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Mark Pope was asked during a news conference on Thursday what he makes of the SEC’s disappointing .500 record in conference play this season.
His answer, unlike the SEC record, did not disappoint.
“I think it’s been a really disappointing start to conference play,” the Kentucky head coach said, per KSR’s Jacob Polacheck. “I feel like we’re not living up to expectations, just being at .500 as a conference. I’m just kind of looking around at the other programs thinking, ‘Guys, we’ve got to pick this up. This is embarrassing.’
“We’ll find a way. I believe in this league. I think we definitely have an upside, and we’re going to work really hard to get there.”
Pope looked like he was fighting initially to keep his Diet Coke down once he realized what was being asked, and he looked like he was fighting to keep a straight face as he closed out his response.
It’s a bit, obviously. And one that has caught a couple of unsuspecting victims recently.
Rhode Island coach Archie Miller was fooled last month by a Twitter post facetiously mocking the SEC for its (obviously) .500 record in conference play, telling reporters he heard the SEC was 54-54 in all games but is still viewed as the best league. ESPN’s Karl Ravech said during the Alabama–Texas game Tuesday night there’s “no dominant group of teams” in the SEC because the league is 82-82 since Jan. 4.
(Ravech has since claimed the comment was made tongue in cheek.)
The SEC is currently projected to have at least 3 No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament after winning more than 85% of its out-of-conference games earlier this season. To solidify itself as the best conference in college hoops history, the league just needs to find a way to win more conference games than it loses.
Mark Pope believes!
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
