So there it was -- the much anticipated and much feared Herald-Leader article about Billy Gillispie's first year in Lexington.  As I went to click my mouse on the link, a weird thrill went through me.  I had heard so much in the run-up to this article.  "Tipton is planning to say horrible things," said the rumors.  Things that just can't be true, but that people would believe.  Things that will surely end the career of Gillispie, Barnhart and possibly even Dr. Lee Todd.

And here it was, right in front of me.  The byline, contrary to rumor, was not Beelzebub Incarnate, A.K.A. Jerry Tipton, but Mark Story.  Should I fear?  Has Story become Darth Tipton's apprentice on the Dark Side of Lexington journalism?  Had the budding Evil Empire of the Herald-Leader finally called forth from their putrid imaginations a Death Star of an article that would cut coach Gillispie's newborn career at Kentucky from the womb and smite its ruin on the side of Rupp Arena?

Well, as Death Stars go, this article is about as threatening as Teddy Ruxpin.  In fact, I think some will consider it little more than a puff piece, particularly the, "Get Gillispie" conspirators to whom it implicitly refers.  But it is full of interesting revelations, even though at the end of the day, it leaves you very angry and bitter at the Lexington establishment, and how poorly they have treated our new basketball coach.  It is, in fact, a not-so-subtle indictment of the UK "connected," and suggests that the genesis of the ubiquitous rumors was among some of the program's most ardent supporters.

Many things about this article struck me as interesting, but the discussion of the rumors and their disposal was extremely so, particularly this quote by a professor, Nicholas DiFonzo, an expert in rumors:

Nicholas DiFonzo, a professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology and a rumor expert, says Gillispie's two prior alcohol-related arrests "likely served as a 'plausibility threshold' that helped these rumors spread, in the same way that the fact that Barack Obama's middle name is Hussein made the [false] rumors that he is a Muslim plausible."

Well.  So the dark chapters in Gillispie's past made the rumors seem plausible on the macro level.  But what about the micro level?  Suppose someone told you they had heard a rumor about Gillispie.  Your initial response is, "How do you know this is true?"  If the rumormonger tells you they heard it from, "a friend they trust," you are probably not going to believe it.  But if they tell you they heard it from, "A person who knows someone who works at UK," your level of confidence goes up.  It goes up even further with, "someone who works in the athletic department," and still further with, "someone who works on the basketball staff."

Given their pervasiveness, we have to conclude that much of this gossip was started by people who claim to know someone in or close to the program.  That's really the only way they could be spread -- the, "plausibility threshold," would not be met otherwise.  DiFonzo suggested that some of the rumors could have been started by a faction that opposes Gillispie, or people who were angry at him for some perceived slight, which I find highly likely.  There is a small but not insignificant group of people, some of them known to me, who don't like Gillispie and may think that this is the way to get rid of him.   But after this article, I think their job may have gotten significantly harder, because, "They say" turned out to be a liar again.

Gillispie claimed in the article that he didn't take the hearsay of last year personally.  With all due respect and without meaning to insult the man, he would have to be more than human for that assertion to be true, and human he is.  But surely we can forgive him that, because it does appear that in spite of the pain of it all, he has managed to put it in the past.  Considering the personal and hurtful nature of the whispers, that in itself is truly an impressive feat.

Moving on from the rumormongering, I found Story's discussion of Gillispie's lack of preparation for the crucible of Lexington to be utterly fascinating, how easy it is to step on the wrong toes by simply not knowing they are the wrong toes.  It also explains why Rick Pitino had such little difficulty managing the transition to Lexington, having come from a high-profile media maelstrom himself.  It's truly a wonder to me that Gillispie managed to survive given the series of booby-traps laid before him and fusillade of whispers hurled at him.  Sometimes it just doesn't pay to be an "old country boy."  This would seem to be one of those times.

How Gillispie managed to cope with all this madness, I really don't know.  I can assure you that no salary would be sufficient to entice me to go through what he apparently went through last year.  God knows, it just can't be good for your heath, physical or mental.  But it appears as though his singular, almost obsessive focus on basketball coaching and the realization that he is coaching in Kentucky, famously dubbed the, "Roman Empire of college basketball" by Traitor Rick, helped pull him through. 

Put that one in your pipe and smoke it, Big Blue Nation.  That smoke is sweet, indeed.

This is the first in a series of guest commentaries from world-renowned authors and statesmen on some of the most memorable moments in Kentucky sports history ... Today: UK 60, UL 58. December 18, 2004.

 

"It wasn't always this way. What began far afield before -- in smaller gyms, in front of smaller crowds -- had come full circle. It was here, now. This moment. This man.

He had been born for it. Raised among the flat land and dying coal mines of Western Kentucky, the boy had grown up now, lost the look of home and of the soft familiarity of innocence. No, he had seen it now, the best and the worst, the exodus and the glory each.

The ball felt light in his hands.

What had started in bitterness, obscurity and some unrequited love, had now turned, a bulb in full bloom, a heart laid bare on the battlefield. No more rain, no more slow march. This was why he'd made the sacrifices, the lonely nights.

The roar of the masses was silence in his head.

Second chances. The revival after the tumult and now he was here, and it was good. A sea of blue, punctured by blood red. How far had he walked? How many steps had he taken? It did not matter. Nothing mattered except the long night and the rain on the roof and the ball in his hands like a child in need of deliverance.

It is his time.

What they would say about him, remember. The only thing he could give back was everything. The moment you pray for, and dread, and cherish all. Those forgotten nights at the gym, with the rain pounding the old roof, the smell of the dust in your nostrils and the knowledge, deep-seated, innate, that the moment will come, and you must be ready when it does. And so he was.

