If you watched the Billy Gillispie show yesterday you may have noticed how he continuously took blame for the loss against LSU and said that it is his responsibility to have the team ready to play. I could not agree more with him, that it is ultimately the coach’s duty to have his team ready to play. But, I wonder if he really believes what he is saying.

After the loss he had a ton of blame to throw at his guys. He even ultimately pinned the loss on one substitution.

“I made a real, real, real bad substitution (for an injured Ramon Harris in the second half),” Gillispie said. “If I don’t substitute, we win.”

The substitution he is talking about is when Ramon Harris asked out of the game around the ten minute mark. Now, while he is taking blame for the sub, is he not directly calling out Perry Stevenson, who was brought into the game and forced to guard a much quicker Tasmin Mitchell? He reiterated his mistake and Stevenson’s downfall, without mentioning names, again on his coach’s show yesterday.

Gillispie has been down on Stevenson for a while and many fans, as well, have been iritated by his lack of toughness. The fans expected to see the same Stevenson they saw with Patterson out last year. I am sure Gillispie hoped for the same. However, that has not been the case and his head coach has seemed more than willing to call him out publicly.

Last week after the debacle at South Carolina, Tom Leach asked Gillispie why Jodie Meeks sat from the 11:00 to the 3:00 minute mark. He avoided the question and instead ripped Stevenson, A.J. Stewart and Josh Harrellson. Then yesterday Rob Bromley asked Gillispie the same question regarding Meeks and he responded with, “Meeks still played 31 minutes, which is more than enough” in his smirkish fashion.

He acts as if it is ridiculous to reason why Jodie Meeks sat for eight minutes with his team down 20 and fighting for their life. Is Meeks not you best offensive threat and your best chance to get back in the game? He was 4-of-5 from deep at the time.

Gillispie has burned bridges with the media all season long. But, when you start acting this way to your own guys (Leach, Bromley) it will eventually come back to you. You can’t consistently act as if the person asking you questions is a lower life-form, especially when you are going to have to work with them consistently throughout your stay in Lexington.

Many are already wondering how long that stay will last. If the Wildcats were losing the same way they are losing now, but instead Gillispie carried himself with class, I do not think it would be an issue. But, he is not and it is beginning to become one.

In the game of basketball you win with five and you lose with five. You never blame one individual player for a loss. The only solo individual who should take the blame is the coach. Yeah, he said he does, but does he really believe himself?

Sidenote: It was a pleasant surprise to see Meeks, Patterson, Miller, Galloway and Harris open the second half together on Saturday. Yeah, I have given Harris a tough time but in that lineup he doesn’t have be looked to score, and can focus defensively.

With that five on the court the Cats looked as good as they have all year. It will be interesting to see if Galloway gets more time at the point in their final two games. It is definitely not a lock. Remember at Arkansas, after his supposive breakout performance against Florida, he only saw three minutes.