If Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart wants to stop the circus that has engulfed the once proud men's basketball program, he needs to break his nun-like vow of silence regarding the status of coach Billy Gillispie to avoid a further decimation of the program.

Larry Orton, father of the Wildcats' top incoming recruit, has made it clear via unanswered phone messages to Barnhart that unless he gets word Gillispie is staying at Kentucky, his son Daniel will bolt for another school.

The Wildcats are in great position to get two more kids in this year's senior class -- point guard Eric Bledsoe and combo guard Darius Smith -- and land one of the top juniors in the country, 6-6 Will Barton who Kentucky Ink profiled first, but the instability at UK has caused players to be rightfully hesitant to commit and given coaches at other schools ammunition when recruiting against Kentucky.

Though Barnhart might want to wait until the season is over to make any type of announcement, he should be smart enough to know that basketball recruiting is a cutthroat business and he can't afford to let the program remain in flux because the longer that happens, the less chance the current coaching staff has at landing players who will make the team better.

If Orton bolts, that is one less reason for current UK sophomore Patrick Patterson and junior Jodie Meeks to consider returning next season and who could blame them? They didn't have much help most of the season and if a player of Orton's caliber doesn't become a Wildcat why would Patterson and Meeks want to suffer another year when they could be making money as pros?

Orton's dad isn't the only one who is unhappy with the soap opera at Kentucky, the dad of two other signees scheduled to be freshman next fall, local product Jon Hood and G.J. Vilarino are also considering asking for a release as well if Gillispie's future isn't secure.

The head coach obviously hasn't been satisfied with the way things have transpired during his first two seasons at Kentucky. No one wants to be considered a failure who has ruined a mighty basketball powerhouse.

But it has only been two seasons since he arrived and fans need to remember that Gillispie wasn't Barnhart's first, second or third choice. Billy Donovan decided not to leave Florida and several other prominent head coaches also said no thank you before Gillispie gladly accepted the post.  

Does he need to take responsibility for one mediocre and one bad season culminating with a NIT appearance? Absolutely.

Should Kentucky fans ease up so as not to scare away future recruits and their parents who might not want their kids to feel the pressure of the Big Blue Nation suffocating their child. Sure.

Some of the coaches who decided not to come to Kentucky factored in the intense scrutiny that they would face from the rabid UK fans that is unlike any other in the nation.

For those who want Gillispie fired, imagine what things would be like without Patterson, Meeks and Orton?  What "savior" could Barnhart hire then to rescue the program? The same ones that turned him down in the first place who would be walking into an absolute death trap if all three left?

The only thing he can do now to remedy the situation is recruit better players, which he and his staff have been focused on. And it definitely wouldn't hurt if he acted a bit more likeable.

Nobody likes a loser, but people really can't stand a loser who isn't a pleasant person.

The 6-feet Bledsoe, was named the MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi all-star game. He is rated the eighth-best point guard and 73rd best player in the 2009 class and will be playing in the Derby Classic in Louisville. Odds are, he will be headed to UK's campus for a visit when the game is over.

Barton, rated the 28th best junior by Scout.com, will be visiting about the second week in April during spring break.

The Wildcats are also in good shape with 6-2 combo guard Darius Smith and point guard Rico Pickett, who is at Miami Dade Community College.

But the longer Barnhart allows this circus to continue, the more difficult it may be to convince these players that they would be committing to a stable situation.

The silence is deafening.

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