The sly grin and then the turn to face forever, immortality. The ball just another part of his calloused hands, the fear gone now, replaced by thoughts of the end. And the rush. The slowness and the fluid shot. The net does not move. It sits silent.

One more moment to go, and it's all over.

There were times when it seemed too far away. When old dreams were replaced by new ones, by acceptance and even newfound pride. And then it all changed, and uncertainty returned to his life, the boy now a man in his own right, no longer just the coach's son, the gym rat, the one too slow, too small and too far down the trail of displaced dreamers. But he was here despite all that, or because of it. It was what he was made of, an only thing. A sublime piece of the soul, his grandfather might have put it back then, on those humid days along the low-lying rows of corn and soybeans. All the heat, and dreaming of being alone no more.

But the lonely nights mattered. They had to. In the end, they were all that was true, and the continuity became his reality, so much so that where and when no longer mattered. Only the feel of the leather, the smell of the dust and the slow pound of his heart as the final shot goes through.

And then he heard it. Slowly at first, then all-encompassing. It took him over. And it was there, the dream fulfilled, realized in that roar once more.

Oh, God. That roar."

Tayshaun Prince is responsible for one of my most memorable experiences in Rupp Arena: February 6, 2001.  Brett Nelson, Matt Bonner, Udonis Haslem, and Teddy Dupay (remember him?) invaded Rupp as the #9 team in the country.  UK, sitting at 15-7 on the year, was unranked.  It was a tight game, and Rupp was tense.  Tense in a way only a blue-blooded, obsessive-compulsive UK fan can understand.; with every Kentucky basket euphoria ensues in the hallowed building, with each Gator basket one could hear Donovan's hair gel drip onto Cawood's Court.  It was so tense that when a UK player missed a free throw a fan a few rows in front of me cried out, "aaaah Tubby!" (my brother Jason will attest), as if it was Smith's fault the kid missed the shot. Sound, logical reasoning wasn't in abundant supply.  The crowd wanted a win, and wanted it badly. 

The clock was winding down with Florida up one point.  UK has possession; tick, tock, tick, tock ... Tayshaun ends up with the ball in his hands while his teamates spread the floor, giving him room to work his magic.  Prince has the ball on the wing about 18 feet out, letting the clock wind down.  Under 10 seconds to go, Prince does some type of spin move (Lord only knows), SLIPPING as he turns (Ken thinks, "game over"), but he recovers (thank God) and launches a 12-foot fall-away off-balance jumper that tickles the twine as sweetly as mom's Mississippi Mud cake tickles the taste buds.  Positively "Princely"  pandemonium.

I had always liked Tayshaun, but that night solidified him as one of my favorites.  After all he did score 1,775 points in his UK career (8th all time), and he posted some huge numbers in big games while wearing the blue and white.  I've always loved Kyle Macy and Jack Givens, Kenny Walker and Jamal Mashburn.  John Pelphrey and Tony Delk.   Tayshaun has now joined that rather elite group of ex-'Cats on my list of favorite players.

Coming straight out of loud, brash, and violent,  Compton, California, Prince arrived in Lexington as unassumingly as a McDonald's All-America can;  quiet, reserved, but with a big smile.  He had escaped an area of the country as troubled as any other region in North America.  Prince's childhood friends had vanished, either to prison, or the grave yard.  The fact that he has become a highly productive citizen is a testament to his mother's good teachings, and his own acceptance of her wisdom.  Tayshaun didn't just make it out of Compton because he can ball.  Prisons are full of the "next Michael Jordans". He made it out because he made good decisions as a teen, and even better decisions as an adult.  He knew the difference between right and wrong.  Most importantly though, he knew that "right' was life, and "wrong" was prison or death. 

So many times we blame a kids background for his or her bad behavior, but Prince is a shining example of a good kid coming out of a very bad circumstance.  So many times a story like his ends in tragedy.  Not this time.  Tayshaun and his mother are to be commended for the triumph that Prince's life has become.  

Of course, on the court Tay Tay is at it again.  This time blocking a potentially game winning shot by Hedo Turkoglu in Tuesday's game five of the Eastern Conference semi-finals versus the Orlando Magic.  The block sealed the victory and another appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals for the Detroit Pistons ( in case anyones counting, that is six Eastern Conference Finals appearances in a row).

As one probably knows, he's done this before:  In game two of the Eastern Conference Finals in '04, Prince came out of nowhere, as if a skinny man shot out of a cannon, to block Reggie "Should've dunked it" MIller's layup attempt with seventeen-seconds remaining in the game.  That block sealed another playoff victory for the Pistons.  In the '03 NBA Playoffs, Prince hit a sweet hook-shot in the final seconds giving Detroit a victory over Philadelphia in game two of their series.  Just the other night, he hit an 11-foot runner in the lane to win game four for Detroit in their series with Orlando.  The guy has a knack for making the play at the end of games.  Tayshaun feel pressure?  Pressure is being awakened every night by gun-fire.  This ain't nothin'.

Steady under pressure, and smartly carrying out his duties, Tayshaun has become an invaluable member of one of the best teams in the NBA.  Yet,  he doesn't run with a posse, he isn't beating up women in the club, he's not abetting felons in the commission of crimes, he's not getting pulled over at 3 a.m., he's not juicing, and he's not brandishing weapons.  Prince simply does his job, and does it quite well (All-NBA Defensive Second Team four years in a row).  There are many players in the Association who would be better people if they would take a look at how Prince conducts himself both on and off the court.  For that matter, there are many professional athletes in general who would be deemed wiser men if they followed the excellent example Tayshaun sets; go to work, do your job, and stay out of trouble.  Easy enough?  Evidently not.   

