A Giant Glass of Haterade

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On the eve of what looks like the signing of John Calipari as head coach of Kentucky-last report from John Clay has Cal on the way to the airport to meet a UK charted to plane and Memphis beat writer Dan Wolken reporting it's done- some in the national media continue to paint the program as an elitist "club."

Point in case: Michael Wilbon of PTI.

For years Wilbon has accused the program of pushing out coaches and their fan base of unrealistic expectations.

I addressed his comments about the fans two years ago, and then on Saturday's post.

I'll address the comments of pushing out coaches, which Wilbon spoke of now.

A recent history lesson of top-tier programs pushing coaches out:

UCLA-Steve Lavin (could argue Jim Harrick)

UNC-Matt Doherty

Louisville-Denny Crum

just to name a few, could go farther back and name lesser programs but why?

I'll be honest, Wilbon is a Chicago guy-which I obviously love- and usually agreeable but he has this disdain for UK that is unmeasurable. He makes Billy Packer look like Cameron Mills. Kornheiser couldn't believe it. I can't either.

One more thing on Gillispie:

As God as my witness I hope this does not become reality. There are things about Billy Gillispie that we don't know and I hope we never do. However this is a divorce; and we all know divorces get messy. I hope we don't have a tabloid-type media circus that assassinates the character of Billy Clyde. I find it morally wrong and unnecessary. The only purpose to even bring it up is the slim hope that this serves as a warning. People around this program are going to feel the worse Gillispie looks or is perceived, the better UK looks by getting rid of him.

Stay tuned

What Went Wrong; What's Next

It started with this.

The dismissal of Billy Gillisipe at Kentucky had nothing to do with wins and losses. His coaching was a question, but not the answer. Was the Big Blue Nation incensed with the fact that for the first time in a long time their Wildcats wouldn't dance in the NCAA? Absolutely. It was a very frustrated fan base. A friend commented to me "Tubby had us in a steady decline, Billy just drove us over the cliff."

All things considered, objective fans of the most prestigious program in college basketball believed for the most part, the overall record was not enough to fire him...yet. I think Atheltic Director Mitch Barnhart, and the Emperor on his left, would agree with that.

Look at him...maybe he'll get Lexington a Sith Lord.

The problem was very simple. Billy was fired because he is an asshole.

Sorry to be so blunt but that is the beginning and end of this story. He was constantly condescending to everyone around him, in particular the media and is what caused his early departure.

Two years is not enough to accurately access how a coach is succeeding or failing with his basketball team in the college ranks. However this isn't just any basketball job. This is the University of Kentucky and as Mitch said, it is bigger than any coach, player or administrator. They are just the caregivers. The coach at Kentucky is more recognizable than the Governor, and when he says that being an ambassador or public relations director for the program isn't in his job description, he might as well had written his obituary.

If he had not acted they way he acted to Jeanine Edwards, Tom Leach, Dana O'Neil, or anyone who dared ask him questions about his coaching or his team, none of this would've happened.

WHAT'S NEXT

Some in the area are comparing the Big Blue to the Golden Domers in football. Not quite yet, although we are looking more and more like the hot chick in high school who threw on 30 her freshman year at community college. She could still lose the weight, Notre Dame just sucks.

As of know, John Calipari has said he isn't interested. Two years ago 'Nova's Jay Wright (my fav)Tom Barnes of Texas, Rick Pitino and Billy Donovan, following back-to-back National Championships at Florida, all declined. No word as of today if Rick, Annakin Skywalker, Jesus, Bobby Knight or Lou Piniella have refused the almighty program as well. (Can you imagine The General in a blue sweater? Oooh I just got chills)

The specualtion for the replacement yesterday was again Billy D, the former assistant at UK under Rick Pitino. FOX SPORTS Orlando reported Donovan was leaving Florida to take the Kentucky job. Donovan quickly stated that he is committed to Florida and had no interest in taking the Kentucky job.

Thanks to my good friend Frank Cupolo, who responded with this via email on Billy's statement:

'Nuff said.

Pat Forde was quoted as saying he would bet his salary the next coach is going to be Oklahoma State's Travis Ford, former UK point guard. The other name's being circulated are again Barnes, Wright and Calipari as well. However don't trust a word you hear from anyone until someone is standing at a podium at Memorial Coliseum. It is so crazy out there with fans on this topic that any and every rumor are almost considered journalistic, which they are definitely not.

