Why not Billy Gillispie???

H

Herminator

Well-Known Member
I'm trying to understand why this guy isn't landing on anyones lists....

Living here in Houston all I ever heard was the A&M fans gush over him as he took there team deep into the tournament...Only to cry when Kentucky came calling. Then at Kentucky he was unable to live up to expectations just as Tubby couldn't....so they brought in the most famouse cheater in College Athletics to "fix" their problems...

So why not Billy?

1. He is available now (start mending the fences with the recruits)
2. He is a proven winner
3. He has been a head coach
4. He can recruit (look at what he did at A&M and Kentucky)
5. He is young and a workaholic (he eats, sleeps, dreams basketball)


Maybe it's just me, but outside of Pearl this guy is my number one choice and seems the "easiest/cheapest" to land.
 
Maybe this?

Ex-Kentucky Wildcats coach Billy Gillispie arrested for DUI - ESPN

The arrest marks at least the third time Gillispie has been accused of driving under the influence. In 1999, Gillispie was arrested on two charges: driving while intoxicated and improper use of a lane in Tulsa, Okla., where he was an assistant coach under Bill Self.

He eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless driving. The other charges were dismissed.

In 2003, in his first year as head coach at the University of Texas-El Paso, he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. The charges eventually were dismissed after a specially appointed prosecutor decided that there was not enough evidence to suggest that Gillispie was drunk. The coach, then 43, maintained his innocence through that process.

Gillispie addressed his mistakes during his introductory press conference at Kentucky in April 2007, saying he wasn't "proud of some of things that I've done."
 
Ok, that was the response I expected...so he got into trouble for drinking after he got let go from his job.

1. He never was in trouble while coaching A&M or Kentucky if I am not mistaken.
2. He has a year to get his "problem" addressed and corrected.
3. He would be the perfect guy to mentor young men on the dangers of alcohol (ie - Anthony Tucker)
4. As I joked yesterday...if he hasn't fixed his problem, he is sure to keep our kids out of the bar b/c they know he will be there first.

Just my thoughts....
 
Calipari is a known cheater, Pitino just sexually assaulted a woman, Gillispie likes the drink. I would still take them as coach. It was quite ironic that Kentucky let Gillispie go and cites personal problems but turns to one of the biggest cheaters in college bball. If Calipari would come to Iowa City I would take him in a heartbeat.
 
I know that alcohol has been an issue with him, not only concerning the DUI. He had an assistant that left him at A&M and went with Pearl at Tennessee because so much time was being spent in bars and away from home.

In my opinion, not a good fit, but maybe the DUI has forced him to make some life changing decisions.
 
HawkI101 said:
Calipari is a known cheater, Pitino just sexually assaulted a woman, Gillispie likes the drink. I would still take them as coach. It was quite ironic that Kentucky let Gillispie go and cites personal problems but turns to one of the biggest cheaters in college bball. If Calipari would come to Iowa City I would take him in a heartbeat.
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Gillispie is not a known cheater, quite the opposite. He is quite possibly the biggest basketball junky in America. He never sleeps and is always about basketball and is a great builder of programs.

My candidates in order would be Pearl, Forbes then Gillispie.
 
I've been shouting Billie Gillispie for weeks now! He comes at a discount. Has PROVEN that he can turn programs around. He works his tail off. He connects with his players. He is a bit quirky and doesn't deal with the boosters / media but I really don't see this as being a problem. He's been busted for DUI 3 times I believe but you just write in to the contract that any alcohol related arrest is grounds for termination with cause.

My list has been:

1) Gillispie
2) Pearl
3) We shouldn't have fired Lick

Gillispie is being considered for the DePaul job. He's not going to be on the market for long. I would expect him to be a head coach within a week after the NCAA tournament ends.

KY knew of his issues before they hired him, they just chose to ignore them. I'm sorry, but if he's good enough for KY he sure as he!! is good enough for us.
 
Most people would have a wake up call after the first DUI. Not Billy.. He has all the makings of a good coach? I can see the headline now.... "University of Iowa has hired a drunk to be the next coach of the men's basketball team."

If you think Gillespie has any chance at this, you are completely wrong. I think if Barta even considers him he should be fired.
 
He wasn't goo enough for Kentucky that is why his tenure there was short lived. Any time you win, your faults can be overlooked, but when you struggle, as he did at Kentucky, they become reasons to get rid of someone.

His alcohol issues and dealing with the press is no way to fill an arena and bring optimism to a program that is as low Iowa's right now.

I wish I had a clear #1, but I do not see it right now. I like Pearl, he has guts and is afraid of no one, but at what price? Is the community of Hawkeye fans willing to get back on board and sell Carver out in an effort to pay his salary?

Even if this good recruiting class stays together it is at least two years away before something really positive can happen.
 
He's been busted for DUI 3 times I believe but you just write in to the contract that any alcohol related arrest is grounds for termination with cause. [/QUOTE said:
You're joking right? What if this did happen. Iowa would be back at square one. Too big of a risk. geez.....
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Glad to hear that he has some support from others out there...I was beginning to think I was crazy.

