For Billy Gillispie, the road out of Kentucky isn't getting any easier. Gillispie, who was fired in April after two seasons as Wildcats coach, was arrested on suspicion of DUI.According to a report by a Lexington television station, Lawrenceburg, Ky., police pulled Gillispie over at 2:45 AM Thursday morning. The 50-year-old coach, who said he was returning from a golf outing, refused to take a breathalyzer or blood test.
This is the third time that Gillispie has been charged with a DUI. He was charged with it in 1999 in Oklahoma, and pleaded down to a lesser charge. In 2003 he was arrested in El Paso, Texas on suspicion of of drunk driving, but the charges were later dropped.
For Gillispie, the formula should've been simple.
Lay low for a year, rehabilitate his image in the media and smooth over the rough edges of his departure from Kentucky. Try to get things quietly settled over the whole contract/no-contract/buyout stuff. Then wait for the offers to come next spring.
But this is not the way for another coach living in Kentucky to try and grab headlines from Rick Pitino and John Calipari.
Gillispie may beat the charge or he may plead guilty to some lesser offense. That is irrelevant to his coaching future. Combine this with his prickly personality and poor relationship with the media while at Kentucky and you have a coach that has done some serious damage to his future.
He can forget about a major conference team being willing to take a chance on him for a while. He will be lucky to get interest from a mid-tier mid-major for the foreseeable future. His coaching acumen and recruiting skills have never been doubted. Everything else, though, is a wreck.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
8-27-2009 @ 3:36PM
dwss7 said...
U OF L NEEDS HIM. BETTER THAN THE SCUMBAG THEY GOT NOW . RESIGN PITINO AND LET S PLAY BILLY BALL AT U OF L
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8-27-2009 @ 9:53PM
mkris10sen said...
OMG!!! Tell me you are joking. You would rather have that loser coach the Cardinals instead of Pitino. If your serious your an idiot
8-27-2009 @ 3:36PM
mthbwu said...
Gillespie was under the influence for his problems.
How about Pitino?
Coaches seem to work under the Ted Kennedy rule of conduct.
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8-28-2009 @ 9:36AM
Hello Chase said...
Or George Bush (or Laura for that matter, she killed someone when she was 17).....
8-28-2009 @ 3:53PM
Lita said...
Ted Kennedy is dead and has nothing to do with this story; let it go, you petty moron.
8-27-2009 @ 5:00PM
Townsends said...
HMMMMM these white guys are scums but you won't hear that from the posters here. THEY AIN'T BLACK.
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8-28-2009 @ 8:08AM
dixedarlin13 said...
I'm white and they are scum.. I'm still trying to figure out why these guys get away with all their BULLSHIT!! If that was you or I, we would have our liscense revoked for life and be serving a couple of years!! Nooooo, not him, he is above reproach! NOT! 3 times, get real!
8-27-2009 @ 5:01PM
Jonitia said...
You wonder why atheletes who turn pro act the way they do? It is the coaches! The young players see what the coaches do, what the coaches get away with and figure it is okay for them. With all the media on drunk driving, he goes and drives drunk. As for Pitino, everything said about infidelity and ....need I say more.
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8-27-2009 @ 5:02PM
rnstitcher said...
Billy Gillespie's conduct is reminscent of the coach that also had the FedEx problem. It was widely known in Lexington that Gillispie had a driver just to prevent such a DUI. It is indeed a shame about Pitino but as a high profile public citizen he is subjected to all written and spoken remarks until it becomes slander or libel. As a former Lexington resident I remember well the day Pitino and his family arrived. Joanne was always present at the games much like Tubby's wife. I think the wives of coaches should be compensated for the things they are exposed to on a daily basis.
As for the Athletic programs at both universities let all the Kentucky fans unite behind each player and team effort in keeping the pride and spirit alive and well in Ketucky whether we bleed blue or red. Go Cards, Go Cats
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8-27-2009 @ 5:03PM
rnstitcher said...
When I speak of the coach with the DUI problem and the FedEx envelope problem please be aware that is WAS NOT Tubby.
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8-27-2009 @ 9:53PM
kszyman said...
Cards? Cats? How 'bout the school that beat each in their most recent respective hardwood match-ups: The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers!
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8-27-2009 @ 9:53PM
jcm024 said...
Smart man...NEVER hand them evidence by submitting to ANY field or blood tests. Hire a lawyer..go to trial and have your lawyer convince one juror that you were NOT drunk! Love it! Love it!
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8-27-2009 @ 10:00PM
PR said...
He needs to have his driver's license revoked for good,he has done this 3 times, and 3 times you are out, I lost my brother to a drunk driver so therefore I do not feel sorry for anyone who is dum enough to drive drunk, they do not think about anyone but themselves.....who is to say that he did not drive any of his former players around while under the influence............I hope that he at least takes out the time to seek help before he hurts or kills someone or even himself
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8-27-2009 @ 9:54PM
embrypj said...
can anyone be a u.l. fan and a u.k. fan at the same time impossible
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8-27-2009 @ 10:34PM
Billybrw said...
suspicion does not mean drunk, cop was bored and pulled someone over to try and make money for the county. What a mistake this guy will get apologized to and be on his way. Good idea to refuse test did that many times and they can't prove chit after that. Did get burned 3 times9 like billy) though, only bitch is the money for fines and the insurance companys are worse, but just get married and let wife do insuring works well.
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8-28-2009 @ 12:12AM
valdez2795 said...
DON'T LET THE BOOZE GET YOU COACH. BEAT THIS MONKEY OFF YOUR BACK. YOU ARE A BETTER PERSON THAN A BOOZER. TALENT LIKE YOURS IS FOUND SELDOM OR NEVER. WISH I HAD YOUR BASKETBALL TALENT. I GUESS YOU MOVED UP TOO FAST. REMEMBER, YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR DUES. GO BACK AND COACH LESSER TEAMS AND MOVE UP GRADUALLY. CREAM ALWAYS RISES.
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8-28-2009 @ 12:13AM
rock said...
rick and billy you are phoney assholes
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8-28-2009 @ 8:07AM
awbenkert said...
Where was he playing golf at 2:45 AM?
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8-28-2009 @ 9:34AM
rssw53 said...
Good point!
8-28-2009 @ 8:09AM
Rick Hill said...
I can't believe that they even let Billy back into the state of Kentucky. How did he sneak back across the state line without being detected? What was he even doing here? Didn't anyone tell him that he was let go as a coach? Maybe he is still trying to talk about signing his contract now. I say screw the lawyer put his butt in jail and dry his butt out. I hate when high profile coaches and players think that they are above the law. In Cincinnati we all know that Bob Huggins drove around drunk but was let go so many times because of who he was. If you do the crime you need to serve the time. Wake up America.
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