Coach Gillispie Doesn't Have a Contract!! The Horror!

by Glenn Logan on Nov 16, 2007 6:33 PM EST in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball

Did you hear that Billy Gillispie doesn't have a signed contract yet? OMG, the world is about to end! Just let me say goodbye to my wife and dogs, and I'll be ready for the apocalypse.

Seriously, this is silly. The Associated Press has picked up the story, and now it's all over the wire. No doubt we can expect some pundits from around the sports world (TLT Jeff Goodman, Doyel, Vitale, Katz, who knows?) to weigh in and assure us this is passing strange, and cause for concern.

Matt Jones does and excellent job of addressing the situation here, but even then, he offers a caveat of concern:

Now that this is public and front and center, both parties need to get this off the table. If they dont, and the disagreement is such that both sides are willing to take the public scrutiny and continue to submit to questions on the topic....well, then we may have a story worth following closely.

I refuse to be concerned about it. Let the parties work through it, and chill. People do things without contracts all the time while issues are being hammered out, and the fact that Gillispie doesn't have an agent to drive the issue goes a long way to explain why it is dragging. Of course, there could be some detail over which the parties are at serious loggerheads, but I doubt it.

Apparently, Jerry Tipton started this brouhaha with this article in the Herald-Leader yesterday, and it got picked up by the sports wires. Some guy in The Cats Pause message area says it was on the front page of ESPN some time ago. Not sure if it is there now, and I don't care one whit.

Those worried about UK's image in all this should relax. These things happen in their own good time. Just a reminder to those who don't know, Thad Matta was without a contract for a lot longer when he was hired as Ohio State's coach. That was news, too, so I guess this is fair game.

Discuss.

Update [2007-11-17 11:27:5 by Truzenzuzex]: Ryan Ferguson (AKA GatorPilot) agrees with me that this is much ado about nothing whatever. Media, this isn't the story you're looking for. Move along.

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Non-news

My thoughts are also "who cares?" Maybe it means they trust each other?

by GregJ on Nov 16, 2007 6:46 PM EST reply actions

Contract.....or lack of

Slow news day I guess. There was never an announcement that it was signed so I never thought it was anyway. I just hope he is getting guys healthy. Miller and Liggins would not have signed if there were concerns.

by Chuck Alexinis on Nov 16, 2007 7:41 PM EST reply actions

No Contract

To the best of my knowledge this is not uncommon. Jones mentions Saban, and Tru notes Matta. There have been many others.

Jones brings up the issue of recruiting. While on its surface it sounds legit, it is in reality without merit. There were around 60 coaching changes this past off season, I wager there are many more working coaches who have yet to ink their deals.

Much ado about nothing.

by Ken Howlett on Nov 16, 2007 10:35 PM EST reply actions

Bunch more dirt kickin'

Anything to keep poking us.

I would wage that in the next few years UM and Tubby will get a TON of nice press and any slight stumble here will be front page.

I have worked for 3 years for one client with no contract and they pay us vvey well evey month.

Non Issue.

by wilson452 on Nov 16, 2007 10:59 PM EST reply actions

So...

Did Hopson not sign? Fine with me.

by GregJ on Nov 17, 2007 12:41 AM EST reply actions

Mistakes, mistakes

Folks are mistaken for considering much of Tipton's stuff as "sports journalism." Remember, this is the guy who, when a certain Cat was arrested for attempting to enter a club with a fake ID, called that adult's MOTHER for comment. Rikki Lake, anyone?
Jerry was mistaken again recently for suggesting that some "fans" booed the Cats during the recent loss to Gardner-Webb.
Make no mistake: Wildcat fans DO NOT BOO the Cats, ever, no matter what. Period.
Those sorry few who booed were obviously mistaken. They must've somehow made a wrong turn and thought they were in Florida or North Carolina or something. Not one of those pathetic losers who booed need ever show their sorry faces in Rupp again.
I keep reading Jerry, in hopes I am mistaken - but I get more from the other columnists every time. I keep supporting the Cats, too, in hopes I am mistaken about some of the sorry few who claim to do the same, yet hate the team and former coach so much they can't seem to open their mouths without something sick spewing forth.
Go, Cats!
Go, Billy G!
It will all work out - and if it doesn't, that's OK, too, for the True Blue fans among us who know that by the time the university and Billy part ways, a certain young coach will have risen through the ranks - and UK can hire Saul Smith, who can in turn hire his dad as an assistant, thereby appeasing the great basketball gods in the sky, and we can return to the glory days of sweeping the SEC, winning 20-30 games, making every Big Dance and winning one or two ... and never, ever, losing to a Gardner-Webb, regardless of who is on the bench, injured, sleepy or gone to the NBA. What a great decade this next one is gonna be for the faithful few True Blue!

by Way2blue4SorryFairWeatherFew on Nov 17, 2007 10:37 PM EST reply actions