Earlier today, the Southeastern Conference dropped the hammer on Mark Pope after his postgame frustration was caught on a hot mic.
As Pope walked away from the podium following Kentucky’s loss at Auburn, he could be heard saying:
“Mitch, if those motherfers try to fine me, screw them. I didn’t say a word about how they cheated us.”
The SEC, unsurprisingly, did not find the moment charming or appropriate.
The SEC officially dropped the hammer on Mark Pope
By midday, the league announced Pope had been publicly reprimanded and fined $25,000 for postgame conduct related to officiating. According to the conference, Pope violated its sportsmanship bylaws and the commissioner’s regulation prohibiting public criticism of officials, including indirect comments, implied criticism, or disclosing officiating-related communications.
In short: don’t say it, don’t hint at it, don’t joke about it, and definitely don’t say it on a live mic.
The SEC also reiterated that all fines are routed into the league’s post-graduate scholarship fund, which is cold comfort when you’re the one cutting the check.
But if Pope was hoping for a little help covering the tab from his team, that dream died pretty quickly.
After Kentucky’s 72–63 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks, Denzel Aberdeen joined the SEC Now set, where the conversation naturally turned to Pope’s fine.
Aberdeen didn’t hesitate to back his coach.
“Yeah, we love him, man. He goes hard for us… every single day. He brings energy no matter the ups and downs. We always stay positive, and he always comes in with that mindset.”
That’s a player who knows his coach has his back.
But when the studio jokingly asked if he’d help pay the fine? Aberdeen shut that down immediately.
“No. Not at all.”
He shook his head, smiled, and made it crystal clear: appreciation does not extend to the checkbook.
Mark Pope went to bat for his team, crossed a line the SEC is always going to enforce, and paid the price. His players respect him for it, but they’re not chipping in with any money.
Message sent. Fine paid. Everyone moves on.