The rumors swirling around Billy Donovan's potential departure from Florida to Kentucky seem to grow stronger and swifter, like a river of doubt bursting free of its weakened levee.With late-breaking news on Monday night -- still coming from unsubstantiated sources, mind you -- indicating that via a bizarre media screw-up, details of Donovan's pending contract with Kentucky were either accidentally or intentionally leaked, it is starting to feel as though there must be something to the rumor.
And when television stations run the story, you have to wonder if it isn't a rumor at all.
WLEX-18, Lexington's NBC affiliate news station, reports the following as of 12:52 AM EDT:
CatsPause: UK Ready To Name DonovanThere are some important things to note here:
According to Darrell Bird of CatsPause.com, UK is poised to name Billy Donovan its new basketball coach after Florida's final game in the NCAA Tournament.
According to CatsPause.com, the reported package is a seven year deal worth $3.5 million per year. The report further states there is a $3.5 million loyalty bonus if Donovan completes all seven years.
- Catspause.com, the popular Kentucky fan site, is the source of the story. While I'm not suggesting that Catspause is an unreliable source, it is a far cry from the Kentucky athletic department or some other source which can make an official announcement regarding Kentucky's head coaching vacancy. Catspause is on very thin ice here; the site's trustworthiness as a news source hinges upon the validity of the story. If the "news" turns out to instead be a rumor, Catspause would become the laughingstock of the Rivals network. In theory, Darrell Bird would be aware of those potential pitfalls before running the story.
- The news comes on the heels of Donovan's Monday afternoon television appearance on ESPN's PTI. In his interview with Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser, Florida's head basketball coach did not do a very good job dodging questions about Kentucky. Donovan used the phrase "right now" seven times:
Tony Kornheiser: "Are you going to take a look at Kentucky?"
Donovan: "No, right now I'm going to focus on our team, Tony. Right now, that's the most important thing. Uh, my opinion is, we've worked so hard, and have had to deal with so much this season, that right now my only focus is our basketball team and this opportunity to play in the Final Four and to play against UCLA. And I really haven't given anything -- other than -- any, any other thought -- I, I can honestly tell you that in my opinion, when it comes to those situations, Billy Donovan or any coach is not the decision-making factor in those things. My focus right now is just totally on Florida."
Tony Kornheiser: "But down the road, in a few weeks, if someone comes knocking, would you at least answer the phone, or open the door?"
Donovan: "Well, my, my thing right now is that I just want to focus on our team. I'm happy at the University of Florida. I love our kids. I love our program. I love the administration. I love what's been able to take place here. But right now, I'm not going to sit there and forecast two weeks from now, a week from now, ten days from now. My total focus right now is UCLA and the University of Florida."
Matt Jones from Kentucky Sports Radio is, as usual, right on top of it:
I normally dont post multiple times in one evening, but lots has happened in the last hour. I must say, the Kentucky news media is abuzz about the Cats Pause story tonight that Billy Donovan and UK have reached a deal that will make Donovan the new coach at Kentucky. The news has been reported on WAVE in Louisville, WLEX in Lexington (which went with the story at 11, the same time the Cats Pause report came out, suggesting it was intentional) and is now common knowledge. We here at Kentucky Sports Radio have found out that the folks at Florida, including the Athletic Director have been made aware of the story and it is now will become the top talk of tomorrow's sports day.I'm calling it right now: thanks to this report, whether it's a leak, malicious sabotage, or the God's honest truth, the Gators' chances of winning it all for the second year in a row have been severely compromised. Unless this is cleared up as a nasty and baseless rumor on Tuesday (and if that's what it is, heads should roll at W-LEX and Catspause.com's publisher should be forced to post a public retraction), Billy Donovan, his players, and the athletic department will be forced to address this issue multiple times per day until the matter is concluded. It is the kind of distraction which can end any chance of Florida playing at a top level against UCLA.The question is whether this is good. From now until Monday, Billy Donovan will be forced to answer questions on the subject from not only the news media, but also likely his team and the university. What was before today a "wait until the season is over" story has now, thanks to the Darrell Bird story, become a "we have to ask you now" story. When you say a deal is done, folks want to know if the deal is done. That means that Billy Donovan and the Florida Gators are in for distractions aplenty.
And if Billy Donovan is Kentucky-bound, which I'm starting to think is a very distinct possibility due to Donovan's evasiveness, you might as well rip my orange and blue heart out of my chest and stomp on it with a jackboot.
UPDATE 3:36 AM EDT (Tuesday): Catspause.com has run a new "Plan B" story which displaces the Donovan contract story from its headline position. Darrell Bird, the Catspause.com publisher, has posted a message on the site's message board indicating this is NOT a done deal and that the story was not intended for the widespread publication it received. Bird appears to be trying to relegate this story back to 'rumor' status.
Comments (Page 1 of 6)
As bad as I hate to believe Billy D. going to Ky it appears to factual. It was reported to me that Mr. Bill D. purchased a house-Versales Kentucky within the last two weeks. This can be verified by checking the recording of sales, mortgages etc. Apparently his wife was there and the negoations with UK has been going on for the last eight weeks. I came to Florida from Kentucky 32 years ago and even I was feed up with the Coaching then. Kentucky played wonderful fast break and pressing defense for years. Now a lot of good colleges play the same way. This could be great for Billy D. and his family but it sure doesn't sit easy with me that Foley and the U of F would let this happen without steping up to the plate. If we, U of F, don't start acting ahead of time, knowing these coaches are going to be sought after, we will lose our best. Regardless, Kentucky believe "if you can't beat them, steal them"!HaHa
F....ck you Kentucky...you are just trying to derail us and distract from winning it all....face it..you've become a ho-hum program and will do anything to stop the Gators from continuing to establish ourselves as the preeminent SEC college basketball program...six in a row over your sorry asssses and counting...well it's too late....Billy is going NOWHERE, especially to what is now a second rate middle of the pack SEC program...We will still cut down the nets Monday night, no matter how hard you try to distract us with your lying rumors..Billy the Kid will be a Gator for life ... and you can bank that as assuredly as an Al Horford low post move!!!!!
