Billy Donovan to the Magic?

[Ksyrup]

So says ESPN.com.

$6M a year.

[ThunderingHERD]

Good for him I say. Orlando is in a great position with Howard & Darko (when does Hill's contract expire, btw?) whereas Florida just lost everyone. He couldn't possibly leave on a higher note, and if it doesn't work out he can just take his kajillion $ and get a job at another elite school.

[Ksyrup]

And if he fails, at least he won't be ruining a hallowed team like the Celtics.

[miami_fan]

Good for him I say. Orlando is in a great position with Howard & Darko (when does Hill's contract expire, btw?) whereas Florida just lost everyone. He couldn't possibly leave on a higher note, and if it doesn't work out he can just take his kajillion $ and get a job at another elite school.

Hill's contract has expired.

[bulletsponge]

And if he fails, at least he won't be ruining a hallowed team like the Celtics.


The Celtics have a GM that can do that thank you very much ;)

[ThunderingHERD]

Hill & Darko have expired, but the team will have to renounce them to have cap space. Hill will count over 17mil until then and Darko over 12mil. They have three 2nd round picks (39,44,54) but no first rounder. It's expected that Keyon Dooling will opt out and Pat Garrity might as well (but it's unlikely). If so, even with Garrity back, that team is suddenly 20mil under the projected 55-57mil cap of next year. That brings back Nelson, Turkoglu, Battie and Howard as primary starters from last season, it leaves you with Bogans, Arroyo, Redick, Ariza, Garrity and Augustine on the bench and the cap room plus 3 chances at nailing a 2nd round steal.

Ah, I forgot Darko was an RFA--I've been too busy to follow sports since last fall! What kind of $ is Darko expected to get?

[molson]

Great move for Donovan - go after the money when your stock is at it's highest. He can always go back to college if it doesn't work. What I don't get is NFL and NBA teams still throwing crazy money at college coaches. The success rate is extremely low.

[stevew]

Ah, I forgot Darko was an RFA--I've been too busy to follow sports since last fall! What kind of $ is Darko expected to get?

something between 3 years 24 million and 6 years 60 million.

[digamma]

Dear Billy,

Have fun in Orlando. Can we count on you to be in Columbia in three years?

Go Gamecocks,
Steven O. Spurrier

P.S. Click Clack!

[miami_fan]

Not that I want to stir up any trouble but......

What kind of buyout does John Pelphrey have in his contract with Arkansas?

[Groundhog]

Of the most recentish college coaches to make the jump, at least he's headed to a team that, well, isn't as bad as Atlanta or Floyd-era Bulls.

[Big Fo]

Great move for Donovan - go after the money when your stock is at it's highest. He can always go back to college if it doesn't work. What I don't get is NFL and NBA teams still throwing crazy money at college coaches. The success rate is extremely low.

Yeah this move has me worried for that reason. At least he's just going to be the coach and not coach/GM.

[wade moore]

Huh... I bet Virginia Commonwealth University is biting their fingernails right now...

[Ksyrup]

Billy Donovan back to Gators?!

[molson]

Billy Donovan back to Gators?!

Ya, I just saw the break-in on the Yanks/Sox game that he's now trying to get out of the contract. Kinda funny.

[Logan]

When it comes to these fucking college coaches, you just can't make shit up.

I don't know what I'm hoping for here...the other day I thought it was a nice situation for him where he had a good chance at succeeding. Now I think I want Orlando to hold him to the deal and fail miserably.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

If you're Florida, do you want him back? From a coaching standpoint, sure. But it's a bit like a marriage in a way... A guy I used to work with's wife up and left him one day for another guy she met online. I warned him that she's be back afte about a month, saying she made a mistake. It took two months, but he was ready... and felt great when he told her that she left and it was over (he even met someone new!)

My point is once you sever a relationship, going back never seems to work the same. If Donovan ends up back at Florida, how long will it be before he ends up in Miami? He obviously has a wandering eye and will walk for the right deal. Orlando must have got him good and drunk. Like many men he woke up on Saturday morning and said "OMG!!!"

