Uh Billy, the Coaching Fraternity Isn't an Actual Fraternity

I think a few NCAA head coaches are having trouble understanding that the term coaching fraternity is a cliche used to describe the collective group of college basketball coaches around the nation. Some coaches seem to think that the coaching fraternity is an actual fraternity and their behavior has to fit accordingly.

As a proud member of the Kentucky Gamma Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Morehead State University, I have a working knowledge of fraternities and Greek life in general. I am going to attempt to give some advice to coaches that have obviously misunderstood the cliche known as the coaching fraternity.

As a member (especially a married member) of the coaching fraternity, it is not generally acceptable to hang out after hours at restaurants, hook up with random women and have sex on dinner tables while your buddies lay low and enjoy the sites and sounds. This may have been a laughable story in college, but as a married adult male, I think it has been proven that this type of behavior can lead to career-threatening damage.

Another no-no in the coaching fraternity is drinking and driving. I know everyone makes mistakes, but three times is taking to the level of severe problem. This is a tell-tale sign of alcohol abuse and a total lack of control. Someone that has this problem more than once is in serious need of help.

Hazing is not acceptable in real fraternities, nor is is allowed in the coaching fraternity. It is not a good idea to lock your players in a bathroom stall and question their toughness. It definitely is a bad idea to kick a player off the bus outside a road arena and tell him to walk home, as well. These are the only examples I'm willing to disclose, but I promise that the other examples are not tolerable, either.

Binging on alcohol is another bad idea if you want to remain in the coaching fraternity. It is fine to drink if you're of legal age, but it is risky to be that "guy" in college that always used to say, "hey dude, this is the 27th consecutive day that I've caught a buzz..." or "Spring Break!!!" There is at least one coach, or at least one former coach, that is having a difficult struggle in this regard.

Just like in college, cheating is also against the rules in the college fraternity. I knew several students that lived by the philosophy "it isn't cheating if you don't get caught..." I guess that is debatable.

Let's face it, I'm having a little fun at the expense of Coaches Gone Wild: Bluegrass State Edition, but let me be serious for a moment. Here are my thoughts on three different situations that have taken place recently:

Calipari and Memphis: I believe that John Calipari knows the rules like the back of his hand. I think he knows how to work the rules, how to utilize loopholes and how to take advantage of them. I do not think that he is a blatant cheater as he is made out to be by various media sources. There is no way possible that John Calipari could have made it to this point in his career without getting caught if he cheated the way that many like to say he does. When the allegations arose at Memphis, the NCAA shredded the basketball program and went through it like a fine-tooth comb. They admitted that it was one of the cleanest programs they had worked with. Calipari may be a master of bending the rules, but he isn't breaking them. He would have been caught by now.

Pitino's Sexcapades: Rick Pitino is a great coach that made a mistake and has been caught up in it. I think that in hindsight, he is truly remorseful and the constant problems associated with the situation are taking a toll on the Louisville coach. He made a terrible mistake, absolutely, no questions asked. He made a second mistake by calling an impromptu press conference yesterday, only to lash out at the media. In doing so, he put himself back in the news and made a complicated problem even worse. At the end of the day, he made a mistake, did not break any laws and will hopefully be able to outlive this scandal.

Billy Gillispie as John Blutarsky: Zero...point...zero! That is the point that Billy Gillispie's life has spiralled out of control to. Gillispie is a man that is obviously going through some personal struggles. He is having trouble with alcohol abuse, legal problems and does not appear to be in great health. I hope Gillispie can regain his composure in life and get help. I know plenty of people will poke fun at the former Kentucky head coach, but in all seriousness, this is a man that is screaming for help. I hope he can find it before it's too late.