Conflicting emotions about leaving Gators causes Donovan to change his mind about the Magic job
Michigan
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in Sports Talk
An emotional news conference on Friday carried over to the weekend about leaving the Gators and has caused Billy Donovan to turn down the Magic job. They will let him out of his contract and apparently he will return to the Gators although no official announcement has been made as of yet.
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Orlando should make him buy out his contract. I have no respect for a man that can't live with the decisions he makes.
I hope his coaching career goes staight to hell.
<< <i>What an idiot.
Orlando should make him buy out his contract. I have no respect for a man that can't live with the decisions he makes.
I hope his coaching career goes staight to hell. >>
Actually, some of the reports I'm reading now says he never signed (see www.si.com) And what's so bad about a guy changing his mind?? Not like it's the first, or last, time this has happened.
was taking longer than he wanted it to, the more he thought about it he realized that his heart really wasen't in going to the pros
and that he wanted to stay with Florida.
Yeah, each time it happens the guy seems like such a moron.
No balls.
<< <i> And what's so bad about a guy changing his mind?? Not like it's the first, or last, time this has happened.
Yeah, each time it happens the guy seems like such a moron.
No balls. >>
I think it takes a lot of balls to turn down a $5.5 million a year contract.
Central FL is heavy Gator Country. He may have taken some serious grief going to Orlando, especially if he didn't take the team to a higher level.
However, the move to the pros is the best. If he had taken the Kentucky job or any other college position they would have banned him from returning to FL.
I agree, he needed to make the decision and stick to it.
It takes more balls to be a man and stand by your decision. His kids now think it's okay to be a puss that can't keep his word.
<< <i>I think it takes a lot of balls to turn down a $5.5 million a year contract.
It takes more balls to be a man and stand by your decision. His kids now think it's okay to be a puss that can't keep his word. >>
Geez, over re-act much?? How do you know what his kids think? More importantly, why do you care?
Sorry, I thought this was a message board where you could post comments and opinions.
FWIW, mkg809, your opinion does seem to be tinged with an unusual amount of vitriol.
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Link
Donovan could be banned from NBA for 5 years
Magic reportedly want coach to sign non-compete agreement to exit deal
MSNBC News Services
Updated: 12:37 p.m. CT June 5, 2007
Technically, Billy Donovan remains the head coach of the Orlando Magic, as lawyers for each side continue to hammer out details that they said will ultimately void his five-year deal with the team.
An NBA source close to the situation said that the Magic will ask Donovan to sign a noncompete agreement, WESH-TV reported.
That agreement would prohibit him from coaching for any other NBA team, likely for the term of what his Magic contract would have been.
The Orlando Sentinel reported Monday night that the Magic will force Donovan to take the legal steps to break out of his contract if he wants to return to the University of Florida.
The Sentinel cited sources as saying that Donovan will begin the legal maneuvering immediately to get out of his five-year deal for $27.5 million after having a change of heart about taking the job.
The Magic also has been trying to convince Donovan on Monday to keep the job, but he apparently is firm in his decision to return to Florida, the Sentinel said.
"We want him to live up to our end of the contract," a source close to the Magic told the Sentinel.
If Donovan officially terminates the deal, the Magic are expected to pursue former Miami Heat coach Stan Van Gundy and/or San Antonio Spurs assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo, the Sentinel said.
Earlier Monday, the Magic said Donovan was “conflicted” about his decision to leave the two-time NCAA champions. The NBA team also said talks were continuing regarding his contract.
“While Central Florida, the Orlando Magic and Billy were energized with the announcement of his contract signing on Friday, we know there was a different feeling in Gainesville and people have been tugging at him since that time,” the Magic said in a statement.
“Billy is conflicted with those emotions and the opportunity he has ahead in Orlando and in the NBA. We’ve had numerous conversations and a personal visit in Gainesville with Billy over the last 48 hours, and we have a commitment from him that the dialogue between us will continue.”
FoxSports.com, citing two anonymous sources, first reported Sunday that Donovan was having second thoughts about coaching the Magic and approached both sides about getting out of the deal. According to one of the sources, the Magic forced Donovan to make a rash decision.
The Orlando Sentinel reported Monday that Donovan had been released from his contract with the NBA team, and that the Magic had renewed their search to replace Brian Hill.
Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said he had been advised to not talk about the situation, a possible indication that Donovan was trying to return to Gainesville.
“On advice of counsel, I cannot comment and will not,” Foley said.
Donovan did not return repeated calls for comment.
He led the Gators to consecutive national titles the past two seasons and was slated to sign a seven-year deal worth approximately $3.5 million annually with Florida. The deal was nearly finalized when he agreed to coach the Magic.
Donovan, who played 44 games with the New York Knicks, said last week that he had always been intrigued by the NBA. He said Orlando was the perfect situation because it was an up-and-coming team and close to home.
Donovan, 42, agreed to the deal with Orlando on Thursday, one day after the Magic met with former Miami Heat coach Stan Van Gundy about the job. Van Gundy, who also interviewed for coaching vacancies in Charlotte, Indiana and Sacramento in recent weeks, might not be available for long; he had a second interview with Sacramento’s ownership group in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The Gators contacted Virginia Commonwealth coach Anthony Grant soon after Donovan’s decision. Foley had been scheduled to meet with Grant on Saturday in Richmond, Va., but the meeting never took place, and Grant said Sunday that he hadn’t been offered the job.
If the Magic lose Donovan, it would be another setback for a franchise beset by them.
Orlando lost dominant center Shaquille O’Neal, who went on to win four NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat. The team signed guard Grant Hill in 2000 to a seven-year, $93 million contract. Hill missed most of his first four seasons because of recurring ankle problems, and has played just 200 regular-season games with Orlando.
And the Magic drafted Spain’s Fran Vazquez in the first round in 2005, then Vazquez refused to play in the United States.
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<< <i>Maybe Mr. Donovan saw what happened to Benerick when he left Kentucky after 1997 to go to the Celtics. The lesson being is how very, very different the NBA game is from college. >>
The list of college coaches who moved to the NBA and failed is much longer than the ones who were a success.
I'm glad that Coach K turned down the Lakers when they were courting him a year or so ago, I think it would have been a disaster.