UK Wildcat Country

In a world where men make millions of dollars to do something we’d all probably volunteer for, Kentucky basketball has fallen into its pit. Everyone wants the best coach at all times, so it becomes an increasing arms race to the top, where the arms are dollars. With the sailing price tags come soaring expectations. When a coach gets paid a space shuttle to simply lead a team into some type of organizational unit, there is so little room for error.

Those that have monitored the UK basketball situation of late can attest to that. But who is really to blame? Let’s review the players in this game: coach, team, fans, AD, and institution.

Coach: Billy Gillispie arrived two years ago to replace a maligned Tubby Smith, and attempt to fix an ailing program. No one questioned his coaching ability or his recruiting prowess, but his character was put to trial by multiple entities. Two years later, character remains an issue. Lee Todd is smack in the middle of the quest to become a Top 20 public university, and image is everything. How can one of, if not the, biggest faces of the university not be aligned with that image? That is the core of the issue. He’s proved he can coach in the past, he didn’t just lose it on the plane ride to Lexington. We all know he can recruit, whether you agree with a few of the chances he’s taken, the future still looks brighter than the present. But can he change WHO he is?

Team: The growing sentiment about these guys is that the majority have had a difficult time following orders. Any reason why is purely speculation, but it all comes down to it just not being the best mix of guys. I don’t know if it’s respect, intelligence, pride or immaturity – maybe a mixture of all those – but something is amiss and weeds need to be pulled. Veterans and newbies alike, the best thing for the future is to clean the cupboard of anyone not willing to follow faithfully. It’s funny, to me at least, how players are always so attacked in and between games, but then afterwards all is dropped. When did players lose all responsibility for their performance? Yeah, they’re just kids, but, no, they’re not. They’re off to college to learn how to be big boys and girls…for FREE!

Fans: UK fans have become less enthralled in their team and more in the power of their collective selves. Yes, you pay the bills and, yes, you’re overwhelming mass is what keeps this a special place. But maybe it is YOUR character that is flawed? Today’s world allows all to voice their opinion to the masses. Those with the strongest opinions and the loudest mouths tend to also be the more negative. When everything’s hunky dory, there’s not much to talk about, but when the Cats drop a loss, they seep through the cracks and quickly destroy everything like a flood. The Kentucky fanbase has licensed themselves to power like none other in the world, and that is NOT a good thing.

AD: Mitch has made some good moves; he’s made some bad. But when BG was hired, who protested? Many protested throughout the early Brooks regime… who will now? You win some, you lose some. Overall, Barnhart has won heads and heels above his losses. He’s an AD folks, not a BD. Some want him gone…why? Because he couldn’t pull Billy Donovan? Mitch combines integrity, intelligence, leadership, and vision like few can. Personally, I can’t think of one man I’d rather see in his spot. Disagree? Let’s hear it.

Institution: Is Lee Todd too involved? I don’t want to sound like a self-consumed jock here, but how much could the guy really know about the sports world. It’s like if Barack Obama tried to fill out an NCAA tourney bracket. Wow. LOL. Can you imagine? Anyways, it’s what Mitch is paid to do; let him handle it. When you see that UK Athletics is failing as a BUSINESS…you’re input may be useful. The fact that you always are in the middle of meetings with Mitch and his coaches tells dufus fans that he doesn’t have the University’s confidence. His hands are tied enough by the fans I believe.

So, who is the loser in this mystery? Who got pushed? And who pushed them? I vote fans pushed, Barnhart pushed. What say you? And how do we clean the mess? Can the pushed survive the fall? Can the pusher ever be forgiven?