Finally, Billy Gillispie Wins Over Big Blue Nation

Remember back when Billy Gillispie was the most hated man in the state of Kentucky? I know, it's hard to go back that far... like a little over a month ago. But to listen to Wildcat fans now, it might as well be a lifetime past.

The axis of G-love is perhaps best epitomized in a Rupp Rafters thread about Gillispie's appearance at a fundraiser for UK's Children's Hospital (video here) at which the coach teared up at least four times talking about how much the children mean to him. Admittedly, it's sweet in its way, and at the end Gillispie announces a $10,000 gift for the hospital. But the beauty of it all for an outsider is in the message board thread:

I thank you coach for bringing joy back into my heart and for making UK Basketball fun to watch again. Have you guys ever heard of a coach here having so much heart. If there are fans on here that still does not like Coach G they must be sick in the head.

Yes, thanks Coach G for saving UK basketball, just weeks after ruining it for everyone. Memories of that San Diego loss melt quickly, yes? At the time of this posting, that thread has nearly 800 views and 25 replies, and not one of them come close to anything but outright praise for Gillispie. He's called "the real deal," "a great coach," and "a Wildcat legend." Billy Clyde's even got one fan so in love with him, the fan is questioning his own sexuality (not that there's anything wrong with that, natch).

Seriously, does nobody remember how much they reviled this guy just a few weeks ago?

If you do need a refresher on how UK fans felt about Billy Clyde in the recent past, here at FanHouse we told you about Gillispie's rough start, felt the need to talk Kentucky fans off the ledge, and tried along with Big Blue to understand the failings of Billy G. Scan through the comments of those posts -- you'll find a couple dozen -- and see how many are in support of Gillispie (I'll save you some time: it's only two or three). One of those posts was based on both bloggers and the MSM basically calling Gillispie directionless, and another was spawned in part form a "meltdown" at the aforelinked Rupp Rafters message board after one of UK's many early-season losses.

But check out Rupp Rafters now; you can't find a thread questioning Billy G. Though bizzare in the quickness of the turnaround, it's justified, I suppose: after starting 7-9 overall and 1-2 in the SEC, UK is 15-10 and 9-3 in conference with a more than solid chance at making the tournament (and some of the faithful are thinking they can still win the SEC title). It's clear now in Lexington: they love them some Billy G.