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Home > ajcsportstalk > Archives > 2007 > April > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGillispie named Kentucky coach
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kentucky has a new basketball coach: Billy Gillispie was introduced Friday after taking Texas A & M to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1980.
He succeeds Tubby Smith, who left for Minnesota after coming under pressure from Wildcats fans for not winning enough. UK was rebuffed in its bid to pry Florida coach Billy Donovan away from the Gators, but it settled on Gillispie, who has a reputation as a young, energetic, talented but restless coach. He was at Texas A & M for only three years, and had a short spell at Texas-El Paso before that.
Will UK get back to where it’s accustomed under Gillispie? Is Kentucky still a destination college basketball coaching job? It wasn’t for Smith, who won a national title in his first season in Lexington. Do you think Gillispie is up to the task?
How does Gillispie’s hiring affect the SEC and Georgia in particular? Does this make the Bulldogs’ long rebuilding project even longer?
Comments
By Die Hard
April 6, 2007 2:07 PM | Link to this
Great Hire!Kentucky is back, ready to add to the 8 National Championships and 43 SEC Titles
By Jose
April 6, 2007 2:15 PM | Link to this
How does his hiring effect Georgia? Not at all. Georgia always has an always will stink at basketball, regardless of the coach at Kentucky.
Everyone enjoy Felton’s last year coming up.
By Bruce
April 6, 2007 2:16 PM | Link to this
After Billy Donovan….this would have to be considered an excellent choice. Single guy who lives and breathes basketball, great recruiter……perfect fit for Kentucky fans’ passion.
By hahaha...
April 6, 2007 2:18 PM | Link to this
HAHAhahahHAHAh HHAHAHEHEHEHEheheheh ahaHAHAHahahehehe… oooooh… wait… I am trying to catch my breath… hahaha heheh ahahaha ahahaaahahaha heheheheh… cough… cough… hahah… Oh S#*t, there’s milk running out of my nose… hahaha… hehehahahahaha…
By Anonymous
April 6, 2007 3:07 PM | Link to this
Welcome to the SEC, big boy. Yum yum.
By artie
April 6, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this
As a KU fan, this is definitely a good hire for UK.
By Anonymous2
April 6, 2007 4:43 PM | Link to this
It appears UK paid a Tiffany price for a WalMart coach. Maybe a Super Center coach but stil a WalMart coach.
I guess Mitch Barnhart must be a graduate of the Mal Moore “School of overpaying coaches because they don’t understand what a great program we have!”
By bowman
April 6, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this
Ironic, isn’t it, that UTEP (then Texas Western College) rose to basketball fame with its victory over Kentucky in the 1966 NCAA Championship game and now a former UTEP coach will help Kentucky reclaim its throne in college basketball. After returning UTEP to its former glory and proclaiming his love for El Paso, Billy Gillispie was lured to Texas A&M by money and, perhaps more importantly, a bigger stage on which to perform. At Kentucky he’ll be on the biggest stage, not to mention an extra million or so a year. He is an intense coach and passionate recruiter. Tubby who? He may be a better hire than Billy Donovan. I predict that Gillispie will return Kentucky to the annual glory days of Rick Pitino.
By nate
April 6, 2007 5:12 PM | Link to this
Suprised by Billy Donovan’s decision. But wise choice to stay at Florida. Now he can build his own legacy rather than trying to live up to Kentucky demands. Kentucky didn’t go south though with this hire. Gillispie is a great builder and will win at Kentucky. Win national championships, WELL…………. Let’s just say he will win a few SEC titles. He will however get Kentucky back to the final four in next couple of years or maybe sooner. This is a good hire. Contrats Kentucky!!! Still didn’t like the way you treated Tubby, but I love college basketball, not the universities. With Tubby gone, now I have a reason to love seeing you get beat.
By doug
April 6, 2007 5:56 PM | Link to this
to all you skeptics, gillespie has been doing a lot better at a & m than tubby has been doing at kentucky, which is why tubby is now at minn and gillespie is at kentucky . By the way, did gillespie leave the cupboard bare with a lot of seniors graduating or is a & m due to have a really good year, and if so, who are they likely to get for a head coach ?
By atlcatfan
April 6, 2007 6:23 PM | Link to this
the ha-ha guy is a loser. why did you even waste your time leaving a comment. your brain no worky. Go Cats!
By Bert Lawson
April 6, 2007 9:16 PM | Link to this
Great hire, you “loser talkers” don’t know Basketball and don’t have a clue.