Mark Pope threw L's down in Hazard during team bonding retreat

Mark Pope has yet to coach a single game at Kentucky, but he knows exactly what the school’s rivalry against Louisville means.

Pope brought his entire 2024-25 roster and staff down to Hazard, KY on Friday for a Community Cookout at Perry County Park. The trip also included community service work as the players and coaches all put on their hard hats and went to work on some construction. 1958 national champion Johnny Cox was there, too. Pope used this opportunity as a team bonding retreat ahead of the fall semester at UK, which begins on Monday.

But that’s not what we’re here to talk about. We’re here to talk about this photo floating around on social media via @WildcatUKx that shows Pope throwing the signature “L’s down” hand signal next to a couple of law enforcement officials.

L's Down 👇🏻 #BBN pic.twitter.com/K3MhaHD331

— Wildcat (@WildcatUKx) August 24, 2024

As we know, Pope played at Kentucky in the 1990s, helping the Wildcats win the 1996 national championship under Rick Pitino, who later went on to coach the Cardinals. During his playing time in Lexington, Pope went 1-1 against Louisville, losing in the 1994-95 season by a final score of 88-86 before exacting revenge in 1995-96 with a dominant 89-66 win. He finished with a total of 11 points and 13 rebounds across those two matchups against the Cardinals, per BigBlueHistory.

So he knows a thing or two about what it means to throw the L’s down.

Kentucky and Louisville will go head-to-head this December where Pope and Pat Kelsey — the Cardinals’ new head coach — will clash for the first time. The rivalry showdown is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 14 in Lexington. There will be plenty of L’s pointed toward the ground inside Rupp Arena.