Friday, April 6, 2007

April Fools! Gillispie Heading to Kentucky


While it came a few days late, Billy Gillispie played an April Fools joke on the entire nation by accepting the job at Kentucky today. Most sports followers believed that Gillispie was headed back to Texas A&M after agreeing to a contract extension in principle valued at mid-1 million range. However, Pat Forde of ESPN broke the news this morning that Gillispie embodied the phrase "third times a charm", as he agreed to the job after failed plays for Billy Donovan and Rick Barnes of Texas.

As to the supposed acceptance of the Texas A&M contract, Forde reports Gillispie apparently told the AD at A&M that he agreed to stay, but never actually signed the extension. It sat on his desk while he waited to see how the Kentucky job played out. Pretty sweet little head fake there by Billy G.

So now the Kentucky job is filled and Arkansas is the only one left to go in the SEC. What do the Hogs do now? Also, with Billy G. denying Arkansas to wait for UK and with Altman backing out after accepting the position, could the problems within the athletic department there be a reason why coaches are hesitant to accept?

I think as far as CKS is concerned, this is another step towards solidifying his stay in Nashville. Your thoughts?
(Photo Courtesy of ESPN.com)

16 comments:

Seamus O'Toole said...

CKS is definitely staying in Nash Vegas.

As for Gillispie, you sort of had a feeling he was angling for something like this when he negotiated the new contract but never signed it. Even his quotes were well crafted to leave himself a little wiggle room. There was never any "I love it here and plan to stay put" remark that could come back to bite him.

I also happen to agree with his logic that Kentucky is a job worth leaving A&M for but Arkansas ain't. And I agree with UK's logic that Gillispie is a better guy to take them forward than any of the others who were on their short list.

Travis Ford to Arkansas?

How bout Anthony Grant? Then we could have two Billy's in the SEC East and a Billy D-isciple in the West.

Seamus O'Toole said...

Check that - not their logic, their dumb luck. I guess they went after Barnes first and they may be grateful down the road that he turned them down.

Boyer in the District said...

Top 3 prospects for the Hogs now:

1. Eddie Sutton
2. Jerry Tarkanian
3. Pat Summit

..I'm actually only halfway joking.

-Boyer in the District

Seamus O'Toole said...

They should pony up some monster cash and see if John Calipari bites.

Boyer in the District said...

Hogs already tried the Calipari route...no dice. He was...I think the #4 or #5 choice for Broyles after Gillispie, Self, etc..

But who the hell knows anymore. I might boycott next season.

Bobby O'Shea said...

You heard it hear first, Pat Summitt to coach the hogs.

Seamus O'Toole said...

Oh I forgot that. There's just been so many coaches who've turned them down, it's getting hard to keep track of them all...

Boyer in the District said...

I think Darren McFadden should coach!

Seamus O'Toole said...

Well one huge problem they face is that whoever they try to hire knows that Broyles is out at the end of this year and you don't know what the landscape will look like when he's gone.

To say nothing of the fact that you've got players using drugs and getting put on academic probation while trying to come in and build a program.

Arkansas definitely needs Pat Summit to come in and clean up the mess that is their basketball program.

Anonymous said...

The sad thing is we'll probably still roll Vandy next year!

Seamus O'Toole said...

Touché.

Stanimal said...

But you'll also still be living in Arkansas, which might be worse punishment.

Bobby O'Shea said...

I am talking Vanderbilt and the over, that's how confident I am. Pat Summitt's in for a rude awakening.

Boyer in the District said...

Stanimal:

Definition of Boyer in the District is that Boyer lives in the District

Regards,

Boyer in the District

Stanimal said...

I recognize that you live in the District, Boyer in the District. The point regarding residence in Arkansas was not directed at you but rather at the entirety of the Arkansas fan base that would make a similar comment to the one you made.

In simple chapter verse, It sucks to live in Arkansas.

Bobby O'Shea said...

Stanimal is clearly afraid of Boyer in the District and his "takes."