I would take that bet with Pat. He is a Kentucky guy, Louisville to be exact, and is incredibly credible on this subject and others. The reason why I disagree is that Travis Ford has a reputation in Lexington of being exactly what I said Billy G was fired for being. And I don't think Mitch and Darth Sidious want to trade one jerk for another. But...I could be wrong.

My money remains on Calipari, despite his remarks yesterday. Could he win a title in Memphis, absolutely. But then what? He just won 31 games, lost just 3 prior to the NCAA and still got a

2-seed. How much better can he really do with a team in Conference USA? How many Tiger games were on national television? These guys have big ego's and although he has little pressure in Tennessee and is King at the moment, his pride of being the best at a higher profile program could bring him to the bluegrass.

KENTUCKY'S NATIONAL PERCEPTION

Is bad.

And understandable. On the outside they're looked at as crazy and ridiculous. This time two years ago I went on The Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio a couple hours following Michael Wilbon of The Washington Post and ESPN's Pardon The Interruption.

His comments were harsh on UK and their fans, and his opinion was of the majority. My rebuttal stays the same and always will as someone who has lived in the area all his life, gone to school at UK and has served as a member of the media in Cincinnati and central Kentucky for more than ten years:

The expectations in Lexington are no bigger than they are in Durham, Chapel Hill, East Lansing, Lawrence or Los Angeles. The Big Blue Nation does not expect to win a championship every year as these national media analysts would have you believe. The expect to compete and play well in the NCAA Tournament and make a Final Four atleast once every ten years, as they have been accustomed to for over fifty years. That is not too much to expect and whoever is next will be expected to do that.

If he does not, he will be gone, Mitch will be gone, and maybe so will the prestige of this fine program.

Don Corleone

Is anyone with me on this?

While watching Obama on t.v. the other night, again, I couldn't help but notice Rahm in the back in this pose. He looked like Michael Corleone in III, peering onto the landscape as if one of the press corps was gonna take out Cardinal Lamberto.

Easy there bulldog, David Axelrod is no Tom Higgins, but atleast he'll make sure you'll keep your bonus.

I literally thought Major Garrett was gonna get up and accuse him of taking over Immobiliare.

Scott County Wrap-Up

Through my first year of covering Scott County boys basketball, I found one thing to stand-out above anything else; they are every bit as hated as my alma mater, Highlands.

The one thing about my job is that I obviously get to know people inside the program instead of being an onlooker from the outside. That is usually where the haters preside. And programs that have success, like the Cardinals or beloved Bluebirds, are usually the ones that people dislike the most.

So I thought I would give you my impressions of, in my 29 years on this Earth, the best high school basketball team I have ever seen.

Head coach Billy Hicks

An absolute gentlemen. A very soft-spoken, unassuming man who at no point refused access. I have been covering high school sports for a while now and most coaches treat their team like classified FBI files. Not the case here. While others in his profession feel they are involved in espionage, Billy was a class act all year and is easy to see why he has the respect of every coach and media person in the state. In an "oh sh*t" moment I had, Billy accidentally slipped the s-word in our post-game talk when describing Chad Jackson's dunk on Madison Central's Keshawn Simpson. I acted like nothing happened, hope the FCC wasn't tuning in.

Junior Forward Dakotah Euton

The big story coming into the year. Being a commit to the holiest of holies in the state, the Kentucky Wildcats, Dakotah stepped onto a huge stage after transferring from Rose Hill. No question the vocal leader of the Cards on and off the floor. A good kid, well-spoken and doesn't let pressure get to him. As a player, I'd have to say average athleticism and a hard worker. Hardest working player on the floor. He's a European-type big man who doesn't play under the basket offensively. Great outside shooter and fair ball-handler. He needs to be more polished to get time on the floor at Rupp. He's got a steep hill to climb.

Junior Guard Ge-Lawn Guyn

Another transfer from a year earlier. A ferocious competitor. Towards the end of the year his physical style became a story and officials kept a close eye on him. When he gets the ball on a rebound, he takes his swings. Likes to use his strength and quickness, and he will take you out if you press him after a rebound, ask Madison Southern. Ge-lawn's rap was one of a difficult kid with an attitude problem. His style of play doesn't do him any favors in the popularity category but in the few moments I spent with him, he seemed to be a great kid and misunderstood. As congenial as anyone else. He stepped up big-time in the regional championship with Richie out. His last shot was scrutinized but he was the reason they were in a position to win. He also added maybe the best defensive play of the year by fouling Lex Cath with 1 to give with 9 seconds left. Not sure if he's gonna take the free-ride to Western Kentucky, but if he does, the Hilltoppers got a steal. A great scorer and defender. Chris Lofton anybody?

