If you were worried that Mark Pope might try to sell you on a multi-year rebuild or ask for grace after dropping games to Louisville and Michigan State, you can stop worrying. He won't. He said it as his introductory press conference just last year, he understands the assignment.
He gets it.
With a daunting week ahead that features North Carolina and Gonzaga, Pope was asked if he had a message for a fanbase that is already feeling the heat. His answer was perfect.
"I don't, because we're not patient," Pope said. "We're not a patient fan base. We don't do patience. We don't believe in that... we have to go win and we got to go win now."
Embracing the heat as Kentucky basketball grinds it out in practice
It is refreshing to hear a coach lean into the madness of the Big Blue Nation rather than fight it. Pope knows that in Lexington, "trust the process" is not something that is believed in. You either win, or you get loud.
And Pope isn't just talking; he is grinding it out.
On his radio show, Pope revealed that the team just endured their "longest practice of the season."
"It was brutal," Pope admitted. "Three hours, not including film and other prep. We are digging in."
Accountability starts at the top
Perhaps the most encouraging sign is that Pope isn't deflecting blame. He isn't pointing at youth or injuries. He is pointing the thumb at himself.
"I don't think anybody's tougher on us than we are," Pope said. "I don't know if anybody could have been as mad at me or us after the Michigan State game as I was mad at myself."
That is the right attitude. But with the Tar Heels and Zags looming, attitude alone won't be enough. BBN needs to see that three-hour practice translate to 40 minutes of execution.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion