DeSmetBilliken Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Just saw this on ESPN.com. Not Billiken news, but pretty big news for college basketball, as the UK job will be open. As someone who has normally considered UK to be one of my favorite teams after SLU, I was a bigger UK fan back when Pitino was there and still wish he never left. Some of Tubby's teams just didn't excite me the way Pitino's teams did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westy03 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I think Tubby Smith was very underappreciated at Kentucky. I think he is a great coach and Kentucky will be lucky if they get someone who is as classy as Tubby Smith. Great coach in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Does Kentucky have someone in mind for their vacancy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 NM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashvilleBilliken Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I wonder if this may have the opposite affect on Peddigrew's (sp?) recruitment. If he was holding out for a scholly since he is a die hard UK fan, I wouldn't be suprised if the new guy winds up with several schollies available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillikenTX Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I'm sure fans down in College Station, TX don't really like hearing this news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westy03 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Was thinking the same thing. I bet they go hard after Billy Gillespie(sp?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 If Pettigrew wasn't good enough for Tubby, unlikely he's going to be good enough for the new guy. Candidates anyone...does Slick Rick go back to UK? Barnes of TX? I'd be shocked if UK goes for a mid major like Marshall. They will obviously try and nab a big BCS name. This thing could have a hell of a ripple effect. Say they get Matta of OSU, not out of the question since UK's got a wad of cash to play with, OSU's got a wad of cash...who do they chase? Any one wonder why UB's name never comes up for any of these openings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 If I was Billy G., I would have to think long and hard before I would take the UK job. I think it compares closely with the Alabama football job. It is all the outside ##### and unrealistic expections you have to put up with that make the job now alot less attractive than most people realize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SShoe Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 There's no doubt, this is one of those job openings that cause all the dominos to fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTIME Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 He led them to the Elite 8 two years ago with 2 freshman (Rondo, Morris) and a JUCO transfer (Sparks) starting. Great coach. He got them to the national title game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SShoe Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 >Was thinking the same thing. I bet they go hard after Billy >Gillespie(sp?) Actually, I think that may be the wrong Billy that they truly go hard after. Billy Donovan anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SShoe Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 He won a national title for crying out loud. I think everyone knows what was the real problem Kentucky fans had with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillikenTX Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I don't think UK will be able to steal him away for more dollars than TAMU, as the Aggies have a lot of wealthy athletic donors and will be able to match UKs offer, it will be because Gillespie wants to be on the biggest of stages. UK has to get this hire right, because they are now arguably the 3rd best basketball program behind UF and Tennessee with Vanderbilt catching up quickly. People they will contact: 1) Gillespie 2) Calipari 3) Pitino 4) Larry Brown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westy03 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Was Billy Donovan a guard at Providence or Kentucky? I think that may weigh into his decision. Also, the power of the almighty dollar will play a huge part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Providence. And he was a Pitino assistant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted March 22, 2007 Author Share Posted March 22, 2007 I would be beyond stunned if Pitino went back to UK. I loved watching his teams at UK, plus I really don't like Louisville, so I'd be thrilled if it happened, but that's a huge longshot. First of all, the UK faithful are still angry that he went from UK to the Celtics to Lousiville. Second of all, he's built himself a nice program at Louisville. Third, I think that the state of Kentucky might just explode if somethng like that happened. Checked a couple UK message boards for some possible candidates. Billy Gillespie seems to be considered a possibility. The ideal choice that I've read from these boards would be to find a way to get Billy Donovan out of Florida and back to UK, where he used to be an assistant under Pitino. Some people seem to think Calipari might be a good candidate. For some reason, I've seen the name of Phoenix Suns coach Mike D'Antoni mentioned. Some people question if Thad Matta could be had from Ohio State, though with what he's building at OSU, I'd be very surprised if he went anywhere. Any former UK players that are currently coaches would probably only be considered if the big guns were to pass on UK. Such former players are Travis Ford at UMASS and John Pelphrey at South Alabama. My first choice would be Donovan, but it would probably be pretty difficult to get him to leave Florida, though guys like Noah, Brewer, and Horford could all be leaving after this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Tubby won a National Title with Pitino's kids...He went to 3 elite 8 games in 10 years...but lost all 3. One or two different results and his perception would be different. He never lost in the NCAA first round at UK. Obviously Alford and Tubby were forced out and landed at best possible places they could considering the circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillikenTX Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I am sure Cat fans would welcome slick Rick back with open arms, boy would that rivalry get a lot more intense if that happened. Calipari and Memphis return a lot of talent and the Simeon HS guard that is suppose to be something else, so UK will have to fork over a lot of cash to Cal to get him to Lexington. I don't see Matta going anywhere, he has recruits after recruits coming to Buckeye land plus the fat OSU athletic budget. Rick Barnes might also be someone to watch out for with Durant likely going to the NBA, plus Barnes has east coast and southeast roots from Providence and Clemson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 it is my opinion they are done with "pure as the driven snow" types like tubby. they want pitino II. flash and slick to the nth degree. recruit em all and take the pick of the litter. imo gillespie falls in the tubby like category of a real coach not a pitino slickster. the two names that came in my head were donovan and calipari. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Yes obviously he was forced out but why don't you make them fire you? That way they have to buy you out. It's not like he couldn't always get a job. I guess he just got tired of the #####. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 i am thinking a few years back, donovan was closely linked to a kentucky street agent/aau coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 slu72, it was my understanding pettigrew was good enough. the problem was no open spots. tubby was trying to convince the kid to walk on for a year till they had a scholarship for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 or willie the deal was cut behind scenes and he is indeed getting a buyout to go away. i find it hard to believe he left all that money on the table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashvilleBilliken Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I think things like this are gonna happen a lot more often going forward. I think expectations a lot of place are getting way out of hand (and no, I'm not referring to SLU in any way here). The age of dominating championships for a decade is over. The parity in college basketball right now is unbelievable. It's only a matter of time before a mid-major wins it all. Going all the way is harder than ever. I can see these guys saying F it, I don't need this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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