The sunshine state has long been a hotbed for college football. With an abundance of high school talent leaving for college every year, Florida schools have their pick of the litter of some of the nation’s best athletes. For as long as anyone can remember, at least one of the big three (Florida, Florida State and Miami) has been a factor in the national championship picture. In the past ten years, all three of these schools have won national titles: Florida State in 1999, Miami in 2001 and Florida in 2006. During that same time period, however, these three schools have traversed dramatically different paths to arrive at their current circumstance. Furthermore, in a state where most believed that no other schools could compete in either recruiting or ranking, the Universities of Central and South Florida have both become presences in their own right.
Flash back to 1998, if you will. Florida State was about to embark on the greatest season in the school’s history. In 1999, Bobby Bowden coached his Seminoles to an undefeated season and an ultimate victory over the Michael Vick-led Virginia Tech Hokies. Steve Spurrier was still coaching at Florida, but after winning a national championship only several years prior, the Ol’ Ball Coach seemed to have lost his edge on the Swamp’s sidelines. The Washington Redskins would soon come calling. Miami, under Butch Davis, was just starting to recover from athletic sanctions suffered by the Dennis Erickson regime. Larry Coker would take over in 2001, leading Miami to a perfect 12-0. Coker took them back to the championship game in 2003, only to lose to in overtime to Ohio State. At Central Florida, Mike Kruczek took over as head coach for a program that had only joined Division 1-A a few years earlier. Similarly, South Florida’s fledgling football program had only begun in 1997 under the tutelage of a young Jim Leavitt.
In 2008, it is safe to say the script has been flipped for all five programs. Florida State is far from the powerhouse it was in the 1990s. A team that once dominated the Atlantic Coast Conference, winning its first nine, consecutive conference titles, has not won an ACC crown since 2005. The school continues to have off-the-field problems with its student athletes. Their traditional dominance over Florida has also waned, having dropped four straight meetings. All this has some Seminole faithful questioning whether Bobby Bowden should finally hand over the reins to his successor. The Gators, on the other hand, are in fine shape. After going 23-14 and winless in a bowl in three years under Ron Zook, the Florida faithful became impatient. Zook, ever the master recruiter, left the cupboard loaded with talent and when Florida signed Urban Meyer from Utah in 2004, Meyer led that talent to the mountaintop. Florida is still right where it wants to be, consistently competing alongside the top programs in the nation. For the second time in three years, Florida is poised to contend for a national title. Miami joined the ACC in 2004, but has yet to win a conference title in that time. Miami is currently rebuilding under young head coach Randy Shannon. Last year, for the first time in ten years, Miami failed to reached a bowl game Although they have faced some difficulties recently, they appear to be headed in the right direction with Shannon, but rest assured ‘Canes fans won’t settle for too many more sub-.500 seasons. Just making a bowl is not good enough for the University of Miami. Since joining Conference USA in 2005, Central Florida has already won two titles. In 2007, South Florida was the highest ranked Florida school, climbing as high as #2 in the nation. These two schools are starting to develop a healthy in-state rivalry. While obviously not holding the same firepower or hype as when two of the big three meet, there is still plenty of talent on the field. Both UCF and USF have proven they can play with any school in the nation. Miami may find that out this season as they host Central Florida on October 11.
For four of the five schools, the future is bright. Florida continues to scour the nation for top talent. Nobody would be surprised is Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow leads the Gators to another title. Miami will have its hands full in the ACC, but should ultimately return to competitiveness under Shannon. That will be no easy task as long as Clemson and Virginia Tech continue to field national championship contenders. UCF and USF will continue their ascent to prominence. However, Florida State may face more difficult times before any return to glory. Bobby Bowden can obviously write his own ticket coaching in the stadium that bears his name. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher has been tagged as his successor, but Bowden has set no definite timetable for his retirement. Extended mediocrity for this program might warrant an exit sooner rather than later. Nobody expects him to coach all that much longer, however repeated losses to Florida combined with Joe Paterno continuing to chalk up wins on the sidelines rivaling Bowden’s all-time wins might just extend his time on the sidelines. One thing for sure, once considered one of the most intriguing match-ups of the calendar year, the Florida State-Miami rivalry has been relegated to just another regular season game.
The state of Florida remains a football factory. While the Florida Gators are clearly in the best shape of the five schools, Urban Meyer knows he can not rest on his laurels. Miami is back on their regular schedule renewing the rivalry and the Gators haven’t beaten them in over twenty years. It should be some time, however, before either Miami, or Florida State, contend for a national title. USF, on the other hand, playing in the Big East, could conceivably affect the national championship picture as ridiculous as that sounds. After all, before losing to Pittsburgh, West Virginia was poised to play for a national championship. Their only loss last season prior to that game was to South Florida. UCF should also not be an afterthought. Last year’s squad won at North Carolina State and nearly beat Texas as George O’Leary continues to yield competitive teams. A big non-conference win, for example against Miami this year, will put UCF on the map.
