LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- The WDRB College Basketball Notebook is running a bit slow this weekend, after camping out in a little-known campout for the right to compile a notebook item on the campout for Big Blue Madness. We've little to add to what already is a burgeoning phenomenon of University fans camping out for Madness tickets, except that this year's total tent count of better than 580, assuming each tent had at least 3 occupants (and we're nothing if not presumptuous at The 'Book), would mean a temporary population of around 1,700, which would make the gathering one of the Commonwealth's 200 biggest towns and, in all likelihood, one of the 150 largest. As well, The 'Book would note from WDRB reporter Steve Andress' that the crowd consumed an entire state's worth of Nutty Bars and those little white powdered donuts. But who can have those around without eating them? In fact, let's get on with the college hoops 'Booking before we're tempted to take a snack break . . .
CAMP GILLISPIE DRAWS COMPLAINT FROM PARENT
The Associated Press reported Friday that mother of a teenage son who attended Billy Gillispie's summer basketball camp at Texas Tech complained to school officials that the coach verbally abused her son after the son apparently overthrew a pass.
In a letter obtained by the AP, the woman wrote to school officials that her son suffered, "a barrage of insults spurted from the mouth of your coach Gillispie."
Must. Play. This. Straight.
Oh, the heck with it. Yes, a kid being accosted like this at a basketball camp is wrong. Wrong, wrong. But, in all honesty, she was sending her kid to the Billy Gillispie Summer Camp. I mean, it says right there on the camp brochure in the "schedule" section:
Noon: Bathroom stall berating drills
1 p.m.: Silent treatment
2 p.m.: Playing despite injury
3 p.m.: Ostracision
4 p.m.: Verbal abuse
5 p.m.: Psychological abuse
6 p.m.: Campus tours (in team equipment truck)
I've got to say, you send your kid to a Gillispie camp, you have to figure there are going to be a few rough edges. It'd be like sending your kid to driving school with Lindsay Lohan or to band camp with, well, someone who is mean to campers and not very good at coaching band. Let's put it this way, you can't send your kid to Bob Knight Camp and not expect him to come home using salty language and making unfounded accusations about UK basketball. True story: A kid at a Knight camp once had both arms fall off after two straight hours of shot-fake drills. ('Book Note: That wasn't really a true story.)
Anyway, Gillispie is gone and the mother, it's assumed, will get an apology, if she hasn't already. And the kid has a story to tell. And next time, by the way, throw a bounce pass.
PITINO TURNS 60, BLOGS ABOUT IT
Rick Pitino waxed a bit nostalgic at RickPitino.com about his 60th birthday last week after friends threw him a party, but he still couldn't hide his enthusiasm when talk turned to his team.
He said Peyton Siva and Kevin Ware continue to lead the way in workouts, and that Siva's equine namesake will be trained by Dale Romans and is headed for the fall meet at Churchill Downs. Other highlights: Pitino says Luke Hancock and Mike Marra are 10 days away from practicing and that Wayne Blackshear's issue is "conditioning, conditioning, conditioning."
CLANTON EXPLAINS TURNING DOWN UK
Keith Clanton had an opportunity that usually makes every college basketball player drool – the chance to play for the University of Kentucky.
With the University of Central Florida moving onto NCAA probation this season, Clanton was free to leave UCF and play immediately at any school in the country. Florida State wanted him. So did Florida. So did many schools, including the University of Kentucky.
And why not? He's one of the best players in Conference USA. Clanton is a 6-foot-9 forward who averaged 14.5 points and 8 rebounds for UCF last season. He would have fit nicely in Kentucky's frontline, providing a veteran presence.
But in the end, Clanton decided to stay home in Orlando and finish his career with UCF – even though he won't be able to play in March Madness.
That's madness. Why?
Clanton explained his decision to Andrew Grief of Dime magazine
Dime: I've read that some have called your decision a small beacon for good in college sports because of the loyalty, the rare player who sticks around. Has the reception to your answer been surprising?