[Lathum]

If you're Florida, do you want him back? From a coaching standpoint, sure. But it's a bit like a marriage in a way... A guy I used to work with's wife up and left him one day for another guy she met online. I warned him that she's be back afte about a month, saying she made a mistake. It took two months, but he was ready... and felt great when he told her that she left and it was over (he even met someone new!)

My point is once you sever a relationship, going back never seems to work the same. If Donovan ends up back at Florida, how long will it be before he ends up in Miami? He obviously has a wandering eye and will walk for the right deal. Orlando must have got him good and drunk. Like many men he woke up on Saturday morning and said "OMG!!!"

you take her back if she has won 2 straight titles

[Groundhog]

you take her back if she has won 2 straight titles

lol

[Ksyrup]

Practically speaking, there's no way for the Magic to keep him if he doesn't want to be there. At best, they can force him to pay to end the contract, and usually something like that is in the contract already. But the simple fact is, you can't have a coach who doesn't want to be there. That's worse than a top 3 college coach taking your job and then leaving in 2 days. Either they convince him to stay and lie that none of this really happened, or he goes back.

[Ksyrup]

Well, this is interesting. According to SI, the contract wasn't signed. Everything else I've read says he signed the contract on Thursday.


"GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Billy Donovan is "conflicted" about his decision to leave the Florida Gators to coach the Orlando Magic, and he will continue talking with the NBA team about the contract he agreed to last week, the Magic said Monday.
Donovan has not yet signed the five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Magic."

[Poli]

I want him at the very least to pay for the season tickets that were bought immediately after he was named head coach. :)

[Ksyrup]

Interesting to see the difference in how this is being reported.

As I mentioned above, SI has specifically said that Donovan didn't sign the contract. However, the article quotes the Magic in its press release from this morning about the situation, including reference to his "contract signing."

ESPN.com not only says that the contract was signed - several times - but then goes into a discussion of how he could get out of it, etc.

I'm going with ESPN on this one.

[Leonidas]

The state of Florida has a law that contracts can be voided by either party within 72 hours of signing it. If Donovon wants out of the deal there's really not a damn thing the Magic can do about it. I used to do service work that involved selling and executing terms of contracts in Orlando and this was something we always cringed about within the first couple days of a big deal.

[Leonidas]

From ESPN

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2892334

Once Donovan signed the contract, he was committed unless there is a provision allowing the party to get out of the contract within a certain period. The parties can either agree to rescind or the Magic could sue Donovan for breach of contract. But what are the damages? It is unlikely that there would be any financial damages to pursue a lawsuit.State of Florida contract law automatically provides that provision.

[Eaglesfan27]

You would think that Donovan's lawyers would know that provision. I wonder if he is still vacilating and will be talked into staying.

[JPhillips]

I think Donovan just wants to go back to Florida, but if this is a play for more money or control it's genius.

[albionmoonlight]

UF's reaction to all this demonstrates that they are a program that happens to have a great basketball coach--not a great program.

[st.cronin]

UF's reaction to all this demonstrates that they are a program that happens to have a great basketball coach--not a great program.

What do you mean?

[MrBug708]

UF's reaction to all this demonstrates that they are a program that happens to have a great basketball coach--not a great program.

Wouldnt you say that is true of Duke as well?

[rkmsuf]

he probably is doing orlando a favor

[Ksyrup]

Per SI, he's going back to UF and Stan Van Gundy is the man in Orlando.

[albionmoonlight]

What do you mean?

There are a few programs (UNC, Kentucky, Kansas) that are greater than any one coach. When Roy Williams left Kansas, they did not become a second-tier program. They got the best coach on the market and hired him and stayed on top.

UF's reaction to this (the whole idea that they kept asking Donovan to reconsider (which information I read somewhere)) indicates that they realize that they are not a great program, but a program that happens to have a great coach and the resources with which a great coach can win. After Donovan leaves, they will not be a top five program.

As for Duke, I think that time will tell. Coach K has been there so long and has been so successful that it is hard to imagine Duke without him. I would speculate that as long as the University dedicates the resources, Duke can become one of those programs post-K.

As a UNC fan, I hope that Duke does maintain greatness. A rivalry is at its best when both programs are on the same footing.

[st.cronin]

There are a few programs (UNC, Kentucky, Kansas) that are greater than any one coach. When Roy Williams left Kansas, they did not become a second-tier program. They got the best coach on the market and hired him and stayed on top.

