After its first 0-2 start since Tubby Smith was coach in 2000, Kentucky is looking old. Not "Ashley Judd old," but the program is getting there.
The culture, dedication, and devotion to the game are gone, now replaced with a seemingly new stereotype of deceit—most of it stemming from coach Billy Gillispie.
Gillispie's recruiting methods and game-day practices have doubtful heads turning in the direction of Kentucky's storied program, wondering what's true blue Wildcat basketball and what's plain unethical. More than ever, the two might be the same.
Since taking over at Kentucky following a deep tournament run at Texas A&M, Gillispie has gone to great lengths to return basketball in the Bluegrass State to the greatness it experienced in the '90s.
Gillispie did so much, in fact, that he caused the National Association of Basketball Coaches to turn towards the situation. It's funny too that Smith, former coach of the Wildcats, happens to be the current president of the NABC. That's karma for a Cats fan.
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After a disappointing first-round loss in the NCAA tournament last March, Gillispie hit the recruiting trail hard in the offseason. He recruited an eighth grader, beat the odds to get freshman DeAndre Liggins eligible, and put Larry Orton, father of Kentucky recruit Daniel Orton, on the Wildcat payroll.
Gillispie did nothing illegal, but he pushed the envelope enough to evoke changes. The NABC now asks coaches to wait until recruits reach their sophomore year of high school for coaches to start conversation.
Nothing has come of the Orton family situation, except for a letter of intent from Daniel to play at Kentucky. It would be appropriate to slip a "cheaters never win" in here, but Gillispie isn't cheating. The Kentucky coach is a man who simply loves to take full advantage of the system.
The downside is that Kentucky isn't finding success this way. Smith never broke the rules, pushed the envelope, or messed with the man. He was eventually hated by Wildcat fans, accused of bringing the program to its lowest point since Rick Pitino inherited a dwindling team in 1989 following Eddie Sutton's near death penalty push of the program.
Pitino led Kentucky to a renaissance, and that's what fans want to see again. But the New York native didn't leave the Knicks to stir up more scandal within Kentucky. He did it right, earning a reputation for winning by having more team speed and endurance than the opposition—the full-court Pitino pressing attack was born.
This is where Gillispie has a shot to do great things at Kentucky. He pushes his players, holding multiple practices each day, and instilling a game-day practice to get the heart pumping and his guys in shape.
With Patrick Patterson sidelined with a broken foot, the Wildcats didn't have the talent last March to flaunt their endurance. This year might follow a similar story. The Wildcats are young, inexperienced, and under a lot of pressure to perform.
Fans need to give it time. With Patterson, Liggins, and Jodie Meeks, Kentucky has a solid base to build upon. Gillispie will build, so long as he doesn't find himself on probation.
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about 1 month ago
Hehe great article Jonathan. I can't wait to read the bashing you're inevitably going to get for no good reason. I agree with the entire premise of the article.
from about 1 month ago
What? Kentucky fans get mad? No way. Elite Eight this year, Jameson. It's going to happen.
Thanks for the read. Saw your stuff on FoxSports. You spit the stats like none other.
from about 1 month ago
Hey lil bro!!!! WASSSSSSSUUPPPPPPPP!!
about 1 month ago
Though I am not personally cxalling for Billy's head yet, I love my Cats, but as Ron Simmons Says in Wrestling, "Damn!"......
I don't think Billy is cheating, as you agreed, but I dont think he is pushing so far into the grey area as you think.
As far as the 8th grader..... A Lot of Coaches do that, AND the NABC Only Asked, not put it into "law". Though it was stoked by Billy G, doing that, approximately 1 week later Billy Donovan signed an 8th or 9th grader, and hardly anything was said.
Also, getting a tiny bit off subject, their ball handling..... I actually watched the UNC game, without crying, but my neighbors thought I was killing somebody because of the words coming out of my house....j/k on the neighbors.... lol.....