With Spygate, Clemens, Bonds, Vick, McGwire, Chris Henry, Pacman, Kelvin Sampson, and the rest of the disorderly, athletes of Prince's ilk don't often receive the attention they deserve.  And when one is as quiet and unassuming as Prince is, it is especially easy to miss his contribution.   Not only on the court, but more importantly off-court, in how he lives his life.  So many similar to him chose less wisely.  The result being tragedy, or a tragically short career.  Many times the environment the athlete grew up in is pointed to as the root cause of the self-destruction, but Prince is proof that tragic beginnings can become magical endings.

Thanks for reading, and Go Pistons!

University of Kentucky President Dr. Lee Todd has recently received much criticism from UK  fans over his reaction to Matt Avery giving UK basketball coach Billy Gillispie a verbal commitment.  After hearing of Avery's commitment, and his tender age, Dr. Todd asked, "8th grade?"   Bewilderment would be the adjective I would choose to describe Todd's initial reaction; bewilderment that Gillispie and his crew of non-stop recruitiers were invading middle-school gymnasiums scooping up ballers out of their mother's arms.  Bewilderment that Gillispie couldn't find any players who are qualified to drive a motor vehicle. 

Anger is the adjective I would use to describe UK fans reaction to Todd's words of non-support.  Anger that the lowly President of the University would dare criticize our most excellent head basketball coach and his recruiting efforts.  What Dr. Todd failed to realize, or didn't care about, was the fact that UK fans are as attuned to who says what, as it relates to UK basketball, as a mother is to the eating habits of her newborn child.  We hear, read, and see everything.  Nothing goes undissected, nothing goes uncommented on.  Dr. Todd, who is a highly educated academic, is surely intelligent enough to realize his controversial words would create debate.  Surely he cares what UK fans say and think

Well, we now know the truth.  In an article by Jerry Tipton , Dr. Todd relates to us his reason for his well-reported first response, and why  he is now aiding Gillispie in the recruitment of high school "undergraduates".  It seems, like many of us, Dr. Todd spoke before he knew the whole story.  He was uninformed of the facts of young Mr. Avery's "recruitment" when he uttered his now famous question.  The context of the commitment was not fully understood by Todd, so therefore his words were spoken before he knew the circumstances. By the way, context and circumstances are key here.

My intention is not to condemn Dr. Todd, quite the contrary.  I think he is to be applauded for being open-minded enough to listen to the facts surrounding Avery's "recruitment".  He has altered  his stance from disapproving to supportive because he is now in possession of all of the facts.  I believe that Todd learned that Avery's father initiated contact with Gillispie, not vice-versa.  I believe that Dr. Todd learned that Gillispie wasn't stalking middle-schoolers.  I believe that Todd learned that, like it or not, recruiting 8th and 9th graders is commonplace in today's hyper-competitive marketplace of college basketball. 

Todd is now so accepting of the practice that he took the time to meet with UK recruit Vinny Zollo and a gaggle of his relatives. When the high school freshman took his visit to Kentucky earlier in the week, he and his family came away from the meeting very impressed with Dr. Todd's passion for UK basketball.  Todd must have put on quite a show, because Robin Curry (Zollo's mother) raved about him in her interview with Marc Maggard.

Dr. Todd is so sold on the concept that when he heard his friend and sometimes confidant William Kirwan (U. of Maryland chancellor) denounce the recruitment of such youngsters as "appalling", Todd said "I will give him some of the circumstances and see if that adjusts his thoughts."  He then added, "I can see why (Kirwan) reacted that way.  But I look forward to talking to him and explaining things."

Todd, in a few short days, made the Evil Knievel leap from unapproving, to point man for UK in the raging debate over early-commitments.  In Recruiting Re-Education 101  Dr. Todd gets an "A+".

The lesson to be learned from Todd's amazing turnaround in thinking is that often-times our first, knee-jerk reaction to any given issue can be wrong.  I know I have been guilty of stating erroneous opinions that have been based on little, or inaccurate information.  But it's not just us common-folk who knee-jerk react.  The best and brightest of our esteemed news media have been responsible from time to time  for putting out bad information:  Anyone born before 1970 will surely remember the attempted assassination of President Reagan.  The networks were full of mis-information for several hours after the shooting.  Reporting first that Press Secretary James Brady was dead, then reporting that no, James Brady was alive.  Only to come back again to tell us that Brady was indeed dead.  Well, it turned out he was alive and continues to be alive to this day.  The 2000 Presidential election network coverage  teams made very public and embarrassing mistakes when they reported that Al Gore had won Florida.  I could care less about ones political leanings, but the fact remains that they (the networks) got it wrong.  They weren't in possession of all the facts before they "spoke", misinforming millions of people.

Huge mistakes have been made when people, or groups of people rush to judgment, and knee-jerk react to situations that instead call for measured words, and thoughtful consideration.  Billy Gillispie's education of Dr. Todd can be a lesson for all of us.  The context, circumstance, and intentions of someone's words or actions are very difficult to ascertain when one doesn't have the benefit of facts and truth. In my opinion, making determinations based on anything less is unwise and often-times harmful.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

We all know by now Billy Gillispie never takes a break from recruiting (I hope he sleeps well on the plane).  His philisophy for procuring players for UK seems to be "recruit often, recruit early, and recruit aggressively".  Just last week UK received a non-binding verbal commitment from 8th grader Matt Avery (Tru did a wonderful job of laying out the pro and cons of this practice in a post Saturday).  Dominique Ferguson, a sophomore from Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis  also recently verbally committed to UK.  

