Ex-UK coach Gillispie suing school, seeking $6M

[KFDM COOP]

Gillispie claims agreement was in place

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Former Kentucky men's basketball coach Billy Gillispie sued the school Wednesday, seeking at least $6 million he says he is owed on his deal for being fired without cause.

Gillispie, who was dismissed last spring, was working under a memorandum of understanding but hadn't signed a formal contract during the two years he coached at Kentucky.

[+] EnlargeBilly Gillispie

Matt Cashore/US PresswireBilly Gillispie is seeking $6 million from his former employer, Kentucky.

He contends that under that memorandum, he should be paid $1.5 million a year for four of the five years left on the deal. The suit also asks for an undisclosed amount of punitive damages, attorneys' fees, court costs and interest.

The lawsuit filed in federal court in Dallas contends the school's athletics association is in breach of contract and has committed fraud because the university never intended to honor the agreement.

"Rather than honor its written, signed deal with coach Gillispie, defendant prefers instead to pretend as though no deal was ever reached," the lawsuit says. "Unfortunately for defendant, its make-believe world is just that."

University attorneys expressed surprise over the lawsuit.

"The university was continuing to negotiate a separation in good faith and his counsel had asked for more time," they said in a statement.

Jimmy Stanton, a spokesman for University of Kentucky President Lee Todd, said there wouldn't be further comment because it now involves pending litigation. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.

Much of the 24-page lawsuit highlights the 49-year-old Gillispie's biography, describing him as an up-and-coming coach who resurrected a Texas A&M program before leaving to lead Kentucky, the nation's all-time winningest college basketball program.

"He resigned a promising, successful position as head coach with a rapidly ascending program at Texas A&M," it says. "He did so because he believed [the university's] false representations to him during his negotiations."

Gillispie lawsuit

Former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie is suing the school, seeking at least $6 million he says he is owed on his deal for being fired without cause. Filing

In three seasons with the Aggies, Gillispie was 70-26, making the NCAA tournament twice including the Sweet 16 in 2007. The previous three seasons before Gillispie came on board, A&M was 20-22.

Gillispie went 40-27 in two seasons with the Wildcats, including a 22-14 mark last season that tied for the second-most losses in the program's 106-year history. A stumble down the stretch left the Wildcats out of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991.

Gillispie's attorney, Demetrios Anaipakos, said Gillispie prefers to let the lawsuit speak for itself for now. He said it was appropriate that it be filed in Texas rather than Kentucky.

"This lawsuit belongs in Dallas because that is where the University of Kentucky contacted coach Gillispie," he said. "That is where they negotiated their deal, and that is where parties reach the understanding he would be a new head coach."

Gillispie still has a home near Lexington. He is not coaching right now.

[bullets13]

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[bullets13]

It sounds like he very well could win this.  at first, i was skeptical about the "memorandum", but apparently UK used the "memorandum" to keep Gillispie from doing some advertisements "based on the wording of the memorandum".  Due to this, they won't be able to act like this thing wasn't a real contract. 

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

how is this possible without him SIGNING a valid contract?

[Ruckdad]

It's possible that the memo was a valid contract.  I don't know anything about Kentucky law, but generally, all that is needed is an offer and an acceptance of the material terms for an agreement to be binding.

[MMSLB]

I agree with bullet and ruckdad, if UK used it as a guideline to stop Billy G from doing outside business deals then they viewed it as a contract. I believe it will will be settled out of court with Billy G getting paid at least a nice part of the money.