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Thread: Billy Donovan and UK...

  1. #91
    Smooth WMR's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Using that firm as a smokescreen and to counteract the potential horrible publicity from reaching an agreement in principle with Billy is highly plausible, IMO.


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  3. #92
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Quote Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS View Post
    Using that firm as a smokescreen and to counteract the potential horrible publicity from reaching an agreement in principle with Billy is highly plausible, IMO.
    Why pay a search firm a substantial amount of money to pretend to be conducting a search if you already believe you have your man? I don't like Barnhardt but you don't get to his level without being smart with the resources given you. Pres. Todd and the state of KY for that matter would not look fondly on that use of resources at a public university.

    Also, many Kentucky fans already dislike Barnhardt and hiring a search firm makes him seem even more incompetent. Why put yourself through the continued abuse unless you really needed the assistance?

  4. #93
    A Pleasure to Burn Joseph's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Quote Originally Posted by joshnky View Post
    Why pay a search firm a substantial amount of money to pretend to be conducting a search if you already believe you have your man? I don't like Barnhardt but you don't get to his level without being smart with the resources given you. Pres. Todd and the state of KY for that matter would not look fondly on that use of resources at a public university.

    Also, many Kentucky fans already dislike Barnhardt and hiring a search firm makes him seem even more incompetent. Why put yourself through the continued abuse unless you really needed the assistance?
    Perhaps its being done to satisfy NCAA requirements and or protect from NCAA tampering sanctions?

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  5. #94
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    I don't think the NCAA has any rules regarding hiring of coaches.
    At least nothing like the "rooney rule" in the NFL.
    Quote Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27 View Post
    Honest I can't say it any better than Hoosier Red did in his post, he sums it up basically perfectly.

  6. #95
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Quote Originally Posted by Joseph View Post
    Perhaps its being done to satisfy NCAA requirements and or protect from NCAA tampering sanctions?
    If they tampered with Donovan it will come out regardless of the search firm. In fact, rumors are already flying so there is no way they could hide it. Also, most teams with resources don't use a search firm and don't get in trouble with the NCAA. This is weird but I'm not buying that the search firm is a smoke screen.

  7. #96
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Quote Originally Posted by Hoosier Red View Post
    I don't think the NCAA has any rules regarding hiring of coaches.
    At least nothing like the "rooney rule" in the NFL.
    I think you're right. In football teams steal coaches all the time before they play their bowl games. It might look bad but the NCAA won't do anything about it.

  8. #97
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Thanks for the clarification. I'm not a big college sports fan so I wasn't aware that they didn't really have tampering rules in place.

    Championships for MY teams in my lifetime:
    Cincinnati Reds - 75, 76, 90
    Chicago Blackhawks - 10, 13, 15
    University of Kentucky - 78, 96, 98, 12
    Chicago Bulls - 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98


    “Everything that happens before Death is what counts.”
    ― Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes

  9. #98
    Just The Big Picture macro's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Quote Originally Posted by joshnky View Post
    This is weird but I'm not buying that the search firm is a smoke screen.
    In that case, maybe the offer has been worked out with Donovan's agent (again, with him left out of the process until next week), and UK is continuing to work on other candidates in the event that Donovan says "No"? Or, maybe the Cats Pause report was completely wrong and nothing has taken place.

    I could easily be convinced to believe the first scenario in the above paragraph, but I'm having a hard time believing that nothing has been said or done with Donovan's agent. Hopefully, we'll know one way or another by late next week.

    As a UK fan, I'm prepared to be enthused about other candidates if Donovan doesn't want the job. He's my favorite, just as he seems to be every UK fan's, but like Chip said, there are no guarantees that he would bring titles, and there are no guarantees that some other coach would not bring titles.

    As for the one- or two-year grace period...It wouldn't surprise me to see Donovan or someone else come right in and take the program to the Top Ten. It can be done. Eddie Sutton inherited a team in 1985 that had had gone 18-13 in 1984-85 and ended up a #12 seed in the tournament. Sutton's first UK team entered it's Elite Eight game against LSU as a #1 seed and with a 32-3 record. Unfortunately for Kentucky, they had had to defeat an excellent Alabama for the fourth straight time during the season in the Sweet Sixteen, and then faced a very good LSU team that they would have to go 4-0 against on the season, as well. The law of averages finally caught up with that team, and LSU won the fourth meeting of the year between the two teams.

    I bring up all that to say: Eddie Sutton came awfully close to taking an 18-13 team and turning it into a national champion. They finished 32-4 as it was. Louisville won it that year, and I think Kentucky had the better team. That's another argument for another day, however.

    Yes, the next coach will get some slack, but not 22-10 slack. I think a #3 or #4 seed and Sweet Sixteen appearance might keep the natives at bay for one season, but in season two, they'd better be a top-eight seed and then play like it in the tournament.

  10. #99
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Quote Originally Posted by joshnky View Post
    Also, many Kentucky fans already dislike Barnhardt and hiring a search firm makes him seem even more incompetent. Why put yourself through the continued abuse unless you really needed the assistance?
    What would a seasrch firm possibly do that any guy off the street couldn't for $25?

    "What are you looking for in your next coach?"

    "Uh, we, uh, we're looking for a guy who wins, recruits well, wins, has the personality and drive to deal with our fanbase's expectations and desires, and wins games."

    "Ok, well, let's see what wer have here in our top 5 prospective candidates...

    Billy Donovan
    Mark Few
    Tom Crean
    Thad Matta
    Mike D'Antoni"

    "Well thanks, thanks for the help. Couldn't have done it without you."

  11. #100
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Quote Originally Posted by roundboy22 View Post
    Nick Calathes has already signed his LOI so UF would have to release him from it. Not saying that they wouldn't because of the impact it may have on future recruits. But If they indeed lose thier coach to UK, they might want to play hardball with the 5 star PG and not let him go to thier rival UK as well. Just my opinion though.
    There is a NEW NCAA rule. If the coach leaves before you enroll, you can change schools without setting out a year.

    The President of Cincinnati knew this rule and that's why she fired Huggins 2 days after classes started.:thumbdown

    If Donovan goes to UK the freshman class can follow!
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  12. #101
    Class of 2023 George Foster's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Quote Originally Posted by dabvu2498 View Post
    I'm having a hard time remembering that this past year's team actually beat Louisville and Indiana, but it did happen.

    In my opnion, what you describe is what everybody does. Check some of the match-ups Pitino scheduled back in the day. Some very good and some very bad.

    Let me ask you this: You really want UK to play a tougher nonconference schedule?
    This is the first year since 1974 we did not beat a top 25 team....33 freakin years.

    Louisville was not ranked when we beat them and Tennessee did not have Lofton when we beat them too.
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  13. #102
    Kentuckian At Heart WVRed's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Well, I guess ESPN is reporting it now...

    http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2819224

    ATLANTA -- Kentucky officials are prepared to offer Florida coach Billy Donovan an annual raise of more than $1 million as part of a contract that would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in college basketball.

    Sources close to the Kentucky search said the school is prepared to tender an offer to Donovan early next week, either after Florida is eliminated from this weekend's Final Four in the Georgia Dome, or after it plays for its second consecutive national championship.

    Florida, seeking to become the first team to win consecutive national titles since Duke in 1991 and 1992, plays UCLA in a national semifinal Saturday night.

    The sources said Kentucky's starting point in the negotiations will be a seven-year contract that would pay Donovan at least $2.8 million per season and as much as $3.5 million with performance-based incentives.

    The sources said Donovan, a former Kentucky assistant under Rick Pitino, is the Wildcats' top choice to replace Tubby Smith, who unexpectedly resigned last week to become Minnesota's coach.

    Donovan has declined to discuss the Kentucky opening, but hasn't completely removed himself from the potential candidates to replace Smith. After this season, Donovan would have five years remaining on his contract with Florida, which pays him about $1.8 million per season.

    "I don't even have my phone .. I don't talk to anybody," Donovan said at a news conference at the Final Four on Friday afternoon.

    Donovan and his agents have been in negotiations with Florida athletics director Jeremy Foley for nearly a year. The two sides haven't yet reached a contract extension, but Florida was already prepared to pay Donovan at least $2.5 million per season before the Kentucky job opened, sources said.

    Foley declined to discuss the Kentucky opening before the Gators practiced Friday at the Georgia Dome. Kentucky athletics department spokesman Scott Stricklin also declined comment when reached Friday.