KC: It's good attention but at the same time I didn't think it was the best decision for me to leave.
Dime: It sounds black-and-white now, but it couldn't have been that easy, right?
KC: It was harder than I expected, especially saying to coach (Leonard) Hamilton at Florida State I wouldn't be coming. It was hard but every coach told me to do what's best for them and I feel like I did that.
Dime: What was reaction close to you about your decision to stay and turn down the bigger schools?
KC: I had some people think I was crazy and that I should have gone to a different school but all the scouts know where to find players and they can find them anywhere. They found the dude Kenneth Faried at Morehead State. If they can find him there, if you have the talent, they'll find you."
Just not in March, Keith.
CREAN FIRES UP THE INDIANA BASE
Indiana coach Tom Crean knows how to ignite the Hoosier faithful. He's an active participant on Twitter, sending out messages about football, basketball practice and a wide variety of spiritual topics.
But on Wednesday, Crean sent out a crisp five-word Tweet that inspired hours of chatter:
"This scene never gets old!"
What scene? The weight room at Cook Hall? The tailgating scene outside Memorial Stadium?
Crean linked a picture to his message – a photo taken from the rafters in Assembly Hall last Dec. 10 after Christian Watford's three-pointer at the buzzer defeated Kentucky, 73-72, and prompted a court-storming that lasted for a half-hour or more.
No court-storming this season. Sources have (wink) informed The Notebook that Kentucky and Indiana will not play.
GOTTFRIED HEATING UP AT N.C. STATE
People in Alabama have to wonder what is going on. Mark Gottfried coached the Crimson Tide and nothing unforgettable happened. Gottfried had his moments, but he was no Wimp Sanderson or C.M. Newton. Bama was just another SEC piece meat for Kentucky and Florida to munch on.
Now Gottfried is starting his second season at North Carolina State, and the Wolfpack are treating him like he's Jim Valvano. All it took was one trip to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen, and some recruiting success, and NC State has sweetened Gottfried's deal.
Gottfried, who also coached at Murray State, had his salary increased by $750,000 last week. He's guaranteed at least $1.95 million annually, more than any ACC coach not named Roy Williams or Mike Krzyzewski.
Gottfried went 24-13 in his first season with the Wolfpack. He was 210-131 in 10-plus seasons at Alabama, where he was dismissed before the end of the 2009 season.
MIKE RICE HAS A LONG WAY TO GO AT RUTGERS
Rutgers has a long trip to become a relevant basketball program in the Big East. The Scarlet Knights have never won or really contended for the Big East title.
Mike Rice is trying to change that. To lift Rutgers up, Rice is making a trip down – down the side of 470-foot building on a rope.
Rice has volunteered to rappel down the side of the Harborside Financial Center in Jersey City, N.J. next Friday to raise money in a Coaches Vs. Cancer event.
"Cancer touches everyone," Rice said. "In my time working with Coaches vs. Cancer, I have been inspired by many wonderful people fighting this terrible disease. As such, I have said that I would do anything in the fight against cancer.
"Put up or shut up. I'm putting up. Up high, actually."
Rice will be one of 135 people traveling down the side of the building. Buckle up, coach.
THE LIST
Top Five 2013 Recruiting Classes, according to Rivals.com
1. Florida – Billy Donovan only has two commitments, but point guard Kasey Hill and power forward Chris Walker are both considered Top 10 prospects
2. Louisville – The news that junior-college point guard Chris Jones and forward Akoy Agau are coming to play for Rick Pitino moved the Cardinals into the runner-up spot.
3. Kansas – Remember this name: Brannen Greene. He's one of those wings that Bill Self turns into a first-round NBA pick.
4. Duke – Mike Krzyzewski has commitments from two McDonald's All-American candidates Matt Jones and Semi Ojeleye and is looking for more.
5. Marquette – Jameel McKay, a four-star junior-college power forward, headlines the Golden Eagles' three-player class.
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