Delk, Padgett Return to UK

John Calipari continues to press all the right buttons during his honeymoon period as UK's new basketball coach. With the announcement that both Scott Padgett and Tony Delk will be re-joining the program in administrative/coaching roles (albeit not yet clearly defined), Coach Cal certainly stays on a hot streak. This seems like a great move by Calipari and it stands to benefit everyone involved.

Unfortunatlely, it has been understood that former players had felt more than a bit of a cold shoulder under former coach Billy Gillispie's brief tenure. In fact, at least a couple of past UK stars went out of their way to openly criticize Gillispie during the team's tailspin last February (most notably Kenny Walker and Mike Casey). Calipari has wasted no time in starting to mend some fences, and I expect him to continue to create an environment that former UK players would find to be open, warm, and welcoming.

Although it will be difficult to judge the impact of this move until we learn more about the exact responsibilities that Tony and Scott will have, it does seem fair to say that Cal has continued to honor the Kentucky basketball tradition by bringing them on board. It is encouraging to see an effort by the new coach to reach out to these Wildcats and provide some assistance as they get along with their post-playing careers.

I don't think it would be any great stretch to consider these two young men to be amongst the finest to wear the UK blue. Without recounting all of their career statistics and accolades-- not to mention championships-- both Delk and Padgett exhibited great basketball IQs as college stars and while playing in the NBA. (I personally saw Scott play quite a bit as a Houston Rocket, though never really enough IMHO, under Jeff Van Gundy.)

Pure coaches-in-training? Well, again, that will remain to be seen-- yet there is little doubt that both of these guys should have much to offer in terms of experience at the college and professional levels, and they also strike me as the kind of guys who would have great work ethic and find ways to contribute to the program off the court.

I figure nobody would want for Kentucky basketball to excel as much as the guys who actually wore the uniform, and they will also have that unique background to draw upon when counseling players on the current roster. UK lost so much with the passing of Bill Keightley last year, and while it would be unfair to expect either of these guys to fill the shoes of Mr. Wildcat (understand: there will never be another like him), it never hurts to have people around your program that really "get it", that know what it's all about. Delk and Padgett lived in the Lodge. They had lockers at Rupp.

Additionally, I gather that Calipari gets a real kick out of assisting people who are entering the coaching profession. He's the kind of guy that has climbed the ladder to great heights, but left it there for others to use, rather than pulling the ladder up behind him. I took it as a positive that he was pushing former assistant Tony Barbee for the Memphis job upon his own departure. Obviously, that scenario did not play out, but I do admire that kind of perspective from Coach Cal.

From my view, there just doesn't seem to be any downside to this kind of move right now. The return of Tony Delk and Scott Padgett to the Blue Grass looks like just another reason be excited again about Kentucky basketball.

An Open Letter to John Calipari

Dear Coach Cal,

Welcome to Big Blue Nation! We're all very excited to have you aboard. I can't tell you how long it's been since we've won a national championship. Oh, who am I kidding...of course I can. 1998. Looks like you've got some work to do!

But first things first, pull up a chair. Whoa, not that one! That was Bill Keightley's chair. Pick another one, please. You probably know about Mr. Wildcat already, but if not... well, let's just say there's going to be a bit of a learning curve here, but I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle.

Listen, Coach. One thing we want to get out of the way right up front: we have high expectations. Very high. Astronomically high. Kind of like what Oscar Wilde once said about his preference for finer things, "I have the simplest taste. I'm always satisfied with the best."

Yeah, we want banners hanging in Rupp. And we don't hang banners for just making the NCAA tournament, or even making the Sweet 16 like your most recent Memphis team. That's not a slam on the job you did; there's no shame in losing to that tough Mizzou squad this season, but I'm just sayin'. High expectations. Banners.

Also: don't be a jerk. You might have heard a little bit about the guy who you're replacing. Pretty good coach himself. Lots of potential. But you probably got the highlights from your new boss, Mitch Barnhart. The previous coach... well, let's just say he wasn't exactly a people person. In fact, you might even say he was the polar opposite of a people person. (Maybe he was a dog person?) But I hear you're great on the lecture circuit and love selling your program, so we'll just leave it at that. Play nice with others and things will be fine, really. No sense beating a dead horse.

And speaking of horses...man, can you recruit 'em or what?! Wow, Coach...two of the top four according to Rivals.com and the inside track on John Wall. Impressive. Just keep in mind, any student-athlete you want to bring to Kentucky will have to meet some standards. No, this isn't Princeton or anything, but we do have our minimums and we do expect our guys to be good citizens. Above all, we expect you to recruit hard but according to the rules (more on that later.)

And if I may offer just one piece of advice on the recruiting, it would really be nice if you could keep some productive Kentucky kids on the roster. They don't all have to be super-duperstars, but surely you can find a few contributors. See, the trick is in determining which 17 year old is going to turn into the next Scott Padgett and which is going to turn into the next Todd Tackett. (Sorry Todd, it was either going to be you or Brandon Stockton. I just needed an example here. No offense.)

