Ok, I have spent the past several hours scouring messge boards and insider sites across the SEC, I have also been talking to one of the administrators at Rivals.com and here is a really big twist into the entire Billy G saga.
Kentucky has informed Billy that he is not going to be the coach at Kentucky next season, he has packed his things along with his assistant coaches and the players have been informed by Mitch Barnhart and Billy Gillispie.
Billy has told his assistants that he wants to remain in the SEC and he wants them to remain with him, him remaining in the SEC would require him to contact either Alabama or Georgia about their head coaching positions and the Alabama job has drew his attention. The problem is that Kentucky doesn't want Billy to remain in the SEC, due to fear of him winning with another program in the conference. Kentucky is trying to hold off on offically firing Gillispie until Alabama fills their head coaching position, because they don't feel he has a real intrest in Georgia.
Alabama as many of you know has offically offered their job to VCU head coach Anthony Grant, who as of yesterday was expected to accept the Alabama job on Monday. The problem with this is that Grant wants the chance to interview with the University of Kentucky, so he is not planning to accept the Alabama job until he gets his UK interview, this means the Alabama job remains open. Alabama has told all other possible canidates that they are no longer being considered, showing that Grant is their guy, they will not give up on him until he tells them he does not want the job.
So here is the situation:
-Kentucky wants the Alabama job filled before Gillispie is offically fired.
-Alabama has offered to Anthony Grant and has made him the guy, but he will not accept as of yet.
-Anthony Grant wants to interview with UK, but that can't be done until BCG is gone.
One of these sides have to give in, Kentucky has to either fire Gillispie giving him the chance to go to Bama, Alabama has to hire a different head coach and give up on Anthony Grant, or Grant has to give up on interviewing with Kentucky and fill the Alabama job.
**And another note: According to flight records in Florida there is a record of a flight that was defined as this.
Depart From: Gainsville, FL.
Arrive To: Mt. Sterling, KY.
Flight Type: Personal
Arrival Time: 8:38 PM on Thursday, March 26, 2009.
I wonder who that could be?
Grants #1 job is the Florida job, that is no secret.
Kentucky wants Billy D.
Florida wants Grant
Alabama wants Billy C.
NEXT Wrote:Grants #1 job is the Florida job, that is no secret.
Kentucky wants Billy D.
Florida wants Grant
Alabama wants Billy C.
Your right. Grant does want the Florida job, but my situation has to go down before Grant can get the chance to talk with Florida, either Kentucky has to give in and fire Gillispie, or Alabama has to fill the position with a different coach.
Billy D is in Lexington at this very second........................
NEXT Wrote:Grants #1 job is the Florida job, that is no secret.
Kentucky wants Billy D.
Florida wants Grant
Alabama wants Billy C.
I think you are right. This is the pecking order. However, Pitino doesn't want Billy D at Lexington due to recruiting and Memphis is losing. Look for Calipari to make himself competitive in this race.
NEXT Wrote:Billy D is in Lexington at this very second........................
Maybe and maybe not. Other post say he is at the Radison but there isn't a Radison in Lexington.
The Installer Wrote:Maybe and maybe not. Other post say he is at the Radison but there isn't a Radison in Lexington.
Yes they are lol it's right beside the Hyatt
I have heard that UK sent a statement out to WHAS (linked above) saying that he isn't out. So who knows? Don't know if that is official or just buying time.
UkFan23 Wrote:Yes they are lol it's right beside the Hyatt
My son who lives in Lexington told me there wasn't. He looked it up and he was wrong. I stand corrected!
thetribe Wrote:I have heard that UK sent a statement out to WHAS (linked above) saying that he isn't out. So who knows? Don't know if that is official or just buying time.
WHAS has now pulled down their story.
I said that he is in Lexington, didn't I?
NEXT Wrote:Hylton and Hyatt, no Radisson.................http://www.radisson.com/hotels/us/ky/lexington/156
I assure you he is in Lex. though.
I guess my kid was right. I hope you are right that he is in Lexington. I would love to see him as our next coach!!!!
To echo tribe from another thread, why would they fly into Mt. Sterling?
They want to get him in there with secrecy. And if the plane lands in Lexington its going to look a little obvious.
