Texas Tech Hires Billy Gillispie

**Strikeout King** · 03-20-2011, 01:34 PM

Texas Tech has hired Billy Gillispie as coach, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported Sunday, four days after the former Kentucky and Texas A&M coach interviewed with newly installed athletic director Kirby Hocutt.

The Lubbock newspaper reported Gillispie had agreed to a five-year deal and that the move would be announced later Sunday.

Gillispie, who also coached at Texas El-Paso, was fired at Kentucky in 2009 after two tumultuous seasons.

Texas Tech said before the Big 12 tournament that Pat Knight would not return next season and Knight publicly endorsed Gillispie for the job.
Hocutt interviewed Gillispie on Wednesday in Palm Beach, Fla.

Texas Tech chancellor Kent Hance met with Gillispie earlier this month in Dallas and Hance said he got a "very good" impression.

A "good recruiter and a good salesman" is how Hance described the native of Abilene, a few hours east of Lubbock.

In 2009, Kentucky fired Gillispie after the Wildcats went 40-27 in two seasons under him and missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in 17 years.

John Calipari, the former Memphis coach, replaced him.

Five months later in August 2009, Gillispie was arrested on a drunken driving charge. In November 2009, he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.

Gillispie's contract is for five years.

http://www.wkyt.com/sports/headlines/Bil...26499.html

***Spud6*** · 03-20-2011, 01:35 PM

I feel sorry for Texas Tech!!!

**Hoot Gibson** · 03-20-2011, 02:03 PM

MisterPerfect Wrote:I feel sorry for Texas Tech!!!

I hope they have hired a driver for him as well. It will be interesting to see if Texas Tech can draft a contract vague enough on moral behavior requirements for Billy to sign.

**LeeCoUKFan** · 03-20-2011, 02:08 PM

Should be an interesting ride for the Red Raiders basketball team!

**cuppett777** · 03-20-2011, 02:51 PM

Hoot Gibson Wrote:I hope they have hired a driver for him as well. It will be interesting to see if Texas Tech can draft a contract vague enough on moral behavior requirements for Billy to sign.

according to the radio shows i listen to here in Arkansas, because alot of there fans wanted him, he is a changed man, and hasnt drank in atleast a yr i belive i heard them say...he is a good coach,just not right fit for KY..

**Hoot Gibson** · 03-20-2011, 02:54 PM

cuppett777 Wrote:according to the radio shows i listen to here in Arkansas, because alot of there fans wanted him, he is a changed man, and hasnt drank in atleast a yr i belive i heard them say...he is a good coach,just not right fit for KY..

He is a lousy coach and a worse human being. Nobody knows when Billy Gillispie's last drink was except maybe Billy himself and I would not believe anything he said.

**HawksRule** · 03-20-2011, 03:19 PM

He honestly isn't that good of a coach. He played guys like Mark Coury.

***Wildcatk23*** · 03-20-2011, 03:54 PM

Good Luck!

***Spud6*** · 03-20-2011, 04:00 PM

HawksRule Wrote:He honestly isn't that good of a coach. He played guys like Mark Coury.

You don't say!! lol

**Old School** · 03-20-2011, 04:35 PM

I've said it several times before....."some people can fall face first into a fresh cow pie and come out smelling like a rose." I don't know how, but they do.

***Westside*** · 03-20-2011, 05:43 PM

This should be fun to watch.

**Aslan** · 03-20-2011, 06:14 PM

Hoot Gibson Wrote:He is a lousy coach and a worse human being. Nobody knows when Billy Gillispie's last drink was except maybe Billy himself and I would not believe anything he said.

I don't think he's a lousy coach. He turned around two schools that didn't have much prior success before he got there. He was just a bad fit for Kentucky.

Bolt · 03-20-2011, 06:25 PM

you cant honestly believe that aslan.
The guys a joke.
I know why Knight endorsed him.....he was mad about getting fired and knew the one sure way theyd miss him and for the program to be run into the ground is by hiring gillespie, which is exactly what they did.

**MVP2** · 03-20-2011, 06:25 PM

^^

Well said Aslan.

**Hoot Gibson** · 03-20-2011, 07:05 PM

Aslan Wrote:I don't think he's a lousy coach. He turned around two schools that didn't have much prior success before he got there. He was just a bad fit for Kentucky.

A drunken coach who abuses his players and embarrasses his school is not a good fit anywhere.

Mark Coury, a UK starter under Gillispie, averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds as a senior on a Cornell team that posted a 10-18 record against Ivy League competition.

Shelvin Mack, a Bryan Station star who Gillispie deemed not to be up to UK standards and whom Gillispie did not even recruit started in the NCAA Championship game last season. In his last game, Mack scored 30 points and led the Butler Bulldogs to an upset win over #1 seed Pitt.

