Really. It’s a terrible start. But I won’t waver for a sec.

TLT is gone. That is the result that I have desired for the past several seasons. Orlando gone. Hope restored. Kentucky might not win another game this season and I will still be satisfied. In the end, it will be worth the losses to be rid of Smith. His recruits that never quite pan out. His Top Ten Classes that result in no Lottery Picks. His string of 20 win seasons that result in no Final Fours and no Championships. The Almost Era is over. Thank the Gods!

So Gillispie is off to an awful start. It’s painful to watch and read about.  This team, This year. Honestly, though. Did anyone think that this year would result in anything more than 18 wins and a first weekend loss even with Tubby Smith in charge. This is Gillispies first season. He was handed the usual incomplete, non-athletic, heartless, non-shooting, “there IS an ‘I’ in TEAM” team that Smith has recruited and created over the past 9 years or so. On top of that, he is installing his system and instilling discipline into a group of guys most of whom can’t find the word in a dictionary much less find it in themselves. It’s going to be difficult at first.

Gillispie will put in the work and I believe that he will get it done. All of the Tubby fans need to back off and follow the example of their hero. They need to gain some perspective. They need to show some class. They need to practice the patience that they expected everyone to practice with Smith after ten years of the same old excuses, ifs and almosts. They need to support the program. So far, the fans of Tubby have done anything but show class. They have attacked and expected some kind of magical act from Gillispie. They have done anything but support the program.

I believe that Gillispie will bring it all together next year. He will have at least two more great recruits. He will have a year under his belt with Meeks, Jasper, Patterson and the rest of the team. Almost as important, Crawford and Bradley will be gone. Those two are the epitome of the Smith era. Never quite as much as they could have been.

Gillispie will get it done. UK fans need to have patience. Persevere. Let this year play out. The important thing is that hope has been restored to the program. The last coach was always almost there. Now we have entered a new and promising era. Anything is possible. This guy is going to get us there.
Support your team. Be patient.

Order will be restored. UK Basketball will be a Championship program again.