Well, that was fast. Earlier this morning I wrote that one of the hot rumors was Stan Heath being fired at Arkansas and Billy Gillispie becoming the #1 candidate for the job. Just a few minutes ago it was announced that Stan Heath is in fact gone at Arkansas and the Texas A&M athletic department has to now wait out what is sure to be a frenzied "40 Minutes of Hell" as the Hogs put the full court press on Gillispie.I thought A&M would give Gillispie a high dollar extension and keep him in Texas, but unless Arkansas is run by incompetents (which some who have followed the sordid Houston Nutt soap opera might argue isn't far from the truth) you'd have to think that they wouldn't have let go a coach who just went to the NCAA Tournament without at least some assurance that their #1 candidate would listen to them. If Gillispie is in fact listening, this has the potential to shake up the coaching staffs at several schools and kick off the yearly coach hiring frenzy in high fashion.
UPDATE - Fox Sports is now reporting that Gillispie may have already agreed in principle to a deal (earlier rumors had 7 years at $1.75 million per year) and could be announced as soon as tommorow. This has the possibility to be a very rapidly developing situation.
Earlier on The Fanhouse:
Where Will Billy Gillispie Coach Next Year?
Arkansas Fires Stan Heath
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I hope you're kidding with the cheese in that opening paragraph.
Of course I'm kidding - I'm a blogger, it's my right!
In all seriousness, it appears Arkansas got their ducks in a row and are making a very fast move. This could be over in 48 hours or less it sounds like.
The hogblogger???? WTF, is that your name or what you do in your spare time??? Gitty up Cleatis.
No, it's my actual name given by birth. You know my folks, gotta support the Hogs baby!
A good source tells me that they have interest from two back ups that would also be WOW hires.
TIME will tell.