I'm really excited about Gillispe and our Future...

[Trueblujr]

Let me preface this by saying I think we absolutely made the right choice in a coach. Gillispie has all the tools to return UK back to Glory.

However I want to state my concerns, many of which are probably unfounded, and maybe it's just me being judgemental when I really know nothing about the Man personally.

His two almost DUI's are well publicised as well as his work habits (workaholic) and lack of a personal life so to speak. I hate to think a grown man needs a babysitter of sorts, but I would really love for someone else on the staff sort of be assigned to make sure he does the things necessary to maintaining a long and positive career in his new very high profile position.

It's not necessarily even the drinking issue, as long as he truely learned from his past transgressions and is responsibile, we can't fault him for doing something perfectly legal. My biggest concern is more health related, based on what has been publicised, I don't picture Gillispe as one who spends a lot of time exercising and eating well balanced meals. I picture him as more of an eat on the fly kinda guy. It would be nice if someone like the S&C coach (i can't spell his name) would drop by his office with a nice well balanced meal, and would maybe set up an exercise program for him. My concern is that in a couple of years we are looking at a coach ready to have a heart atack or facing bypass surgery.

Again, I'm likely way off base here, but These are the things going through my mind when I read about his work habits. I read a post on another board from an aggie fan that described him as a very personable guy, he could frequently be found in local pubs pouring over basketball stuff but that he was very approachable and would have a beer with you(I thinkI would steer him more towards a Doctor Pepper knowing his history), That might have worked in College Station, but I think if he tries that around here he is in for a rude awakening, not to mention a media feeding frenzy.

My point to all of this is,We have aSuperdevoted, fantastic coach and person who just happens to not live the most healthy of lifestyles by most accounts, is it too much to ask for the sake of the program long termthat Mitch assign someone to sort ofkeep an eye out for his health and well being.

Again, I don't want to get blasted for any of this, I'm giddy with excitement about what this guy brings to the table as a coach and recruiter. I just don't want his personal habits to catch up to him health wise, because this job can and will be a much more stressful venture than anywhere else he has ever been.

[RV]

I would volunteer to hang out with Coach - drive for him and see he eats right for say $200K per year.http://media.scout.com/media/image/24/242736.gif

[Craig the Blueheart]

Trueblujr wrote: Let me preface this by saying I think we absolutely made the right choice in a coach. Gillispie has all the tools to return UK back to Glory.

However I want to state my concerns, many of which are probably unfounded, and maybe it's just me being judgemental when I really know nothing about the Man personally.

His two almost DUI's are well publicised as well as his work habits (workaholic) and lack of a personal life so to speak. I hate to think a grown man needs a babysitter of sorts, but I would really love for someone else on the staff sort of be assigned to make sure he does the things necessary to maintaining a long and positive career in his new very high profile position.

It's not necessarily even the drinking issue, as long as he truely learned from his past transgressions and is responsibile, we can't fault him for doing something perfectly legal. My biggest concern is more health related, based on what has been publicised, I don't picture Gillispe as one who spends a lot of time exercising and eating well balanced meals. I picture him as more of an eat on the fly kinda guy. It would be nice if someone like the S&C coach (i can't spell his name) would drop by his office with a nice well balanced meal, and would maybe set up an exercise program for him. My concern is that in a couple of years we are looking at a coach ready to have a heart atack or facing bypass surgery.

Again, I'm likely way off base here, but These are the things going through my mind when I read about his work habits. I read a post on another board from an aggie fan that described him as a very personable guy, he could frequently be found in local pubs pouring over basketball stuff but that he was very approachable and would have a beer with you (I thinkI would steer him more towards a Doctor Pepper knowing his history), That might have worked in College Station, but I think if he tries that around here he is in for a rude awakening, not to mention a media feeding frenzy.

My point to all of this is,We have aSuperdevoted, fantastic coach and person who just happens to not live the most healthy of lifestyles by most accounts, is it too much to ask for the sake of the program long termthat Mitch assign someone to sort ofkeep an eye out for his health and well being.

Again, I don't want to get blasted for any of this, I'm giddy with excitement about what this guy brings to the table as a coach and recruiter. I just don't want his personal habits to catch up to him health wise, because this job can and will be a much more stressful venture than anywhere else he has ever been.

As you have already acknowledged, some will find your post unfounded, and I am in that group. I don't think the guy will need a babysitter in Lexington! Tubby and his family would often dine out while in Lexington, and for the most part would be left alone while I was around. In addition, the fact that he has been willing to rub elbows with the fans over a drink, and might be wiling in the future, makes him even more positive in my eyes. I am not sure at what point it became this way, but OTS became a bit polarizing when it came to the public. We all know that he had good reason to shun local rubberneckers, but he tried like heck to avoid conversations toward the end. I am all for a guy who wants to mix it up down at Redmond's, just as long as he catches a cab home.