Cheap, worth the risk, proven track record and looking for a place to go. We don't have to beg and plead for someone to leave their current better gig to move to the midwest and rebuild a program (although it seems most of you believe this would be no problem)

Money isn't everything...if you are making $2.5M is another $500k going to make you change your life and move across country to the cold and try to rebuild a program??

Would any of you pick up your family and move half way across the country for a job that wasn't quite as good as the one you have, but was willing to pay you 25% more?!? Put it in persepective...if you make $40k and someone offered you $50k do you go? Probably not....so don't be confused by big dollar amounts b/c it is all relative....a 25% increase is a 25% increase.
 
Herminator said:
Glad to hear that he has some support from others out there...I was beginning to think I was crazy.

Cheap, worth the risk, proven track record and looking for a place to go. We don't have to beg and plead for someone to leave their current better gig to move to the midwest and rebuild a program (although it seems most of you believe this would be no problem)

Money isn't everything...if you are making $2.5M is another $500k going to make you change your life and move across country to the cold and try to rebuild a program??

Would any of you pick up your family and move half way across the country for a job that wasn't quite as good as the one you have, but was willing to pay you 25% more?!? Put it in persepective...if you make $40k and someone offered you $50k do you go? Probably not....so don't be confused by big dollar amounts b/c it is all relative....a 25% increase is a 25% increase.
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Uhhh...Im not sure what type of economic world you live in. I would suggest finding a Certified Financial Planner to assist you immediately.
 
Herminator said:
5. He is young and a workaholic (he eats, sleeps, dreams basketball)
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How can someone write this without the slightest pinch of Irony?


Gillespie is the absolute worst possible choice. I say this without hyperbole. He is just awful. In a community like Iowa city where high profile athletes get busted for minor alcohol violations all the time, do you really think Billy Clyde could make it a season or two without embarassing himself, the program, and the university?

I don't. And you know what happens when Billy slips up? Then Lickliter year three looks like a sweet 16 run, and we are envious of Indiana's success.

The next hire cannot blow up in our faces. Billy Clyde is sitting on a powder keg with a lit cigarette.
 
GhostofBTT said:
How can someone write this without the slightest pinch of Irony?


Gillespie is the absolute worst possible choice. I say this without hyperbole. He is just awful. In a community like Iowa city where high profile athletes get busted for minor alcohol violations all the time, do you really think Billy Clyde could make it a season or two without embarassing himself, the program, and the university?

I don't. And you know what happens when Billy slips up? Then Lickliter year three looks like a sweet 16 run, and we are envious of Indiana's success.

The next hire cannot blow up in our faces. Billy Clyde is sitting on a powder keg with a lit cigarette.
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These are my thoughts as well. I just don't think he's worth the risk. Especially not right now after what Iowa has gone through.
 
clicheusername3 said:
Uhhh...Im not sure what type of economic world you live in. I would suggest finding a Certified Financial Planner to assist you immediately.
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Weird, I am a CFP and I understand that 25% is 25%...and I have moved across country to take a different job for better pay and I'm telling ya'll that it is easy to get caught up in $3M or $4M dollar numbers when you make $50k/year....but these guys that we are going to "lure" to Iowa with $$ are already making $2.5M plus endorsements etc....do you really believe that we are going to make someone the highest paid coach in Div I basketball? And if money was all it were to take...then we wouldn't even have to argue about this....pick out said best coach and give him an open check book. Since that is all it takes....

I just find this all amusing that people complain that Kirk Ferentz makes too much money when he goes 8-6, but now we want to overpay for someone we view to be the savior of basketball program.

Thus why I think Billy is an interesting option....risky yes, but cheap.
 
GhostofBTT said:
How can someone write this without the slightest pinch of Irony?


Gillespie is the absolute worst possible choice. I say this without hyperbole. He is just awful. In a community like Iowa city where high profile athletes get busted for minor alcohol violations all the time, do you really think Billy Clyde could make it a season or two without embarassing himself, the program, and the university?

I don't. And you know what happens when Billy slips up? Then Lickliter year three looks like a sweet 16 run, and we are envious of Indiana's success.

The next hire cannot blow up in our faces. Billy Clyde is sitting on a powder keg with a lit cigarette.
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I now want Gillispie more than ever just to prove you are continuously wrong about pretty much everything in life.
 
hawkeye12345 said:
I now want Gillispie more than ever just to prove you are continuously wrong about pretty much everything in life.
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I was wrong about 2 things on Sunday.

If you want Billy, be my guest. Just look forward to being embarassed off the court in addition to on it in the future.
 
GhostofBTT said:
I was wrong about 2 things on Sunday.

If you want Billy, be my guest. Just look forward to being embarassed off the court in addition to on it in the future.
Click to expand...

I'm with Ghost on this. At a time when our basketball program needs STABILITY more than anything, you want to hire a guy who has MULTIPLE DUIs over the past 10 years? Not to mention, a guy who couldn't get it done at the easiest place in the world to win at, Kentucky? No thanks, I'll pass.
 
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