Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie is operating in an unprecedented manner. He does not have a formal contract. His deal is the Memorandum of Understanding Offer he signed “in the middle of the night,” as his attorney, Stuart Campbell, said.
Gillispie signed it the night he arrived in Lexington to discuss the UK basketball coaching job.
When asked Tuesday how comfortable he is with a deal that includes vague terms for a buyout, Gillispie said, “My first year at (Texas) A&M, I think I signed my contract in January. It really hasn’t been such a big thing.”
Gillispie made it clear he did not want to talk about the memo, which UK unilaterally declared a contract as negotiations about the buyout bogged down.
“It’s a personal matter,” he said. “I’m not going to comment on any of the details.”
When asked if he felt he’d eventually sign a standard contract, Gillispie said, “I anticipate, yeah.”
Soon?
“I don’t know,” he said.
Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald- Leader has covered Kentucky basketball since the 1981-82 season. That time includes five coaches, five Final Fours, four athletic directors, two interim athletic directors and many memories. Before coming to Lexington, Tipton worked eight years for the Huntington (W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch. He covered Marshall’s basketball team for two seasons before coming to the Herald-Leader.
Give the whole contract thing a rest. The only person that cares is jerry tipton