UF's reaction to this (the whole idea that they kept asking Donovan to reconsider (which information I read somewhere)) indicates that they realize that they are not a great program, but a program that happens to have a great coach and the resources with which a great coach can win. After Donovan leaves, they will not be a top five program.

As for Duke, I think that time will tell. Coach K has been there so long and has been so successful that it is hard to imagine Duke without him. I would speculate that as long as the University dedicates the resources, Duke can become one of those programs post-K.

As a UNC fan, I hope that Duke does maintain greatness. A rivalry is at its best when both programs are on the same footing.


So they're not a great program because they recognize the value of a coach who won back to back championships? Not sure I see your logic there.

[Ksyrup]

They're not a great basketball program because the only reason anyone at UF cares about this team right now is because they are winning. That's it. If Donovan left and the next guy didn't pick up where he left off, it would be no big deal. It's only a big deal now because of the bragging rights - adding this to the football team's success is just gravy. Take it away, and they still only care that the football team is on top.

[albionmoonlight]

So they're not a great program because they recognize the value of a coach who won back to back championships? Not sure I see your logic there.

You might recognize it and just not agree with it.

I have no problem with their AD, etc. trying to keep Donovan. Indeed, getting the best coach in college basketball (IMHO) to build a program at a football school indicates a top notch AD.

But, Donovan is still bigger than the program. When he leaves, Florida will not be a top-five program anymore.

[Logan]

But, Donovan is still bigger than the program. When he leaves, Florida will not be a top-five program anymore.

Please start a thread with this as a title. FOFC has been on fire lately.

[st.cronin]

You might recognize it and just not agree with it.

I have no problem with their AD, etc. trying to keep Donovan. Indeed, getting the best coach in college basketball (IMHO) to build a program at a football school indicates a top notch AD.

But, Donovan is still bigger than the program. When he leaves, Florida will not be a top-five program anymore.

You're probably right about that, although it depends on who they hire to replace him obviously. I think that's true of almost all schools, though - without a good coach, they're not competitive. UCLA, Indiana, and UNC have each gone through down periods in recent years, and ended up firing their coach. I would say those are three of the best programs in the country.

Anyway, I originally thought you were making some sort of moral critique, that Florida was acting shady in some way.

[Young Drachma]

Wow, interesting turn of events. I think he should've tried his hand at the NBA. He didn't have much to lose if he doesn't do well there, it's not as if he can't back to college and still make huge bucks afterwards. I mean, back to back titles is nothing to sneeze at.

He needs to stop listening to those folks in Gainesville.

[miami_fan]

There are a few programs (UNC, Kentucky, Kansas) that are greater than any one coach. When Roy Williams left Kansas, they did not become a second-tier program. They got the best coach on the market and hired him and stayed on top.

UF's reaction to this (the whole idea that they kept asking Donovan to reconsider (which information I read somewhere)) indicates that they realize that they are not a great program, but a program that happens to have a great coach and the resources with which a great coach can win. After Donovan leaves, they will not be a top five program.

As for Duke, I think that time will tell. Coach K has been there so long and has been so successful that it is hard to imagine Duke without him. I would speculate that as long as the University dedicates the resources, Duke can become one of those programs post-K.

As a UNC fan, I hope that Duke does maintain greatness. A rivalry is at its best when both programs are on the same footing.

Florida does not have a great basketball program right now. Especially not when compared to UNC, Kentucky or Kansas. That is why you try to keep a Billy Donovan. If you get him to coach at Florida for 20+ years (a la a Coach K, or a Dean Smith), maybe you can create a great basketball program at Florida. However, a great basketball program at Florida will never match the greatness of the basketball programs at Kansas, UNC or Kentucky. I think the same could be said for Syracuse, Texas, Connecticut, among others.

[spleen1015]

Kansas is a great program. UNC and Kentucky are not great programs.

Kentucky isn't even a top tier program anymore. They just have history.

Who's to say that the next UF coach won't continue what Donovan would have left behind? That VCU coach looks very promising.

[albionmoonlight]

Kansas is a great program. UNC and Kentucky are not great programs.