What I can only describe as Gillispie's "forward thinking" recruiting style produces another possible verbal from Greenfield McClain High School's Vinny Zollo.  Zollo, a 6'9' 220 lb. hybrid forward seems like he's leaning Lexington's way in a fight with Tennessee and West Virginia for his services in 2011.  Zollo is a player with an extremely high talent ceiling.  He's experienced some growth, and has become a big man who handles the rock pretty well. He also has an exceptional perimeter shot.  Another plus is that he's competing with, and against very talented players while hoopin' it up for Indiana Elite on the AAU circuit.

I must admit I am very impressed with Zollo's maturity level.  He seems to be a very serious-minded young man, which for a high school freshman is as rare as a Christian Laettner sighting within the borders of the Commonwealth.  I highly recommend listening to Marc Maggard's interview with young Mr. Zollo (the interview is 18 minutes long).  I think most will find Zollo very astutely aware of what is important when it comes to winning basketball games.

By my count Gillispie has received verbal commitments from the following "undergraduate" high schoolers (current grade in school listed): Matt Avery - 8th grade, Dominique Ferguson - sophomore, KC Ross-Miller - sophomore, GJ Vilarino - junior, and Dakota Euton - sophomore. If Zollo commits as expected, add another freshman to the list.

If the current rate of early commitments continues Gillispie will have stuck his nose, and his relationship with UK fans, out on a very tenuous branch overhanging a bottomless pit.  I like his guts, and I love his style.  I just hope the "Texas Tornado", who as of late practices revolutionary "forward thinking" recruiting, knows what it is he does.  

Recruiting high school seniors is a very unpredictable task, much less players who are 14 and 15 years old.  Recruiting and coaching players are unpredictable, fluid undertakings (see Legion and Jasper).  Attempting to determine now what will happen in three, four, or five years is terribly unreliable prognosticating.  I feel though that Gillispie knows this, yet is confident enough in his own abilities to overcome any negative repercussions he may have to endure. After all, if committed players don't develop as he envisions, a Plan B may need to be implemented.  So obviously HAVING a Plan B at the ready is vitally important.

There is though something to be said for knowing what one has in store in the future as far as positions filled, versus positions needed.  Right now Gillispie has "promised-out", at minimum, five scholarships for 2010 and beyond (Zollo would make six).  As a fan, I am trusting my coach to deliver what he feels is the best team he can field for UK.  If Gillispie has determined that "forward thinking" recruiting is the most expedient way to return UK to the top of the college landscape, then I'll support that philosophy, until I'm proven wrong.  

He must remember though that UK is not a place to conduct a market test.  This is the big time. What we as fans have going for us is that Gillispie didn't arrive at his lofty perch through mis-evaluating prospects.  But the flip side of that very conflicted coin is the fact that he hasn't offered mid-teens scholarships in his previous head coaching positions.  Ergo, he has no track-record for his current actions.  How is one to accurately judge whether Gillispie's recruiting activities are being intelligently carried out?  We can't because he's breaking new ground even as I type.  It's exciting in a roller coaster kind of way I suppose.  We love to be flung around, and upside down, but at the same time we're praying that the wheels don't come off the track.

Like most UK fans I love the aggressive attitude Gillispie brings to the recruiting trail, but is there such a thing as being too aggressive, too early?  The variables at work in this particlar recruiting dynamic are many.  Too many to attempt to break down or evaluate.  Which is what makes this whole scenario of super-early offers and commitments so unsettling as a fan.  Fear of the unknown is the best way I know how to describe how some fans feel at this juncture.  So my advice is to hold on tight and hope for the best.  Gillispie will continue to receive this fans support until I have a reason to not support him.  

"Forward thinking" recruiting -- Is it the wave of the future?  I think so ... unless it's proven ineffective.  For the sake of UK fans everywhere, and Coach Gillispie, I hope Lexington isn't ground zero for the reason this philosophy becomes debunked.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

 

Update [2008-5-5 22:29:18 by Ken Howlett]: Vinny Zollo committs to UK. Thanks to Zoso and bluenva for the heads up!

Update [2008-5-6 18:51:34 by Truzenzuzex]:  Sports Illustrated has a pretty good and reasonably objective article looking at the Avery commitment and the trend toward younger players committing.

As the reigning "King of Scold" on this blog, I feel it is incumbent upon me to make a few comments regarding the recent commitment of Michael Avery to an offer Coach Gillispie made to him via his father.

As I wrote earlier, it has become obvious since last year that obtaining the commitment of younger and younger players is no longer a theoretical -- it has become the cutting edge of college basketball recruiting.  While many of the higher profile schools are able to recruit in the present fairly easily, non-elite programs or elite programs like Kentucky who have fallen on hard times recently have to be as innovative as possible.  When coaches see their peers recruiting classes stuffed full of 5-star players while they fight with smaller universities for decent JUCO's, it is not surprising to see coaches like Gillispie employing every legal tactic to out-maneuver his competition.

Make no mistake -- recruiting this far in the future contains many risks.  Verbal commitments, as everyone knows, are non-binding on either the university or the student athlete.  That does not mean, however, that they are meaningless.  Fortunately, most basketball coaches will live up to their commitment, even though we have seen far less inclination for students to do so -- we only need look at Scotty Hopson's change of heart to see how easy it is for the athletes.  For coaches, it is tougher -- if an early recruit doesn't pan out, he will take a lot of flack for backing out on his word (unless, of course, his name is Rick Pitino ) after offering a scholarship so early.  Indeed, one or two such back-offs may make future early commitments impossible -- once you get a reputation for doing something like that, your chances drop dramatically.

