Kentucky Fires Gillispie

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What do you mean? They gave Billy two whole years.
 



My guess would be Calipari, based on the timing.
 


15,000 fans on Catspause. That's ridiculous.
 



I don't usually criticize athletic administrations, but this looks really bad. First off, they gave Gillespie only two years on the job with one full recruiting class. In other words, he didn't have a full team of his players playing within his system yet. Could he have done better under those circumstances? I have no idea. But firing him before he gets the chance tells me one thing: expectations at this point in time are unreasonable. I also realize some folks at Kentucky were not pleased with Gillespie's off the court conduct and this also probably played a role in this decision.

Second, how many coaches want to head to Lexington and face this kind of pressure cooker on a daily basis? The handwriting is on the wall from the start: Win right away or else. And if you don't, be prepared to deal with people in your face about it day and night. Too much pressure and too much of a microscope all at the same time. It's like hypertension and ulcers waiting to happen.

I wish Kentucky good luck in finding a good replacement, but man, the new coach had better know what he is in for.....
 




I suppose it matters who they get, but anyone haveany thoughts on if all the recruits will stay?
 

I'd like to take this time to say..."We've got Tubby yes we do...we've got Tubby how about you?!"

Go Gophers!!
 

That Kentucky crew is a strange lot. All season long all they've done is bitch about Gillispie. They make the NIT and people are upset and ripping. Then, he gets fired, and now you look at their website and all of them are pissed that Gillispie is fired. You talk about a psychotic fan base, you've got it there.
 



I guess this means they'll stop blaming Tubby? From now on it's all Gillispie's fault.
 

Quotes from Meek's dad

http://www.kentucky.com/881/story/741229.html

Ironically, Orestes Meeks lamented the lack of a relationship with Gillispie. The former UK coach had often spoke of the importance of building relationships.

But Gillispie did not call the elder Meeks when his son set a UK record with 54 points against Tennessee.

"I got calls from every coach he ever had: baseball, basketball, all of them," the elder Meeks said. "Except his current coach. His current coach never called. That said a lot to me."

Earlier this year, Barnhart spoke of Gillispie needing to make "adjustments." But during the Southeastern Conference Tournament, Gillispie would not acknowledge that the UK job contained a public component.

In his second season, Gillispie did make more of an effort to embrace the public. After snubbing the Lexington Rotary Club in 2007, thus ending a tradition of UK coaches speaking to the club that dated back to at least the 1950s, Gillispie appeared before this season.

But it was too little, too late to save his job.

"When you start placing blame, tell them that when a ship misses the harbor, do they blame the harbor?" Orestes Meeks said. "I don't think it's anybody's fault but his own."
Click to expand...
 

GILBball said:
I guess this means they'll stop blaming Tubby? From now on it's all Gillispie's fault.
Click to expand...

I doubt that - as TJ stated perfectly - they have a psychotic fanbase. They'll probably blame Tubby for at least the next 10 years...and we'll be thanking them, because we'll have gone to a Final Four (or two), by then, lol!

MRJ - you make great points to any logical fanbase. As much as many of us have not liked some coaches, you have to give a coach at least 3 years, simply because recruiting does play such a huge factor in college sports. I thing the Kentucky job is just about the least desirable job there is. You couldn't pay me enough...well, actually, you could - if I could get fired right away and sit on 6 Mil, I could do it ;).
 

someone on ESPN Radio said there's a compliance officer that blocked Calipari from consideration 2 years ago. They must have someone in lying in the weeds because this one better work due to the $6 million buyout. Not like it's a rich state considering that tobacco can't advertise to kids anymore and coal still isn't clean.

My prediction........ Clem Haskins
 




Billy Donovon........

is already in the house.....Orlando newspaper reports he has quit Fla. to tkae the job.
 


Now over 19 thousand.......

on catsPause and I bet they hit 25 soon!
 

Will Donovan get away with back-to-back NIT appearances in Lexington?

I hope Gillispie tells it how it is tomorrow.
 

Gosh

Gosh, I guess that means Donovan isnt going to take the coveted Virginia job. Maybe Billie can move on to Virginia!

:)
 


Andy Katz just reported that they will NOT announced the replacement today at the 4:30 presser.
 

So let me get this striaght.

Tubby could not recruit and because of that, KY basketball was not winning at an acceptable level for KY basketball fans. The talent pool was just plain rotten.

Then KY "rids" itself of Tubby and brings in Billy who is forced to play 2 years with Tubby's "rotton players". He fails to win. Well DAH! They were rotton players weren't they?

That's not Billy's fault is it? Isn't that Tubby's fault?

After all Tubby won the NCAA back in '98 with Pitino's players. It was really Pitino that should get the credit for the '98 Championship in KY not Tubby.

So they fire poor Billy for not winning with Tubby's "rotten" players.

Obviously it's Tubby's fault that Billy got fired then right?

I am so confused. I think poor Billy is too.

this is sarcasm by the way
 


Why in the world would Donovan take it?

Why would Billy Donovan want this job? He JUST won two national championships at Florida. He's already in the SEC. What does Kentucky offer that Florida doesn't, other than off-the-charts expectations for coaches?

I know Donovan's house was in foreclosure in Florida, so is this a bid to get more money? I don't know how else it makes sense.
 

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