Kentucky isn't even a top tier program anymore. They just have history.

We just see the world differently. When I think of great programs--taking into account success, history, fanbase, and tradition--I rank them like this:

1.) Kentucky

2.) UCLA/UNC/Kansas

3.) Duke/UConn/Indiana (Some others fit here, too--probably 6 to 10 more schools, but if I try to complete this list, I will forget an obvious team).

4.) Everyone else

[Radii]

Kansas is a great program. UNC and Kentucky are not great programs.


*blinks* By what measure exactly is UNC not a great program?

[sooner333]

That VCU coach looks very promising.

I think he could be a great coach, but I do have to be a little skeptical of a coach who does well at a mid-major with another coach's talent (see: Stan Heath @ Kent State). If you were going to hire him if he was still the top assistant, then go ahead...if you're relying on one year at VCU, then I think you need to step back and take a harder look.

[Karlifornia]

Kansas is a great program. UNC and Kentucky are not great programs.

Kentucky isn't even a top tier program anymore. They just have history.



Funniest thing I've read today.

[Young Drachma]

I think he could be a great coach, but I do have to be a little skeptical of a coach who does well at a mid-major with another coach's talent (see: Stan Heath @ Kent State). If you were going to hire him if he was still the top assistant, then go ahead...if you're relying on one year at VCU, then I think you need to step back and take a harder look.

Anthony Grant was the lead assistant at Florida for years before he took that VCU job. He's got history there, would want to be there and Donovan basically recommended him for it before he left.

I think that'd be best for that program to move forward with, because he's not headed to the NBA and it'd be better for Otis Smith to tell Billy "Sorry, I understand how you feel. But a deal is a deal." He'll get over it and he'll move on and if he doesn't, he'll resign from the Magic and have to basically save face in the college world after a year as an analyst on TV.

I don't think you let him go back and "storybook" this with nothing to show for it, especially with a young team that could use him and that would probably do well with him at the helm.

He'll get over his 'conflictedness' after the team decides it for him.

[sooner333]

I don't think Grant would necessarily do a bad job, but I don't think you would want to give him the job unless you would have if he hadn't taken over a program already. But, that point is pretty moot now...Donovan is coming back and Grant will have a better opportunity to prove himself.

[wade moore]

I don't think Grant would necessarily do a bad job, but I don't think you would want to give him the job unless you would have if he hadn't taken over a program already. But, that point is pretty moot now...Donovan is coming back and Grant will have a better opportunity to prove himself.

Not that it matters now, but..

My impression was that Grant would have probably been next in line even if he never left Florida and stayed as an assistant.

And to your point above about other coach's talent. Yes, it was another coach's talent. However, it is worth noting that he used them in an ENTIRELY different way than the previous coach did and did far better with them despite losing the conference MVP the year before. Time will tell, but I think what Grant did with that VCU team was almost more impressive than if he did it with his own players. He completely changed that team. And, all signs right now point to an absolutely incredible recruiting class.

[Leonidas]

Florida has a great athletic department fueled by tons of money brought in from one of the great football programs in the country. They happen to have an excellent basketball coach who has recruited really well and was lucky enough to have a group of guys committed to staying together to make history by repeating for a title. The state of Florida in general has not traditionally been a hotbed of basketball. Talented players occasionally come from Florida, but up until this recent Florida run there has been nothing resembling a basketball dynasty by any of the Florida schools. The state of Florida has been, and almost certainly will remain a football first state.

I believe Donovan will always have a top 20 program, wherever he goes, but it remains to be seen if he will ever have a run like these past two years again. IMO it was a fluke. Ohio State had just as talented a group of young players come in last year and they are all leaving already. Even Duke can't keep top talent in school anymore. Building a basketball run like that is just the luck of the personalities of the guys you recruit. I don't think there's a coach alive who has any control over it one way or the other.

IMO right now Roy Williams, Jim Calhoun, and Coach K are the very best. If Donovan can take this new class he has coming in and put it in the Final 4 in the next 2-3 years then I would consider him a member of that group. If he leaves Florida, I agree, it would go back to being a football school that occasionally has a good basketball team (much like Florida State), unless they are lucky enough to get someone really talented to replace Donovan.

