This is semi-off topic, but I am seriously thinking about ordering some of Pitino's leadership books. I did some research for a class I am taking and one of the pieces from the book talks about how he aimed to restore Kentucky's integrity after Eddie Sutton left.
Has anybody read Success is a Choice or Lead to Succeed? I'd love to hear some feedback.
Originally Posted by savafan
To me that is like a teenager saying to his parents, "You don't understand me" or "You don't understand my generation".
My point is, I don't really care how Gillispie acts with the media, and if the team was winning, I doubt very many would have cared. Do I think he should do a better job? Yes. Would I fire him because of how he talked to Jeanine Edwards? Of course not.
Adolph Rupp was able to get a free pass because he won. If you want to look at a modern day example, take Jim Calhoun. He isn't exactly a media darling, but he wins.
I am curious though if Gillispie does have some escape outside of basketball. I know I had read where somebody on here said that they saw him at Merrick Inn (don't know the spelling). It would be interesting to see if he does interact with fans at all.
I am a Louisville fan that was not happy about the hiring of Pitino at the time.
I decided to suck it up and read Success is a Choice. I found it to be quite inspiring. It's mostly the same stuff you get from any motivational book, but tells it from a basketball point of view that I found easy to relate.
I became a Pitino fan after reading it and haven't looked back.
Problem:
Mike Shula was at Alabama for 4 years.
Ron Zook was at Florida for 3 years.
Matt Doherty was at UNC for 4 years.
The problem with Gillispie leaving is that there is no big name who can come in and immediately keep everything intact and fix the problems. Nick Saban and Roy Willams were at least proven commodities going to Alabama and UNC and Florida took a gamble with Urban Meyer that did pay off.
And please (anybody) do not say Billy Donovan. We already tried to offer Pile O Cash two years ago and that did not work. Running off a coach two years later to offer more is unlikely to do it, and at least with Florida he isn't going to have the fans calling for his job for back to back NIT's. That pressure belongs to Meyer.
But you have no idea if it would or wouldn't work now. Who knows what Donovan or Calipari is thinking these days? Huge Pile O' Cash may convince one of them to leave their current situation this time around. None of us really knows for sure.
Is it worth firing a coach two seasons in just to find out?
If Barnhardt put out feelers to see if Calipari or Donovan would be interested while Gillispie was still here, I could see that as an option.
First question - No, it's not.
I agree with your second point. No way would I fire Billy now if I wasn't certain I could get the guy I wanted as the replacement.
Ha, well if it were Donovan, he'd maybe just change his mind a few days later and go back to UF.
Donovan verbally accepted the UK offer on the day of the national title game with OSU, but then backed out to negotiate with Orlando when his wife wasn't thrilled with the idea of leaving Florida. Then D decided he didn't want to go to Orlando after like three days and it became a media circus. Christine is more open to leaving Florida now than she was in 2007. Just sayin'.
...and typically, the parents DO understand him and his generation but the teenager doesn't realize this until he becomes a parent and discovers that he really didn't know more than his parents.
Seriously, though, my line of thinking was how the media landscape is different nowadays. Internet, 24-hour sports shows on television AND radio, combined with the changing culture makes today a far different landscape than when Rupp was coaching.
This is where I just have to agree with you. When it's all said and done we want a coach who will win. The personality and his positive interaction with today's media and fans is secondary. I just don't think it's impossible to have both. And when he displays neither qualities, it makes it hard to pull for the guy.
You know, as I think more about Rupp and how he related to those around him, I wonder if he avoided the negative attitudes from fans because he was a lot like them, not just because he won. The roles of men in general and coaches in particular was perceived differently in Rupp's day. What we call "harsh" today would be considered a character-builder then. I can't back that up, but it's just something I was thinking about.
Last edited by durl; 03-18-2009 at 04:16 PM.
Konner Tucker committed this afternoon.
Don't be so sure. Come listen to some idiot sports talk down here.
Florida basketball fans have tasted success. Missing last year was fine. "We lost everyone, what do you expect? Next year will be better."
Only it wasn't. There is absolutely a segment of the fan base that has soured.
You're right that a lot of the pressure is reserved for Meyer, but Billy the (former) Kid bears his share.
Big time college athletics, no matter the school or sport, is always to some degree going to be what have you done for me lately for a nice portion of the fan base, right or wrong.
Now, come next year, they make it to the sweet sixteen, Billy will be the toast of the town with the same guys that are trying to get run him out of town. Just the way it is.
IMO, Florida will be back in contention next year if Calathes doesn't depart. From everything I have seen, Kenny Boynton is the real deal. Just imagine if Jai Lucas had kept his head screwed on straight. Lucas, Boynton, and Calathes could have been something special.
As for Billy D and Kentucky, UK's real chance with Donovan would have been in 1997 after Rick Pitino left for the Celtics. It was basically between him and Tubby and Tubby jumped at the offer first. To be honest, I am semi-glad it worked out that way because at the time, Donovan was still a young coach with no real pedigree outside of being a Pitino disciple. I shudder to think of how the same fans who are ready to crucify Gillispie would have handled Donovan, because I see a lot of similarities between 1997 Donovan and 2009 Gillispie.
It's going to be fun to watch. I'm kinda wondering if Liggins is going to be back, but from what I have heard Tucker is a sharpshooter, which with Hood coming in we will have plenty of firepower.
I hope Kentucky still pursues Eric Bledsoe, but this will likely knock them out of the running.
I read that Tucker will be more of a combo guard so it would still leave room for Bledsoe. I think BG might just be acquiring as many solid guards that he can.
I can't stand to read the UK boards anymore. The anti BG crowd voices their opinions too much. All recruits brought in now, are apparently terrible, etc..
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