What? Gillespie's Still Without A Contract?

I just read on ESPN that University of Kentucky men's head basketball coach Billy Gillispie is still working without a contract (some eight months after he was hired!).

How's that possible? Whatever the cause, it makes me even more of a believer in athletic director Mitch Barnhart's management approach.

Here Barnhart has one of the best coaches in NCAA basketball. Yet, he's not locked into a long-term contract. Should UK encounter a few more setbacks as experienced with Gardner-Webb (doubtful) or run into issues with rules infractions or whatever, UK could easily look in another direction.

Could the current employment agreement come back to haunt Kentucky, should Gillispie catch fire and lure attention of other suitors? Doubtful. Here's Barnhart's view: "UK is comfortable with letting the memorandum of understanding serve as an employment agreement since it contains all important elements," Barnhart said. "It's a great financial package -- one of the best in college basketball. We're happy to have Billy Gillispie as our basketball coach."

UK has a shrewd AD, no doubt about it!