Maybe Foley will work his magic again - is there a young up and coming assistant out there that has previously worked with Nick Saban?
Is Donovan leaving?
- Thread starter Gator Fever
- Start date
I actually spoke to Billy during a tour of the UF basketball facilities...if he leaves I am offcially an FIU fan.
Wonder if the delay in our stuff for basketball might be an issue? He's gotta be annoyed by the fact that our FB coach came in and immediately got an IPF while he's been pushing for basketball upgrades for a while and hasn't gotten much. I know we're a football school but damn.
The delay had nothing to do with the IPF for football. It had everything to do with the timing of the project. The construction and architectural firms were way behind and could not finish in time for the 15/16 basketball season.
Cheer up Colonel. sadgator hates to see you bummin'. Yeah, it sucks, but you know what, nothin' lasts forever. The older sadgator gets, the more apathetic he becomes about change like this.
We lived the glory years. We saw two basketball titles, multiple final 4's, multiple SEC tourney titles (sadgator's favorites) and have tons of great memories. And we lived it all in the prime of our lives. Not many fans can say that. Nothing to be sad about. If we never have another great moment in Florida Basketball, we've seen more than sadgator ever thought he would see in his lifetime.
Billy owes us nothing, and he gave us some of the best memories ever. If he wants a shot at the big time, well then, sadgator says "Thanks a bunch and good luck!"
We lived the glory years. We saw two basketball titles, multiple final 4's, multiple SEC tourney titles (sadgator's favorites) and have tons of great memories. And we lived it all in the prime of our lives. Not many fans can say that. Nothing to be sad about. If we never have another great moment in Florida Basketball, we've seen more than sadgator ever thought he would see in his lifetime.
Billy owes us nothing, and he gave us some of the best memories ever. If he wants a shot at the big time, well then, sadgator says "Thanks a bunch and good luck!"
I'm sorry.....I went to every hoops game when friggin NORM SLOAN was our coach.
Billy D is the ish.
Billy D is the ish.
Correction - he came back in one week last time. We wait two weeks, and then....
Let's face it, Billy IS UF hoops. IF he leaves, we are starting from scratch.
Wasn't trying to imply the IPF caused the delay, just spitballing. I might be wrong I just remember us wanting to make upgrades to the basketball arena for what seems like years and it hasn't happened yet. But we got an IPF pretty much immediately. I was more trying to speak to priorities for us with football>>> basketball and that pissing off Donovan, but that's just me guessing.
I wanted Shaka Smart, but that ship has sailed. Whoever it is, I hope Foley takes his time and hires the right guy. Gators hoops has a great brand at the moment, but that won't last long with the wrong hire. I still think the program has a lot of the ingredients to keep competing: mediocre league, wealthy athletic department, improving facilities, pretty good recruiting base and the best basketball tradition by far southeast of UK.
One thing I wonder about: Billy had to know the wheels were in motion at OKC before he hired Grant and I bet if you asked Billy to hand pick his successor, Grant would be the guy.
As far as Billy leaving, if it happens, I wish him good luck and will be pulling hard for him in the NBA. I think he was just sick of high school and college kids. He's been getting crankier and crankier. Hard to imagine Gator hoops without Billy. It will be weird.
One thing I wonder about: Billy had to know the wheels were in motion at OKC before he hired Grant and I bet if you asked Billy to hand pick his successor, Grant would be the guy.
As far as Billy leaving, if it happens, I wish him good luck and will be pulling hard for him in the NBA. I think he was just sick of high school and college kids. He's been getting crankier and crankier. Hard to imagine Gator hoops without Billy. It will be weird.
Disagree. Like Spurrier did with football, he built the program. But the program is bigger than any one coach.
That's who I've been thinking also. Archie would be a good hire. We finally got some real coaches in the SEC , and now Billy looks like he's leaving. Big blow to the SEC.
I sympathize with you guys. When Pitino left for the Celtics in 1997, I was crushed. I know it hurts and the unknown is pretty damn scary. But your AD isn't going to get a scrub coach.
I wouldn't say concerned, but a strong UF is good for the SEC. The Gators have been the Cats' primary SEC competition for 15 years now.
I may not like Florida, but I respect the program Donovan built in Gainesville and think he's a hell of a coach.
Actually UK fans don't want this to happen because Florida was the only other SEC school that did their part in basketball. No one else gave a crap and the conference had only been a two team conference for a long time.
So no, none of us want him to leave. I understand it cause it's a good opportunity but I hate the NBA and like to see the conference strong.
So no, none of us want him to leave. I understand it cause it's a good opportunity but I hate the NBA and like to see the conference strong.
Except no one wants a crappy conference to play in for two months before heading into the tournament. No one benefits from that. It's stuff like that, that produces a Villanova type season where you get bounced early cause you played nobody for months.
Plus, I used to go to Billy's basketball camps as a kid when he was at Marshall so soft spot for the guy.
Seems like he's having a little bit of a tough time pulling the trigger. The job has been offered apparently. I heard an interview with Joakim and he was talking like it was a done deal
There is still hope...
Pat Dooley @pat_dooley 3h3 hours ago
Text from inside the Billy Donovan camp -- "Don't believe all the stuff people are saying." I never do.
Pat Dooley @pat_dooley 3h3 hours ago
Text from inside the Billy Donovan camp -- "Don't believe all the stuff people are saying." I never do.
Eugene Frenette @GeneFrenette 7m7 minutes ago
What I was told by source on Monday about #Gators Donovan biggest impediment to NBA, leaving UF ties, is now playing out. Tough call for him
What I was told by source on Monday about #Gators Donovan biggest impediment to NBA, leaving UF ties, is now playing out. Tough call for him
If it's something he wants to do, he should go. If he pulls back from this offer, it's going to be hard for him to get another good one.
Bye Billy and thank you for everything and for being a class act. You are an awesome coach and person. I am now a huge OKC Thunder fan.
I haven't heard one UK fan happy about this. Billy was so good for this conference. I have zero allegiance to UF, but I'm sad to see him go. Happy for him, but sad for the SEC and the SEC fans.
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