[Logan]

Heard earlier that Orlando will let Donovan out of the deal if he agrees to not take an NBA job for 5 years.

I love it...either take the job you agreed to, accept staying at Florida for 5 years, or end up showing everyone that you don't really love Florida as much as you're letting on if you fight that part of the deal.

[Ksyrup]

He's not going to fight that. If he truly wants to go back to UF, he'll be there for a minimum of 5 years, if not way longer than that. This is really more like a free shot at him for doing what he did as opposed to a provision intended to truly penalize him.

[miami_fan]

Heard earlier that Orlando will let Donovan out of the deal if he agrees to not take an NBA job for 5 years.

I love it...either take the job you agreed to, accept staying at Florida for 5 years, or end up showing everyone that you don't really love Florida as much as you're letting on if you fight that part of the deal.

That seems like a reasonable request. I don’t understand why the Magic would want Donovan to be their coach at this point. If he is serious about not wanting to be your coach, tell him to go to hell and get a coach who wants to be there. Keeping Donovan at this point is a recipe for disaster. For example, what if he gives J.J. Reddick 30 minutes a game next year and Reddick sucks. Is he doing it to get the kid some experience? Maybe. Is he doing it because he wants to sabotage the team? Maybe. Yes, the expectations are that he will be a professional and he will do the best job possible. However, that it not the way fans and the media would look at it. Why would the Magic want to subject themselves to that?

[spleen1015]

We just see the world differently. When I think of great programs--taking into account success, history, fanbase, and tradition--I rank them like this:

1.) Kentucky

2.) UCLA/UNC/Kansas

3.) Duke/UConn/Indiana (Some others fit here, too--probably 6 to 10 more schools, but if I try to complete this list, I will forget an obvious team).

4.) Everyone else

I wouldn't put Kentucky at the top given the last 3-5 years.

UNC had a few bad years before Roy Williams took over. I have no doubt that he will continue to make them a championship candidate every year that he is there. Not liking them makes me want to value them lower. :)

It is all a matter of opinion anyway. Do you really think that Duke is on the same level as Indiana and not on the same level as UCLA or Kansas, let alone Kentucky? Look at the last 20 years and you will see who has been the best program in college basketball. It is certainly not Kentucky, Kansas, UNC, or UCLA.

[spleen1015]

*blinks* By what measure exactly is UNC not a great program?

I think I used inaccurate words. The program is a top program, they've just had teams that weren't top tier teams at times in the last 5-8 years.

[Radii]

Gotcha. I think most people in that kind of discussion are going back 50 years, or maybe to 1939 to the start of the NCAA tournament, or perhaps back to the beginning of college basketball itself.

Last 20 years, or last anything that takes you back into the 80s at any point, and your answer is Duke, then UNC, then everyone else. Its a testament to how great UNC's program is that the 3 years coached by Matt Doherty stand out so very much and put such a blemish on the program. This is still a team with 8 NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 10 years, 3 final fours, including 1 national title. 7 Final Fours and 2 national titles in the last 20 years.


Back on topic, I think Donovan would be insane to go to the pros, just like he would have been to go to Kentucky. He has it made in Florida, he's got two titles, a nice big contract and a school and environment that can compete and win every year, but that, until they do it for a number of years in a row, won't be a crazy high pressure basketball school like a Kentucky is. I can't think of a coach in a better situation in the country than Billy Donovan right now, except perhaps Coach K. The chances of him succeeding in Orlando are really slim IMO, much much worse than the chances of him staying at Florida and becoming a college coaching legend by the time he's done.

[Logan]

He's not going to fight that. If he truly wants to go back to UF, he'll be there for a minimum of 5 years, if not way longer than that. This is really more like a free shot at him for doing what he did as opposed to a provision intended to truly penalize him.

Then shouldn't this be resolved already? The latest ESPN article said that now that Orlando has demanded this, they are in negotiations.

Especially in light of this newest wrinkle, negotiations were expected to continue into Tuesday.

What's to negotiate? Obviously, the length of time is what's being discussed. Which lends itself to exactly what I said earlier...any resistance on this number and they're going to basically have Donovan admitting that he wants the option of jumping to the NBA again, that he's not as serious about loving UF as he is letting on.

