Come on back Billy, Bruce Pearl is waiting for you.
Posted on 06/03/2007 8:47:33 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
Billy Donovan informed the Magic and the University of Florida over the weekend that he had second thoughts about agreeing to be Orlando's head coach, but it's unclear if the NBA team will let him go.
Orlando has a signed contract from Donovan and are making a decision as to whether or not to let him out of the five-year, $27.5 million deal that he signed Thursday, multiple sources told ESPN.com Sunday.
If the Magic do let Donovan out of the deal, they have to decide whether to enforce a financial penalty. Both sides aren't talking publicly since there are legal issues involved in such a decision.
Donovan's hiring on Thursday prompted the sale of 200 Magic season tickets by Friday afternoon. Magic communications director Joel Glass confirmed that number after Friday's news conference introducing Donovan to a standing ovation from the entire on-site Magic organization at the RDV Sportsplex in Orlando. Losing Donovan as coach would likely be a public relations hit to a franchise that needed a pop.
Donovan is coming off winning back-to-back national titles at Florida, the first time that has occurred since Duke did it in 1991-92. Donovan, who turned 42 Wednesday, agonized over the decision to accept the Magic offer after first being approached last week.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
This is typical for the Orlando Tragic.
We, the citizens of Orlando, are spending about $500,000,000 to build a new stadium for the Magic.... so they can pay second rate players, who could care less, millions of dollars a year for lackluster athletic performances and stand felony trial for diddling the babysitter.
Oh, well. Previously felony-indited Dem mayor Buddy Dyer at it again.
Either way it doesn’t look good for him. Financial penalty or not it will look as if he rushed into signing the contract before thinking it through so the question which will arise once he will be truly ready for the big move to NBA is “will he do another u-turn?� Not good at all! He really screwed up here!
12 auto dealers, each with least 10 ‘car stores,’ four bankers, seven ranchers, nine citrus growers, two State Senators and three lawyers who call themselves “Liti-Gators”....... who all swear they bleed Blue and Orange.... just happened to met “’ole Coach” on the way to brunch at the Gobbledy Gator Inn after church.
They said two convincing words.
“How much?”
The Fine and Noted Coach answered.... with three extra zeros added on that he had been sorely troubled about. ....But this Sunday, God arrived to preach the service in those flowing glowing robes, and he learned of...then quickly met those needs of the assembled masses.
God’s only question was; “Can you hold the check ‘till Wednesday, Son?”
Come on back Billy, Bruce Pearl is waiting for you.
Reported at 8 AM eastern time by the AP:
Billy Donovan is “conflicted” over his decision to leave the Florida Gators to coach the Orlando Magic, but he will continue talking with the NBA team about the contract he agreed to last week, the Magic said Monday.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.