Mark Pope’s message to Kentucky before the Alabama game says everything: “Fear is a liar.” That’s not a quote, that’s a thesis. Every coach talks tough before conference play.
Few say something that actually means something. Mark Pope did.
“Fear is a liar. We’re going to do this smart and fearless.”
That line wasn’t about hype. It was about how Kentucky is choosing to exist this season:
- Not scared of injury risk
- Not scared of experimentation
- Not scared of mistakes
- Not scared of narrative
It’s the first time this team has sounded like it knows what it wants to be.