[Terry L. Wildcat]

RV wrote: I would volunteer to hang out with Coach - drive for him and see he eats right for say $200K per year.http://media.scout.com/media/image/24/242736.gif
:cool:You beat me to it but I was willing to be his driver for $20,000 and lower level tickets....let's see: a rich single man with the most important job in Kentucky in a sea of Big Blue beautiful woman...I'd also offer to be his body guard but I'm a runt.

[Trueblujr]

I think my point regarding him having problems enjoying a drink with a fan is not necessarily for that, I think that is great that he is approachable and if he is by and large left alone, then thats great. I would however be concerned, considering his publicised past, with the media getting hold of him being outhaving a drinkwith fans and spinning it as they tend to do.

Ialso really didn't want to imply him needing a shadow or a"baby-sitter" I know thats howI referred to it, but really just somone to make sure he's eating right and getting some exercise. Again, I'm probably off base, It's not like he's Rick Majerus standing there.

[Craig the Blueheart]

Trueblujr wrote: I think my point regarding him having problems enjoying a drink with a fan is not necessarily for that, I think that is great that he is approachable and if he is by and large left alone, then thats great. I would however be concerned, considering his publicised past, with the media getting hold of him being outhaving a drinkwith fans and spinning it as they tend to do.

Ialso really didn't want to imply him needing a shadow or a"baby-sitter" I know thats howI referred to it, but really just somone to make sure he's eating right and getting some exercise. Again, I'm probably off base, It's not like he's Rick Majerus standing there.

You are right... it is not Rick Majerus. He actually looks pretty fit to me, and I have no clue as to what the man eats on a daily basis. I can tell you, however, that he will have no problems getting a good meal at the lodge. I also agree that the media can blow things up from time to time, but I had seen Tubby and his crew out at various restaurants, and each time he was having an adult beverage, and at no point did anyone even raise an eyebrow. With that said, if Gillespie runs to the bar after a big game and gets hammered with the locals, then I think he is in for some bad PR.

[BigBlue75]

The way I see it is we have a man who is as human as the rest of us. He said very clearly, "I made some mistakes and I'm not proud of it." Along with that, Mitch said that BG was very forthright about the situation and he was okay with it. This was too important a hire for the administration to ignore anything that could cause a problem, so if there was any issue to it at all, we would still be looking for a coach, instead of welcoming one.

As far as his workaholic attitude, maybe he is just one of those personality types that needs to be doing something all the time and needs to be working toward accomplishing a goal. I know a lot of people who are driven like that, with their motors always running.

[ntrich]

By all accounts he work-a-holic, he drinks, and is basketball obssessed. Three traitsthat areextremely common in this state and with that a tighter bond can be built than all the regimes since Rupp. It is sad to say this but his position is held in higher importance by most us than the Governor.Billy Cyldeis in a position to build himself into afolk hero in the state, every Kentucky coach has that possibility but the last four coachs have been far too polarizing and we have taken more to lionizing players. We have been waiting patiently for someone to fill Rupp's shoes as everyone since including Pitno has been a poor actor. The program has its own mythology and it is shared throughout the Big Blue Nation as a common conciousness, he has his chance at basketball immortality.

His neck is red enough, he talks like most of us, and as I saw in person last Friday he seems shrewd enough to manipulate this common factor to a crowd,and all he has to do is win games. If he works hard, flames out as the original poster suggests, but wins, it would only add to the creation of his legend.

[darksamus]

i don't think he still drinks...if he does and is responsible..fine...the original post said he lacked a personal life...he was married at one time, and it wasn't for him..which is fine..not everyone is built for marriage..he had enough respect for the other person not to put them thru the hectic lifestyle he has...

[Stretch]

Hopefully, the UK administration performed a due diligence investigation regarding Gillispie's character and fitness. Moreover, in the course of the hiring process, I am certain that UK's expectations regarding his deportment were made crystal clear.

After that, his personal life is his own and any suggestions that he should have a nursemaid are absurd. Just my opinion.

[VIIBanners]

The guy can't drink a beer around now? :rolleyes:

[Lexvol]

He will certainly never run out of fans who are willng to have an adult beverage with him in the Bluegrass. You could certainly add me to that list.:beer:

[WILD1]

I have absolutely no idea the reasons surrounding his pastalcohol/DUI suspicion incidents but, I'm aware of his divorce andthe failed marriage may have had something to do with them. This is a guy who is not used to failing, at anything, so even if he doesn't seem tooterribly heartbroken about it now, I'd bet that at the time,his pride and dignity may have taken a little beating. It happens, he's apparently moved on and so should we.

As this is the case, I appreciate his honesty and candor. I also like his "every-man" demeanor, his obsession with basketballand his work ethic. I'd like to see ALL UK fans get behind this guy; give him, his staff and his team(s) their unconditional support. They'll need it, especially this first season as it may be a real tough one. Not that every UK season isn't tough but,we're rebuilding and it may take a season or even two before we seethe fruits ofall Billy Clyde's (and don't you just love that name? lol)labor.