Mark Pope embraces tradition and will wear a suit at Rupp Arena

On By Littum

Each coaching staff approaches game day attire differently. Some head coaches and assistants will wear suits to every game, while others reserve suits for select occasions or choose not to wear them at all.

Most thought Mark Pope and his Kentucky Wildcats staff would wear suits to every game, but that changed when Pope decided to wear a quarter-zip for the Champions Classic against Duke.

Many people probably wondered why the change? Pope clarified that he plans to always wear a suit to home games and maintain the tradition at Rupp Arena.

“I just can’t in good conscience walk into Rupp with a quarter zip,” Pope explained at his press conference Thursday. “It just doesn’t…to me it’s a really sacred building and there’s nothing that feels right about it.”

While speaking to the media, Pope pointed out that his staff wore quarter zips during the exhibitions vs. Kentucky Wesleyan and Minnesota State. With that in mind, you can say that the kits only apply to home games during the regular season.

Meanwhile, on the road, he caved to his staff for not wearing a suit.

“On the road, it was a long, tenuous negotiation with my staff. They’re less likely to be excited about a suit than I am, so we thought we’d start this way: Suit at home in honor of Rupp, quarter zip on the road and then we have these neutral games.”

Mark Pope and his staff continue to discuss neutral site gaming. While Pope decided to wear a quarter-zip during the Duke game, he believes a suit is more appropriate for Kentucky’s game against Ohio State at Madison Square Garden because of the history of the city and the building and because he played for New York Knicks.

When Kentucky plays Ohio State in a few weeks, we’ll see if Pope will accept what his assistants say or his wife Lee Anne.

“Originally we made a deal that we’ll do a quarter zip in Atlanta and then we’ll do a suit in Madison Square Garden. I don’t know how that’s going to end. It’s in the hands of far more powerful decision-making than my own.”