lonestar

The Texas A&M Board of Regents on Friday made men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie the second-highest paid coach in the Big 12 and among the top 10 in the nation. The board increased an original proposal that would have paid Gillispie $1.5 million annually, and instead approved a deal worth $1.75 million that could increase with performance incentives. The new deal was extended three years to 2015. Arkansas had strongly pursued Gillispie after it fired Stan Heath on Monday. Gillispie did not comment on his status all week as speculation grew that he could become the new coach of the Razorbacks. Gillispie, 47, said he preferred to stay silent rather than address rumors and speculation. He said he never had contact with anyone from Arkansas. “That was one of the hardest things, not being able to say anything. I love where I am,” Gillispie said in a phone conversation from Atlanta, where he is attending Final Four festivities. “There was never any contact made. I don’t have an agent. I read a lot of the things that were supposedly being said. Those things weren’t true. There was never a conversation. “I don’t think it’s wise for a coach to start defending speculation without a real substantiated situation.” Gillispie is due back in College Station on Monday, but he said he didn’t know when he would be presented the contract to sign. He said he has an “agreement” and plans to sign when the contract is presented. Gillispie’s new deal does not include a buyout clause. The door is not closed on a possible overture from Kentucky, which is searching for a new coach after Tubby Smith left for Minnesota. Florida coach Billy Donovan, a former assistant at Kentucky, is reportedly the frontrunner for the job. Donovan’s Gators face UCLA in one of today’s national semifinals, and no movement is expected on that front until after Monday’s national championship game. If Donovan does not take the Kentucky job, the candidate pool will widen and Gillispie’s name has been included as a potential candidate. When asked if he would entertain an inquiry from Kentucky since the legendary program could be considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Gillispie said, “I consider Texas A&M a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” When asked if he would be the coach at A&M next season, Gillispie said, “Why wouldn’t I? That is not a question that needs to be asked right now. Is there anything substantial to anything like that?” Gillispie’s new contract provides a $550,000 raise. Gillispie had received raises of $300,000 after each of the past two seasons. He will receive a $1 million payment if he remains at A&M through 2012, as was stipulated by his previous contract, and he will receive an additional $750,000 payment if he remains through 2015. Texas coach Rick Barnes is the highest-paid coach in the Big 12 at $1.8 million. Kansas coach Bill Self, Gillispie’s mentor, makes $1.6 million. “This is a very, very, happy day,” Gillispie said. “I’m celebrating today because of the continued commitment from Texas A&M. “They’ve been committed since Day One. I’ve never questioned their commitment, and this is just another thing that they didn’t have to do and they did. Bill Byrne is an athletic director that is proactive instead of reactive. “That’s something that really doesn’t happen in any profession, where you have a boss like that trying to do everything he can to give us a chance to win. I’m grateful to all of them — the university, the board of regents and Bill Byrne.” Gillispie, who led A&M to a school-record 27 victories this season and the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 1980, has guided the Aggies to three consecutive 20-win seasons. He is 70-26 overall in three seasons at A&M. “Last year we talked about the commitment of the new practice facility, additional support staff and improving the marketing of our basketball programs,” Byrne said in a statement released by the athletic department. “Along those lines we started re-working coach Gillispie’s contract a couple of months ago, while he was focused on winning basketball games. The proper time to finalize details of a contract is at the end of a coach’s season.” *********************************************** GILLISPIE’S CONTRACT A look at Texas A&M basketball coach Billy Gillispies new contract: Total compensation: $1.75 million a season through 2015. BONUSES At A&M through 2012: $1 million At A&M through 2015: $750,000 INCENTIVES Big 12 regular-season title: $41,667 Big 12 conference tournament title: $41,667 NCAA Tournament or NIT berth: $41,667 NCAA Sweet 16 appearance: $25,000 NCAA Final Four appearance: $25,000 Wins national title: $50,000 NIT semifinal appearance: $15,000 Wins the NIT title: $25,000 [Hidden Content]

The Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award is presented to a player who has demonstrated personal character both on and off the court, similar to the fictional Chip Hilton character depicted by Hall of Fame coach Clair Bee in the classic Chip Hilton series of sports stories. The NCAA has given the national award since 1997 to a Division I men’s basketball player who demonstrates outstanding character, leadership, integrity, humility, sportsmanship and talent. The 2007 recepient is Acie Law IV of Texas A&M. Law, a senior from Dallas, averaged 18.1 points per game and 5.0 assists per game. He is Texas A&M’s first consensus First Team All-American and led his team to the Sweet Sixteen. He also was named to the Academic All-Big 12 squad.

