Billy Clyde

When Billy Gillispie decided to leave Texas A&M for Kentucky unlike many people I wondered why. The typical answer? Because it's Kentucky! Which just happened to be my reason for wondering why. After all, Kentucky had just run off a coach who had won 76% of his games (75% in the SEC), a national championship, had 3 Elite 8 teams, two Sweet 16 teams, averaged over 26 wins per year and never won less than 22 games in a year over 10 years.

But it was more than that. At A&M Gillispie had the opportunity to be THE guy they build statues of on campus or name the arena after when he retired. He could have been the guy that other coaches tried in vain to follow. He could have set the bench mark for success. At Kentucky? No matter how many games or championships he won he would never coach in Gillispie Arena or on Gillispie Court. He would always be trying desperately to live up to Rupp or Hall. In short, there was no way he was going to "succeed" at Kentucky.

Two years later Billy Clyde has a nice house and a 37-25 record (59.7%), including a 20-12 (62.5%) record in a weak SEC. He also is the proud owner of home losses to Gardner-Webb and Virginia Military Institute. He's lost 10 home games in two years, when the previous coach lost 19 home games in TEN years.

Kentucky slipped into the tourney last year then left without so much as a whimper. This year the Wildcats will most likely be playing in the NIT if they can hold their noses long enough to accept a bid.

It's going to take some time for Billy Clyde to restore his reputation and here's guessing it ain't going to happen in Lexington, Kentucky.