Posted on Fri, Jul. 18, 2008

JOHN CLAY

Relaxed Billy G. no longer the 'new' coach

By John Clay

HERALD-LEADER SPORTS COLUMNIST

First of all, were we still on Tubby time, this column on this subject on this particular day would not exist.

No how, no way. Tubby Smith was/is a great guy. But the former Kentucky basketball coach would rather have been tied to a tree in a lightning storm than spend a summer morning answering questions from a roomful of reporters.

Even basketball questions.

But Thursday morning in Memorial Coliseum, that is exactly what Billy Gillispie, the new Kentucky basketball coach, did for more than 46 minutes. And, at the end of 46 minutes, Billy G. proclaimed he would stay longer if anyone had anymore inquiries.

Gillispie then stuck around and made small talk with a few media members for nearly 20 more minutes.

This highlights an obvious but required correction from an earlier paragraph in this very column.

Billy Gillispie is no longer the new Kentucky basketball coach.

That's what struck you about Thursday. Through all the questions and answers about Patrick Patterson, Jodie Meeks, academic eligibility, summer camps, style of play, Perry Stevenson, rule changes, Mark Coury, Derrick Jasper, this year's schedule and a dozen more topics, Gillispie seemed relaxed.

This was in contrast to last year, his first year, when he was new and shy and sometimes seemed he would like to join Tubby Smith tied to that tree.

Early on Thursday, Gillispie talked about how much his team was ahead of last summer because now it knew what to expect.

Same goes for the head coach.

Why Billy G. even said that he had been part of a couple of confabs with President Lee Todd — Dr. Todd, as Gillispie always says — and Mitch Barnhart, sans lawyers, to iron out the details of a real-live, honest-to-goodness formal contract, and that he expects news of one will be hitting our computer terminals and doorsteps in the next few days.

It's a legal formality, yes, but news nonetheless. After all, for many months last calendar year there were those who questioned if Gillispie really wanted to be here.

Some of his actions and inaction led some to wonder if he privately regretted coming from Texas A&M, if he wondered whether assuming the steering wheel of a program with so much horsepower yet so much attention wasn't better imagined than experienced.

There is no such talk now. Instead, there is Gillispie speaking of his continued love affair with Patrick Patterson, of how he didn't think it was fair to talk about DeAndre Liggins' and Kevin Galloway's academic records but he still expected both to be a part of the team, of how he really liked the enthusiasm and hunger this team has shown this summer.

Want to know something about Billy G. to like?

There are people who only want to deal with things the way they want them to be. Lute Olson, the old Arizona coach, is one of those people, crabbing that he was through recruiting one-and-done players after star recruit Brandon Jennings opted to sign with a European team, before going to the NBA next year, instead of making good on his commitment to come to Tucson.

Billy Gillispie is one of those people who deals with things the way they are.

Example: “I'd like to have 13 guys every year that were good enough to be lottery picks,” he said when asked about the one-and-done complaints.

And maybe now the coach has learned to deal with the realities of the Kentucky basketball job. It sure appeared so Thursday, with Gillispie wearing shorts, no socks and a bright smile while talking about the things he loves best — baseball, horse racing (he was at Churchill Downs for the Stephen Foster) and, oh yes, basketball.

Lots and lots of basketball.

Billy G. seemed Billy Free.

“I'm excited,” he said more than once.

Believe it.

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