Maybe Billy Clyde Gillispie is a coaching genius and I am just too dumb to appreciate his gift. :eyeroll:

**sstack** · 03-20-2011, 08:13 PM

Hoot you are right, he is not a right fit anywhere. He might be a good basketball coach (I think he sucks), but he is a deplorable human being for the way he treats people (players, school administration,media), and that is reason enough for no one to hire him. Maybe he did stop drinking, but that is a life long problem he is going to have and very likely to cause more problems down the road (espically in stressful situations that coaching jobs bring).

**Hoot Gibson** · 03-20-2011, 08:25 PM

sstack Wrote:Hoot you are right, he is not a right fit anywhere. He might be a good basketball coach (I think he sucks), but he is a deplorable human being for the way he treats people (players, school administration,media), and that is reason enough for no one to hire him. Maybe he did stop drinking, but that is a life long problem he is going to have and very likely to cause more problems down the road (espically in stressful situations that coaching jobs bring).

I agree, sstack. I cannot understand why any school would risk putting its basketball program in Gillispie's hands at this point. Texas Tech is just repeating UK's mistake.

**LWC** · 03-20-2011, 08:35 PM

Gillespie is a good risk. If you want to take a chance on a coach, and do not care about coaching moral (same school hired Bob Knight) go for it. Anywhere else, I say no.

**Hoot Gibson** · 03-20-2011, 08:54 PM

LWC Wrote:Gillespie is a good risk. If you want to take a chance on a coach, and do not care about coaching moral (same school hired Bob Knight) go for it. Anywhere else, I say no.

Good point. Texas Tech does seem to fancy itself as a coaching rehab center. :biggrin:

**Aslan** · 03-20-2011, 09:04 PM

Hoot Gibson Wrote:A drunken coach who abuses his players and embarrasses his school is not a good fit anywhere.

Mark Coury, a UK starter under Gillispie, averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds as a senior on a Cornell team that posted a 10-18 record against Ivy League competition.

Shelvin Mack, a Bryan Station star who Gillispie deemed not to be up to UK standards and whom Gillispie did not even recruit started in the NCAA Championship game last season. In his last game, Mack scored 30 points and led the Butler Bulldogs to an upset win over #1 seed Pitt.

Maybe Billy Clyde Gillispie is a coaching genius and I am just too dumb to appreciate his gift. :eyeroll:

I'm not saying he's a GREAT coach, or going in the Hall of Fame or anything. I don't even like him. But he's not a bad coach. He's the only coach in NCAA history to have the biggest turnarounds in two consecutive seasons. One of those schools was UTEP, and to me, that's quite an accomplishment. UK was just a bad fit for him. But you can't deny what he's done at UTEP and Texas A&M.
I'm also not saying he's a great person either, IDK him personally, so I will not judge. But he's not a bad basketball coach, and I wouldn't be surprised if he turns Texas Tech around.

**Hoot Gibson** · 03-20-2011, 09:22 PM

Aslan Wrote:I'm not saying he's a GREAT coach, or going in the Hall of Fame or anything. I don't even like him. But he's not a bad coach. He's the only coach in NCAA history to have the biggest turnarounds in two consecutive seasons. One of those schools was UTEP, and to me, that's quite an accomplishment. UK was just a bad fit for him. But you can't deny what he's done at UTEP and Texas A&M.
I'm also not saying he's a great person either, IDK him personally, so I will not judge. But he's not a bad basketball coach, and I wouldn't be surprised if he turns Texas Tech around.

And I wouldn't be surprised if some player eventually shoots Gillispie for messing around with his girlfriend. The guy is a loose cannon. There are too many good young coaches that have far fewer character flaws for a major university to gamble its program on the man, IMO.

**cuppett777** · 03-20-2011, 10:18 PM

wow,so many negative comments about another Human Being, glad the LORD JESUS dont look at are faults like that and not give us another chance,after chance...

**Hoot Gibson** · 03-20-2011, 10:36 PM

cuppett777 Wrote:wow,so many negative comments about another Human Being, glad the LORD JESUS dont look at are faults like that and not give us another chance,after chance...

What you are saying is that this man deserves a second chance, having done nothing to actually prove that he has changed. That he should be entrusted on a daily basis with the welfare and safety of at least a dozen young men. I don't think that the Bible tells us that we should foolishly put one wealthy man's career above the welfare of fellow human beings.

**vundy33** · 03-20-2011, 10:53 PM

I never really liked the guy, but I do wish him well.

**PaintsvilleTigerfan** · 03-20-2011, 11:12 PM

IMO he is a good hire for that level of program.

