Gillispie offers glimpse of his home

Coach making an effort to pull back the curtain

By Jerry Tipton - Herald-Leader Staff Writer

Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie is more guarded than Jodie Meeks.

So a big surprise comes on Friday. That's when the Herald-Leader's Central Kentucky Lifestyle real estate magazine will give readers a tour of Gillispie's home.

Eighteen photographs by Joseph Rey Au accompany a story about Gillispie settling into a new home after becoming UK coach in the spring of 2007.

The story by Connie Holman details Gillispie's search for a home. As Holman notes, the UK coach looked at more houses than Meeks scored points at Tennessee last month. The process included Gillispie teaching Whitney Pannell of A.S. de Movellan Real Estate how to text message.

Once he settled on a 12,000-square-foot house in northern Jessamine County, Gillispie turned to furnishing and interior decorating.

One interesting note: Blue is not the dominant color in Gillispie's home.

Meg Smith, the wife of UK Assistant Director of Athletics Leon Smith, helped the coach with the interior decorating. She explained the lack of blue. When it comes to Kentucky blue, Gillispie gave at the office.

"If you've ever gone into the Joe Craft Center (UK's $30 million basketball practice facility), there isn't an ounce of color that isn't blue," Smith said. "His house has a natural feeling."

Last spring, Gillispie said he hoped to become more involved in Central Kentucky life. Like his decision to speak to the Lexington Rotary Club last October after the mindless snub of the year before, the coach-at-home story seems part of a greater effort by Gillispie to pull back the curtain a bit.

Now about Kevin Galloway's playing time ...

Galloway fascinates

Don't ask Kevin Galloway why his playing time fascinates UK fans. He doesn't know.

"I have no idea," he said with a smile on Friday. "I honestly do not know."

Judging by the fan interest, Galloway could be a wonderfully productive player if only unleashed by UK Coach Billy Gillispie.

Galloway hears such conjecture. "Almost every day," he said. "Most fans say, 'Hang in there. Your time will come. Just stay positive.'"

Galloway appreciates the support, while not trying not to become discouraged by the indirect message: You should be playing more.

"You have to take it in one ear and out the other," Galloway said.

The talk about Galloway's playing time reached new heights earlier this month when he contributed mightily to a victory over Florida (six points, eight rebounds, nine assists in 25 minutes). Then four days later, he played only three minutes at Arkansas.

"After the (Arkansas) game, I thought, OK, I'll bring it in practice the next day," Galloway said.

Galloway confirmed Gillispie's contention that the player volunteered to play in the final 50 seconds at Arkansas even though the game was decided. A few seconds at garbage time would not hurt his pride.

"If it's two seconds, I'll go out there," Galloway said. "I want to help out. That's part of my pride. I want to help the team."

Bubble blather

Former CBS college basketball commentator Billy Packer says it's much too early to make judgments on the many teams on the metaphorical bubble.

Although there's only five or so games left in the regular season, he said that's plenty of time to determine which teams should get bids and decide the appropriate seed.

For instance, Packer said former No. 1 Duke could receive a seeding of five or worse depending on what happens in the final three weeks.

Of course, Kentucky is one of the many teams that will determine its post-season destiny these next three weeks.

One man, two votes

In his first season as UK coach, Billy Gillispie had experienced guards in Ramel Bradley, Joe Crawford and Derrick Jasper. So he dismissed the importance of Vanderbilt's unique bench location on the end line.

"You have to have leadership, you have to have confidence," Gillispie said last year. "A coach can't be out there all the time. He can't be yelling instructions all the time.

"It won't be a factor for us in the game."