Mark Pope is a master of his craft. He’s an X’s and O’s wizard, a master motivator, and a man who understands how to connect with his players and the fanbase on a deep level. He can manage the intense pressure of coaching at Kentucky, but as he recently revealed, there's one common skill he struggles with: driving.
A tale of tunnels and tickets
Speaking with the Field of 68 network, Pope admitted he was a "terrible driver, especially with a bigger vehicle." When analyst Jeff Goodman asked how many tickets he's gotten in his life, Pope launched into a classic, winding story about a recent trip to Switzerland for the U19s.
"We had like a 2.5-hour drive, and it's awesome, we are flying and it's like the autobahn or something, that's what I thought," Pope began. The next night, however, he noticed a strange blinking light as he drove through tunnels. "I am driving through tunnels and I am like, what is that?"
Goodman cut in, "How fast were you going?"
"I was going fast but safe," Pope quipped, before admitting the consequence. "So we have quite a fine."
Kentucky MBB Coach Mark Pope & team helped his player Jayden Quaintance prepare for his driving test
— Expo Hoops (@ExpoHoops) August 8, 2025
That’s real coaching 😂🙌 pic.twitter.com/Lc0JxEiLQ4
When pressed on how bad the fine was, Pope gave a hilarious frame of reference for the Big Blue Nation. "Not good... It was not quite as much as the ice cream at Rupp Arena last year," he said with a laugh.
Fans will remember that after a game last season, Pope famously left his credit card for arena workers to buy ice cream for every remaining fan, a gesture that cost him a pretty penny when he discovered he wasn't given a discount.
The story provides a funny, relatable moment showing a coach who takes everything seriously, from building a championship contender to his family vacations. But for anyone who sees the Kentucky coach's SUV on the road, it might be wise to give him a little extra space. Oh and don't forget about Leanne running out of gas, maybe they should just uber?
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoyes downtime with his family and Premier League soccer.You can find him on X here.Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion