ducks
05-24-2007, 08:58 AM
Donovan may make Magic leap
Gators coach remains without college contract
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The shock waves are really not too shocking.
Except maybe in Gainesville, where the Richter scale on Brian Hill's firing is likely rumbling long and loud.
But in Orlando, this was almost a foregone conclusion after the Magic three weeks ago gave Hill a tepid endorsement at best.
Now Hill is -- surprise, surprise -- fired, and it's time to move on and speculate on whom the Magic might hire as their next head coach.
Hire?
If you bleed orange and blue, then you're probably wondering if the proverbial other shoe is about to fall. It's hard not to think that with a vacancy in Orlando and just up the road in Gainesville, Florida Gators head coach Billy Donovan still sits without a contract extension, that there isn't some connection.
After all, Donovan is on record as saying that coaching in the NBA "intrigues" him.
Hmmmm.
You might recall that just this past Sunday I, perhaps presciently, mused as to whether the Magic would fire Hill and then go after Donovan.
Well, the former happened Wednesday, with an official announcement coming today.
As for the latter, and how Donovan fits into this picture, we'll see.
I think eventually, someday, somewhere down the road, Donovan will take his brand of BillyBall to the NBA. Is that time now?
Those who argue that Donovan wouldn't leave his family and friends behind in Gainesville -- notably his parents and a sibling -- must admit that the drive from Gainesville to Orlando is as close as Billy could ever get if he wants to coach in the NBA and still stay tethered to his loved ones.
From the Magic's standpoint, there probably isn't a sexier hire to help them over the hump in their quest for a new arena and at the same energize their fan base.
From Donovan's standpoint, his marquee -- and monetary -- value might never be higher than it is now, what with back-to-back NCAA National Championships fresh on his résumé.
You would think that after expressing their displeasure with Hill coaching Orlando to consecutive losing seasons, and going four and out in the playoffs, that it didn't take Magic ownership three weeks to pull the trigger unless they had a clear direction where they wanted to go next with a head coach.
But, then again, this is the Magic we're talking about.
This is a franchise that is now on record for firing Hill not once, but twice. This is a franchise that is about to hire its fifth head coach this decade. This is a franchise that fumbled away Shaquille O'Neal.
In short, this is a franchise that thus far has failed to distinguish itself in the NBA.
Believe it or not, little of that matters to the next guy they hire to be head coach. They all think it'll be different with them; that they're the guy who is finally going to win, and win big.
That's why I beg to differ with those who say Donovan would never want to leave the comfortable confines of Gainesville, where he could stay forever and become a beloved legend. Why leave that behind and become just another name in the NBA?
Why? Because everyone who makes the leap from college to the pros has a healthy enough ego to think they'll be the next Pat Riley or Phil Jackson. None of them leave for the NBA thinking they'll be the next flameout.
Besides, Billy knows as well as anyone how fickle fans can be. Yeah, they love him now at Florida. But it was just 14 months ago when a sizable segment of Gator Nation was wondering aloud if Donovan had what it took to take UF to the next level. Fans, especially college fans, can turn on you, and turn on you fast.
The party line out of UF is that the reason why Donovan doesn't yet have a contract extension is that it takes time to work these things out. That's true. It has to pass through a lot hands. A lot of red tape. So don't be surprised if any day now you learn that Billy has finally signed his new contract.
Until then, he has to be put at the top of Orlando's list.
After him, there are still some intriguing names. Larry Brown for one. Jeff Van Gundy for another. Lenny Wilkens, perhaps. Some second-tier veteran names include Rick Carlisle and Stan Van Gundy.
Another name that keeps surfacing for his first NBA head job is Phoenix assistant Marc Iavaroni, a Pat Riley disciple whom many insiders believe will one day be a top-notch NBA head coach.
But if the Magic wanted someone with no NBA head coaching experience on their résumé, then Billy Donovan is their man.
If he's interested, if the NBA really "intrigues" him, then the timing for him to make that leap couldn't be better.
Contact Kerasotis at 242-3694 or [email protected]. Listen to him Friday mornings from 8:30 to 9 on WMEL-AM 920
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070524/COLUMNISTS0306/705240345/1065/SPORTS
Gators coach remains without college contract
ADVERTISEMENT
The shock waves are really not too shocking.
