Mark Pope’s hilarious quotes as Kentucky prepares for NCAA debut

Mark Pope’s excitement about leading Kentucky basketball into the NCAA Tournament for the first time as head coach is bubbling over. But his enthusiasm may have led him to make an offer to Big Blue Nation he quickly regretted.

During his coaching show, Pope jokingly told Kentucky fans, “If anybody is having trouble with gas money, hit me up.” The comment was meant to pump up the fanbase and encourage them to make the trip to Milwaukee, where Kentucky will take on Troy in the first round.

But the Big Blue Nation doesn’t play around when it comes to March Madness. Requests for gas money started rolling in immediately.

“That was not a good call on my part,” Pope admitted later with a chuckle. “Gas money for Milwaukee, this is not going to go well.”

Respect for Troy

While Pope’s sense of humor was on full display, he was all business when it came to talking about Kentucky’s first-round opponent, the Troy Trojans.

“They’re a really good team. Just won their conference championship. Really good guard. Conference player of the year. He runs the whole show for them,” Pope said, clearly not underestimating the challenge. “They’re a very, very good team.”

Pope’s respect for Troy isn’t just lip service. The Trojans, led by their dynamic guard and conference player of the year, have been on a roll, and Kentucky knows they can’t afford to take them lightly.

Potential Second-Round Showdown With Calipari

But that’s not all that has Pope smiling—and maybe sweating—a bit. When asked about a potential second-round clash with John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks, Pope couldn’t help but bring up his former mentor Rick Pitino, now coaching St. John's.

“I think Coach P wants all the smoke,” Pope joked, referring to the possibility of Arkansas and St. John's meeting if both teams advance.

It’s a fascinating possibility. Pope and Calipari both have their own reasons to prove themselves in this tournament. Pope, a former Wildcat who now has the program in his hands, is looking to make a statement. Calipari, who made a shocking move to Arkansas, is still trying to show he’s the same coaching wizard who led Kentucky to a national title in 2012.

Big Blue Nation's Hopes Rest on Pope’s Shoulders

Mark Pope’s lighthearted approach has clearly won over the fanbase, but he knows the real work is just beginning. Kentucky's season has been injury filled, but the Cats are fighting and will keep doing so.

The question now is, can Pope take the Wildcats on a deep tournament run in his very first year at the helm? If he keeps making jokes about gas money, he may have the whole state of Kentucky rolling up to Milwaukee ready to cheer on their Wildcats.

One thing’s for sure: Pope has already proven he can handle the pressure with humor and humility. Now, he just needs to prove it on the court.