By JOHN KLEIN Sr. Sports Columnist on Sep 6, 2012, at 1:44 PM Updated on 9/06 at 1:44 PM
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Billy Gillispie has gone from the hottest young coach in college basketball to possibly unempployable in just four short years.
Just two years ago, when it was rumored that former Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik might be fired by then athletic director Bubba cunningham, Gillispie was believed to be the choice of many high-level TU boosters.
Wojcik wasn’t fired and Gillispie ended up at Texas Tech.
Thank goodness. One has to wonder what kind of mess Tulsa basketball might be in today if Gillispie had come to Tulsa.
Instead, the curious case of Billy Gillispie is playing out in Lubbock, where bizarre stories of Gillispie’s behavior are making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The stories we’re now hearing about Gillispie’s two years as Kentucky coach and his one season at Texas Tech do not sound like the fun-loving, smiling Gillispie who was the recruiting whiz for head coach Bill Self at Tulsa.
People change. Obviously, the Gillispie we’re now hearing about is not the same Gillispie we remember.
Yes, he was a fun guy. Obviously, too much fun.
After Gillispie was pushed out at Kentucky, some say because of his abrasive personality, he went to John Lucas’ substance abuse program in Houston. He had three drunk driving arrests in 10 years.
But, many believed Texas Tech hit a home run with the hiring of Gillispie.
Instead, Tech now has a public relations nightmare on its hands just a few years removed from the nightmare of Mike Leach’s firing.
Bizarre behavior? Texas Tech coaches have apparently cornered the market.
Gillispie was popular among TU fans for a reason. He was a likable guy on a staff that had the most successful season in Tulsa basketball history.
Gillispie had gone on to turnaround the program at UTEP and make Texas A&M basketball relevant on the national scene.
Then came his short, volatile and ugly two years at Kentucky.
Now, this.
Just a year ago, on trip to Tulsa to play Oral Roberts, Gillispie seemed to be his old self. Pleasant. Fun. Intense.
People change. Circumstances change. Who knows why all of this happened, what is wrong and can it be fixed.
Gillispie is likely to lose his job. Here’s hoping he regains his health and can put his life back in order.
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