Revised 3/17 10:15 pm
Since my last post, I have spoken with several sources, and it now appears as if Billy Clyde Gillispie’s departure from UK is imminent. This info comes from people well placed within the UK community, people who have provided reliable information to me in the past about UK personnel moves.
The termination, I’m told, will happen soon after UK’s last game.
I’m told that a player mutiny was afoot, that as many as five underclassmen declared their intention not to return if BCG did. And that the school’s administration is disinclined to let that happen. Especially since the coach has been a PR nightmare since he stepped on campus.
I’m told that UK president Lee Todd himself made the decision.
The fly in the ointment, truth be told, on both this rumor and the alleged firing is this bit of innuendo. It’s reported that the Memorandum of Understanding under which Gillispie is employed has a buy out clause which would cost UK or some fat cats $6 million if BCG is fired. Never read it, don’t know. Not sure if a non-contract like this Memorandum of Understanding is contractually binding or just ink on papyrus?
Stay tuned.
By the by, UK is crushing UNLV at the half. I gotta ask: How did U of L ever lose to that team? At home no less?
– Seedy K
41 Comments
The rumor direct from courtside at Tampa last week…BCG let it be known he would be ok with an offer from Texas Tech.
Get rid of Knight after 1 season? Doubtful as I see it. Houston, yes. Tech, unlikely.
You are a moron and are a disgrace to your family. Billy G is going nowhere and you are an ill-informed idiot.
Well, Jon, thanks so much for your kind words. Much appreciated. And, Jon, I tried to answer this to you personally, but you gave a fake email address.
Truth be told, I’m neither a moron nor an ill informed idiot. I’m a college grad. And I graduated from law school with honors. And I had a rather successful legal career until I retired several years ago.
And, my family, truth be told, loves me, and is proud of both my legal career and my writing career.
Now, as for the rumors about BCG, they are simply that. I never represented them as anything more than what I have been told by a very reliable source. A source, in fact, who advised that Mitch Barnhart would be named UK AD months before Larry Ivy left the job. So it’s not like my source is without credibility. I agree it doesn’t make sense that he would be terminated. That said, I know that a significant portion of the UK alumni and administrative communities have been most unhappy with BCG’s petulant ways even before this less than stellar season on the court.
Anyway, thanks for writing. I always appreciate feedback.
I think he will be back next year and haven’t seen one ounce to suggest to me otherwise. I know some folks in the “know” and they are saying the opposite of what you are. That Barnhart is behind him and giving him at least 5 years to right the ship. If he leaves on his own, then that would be different, but only Billy Clyde knows that. I have heard of one player that might leave, but I am not naming names. I guess we will see.
C.D. - Dave Baker, Dick Gabriel are leaning towards his departure. Just wanted to share that. My opinion on the matter is about both good & bad of it. UK demands a team that can compete, not perfection. We expect to be playing with the big boys, if not being the big boy. UK has been respected for years, both on & off the court. Your not just paid to coach, but represent one of the dominant forces in college basketball. We expect results, quicker, better, faster. It’s understandable, after your on top for all those years. BCG’s hasn’t ever been a media favorite, especially now, but he has never coach teams where the media has a spotlight on you before, during & after the game. Bobby Knight comes to mind, he was blunt to the point, sometimes down right pissed off. You may not liked what he said, & he was around for how long, but again we’re talking about UK, not UI, nor Tx. Tech. We have to ask, will this hurt recruiting, we know he has some talent on the way for the next 2 years. Who will replace him, not to many liable coaches out there on the market these days. Does UK keep him around merely for his recruiting talent. I’m sure you could get someone that can recruit just as well, but at the same time get it front of a microphone & conduct themselves as a coach & representative of UK. We’ll just have to wait & see what holds for the mighty UK. He stuck his foot in his mouth, more than once & UK, I don’t believe, will let him disgrace the university in the media anymore than he has.
Mr. Kaplan
While your credentials are quite impressive and something to be proud of, I don’t see its relevance in this setting. I’m sure your “sources” are credible but until there is action taken by the admin. we are all just throwing darts in the dark.