Freshmen Tamron Manning and Isiah Ivey

Probably the best frosh duo in Kentucky. Many thought coming into this year they would be and Manning certainly showed he's up to the challenge. Billy called him the toughest player on the team. High marks for a tough group. Isiah was hampered with a broken finger on his shooting hand that kept him out virtually the entire first half of the season but played huge in the regional tournament. He gave huge minutes in the win over Lafayette following Richie's injury. These two are outstanding and will be big keys next year with no big presence down low.

Senior Center Richie Phares

The story coming into this year for SC was the transfers of Chad Jackson and UK commit Dakotah Euton from Rose Hill Academy. What it should've been is "will Richie win Mr. Basketball?" I talked with Georgetown College head coach, as I frequently do, after the season opener against Ballard and said with all the talk of the transfers "Richie is probably the best player on the team."

He replied "there's no doubt he is."

Of the "super team" that came together this year, Richie was one of the two players that the team could ill afford to lose. And tragically they did, as Richie blew out his knee in the regional semi-final win over Lafayette. To all of us on 'press row,' we thought he hyper-extended it. It didn't look very bad on the outset, but stranger things have happened. Throughout the year I joked that Soapy Joe's Carwash "player-of-the-game" segment in the post-game show was Richie's bi-weekly segment. The kid is a class act coming from a class family and will never need a ring to authenticate being a champion. He personifies it. Best of luck in Louisville Richie

Junior point guard Chad Jackson

Again with Happy, "I think if he develops a little better jump shot, he's the best PG in the state."

Reply from Hap: "He's the best now. That jump shot is better than you think."

Promptly and appropriately, Chad nailed a couple of three's in the first quarter that night in the regional final loss to Lexington Catholic.

From friends who have asked about this team all year and who I would want to don the blue and white, my answer has never wavered. Chad Jackson. Incredibly explosive and shot is getting better. Terrific defender at 6'4'' to boot. As above mentioned, the play of the year was from the right wing just in front of the SC bench in the high school gym in Georgetown. I heard his teammates had been on his case about dunking off the dribble, because he had only dunked on alley-oops. He must have taken it to heart because he crossed over all-state fullback and WKU football commit Keshawn Simpson of Madison Central, Simpson falls straight backwards on his rump and CJ takes two dribbles on the baseline and tomahawked it like MJ. I thought the roof was gonna start falling like the Georgia Dome during the SEC Tourney last year. A pro move. The only player I feel is a legit pro prospect.

Chad we would love you in Lexington.

Notes:

• Although most would feel that Gary Ball, Leland Conway and I are rivals, nothing could be further from the truth. We all get along great. Gary and I in particular help each other in any way we can, and although I wish I was the only one there covering these events, I enjoy seeing both of them at each venue.


• High School basketball coaches need to get over themselves for the most part. Excluding Billy and a few others, this is not a top-secret operation. Your stats will not influence the outcome of any game you play. Quit being ridiculous.


• Congratulations to Holmes. Dave Henley did a great job this year and they are deserved champs. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, this year will be remembered all over the state as they year SC had the best team and their star center went down as well as a team from a school with just a 312-person enrollment being a top team in the state.

News Analysis

Over the span of seven days, I looked at the front page of the New York Times to track what demographic makes the news. All of this according to the editors of the Times of course.

The results were typical.

Tensions in the mid-east and power struggles in foreign gonvernments dominated headlines with domestic economic issues. And no matter which stories you looked at, one name would keep coming up: Obama.

That should come at no surprise considering he is the key player in what will be our government's involvement, if any, in all of those situations. In the seven-day period, the President's name came up near 100 times and made close to 85% of the stories. As expected, if the newspaper considered to be the pulse of the nation is to be just that, it's leader will mentioned quite a bit.

When it came to economic pieces, outside of Obama, the most sourced people were white males. Again, not a surprise. CEO's, Bernie Madoff, and economic "experts" and advisors made the list. The only time an ethnic group outside of white males were mentioned in the economy pieces were Maxine Waters, Representative from California and her husband who may be implicated in some wrong doing.

Women were mentioned in features as well as hard news. Hillary Rodham Clinton was at the top in that field of course. Arab's were well represented as well. The least sourced through this particular week was hispanics. Virtually nothing was mentioned involving them and exactly zero mentions of local hispanic citizens in major stories on the front page.