In the meantime, you do have a nice young man by the name of Darius Miller on the roster. Kid's a player. Really grew a lot as a freshman. And Big Blue Nation adores him. A big reason why is because he is in fact a Kentuckian. Excuse me, a former Mr. Basketball in the Commonwealth. So yeah, we dig Darius, and other players like him. That's just the way we are. So please, we're begging you, don't let the Darius Millers or the Chris Loftons of the world slip away. Especially to Tennessee. Jeez!

By the way, great move in calling up Joe B. Hall, et al on Tuesday. That's some real thoughtfulness on your part. Honors the tradition, pays some respect to those who have gone before you, and demonstrates a willingness to listen and interact that will surely serve you well in Lexington. Loved it! We're all about the tradition, Coach. We jammed a 60 year old gym for an NIT game.

We also halfway filled our next opponent's gym, on one day's notice, for a game 400 miles away. But I digress....

If you'll allow me just one quick comment on strategy: push the ball, Coach. Run when you can. Not mindlessly, of course. Not just for running's sake. But take advantage when it's there. You'll have superior athletes (right? you will have superior athletes)-- so don't keep them on a chain. Let 'em go. I like what I've heard about your offensive philosophy, so again, I don't expect any problems here. Just be advised: we much prefer it when our teams are allowed to run.

Finally, and this is really simple... PLEASE, I'm begging you...keep it clean. I would imagine UK's compliance people have been going through your laundry like nobody's business over the last 72 hours. We know about the Camby thing. And we know you can't be with your players all the time and force them to make good decisions. But seriously, do your best to win honorably. You must. No man ever cheats that first doesn't cheat himself. Frame a copy of that horrible SI cover (you know the one) and keep it in your office as a reminder if you have to. Never again.

So again, welcome. Looking forward to getting to know you better. Can't wait to hear about how the roster situation will settle out. Do yourself a favor and check out the spring meet at Keeneland. I was always more of a fall man myself, but it's still very nice if you catch a good sunny day. Talk to you later!

Sincerely,
Wildcat Whisperer

P.S. Banners.

Gillispie Broke A Rule

I'm one of those guys that thought it would be smart to give Coach G another year. I figured he might be able to adapt a little bit, and grow into the responsibilities that the UK coach must assume outside the lines. I saw the incoming class he had put together, along with the possibility of Meeks and Patterson returning, and figured Billy Clyde would really be able to turn the corner next season. Most reasonable people agree that under normal circumstances, two years is just not long enough to make a solid evaluation. Even Mitch Barnhart stated as much-- and he's the guy that sent Gillispie packing.

Yes, I was disappointed with Coach G's media interactions, and posted here about the initial Jeanine Edwards sideline fiasco. Speaking of the four-letter-network, I was also disappointed with the so-called "all-access" segment that promised some real insight into the program. Apparently, Coach had quite a different idea than me about what "all-access" was supposed to mean.

Some of the really preposterous losses stuck in my craw, too. Your VMI, your Gardner-Webb, your Georgia on Senior Night. Egregious, one and all. Certainly the NIT is nobody's idea of what Kentucky postseason basketball should be (much as I managed to enjoy it), and let's just go ahead and hit on the stupid game-day practices, puzzling substitution patterns, and apparent mishandling of the DeAndre Liggins and AJ Stewart "incidents" while we're at it.

As far as any other flagrant rumors or innuendos regarding Coach G's personal life, I simply refuse to go there.

Now... all that being said... again-- I would have supported a decision to bring him back for another year. Personally, I just thought it prudent, considering he's been a conference Coach of the Year multiple times, he's by all accounts a very hard worker, and and he seemed to have a boatload of help on the way in the form of recruits like Orton, Hood, et al.

However, as we all know, UK President Lee Todd and AD Mitch Barnhart decided to fire Coach Gillispie. They cited the fact that they considered him to be a "bad fit", and noted that "We obviously did not achieve the results we all desired on the floor this season".

But I believe the main reason Gillispie won't be returning to the Rupp Arena sidelines is the fact that he broke a very important rule-- and obviously we're not talking about any NCAA misdeeds. It's much more basic, and some might say, much more important than any recruiting infraction, for instance. What I'm referring to is something that mothers usually teach their children, a staple of Sunday Schools across the Commonwealth. That's right: The Golden Rule.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Eleven little words that carry so much weight, and so much wisdom. It's about basic decency. Respect for other people. Simply treating your fellow man as you would wish to be treated.

Had Gillispie followed this maxim, I believe he might still be in his office today. Instead, he reamined a stubborn, intractable individual who talked down to the media, never developed a good working relationship with his superiors, alienated alumni and boosters, and by many accounts simply ran his team into the ground. The comments from the Meeks family after Coach G's dismissal seem particularly relevant here.

I truly have no interest in "piling on" with this observation. Numerous writers and commentators have weighed in regarding this particular personality deficiency in Coach G, and it can be argued that his reclacitrance is just part of the package-- and even a strength in many ways. Certainly it's true that if he had been able to channel that stubbornness properly, things could have been quite different for him in Lexington.