Again congrats on your career it’s just too bad that you don’t have more confidence in your sports knowledge than to bring up a law degree, which IMO means jack shit in this forum. Kaplan huh, shocker.
Yeah, it’s been 2 years. A little soon to terminate someone, maybe. At the same time, & I can only speak for myself. What I saw this year was a good first half of the season, then a slow decline, obviously, that sped up to a rapid descent. More obvious than that was the players just didn’t respond to their coach. Granted we all heard the rumors, but if you were paying attention it was obvious. I don’t know what went wrong, or do I bother trying to figure it out. But when players stop responding to you, maybe it’s time to cut your losses & go. I agree that he could have handled the press a little better, but at the same time you get what you paid for. Kentucky doesn’t pay 2+ million dollars for someone to come in & act like a total @$$.
To Todd T
You are absolutely correct, my academic background is of no consequence. Unless somebody calls me a moron and idiot and needs to understand that I am a man of reasonable intelligence and don’take what I write lightly.
I would like to say… Billy is a terrible in game coach… and it seriously seems like we only run a few plays, and either to jodie (in which we run the same screen and teams watch tape and shut him down) or throw into patrick, who is basically our only post man and we never do hi-low…. so i really would not mind billy leaving.. sure he has talent coming in, but like someone else said, he is bad with the media and we can get another coach to recruit, but you also have to think of UK building the new hospital and a new business building soon, which requires money and 6 millions to Clyde’s pocket won’t help, im sure alum will pitch in though…
In all honesty i would not care if G came back, I’d rather we fire him and pay him out and get someone like calapari *spelling* who can coach and recruit, regardless he coaches in the C-USA he had 3 players go off to the NBA last year… and they are doing great…
my 2 cents
(btw ill be attending uk next year, so i would like to have a new business building soon cause it will be my major, but i seriously care about UK Bball way to much i guess)
Billy G will be back! We all need to stop talkin about it because if he leaves the program then jon hood, orton, and probly ferguson will re-evaulate there recruting.. not a good idea for the university if they do. Give him at 3 years.. tubby didnt give us much to work with. and the reason jodie meeks is jodie meeks now is because of billy g pushing him and makin him better. 1 more year!
at 10.
jodie was good his freshman year, just didnt play much and good his sophmore year but got hurt…. any coach could push him… plus hood will still come to uk because he loves uk and orton and the rest will see who the new coach is… if it is indeed someone like calapari then i bet they will still come… we shall see what the future brings
at 11.
True about jodie. But i have close source to hood and he has said if billy g isnt the coach he will “re-evualuate” his decision. Florida was his 2nd school. I agree that billy g isnt the greatest in game coach… but you have give a guy more than 2 years. im not gonna lie tho… if calapari wanted the job.. then yes sir i want calapari. haha. but until that happens then we should get off billy g’s back and give the guy 1 more year
Guys, Billy G is more than likely gone. We don’t know the whole story of things that has happened behind the scenes. If he is fired it wont be because he’s a bad basketball coach it will be because the way he has treated people inside Uk ’s program,boosters,former players and even players that play today. Don’t give people down the road for expressing their opinion. The Athletics Department has recieved complaints on BCG for 2 years from the way he has treated people to the drinking problem he has. He has talked to Tom Leach like he was some dumb ass and didn’t know anything about bsketball. The man has problems outside of basketball that he needs to get a grip on. I don’t believe every rumor that was out there but believe me some of them were true.
