UTEP, get Billy back

I'd like to see UTEP beat out other schools and convince Billy Gillispie to return as basketball coach. Billy is a good coach and a good guy for El Paso. He was well-liked in his two seasons here.

But Gillispie is on virturally everyone's "rumor" list, and there has to be speculation that his pal, Houston AD Mack Rhoades, would want him there now that Tom Penders is gone. Some think Gillispie is in the running for DePaul, too.

I agree with some others that Sam Houston State's Bob Marlin is a winner. I'd give Gillispie the recruiting edge since Gillispie did well with players at: UTEP and Texas A&M. Yes, he was a bust at Kentucky, but anybody who has followed Gillispie knows he wasn't cut out for hanging with big-money boosters, such as at Kentucky. You've got to be a "society" guy and a great coach - and get to the Final 4 often - to be accepted by the swells at Kentucky. In the world of sports its Yankees/Dodgers, Boston Celtics, Dallas Cowboys, Notre Dame football and Kentucky basketball.

Tim Floyd?

He'd be great. He built winners here in the 1980s as top recruiter. He's been a head coach in college and of the NBA Chicago Bulls. It's odd, though, that his name doesn't appear on the "rumor" lists for job openings of late. Maybe he's happy in his home state as an assistant with the New Orleans Hornets? The UTEP job has opened up several times since his mentor, Don Haskins, retired, and Floyd's name hasn't come up here in Utepia.

UTEP, beat out Houston and DePaul and get Billy back.

Comments

[just a thought]

You guys hear that? That's the sound of heads spinning at UTEPIA.

The future of the basketball team is uncertain. Will Caracter stay now that Barbee is gone? And yes, we do need him don't get crazy. What about the stud basketball recruits? Who's going to keep a lid on Culpepper when he needs it?

The football team has no true leaders on it. Buckram may lead by example but he's definitely not a vocal leader (think Barry Sanders). Your starting QB is your leader and if he is suspended he can't really lead no matter how hard he performs his "physical punishment".

No matter how you try and spin it the rose-colored glasses have cracked in UTEPIA.

[peter rascon]

You're kidding, right? Why bring back Gillespie after he left UTEP to begin with? We need a UTEP Alum with roots in EPT that can stick around long enough to see UTEP stay in the NCAA tournament for years to come. These young coaches are always going to chase the money. Today's young coaches don't know anything about "loyalty". They just don't make men like Don Haskins anymore.

[Dayton Flyer]

Gillespie...isn't he the guy in early January said that he'd was at UTEP to build the program and that he wanted to be in El Paso, and then a month later said AMF? Right, exactly the guy to bring in.

Bring a new guy who really wants the job, not someone who already turned tail on the program.

[Long Time Miner Fan]

Obviously we won't beat out the dollars that Houston and DePaul can offer for Gillespie, assuming they do make such offers...but Tim Floyd is the man for the job...we need Floyd...he is a proven winner, a sustainable winner, he has ties to UTEP and El Paso, and frankly the black marks on his resume may prevent his chances elsewhere. Not sure if that's what keeps Mike Price here, but we'll take it anyway for the sake of having that quality of a coach here, just like with Coach Price. Even if Gillespie comes, how long will he be here? is he really committed to us?
Coach Stull, you've done a great job at replacing basketball coaches, I have faith in you to do it again. But gosh darnit, why can't you pay these guys just a little more more? What can we do about that? How can Northern Iowa pony up so much more money for their coach than we can? Even NMSU pays more, we gotta fix this....

[Ryan G]

TIM FLOYD TO FILL THE VOID!!! Why bring Billy back? So he can build a team with some Juco transfers and leave in two years again?! Tim floyd is PERFECT! He's young enough to be relevant for many years, but old enough that he probably doesn't want to move around anymore

[Brighton]

Go with Richardson. He is a local guy with some serious love for the city. He won't be running off for the first better paying job that comes along.

[Al Neria]

Billy is the one! (but there's no money in it) So he won't come. Same situation with Tim Floyd.

[Baskerville]

Barbee saw the handwriting on the wall. His best player was most likely headed for the NBA, which means the Miners would be back in 3rd place in the CUSA next season, and going to another CBI tourney. He had to get out this year before the disaster of the next season made his stock drop to nada. Good for him.

Gonna be lots of good seats in the Don next season. They'll probably even lower the ticket price.

[cfx]

Yeah Joe. Sounds like a great idea bringing back Gillespe. Are you joking? The guy is a "carpetbagger" in every sense of the word. Yup, let's be the first school to be screwed over by the same coach twice inside of a decade.

