“I spend a lot of time feeling like I’d like to curl up in bed and kill myself, but that’s actually not what we do.”
Everyone knows the pressure of coaching basketball at the University of Kentucky.
The Big Blue Nation has high expectations for the team year in and year out, and with such a passionate fan base, that means the pressure is on to perform.
Coach Mark Pope knows what this program means to the fans due to his playing experience, and he’s referenced it many times since being hired as head coach of the Wildcats.
However, Pope made an unusual and alarming statement about the emotional toll of coaching at Kentucky during a press conference on Friday.
“There’s no time for indulging and feeling terrible,” Pope said. “I spend a lot of time feeling like I’d like to curl up in bed and kill myself, but that’s actually not what we do. We raise up and we get to work and we find answers.
“And that’s actually where the great part of life comes from – answering the bell when everybody think you can’t do it…”
That statement was kind of alarming coming from Pope and is beginning to draw quite a bit of attention online.
It is worth noting that his mentor, Rick Pitino, said something similar in 2024 after a loss to Creighton.
What do you make of Pope’s statement today?
Category: General Sports
