Coach needs to make changes, UK fans agree

By Ross Jacobson / rjacobson@herald-leader.com

Six losses in Rupp Arena, puzzling substitution patterns and a late-season collapse after being the front-runner in the Southeastern Conference are just a few of the circumstances that have Kentucky basketball fans up in arms about UK's fall from grace.

But as the SEC Tournament began on Thursday, they still turned out in droves at local restaurants and sports bars to root on their Cats and keep alive the chance for a NCAA Tournament bid.

"We always have hope. If you're a true blue fan you always have hope down to the last second," Don Barker, 55, said.

However that optimism seems to be dwindling, and a majority of the fans' fingers are pointing to the man in charge on the sidelines, Billy Gillispie.

"Gillispie is a great recruiter, but he's a horrible in-game coach," said Bob Hatton, 35, adding that he was one of the coach's supporters at the start of the season. "There's nothing that he does during the game that makes any sense."

Fans are relatively split on whether Gillispie should be allowed a third year as head coach. But everyone is looking at his lack of coaching flexibility — and his halftime interviews — as things that need to change.

"I'm disappointed in some of the things that Gillispie has done," said Barker, who said the coach's game-day practices have worn down the team over the season. "Personally, Billy Gillispie wouldn't have been my choice as coach."

A lot of frustration has stemmed from UK's original hiring of Gillispie. Fans say the past two years have proven it takes a certain type of coach to deal with the pressure of being at Kentucky.

"You don't take hiring a new coach so lightly. We learned a lesson," said Sammy Speaks, 51, in summarizing UK's season. "What Billy did at (Texas) A&M I respect, but this is the SEC, it's big-time basketball. Anybody that comes here really needs to understand what it means to be here."

Fans suggest the familiar names of John Pelphrey, Darrin Horn and John Calipari as plausible replacements. And some wouldn't mind revisiting the past.

"There's a lot of good coaches out there. ... I'm not disregarding anybody, even Rick (Pitino)," Speaks said.

Fans say they've been unimpressed with Gillispie's coaching style, adding that he has more than enough talent to compete at the top of the SEC.

"They have two of the best eight players in the conference in Meeks and Patterson, and you go through a bad conference at .500," Mark Chellgren, 55, said. "Look at the record, we've gotten worse instead of better."

And as the Cats put the finishing touches on a 71-58 victory over Mississippi, you could tell fans were excited and full of hope.

But it was a reserved optimism, weakened by a season that has had fans begging for consistency and answers.

"It's been enormously frustrating. Despite what some people say I think there is pretty good talent on this team." Chellgren said. "But we have lost to teams with significantly less talent than we have, and that's attributable to the coach."