Donovan Going Back to Florida?

Too many people work at jobs they really don't like or want. If his heart is at Florida, good for Billy.

We all make stupid decisions. Better to admit that now rather than weeks or months from now.

 

Now that's fucking reporting, boys and girls. Get me a friggin' source that sounds like a source. Two things we should take from this breaking news story and how it was covered: 1. It doesn't fucking matter who breaks the story. What matters is who does the best damned job. Maybe Dave was knocking doors because he felt that he dropped the ball. But he shouldn't sweat it. I've seen a million stories that broke via one reporter only to be followed by kudos-worthy reporting by others.

2. Dave Curtis and Lynn Hoppes updated this at 10:30 a.m. I have to think those crazy fools stayed up all night on this story. (Partly because there were multiple spelling and grammar errors in the 10:30 update ;-)

A lot of folks have criticized Hoppes in the past. I have to give him credit for being true to his profession and true to his staff. A lot of editors would have gone home long before these guys broke their own story at 2 a.m. It answers a question I posed last night, which was why the local boys were scooped by FoxSports. The better question is, "Who the fuck cares?" And the answer that appears on the byline that reads: Dave Curtis and Lynn Hoppes.

 

If Orlando gets a reputation for being a shithole, my money's on Mike O'Koren.

 

I don't know the number of years, but it was a few after his change of heart. I don't think the pressure Dave Braine put on him had anything to do with the flirtation.

The way Herrion was run out of College of Charleston, you don't think they were going to give him a lifetime pass, do you? No, they want to rediscover the wave John Kreese had them on before it crashed ashore.

Bobby left Georgia Tech and recharged his batteries. Sure, he didn't get elite coaching offers - I don't think even he had that train of thought. He did some TV work and was actually sort of entertaining - not Lefty Driesell-level entertaining, but more than merely passable.

Cremins probably did better to stay, then end up out at Georgia Tech than he would have at South Carolina. As much as it pains me to say, Dave Odom hasn't brought big-time success with him to Columbia and I have my doubts Cremins would have done much better.

 

Don't you all think there's a bit more to this story than Donovan getting cold feet?

Even if he was having second thoughts, there had to be a watershed moment, that point at which he went from I just don't know if this is right to this is definitely not right.

Was it when he talked to a recruit? When he read an editorial? Watched a TV segment? Spoke to a former player? Met with UF officials? When the Magic told him Howard has been hanging out with the Cincinnati Bengals and a former Dolphins running back?

I did see this little story. It's worth noting, as it relates to how his move might have affected incoming recruits.

http://www.alligator.org/pt2/070602hoops.php

 

Just guessing, but what about his wife wanting to stay in Gainesville? They're play, I believe, was to stay at Gainesville for a while but eventually move to Orlando.

 

Maybe he saw the SEC town ratings in the Athens thread and decided he had it good where he was.

 

Just posted this on the other Donovan thread, not realizing this one was going. Sorry if the following does not cover new ground:

The oldest of Donovan's four (I believe, maybe three) children just completed his freshman year at a new Catholic high school in Gainesville. Donovan was instrumental in fundraising for the school and his dad coaches the basketball team. He's very family-oriented and this plan to coach the Magic, keep the family in Gainesville and get there when he could from Orlando always seemed fraught with logistical problems. Orlando's as close to Gainesville as one can get in the NBA, but not close enough if you want to maintain a home in Gainesville.

The "change of heart" may have been as simple as re-thinking these logistics.

 

This is a little off-base, but it appears that Donovan might have been dealing with almost the exact situation faced by the coach character on Friday Night Lights. Now that's what I call life imitating art. If you don't understand why the show is so highly rated, consider just how well it reflects the real sports world.

 

You mean one of Donavan's players was found to be using steroids, his wife is pregnant, a UF booster cheated on his wife and is now crashing on his couch, a Gator is dating his daughter, one of his players was crippled in their first game, they had to play a playoff game in a cow pasture? Which one HeinekenMan?

 

;D

Never watched the show but that was funny.

 

Actually, I was talking about the part where he had to choose between being with his family and getting the big coaching job, Numb Nuts.