Saturday, March 28, 2009

The truth about the firing of Billy Gillespie

Kentucky isn't the first major college power to be full of themselves and unfortunately they won't be the last. Ironically two years into the Billy Gillespie era, both sides are parting ways. Tubby Smith could never measure up to Rick Pitino in the eyes of the big blue faithful. Gillespie is also failing to fill those big shoes as well, going just 40-27 with an N.I.T appearance coupled with a first round exit in the NCAA tournament last season. Smith led Minnesota to an NCAA tournament bid in only his second season which is typical of Tubby's miracle worker like exploits at Tulsa and Georgia.


After all, Smith did win the 98 championship with "Pitino's players", that's according to the gospel of Tubby hating, chapter one verse three. Typically people who swear by this kind of garbage are people who haven't adjusted very well to the climate of major college sports. Just about every program plays on television. Traditional powers can no longer use the "exposure card" with John Q recruit. The Patrick Ewing's of the world are now pre-historic. Most of the top tier talent will stay two years or less for the lure of pay for play.


When Dean Smith gave you a call as a recruit back in the day, it was almost equivalent to a religious experience. Now when a recruit fields a call from a coach its about how long they will stay or if they will get the opportunity to play right away. How many Dean Smith's are left in the coaching profession? How many coaches will stay at one place for a significant amount of time? Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Mike Krzyzewski and Roy Williams are the last of a dying breed. (note if UNC would never opened up Williams would still be the Kansas coach) Coaches are under more pressure to win like never before.


The handwriting on the wall was there even before Gillespie took the job. Would you like for me to translate the language on this wall? Here's several factors to consider.



1. Kentucky has lost a bit of its luster as a basketball program.

Some delusional fans and even media types will attribute this to the tenure of Tubby Smith. This is a complete farce. The resurrection of the Big East took care of most of that. The South Eastern conference this season was the worst its ever been. Kentucky in the 90's and for half of the 2000's were a proverbial shoe in for the NCAA tournament. The emergence of Florida helped to wrestle some of the noterity from Kentucky. Florida has 3 final four appearances which led to two back to back national championships in 2006 and 2007. Kentucky still had productive seasons under Tubby Smith. In 2004 they were an overtime away from appearing in the final four.

2. The tradition of Kentucky Basketball doesn't mean anything outside of the state of Kentucky unless you live there or attended the school.


Sure Pitino and Tubby recruited great players like Jamal Mashburn and Tayshaun Prince the school but it wasn't entirely because of the tradition. Quite frankly if the school's tradition was viewed in "all of its glory" then most of your top tier talent wouldn't consider Kentucky for a visit let alone suit up there. Both coaches presented a style of play that was attractive to young recruits. They both won titles. The the influx of high players jumping to the NBA contributed mightily to the decline of the program. Secondly Tubby could never live down the legend of Rick Pitino causing a false sense of entitlement to the final four every year.


3. Any coach would be tickled to death to coach at Kentucky


That was probably true about ten years ago. Obviously Gillespie and UK weren't that into each other. All of the big guns like Tom Izzo, Rick Barnes, Billy Donovan and John Calipari have very little incentive besides money to leave their current jobs for Kentucky. Honestly they have spent their tenures at their respective schools building great programs. Their collective success has created a relevant track record for today's players to emulate and flock to. This makes the tradition of Kentucky a distant memory.

Most recruits don't care about the 78 final four or all of the NCAA titles that Rupp won. The titles won in the 90's by Smith and Pitino are note worthy but the hip hop generation rarely pays attention to anything not attached to their ipods or blackberries. Besides, Donovan apparently loves the weather in Florida more than the climate in the bluegrass state. The weather and UK fan base can be just as cold when you're not meeting their lofty expectations. Two national championships and a 3.5 million dollar salary is a good reason to stay put. He has less pressure at his current job. All he has to do is make the tourney every year for the rest of his coaching career at Florida and they'll name the new arena for him in twenty years. Calipari on the other hand can be bought. Time will tell on this one.