Be that as it may, many people (including yours truly) are concerned about the propriety of such early commitments.  A lot of this is simply due to being old-fashioned and concerned about kids who are four or more years away from being considered an adult making such a big decision about their future so far in advance.  But while that is maybe the gut-level response, I'll try to ignore that and look at this objectively.  So let's take a look at arguments against and the counter-arguments for such a commitment:

1. A kid that age is too young to make such an important life decision.
   
   Counter:  Because coaches cannot make direct contact with recruits before their junior year in high school, they must go through the young man's parents even to make such an offer.  It is therefore impossible for the kid to make this decision without the informed consent of his parent(s)/guardian(s).  Kids beginning at ages younger than this are always making life-changing decisions that we forget about -- whether or not to try sex, or drugs, or alcohol.  To be a good student or not.  To be a good person or not.  Is this decision really more important?
   
   Also, it is pretty much impossible for the kid to screw this up.  He is making a decision about what college to attend -- for FREE!  Gillispie has offered this young man an opportunity to attend the University of Kentucky and play basketball in return for the opportunity to obtain a priceless thing -- a college education.  Even if Avery had decided to attend Podunk State University instead of Kentucky, he would still have the opportunity for a free education in return for playing a game.  The way I see it, there is simply no way to screw this up no matter what school you choose (unless, of course, it is U of L, UNC or Duke -- then it would be a tragic error in judgment -- I kid, OK?).
   
   
2. The player may plateau and not really be (_fill in your school here_) material.
   
   Counter:  How is this bad for the young man?  I mean, we are talking about his interests here, not that of the offering school.  Schools and coaches know that this is risky, and this is one of the risks.
   
   
3. The player may (_get hurt, do drugs, go to jail, test out to be a moron, decide not to come_)!
   
   Counter:  See 2 above.
   
   
4. Kids this young should be concentrating on (_school, being a kid, getting better, etc_).
   
   Counter:  Wouldn't it be easier to do all those things if you took the decision about which college to matriculate to off the table?  You could ignore all the other advances from coaches and colleges and get yourself ready for your future.  Removing this decision from the table early on relieves pressure on the kid.  He doesn't have to worry about trying trying to make an impression on college coaches on the sometimes smarmy AAU circuit, which in any case does little to teach fundamental basketball skills.  Instead, he can concentrate on fundamentals, playing in events in which his family can participate, and generally minimizing the negative impact and influences (posse, AAU coaches with agendas) of being a big-time, uncommitted prospect.
   

The best argument that can be made against this process, in my opinion, is that of buyer's remorse.  If the kid later decides he made an error in judgment -- maybe his best friend went to a different school, or his parents moved, a girlfriend, or a family situation that makes him want to be closer to home -- it makes it easier for him to excuse backing out of his commitment.  Make no mistake, I take a dim view of people who don't live up to their agreements, whether the NCAA considers them binding or not.  The opportunities for an ethical breach by both parties are greatly magnified by such an early commitment.

But with that said, the opportunity for setting a good example are also magnified.  How much more does it say about a kid (and a coach, for that matter) who kept their agreement over such a long period of time and with so many potential pitfalls?  So the opportunity for being an ethical inspiration are also magnified.  My feeling is also that this will be more of a test on the coaches than the kids -- sooner or later, something unforeseen is going to reduce the value of such an early commitment that puts real pressure on the coach.  Also, what if the coach who accepted his commitment is no longer there?  Will his successor be as willing to honor a commitment he did not make?

There are many opportunities for agreements such as this to fail, but none of them appear to be substantially more severe than the same pitfalls which could happen in a normal, junior year recruitment.  In the final analysis, it looks to me like those of us (and I do include myself) who are uncomfortable with these situations need to think it through more carefully -- the negatives are there, but how bad can such a decision be when the adults are as involved as this?  Do we really expect a kid in his junior year in high school to have better judgment than his parents?  I say not likely, although it sometimes does happen.  In the end, though, there are many opportunities over the interregnum between the 9th grade and college for this to be corrected.  Can we say the same about a kid who waits until the late signing period to make his call?

As I sat in my seat in Rupp Arena dumbfounded and awestruck at what I had just witnessed, I turned to my friend and told him that was the best single performance I have ever seen in my life.  Never in my many years of following high school and college basketball had I ever witnessed a player so thoroughly dominate his opponent.  But that night in March of '03, Chris Lofton single-handedly beat an excellent Ballard team for the Sweet 16 Championship.  Mason County had a new hero.

Lofton was indescribable.  His numbers: 11 of 17 from the field, 9 of 12 three-pointers (tying Richie Farmer's record for threes in a State Tournament game), for 39 points.  He made making a three-pointer with a defender in his grille look effortless.  It didn't matter where on the court he was; the wing, corner, or the top of the key.  His defenders were sympahtetic figures that night, for at their expense Lofton had redefined the term "pure-shooter".  After the game Ballard coach Chris Renner had this to say about Lofton:

I respectfully disagree Coach Renner, food poisoning was the only thing that could have stopped Chris Lofton that night.

I again today sit in my chair awestruck and dumbfounded by Chris Lofton.  With the news yesterday that Lofton was diagnosed and successfully treated for testicular cancer in April and May of last year, I am left to only shake my head in disbelief.  It's not just the fact that the young man endured surgery and radiation treatments, it's the fact that he kept the news away from his teammates, fans, and extended family.  Keeping this secret was of the utmost importance to Lofton, not for selfish reasons, but because he was considering his teams well-being.  Lofton said this about his decision to suffer through the treatment and emotional devastation by himself:

He didn't want to be a distraction to his team so he agonized alone, comforted by only his incredible parents who he talked to nightly on the telephone.  In a world where athletes promote themselves at every opportunity, Lofton's selfless act is to be admired and respected.  The character one must possess to display concern for the team over ones own well-being is steely and rooted in ones spirit.  And Lofton's spirit is a rare one indeed.