IF and this is a big IF, Billy Donovan is in Lexington tonight and there is a press conference tomorrow, that does raise an eyebrow.
But would they annouce BCG out and Billy D in the same press conference?
JMEWLS Wrote:They want to get him in there with secrecy. And if the plane lands in Lexington its going to look a little obvious.
No, Billy Donovan always comes to Lexington this time of year, lol.
I just wish that UK would go one way or the other. No need to drag this out, if he isnt going to be the coach tell him and everyone else, let him say his goodbyes and then go get you a new coach.
thetribe Wrote:IF and this is a big IF, Billy Donovan is in Lexington tonight and there is a press conference tomorrow, that does raise an eyebrow.
But would they annouce BCG out and Billy D in the same press conference?
I dont think that the UK brass as in Todd and Barnhart has the coconuts to do that.
That would be extreamly fun to watch though.
NEXT Wrote:Hylton and Hyatt, no Radisson.................http://www.radisson.com/hotels/us/ky/lexington/156
I assure you he is in Lex. though.
The Radisson is now called the Lexington Downtown Hotel. Stayed there for the UK/Miami game this past season.
I don't think they have been actively pursuing a coach yet so IF he IS out then they will take time to announce a new hire. That's why the Billy Donovan/Lexington thing is confusing me, but anyone should have expected it. Same thing happened with Tubby.
BlackcatAlum Wrote:The Radisson is now called the Lexington Downtown Hotel. Stayed there for the UK/Miami game this past season.
Correct, I have stayed there 3 times this year. Much nicer.
thetribe Wrote:IF and this is a big IF, Billy Donovan is in Lexington tonight and there is a press conference tomorrow, that does raise an eyebrow.
But would they annouce BCG out and Billy D in the same press conference?
I'm not so sure that Billy D. is going to be the next coach at UK or not. Ofcourse I would love for him to take the job, but there are a few factors that have not been mentioned that might persuade him to stay in Florida.
#1--His son is ending his junior year in high school.--what kid wants to leave all his friends right before his senior year. I def. do not think this will be the deciding factor, but it is def. a factor nonetheless.
#2--He refused the job 2 years ago, what makes us so sure that he will accept this time around? Sure UK is the pinnacle of college basketball, but what would make him change his mind and take the job now?
#3--He has a multi-million dollar contract in Florida that was just signed either this year or last year, and he has the support of the Florida fanbase/boosters already. Is the UK basketball tradition enough to entice Billy the Kid to come back to where he belongs?
With that being said, I do think there are some outstanding factors that the UK job has to offer that entices Billy D. to come.
#1--Football is king in Florida--There is no doubt that Florida basketball takes a back row seat to Football in Florida. There is no reason to indicate that will ever likely change. Basketball games at UF hardly sell out and the fanbase cares more about football than they ever will at basketball. Bottom line, the question is whether Billy D. wants to come to a "basketball" powerhouse (UK) or stay as only the second biggest man on campus--next to Urban Meyer. I think its a good possibility that his ego tells him to go to UK where he will most definitely be the King of UK.
#2--UK will probably offer Donovan the "keys to the castle" so to speak. Buy him a horse farm beside Keeneland, a new Cadillac every year, name a street on campus after him, a $3-4 million+ contract, etc. If they can spend $30 million plus on the new Craft Center, then the boosters can surely afford to give Billy D. anything he wants. This all combined with the major "blunder" of hastily hiring Billy Gillispie, and the subsequent handling of the new coaching situation on our hands now. All I can say is that Athletic Director Mitch Barnhardt better knock this coaching negotiation out of the park, otherwise he will be looking for a job along with Gillispie.
#3--"UK IS THE CAMELOT OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL!"--(Rick Pitino) Enough said on that subject!
With that being said, lets all cross our fingers, and pray to god that Billy D. accepts and we all celebrate the hiring of our new coach in the coming days. If not Billy D. then Barnhardt better hire one of the top coaches in the nation this time, otherwise I suggest we all go down and plaster his front yard with for sale signs!
expect that when the announcment comes of Bill Gs firing/resegnation that within the next few days that the new coach is named...From my sources which are K Club major donors they have stated that it will be if not the day of then within a week.
I dont really wanna see Gillespie gone, but if he is gone I wish they would hurry and do it and let us know who we got.