As far as Richardson goes, can you people stop beating that dead horse for Pete's sake! The guy is older than dirt and a couple of cans short of a six pack.It would be a complete disaster with all his ridiculous antics and posturing.

[Barry]

Gillespie has to be No. 1 on the list here.
Sure, he will leave again after he has success in UTEPIA. But anyone who has success here in UTEPIA always leaves. So what does it matter?
Billy is a big name. He can recruit. He knows El Paso. He knows how to win.
He will get UTEP back in the NCAA tournament and then all you posters will love him to death again and probably pick the Miners to win the whole thing.
UTEP doesn't need a new face. It needs Gillespie.

[Javier Garcia]

Gillespe give me a break El Paso doesn't want him. I say go with Richardson a local guy. He will stay in El Paso why because he was born and bred here. Tim Floyd would be good also but I don't think he would come. Gillespe NO.

[johnstone]

Maybe once some time in the past Gillespie was a great recruiter. Not lately he isn't. He sure didn't recruit very well at Kentucky, did he. And that was Kentucky. Can you imagine him trying to recruit to El Paso now after his history? No kid in his right mind would go play for a guy who leaves after two years, AND has other issues to boot.

[L. Mendoza]

Floyd or Richardson...that's what we need here period!

[M.W. White]

Bobby Knight y'all his age and baggage is perfect for us

[We wonder why?]

BRING BACK BILLY CLYDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gabe]

We need a coach that had the same style of offensive as Barbee othewise its back to square 1

[TimBug]

Without a doubt, bring back Billy Clyde Gillispie (Not sure who Gillespie is?)..

I'd rather see G Ray Johnson back at UTEP before Nolan Richardson.

Bring in a new young guy? Are you guys crazy? The last 3 up and coming coaches UTEP hired left after their first bit of success here. Billy Gillispie and Tim Floyd have already been down the Big School road, maybe one of them would finally stay....

[Bryan Nance]

The days of one coach staying in one place for years are long gone. Coaching is a business and if someone offered you triple would you not take it. We need to get over coaches leaving it is going to happen. We have been spoiled to have one coach for as long as we did. I have no problem with UTEP being a stepping stone for other jobs as long as they are competing. Whoever it is we need to support the team not the person, whether they or winning or not. El Paso fans a fickle if you win we will come if not we will complain!

[Carlos]

UTEP shell out some money and bring in Gillespie or Floyd. You can win here and we could dominate CUSA. For example, look at Mark Few from Gonzaga. He gets paid well and goes to the NCAA tourney every year. They treat him well and thats why he is so loyal. UTEP can be the Gonzaga of CUSA.

[Toasted Whitebred]

Tony Matlock!

[berano]

Why the hell do we want guillespie back?? are you kidding me. so he can leave next year. No wonder UTEP has problem going past the first round. Forget about him, he has too much trouble with the dui. I am surprise with Barbee leaving. I thought he would at least stayed for culpepper's, caracters and the rest of he guy's senior years.

[UTEP4EVER]

Rumors are hard that Tim Floyd is the man !

[rj]

It will be interesting to see where Stull goes with this one. UTEP is considered a solid job and I would think most top assistants would want this position, but only as a stepping stone and not somewhere to build for years to come.

So we'd essentially be left in the same situation.

This may be the time for Stull to go the other way around. Everyone is throwing around the same names...Billy G, Floyd, Bob Marlin, Richardson.

I disagree with Joe, no Billy G please, this guy burned us bad and lied in our face. At least CTB never made crazy statements to make anyone believe he would stay long term. We all knew he would leave soon. Good luck Billy G at Houston.

Richardson is too old, get over it EP, lets go a little younger. Most young kids dont even know who this guy even is or that he led Arkansas to the natl championship, that was like 15 years ago, which means an 17-18 year old kid was 3 at the time.

Marlin would be the safe hire, he's built a decent program at SHSU and has shown his loyalty...

But I cant seem to get over this thought that Tim Floyd should be the guy. My thought is that he'd still be at USC right now, but was pressured into recruiting OJ Mayo, and it ultimately cost him his job. We all know Floyd is a heck of a recruiter who still has that fire. EP would embrace him and hopefully he'd see UTEP as his final spot, in honor of Coach Haskins.

[UTEP4EVER]

We need someone that love this city and this program, Tim respect us as fans and community. Great choice if it's true. There are some ex-assistants that would love to come back, Alvin Brooks, James Holland, Sergio Roucco, Silvey Dominguez, they all love this city !

[berano]

PS: UTEP needs to stop thinking like a small school and start shelling out the money to keep the coach. UTEP will never be a big time school in athletic until the administration starts thinking like a big time school. Aren't we tired of being a second rate or third rate school. (athletic wise)