Billy Clyde Gone, Now What?

Not only does the health of Mitch Barnhart's career rest on his next big decision, so does the health of Kentucky basketball. The current spunk of Big Blue basketball would fit in a Rupp Arena restroom right now. The fans aren't gone, the support and passion haven't left, but all that remains of the mystique is hanging in the rafters. Kentucky can't take another two years like the two just completed. On the surface, it wouldn't be fair to pull the plug on a coach after just two seasons. But there was the Kentucky way and the Billy G way, and the Kentucky way always wins in Lexington. It should. It has worked for a long time. So yes, it was fair to deep-six Billy after two seasons that seemed to become more dysfunctional by the day. It wasn't fair to hire him in the first place. Hindsight is 20-20, but Kentucky should have known if their man would relish life in a fishbowl. Pitino took to Lexington like a Calumet Farms' yearling to the race track. Same for Tubby. Maybe Billy G fooled U.K. during their mating dance. Kentucky can't afford to be fooled again. Same with Athletics Director Barnhart.