Patrick Patterson
Matt Jones at Kentucky Sports Radio talked to Patrick Patterson’s mother over the weekend about her brief meeting last week with UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart.
Tywanna Patterson said her son has not made a decision yet about possibly entering the NBA draft, but she did voice concerns about the direction that the UK basketball program is going.
Here’s Mrs. Patterson speaking on her meeting with the UK AD:
“I was just talking to him about the future of the UK program and where we are headed next year. I just want to know why he thinks we are losing games that we should not be losing. I am very concerned with how things have gone this year and the direction this program is going. So, I just wanted to talk to him and know where he thinks the program is headed because right now I don’t understand what is going on.”
JOHN: As a parent I would be concerned also. The last five games have shown how easy it is to block out Patterson. Yes Patterson is still the leading scorer but he is not a Dan Issell. Every Kentucky loss continues to erode Patterson’s selection in the NBA Draft. John are you concerned about the UK Basketball Program?
What does it say about our athletic department when a player’s mother understands more than they do?
The real issue here (as if there’s anyone associated with the UK basketball program who really cares) is how many other parents of high potential high-school stars are watching the UK basketball mess and are thinking the same.
John, are you planning on another Liveblog this week? Just curious because I wasn’t sure if you’d have time with the SEC tourney and all. And I think its a good sign that 2Pats family is so devoted to Kentucky’s program.
Oscar Combs nailed it in an interview I heard last year before the San Diego game. He said: top 15 within three years, be realistic about the current roster (really–look at last year’s roster; look at those starting fives; consider the injuries), be patient. Look at this year’s senior class; compare it to the top programs. Give Gillispie two more years, at least, I say. If he gets good players in here, we’ll win. If Tyler Hansbrough’s in Lexington today, we’re all happy winners. With Putz and K-ROD in the chamber, is Willie Randolph a better manager? Give him two more recruiting classes. Get some kids in here who
bleed blue.
How can you win if the talent level is’n there? This includes the coach!
You know, Patterson’s folks have been a great asset to Gillispie to this point. They’ve been big supporters of the program, not in the money way but in being vocally supportive of the program through a coaching transition, being positive while being interviewed at games, etc. For them to be at the point of having doubts of their own is pretty concerning. They are asking the same questions I’d ask if my kid were getting ready to make a multimillion dollar decision in a few weeks. Let’s hope the answers she got were good ones.
Chris makes an excellent point. Even though Mrs. Patterson is not critical of Gillispie, she certainly questions of where the program is headed. Considering that this team lost 8 of its last 11 — it was 16-4 overall at one point — that is a very legitimate question.
Something drastically negative happened with the chemistry of the team after getting to 16-4, 5-0. Only possible answer, many of the 8 SEC losses were to teams with inferior talent to UK.
Maybe guys started to resent Meeks getting all the shots & points & attention. Maybe guys started to resent untalented Porter & Harris getting to start and get so much PT. Maybe Meeks & Patterson stopped playing for the team and started playing for the NBA scouts.
Who the heck knows what happened, but it did. Folks should just put ideas of UK firing Gillispie out of their mind because that is very unlikely. Any who thinks it will happen, are YOU going to donate the $6 million necessary? Know any family members who are going to do so? In this economy the deep pocket boosters do not have such deep a pockets.
There are a lot of “maybes” as to what happend to this team the last 10 games. MAYBE the other teams were coached better and improved, while ours wasn’t and didn’t. MAYBE Meeks started to think more about the Naismith than he should…..and wasn’t dealt with properly. MAYBE the team chemistry just dissipated as the season wore on. There are many “maybes” and they all lead back to the responsibility of the coach. Coaching UK basketball is not playing a lottery.
But I do agree, Gillispie should not be fired, at least by the current AD. Barnhart needs to go first.
If Gillispie hasn’t signed his contract, why would we have to buy it out?