Danny, I haven’t seen one bit of proof about Billy G’s drinking. Yes, he did have the Texas incident. Almost every person these days has a cell phone. Most are video capable! If Billy G. had anywhere near the problem you and many other rumor mongors thinks he has don’t you think a video (or photos) would have surfaced somewhere? I nor you Danny have seen a thing…… wouldn’t you hate to go to court and be found guilty with the amount of evidence you have presented? I retired from a full time full police powers Law Enforcement job in KY. I’m only telling you this so you will understand my thoughts here. If Billy G. was running around drunk or creating a problem there are plenty of officers who would take him in!!! Believe me with this one! Yes some might not but many would love this opportunity! Get yourself out and get something new and quit repeating old stuff Danny Boy! Do I think Billy is doing a good job? The first part of season yes, then the wheels fell off. What happened I don’t know and I would suspect only members of the team know for sure. I do know Fla and Billy D. has much more talent. Check out the recruiting sites top players and where they have gone college. Fla. has not made the NCAA tournament for the last 2 yrs.Bobby knight is worse that billyG. ever thought of being. Hunting incidents, hitting officers, media relations general hard person to get along with, etc. Got anybody else in mind? I guess Travis or John? Do you think there proven or do you think just because their from KY they can coach. Kyle Macy has roots here look what he did at Morehead St. and now look where their at without him, The Big Dance. Thanks for listening! Danny, Your post just hit me wrong when you call someone a name without proof. If you have never done wrong and have no skeletons in your closet than contiune on!
” gotta ask: How did U of L ever lose to that team? At home no less?”
Louisville didn’t lose to THAT team. Where did this info come from…it is incorrect.
Your an idiot for posting this article. Any knowledge that even remotely represents UK basketball coaching decisions would never reach the bottom of the totem pole where idiotic journalists sleep at, and instead would stay in a sound-proof room in the heart of Lexington, Ky. with only a select few of important people present, none of which would associate themselves with you or leak out information; therefor, go find the highest building possible, maybe even Rupp Arena, and jump off. Don’t talk anymore about Kentucky Basketball please, you don’t know anything bout anything.
What a joke… you are a complete moron.
I am not posting anything that i know for a fact is true. Denniy, some people do have inside info and may be around the program everyday. I know for a fact how he treats former players and other people around the program. As for the drinking i know he drinks because i have seen it with my own 2 eyes. Just because he drinks doesnt make him a bad guy. Guess what denniy? I have been a police officer for 20 years in Kentucky. You can’t slander someones name when what you say is the truth. I would be glad to get up on the stand and testify to what i know. I speak the truth When you smart ass a donor who gave the Athletic Department almost a million dollars last year because he had to do a commercial,well that is a different story. I don’t have a clue at what will happen to BCG but i do know some people are not to happy in the direction the program is heading. I personally think he should get one more year and see what he can do with the team next year. I find it kind of interesting that Mitch Barnhart will not stop the rumors and say that BCG will be back next year as our coach. We shall see what will happen after the NIT. Denniy,i don’t think you have been a cop around Central,KY because if you have you would know what stories are true and what is just a rumor. I’m not a rumor mongor,I havent post on any other boards but this one. I would be glad to let you know anything you want to know about where i’m a police officer at,just email me. One other thing, The information about the Donor came from the Donor himself while i was at BCG call in show at malones last week. The only reason the donor was there is because his company sponsored the show and he invited my wife and I and we took another officer and his wife. I do have a feeling what is going to happen but do i know for a fact? NO
One more thing denniy. BCG will never get a DUI in KY. HE has a driver everywhere he goes that UK hired just to take him from place to place.
Jon,have you ever thought about suicide! You are a piece of crap
Denniy,you don’t have a clue at what you are talking about. Are you really a retired police officer? I believe Danny is because he talks more like one than you do. ? for you Denniy. Does Floriday have 2 All Americans on their roster? Billy G can’t coach and that is plain and simple to see. He needs to go ! Everyone in the commonwealth knows he drinks and chases college girls. You must have been asleep for the last 2 years. I will go to court and say what i feel. Dennyi,have you ever heard about the 1st admenment? Freedon of speech. You are a police officer like i am George Bush!