But if coaching the Big Blue can be compared to Greek mythology, then Gillispie's poor treatment of others must be considered just as fatal a flaw as losing 27 games in two years.

Photo credit: collegehoops.net

Loss Ends Kentucky's Season, Perhaps Gillispie's Tenure

Notre Dame defeated UK 77-67 in the NIT quarterfinals Wednesday night amidst continuing speculation that Kentucky will part ways with its head coach sooner rather than later.

The game came down to the Irish raining in three-pointers seemingly at will throughout the evening, combined with Luke Harangody doing his best wide-body shuffle over the Kentucky frontcourt. Mike Brey's team finished with 12 treys and Harangody tallied 30 points, while UK's offense-- and Jodie Meeks in particular-- sputtered for most of the night.

The Cats did make a run to cut the deficit to 5 late in the second half, in a classic case of too little, too late. Meeks contributed the bulk of his 21 points in the last 8 minutes. UK finished with 10 turnovers on the game, with Kevin Galloway responsible for half of that total.

Patrick Patterson managed 18 points and 7 rebounds, but once again there were no other Kentucky players that reached double figures in scoring. UK fans can only hope it was not Patterson's last game wearing the blue and white, and that he will stick to his original plan of returning for next season.

Obviously, what transpires over the next few days will have long-lasting repercussions for the Kentucky program. Reports are that AD Mitch Barnhart will be sitting down with Coach Gillispie for an end-of-season meeting and evalution that will go a long way towards determining whether UK will retain Coach G, or go in another direction. University President Lee Todd was reportedly at the game in South Bend and indicated that no announcements would be made before Friday.

For now, it only seems appopriate for me to comment on the effort that this team gave under some very difficult circumstances as this season concluded. These young men are certainly not immune to all of the criticism and negativity circulating around their coach and the program's direction, and I just appreciate the fact that they did not completely "mail it in" for the NIT. Yes, that sounds like a very low bar being set, but I believe there are plenty of other college athletes out there that might lack the character that it took for these guys to beat a decent UNLV team, and to beat Creighton at their house, in the midst of such adversity.

The "Memorial Coliseum Game" was certainly a sweet note within the overall sour ending to the '08-09 campaign. I can't see myself ever forgetting the night Jodie dropped 54 on Tennessee, either. So the season was not without its highlights.

But at this point, the focus will surely be on the impending news from Lexington regarding one Billy Clyde Gillispie. I'm truly fatigued with all the rumors and speculation, but each day that passes gets me, and all of Big Blue Nation, one day closer to a resolution.

On, on U of K.

Kelly Tripucka's Mustache Announces Comeback

Dateline: South Bend, IN

In a press conference earlier this afternoon, Kelly Tripucka's mustache proclaimed that it was about to re-enter the area just below Tripucka's nose. "It's been awhile", announced the whiskers, "and I'm sure it will be tough at first, but the time has definitely come for my revival."

Observers could not quite pin down the last time Mr. Tripucka had sported facial hair, but most agreed that it had reached its peak sometime during his early 1980s stint with the Detroit Pistons.

When asked what precipitated the comeback, the 'stache cited several factors. "First and foremost, I love March. There's something about spring, the time change, that just really gets me itching to go. Oops, probably shouldn't use the word itching." The whiskers continued, "Anyway, Brad Pitt had a little cookie duster going for a while there that almost made it cool-- but really, I gotta be honest here-- I'm pretty jacked about the Notre Dame basketball team reaching the NIT quarterfinals against Kentucky. I dunno, it was just like some kind of sign or something. It's all about the Irish, baby!"

When asked what it had been doing for all these years, the mustache seemed non-plussed: "Doing!? What do you think I've been doing? Kelly's been dragging that Mach 3 over my (expletive deleted) every morning and rinsing me down the drain! That's what!"

The mustache's agent, Scott Boras, was also present at the news conference. He presented a list of demands, including daily hair conditioner treatments, weekly trims, and said that Tripucka's mustache "Absolutely reserves the right to use Just For Men, if it is felt to be necessary to demonstrate the proper ruggedness at any time." Boras then refused to answer further questions and left in a gold-plated Rolls Royce that was being physically carried by AIG executives.

The 'stache reflected further when asked for additional remarks about its Notre Dame affiliation. "Oh, that was when it all started all right. Back there with Digger. Jeez, what a blowhard that guy's become, huh? But still...good times for me and for Kelly, no question." However, the mustache went on to say, "If you're looking for a highlight, it has to be the 56 we dropped on the Bulls back in '83. People forget that one. We were on fire."

The 'stache seemed fairly confident that Tripucka was bringing it back for a substantial run. "Listen, Kelly's got nothing but love for me. He's heard it all, the Freddie Mercury jokes, everything. So I'm just going to keep doing my job and hope for the best."

Attempts to reach Tripucka's mullet-perm were unsuccessful.

Photo credit: Jim Cummins/NBAE/Getty Images