LClion4life · 03-20-2011, 11:35 PM

Aslan Wrote:I don't think he's a lousy coach. He turned around two schools that didn't have much prior success before he got there. He was just a bad fit for Kentucky.

Agree with you 110%! :Thumbs:

***zaga_fan*** · 03-20-2011, 11:42 PM

This is a good hire for Texas Tech.
He had some success at Texas A&M and I expect to BCG to have these guys back in the tournament hunt again.
He had a bad run at UK but I don't see him taking the Red Raiders anywhere but up.

**Jarons** · 03-21-2011, 06:23 AM

BCG is not a horrible coach. He was just a bad fit at UK.

**15thRegionSlamaBamma** · 03-21-2011, 08:10 AM

Hoot Gibson Wrote:What you are saying is that this man deserves a second chance, having done nothing to actually prove that he has changed. That he should be entrusted on a daily basis with the welfare and safety of at least a dozen young men. I don't think that the Bible tells us that we should foolishly put one wealthy man's career above the welfare of fellow human beings.

Everyone apparently Hoot knows BCG personally to know "hes not a changed man,"..."Has not proven to be changed,"...etc etc... Hey, Hoot whats his dogs name, how many college girls have already been in his Texas home and how many bottles of whine is he down to? I understand Hoot you dont like the man for past transgressions as most UK fans do not. Did he make many mistakes while at UK yup sure did. However, lets look at the track record before stepping into HUGE SHOES.

As recurting cord at Baylor had a class ranked as high as 6th. As an assistant under Self at Illinois aided the Fighting-Illini two back to back Big Ten Champions.

2002-2003 hired at UTEP horrible record 6-28
2003-2004 Wins the conference championship (First in 12 years). 24-8 record. 18 win increased was the largest in the nation in addition one of the best ever in the NCAA. Won the TABC and was a finalist for Coach of the Year.
2004-2005- Named coach at A&M 21-10 (14 game improvement). Finished 8-8 in conference play (prior season 0-16). Won two NIT games making that 23 wins. Most by an a&M team since the 79-80 team. Big 12 COY and coached the 2005 USA Mens Trials.

2005-2006: 21-8 were ranked for the first time in 25 years. Finished 10-6 in conference play. First NCAA birth since 87. TABC COY (2nd)

2006-2007: Ended the season ranked 7. Big 12 COY. 2nd in the Conference despite beating Kansas on the road and Texas. Made it to the sweet 16 losing to who else but Cal and Memphis by 1.

His resume prior to KY was great and recruiting classes were great as well. Just not a good fit for KY and made alot of mistakes. IMO Tech will only improve with him.

**Hoot Gibson** · 03-21-2011, 05:59 PM

15thRegionSlamaBamma Wrote:Everyone apparently Hoot knows BCG personally to know "hes not a changed man,"..."Has not proven to be changed,"...etc etc... Hey, Hoot whats his dogs name, how many college girls have already been in his Texas home and how many bottles of whine is he down to? I understand Hoot you dont like the man for past transgressions as most UK fans do not. Did he make many mistakes while at UK yup sure did. However, lets look at the track record before stepping into HUGE SHOES.

As recurting cord at Baylor had a class ranked as high as 6th. As an assistant under Self at Illinois aided the Fighting-Illini two back to back Big Ten Champions.

2002-2003 hired at UTEP horrible record 6-28
2003-2004 Wins the conference championship (First in 12 years). 24-8 record. 18 win increased was the largest in the nation in addition one of the best ever in the NCAA. Won the TABC and was a finalist for Coach of the Year.
2004-2005- Named coach at A&M 21-10 (14 game improvement). Finished 8-8 in conference play (prior season 0-16). Won two NIT games making that 23 wins. Most by an a&M team since the 79-80 team. Big 12 COY and coached the 2005 USA Mens Trials.

2005-2006: 21-8 were ranked for the first time in 25 years. Finished 10-6 in conference play. First NCAA birth since 87. TABC COY (2nd)

2006-2007: Ended the season ranked 7. Big 12 COY. 2nd in the Conference despite beating Kansas on the road and Texas. Made it to the sweet 16 losing to who else but Cal and Memphis by 1.

His resume prior to KY was great and recruiting classes were great as well. Just not a good fit for KY and made alot of mistakes. IMO Tech will only improve with him.

I'll bet you're one of those guys who insisted that BCG was a changed man and a great coach when news of his previous DUI became public and he refused to sign a contract that he had already agreed to sign. The best thing about Billy Clyde Gillispie's tenure at UK was that it ended quickly.

It amazes me that UK hired an alcoholic to coach the nation's top basketball program after UK's previous alcoholic coach left the program in shambles. It amazes me even more that BCG still has so many fans who apparently believe that he was a great coach.