I am going to classify everything as rumor until I have some solid proof. There are several people that have inside access to UK that are hinting that Gillispie may be gone. A couple of those folks are good, solid sources so I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Check out my blog about Kentucky basketball (not just the Wildcats): http://allkyhoops.com
danny and jonsey, sorry you don’t believe what i wrote but I will give odds if you would like to take them….. come on boys make it worth my while!!!jonsey wish I had you with me on some investigations, man if you can tell what profession a person has by the way you read their post! Pretty good…… No darn good!!! danny drinking in itself doesn’t make a person a criminal. Yes you can testify to it but what would it prove? Nothing, even if you have seen it with your own eyes. Your other statements about treatment of players and donors, no excuse period and should get you a visit from Barnhart or else Todd! jonsey, fla has 1 All american on their team. I checked 2 polls and found one with JM and N Calthles(sp) and and no PP. Another had PP on a lower team. Honestly I might have not researched this enough as I’m trying to do a couple of things at once and it’s getting late! Sorry if I’m wrong. BillyD won 63% of his games at Marshall. If you don’t count his 2 national campionship yrs. at Fl. he won 67% of his games there. Counting his 2 championship yrs he won 71% of his games at Fl. The reason I figured it with and with out his championship yrs? Read ON! His Marshall teams made no post season tournaments. His Fl. teams have been to the NIt 4 times with no championship. He has lost in the first or second round of the NCAA tournament 5 times. He has the number 2 recruiting class in the nation in 08 all 5 recruits were in the top 100. in 09 he has the number 3 class all are top 100 prospects and 1 McDonalds all American. In 07 he signed 3 players in the top 100. 2 of these were McDonald all American’s. In keeping with honesty here one was Jai Lucas who is no longer with the team. I will agree the 2National Championships sounds great! Look at that team. Two 1st team all americans in Horford, and Noah. Green is in the NBA and his father is a former NBA star. Brewer is now playing professional ball. Humphreys is Fl. all time leading 3 pt shooter and NCAA tournament 3 pt. scorer. This team had played together with great team chemistry. A team that was favorite to win the 2nd title at the start of the season. As I stated I think there is a problem at UK and as a true fan I hope they get it resolved quickly. Whether they remove Billy G or not. Like you danny I hope they give him another yr. if they can find out and resolve some ongoing issues now! Can Billy G. coach, I think his record speaks for itself. Some can coach a team but have problems at the high pressure schools like KY. Look at Lou Holtz. Fine team every yr. at Ark. goes to high pressure Notre Dame and Struggles back to a different school South Carolina and puts a very respectable team on the field each yr. Gene Bartow at Memphis, UCLA and UAB the same situation. Even though he did have a good record at UCLA he was following the legend John Wooden. Maybe he was doomed from the start! Tubby was very good at Tulsa and Georga however each yr. his recruiting was digging him a hole deeper and deeper at UK. Plus his loyality to his asst. coaches, until he got to Minn. then he got rid of every one of them and hired Saul. Want to deal in rumors? wHAT about the one that had Tubby leaving UK because the administration wouldn’t allow him to hire Soul as an asst? Remember Eddie Sutton and Sean? Tired of fighting….time to go. Good doing battle with ya! I’m sure I’ll be hearing back. On On U of K………..denny
Shhhhh don’t tell anybody danny or jonsey ……….It’s all a conspiracy! Tubby lost intentionally tonight to Texas, that way he gets a jump on us in recruiting! When we had him (Tubby) he’d go so far in the tourney each yr. by the time UK would get knocked out someone else had all the good players! Boy is that Tubby a sharp cookie!
Nice article Denny. I didn’t mean any disrespect toward you. Jonsey I’m Sure Denny is a police officer and because he writes how he feels doesn’t make him a bad guy. I wasn’t calling BCG any names. I just think he could have treated some people better than he did over the years. I do hear that he is going to get fired but do i believe it? I don’t know what to believe! I believed Billy Donavon was coming to KY 2 years ago. What ever happens I hope that Uk Basketball will get back to being the program that we were years ago. I don’t think Donovan,Ford or Pelphrey is the answer. Unless KY can get a coach like Pitino or a Calapari i think UK needs to keep what they have. I don’t have a whole lot of faith in Mitch Barnhart getiing a good coach at Kentucky. I was for Gillespie getting the Job when he was hired but by watching him this year i don’t think he is a very good coach. Denny, Todd and Barnhart would never go visit someone because someone was saying the players were being treated bad. I’m sure they have heard that before. I don’t know where that came from. Florida basketball shouldn’t even be in the same sentence as Kentucky Basketball. I think we all have higher expectations for the cats than they are showing. Whatever happens lets stand behind the Cats and hope next year will be better. Thank for the battle, I don’t like to disagree with other officers but when it comes to the cats i do. Take care Denny and lets keep this friendly.