That seems like a reasonable request. I don’t understand why the Magic would want Donovan to be their coach at this point. If he is serious about not wanting to be your coach, tell him to go to hell and get a coach who wants to be there. Keeping Donovan at this point is a recipe for disaster. For example, what if he gives J.J. Reddick 30 minutes a game next year and Reddick sucks. Is he doing it to get the kid some experience? Maybe. Is he doing it because he wants to sabotage the team? Maybe. Yes, the expectations are that he will be a professional and he will do the best job possible. However, that it not the way fans and the media would look at it. Why would the Magic want to subject themselves to that?

Just a little extra power I would guess. Apparently they hold all the cards (I'd like to hear more about the supposed 72 hour grace period that seems to not be coming into play) so they want something out of it. Blocking him from the NBA for 5 years would be that something.

[albionmoonlight]

Seems reasonable for the Magic. First, they might be doing it just because they are (somewhat understandably) pissed at Donovan.

But they are also covering their ass a little here. What if Billy D. goes back to UF for one or two seasons, and then jumps to the Heat and ends up doing really well? Orlando would look like total chumps for having gotten played by him.

Here, they look gracious because they are letting him follow his heart back to college, but they also protect against the chump situation outlined above.

And if Billy D. does not want to accept the condition, then I really do wonder about his motivations.

[Ksyrup]

I think it's simply the timing of it all that has pushed negotiations back. First, the Magic's owner had to return from out of the country to give his input, and second, it's the league that is insisting on the ban, not the Magic. If it came up during the late afternoon, that would be enough to push everything to the next day. Believe me, I've been involved in much more benign negotiations that got pushed back a day or 5 for no apparent reasons.

[albionmoonlight]

it's the league that is insisting on the ban, not the Magic.

Interesting. I wonder why the league cares.

[Logan]

Interesting. I wonder why the league cares.

Agreed. Can we get a link on this? Why would the NBA effectively want a coach banned for any amount of time?

[Young Drachma]

I bet Stern is annoyed about this, because it makes his league look bad.

[Ksyrup]

Agreed. Can we get a link on this? Why would the NBA effectively want a coach banned for any amount of time?

It says this in the article:

Billy Donovan and the Magic entered talks on Monday to terminate the contract that he signed on Friday, but the NBA might have a say in resolving the matter as well, ESPN.com has learned. Multiple sources said that Donovan is being asked to refrain from coaching in the NBA for five years as one of the terms of his release from his Magic contract.

[rkmsuf]

oh billy, billy, billy...don't let me down billy...

[Logan]

It says this in the article:

Billy Donovan and the Magic entered talks on Monday to terminate the contract that he signed on Friday, but the NBA might have a say in resolving the matter as well, ESPN.com has learned. Multiple sources said that Donovan is being asked to refrain from coaching in the NBA for five years as one of the terms of his release from his Magic contract.

How in God's name do you get "it's the league that is insisting on the ban" from "the NBA might have a say in resolving the matter as well?"

I would take that to mean the NBA can tell the Magic to let Donovan out of the deal, but hey, that's just me.

[Anthony]

Interesting. I wonder why the league cares.

huh? the NBA just can't have coaches accepting/declining contracts willy nilly. how would that look if this Donovan issue happened once (or more) a year?

[Logan]

huh? the NBA just can't have coaches accepting/declining contracts willy nilly. how would that look if this Donovan issue happened once (or more) a year?

Teams would stop ignoring historic performance and realize hiring college choices isn't the best idea?

[Ksyrup]

How in God's name do you get "it's the league that is insisting on the ban" from "the NBA might have a say in resolving the matter as well?"

I would take that to mean the NBA can tell the Magic to let Donovan out of the deal, but hey, that's just me.

Pretty easy - the league wasn't involved until this issue came up. I don't see any other reason why the league would now need to get involved, other than to deal with a league-wide ban. I say that because legally, I think Donovan agreeing to a ban from the league, rather than a single team trying to enforce what is essentially a covenant not to compete in the only professional basketball league that matters to anyone, might hold up better in court if it was ever challenged.