Lofton said this about handling the burden alone in Knoxville:

Even when considering options for treatment Lofton was thinking about his team, and returning to the court.  He wanted the surgery to remove the cancerous tumor performed as soon as possible so he could recommence working out.  When deciding what time in the day to have his radiation treatments, which went on for nearly a month, Lofton chose an afternoon time so he could take part in basketball activities in the mornings.

Lofton's desire and drive to succeed are overwhelmingly obvious in his decisions.  Getting back on the court quickly not only recalled a sense of normalcy in his life, but it also gave him a goal, something to shoot for (pun intended,) amidst all the mental chaos he was experiencing.  But what is even more admirable is the discipline he exhibited.  It's one thing to say one is going to focus on the future when confronted with this type of gut-wrenching news, but it is another thing entirely to successfully execute the "game-plan".

Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl and Lofton discussed the possibility of him red-shirting his senior year.  Considering the extreme damage done to the body by radiation treatments, Lofton being ready for the '07-'08 season seemed highly unlikely, but Lofton wanted nothing to do with red-shirting:    

Lofton indeed struggled early in the season.  His usual opponent-deflating threes were not dropping, and his dribble-drive, which had been so affective the previous year, was non-existent. Questions were asked about his game, or lack thereof, but Pearl and Lofton continued to keep the secret.  I can't imagine how they must have felt.

But in true Lofton fashion his perseverance won out in the end.  By the end of the year Lofton had made nearly 40% of his three-point-shots, which by anyones standard is excellent.  He did what shooters do, and that is to continue to shoot.  The kid that was labeled "too short", "not quick enough", and averse to defense, capped his record-setting career in grand fashion; he is the SEC record-holder for most three-pointers in a career with 431, he was also designated an All-America performer for the third year in a row.  There are no awards in college basketball for "Best Performance While Under Extreme Duress", but if there were Chris Lofton would be firmly grasping the trophy on banquet night.

The trifecta of Lofton's perseverance, selflessness, and desire is what will enable this young man to successfully navigate life, regardless if he never touches a basketball again.  His basketball ability doesn't even begin to tell the story of Chris Lofton.  He's more than jump shots and back-taps, he's an achiever.  He will do what achievers do, and that is accomplish whatever their goals are.  It takes a special person of single-minded resolve and purpose to overcome and flourish despite life-threatening setbacks, especially when flying solo.  But that's exactly what Lofton did. After living through what must have seemed like a nightmare, Lofton is ready for anything.    

Lofton doesn't need basketball, but basketball sure needs him.

 

It was not that long ago when obtaining verbal commitments from high school players before their junior year was very rare.  It wasn't unknown, by any means, but most programs focused in on kids at the start of their junior year in high school.  They may have been in touch quite a bit longer, but very few coaches thought about obtaining verbal commitments from players in the 10th grade.  Tubby Smith's earliest known recruit verbal was Adam Williams, who committed in July of 2002, graduated in 2004, prepped for one year and came to Kentucky in 2005, only to leave in 2006.  Since Gillispie has come on board, he has obtained verbal commitments from no less than two high school sophomores and two freshmen.

Of course, this has become a trend, especially among high-profile schools -- obtaining verbal commitments from younger and younger players -- and nobody really expects that trend to end anytime soon.  But for contrast, take a look at North Carolina.  Roy Williams has verbals from only two underclassmen, one in the 2008 class (Larry drew, who was just a few days from becoming a junior).   UNC's entire 2009 class committed in their junior year, and  Williams' 2010 recruit, Kendall Marshall, represents the youngest player (a freshman) I can ever remember Roy Williams getting a verbal from.  He is catching the wave.

My perception (and this may or may not represent reality) is that the hotter programs recruit much better in the present than teams like Kentucky, who have not seen a final four since 1998 and have simply fallen out of the consciousness of most of the national media as a perennial contender for the national championship.  It seems (and this is no surprise) that when you fall out of the national conversation for a number of years (Kentucky since 2004), recruits simply don't have as much respect for the brand as they otherwise might, especially when you are talking about the elite, top 25 recruits.  The problem is self-perpetuating, like a vicious circle -- no elite recruits, no great results -- which leads to no great recruits.  But recruiting presumably elite players from the freshman and sophomore classes become a way to improve talent when your team brand is a bit dingy:

Gillispie and other coaches have cut through this Gordian knot, and spearheaded the current trend toward obtaining commitments from high school underclassmen.  He has done this for the only classes in which he has really had the opportunity, starting with 2009.  2010 now has two players who committed to Kentucky in their freshman year in high school, and one in his sophomore year, albeit nearly a junior.  This "youth movement" is a way for coaches that can't just expect recruits to beat down their door every year to draw even with the hot teams, like North Carolina and UCLA.  It has worked to some extent, although it is fraught with danger; the danger of a decommitment, or a sudden plateauing that turns a future blue-chip into the next Adam Williams.  We haven't seen either of those yet with Billy Gillispie's recruits, and I hope we don't, but we must always be mindful that these possibilities are much more likely with younger players. 

College basketball coaches once honored an unwritten agreement not to recruit verbally committed players, at least for the most part.  However we are seeing that trend change, and it will likely continue to devolve as the commitments become earlier and earlier, pressure to recruit better players increases, and schools who are late to the game find themselves behind the 8-ball when the talent pool gets thin.  We can now expect that the earlier the recruit verbals, the more contacts he will receive from competitive schools trying to woo him away, constantly reminding them that verbal commitments are not considered binding on either the school or the player. 

