Friday, March 27, 2009

Bluegrass Buzz

The buzzards are flying over Memorial Coliseum on Euclid Ave.

Word on the streets, er, internet is that the University of Kentucky has canned Billy Gillispie, head coach of the men's basketball program.

This, after UK failed to make an appearance in the NCAA tournament. It's been a sad March Madness - this is the time of year when I roll out all of my fun UK t-shirts and other Big Blue paraphernalia.

The school's appearance in the NIT was pathetic (which is already a huge heap of salt in the wounds), and the whole fiasco has made me long for the good ol' days.

The days when Kentucky won championships.

I'll admit - I was spoiled rotten. There's a select group of people who can say they attended UK when it won both the '96 and '98 championships, and I am proud to be one of them. Kentucky fans are hard to please, as Tubby Smith can attest, but I am not alone in my disappointment since Billy Clyde took over the reins.

UK is hosting a press conference in about an hour to reveal the 4-1-1. You can catch it here at 4:30 p.m. eastern. WKYT is reporting Gillispie wants to hold his own press conference to explain his side of the story on Saturday at 11 a.m.

And of course the Twitterati are abuzz, saying Billy Donovan FINALLY wants to come back to Kentucky, this time as head coach.

As much as I'd love that option (or even my fantasy of Pat Reilly riding out his golden years), I'll take any coach who can get us back to the Big Dance with regular appearances in the Great Eight and beyond.

That's not too much to ask - is it?

2 comments:

WestEnder said...

I *heart* UK but I haven't seem them much this year and I'm not familiar enough with the G'spie situation to comment on that. But getting Billy Donovan... well, it's hard not to want that to happen.

The Notorious N.A.T said...

This Northern VA transplant sure would like to see ol' UK in March Madness each year to remember...if nothing else. Bye, bye, Billy G. He came as I left - I have no love for him, so bye bye...bring me a coach I dare to love...