Kentucky May Be Gambling On Billy Donovan With Gillispie Firing

A news conference is set for today at 4:30 at the University of Kentucky and it is the type news conference one would expect to see after the Yankees do not make the playoffs. The Wildcats will be firing Billy Gillispie from his position as their head basketball coach.

The move comes after Kentucky missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in eighteen years. Not only are the expectations to get into the tournament, but anything less than a Final Four appearance is considered a failed season.

There is little doubt that the Wildcats are the Yankees of college basketball. Their fans, alumni, and administration all expect to win big every year. There is no room for excuses after an NIT appearance (one, coincidentally, the Wildcats did not win).

After the news conference today, the focus will shift to searching for a new coach. That search may start in the same place it started two years ago. In Gainesville. Billy Donovan will be mentioned over and over again during the next forty eight hours.

The first time Kentucky came calling, Donovan was coming off the second of back to back national championships. The lure of Kentucky could not pry him away from Florida.

This time around it may be different, however. Donovan, too, has experienced the pain of not making the NCAA's, only his team has not been there since winning the title three years ago. He may be seeing how hard it is to maintain a program at Florida.

He will not have to worry about that if he makes the move to Kentucky. They receive the top recruits in the nation simply because of their name. They also have alumni with deep pockets for a program that is dear to each and every one of their hearts.

Whether that will be enough, nobody knows. What is known, is one of the top college basketball programs in the nation is looking for a job, and many coaches will be waiting for that call.

March 27, 2009
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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