For example, we can wonder how much of Scotty Hopson's recruitment by Tennessee happened between the time he committed to Rick Stansbury and the time he officially reopened his recruitment.  I don't know, but I suspect that Stansbury has a right to be unhappy about how that all went down.  Billy Gillispie, at least publicly, denied contacting Hopson even when he was saying that he was "looking around," but Bruce Pearl never has.  I have come to the conclusion that neither Gillispie nor Tubby Smith really wanted Hopson, but they they had to at least give lip service to his recruitment or face a maddening drumbeat of criticism from Kentucky fans who consistently fret about losing in-state talent.  But in any case, it is clear that Smith was not "on" Hopson early enough, and Rick Stansbury was.  In the end, though, that fact plus a verbal commitment was still not enough to make Hopson a Bulldog.

The bottom line is that "hot" programs seem to be able to recruit well in the present, and programs that have been out of the national limelight for a while, like Kentucky, are finding more success by recruiting in the future.  But in an effort to stay competitive (or in the case of some, retain their advantage), even old-school coaches like Roy Williams are beginning to line them up earlier and earlier.  Some have criticized the strategy of securing verbal commitments from high school freshmen and sophomores, and, in the case of Tim Floyd of Southern California, 8th graders (Update [2008-5-1 13:55:28 by Truzenzuzex]:  Not to be outdone by a West-coaster, Coach Gillispie has joined the Kindergarden Klub).  Floyd has received commitments from 8th grade players in 2006 and 2007, and in part, he blames Kentucky for that fact:

I personally think that verbals from any player before their sophomore year is too much, but others disagree.  Whatever the case, players are being identified at younger and younger ages these days, and Floyd is right about one thing -- being first to get in front of a player is a tremendous advantage -- we saw that very clearly in the case of Ater Majok.  The verbal commitments are just a natural outgrowth of schools and coaches making impressions as early as possible on the hearts and minds of these young people.  Even though coaches are forbidden from directly contacting recruits before their junior year in high school, they circumvent this inconvenience with camps, on-campus speeches, back channel communications with high school and AAU coaches, parents, and whatever opportunities they can create for high school players to contact them, which is not forbidden.

In the final analysis, no matter what you think about early commitments, they are here to stay, at least for the nonce.  There is too much at stake in big-time college sports not to take advantage of every possible avenue to keep the talent pool as deep and wide as possible.  Coaches are paid millions of dollars per year to deliver high-quality basketball, and as we have seen, it takes talented players to wind up playing late in March.  Billy Gillispie and others are proving what momma always told us -- the early bird gets the worm.

[editor's note, by Truzenzuzex]  If you have not read this story by Matt Jones over at Kentucky Sports Radio, stop what you are doing and go do so.

If you run into Billy Gillispie anytme soon make sure you have plenty of Aloe, because he's hotter than ol' George's two-dollar pistol.  Wildfires are jealous.  

With the announcements of the signing of JUCO center 6'9" Josh Harrellson, and the verbal committment of 2010 Top 10 player, 6'9" forward Dominique Ferguson, Gillispie has officially sold me on his reported legendary recruiting prowess.  His willingness to work the recruiting trail with the diligence of a lion stalking a limping gazelle is quite impressive.  This guy just doesn't preach hard work and determination to his team, he puts into practice his sermons at every opportunity.  

In actuality, Gillispie's double-dip was a double-dip PLUS a half-dip with the the pronouncement from Madisonville North-Hopkins junior Jon Hood that UK leads for his services.  Keep in mind that the usual suspects are all after the super-athletic 6'6" guard, but he intends to announce before the end of the summer.  The seamhead in me calls that a 7th inning lead for the 'Cats. Closing out the deal is always difficult with the heavy hitters coming up, but Gillispie's smoke has been blowing them away.

Since Gillispie's hiring on April 6, 2007 he has put together a list of recruits that has no rival throughout the country.  The following have either orally committed, or signed LOI's with UK since April 2007 (Alex Legion not included):

Patrick Patterson- '07

DeAndre Liggins- '08
Darius Miller- '08
Josh Harrellson- '08 (3 years of eligibility)
Kevin Galloway- '08 (2 years of eligibility)

GJ Vilarino- '09

Dakotah Euton- '10
KC Ross-Miller- '10
Dominique Ferguson- '10

By my inconsiderable math skills I concluded; that is 9 players in a little over 12 months ...  he's bringin' the heat.  He's announcing his presence with authority.  

Of course none of these players have played one minute for UK (except that guy Patterson), but optimism is certainly justified, and may be a pre-requisite for gaining entrance into Rupp Arena next season.  Outside of a strong showing in the SEC this past year, UK fans have not had much use for optimism over the last few years.  That's a changin' though.  Considering the above list is full of top-tier talent, I think it is safe to write that the future is looking Elle McPherson good (for the non-super model fans, that's pretty darn good).

Even more exciting is the fact that Gillispie and his crew of hard hats are probably not finished with the '08 class.  Paul McCoy signing with UK is still a distinct possibility.  The Oregon point guard is deciding between UK and Virginia (with the signing of Harrellson, I don't see an offer forthcoming for Maurice Sutton).  Considering the future home of Derrick Jasper is still being determined, and Liggins is awaiting his all-important test score, the inking of McCoy may prove to be just as important as the Harrellson signing.

On to the new guys:

Josh Harrellson: to me this young man seems like the personification of Gillispie as a player. He comes from an "underdog" background as Gillispie did.  He has clawed his way to the top of the basketball universe through hard work and diligence.  And he has accomplished this great feat in a very short period of time (Harrellson has only played organized basketball for 5 years). Consider this quote Harrellson gave Jody Demling: "I have improved a lot and I just kept going on to the gym and practicing."  And this, " Coach (Billy Gillispie) plans on me to come in and start. If I don't start, it'll be my fault."  Hard work, perseverence, accountability; traits our coach possesses, and from all evidence the type of player he wants to go into battle with.

