It has been very interesting to think about what and why Billy Clyde fell out of the head coaching job at the University.

 

When he was hired, he said the right things (albeit unclear, really) and praised the job and what Kentucky Basketball was. He exclaimed that "...this is where they basically invented basketball."

 

After a tumultuous beginning to his career as head coach, everything turned around starting in the SEC. The team came together, played as a team, and Billy Clyde led them to improbable wins and a 12-win SEC season and co-coach of the year honors.

 

Things were looking good and the fans claimed:

 

"We got the right Billy!"

 

Then Mr. Wildcat Bill Keightly passed away. Perhaps Gillispie's best friend in the Kentucky athletics office was now gone. Was the passing Gillispie's demise? He now had no one to turn to. No wife. No Mr. Wildcat.

 

During his time at UTEP, Texas A&M, and his first season at Kentucky, you never heard of Gillispie tormenting the players and treating them unfairly.

 

But his former players, including Kentucky's Joe Crawford said, "he tears you down and builds you back up. I can't thank him enough for what he did for me."

 

Perhaps that was what Gillispie was doing with our 08-09 Wildcats, but the players couldn't turn to Mr. Wildcat for support. Gillispie appeared to be unstable with his comments in interviews and always appeared alone. Was this because he didn't have Mr. Wildcat?

 

I honestly believe that the passing of Mr. Wildcat was the demise of Billy Clyde Gillispie.

While there have been some positive comments from former players of his, there have also been some negative ones as well. I also have heard from a source who was close to Mr. Wildcat that Keightley wasn't as fond of BCG as many were led to believe. I understand that he was concerned with the way he sometimes treated players and felt that while every coach could be rough on the players (Rupp comes to mind), that sometimes he went overboard. When the pressure cooker got hotter, I think he just snapped.

 

I also think that the UK job is so big and involves more than just coaching and recruiting, that the pressure got to him. I commented to friends several times this past season that he just looked like a deer in the headlights at times. I think that he buckled under the pressure. Doesn't mean he isn't a good coach. He did turn around 2 programs very quickly before coming to UK and was co-coach of the year in 2007-2008 so he can coach. It just wasn't a good fit for BCG or UK.

Losing. End of story.

Losing. End of story.

:thumb: :thumb:

 

Anything else is just a cop out. If he was winning none of the other stuff would've mattered.

Not winning enough. Bottom line. I will always agree with BCG. Winning at UK cures all!

Not winning enough. Bottom line. I will always agree with BCG. Winning at UK cures all!

 

Of course winning fixes everything. But I think it's related in a pattern.

 

Gillispie loses close friend.

He then loses his "friendliness" (if he had it) with his players. "Dear in the Headlights"

Who in turn don't like to play for him.

Which in turn equals more losses.

Which makes more spotlight and more pressure.

Which makes you croak.

Which gets you fired.

 

It took Pitino a while to get over losing his close friend in the WTC catastrophe.

The Gardner Webb game...

Many folks seem to have concluded that Billy Clyde and Bill Keightley were some kind of very close friends. That would be an exaggeration.

Too much booze? :idunno:

Actually, I retract my last post. I'm going with the patio at Harry's being his downfall!:walk:

Too much booze? :idunno:

 

:laugh:

 

I'm going with his personality.

I've talked to a few people who got the chance to be around Gillespie quite often (worked in the athletics department) and they said that Billy Clyde was the most paranoid person they had ever met. Said he was always acting like someone was out to get him, and never opened up for anyone. Said he was very reclusive, and acted like he was always looking over his shoulder.

I thnk the final straw for him was his comments at the SEC Tourney saying he was hired to be a basketball coach and all the other stuff was not in his job description. This on the heels of a talking to about handling the "other stuff".

I even said as much prior to the SEC Tourney that I didnt think he would be back if they didnt win the SEC Tourney.

Too many things began to surface.

His stubborness was a pitfall.

He lost BIG early which did not help things...then as the two years went on, his behavior became more erratic especially under the spotlight. In general he was not a very nice person. He made enemies when he needed friends and especially those that could have helped him....the media.

Off court stuff became magnified.

Losing to UGa at home was inexcusable....by that time the express was heading for derailment.

I think BCG was the downfall of BCG, plain and simple! I think the passing of Mr. Wildcat certainly played a role in his actions and behavior, but he answers for his own mistakes!

Too much booze? :idunno:

 

I don't want to call a man something that he is not, but I sure have heard a lot of stories of him out at bars and fraternity parties.