READ TODAY'S STORIES AND E-EDITION SUBSCRIBE |  CONTACT US |  SIGN IN
Sports Extra!



SPORTS EXTRA BLOGS

FOR THE RECORD
LOCAL PROS

ALL SPORTS

PHOTOS & VIDEOS

OUTDOORS

FIND A STORY

EMAIL ALERTS

SOCIAL MEDIA

RSS FEEDS

CONTACT US
BUY PHOTOS & PAGES

ADVERTISE ON SPORTS EXTRA


Print story only Print story with comments Email Twitter Facebook Pinterest
The Curious Case of Billy Gillispie
Published: 9/6/2012 1:44 PM
Last Modified: 9/6/2012 1:44 PM

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.



Reader Comments


To post comments on tulsaworld.com, you must be an active Tulsa World print or digital subscriber and signed into your account.


Klein's Korner

Tulsa World senior sports columnist John Klein is in his fourth decade of covering sports. He started his newspaper career at The Daily Ardmoreite in 1977 and moved to the Tulsa World in 1978. He served 10 years as sports editor for the Tulsa World before being named to his current position in 2005. He also spent five years as the Southwest Conference beat writer for the Houston Post. He has won many writing awards and is a former Oklahoma Sports Writer of the Year.

Follow John Klein on Twitter

Subscribe to this blog



Archive

 
John Klein's Blog Archive:

2/2013  1/2013  12/2012  11/2012  10/2012  9/2012  
8/2012  7/2012  6/2012  5/2012  4/2012  3/2012  
2/2012  1/2012  12/2011  11/2011  10/2011  9/2011  
8/2011  7/2011  6/2011  5/2011  4/2011  3/2011  
2/2011  1/2011  12/2010  11/2010  10/2010  9/2010  
8/2010  7/2010  6/2010  5/2010  4/2010  3/2010  
2/2010  1/2010  12/2009  11/2009  10/2009  9/2009  
8/2009  7/2009  6/2009  5/2009  4/2009  3/2009  
2/2009  1/2009  12/2008  11/2008  10/2008  9/2008  
8/2008  7/2008  6/2008  5/2008  4/2008  3/2008  
2/2008  1/2008  12/2007  11/2007  10/2007  9/2007  
8/2007  7/2007  6/2007  5/2007  4/2007  3/2007  
2/2007  1/2007  12/2006  11/2006  10/2006  9/2006  
8/2006  





Home | Contact Us | Search | Subscribe | Customer Service | About | Advertise
Copyright © 2013, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.