Billy Gillispie proposes a tournament featuring UK and 3 former coaches

About a month ago, former Kentucky Wildcats head coach Billy Gillispie was introduced as the new coach at Tarleton State. This coaching move put Gillispie back into Division 1 for the first time since coaching Texas Tech in 2012.

Is there a better way to get your name back into relevance other than playing the blue blood that fired you after two seasons?

Gillispie was interviewed by the Lex, Buds, & Pick ‘n Roll Podcast over the weekend and stated that he would love to bring his school to Lexington. He also sated that he shouldn’t come alone.

Gillispie was quoted saying “We could actually get all three of us together and Tubby [Smith] and just have a round robin tournament or something and just play for three or four days. I think it’d be a lot of fun. We’d love to come back.”

Gillispie’s idea would of the round robin tournament would bring in of course his team Tarleton State, Rick Pitino’s new team in Iona, and then Tubby Smith’s team in High Point. All three of the former UK coaches of course have different legacies and some have fonder memories with the fan base than others but I think it’s safe to say all three coaches would be up for the idea.

Then the question has to be asked would Kentucky be up for it?

Who knows if Coach Cal and Mitch Barnhart are ready to do this right away. I feel that the animosity the fans hold against some of these coaches would not end up as good warm welcoming situation.

Gillispie even joked of this in the interview by saying “Kentucky fans will need to stock up on cold medicine because their throats would be sore from booing.”

Personally, I feel that it would be a great idea when the timing is right . Just right now might not be the best time right now. Maybe in a few years when some the dust settles with specifically coach Pitino as last time we saw the coach of the ‘96 UK championship team in Rupp he was coaching a team in red and left in a very absurd manner.