From the desk of Texas A&M Director of Athletics Bill Byrne COLLEGE STATION, Texas- Texas A&M basketball head coach Billy Gillispie and Aggie Director of Athletics Bill Byrne announced today that Coach Gillispie has agreed to a new contract with Texas A&M University. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents met in College Station on Friday and voted to approve the new contract. “I am thankful for the commitment Texas A&M continues to make to allow us to do the things we need to do, to achieve our ultimate goal—winning a national championship,” Gillispie said. “The commitment has been there since day one and continues to grow stronger still. While it’s embarrassing to me to be compensated so well to perform my passion for a school I love, I am sincerely appreciative of the efforts of Bill Byrne, our university administration, the board of regents and everyone associated with Texas A&M for their personal support they continue to show. We will continue to do our best to try and make the Texas A&M family proud.” Coach Gillispie and the Aggies put together a 27-7 record in 2006-07, the most wins in school history. The Aggies advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since Shelby Metcalf and the 1980 Aggie squad turned the trick. The Aggies defeated Penn and Louisville in the first and second rounds in Lexington, Kentucky, before dropping a one-point decision to Memphis in the regional semifinals. For the first time in school history, Texas A&M advanced to the NCAA Championships in back-to-back years. In Big 12 action, the Aggies fashioned a 13-3 record for a second-place finish, one game back of regular-season champion Kansas. It marked the Aggies’ highest finish ever in Big 12 history. “I am so proud of Billy and the job he has done here at Texas A&M,” Byrne said. “I said when we hired Billy that I thought he was the perfect fit for Aggieland and the State of Texas. He is a former Texas high school coach and he and his staff do a great job of recruiting. The winning is impressive, but I especially like how Billy stresses the value of an Aggie degree. All six Aggie seniors will have their degrees by this August. He is committed to his team and we are committed to Billy and his basketball family.” “Last year we talked about the commitment of the new practice facility, additional support staff and improving the marketing of our basketball programs,” Byrne explained. “Along those lines we started reworking Coach Gillispie’s contract a couple of months ago, while he was focused on winning basketball games. The proper time to finalize details of a contract is at the end of a coach’s season.” Gillispie’s old contract contained a base salary of $500,000 and his supplemental income that gave him $1.2 million a year. Last year, the regents approved a $1 million bonus if he fulfilled the life of the contract which was set to expire in March 2012. The proposed contract also stipulates a base salary of $500,000 but with supplemental income that moves his yearly total to $1.75 million and extends the contract three years to the end of March 2015. He will still receive the $1 million bonus if he fulfills the contract to 2012, but will also receive an additional $750,000 if he fulfills the new contract to 2015. These figures exclude any incentives for post-season or championship play. “With this contract, I believe Coach Gillispie is among the Top 10 coaches in terms of income and he is clearly a Top 10 coach in every other way,” Byrne said. Gillispie was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year and is a finalist for NCAA National Coach of the Year. His overall record at Texas A&M is 70-26 in three years. Including two years at UTEP, he has an overall record of 100-58 on the collegiate level the last five years. Gillispie is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament having taken teams to the dance in three of the past four years (UTEP in 2004, A&M in 2006 and 2007). Gillispie inherited a team that posted a record of 0-16 in Big 12 regular-season play in 2003-04 and finished 7-21 overall. His first year in Aggieland (2004-05) the team responded with a 21-10 overall record and an 8-8 mark in Big 12 action. The team won two games in the post-season NIT before dropping a close game to St. Joseph’s. Gillispie is the first Texas native to coach the Aggies since the mid-1930s and his last three recruiting classes have been ranked among the Top 15 nationally. He is the only coach in college basketball history to coach the nation’s most improved team in consecutive seasons (2003-04 at UTEP and 2004-05 at Texas A&M.) Not only has Gillispie won, he has developed players such as Aggie seniors Acie Law, Antanas Kavaliauskas, Marlon Pompey, Logan Lee and Josh Johnston. Law is the first consensus All-America in Aggie history and was named the winner of the prestigious Bob Cousy Award presented to the nation’s top collegiate point-guard. Kavaliauskas was a second-team All-Big 12 selection and Pompey was an excellent all-around player and a defensive stopper. “Another thing I love about Billy’s team is the sense of family,” Byrne stated. “They are a close-knit group who build each other up and push each other to be the very best. They really personify the term ‘Fightin’ Texas Aggies’ because they battle every time they take the court.” [Hidden Content]

Posted at 12:05 3/30/07 Gillispie, A&M agree on $1.75 million contract extension If coach stays through 2015, salary would average $2 million annually COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M and men's basketball coach Billy Gillispie have agreed in principle to a contract extension that will pay him $1.75 million annually and run through 2015. The Texas A&M Systems Board of Regents met this morning and voted on the contract enhancements. Under the new deal, Gillispie is in line for a $1 million retention clause if he stays through 2012. Another $750,000 will be added if Gillispie remains on through 2015. Should Gillispie, who just completed his third year at A&M, stay through the duration of the contract, his annual intake will average nearly $2 million. [Hidden Content]

Tonight at 8 on ESPN.

