The House of Blue

Ghost I will have to say I disagree with you..Like the other fellow above said,Mitch needs to do what;s best for UK,not Joker...He can still finish out the season but the players and fans
need hope and this would go a long way toward that...Probably bring some fans back for the final two home games..I for one am really tired of hearing this "Joker is a nice guy,but" crap..He has a job to do and is failing miserably...Same nonsense was said about Tubby Smith...Totally sick of hearing it..No bearing on this situation..

"Bye Bye Week?"

The search doesn't need to be public, it needs to be right. If UK opts to replace Phillips and does so with the right guy it makes little to no difference if people know about the search as its going on. They'll come back if it's the right guy.

I don't understand what you're talking about. Joker is clearly done at UK. The only point I am making is that people are delusional if they think that Barnhart is going to fire Joker on Monday or before the last game fo the season. They are also delusional if they think Barnhart is going to come out and publicly say that they are firing Joker at the end of the season. It serves no purpose other than to humiliate Joker Phillips, which you can be guaranteed that Mitch Barnhart will not do. Any coaching search that needs to be done can be happening as we speak. Only an idiot would assume that there was a chance that UK would retain Joker if Mitch sent out feelers to them about the job.

I truly believe that Joker isnt going anywhere till after the season, I think Mitch wont do that to Joker and as far as sending out feelers to coaches behind the scenes then perhaps some do it but I dont think Mitch is doing that. No matter what the fans think of Jokers performance as coach Mitch wont take the chance that it would get back to Joker although he knows his days are numbered. Im basing what I think on some info that I have received from 2 people that should know but if it goes another way then thats the way it is and ill readjust how much weight I put on the info I get from these 2 people. But let me say this 1 thing ill be glad when this whole situation with Joker is over but I have the feeling that the problems that the football program is having goes much higher than just Joker.

"Mitch's allegience should lie with the program not Joker"

Rackety rack rack.

The problem is Jokers.He is the guy in charge and sets the direction he wants the offense and defense to go.He calls the plays on both sides of the ball because all decisions are ultimately his.There are no guarantees that next season would be any better or different .

Todays performance was inexcuseable,and this team fell apart in all phases of the game.

And your point is what? At no time during MB's tenure has he shone his personal feelings above business.

Joker is gone. It would have been the absolutely best thing for UK for Joker to have succeeded but that is not going to work out -- for whatever reason. Firing him now aCcomplishes notthing in the long term other than to embarrass a UK former player and graduate. And that to me is not worth it.

Whatever changes to the football program can take place behind the scenes until the timing is right.

Do you really believe Barnhart will do anything before the year is out? He didn't even fire Gillispie mid season (and he should have).

Sure... until they start winning

The logical time to do it, if he wants to name an interim, would be after the vandy game. Either way, it does Barnhart no good to do it now. He can compile a list and contact agents with joker or without him. In reality, the top candidates are going to wait til after the season to see how other jobs shake out anyway.

I don't think you fire him this week but the official search and feelers should start right now! I understand you have a wish list and then you have a probable list. Taggert at WKU is a real possibility the man can coach and is in the Jim Harbaugh tree who may be the best coach in the entire game! However big names on wish list but I really think WKU will be looking for a new coach next year that guy is moving on up! Question is he SEC ready? I think so! I think he can make UK football revelant again.

I think that you are right. Unless UK is willing to put forth the money it takes to have a first class program nothing is going to change in the football program. Changing coaches has not made any difference in the football program since I have been going to the games since 1964. If I am a coach looking to take the job I would want guarantees that money would be available to match any other top program in the SEC; The football program is the biggest money maker of all the sports programs. If we can afford Cal in the basketball program we should be able afford a top notch coach for football.