Mark Pope has apparently decided that simply challenging the media to participate in Kentucky’s first-ever “Media Madness” event wasn’t enough.
Now, he’s personally getting involved.
Pope recently called into KSR’s radio show to encourage the entire crew to take part in the event, which is scheduled for September 17 following Kentucky basketball practice.
Several members of the media have already accepted the challenge, but Matt Jones and Ryan Lemond had initially expressed some hesitation about getting on the court.
Pope wasn’t about to let that happen.
“Matt, I heard there was some hesitation on your part,” Pope said. “We’ve got to get you over the edge. It’s five and a half weeks of training.”
Pope went on to make the case that KSR could actually put together a competitive team.
“Think about this team, you think about roster construction right now. Yes, you’ve got Matt, Ryan, Mario, Drew. Drew’s gonna bring the thunder. Shannon. Tyler probably will be the ringer. This is a squad.”
The competition aspect may have been what finally started to change Matt Jones’ mind.
Pope revealed that JMI Sports is also expected to have a team, giving the event an added competitive edge. He also suggested that the media teams won’t necessarily have to stick strictly to traditional five-on-five basketball.
Players can substitute themselves in and out, and Pope even opened the door for teams to bring in “ringers.”
That could make for an entertaining night — especially if the KSR crew decides to take the challenge seriously.
Pope also embraced the possibility that some participants could struggle once they actually step onto the court.
“If you don’t get turned into a meme three or four times in your lifetime, what’s the point of living?” Pope joked.
The Kentucky coach is apparently taking the challenge seriously enough that he wants regular updates from the KSR crew about their preparation.
And the event could become even bigger.
Pope agreed to allow KSR to host a Team KSR Combine, giving Kentucky fans an opportunity to audition for spots on the team. The plan is reportedly to select one man, one woman and one child to join the squad.
There could also be some former Kentucky basketball players joining the team as ringers, which would certainly make Team KSR more interesting.
Meanwhile, the Media Madness competition is already producing some individual matchups.
Alan Cutler has challenged Ryan Lemond to a one-on-one game, despite joking that he was supposed to undergo knee replacement surgery more than two years ago.
Cutler still believes he can take down Lemond.
His proposed rules? First player to five points wins, or the first player to commit six fouls loses. He also suggested playing from half court and using the free-throw line as the starting point.
With 38 days remaining before the event, the trash talk is already underway.
What started as Mark Pope’s fun challenge to the media is quickly turning into a full-blown competition — and Kentucky fans may get to watch some familiar faces discover just how difficult it is to survive on a basketball court.
One thing is already clear: Pope has no intention of letting the KSR crew sit this one out.