4. Young proven coaches can sometimes be better suited to take over programs that have taken a step back


Travis Ford is a young gun who may fit the mold of what the UK faithful think is their type of Coach. Ford played there and knows the passion that the fan base brings to the table. He has left programs like Eastern Kentucky and Umass better than he found it. If I were Mitch Barnhart I'd call Travis Ford. Pitino was a young gun fresh off taking Billy Donovan and Providence to a final four. Could lightning strike twice with Ford? Mike Anderson of Missouri took a program that was left in pieces. They are coming off a stunning victory over my Memphis Tigers. He apparently gets the most out of his players.

Anderson's players weren't the darlings of all of the major recruiting websites nor were they McDonald's All Americans. In fact according to a recent ESPN article they refer to themselves as "Burger King All Americans". This direction is less likely to happen considering his ties to Nolan Richardson and the arrogance of the administration. Plus he looks to much like Tubby Smith. Sorry but its the truth. You can slice that in multiple ways and call me crazy but you know I ain't lying.


5. Kentucky has become the high school beauty that comes to the reunion 4o pounds overweight.


The AAU circuit, the pressure to win and the increased academic requirements for freshmen has diluted the talent pool that would normally be recruited by traditional powers. Every major college power is susceptible to experiencing challenging times. Billy Gillespie was never in the long term plans at Kentucky despite what they may have the public to believe. In Gillespie's defense, two years isn't enough time to evaluate whether or not he had an impact. Gillespie should've stayed at Texas A&M, where he was adored for resurrecting that program and leading them to within a blown Acie Law layup that would have eliminated Memphis and propelled them to an elite eight.

The contract situation is proof positive that neither side was that in love with each other to begin with. Billy Donovan didn't answer the beckoning call of the UK faithful before Gillespie's hiring. The rumblings of Donovan being the lead candidate resurfaced yet again but was shot down quickly in a statement released by the Florida atheletic department. Even if Donovan wanted to it would be financially difficult for him to walk away. He has some mean buyout clauses attached to his current contract after his brief affair with the Orlando Magic two years ago. Gillespie will eventually land another gig that doesn't fit "the job description" of part time Governor of the state.

His run at Kentucky isn't an indictment on whether he can coach. It is more of a tale tell sign of where the loyalties of athletic directors, fans, boosters and college presidents really are. There's not much loyalty from either side but coaches ultimately are hired to win basketball games. Both sides of the defacto sports league of college sports are skilled at pretending to be overly concerned about the young people that are responsible for racking up the millions in checks that flow into these major programs. Gillespie was right when he said that his job was about winning recruiting and losing. His sub par attitude was more of an excuse for the Kentucky powerbrokers to pull out of the deal and get someone they really wanted.


Obviously the UK administration believes that they can do better but what's different than the last time when the settled for Billy G? Media analyst are throwing out big names which is typical fodder created by the media that cover top tier programs. This helps to fuel some of the hysteria of name dropping which makes fans more delusional than they already are. The incident with Janine Edwards was ugly but not any worse than Roy Williams cussing on national T.V. after the loss to Syracuse in the 2003 national title game. Any chance Kansas fires Williams after that tirade? Can we cut to the chase and discuss what this really is about.


This is about a sub par N.I.T. season. This is about Patrick Patterson and Jodie Meeks possibly bolting for the NBA after this season. This also about a bad decision that makes both Gillespie and Kentucky look bad. This is about how they ran off a coach that had an average of 26 wins a year in favor of a guy that was very inexperienced and poorly prepared for the lofty expectations of the Administration and fan base. (Cue up Lane Kiffin at Tennessee. Did I just say that out loud)


Talented players have so many places around the country to choose from. You don't think they noticed how Tubby was treated? Billy Gillespie's sudden departure doesn't set the program up for immediate success either. Has anyone seen Indiana lately? Tom Crean is a wonderful coach but it will take him a few more years to rebuild that program. Tradition isn't a big seller anymore. The panic button has been pushed. The soap opera will play out and UK will eventually get their man. The question is will the fan base be realistic about the landscape of college basketball in the 21st century. It's a safe bet that they will not. I've decided to take a page from T.O. and get my popcorn ready because this is going to be good... On to better things. The final four is in a week and Kentucky isn't playing in it...











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