The past decade proves just how fickle a game college football is. It is difficult to imagine a world where Miami and Florida State do not play a major role in the national championship picture, yet that is how things stand. UCF, while competitive might never figure into that equation. College football’s bias towards major conference teams bears that out. Despite a great season last year, USF would have to run the table to even be considered for a national championship bid. Then again, nobody thought the Tampa Bay Rays would ever compete in the American League East either. Florida remains the state’s only legitimate powerhouse, although stay tuned. Who knows what the next ten years might hold.
It was late Friday evening when Chicago Bull and former Florida Gator superstar, Joakim Noah was (pa)trolling the streets of Gainesville where he once reigned supreme. At about 1:50 am, a local police officer spotted Noah (hard to miss a seven-footer with a long, flowing mane) carrying a cup which he suspected contained an alcoholic beverage. For those of you unfamiliar with Gainesville, Florida, walking around with an open container is at best discouraged and at the very worst illegal.
After being spotted, Noah ditched the cup, but was later questioned by the police. After finding that the cup did contain alcohol, they took a cooperative Noah to the local annex and found a marijuana cigarette in his possession.
Now, this shouldn’t come as a major surprise to anyone. In fact, I’m actually surprised Noah was never busted for smoking pot while at Florida. Either Billy Donovan ruled with an iron fist, or Noah was shrewd enough to never get caught. Probably somewhere in between.
Look, I’m not going to come down hard on the guy. Noah was a cult icon of near Tebow-like status while playing for the Gators. He, along with his supporting cast, took Florida to the promised land, a feat that will likely never be repeated.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I took drugs while at Florida and was never suspended from anything so it would be hypocritical of me to throw stones. However, walking around downtown Gainesville with an open container and a joint, particularly when you’re a high profile and highly noticeable individual like Noah is just poor judgment.
Fortunately for Noah, he was not arrested and released on his own recognizance after being cooperative. Stern’s NBA does not test for marijuana and it is unclear whether the Bulls organization will slap Noah on the wrist for his actions. Heck, they don’t even have a head coach yet. Considering the amount of NBA players that allegedly smoke weed, it’s unlikely Noah will receive much more than a good ribbing from his teammates.
I suppose it could have been much worse for Noah had the police decided to force the issue. I don’t see this as a case of a hometown hero receiving beneficial treatment from the law. Noah will have to return to appear in front of a judge in June.
But come on, Jo Jo. Young millionaire athletes like Vince Young and Matt Leinhart are currently being blasted for their lack of judgment. I don’t have a problem with your drinking, smoking or trolling your hometown and using your fame and name to find some action. Just do so wisely. Leave the spleef at home and the booze at the bar. Or better yet, next time, order in.
Please recognize this as a plea from a dedicated fan with a critical eye. You’ve spoiled us, Coach. We here at Gator Nation now expect excellence. While we understand that living up to the expectations of the magical last two seasons is probably a touch unfair, your actions this season indicate you too consider this recent campaign a disappointment.
That being said, it’s time to look to the immediate future. While talented, this young team has some glaring issues the coaching staff must address in the off-season to get the program back on track. I’m sure this is nothing new to you, but if it helps, here’s where I see the problems:
Backcourt (Offense): Coach, bottom line is this. No top tier college basketball program in this day and age can compete with two starting guards measuring under six-feet. The media guide generously lists Jai Lucas at 5’11, 185. I think we both know both those figures are tainted. Not only is he not 5’11, but he plays smaller than that. Lucas was a top recruit coming out of high school. He lit it up in Texas. Like his predecessor, Taurean Green, he comes from the NBA family tree. Yet Jai still seemed timid when it came to scoring this season. The lack of a perimeter made it much more difficult on this young team to present a consistent offensive attack. Joakim Noah and Al Horford were dominant in the post the last two seasons, yet much of their success was predicated on opponents having to respect the outside game of Green and Lee Humphrey. If Lucas, or another guard cannot post a consistent offensive threat on the perimeter, the Gators are too easy to shut down. The combination of Lucas-Hodge failed offensively. While Hodge was steady long range from the corner, this year’s team had no consistent outside jump shooters to keep opposing defenses honest.