I mean, I have seen white boys from the country handle the ball better than that. And the Crappy Passes... Where was the guy he was passing too? I mean it aint football, you dont have a set count then throw.... come on....
Well, anyways, Tubby Smith, got lazy in his recruiting. He must have thought that he could get good players on the Wildcat name alone.... Only a few fell for it.
Gillispie is going hard after people. Not just people, quality players. He doesnt have a life outside basketball, and now that Kentucky might ... keyword might..... be the "awakening sleeping giant", other people will get jealous, they will wonder, make allegations. Roy Williams picked up UNC Basketball, within a year, and is usually preseason #1... so I just hope that it wont be another 3 years to see real improvement and back to what UK Basketball is all about..... Winning...
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for reading, Nate. I'm actually not sure if the NABC can do any more than ask things of coaches. For it to actually be a rule, I'm sure something would have to go down in the already extensive NCAA rulebook.
Also, UK will be good down the road, but they have to pay their dues first. That could mean an entire season in the cellar with at least six SEC losses between Vandy, Tennessee and Florida, as well as non conference foes like Louisville and Miami.
about 1 month ago
I am a huge UK fan, but I want my program built on something solid like Tubby was able to do...not something where the line of ethics is blurry.
Nice article, it makes me miss Tubby oh so much. It's funny how the bashers get made when you say anything negative about Gillispie now. They are complaining about the very thing they did just 2 years ago. Unfortunately, those rants came to Tubby after losses to power schools...not after losses to VMI and Gardner Webb.
I hope things will turn around very soon. The majority of UK fans are level-headed about their passion. Unfortunately, it's the crazy ones who are the most vocal.
GO CATS!
from about 1 month ago
I'm finding it incredible that I'm not getting bashed on this subject, but that people are seeing Gillespie for what he is. Would you have a different opinion if he was winning?
And yes, at least Tubby always knew how to beat who he was supposed to beat, and usually took Louisville to the wire too. He was greatly mistreated.
Thanks for the read, Leigh.
from about 1 month ago
If you want a coach that was just lazy, then go be a Minnesota fan. He did not like to recruit players. It showed by him getting Jared Carter and Michael Porter. How they are wearing a Kentucky uniform is still blowing my mind.
Gillispie at least is trying. He did the some of the same things at the other programs. Has anything been said about that? I think not. Kentucky will be Kentucky again. It is just a matter of time and how much us Kentucky fans want to give Gillispie a try.
I was all for Kentucky going and getting Billy G. I took notice with him in his tourney game against Louisville a few years ago. He can beat UL, it will just take time.
Not all crazy fans are vocal. You will find that I am not a crazy UK fan. I state my opinion and back it up.
about 1 month ago
cool article. check out mine
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/83786-packing-for-vegas-college-basketball-picks-nov-20
from about 1 month ago
One star for spam.
about 1 month ago
Well, despite scoring 20 pts, Patrick Patterson and Billy need a fire lit under their tails.
Patrick would look spaced out, then when the ball finally got to him, he snapped out of it, scored or blocked, then went back into the funk, or whatever
And Billy, OMG, I saw Tubby at His LAZIEST Time, get more upset over things than Billy over these 2 games. I'm Dumbfounded...... Only use about 3 or 4 people off the bench, when he used 15 or so in the pre-season games, so why not use almost that in regular games.....
When they were throwing away passes, dropping the ball, etc, I would have put all the scrubs in..... for 2 minutes.... you're getting beat by 20 anyways....
I gotta stop, steam is rising out of my ears.
from about 1 month ago
Understandable. Billy G definitely didn't take proper advantage of the exhibitions, choosing to blow out the opponent rather than experiment with lineups to create a challenge for his team. Essentially, VMI was UK's first game and you could throw the exhibitions out the window.
