BCG The first thing that comes to mind, however, is not single handedly resurrecting the Texas A&M or UTEP men's basketball programs.
Instead, we think about his floundering at Kentucky, the school he jilted the Aggies for. Or his struggles with alcohol. Hell, being Gregg Williams' roommate in college may get a lot of attention.
If redemption is possible, Gillispie will find it at Texas Tech University -- a program who would have probably gotten beat by the women's team the last 20 years.
Tech's tried. They made a splash with Billy Knight, who strung together some decent seasons. Then his son Pat took over and it all went to shit. The Big XII may not be a "basketball" conference in the way the Big East or ACC are, but when you recruit out of Houston and Dallas, and across the nation, you can get good.
Competing against Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Baylor is not an easy task in football or basketball.
Gillispie will need to do in Lubbock what he's done in El Paso and College Station. Recruit fundamentally-sound kids that'll stick around four years. You don't do that in Kentucky. Kids that go to Kentucky expect to be NBA-ready within a year and if they win a national championship that freshman year, then so be it.
Expectations are high despite Gillispie's failures. However, Lubbock will be a different ball of wax. If he can recruit at all, foraging Texas for seven guys that can play shouldn't be too tough. Finding guys that'll stay shouldn't be too hard either. Guys that will sign on at Tech will expect to stick around three or four years to build whatever NBA Draft status they might have.
I predict good things for Tech and Gillispie. I think for any fan that enjoys someone getting a second chance will feel the same.
