"I’m going to get run out of town": Mark Pope has perfect response to Kentucky 'L's Down' question after taking over Wildcats' top job

Mark Pope, the new coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, was recently asked about his view on the infamous "L's Down" hand gesture, a popular taunt among Kentucky fans directed toward in-state rivals, the Louisville Cardinals.

Pope, a former captain of the Wildcats who helped lead the team to a national championship in 1996, spoke about the gesture on his show, "UK HealthCare Mark Pope Show."

"The one thing I know about Big Blue Nation is if I say anything about the L’s Down, I’m going to get run out of town and I’d like to stay here for a long time, so I’m going to keep my mouth closed on that one," Pope said.

The rivalry between Kentucky and Louisville is renowned for its intensity in the basketball-crazed state. Both schools vie for the title of top program. In the last six meetings, Kentucky has won five times, including a dominant 95-76 victory over Louisville in Louisville this year.

Since 2010, the Wildcats have been 13-3 against the Cardinals. Kentucky diehards do not hesitate to remind Louisville fans of the Wildcats’ recent dominance in the storied rivalry.

Meanwhile, Mark Pope has taken a stance against controversial fan gestures in the past. During his time at BYU, he made headlines by requesting students wearing shirts that spelled out "Horns Down" to remove their shirts before the Cougars tipped off against Texas.

Mark Pope's idea of letting fans decide on Kentucky’s future jersey designs

Mark Pope is trying to get the Big Blue Nation excited about the upcoming season. He has suggested a fan-driven initiative where supporters can vote on the team's future jersey designs. While speaking on his radio show, Pope shared this idea Monday night.

“I actually, if you ask me, think that we should put it in the hands of BBN and we should put the uniforms out there, the potential uniforms, and let you guys vote on them,” Pope said. “I would dig that. That would be awesome.”

Although Pope was fond of the denim jerseys from his playing days in 1996, which were later declared the worst in sports history, he did not confirm if they would make a comeback.

"I love the denim uniforms but I was not a huge fan of the denim Converse shoes," Pope added. "That was a little stretch for me".

How would you rate the Wildcats' denim jerseys from 1996 on a scale of 1 to 5? Let us know in the comments section!

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