Or both? By seeming to be tempted by the Kentucky job, he’s probably wangled a long-term extension at Florida for mucho bucks.
I think people just like to believe anything they read. I mean, you have one troll on the UK message board saying “Billy D to UK is a done deal” and all of the sudden every Cat fan (along with a few of the ultra-paranoid Gator fans) believes it. And this was during the NCAA tournament, while the Gators were preparing for the Final Four. Everyone who bought into that rumor had to throw all logic out the window and believe that Donovan was negotiating a contract instead of preparing his team to play UCLA. I don’t know why they would even want a coach that disloyal to his team.
But I think most people who reasonably looked at the situation knew that nothing was going to happen until after the tournament. And they would also have to realize that Kentucky had nothing to offer him that Florida did not. The NBA is a different story; I think Billy will eventually take a head coaching job there, although it may be 5-10 years before he does so.
As for the “mucho bucks,” I think Donovan could have gotten more if he’d let UK and UF get into a bidding war. But when his new contract is announced, I’m sure he will (deservedly) be the highest paid coach in college basketball
After two national championships, he was due for one anyway. His current deal has five more years at $1.8 million a year left, and he was offered an extension last year. I’m sure the Kentucky thing will add some dollars to the deal, but if he was really greedy, he didn’t have to turn them down on the first day of negotiations. My feeling was that Kentucky just had more money to offer, and if not more money, it had a level of historical prestige Florida doesn’t. Donovan apparently wasn’t too tempted by that and knows he’ll still get his money and do better at Florida.
I have a feeling this coaching search is going to turn into a humiliating exercise for Kentucky.
And besides Florida, we can add Texas to the list of coaching jobs that are better than Kentucky. Rick Barnes to Kentucky: “Nuh uh.”
I am a UK alumnus and a lifelong Wildcat Basketball fan.
I’m a Kentucky native and a current resident of the Bluegrass.
For whatever it’s worth, here’s what I think:
I’m glad Tubby left.
I’m always liked and respected Tubby and I still do.
Leaving was the best choice for both Tubby and the UK Basketball program.
I believe that Tubby has been uninspired and unhappy for a number of years.
Kentucky basketball fans have the highest expectations in college basketball. This is not a bad thing.
In the last 10 years, parity + the NBA has changed the world of college basketball. I expect UK’s coach to anticipate this situation and adjust for it so as to assure that the Cats remain dominant. That has not happened in the last decade.
I don’t know who we’re going to get that’s going to be better than Tubby.
As well as Billy Donovan’s done the past 3 years or so, I’m still not sure he’s all that.
I’d like to see UK get a young, agressive, up and coming coach in the mold of Pitino in the early '90s.
Either that or they should hire Joe B. and Denny as co-coaches. I bet you could get 'em for $2 mil.
Nolan Richardson is available…
Hell, if they don’t read it, they’ll just make it up. I can’t tell you how many times this week I’ve heard that Donovan was a done deal because his wife is from Lexington, or that his daughter wants to study equine science, or that his contract at Florida explicitly said that he would leave if a vacancy came up at Kentucky. (None of these things are true, but people tend to get pissed off when you point that out, so I stopped.)
You know that Donovan was coached by Pitino and worked as an assistant for him, right? It’s not going to get more ‘in the mold’ than that. He’s also younger than Pitino was when he won his championship with Kentucky. I don’t know enough about either guy, but Donovan has more titles and at some point you might be able to make the case that he’s a better coach than Pitino.
Everybody sure it’s Gillispie they’re hiring?
I mean, Bob Huggins has been at West Virginia for nearly a day and a half now. It’s time for him to make a move.
'nother alumnus (2006) checking in. I’m not a rabid, die hard fan but I like it when the team succeeds.
I worked part-time at Wildcat Lodge (the UK basketball players’ dormitory) as the front desk clerk during my final 2 years at UK. I frequently saw Tubby and often chatted with him. He’s definitely among the classiest, friendliest individuals with whom I’ve become acquainted. I think he’s an excellent coach on the court and great role model and mentor away from the court. His only real downfall is in recruiting and player development. He likes to recruit players who fit his teamwork oriented half-court style offense and tough defense philosophy. Some of those key recruits who signed on just never developed and improved anywhere near the extent that was desired. Chuck Hayes was an exception to this. Chuck wasn’t a big name recruit coming out of high school, but Tubby did an awesome job developing and improving him after signing on. Others (I won’t name names but I mostly have the taller guys in mind) just never really improved, and I think Tubby was a way too optimistic with some recruits.
I agree the time was right for him to move on, but, like NicePete, I’ll always respect Tubby.
I agree. I’d most prefer an up and comer who’s most hungry for a Final Four or championship. It looks as if Gillispie is the choice.
I disagree with you here. I could be wrong but I did not perceive this. I don’t think Tubby was really feeling unsettled until the final year. Tubby otherwise would have left earlier. The SEC-undefeated '03 UK team especially fueled Tubby’s passion.
Wow…I didn’t realize that, but…then again…I guess I don’t pay much attention to the local media. Some people are just really in the dark. Nation-wide news sources that I read just kept reporting Donovan’s silence until the official ‘No.’ I knew UK wanted Donovan, but I never felt the chances of him returning to Lexington were very good. He just doesn’t have anything to gain by leaving Florida for another school.
Duplicate post deleted. Sorry, the board kept timing out whenever I tried to post or preview.
Well, Kentucky didn’t get the coach of their dreams but they still did damn well for themselves.
Gillispie is a great hire. He was able to recruit at a school in the middle of nowhere. a school that had NO history of basketball success before his arrival. Imagine how much easier recruiting will be at Kentucky.
I’m a little surprised that Rick Barnes gave such a flat refusal so quickly. Glad, but surprised.