You made me remember Tubby's famous bug eyes...those were the days. Billy just seems to sit crouched down, looking very methodical.
about 1 month ago
This garbage really makes me laugh. Billy G hasn't done a single thing wrong or even close to against the rules, yet he's corrupt. Your logic is astounding! As far as Tubby goes, it was time for his departure. He got lazy in recruitment, which has become the one of the biggest parts of creating success in college basketball. I'm sorry, but Adolph Rupp wouldn't have won a game with me playing point guard. In his last two or three years at UK, Tubby just lost his fire, he just seemed "to to sit crouched down, looking very methodical." The one time I recall seeing his "famous bug eyes" was during the first game against Florida in '06, which we lost. We're 0-2 because we're inexperienced and we can't hang on to the ball (53 TO's in 2 games) but these problems are no reason to jump ship because they will get corrected in time. And as for you all who seem to think that they no what Billy G SHOULD be doing should think about why he is the head coach of the Wildcats and why you are sitting your rear in a Lazy-Boy watching games from your home. For the most part, this article is a joke, and so is the author who seems to think that people actually need or want his feedback on posts (he even rates them!) But who am I kidding, he's a Louisville fan, what do you expect!
from about 1 month ago
That's what we've all been waiting to hear. Thanks, Robert.
What's your opinion on Daneil Orton? Was that whole deal not a bit shady?
Should any college coach, let alone the coach of the greatest program EVER, have to go after a gradeschooler?
from about 1 month ago
hey bob its smoovie....please let me know when William has a "decent recruiting class...no five stars.. yet only 4 players in top 150 and none in top 20..for the "greatest" college basketball program. And would u please take a look at Jon Hood's picture on rivals. Wow. He looks like hes gonna be good (not).
You must also remember who initially got u patterson and would have got u Jai lucas
also how many good players have left b/c of William... D jasper...A Legion?
Abd please do not give me any other excuses cause we know the real story...
about 1 month ago
The university offered the man a speaking apearance at some basketball camps. He's an AAU basketball coach if I have my facts straight and has a son who played for Oklahoma State and in the NBA as well. The man knows about recruiting so the university invited him to speak to kids hoping to play at the next level, it's not like the man had absolutely no buisness being there. And even if his son was being recruited by UK, IT WASN'T AGAINST THE RULES, Billy G did nothing wrong, even if you think it was "shady". Also, Billy G didn't have to go to the 8th grader, he voluntarily recruited a kid he believes will be a phenomenal talent. You talk like he's a predator or something. He's doing the kid a major favor, allowing him an opportunity to play for the greatest college basketball program ever and a free college education. Billy Donovan recruited an 8th grader as well, but you're not harping about that, but of course that's ok because he's not the head coach of Kentucky.
from about 1 month ago
Billy Donovan isn't paying the kid's dad either, is he? I think the coach of Kentucky should be under more scrutiny than any. He gets the honor of beeing booed by his own fans at every game. Why not the writers, too?
"For the most part, this article is a joke, and so is the author who seems to think that people actually need or want his feedback on posts"
Thanks for joining B/R to comment solely on this article. I hope you read my other stuff too.
about 1 month ago
"I think the coach of Kentucky should be under more scrutiny than any."
Of course he should, I agree with you on that ,but the fact of the matter (which you seem to ignore) is that Billy G has not broken a single NCAA rule. The only thing he's done is piss off the NABC, whose president is Tubby Smith (bitter much?) Look you've obviously got some agenda against the cats and coach G, but the fact is that (once again) HE HAS NOT BROKEN OR VIOLATED A SINGLE NCAA RULE! So unless you think that the NABC in some way has any power at all you should realize that your article is bunk and point moot.
from about 1 month ago
Did I ever say that he broke a rule? If you actually read the article you would see that I didn't.
"Gillispie did nothing illegal, but he pushed the envelope enough to evoke changes. "
Anything else to add?
about 1 month ago
nice work! i couldnt agree more
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for the read, Jon. :)
about 1 month ago
Jonathan, I think one of your articles, somehow I came acros is what got me to join B/R.