Dominique Ferguson verballing to UK comes as a surprise to me, but evidently not UK's staff.  The 6'9" 200 lb. forward out of acclaimed North Lawrence High School attended one of the elite summer camps at UK last year.  The University made quite an impression based on what he told Jody Demling: "I loved everything about the whole school."  He loved it so much that he returned to Lexington for his spring break just a short time ago and had this to say, " When I went on the visit I just really liked what I saw and I had a great time.  I wanted to play in front of 24,000 fans every night.  I knew when I was there that I wanted to play for Kentucky."  Don't you just love 'em?

Ferguson, who is only a sophomore, is rated very high in his class (8th by Scout), and based on what others have written his upside is unlimited.  I think I can safely forecast many new 'Cat fan "hits" on the Indianapolis Star web-site over the next two years.

So big-time congratulations all around.  I'm happy for Gillispie and his staff, and I'm happy for UK fans everywhere.  We've been waiting on this type of day for quite some time.  Enjoy responsibly.

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!

The "Texas Tornado's" (also known as Billy Gillispie) seemingly ubiquitous presence at every available '08 players doorstep has caused much forecasting and debate about who would be the best player, or players for UK.  The traditional method of gauging a players worthiness to wear Blue and White has been for many years the recruiting services rankings.  For at least the last twenty years the services player rankings have been dissected, condemned, and embraced all by a demanding and at times fickle fan base.  

Historically, a low player ranking by the services has caused much consternation among the UK faithful.  If an individual player is not to be found in the Top 75 or so, then he is almost automatically dubbed a "project".  Admittedly I have engaged in such pre-judgment of players, but if one studies the rankings three or four years after the player graduates high school, then a clearer perspective comes to light.

Of the players on UK's radar most are nowhere to be found among Rival's Top 150 (I am using Rivals because UK fans are very familiar with the service) in the year of their high school graduation.  Josh Harrellson '07, Paul McCoy '08, and Maurice Sutton '08, all UK "leans", are absent from their respective classes Top 150.  UK signee Kevin Galloway is also absent from the Rival rankings, but was ranked 88th by Scout in 2006.  To give some perspective; Ater Majok is ranked #13 by Rivals, Verdell Jones is #127, DeAndre Liggins is #28, Darius Miller #43, Bud Mackey #67 and Roderick Flemings was # 26 in his senior year in high school.

Does this mean that McCoy, Sutton and Harrellson should be considered non- or marginal contributors if they matriculate to UK?  I don't think there is a hard and clear answer to that question, but let's look at a few players who were not rated very highly out of high school, but went on to solid, and in some cases great college careers.

In the 2004 final rankings, Rivals had the following players rated as indicated:

Chris Lofton, UT, #146- Lofton scored 2,131 career points averaging 17.2 points per game for his career.

Trent Plaisted, BYU, #140- He scored 1,372 career points, averaging 1`4.0 points per game for his career.

Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga, #120- In his last two years he has averaged 13.1 points per game.

Taurean Green, UFA, #105- Uh, no need to pontificate much on Mr. Green.  He only lead Florida to back-to-back National Championships.

James Mays, Clemson, #103- 11.5 points per game the last two years, as well as 6.6 rebounds per game.

Joseph Jones, Texas A&M, #102- He scored 1,679 career points averaging 12.8 points per game for his career.

Ramel Bradley, UK, #91- Bargain basement price.

Shan Foster, Vandy, #82- Foster is the reigning SEC Player of the Year.  He scored 2,011 points in his career.

The '05 Rivals Rankings had these guys rated outside the Top 75:

Terrence Williams, UL, #111- We know Williams.  He would be a great player if he would slash, and not jack 3's.

Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga, #105- He averaged 12 points per game along with 6 assists, and 4 rebounds this past year.  Not bad for a 6'2" point guard.

AJ Abrams, Texas, #103- The last two years he has scored 1,154 points, averaging 16.0 points per game.

Darren Collison, UCLA, #100- He has scored 1,135 points in his career, averaging 14.5 ponts per game and 3.8 assists.

Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis, #75- Over the last two years Douglas-Roberts scored 1,262 points, while averaging 18.1 points per game in the '07-'08 year.

Call them diamonds in the rough, late bloomers (pick a metaphor), but all of the above-listed players out-performed their high school rating.  

The point of this piece is not to belittle the various recruiting services, but rather to illuminate the fact that rating high school athletes is not an exact science.  As a matter-of-fact, once the services go beyond the Top 30-40 players their efforts can only be described as educated guesswork.  

Determining which players have peaked athletically is nearly impossible.  Determining which players will excel under their respective coach is nearly impossible.  Determining which players will accept coaching, and thrive in a particular system is nearly impossible.  Determining which players possess the all-important "upside" is nearly impossible.

Another issue: I think many times the services and coaches alike allow what a player CANNOT do to overshadow what the player CAN do.  That type of thinking is what allows players like Chris Lofton and Shan Foster to go virtually unnoticed on the national recruiting scene.  Examples: Player A has slow lateral speed, or just isn't very quick, nevermind that he can shoot like Maravich, and pass like Stockton.  Or player B can't jump over a piece of paper, nevermind that his fundamentals, positioning, and motor are without flaw.  

Keep all of this in mind as Gillispie goes forward in this recruiting cycle.  Sutton, MCoy, and Harrellson while not rated highly out of high school, could become great players for UK.  Trust in Gillispie, but confirm.  But also remember, confirmation only comes with the passing of time.

So as you read the Rivals, Scouts, Five-Star, and Hoop Scoop rankings remember that somewhere in the bottom half of their ratings potentially awaits more than one Conference Player of the Year.  

Thanks for reading, and Go 'Cats!