[Logan]

Pretty easy - the league wasn't involved until this issue came up. I don't see any other reason why the league would now need to get involved, other than to deal with a league-wide ban. I say that because legally, I think Donovan agreeing to a ban from the league, rather than a single team trying to enforce what is essentially a covenant not to compete in the only professional basketball league that matters to anyone, might hold up better in court if it was ever challenged.

I just don't see how you would come to that conclusion over the much more reasonable "the NBA wants this to just go away."

But even still, if I'm buying what you're selling, how do you come up with "the league is insisting, not the Magic?" Seems like they have a pretty big role in this...I could see the NBA coming to the Magic's defense, legally, if they want to push for it, but I don't see how you dismiss their involvement.

[Gary Gorski]

Teams would stop ignoring historic performance and realize hiring college choices isn't the best idea?

IMO this was one of the few opportunities for a college coach to actually have some success in the NBA. Orlando has a very good, young playoff team - how often are you going to walk into a job with a guy like Dwight Howard on your team (as well as Nelson, Milicic etc) - yeah almost all the time the college coaches end up failing but most of that time they're put in a position to fail from the start. What are you going to do if you walk in and take over the Grizzlies or the Celtics or something? You'll be horrible for two years (if you make it that far) and get canned. At least Donovan would have had a team that should make the playoffs and is in the weaker overall conference. Frankly I think he had more to gain by jumping to the NBA - he could have been the exception when people talk about college coaches failing and he's never going to have any more value to the NBA than he did now.

[sooner333]

wade- I think Grant would do a great job coaching a team...I was just generalizing the fact that a lot of good coaches do well in those types of situations and then falter when it comes to actually building a program. While Florida is a very rare job to come open, there is still some work to do--noone would agree that they are even close to as talented as last season.

Also, since you're kind of our in-house CAA expert here...I was under the assumption that VCU had a few injuries that didn't let Capel do the things he wanted to last year. I don't really know how great of a coach Capel is yet, but he is a great recruiter.

[Deattribution]

IMO this was one of the few opportunities for a college coach to actually have some success in the NBA. Orlando has a very good, young playoff team - how often are you going to walk into a job with a guy like Dwight Howard on your team (as well as Nelson, Milicic etc) - yeah almost all the time the college coaches end up failing but most of that time they're put in a position to fail from the start. What are you going to do if you walk in and take over the Grizzlies or the Celtics or something? You'll be horrible for two years (if you make it that far) and get canned. At least Donovan would have had a team that should make the playoffs and is in the weaker overall conference. Frankly I think he had more to gain by jumping to the NBA - he could have been the exception when people talk about college coaches failing and he's never going to have any more value to the NBA than he did now.

Agreed, this was the best situation possible for Donovan - location, a good team and the easier conference. I think the ban ends up being meaningless because unless he knows something everyone else doesn't (ie a cheap owner with no desire to win ect) then I don't see him taking another NBA job anyway.

[miami_fan]

I just don't see how you would come to that conclusion over the much more reasonable "the NBA wants this to just go away."

But even still, if I'm buying what you're selling, how do you come up with "the league is insisting, not the Magic?" Seems like they have a pretty big role in this...I could see the NBA coming to the Magic's defense, legally, if they want to push for it, but I don't see how you dismiss their involvement.

I will bet big money the NBA (specifically David Stern) is playing a huge role in this deal. There is no way something this sensitive to the league's image does not have Stern's fingerprints all over it. Hardball tactics are Stern's MO.

[TargetPractice6]

Kansas is a great program. UNC and Kentucky are not great programs.Bucknell and Bradley disagree.

[Logan]

I will bet big money the NBA (specifically David Stern) is playing a huge role in this deal. There is no way something this sensitive to the league's image does not have Stern's fingerprints all over it. Hardball tactics are Stern's MO.

So he's fine with everyone calling the playoffs a joke because the Spurs didn't earn their way past the Suns, as he refuses to budge in the future and fix the only ironclad rule in the entire fucking book...but he has a problem with the one college coach who has ever signed an NBA deal only to back out of it a couple days later, and wants to make an example out of him to all the potential guys who could be the future of coaching in this league?

Actually, yes...this does have Stern's fingerprints all over it.

