Whatever, Coach Donovan

Early this past Sunday morning, I posted an entry wishing Gator basketball head coach Billy Donovan the best with his new position as Orlando Magic head coach. Well, less then a day later, he decided that he didn’t want to job he had just signed the contract for and wanted to come back to the University of Florida. That complicated things, to say the least. Now the Magic have to figure out what they’re going to do with the contract, what they’re going to do about hiring another coach, and what they’re going to do about all those Magic fans who rushed in to buy season tickets because they thought Donovan was going to coach there. From the UF side, it seems pretty clear that Athletic Director Jeremy Foley has graciously welcomed back his two-time national championship coach. But Donovan, in first clearly committing himself to a different job and then backing out, did harm, in my opinion, to his old associate Anthony Grant, who had expressed interest in the then-open Gator coaching position and was on the verge of an interview with Foley when Donovan called the UF AD to express his misgivings about the Magic and that he wanted to come back. Now Grant has to forgo the great salary increase he would have had with Florida and then go back and face his current school, Virginia Commonwealth, who must be having their own thoughts about his loyalty to them. So there’s no doubt that Billy Donovan’s image, so positive immediately after his two NCAA titles, has been considerably tarnished.

And I’m very tired of this ongoing soap opera. It’s the off-season as far as college basketball is concerned. I don’t know what all is going to come out of this controversy, and frankly, I don’t care. So Donovan is coming back to coach the Gators. Okay, whoopee. I’m sure I’ll root for them when they actually start playing next season. But I’ve given it some thought and have come to the conclusion that Anthony Grant would have been a great head coach (which he already is at VCU). When he was at UF before, he was instrumental in developing the players that directly contributed to the Gators’ great successes. It’s a shame he had a wonderful opportunity like this presented to him, only to have it suddenly snatched away because of the actions of his supposed friend. Whatever, Coach Donovan. So today you want to be a Gator. What are you going to want to be tomorrow? We're all waiting with baited breath...NOT! Regardless what happens, I think I’m going to take a vacation from UF basketball and its “whatever” coach until there is actually Gator basketball being played.