However, the reference to Billy Donovan is incorrect. As the way you stated it.
Daniel Orton is signed on for I believe it is next years freshman class.
I don't have the time to research the 8th Grader Billy signed, however, what I failed to mention in a previous response was, to be honest, I don't see to much of a problem with this. I'll start off, with that the Only downside is a student-athlete gets lazy because they have been offered a scholorship.
The UP Side to this is , that that athlete can relax, focus on his grades, further his game, and know .."Hey, I am going to a top notch program.... virtually guranteed, so keep healthy keep my grades up, and get my skills up... cause I know I am going to the next level." "They put their confidence in me, I don't want to let them down."
Thats the hope of that recruit, or it should be.
Now, are 8th graders mature enough? Some are, most aren't.
And do you know how many high school/AAU coaches are hired for clinics all across the country all the time? A TON.... you know how mnay of them have a kid of their own going to college ball? A Good amount, over time.
Tubby's son Saul played for him, Pat KNight Played for Bob Knight... so you see, there is a line, but it hasn't been crossed
from about 1 month ago
I just feel that you can't refute Gillespie working hard in recruiting by saying he'll go after anybody, even and eighth grader. There's so much more downside than upside to getting intent to sign from a kid who hasn't even finished growing, more or less taken the responsibility to dress himself in the morning. Individually, what Billy G is doing isn't too bad. It's the fact that he's doing everything he can to push the rules that bothers me.
I'm not saying it's wrong, but what he's doing is by no means the right way to do things.
about 1 month ago
Billy Donovan did the same thing not 2 weeks later, come on....
from about 1 month ago
Does that make it right?
about 1 month ago
Seems a little interesting that your title is "Billy Gillispie Building Greatness on Corruption" then you go on in the article to say that Gillispie has done nothing illegal. Can you also point out to your readers that college coaches quite often high a parent or AAU or high school coach of an incoming player?
from about 1 month ago
Exactly. What he's doing is corrupt, not illegal. Gillespie is hurting the program's reputation by doing thsese things over and over.
about 1 month ago
Like Pitino over there at UofL aint done some of the same things.
People are just jealous that UK is getting back on the recruiting trail.
But corruption...... thats a strong word.
Per the Wikipedia:
Corruption is essentially termed as an "impairment of integrity, virtue or moral principle; depravity, decay, and/or an inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means, a departure from the original or from what is pure or correct, and/or an agency or influence that corrupts."[
from about 1 month ago
Pitino does have that whole mafia connection to go off of, so that stuff must stay secret.
I used corruption because it is a strong word. I disagree with Gillespie's methods wholeheartedly.
about 1 month ago
Make up your mind buddy. Is it corruption or is it blurring the lines? You can espouse your criticism of Gillispie all day, but the bottom line is he has done nothing wrong. I noticed you didn't once mention an NCAA investigation or pending punishment for Mr. Corrupt. Hmmmm, I wonder why. And to call Tubby's involvement with the organization that is criticizing the practices of the coach who replaced him Karma is ridiculous. It's not karma, it's obvious. Tubby had plenty of chances to achieve greatness, and he failed. Sour grapes. He took the number 1 overall seed into the tournament twice and failed to even make the final four. The title he did win came with another coaches' players, and may I remind you he wasn't fired, he resigned. You can't force fans to support a coach they don't believe can win when it counts, and apparently he needed that unconditional support. Back to Billy G. He pushes hard, and he stays WITHIN the rules. I'm guessing you must drive at LEAST 5 miles under the speed limit Dudley Do-Right, because anything faster would be pushing the limit, literally. Oh wait, you probably find it ok to break the LAW, just not push a college basketball recruiting RULE. Great job being completely middle of the road and boring. Next time just hammer him, right or wrong, don't end by saying 'everything will be ok.' That's crap journalism.
from about 1 month ago
What would you say about Jim Tressel and Ohio State? I'd say he, too, should be looked at under a watchful eye for his recruiting methods. This is the same thing. You obviously disagree, and that's okay. But I think you can form a better opinion than a personal attack.
about 1 month ago
"That's what we've all been waiting to hear" states Jonathon, when the first negative comment appears!
