[jetpilot]

I find it odd that no one has read about or heard Pope himself talk about how he changed his coaching style from a more intense, in your face attitude like he'd seen in his playing days to what he is now.

Don't know that Pope is so much soft as much as it is that he seems more polite and charitable than mean and unforgiving.

Will say that he seems to have much more of a pro coaching style than most college coaches.

Not saying there isn't a place for different coaching styles at all levels, but I couldn't see a Jim Calhoun type coach being as successful in the pros because you just can't coach them like that.

There are plenty of coaches who yell in player's faces and berate officials that do really well, but plenty of others do the same and fail.

Same for coaches who are calm, cool, collected, and generally just more positive and pleasant overall. There's a John Wooden, Roy Williams, or Phil Jackson for every Bobby Knight or Dan Hurley.


Think Pope is going to be more finesse than physical for at least a bit longer, and sometimes really skilled, finesse teams are great but still appear soft (like some of the best Golden State teams).

I think he eventually gets a better blend of skill and physicality, but it's going to take some time.

At any rate, I wouldn't call Oweh, Butler, or Williams "soft"-- maybe just soft-spoken at times. Garrison doesn't seem to mind getting into the middle of scrums either.

Don't think Pope is soft or the players but when they get manhandled on the boards repeatedly they are playing too soft.
NBA is a totally different game and is comparing apples to oranges. Plus I hate GS but they are plenty tough enough to not get manhandled. Plus officiating in the NBA is 100x better than the SEC and you rarely have to get mad at officials in the NBA. But in the SEC you have to get furious with the officials in the GA game when the home team is playing much more physical and aggressive yet there is a 30-8 FT advantage as one poster said. I think everyone agrees a technical foul can be beneficial in the right circumstance. So yeah, let the officials have it when they deserve it Coach Pope. And also if we keep getting manhandled we aren't going anywhere so get after it harder guys...

I love Pope and this team but they are going to have to ratchet up the toughness a notch or two.