Billy Gillispie is a quick learner.

Just one day after he discovered he wouldn’t be retained as the UK men’s basketball head coach because of the UK administration’s view that the chemistry just wasn’t right, Gillispie was all smiles and laughs in his personal news conference to discuss the decision.

After UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart and President Lee Todd announced Gillispie would not return as UK coach because of differing opinions about the requirements of the job that didn’t necessarily include on-the-court activity, Gillispie seemed to have a better handle on his public persona.

This was the Billy Gillispie that endeared himself to the UK faithful so well at his opening news conference and pep rally after accepting the UK job.  This was the Billy Gillispie who was so overcome with emotion that he donated $10,000 to DanceBlue in February 2007.  This was the Billy Gillispie who uplifted the mournful crowd at Bill Keightley’s public memorial service by telling stories about his socks.

“I’m the luckiest guy that’s ever lived,” Gillispie said.  “There’s never been anyone luckier than me or more blessed than me.  There just hasn’t.”

This wasn’t the Billy Gillispie that fans have become accustomed to over the past few months.  It wasn’t the Billy Gillispie who took full blame for UK’s three-point loss to LSU on Feb. 28, 2009, by saying that he shouldn’t have played an unnamed player in the second half.  That same night Gillispie said he was proud of his entire team except for one person.

This wasn’t the Billy Gillispie that said being a public figure wasn’t in the job description after UK’s victory over Mississippi in the Southeastern Conference tournament.

“I enjoy the public,” Gillispie said Saturday.  “I love the people here.”

This wasn’t the Billy Gillsipie that had drawn criticism for his sometimes tenuous interactions with media.  You know, that Billy Gillsipie who famously told ESPN sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards that her question about Jodie Meeks was a “bad question” during a nationally televised interview at halftime of UK’s loss at Mississippi on Jan. 27, 2009.

“I appreciate hard work,” Gillispie said Saturday.  “I appreciate the hard work you guys (the media) do.”

This Billy Gillispie cracked jokes.  He opened his news conference by joking that he tried to get UK Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations DeWayne Peevy to help him, but Peevy was busy.  At one point he openly admitted to forgetting what word he meant to use.  He only remembered it started with an “a.”

He said his former players would bounce back quickly because they had other important decisions like what to eat for dinner and what shoes to buy to think about.  He even suggested that the media turn the heat up on the next coach anytime the team lost because he thought they needed more pressure.  He said his house was for sale and joked that the price was negotiable.

This Billy Gillispie was obviously putting his best foot forward as he prepares to pursue other jobs.  The only contentious moments of the half-hour news conference came when he said he believed UK owed him all of the $6 million buyout, and when he claimed to like UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart but couldn’t remember any of Barnhart’s qualities that he liked when asked to elaborate.

This Billy Gillsipie will succeed.  He’ll find another job, probably before next season.  Look for the embattled former UK coach to return to his Big 12 roots or another Texas school.  Maybe he even gets a look in the SEC at Georgia or a prominent national job like Arizona.  Wherever Gillispie ends up he’ll be better prepared to succeed because of his time at UK.

“I’ll continue to be lucky,” Gillispie said.  “This is just a bump in the road.”

If only we’d seen a little more of this Billy Gillispie over the last half of the season, maybe he’d be around Lexington a little while longer to learn some more lessons.