[miami_fan]

So he's fine with everyone calling the playoffs a joke because the Spurs didn't earn their way past the Suns, as he refuses to budge in the future and fix the only ironclad rule in the entire fucking book...but he has a problem with the one college coach who has ever signed an NBA deal only to back out of it a couple days later, and wants to make an example out of him to all the potential guys who could be the future of coaching in this league?

Actually, yes...this does have Stern's fingerprints all over it.

I am glad you finally are seeing David Stern the same way I have for almost 15 years

[Logan]

Eh...not really finally. He's always been my most hated fellow Rutgers alum.

[wade moore]

wade- I think Grant would do a great job coaching a team...I was just generalizing the fact that a lot of good coaches do well in those types of situations and then falter when it comes to actually building a program. While Florida is a very rare job to come open, there is still some work to do--noone would agree that they are even close to as talented as last season.

Also, since you're kind of our in-house CAA expert here...I was under the assumption that VCU had a few injuries that didn't let Capel do the things he wanted to last year. I don't really know how great of a coach Capel is yet, but he is a great recruiter.

I'm not sure what injuries you might be thinking of... Pellot-Rosa, one of the starting guards, got injured in the CAA tourney and played hurt in the NCAA's.. outside of that, there was a guy they thought might contribute (but was unporven) that sat out all year... beyond that, they had their key guys...

Anyway, yeah.. I get your main point, and I agree.. more than his success at VCU though I think it's keey that he may have gotten the job offer if he never left as assistant, so I think what he did at VCU could just serve to confirm what they believed about him..

Another top tier team hiring him would seem fishy to me, but Florida has a unique understanding of him so it seems less of a knee-jerk decision...

[Ksyrup]

This is awesome!


Jun 20, 9:58 PM EDT


Minor League Team Parodies Donovan
By ANTONIO GONZALEZ
Associated Press Writer


FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Billy Donovan backed out of his deal. Sound familiar?

It happened again Wednesday night when the Fort Myers Miracle, a Single-A minor league baseball team in the Florida State League, poked fun at the Florida Gators coach who reneged on his deal with the Orlando Magic by hosting "Billy Donovan Night."

The Miracle were scheduled to have Billy Donovan there - well, not THAT Billy Donovan.

A Fort Myers man who shares the coach's name - and is a Florida State fan - was supposed to throw out the first pitch, but backed out at the last minute.

"Apparently, he has a new job," the public address announcer said.

Indeed, he does. The 'other' Donovan issued a statement Wednesday night through the team, saying he has taken a job as a waiter in nearby Bonita Springs.

"I truly believe the attention I received from the Miracle's promotion helped me land this opportunity," he said. "Unlike the Florida coach, I was going to follow through on my agreement. Go Seminoles."

The Donovan parody night gave fans the chance to strike an "out clause" and negotiate their way out of their ticket purchase, just like Donovan escaped his five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Magic.

The contract, in this case, was the ticket. Prices for the Miracle's game against the Tampa Yankees were $7 and $5, but only a few of the announced crowd of 2,029 - about 1,200 more than the typical Wednesday crowd at Hammond Stadium - planned to ask for their money back.

"I'm not going to do a Billy Donovan," said Tom Walkers, 27, sitting near third base. "I'm going to follow through with my contract."

Some fans sported Gators orange and blue apparel, while others donned Magic jerseys. Waffles, a tribute to the coach's "waffling," were on sale at food stands. And hair gel - to mimic Donovan's slick look - was available.

Between innings, sound bytes from Donovan's last news conference were played over the speakers. Fans mocked the coach throughout.

Fans began restructuring their deals after the third inning. The price of the ticket, the seat location and even buyouts were all up for negotiation. If necessary, a free throw had to be converted to make the contract official. A drawing to win free Gators basketball tickets was used as a "bonus option" to entice fans to honor their deals.

The Miracle had Fort Myers defense attorney Michael Hornung on site to negotiate settlements. Hornung, by coincidence, attended the same high school - St. Agnes in Rockville Centre, N.Y. - as Donovan.

He stayed firm during deliberations, but took the role to heart.

"I would think opting out of a Miracle game has as much credence as Billy Donovan leaving a $27.5 million contract," Hornung said. "I don't know why you'd do it."

It's not known what Donovan thought of the event. He did not immediately return a message from The Associated Press.