Except maybe in Gainesville, where the Richter scale on Brian Hill's firing is likely rumbling long and loud.
But in Orlando, this was almost a foregone conclusion after the Magic three weeks ago gave Hill a tepid endorsement at best.
Now Hill is -- surprise, surprise -- fired, and it's time to move on and speculate on whom the Magic might hire as their next head coach.
Hire?
If you bleed orange and blue, then you're probably wondering if the proverbial other shoe is about to fall. It's hard not to think that with a vacancy in Orlando and just up the road in Gainesville, Florida Gators head coach Billy Donovan still sits without a contract extension, that there isn't some connection.
After all, Donovan is on record as saying that coaching in the NBA "intrigues" him.
Hmmmm.
You might recall that just this past Sunday I, perhaps presciently, mused as to whether the Magic would fire Hill and then go after Donovan.
Well, the former happened Wednesday, with an official announcement coming today.
As for the latter, and how Donovan fits into this picture, we'll see.
I think eventually, someday, somewhere down the road, Donovan will take his brand of BillyBall to the NBA. Is that time now?
Those who argue that Donovan wouldn't leave his family and friends behind in Gainesville -- notably his parents and a sibling -- must admit that the drive from Gainesville to Orlando is as close as Billy could ever get if he wants to coach in the NBA and still stay tethered to his loved ones.
From the Magic's standpoint, there probably isn't a sexier hire to help them over the hump in their quest for a new arena and at the same energize their fan base.
From Donovan's standpoint, his marquee -- and monetary -- value might never be higher than it is now, what with back-to-back NCAA National Championships fresh on his résumé.
You would think that after expressing their displeasure with Hill coaching Orlando to consecutive losing seasons, and going four and out in the playoffs, that it didn't take Magic ownership three weeks to pull the trigger unless they had a clear direction where they wanted to go next with a head coach.
But, then again, this is the Magic we're talking about.
This is a franchise that is now on record for firing Hill not once, but twice. This is a franchise that is about to hire its fifth head coach this decade. This is a franchise that fumbled away Shaquille O'Neal.
In short, this is a franchise that thus far has failed to distinguish itself in the NBA.
Believe it or not, little of that matters to the next guy they hire to be head coach. They all think it'll be different with them; that they're the guy who is finally going to win, and win big.
That's why I beg to differ with those who say Donovan would never want to leave the comfortable confines of Gainesville, where he could stay forever and become a beloved legend. Why leave that behind and become just another name in the NBA?
Why? Because everyone who makes the leap from college to the pros has a healthy enough ego to think they'll be the next Pat Riley or Phil Jackson. None of them leave for the NBA thinking they'll be the next flameout.
Besides, Billy knows as well as anyone how fickle fans can be. Yeah, they love him now at Florida. But it was just 14 months ago when a sizable segment of Gator Nation was wondering aloud if Donovan had what it took to take UF to the next level. Fans, especially college fans, can turn on you, and turn on you fast.
The party line out of UF is that the reason why Donovan doesn't yet have a contract extension is that it takes time to work these things out. That's true. It has to pass through a lot hands. A lot of red tape. So don't be surprised if any day now you learn that Billy has finally signed his new contract.
Until then, he has to be put at the top of Orlando's list.
After him, there are still some intriguing names. Larry Brown for one. Jeff Van Gundy for another. Lenny Wilkens, perhaps. Some second-tier veteran names include Rick Carlisle and Stan Van Gundy.
Another name that keeps surfacing for his first NBA head job is Phoenix assistant Marc Iavaroni, a Pat Riley disciple whom many insiders believe will one day be a top-notch NBA head coach.
But if the Magic wanted someone with no NBA head coaching experience on their résumé, then Billy Donovan is their man.
If he's interested, if the NBA really "intrigues" him, then the timing for him to make that leap couldn't be better.
Contact Kerasotis at 242-3694 or [email protected]. Listen to him Friday mornings from 8:30 to 9 on WMEL-AM 920
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070524/COLUMNISTS0306/705240345/1065/SPORTS