[jammin' jamey]

Just throwing this out there...How much impact does everyone think Gillispie had in wooing Patterson to UK over anything Tubby had said and done?

Patterson said he decided on Kentucky on Tuesday. He said the ability for his family and friends to see him play at Kentucky was a big reason for the decision. When a reporter asked him about the impact Gillispie had on his decision, Patterson said that he had always liked Kentucky, the program and the support it receives. That does beg the question as to whether or not Patterson still would have signed with Kentucky had Tubby Smith still been the coach since Smith was recruiting Patterson prior to his decision to leave for Minnesota in late March.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruitin...id=2872595

[Captain_44]

I think personally that it had a great deal to do with him coming to UK. I honestly think that Gillispie went after Patterson better than Tubby would have

[DevilsWin]

Tubby was staking his career on landing Patterson. Too bad for him how the 2006-2007 Cats finished in big games was the deciding factor. He probably would have landed Patterson early if UK had been serious contenders for a title and won some big games.

[rallo316]

BCG is very aggressive, i like that see what you want and go get it.

[jammin' jamey]

This supports what FOX SPORTS said in another thread about Patterson wanting to be his own man...

Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie's pitch to Patrick Patterson included this advice: Be a leader, not a follower. "It appeals to everybody," Patterson said of that advice yesterday after he signed with UK. "I'm going to go out there and work my hardest."

And Tubby did come calling on Patterson last week...
Then Smith called the Pattersons a week ago. "Just to say hello, how are you doing" said Tywanna, who added a topic Smith brought up. "You know, it's warm here in Minnesota, and I could sure use Patrick."

http://www.kentucky.com/276/story/71901.html

[jammin' jamey]

More from the same story....

Also helping Kentucky was Donovan's refusal to flatly reject speculation during the NCAA Tournament that he might take the UK job.Donovan's association with other jobs had "somewhat, kind of, an effect" on Patterson's deliberations, the player said. Donovan quietly assured the Pattersons, "I'm a true Gator," Tywanna said. "But you had to make a statement to the world." "Although he said he would not go, there was still something in my mind that believed he could end up leaving," Patterson said. Donovan's status as a hot commodity played on Patterson's mind.