    "I'm not going to comment on the process until we have completed our search and found the right person to lead Kentucky basketball," Stricklin said.

    People close to Donovan said he has received no contact from Kentucky officials, nor have his agents.

    Kentucky officials have hired Parker Executive Search, an executive search firm in Atlanta, to conduct its coaching search. Dan Parker, president of the firm, was contracted by Minnesota to lure Smith to the Gophers, and Indiana used his firm to hire Kelvin Sampson from Oklahoma.

    Regardless if Donovan stays at Florida or leaves for Kentucky, he figures to become one of the five highest-paid coaches in the country. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski and North Carolina's Roy Williams each earn close to $3 million per season, and Michigan State's Tom Izzo is paid about $2.6 million annually, according to industry sources.

    Mark Schlabach covers college sports for ESPN.com. ESPN.com national sports columnist Pat Forde contributed to this report.
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  14. #103
    Joe Oliver love-child Blimpie's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Don't forget what the Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture is reporting...

    Ex-Wildcat thinks Donovan 'open' to UK job
    / Associated Press



    LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Former Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer says he spoke with Billy Donovan and suspects the Florida coach is "open" to considering the Wildcats job after the Final Four.

    Farmer said he called his former assistant coach, and the conversation was mostly about the Final Four, where defending champion Florida plays UCLA on Saturday.

    Farmer said the Kentucky job did come up, and he didn't make a hard sell. Farmer added that he would if asked by his alma mater.

    "He was certainly aware of what was going on," Farmer said Friday. "I think that he certainly is open to looking at the opportunity after the tournament."

    At a news conference Friday in Atlanta, Donovan said he's focusing on the Gators' national semifinal game against UCLA and hasn't been contacted by Kentucky. Although he has yet to indicate an interest in the job, he also hasn't ruled it out.

    "I don't even have my phone," Donovan said. "I don't talk to anybody. The minute I get on the road, I give my phone to my secretary. I've talked to nobody. All I've done, to be honest with you, is got a lot of bloodshot eyes right now from watching a lot of tape. That's all I do."

    Farmer also said he has spoken recently with Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, who is leading the search to find a replacement for Tubby Smith, hired last week as Minnesota's coach. Farmer said he offered to help Barnhart in the search process, including future calls to Donovan if needed.

    Farmer, running for re-election as Kentucky agriculture commissioner, played for Kentucky from 1988-92, and Donovan served as an assistant under Rick Pitino during part of that time.

    Kentucky president Lee Todd acknowledged the next Wildcats coach would likely demand one of the nation's highest salaries. He said the athletics department budget was self-sufficient and would absorb any increase over Smith's salary, if necessary.

    "There's a market out there," Todd said Friday. "There's a market for a neurosurgeon. There's a market for a college president, and there's a market for one of the top basketball programs. We would expect we'll have to be near the top in what we pay."

    Todd said he has spoken with Barnhart about twice daily since the process began but declined to say whether candidates had been contacted. He confirmed Atlanta-based Parker Executive Search is aiding in the process.

    School spokesman Scott Stricklin, who this week indicated the search was in its infancy, wouldn't estimate Friday when it might be completed. He also declined to comment on a report by ESPN.com that Kentucky was poised to offer Donovan a seven-year contract.

    "We're not going to comment on the process until we have completed the search and found the right person to lead Kentucky basketball," Stricklin said. "This is the kind of job that attracts a lot of attention. Certainly it's an important decision, one that you don't want to rush through."

  15. #104
    Class of 2023 George Foster's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Dicky V on ESPN said tonight there is no way Donovan is leaving Florida for UK because he feel's loyal to Florida for giving him a chance, then he turns around and says that the Grizzlies will go after him and offer him 5 million.
    Which is it Dick?

    Ya... he will turn down the UK job, and go to the pros and travel 7 months a year with 2 young kids and live in the crime free city of Memphis.

    5 million is a lot, but so is 3 million and a pretty good quality of life in Lexington. I'll coach 30 games, travel overnight in the south, and take my 3 million thank-you very much. No way would I coach in the pros.
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  16. #105
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    Re: Billy Donovan and UK...

    Dicky V's ******-factor-rating has gone up exponentially throughout this Tubby-UK job-Billy D ordeal.

    Dumb boob.


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