What a reason to write sensational drivel.....to receive negative reinforcement. I guess one will do most anything to get attention?
Jornalistic truth.... just a myth. Agenda writing is vogue and could posibly get one their "fifteen minutes of fame."
Keep trying, you aren't even close.
from about 1 month ago
I was hoping for Jameson to see that after posting:
"Hehe great article Jonathan. I can't wait to read the bashing you're inevitably going to get for no good reason. I agree with the entire premise of the article."
It's just odd to me that UK fans disagree, and everyone else can see a good opinion in this article.
about 1 month ago
What has Billy G done that 200 other coaches have not done. Elite Camps heck Florida almost invented those things. Paid Larry Orton to come speak so did Oklahoma and Kansas, I did not hear anything about Bill Self winning title on cheating. Recruiting a 15 year old he did it before the NABC requested it done and Billy D did it after and no where was it mentioned that he did it. Billy G is playing within the rules if the rules changed he will continue to play within them just like every coach that has and wants a first class program.
about 1 month ago
This is exactly the type of cage lining material I would expect from a tard lover.
about 1 month ago
Really hard to believe the fans of the team your bashing with nothing more than half truths disagree with you heh, moron. What is clear is that you dont know "Jack" about what has been going on in college basketball recruiting for years. Teams recently like USC, Baylor, and Kansas State last year with Michael Beasley. These schools havn't been paying a players father to speak at a camp or two, they've been giving their father's and AAU coaches jobs as Recruiting coordinaters, and other positions in basketball operations. ESPN.coms got a whole story on the ole "package deal". Its obvious that you are an agenda driven writer and that you dont research your facts before you air your opinion to the public, but come on, thinking i'm buying into this garbage is insulting. Your just another L'ville fan that think all UK fans are just a bunch backwoods, redneck, illiterates. Not to mention your probably just a little envious of us. I mean it must get old walking into to Rupp every other year and seeing those 7 Championship banners. And lets face it, no matter how good the season is for you all your always going be the other team in the state. Enjoy Kentucky's down years while you can because there wont be many of them.
about 1 month ago
Yawn.
If I'm envious of anyone, it would be Duke/UNC. UK basketball has become a boring story.
about 1 month ago
Ah gotta love it. Looks like this baby found its way to a UK message board somewhere.
from about 1 month ago
In honor of these comments, I introduve the Kool-Aid man.
"Enjoy your weak wins against garbage teams because your overrated squad will amount to nothing again this year. I can't wait until the Warrior dominates you all on Jan 4th. Go Cats, you wish you were us, it's ok, you all should have a good baseball team, except we'll dominate you in that too."
"I agree no one is on north carolinas level right now. Im not confident UL is a top 10 team right now either but by the end of the season they will be just like UK will prolly be in the top 25"
"We definitely could have hung with UNC if Meeks just had an ave game. No way UofL could make it a game with UNC right now. I can't believe so many people are drinking the red coolaid"
http://kentucky.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=1383&tid=120967536&mid=120967536&sid=888&style=2
about 1 month ago
A sports nation minnesota blog also picked it up but was for your viewpoints. PS top 25 poll due to me by 7 tonight jsflemin@syr.edu
from about 1 month ago
Picked this column up?
from about 1 month ago
Yeah they linked to it with a sentence of commentary, but they agreed with it.
from about 1 month ago
Cool. Thanks for the heads up. I don't know if I can get a top 25 in tonight...I have the Fox Sports thing today, a top 10 power rankings for another site and...a math test to get ready for. Ha
about 1 month ago
good article and im gonna stay out of this one!
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