You make me feel bad writing such a nice article that I agree with almost 100%! I know there was no disrespect meant and none on my end either. We both or all 3 want the same thing…. that’s UK back where it belongs! I have said worse than you did in your post but I was in front of my TV and they (UK) were loosing ……BAD! Hard to keep calm when absoutly no adjustments are being made to counter the other teams game plan. If you had posted that one first we wouldn’t have known each other so well. Calipari does come with some baggage however he is another slick Rick in a slightly different package! Hope jonsey hasn’t played out! Cheers!
Denny,you seem like a great guy. If you ever get down toward lexington next season give me an email before hand and lets go to Buffalo Wild Wings and watch the cats play on tv and talk about the program. Nothing i like anymore that talk about the Cats with a brother. Take care man!
Denny and Danny I’m sorry for trashing you! I just hate that the my Wildcats are in the NIT. I took it out on you. Thank You for what you do! You guys are the real heros in life and i mean that. I’m sorry once again!
Don’t you wish the leaders of the Worlds countries could settle it that easy! Fellows, No hard feelings on this end. I’m with jonsey. Watching the NCAA and the cats arn’t in it, just not right. I suppose we can root Travis Ford on as his team got a good win today and the talking heads spoke highly of him. Said his stock is rising. LSU is still alive. jonsey don’t jump me on this one our we’ll have to start over but I cannot root for Fla. Sorry! Well I trap for a hobby and am selling my furs tomorrow so its off to bed. Helped a friend hang his on an old barn today for the end of the yr. pic. I took mine the other day! The end of the yr. pic. is one of the feel good things left in trapping. Seems when the stock market and other things took a hit…..so did furs. What little money that was to be had is now gone.Fur value is just a fraction of what they were a few weeks ago. Goodnight All, or for you danny “Put me 10-7″
The only problem with firing Billy is that termination clause. Nobody wants to pay him that 6 million dollar termination fee. Since he hasn’t signed his contract yet, does that clause even apply? If it does, I don’t think they will fire him. UK’s other departments are getting cut and tuition is getting higher… but they can afford to pay some deadbeat 6 million dollars to leave? Then we would be paying yet another coach (who could be worse than Billy and take several years to develop a decent team) another 2+ million dollars (probably much more if he is fired since it will be more difficult to attract a better coach to our ailing program. After all, who wants to follow suit and get fired after only 2 years at Kentucky?) People just want Pitino back, and it’s not going to happen. Keep Billy G for at least another year…or better yet, see what he can do with a few years of good recruiting and let his freshman become seniors. Let Porter graduate and get off the starting lineup and let Stevenson, Hood, Meeks, Patterson and some of his other prospects take over and we’ll see a much better season.
I think if Billy is fired, it will be an even longer drought for UK basketball.
Just had to comment on what you said in the beginning. How could U of L lose to UNLV? Simple…they suck!! They beat an awful UK team by a lucky 3 pointer and suck hard until they get to the Big Easy Conf. which sucks also!!
Dave as the old saying goes I wish I was a fly on the wall! Something has happened to that team that we don’t know about! Billy G. has been coach of the yr in ever conference he coached in and has a sparkling record. Can’t help but think there’s a fly in the ointment! Which one(s) I don’t know! He certainly has a different coaching style and handles or doesn’t handle people like we’re used to. Hope it all works out. He’s working with a Memorandum of Understanding or MOU as long as it is signed by both parties it basically a contract. I think it can be broken by either party but any obligation must be met. I might be wrong!!!!
