes the college is the one who changes their mind … good example is Texas A&M.
This is NOT greed. Pope has loved UK for almost 30 years. He won a natty as a starter on a team many say was the best college team ever. It’s his dream job. No way we can blame him for taking WAY more money for HIS DREAM JOB.
And BYU did come back at Pope with which I’m told was a “very competitive” offer to try to get him to stay. But like another poster said, it’s not a calling—it’s a JOB—for WAAAAAAY more money. Good for Pope and I’m now a UK fan.
The only silver lining to this would be getting rid of Knell. Except Knell couldn’t compete against B12 talent and the SEC would be no different. But please please Pope take him with you.
Let’s be honest, taking the UK job will not affect his church membership or standing. In fact, I’m willing to bet that the spirit helped him make this decision. Why so many people think that a coach, or anyone else for that matter, has to stay in Happy Valley and live in the bubble is beyond me.
I was talking to a female coworker about this today. She is the one that brought up Pope. She is a huge Kansas fan (chiefs as well) and she respects BYU, the only team to beat Kansas at home this season and Andy Reid, the Chiefs coach who is a BYU alum. She has nothing but good stuff to say about BYU.
Contractors that don’t keep their contract commitments get sued. That’s a fact. You were a business owner that contracted out business, right? What do you mean this isn’t true? How many years did Pope have on his contract?
Second, why should we take you serious? All you do is complain about the greed. But, now you don’t? Next time you bring up greed I’ll remind you that it’s okay as long as your groupies are for the greed too.
At least Lamier mentioned that BYU did come back with an offer. Now me and my son Joseph are going to have to listen to his wife about Pope at Kentucky from which her family is from and she is a big KU fan. Uggg!!!
If it was competitive then BYU with help from the rich and famous fans should be able to get Madsen here. Any news on who is most likely going to be the coach?
I surfed to a Kentucky fan site and the comments about hiring Pope were generally guarded positive. Of course there are detractors who complain about everything but overall the fan base is positive about his hiring. The one they are unhappy with is their AD because they feel like he is responsible for their problems of not making the sweet 16 etc. over the last several years.
Pope is under a ton of pressure, I hope it goes well for him. If it doesn’t then we can always hire him back. I thought he was great but our expectations aren’t at the same level as Kentucky fans.
The only way the AD could affect games is by not hiring the right coach. Is that what he did? I hear the same stuff on Cougarfan about our AD and he’s the reason that we can’t do better. Although, sometimes that deviates to the BOT. So, why don’t you throw your hat into the ring and be the next BYU coach
Are you really this stupid, or do you work extra hard to be stupid?
First, business contract are NOT the same as coaching contracts.
Second, EVERY coach contract has an “out” clause for both the school and coaches.
Third, Coaches always put a dream school clause in their contracts.