[Hidden Content] surprised this wasn't posted already

Awarded to the top college point guard in America. [Hidden Content] [Hidden Content] Congrats, Acie!

Sources close to the University of Arkansas Athletic Department have confirmed to Arkansasbusiness.com that Texas A&M University men's basketball coach Billy Gillispie has declined an offer to coach basketball for the UA. That confirmation comes after a flurry of reports out of Texas that Gillispie had decided to remain, having received a raise and other requests from the A&M board of regents, including a promise to begin construction on a new basketball facility. The Houston Chronicle reported earlier that Gillispie will receive a new contract that will pay him about $2 million a year. The deal runs through 2012. Meanwhile, construction on a new A&M basketball facility is set to begin Monday. The new facility was among Gillispie's requests should he remain at the school. Speculation had been that the University of Arkansas would make Gillispie an offer, having fired Razorback basketball coach Stan Heath earlier this week. On Wednesday, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette quoted UA athletic director Frank Broyles has saying he had made an offer to a prospective candidate, but he didn't say who it was. The Chronicle story was followed on Wednesday by a report in the Bryan-College Station Eagle that said Texas A&M University Interim President Eddie Davis confirmed to the newspaper that Gillispie would stay at A&M. [Hidden Content]

That goes along with what I have been hearing for the past 48 hours. Nice article. Thanks for posting it.

West Virginia and Clemson to meet for the championship Sorry, Coop >

Finals: A&M 13 TCU 2 [Hidden Content] Texas 6 Rice 4 [Hidden Content]

This is from the blog of the writer that is assigned to follow A&M athletics for the Houston Chronicle:

A&M is also building a 25 million dollar practice facility/locker room that will be the best in the nation.

Gillispie's good friend (and a former basketball player at Arkansas) said that these were all rumors and he didn't know where they were coming from. He said BCG was happy in CS and he expected him to sign a new contract with A&M on Thursday.

The Semis are tonight?

ESPN's Andy Katz reported tonight that Billy Gillispie will NOT take the coaching job at Arkansas. Hope thats true.

key stretch of games coming up. Lets go Rockets!

There are all kinds of rumors going around right now. From the Houston Chronicle: Also Gillispie was supposedly meeting with Arkansas donors yesterday, while at the same time in College Station having dinner with the AD.

Somehow I am still in first! Wow, you guys must be really bad at predictions!

Georgetown is in.

Actually, The Aggies and OU split the first two games. They are playing the rubber match right now.

[Hidden Content] [Hidden Content] With a great group of guys coming back, and three of the top 5 recruits in Texas (including a national top 10 guy) coming in, I am not worried.

From NBC5 in Dallas NBC's Derek Castillo asked Gillispie after the game about rumors that he will be taking the Kentucky job Castillo: What is your reaction to reports that you are going to be the new head coach at Kentucky and how did that impact this team? Gillispie: I don't worry about that. I'm honest with my players. Castillo: Did you talk to your players after the game about your situation? Gillispie: Would you? Castillo: I don't know Gillispie: Goodness Gracious We asked freshman point guard Donald Sloan about the rumors after the game: Sloan: I already talked to coach about that [reports that he is leaving] and he's an honest person - he gave me a straight up answer. I like the answer he gave me. You know I'm not really worried about that. We'll be back.

From ESPN According to inside sources, Marquette coach Tom Crean, Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Memphis coach John Calipari, Gonzaga's Mark Few, Texas A & M's Billy Gillispie and Villanova's Jay Wright are expected to be the top candidates for what is one of the few premier jobs in men's college basketball. From CBS: Sources from inside the Kentucky camp are said to be considering coaches within the NBA and coaches of several of the nation's top college programs including: Marquette's Tom Crean, Ohio State's Thad Matta, Texas A&M's Billy Gillispie, Memphis' John Calipari, Villanova's Jay Wright, Texas' Rick Barnes, Gonzaga's Mark Few and Michigan State's Tom Izzo. Also, don't be surprised if the interest of Louisville's Rick Pitino is gauged.