Jman are you joking about the Big East conference? Must not be watching college basketball this yr. or at least the tourney this yr. I know what it is. With the economy in such poor shape you’ve lost your job and your rehearsing you comedy routine??? Just making a wise crack……Jman quit working so hard and set back in your recliner this weekend. You’ll see several Big East Teams still in action while the SEC is at home.
Jman –
While it is very difficult to argue with your intelligent and well reasoned position that U of L sucks and the Big East is easy and it sucks, I would simply offer this. Louisville and four fellow conference members — the most ever — have advanced to the Round of 16.
Thanks for your input.
Seedy K
I have heard it is a done deal. Billy G was fired Friday. I have also heard that Billy Donovan will accept the job after the NIT. Kentucky boosters went behind closed doors and offered Rick Pitino more money than he could ever make at any other job. It just wasn’t the right time! Pitino gave Donovan his blessing to take the UK Job.
Danny, you’ve been listening to the right person. You’ve hit the nail directly on the head sir. Stay tuned folks.
Hey Big Brother,i am hearing now that Rick Pitino has said he would accept the job at UK if they could wait util the NCAA Tourney was over. This came from someone who is inside the Athletic Department. You hearing anything else. I don’t want to start a rumor but i am stunned.
“In surprising developments at UK, not only is Billie Gillespie not being fired, he is actually assuming MORE responsiblity! In an unprecedented move, Billie G will not only be the basketball coach but will also replace Mitch Barnhardt as athletics director at UK!! Perhaps even more surprisingly it was discovered that Billie G has 3 semesters of college eligibility left and will start at shooting guard next year for UK which will make him the only current coach/player in NCAA basketball. When interviewed about this unconfirmed rumors, Billie G confirmed them but stated that he worries that he will have difficulty fulfilling these various roles next year, because he will also be enrolling in UK’s School of Music and majoring in Opera with an emphasis on German recitative opera performance and Wagner’s legendary Ring Cycle. “Wagner was to opera what Pete Maravich was to college basketball,” said Billie G in a direct quote, “And I hope to honor both of these great figures by being the first coach/athletic director/player/opera singer in the history of college basketball, to my knowledge.” To call these rumors would be not to give them enough credence, given the multiple reliable sources that I have heard these from, said UK athletics reporter Rob Bromley. In fact, Bromley held a seance with Bill Keightly, aka Mr. Basketball at UK, who died in March, 2008. The spirit of Bill Keightly predicted that not only are all of these multiple roles going to be filled by Gillespie, but that Gillespie will also ride as a jockey in the upcoming Kentucky Derby. There is a palpable excitement for Billie G’s future as this true renassiance man is certainly ready to transform the face of UK basketall, athletics, opera, communication with dearly departed spirits, and horse racing over the next few years!”
You know, three times I have had to hire a lawyer. Twice they have sold me down the pike. I haven’t met one that is loyal to anything except themself or their money. So to listen to one now would be foolish. Pitino had what, six years before he won a championship? Did they talk about firing him after two, three, or four seasons. And BG actually has more honors coming with him to UK than the traitor Pitino had. I say let him get rid of Tubby’s low talent recruits and get his own some time and experience.
So everyone, pay no attention to Mr. distinguished career and see how real AD’s run their sports program. The refs were terribly against UK all year. I am one that believes a good team should shake off a few bad calls, but what they had to deal with was just unfair. Go get them BG…….
You guys are so funny! Just for your information you might want to turn your radio on tomorrow at 12 pm. You BCG fans can cry all weekend after he is fired. Then you can smile Monday at 5 when Billy Donavon is named coach at Memorial col. Thank You and go cats.
I take back what i said last post! I don’t have a clue what is going o happen. I hear now Travis Ford. If thats the case Barnhart should be fired. Travis isen’t ready. I GIVE UP!
Jon Cal from memphis to kentucky. you heard u here first