Billy Donovan going to Magic

Oh give it up. You know you would give up your children for 36 million dollars.

 

Smart move by the Magic; not a bad one by Donovan, either.

1) He's in the East, where winning is possible
2) The Magic are a playoff team
3) They the best under 25 big man in the league (until Oden arrives)
4) He gets the money and his family nearby

But I smell kind of a Spurrier here ... Donovan's style has always been up-tempo ... that works for wins in the NBA, but not titles.

 

Really doubt JW will leave 'Nova for another college job. If UF is smart, they'll hire Grant.

 

Anthony Grant is the man for the job, no question.

He was a huge part of Donovan's success, he can recruit the state of Florida and he has now proven that he is a good head coach. It's a no-brainer, in my opinion.

Also, the SEC is now down to one minority basketball coach -- Dennis Felton at Georgia. Anthony Grant shouldn't be hired because he's a minority, but I think it would be a huge bonus for UF and for the SEC.

Plus, let's be real. Frank Haith is on his way out at Miami. The minute they get rid of Haith, Anthony Grant is on his way to Coral Gables...unless UF gets him first. And when Miami gets Anthony Grant, the Gators will suddenly have some significant competition for in-state basketball talent.

 

Eh, this move doesn't do anything for me, so I'll hop on the anti bandwagon.

Wish Billy the best of luck but my gut instinct says he'll be fawked somehow.

 

Slight thread jack, but Stephen A Smith is the NBA version of Dick Vitale

 

The parallel being when Saban left LSU for the NFL, or when Saban left the NFL for Alabama?

 

Maybe the former, no way the latter

 

Smith is an idiot who loves his own voice. Vitale has a passion for the game and its players. Huge difference.

Grant is a great coach as well as a recruiter. I spent a weekend watching his team at the CAA Tourney, and not once did I get a "wow, that was stupid" thought when watching his teams play. He is a very good game coach.

George Mason on the other hand...

 

One thing I'll say though is that Vitale is such a ridiculous cheerleader for the game that he has no credibility at all. In his world, no coach should ever get fired, no kid should ever leave school early and every coach is the greatest coach on the planet, well except Coach K, who, to hear him tell it, is one step from God. He is annoying at best to listen to.

 

Vitale needs to be let go, he is the most biased announcer ever. He never brings anything interesting to the game and the same goes for his buddy Billy Packer.

 

Other than Pitino...

His legacy is to be lumped with Kruger, Floyd and Calipari? What about Leonard Hamilton, Dick and Frank McGuire, Jim O'Brien or Jerry Tarkanian? Not a real successful group in the NBA.

He could challenge Dean Smith, Roy Williams, Bobby Knight and Coach K with his potential legacy.

Now he is lumped with the guys who signed 770 Lou Rowe and Tim "Mayo" Floyd.

Trust me, this will be a bad decision three years from now.