The deal with Orlando is signed, sealed and delivered! Details will not be forthcoming but one detail is known, he will not be allowed to take an NBA Head Coaching job for 5 years. That of course breaks my heart as I wish it were 20 years! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: He may also face some financial penalties, but I think with his new contract at Florida he could afford it if that happened. Billy's Free To Stay A Gator
Gator Bill, Personally I am glad things turned out the way they did, not so much for you Gator fans, but college basketball in general. Some will fault Donovan for his decision and reversal on the contract, but I admire him for being quick to realize and admit his mistake. Kentucky fans are all hopped up about the so called new duel between Donovan and Gellesippi in the SEC! Don
I'm OK with everything that happened and how it unfolded, primarily because I like Donovan, but also because back-to-back national championships buys you such a huge mountain of credibility that an incident like this won't make a shovelful of difference in the long run.
That's why I love Skybox so much, such level headed approaches! :lol: :lol: Thanks guys and I agree. Press conference for the Gators today. And it seems Orlando did get their second choice Stan Van Gundy.
Congrats to you Gators, I think he made the right decision. There just really isn't much of a track record of college coaches going to the NBA and being successful. It's just a different game in the NBA. Look no further than Billy D's mentor Rick Pitino, or I'm sure you remember Lon Kruger don't you? Terry
I didn't see Donovan's press conference today but I hear he made the statement that in the past he couldn't say to a player he was recruiting that he would never leave for the NBA, but that now he could and the clause in his release from the Magic that he could not coach in the NBA for 5 years was easy for him to sign because he wants to coach at Florida as long as we will have him, that he wants to retire there.
I agree Terry, and he missed the press conference where Donovan said he will stay at Florida until he retires if we want him, and of course we do. He's been a jerk since the Gators won the Basketball championship championship. At one point he said Billy should leave. And this guy is a Gator Grad. Which only goes to prove all schools can have jerks.
He definitely did the right thing. The pro game stinks like dead fish. He would have been miserable up there.
Jerk or not he has a point. I truly have been a bit surprised at the complete love-fest here since he pulled this stunt...I've been keeping quiet so as not to get myself in trouble but I've felt the same way as Doyal. "It was only a one night stand, honey...it didn't mean anything...I still love only you!" Sheesh...I must be a jerk too, cuz' it would piss me off to have my coach jerk us around like that... So much for my keeping quiet and staying out of trouble. :roll:
Hey Stu, we are all entitled to our opinion and I respect yours. In Donovan's case I think he truly felt he made a mistake and decided to undo it. By doing that he cost himself some money, the contract he signed with Florida was the same one he had but had not signed, and some of his reputation with some people. Billy disappointed me when he signed with Orlando, but people can make mistakes and when you make one and get to undo it you are lucky. I don't condemn someone for making a mistake, especially when they don't have a pattern of that type thing. While I respect your opinion I don't agree with it.
Stu, It's only a WAG on my part, but if your coach had just won 2 straight NCs, I'm betting you would be quick to forgive him and welcome him back. By the way, a HS freshman phenom here in Ft. Wayne has declared for OSU.....He just finished his HS freshman year!!!! :roll: :roll:
Sid and Bill, I don't think it's a case of forgiveness...nor a case of mistakes. Yes, I'd probably be glad to have him back because he's obviously a great winner...but I do think that some of the luster would be gone. I'm kind of naive and old-fashioned...I like my coach to bleed Scarlet & Gray or Gold & Black...but it doesn't work that way anymore and I realize it. I don't think Billy made a mistake...I think he changed his mind...and before he did so he jerked around not only Florida but also Orlando. Forgiveness isn't needed, and yeah, I'd probably be glad to have him back. But this makes me think that it's all about Billy. And that was the point (I think) of that original article.
I'm not sure I exactly understand your point Stu. Of course he changed his mind that's why he's still at Florida. But he was up front, apologized and it didn't net him a bigger contract as that was the one he had already. As to being jerked around, I can assure you that Gator fans won't lose any sleep over the jerking we may have gotten and welcome him back with open arms. I can't speak for Orlando, but really don't care.
That's cool, but I think my point was expressed OK... FWIW here's another guy that agrees with you... http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/6889634
:lol: There is a given that Donovan is a first-tier college BB coach and may have suceeded in the NBA.....maybe, perhaps, possibly. With due respect to his adoring Gator fans.....this decision was all about Billy.....the 27 million guaranteed (not really), the endorsements, glamour, dignity and media exposure.....it was going to be a lovefest in Orlando for Billy Idol......at least for a year, perhaps two. BUT....when the contract was inked.....the fine print showed some clauses that made Mrs. Billy Idol quite nervous....its called "severability". Soooooooooooo..........what does Billy do (for Billy)?.....he runs back to Gainesville to negotiate a bigger bump in his contract and virtual tenure as a lifetime Gator coach.......that made Mrs. Billy quite happy......ERGO.....Billy, somehow conceived by Gator fans as a hero once more; declares his love for GatorLand and begs off his NBA contract to return to college coaching. ......now we see people like Gator Bill.....an honest true Gator; thinking that Billy's decision was one of the heart...and he's happy. Well,......I say BS !!!!.....it was Billy about Billy.....and a selfish self-serving playing of Orlando vs Gators to gain something he wanted for no one other than Billy. Thats ok.....he's still a damm good coach....but lets not vanilla wrap this event....it is what it is
Of course it is what it is. No one here has disputed that. The bottom line for this objective observer, is, who was the best candidate in the country to succeed Billy Donovan? Guess what? It was Billy Donovan. Billy Donovan left. The AD went after the best candidate for the job, and he landed Billy Donovan. End of story as far as I'm concerned.