Mostly positive response to the Billy Gillispie tactics column, but there were a couple of quibbles.
Mary wrote:
It is very sad that you and Jerry Tipton are obsessed with our former coach. Now though you have printed a story that will serve to humiliate Josh Harrellson in future. In your zeal to tell yet another tale about Billy Gillispie ( not at all new news) you have now confirmed in print an humiliating incident.
I have worked with young people for many years. The student who says “it does not matter”..or ” I just shrugged it off,” rarely does. We can assume that not all students have the wonderful support system like Pat Patterson does in his parents. They are truly unique. Does anyone ever reign you in when you are hurting a young totally innocent athlete? Josh is just caught in the middle of your and Tipton’s inability to find another story. Yes Josh was a victim of bullying. Yes some people knew it happened. Others heard about it. But those who saw it choose not to repeat it because they realized how hurtful it was..but not you. And as to why he confirmed it with Jerry Tipton when asked? Well many young people are so anxious to please an adult, that they will act against their own self interests in order to do so.
I find it hard to believe that you did not realize the long term consequences of printing a story like that. Everyone knows that Gillispie’s method of coaching was outdated. You did not have to humiliate a student to prove that. So the student was victimized twice..first by Gillispie and now you…. If I didn’t know better, I would think that the legal department at UK was signing your and Tipton’s paycheck.
My response: While it is unfortunate if Harrellson suffers any additional embarrassment over the episode, my feeling is that methods such as Gillispie’s should be exposed and condemned whenever possible.
Continue reading ‘E-mailbag: Reaction to Billy Gillispie column’





John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky and graduate of UK, he covered UK football for 13 seasons before being promoted to columnist in 2000. He lives in Lexington with his wife and two sons. You can e-mail him at jclay@herald-leader.com.
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