I have to agree with Gator Scott, except for his nasty language. However don't rule KY out forever, Ky has won with different coaches, we expect to be back in the race some day. My vote would be like "Digger" Phelps for new head coach at KY. Great man and capable too. Wild Cat Jones
Kentucky is and always will be one of the best College Basketball teams, also let me just state that "Money Talks". Just becuase we have had a couple of bad years does not mean with a good coach we will be back on top like always. GO BIG BLUE!
I think Coach Donovan is the right fit for Kentucky. He is back to his old stomping grounds. Florida is a fluke. Kentucky is proven winning team check the history of the NCAA. I think Donovan would be missing the boat not taking the opportunity to coach University of Kentucky. They have the biggest fan base and loyal team in the World. Lay down Florida Billy will soon be coaching the greatest team known to man in college basketball.
Missy
I don't know who the person that used the foul language and called us a HO-HUM program was but this is what I have to say to you, I have been a wildcat fan ever since I can remember and you have been a gator fan for.....just since Billy D. has been there let him have a couple of bad seasons and I bet even yourself the #1 gator fan will be upset with him. Florida until the last few years has always been a second rate program just be glad you got a coach that learned to play with the big boy's as an assistant at UK. Would we like to have Billy come to kentucky Yes but if he doesn't there will be another great coach coming to lead us back where we belong. Six in a row is not a good thing but what happened before that well you probably don't know because you have only been on the Gator band-wagon since Billy came to town. GO BIG BLUE!!!!
Funny a FL fan would say that, but how long has UK owned your sorry asses and owned the SEC? WOW you won 6 in a row, but who still owns the most SEC wins the most SEC titles...thats right UK and next we will own your coach!
Gator Scott -
Hurray! Your school has rise to mediocrity instead of being sad and crappy. You have one basketball championship and you're convinced you rule the world. What a joke.
It will be a pleasure taking your coach, and bringing him home where he belongs. Florida can hire someone average like Lon Kruger. Go Gators LOL
Scot, you had better get some salt and pepper to spice up those words when you have to eat them. A knife and fork might help also. Remember to never say never. Kentucky, like UCLA, is one of the few programs in the country any coach would take, no matter how good it is at their present school. Let's see, Florida has won how many championships? Kentucky is number two with seven, second only to UCLA. If offered, Donovan will go, and I am willing to make a bet on it with you.
Wrong again you ignoramooose hillbilly marry your cousin goofball...been a Gator fan thru thick and thin for over 25 years...and in this "what have you done for me lately" world YOU ARE a second rate program, never to be a first rate one again...it's over...a good run for sure while it lasted but this and next generation will never see a Kentucky championship....we will be talking about the Gator Nation Domination for years to come...and it will be with Billy D as our head coach (and even without him someday)...but don't worry..I'm sure you could convince Jerry Tarkanian, Rick Majerus, or CLem Haskins to come out of retirement or some other second rate has-been or washed up coach to go to UK..then the coach and the team will be evenly matched...bunch of second tier losers! TRUTH HURTS DON"T IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For you angry Gator fans, nothing is confirmed. Let's also keep in mind that Billy Donovan was a UK coach before Florida...if he is leaving for UK, he's just coming home.
LOLOLOLOL...as for you UK for life you call 3 final four appearances this decade mediocre...LMAO...how many times UK been in the Final Four this decade...hmmmm...oh yeah....ZERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...if we're mediocre what the hell are you?...what a dumb ass comment that was...you can call us many things but mediocre is not one of them...back to back champions will be one for sure!
Gator Scott-
Man, all this aggression over a second rate program like kentucky, do you honestly believe that Florida can ever have the greatness that Kentucky has had
Gator Scott, you are the precise reason why I am a Seminoles fan as far as intrastate goes. I seriously doubt you have even been alive 25 years, let alone a UF fan.
If you are over 25 and still act that way...God help us all.
Who is to say that Kentucky will never be a first rate program again? We have a lot of tradition here and our basketball program does not live in the shadow of our football program. It seems that the way Gator Scott just wants to insult and stereotype Kentucky fans that maybe he feels a little threatened?
It must be a bad feeling knowing what could potentially happen within the SEC if Billy D were to make the move northward, that is if you are a gator fan.
UK & FLA fans: Can't we all just get along?
As the theme from Deliverance plays in the background.....
I like this back and forth Kat fight. Sorry to say but Gators eat kitty kats for, as they say up yonder, supper. Go Gators!!!
It is time for Billy or the Gator Nation to make some kind of a statement to hopefully put all this talk to bed. Go Gators
Kentucky has the right to seek out coaches. I would highly doubt it's their intention to derail a championship from Florida. That doesn't affect them at all.
What more can Billy do at Florida? Finals Fours, Nat'l Championship(s?)...
If he wants to go, God Bless him and good luck, he has given us a program to be proud of.
http://floridagatorsapparel.spreadshirt.com
funny stuff on there.
Boys, boys, play nice or none of you gets a cookie