Kentucky Fires Gillispie

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If I were Billy tomorrow, I'd thank the Commonwealth for the $6 million buyout and tell the rest of the nation that the Billy Ray/Hannah Montana photo shoot was just the tip of the iceberg in regards to everything that is wrong with that place.

I'd take Billy if Tubby was to leave.
 

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.

Why wouldn't Donovan be able to make the payment on his home? Maybe his mortgage was a couple million more than it was worth?
 


Orlando report of Donovan apparently not true.

Kentucky AD says Gillispie is on year to year contract and it's not $6M
 

Donovan

akgopher said:
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.

Why wouldn't Donovan be able to make the payment on his home? Maybe his mortgage was a couple million more than it was worth?
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Last year some time there was a story that went around that Donovan had purchased a home that was way too expensive and struggling to make the payments. I think somebody posted it here. I just tried to find it again right now though and found only this http://www.serioussportsnewsnetwork.com/2008/01/donovan-stuck-with-subprime-mortgage.html which doesn't seem all that credible (in fact it looks like a joke site) so it's probable the story was just made up. It certainly doesn't make much sense that he would be broke.
 


I was surprised to read that Billy G still hadn't signed his contract ... anyone have any info on what the hang-ups were? (I trust it wasn't the "severance provision" given the reported $6Million buyout.)

And while I hold UK's fan base in general disregard and contempt, it sure reads to me like Billy G did a number of things that burned through a lot of public support.

I'd say "a pox on both your houses."
 

HopHead said:
Lots of schadenfreude going on. I wonder what percentage are actually UK fans compared to rubber-neckers.
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I can almost guarantee the majority are people just going there to see what kind of meltdown is going to happen. I know I go there. It is free entertainment.
 

I too visit catspause for a few laughs every now than then. The are simply crazy down there. Anyway the AD just feeds the problem by say "Kentucky isn't just another job". Basically it re-enforces the idea that Kentucky is the greatest job in the nation. Personally if I was a high profile college coach and Kentucky came calling I would say 10 mil a year baseline or forget it.(Then I would though on about a 25 mil buy-out for when I was fired 2 years later. I would also have it incentive loaded.) That job and the Bama football job would be the 2 jobs I would be last ones I would take.
 

A few Observations

1. Billy G did enough in his public rampages to deserve being canned, regardless of the wins and losses. Coaching is more than just basketball, as virtually all professions are. The guy had human interaction problems that were observable and not based on rumours. You can't blow off a 50 year tradition and think people aren't going to notice. You can't go off on a reporter in front of a camera and think that just winning games is going to save the job.

2. If Billy D can't pay his mortgage on his salary, do you really want him running your basketball program, including a budget in the millions of dollars? Not paying your bills with a good salary has red flags all over it. I don't believe he is defaulting on his mortgage, by the way.

3. Kentucky is a nutty place with nutty fans, and it will take someone who is equally nutty and or greedy to take the job.

4. The next guy will have an easier time of it, if he is just kind to people. Billy G dug his own grave by being a nasty guy in public. $6M is a nice parting gift, though. Many of my unemployed people could do fine on that severance package.

5. Completely unrelated, but I think the modern era of college basketball with fewer scholarships and one and done players makes it very dificutl to maintain elite programs. Just ask Coach K.
 



Clem Haskins is available, willing, and already living in Kentucky.
 

One part of this whole thing is kind of puzzling: Why did Gillispie decide it was a good idea to schedule his own press conference? What's he going to do, schedule it, thank everyone for coming and then announce he got canned???

I don't even know if this is true, but the rumor I've seen in a couple of places is that Gillispie scheduled his own press conference. For somebody who got fired, that sounds kind of weird. Does anyone have any info on this??
 

Train Wrecks

Mitch Barnhart is one. Joel Maturi >>>>> him.

Lee Todd is another one. Dr. Robt Bruininks >>>>> him, too.

And Gillispie was a train going the wrong way on tracks, hence became a train wreck.

Tubby >>>>> him also.
 

I'm reading some of the things coming out about Gillespie

It's beyond bizarre.

Who would have thought three years ago that today - a lot of people would think Minnesota is a better coaching situation than Kentucky.

BIZARRE!
 



At what point does the Kentucky job become toxic? It will take someone with an ego bigger than the Kentucky crazy to take that job and succeed. Good luck.
 

Supposedly Coach Gillepsie was fired for his off court gaffes. If Kentucky was going deep in the NCAA these supposedly "mortal sins" of his wouldn't even be mentioned. Remember what Indiana put up with Bob Knight when Indiana was winning.
 

Roy Christensen said:
Supposedly Coach Gillepsie was fired for his off court gaffes. If Kentucky was going deep in the NCAA these supposedly "mortal sins" of his wouldn't even be mentioned. Remember what Indiana put up with Bob Knight when Indiana was winning.
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I think it's more what he did to the players - if half the stuff out there is true - he is one strange individual. I don't think I'd trust my son with him.
 

97alumni said:
I think it's more what he did to the players - if half the stuff out there is true - he is one strange individual. I don't think I'd trust my son with him.
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I call BS on those rumors. Some from last year, some this year. If the rumors are true about last year, why didn't UK AD fire him LAST year?

Until there is evidence or testimony from players involved, rumors are just that. Rumors.
 

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