Pat Kelsey believes Kentucky has its best team in 10 years and names Pope the Coach of the Year

Pat Kelsey is doing it again. He is trying to make us like him. This time, Kelsey had more nice things to say about Mark Pope and Kentucky in his Friday press conference before he and his Louisville Cardinals travel to Lexington on Saturday.

Kelsey told a room full of Louisville reporters, “I think if the season ended today, to me, Mark Pope would probably be National Coach of the Year. What he took over, what he had to build, the way the team has come together, the way they’re playing–you know, it’s good.”

Later in the conversation, Kelsey was asked about coaching in such a prestigious college basketball rivalry game, an experience “only a select circle” of coaches know.

Kelsey replied, “Gosh, you go back through the history of this rivalry and our program, their program. It is full of legendary coaches, iconic coaches, and, you know, I’m the new guy in town. I’m not going to speak for Mark, but he’s kind of the new guy in town. I’m just Joe Bag of Donuts trying to figure this thing out. I sure hope it gets to the point, you know, 20 years down the road where Mark and I can be in that situation that some of those other great coaches have been in in this rivalry.”

Was that a hint at a reboot of “The Joe B. and Denny Show” one day down the road? Whatever he meant, Kelsey sees similarities between himself and Pope as they each prepare for their first Kentucky-Louisville game.

“We’re just keeping our nose down, or I am, I’m sure he is as well, keeping our nose down, blinders on, just doing everything we can to put our team in the best position to be successful. We’re both first-year coaches here at these institutions. I’m familiar with Mark, just because, you know, the coaching fraternity is small, I’m familiar with his journey. He kind of came up through the mid-major ranks, similar to how I did. He scored 1500 points; I scored 47. But I have a lot of respect for him. I think he’s a really good coach. He seems like a great guy. I tried not to like him, because I don’t think I was supposed to like the Kentucky coach, but he’s a man of faith, you know, and a really good coach.”

[Stop trying to make us like you, Pat Kelsey]

Kentucky’s best team in 10 years

Kelsey’s admiration of Kentucky didn’t stop with all of that Pope talk. He went much further in his respect of UK, adding that he believes Kentucky is as good as it has been in the last 10 years, spanning back to the 38-1 team in 2014-15. Kelsey named Kentucky’s 2016-17 and 2018-19 teams as other “really, really good teams,” but believes that Pope has the Wildcats looking better than any year since the team that nearly went undefeated.

“In my opinion, this is the best one in the last 10 years,” Kelsey said. “(The others) were decorated with great, great players, lottery picks and all that. But, like, you know, not only is this team, as, you know, probably as dangerous and as talented and as potent, but they’re older as well.

“They got an old veteran roster, so a ton of respect for their personnel, for Mark as a coach, and we’re doing everything we can to figure out, both on the offensive and defensive end, what our best plan of attack is. They make it difficult because of their talent and their scheme.”

My, how times have changed since the two Italians were the faces of this rivalry. Everyone is being so nice now, although Kelsey also said he and Pope will be trying to rip each other’s face off at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, respectfully.

Watch Kelsey’s press conference here if you’re into that sort of thing.

Go Cats, Go Pope.