enough with billy clyde

i hate to make any definitive statements in a coaching search, because like anybody who's been in the business for any length of time and been involved in these affairs, experience has taught that anything can happen.

the billy gillispie-to-oklahoma state rumor just refuses to die. but that doesnt mean there is anything to it. gillispie has told me repeatedly over the past few weeks that he is not interested in the dang job. that despite the rampant speculation, he's happy at kentucky. he likes his athletic director, though all agree he's an odd duck. he says he has a great relationship with the university president, loves the fans. and here's the other side of the coin, an o-state source who i have reason to believe knows what he's talking about tells me, has told me from the beginning and hasnt changed his outlook, that osu has No Interest in gillispie. thats just what they tell me, folks, and so until proven different, i have a hard time putting any credence in anything a third-party source is quoted as saying.

along with a writer for the lexington herald who ive gotten to know and respect, i spent two days last week making sure we knew what we thought we knew about this. among others, i talked for some time to a close friend of billy clyde's who said he told him the same thing he told me. the lexington guy made calls to kentucky recruits, talked to uk assistant coaches, people in the uk administration. he was assured that o-state had not contacted the aformentioned uk athletic director. figured by saturday we could come in off the ledge.

then about 4 o'clock on a peaceful sunday afternoon, i get a text message that billy clyde and holder have met in nashville. so with a few expletives, even though i was reasonably sure that didnt happen, i get on the phone and so does my counterpart. he gets a no. i talk to my o-state source who says no. billy clyde returns my call. hes been in town hosting recruits all weekend. said, "tell 'em i'm in lexington trying to get some players."

but it's still out there.

news today that chris lowery of southern illinois met with holder on tuesday and declared he's staying put. and so the speculation burns on and i wonder how some people figure guys they've named would leave established programs for o-state, which is a good job only because eddie sutton made it so.