Backcourt (Defense): The Southeastern Conference had a down year by most standards. Regardless, the league will continue to boast quality guard play. On that front, this Florida squad simply can not defend the perimeter. The numbers back that up. Hodge has undoubtedly earned his stripes. However, if Lucas and Hodge are both undersized, they’ll have to make up for it in other ways, i.e., being more physical, playing smarter and tighter, using their quickness. Playing them at the same time was a defensive liability. Tennessee shredded us late in the season in a game there’s no way we should have lost. 6’3” guards such as Chris Lofton can easily shoot over the top of this defense. Adjustments will have to be made.
Overall Defense: I get that this is a young team, but within a full season, they have yet to find a defensive identity. Are they a zone team? Are they a man-to-man team? Are they a pressing team? They’re swift enough to play man, but not strong or physical enough at each position. Rarely in the past two years did ANY team have ANY mismatches against Florida at ANY position. This year it seemed opposing teams were able to exploit mismatches consistently. Teams were able to break presses, rotate the ball effectively and find open looks either inside or out. Against UMass in the NIT semi-finals, the Florida press was ineffective. But it paled in comparison to their porous, transition defense. When Florida was one and done on the offensive end, the Gators were unable to get back to defend the fastbreak. And in the halfcourt zone defense, the Gators defensive rotation was sub par, giving up key shots late in the shot clock. While the Gators could put points on the board, they were 11th in a twelve team conference in points allowed per game. Acquiring some sort of defensive toughness is a must in the off-season.
Free throw shooting: While Florida finished in the middle of the conference in free-throw shooting (70% on the season), it seemed like this team missed free throws when they counted most, either at moments when Florida could have extended or sustained a lead or when they needed points to cut into a deficit. The Gators made 8 of 21 against UMass for 38%. That’s not going to get it done. This team failed to make its possessions count and nowhere was that more evident than at the free throw line.
Nick Calathes: Super frosh Nick Calathes was clearly the highlight of this season. When he (and Marreese Speights) were not on the floor, this team struggled. The plus/minus numbers for when Calathes was on the floor versus on the bench must be staggering. The offense simply sputtered with Nicky out of the game. Someone has to pick up the slack when he goes out for a breather. Additionally, what position will he play next season? For much of the season, he started at small forward, yet with the game on the line, he’s the man handling the basketball. His knack and feel for the game is undeniable, but he can’t start next season at the three-spot. He’s a defensive liability against larger, quicker and more athletic small forwards. He’s probably better suited in the backcourt where he can use his height advantage to break down opposing defenses. It’s time to fully exploit the advantages he presents. But where does that leave both Lucas and Hodge?
The post: Marreese Speights was an absolute monster this year. He had 16 points and 18 boards against UMass, recording a double-double in the first half. Although somewhat inconsistent in his overall effort, he was still Florida’s best, and often sole, offensive weapon. Rumors abound that Speights will leave early. Florida has size with its incoming class and while it would certainly benefit Speights to stay another year, the lure of the NBA is enticing. A big man like Marreese who can score around the basket with both hands is almost certain to be a lottery pick. Is the relationship with Speights healthy enough to encourage him to stay? And with this year’s disappointing season, does it make personal sense for him to return?
Small Forwards: There’s no denying Florida’s young team has talent. But Chandler Parsons, Adam Allen and Alex Tyus, all freshmen, all seem slotted at the same position. As 6-foot-9, Parsons is a slight 205 and could use an extra fifteen pounds of muscle. Allen can score both inside and out and should see increased minutes next season if he can develop into a Matt Bonner type. At 6-foot-8, Alex Tyus probably should fit in at the power forward spot, but his post game is questionable at best. His range is extremely limited and his free throw shooting is horrid. Even as a freshman, Al Horford had a strong post-up game and a knack for defense, positioning and rebounding. Tyus has a lot to work on in the off-season if he wants to contribute in the frontcourt next season on both ends of the floor.
Heart: Early on, I never questioned this young team’s desire. Far be it from me to question the heart of ANY Billy Donovan coached team. However, they gave up some STOUT leads all season long. Not only did they give up healthy leads, they often ended up getting blown out in those games. Florida led UMass by nine at halftime and lost by twelve. They were blowing out SEC champion Tennessee and lost that game. They were down by twenty-five to Alabama in a must-win game. This team must learn HOW to win. While the expectations placed on Florida’s incoming class are high, it’s not like you don’t hear Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton’s name mentioned in the same breath as the current UCLA class, who despite losing to Florida that last two seasons once again find themselves in the Final Four. Think those kids don’t feel the pressure of history?
Recruiting Gaps: Why did this Florida team feature largely freshmen and sophomores? Where was the transition? Other than Walter Hodge and to a much lesser extent Dan Werner, this team featured NO player from the championship teams of years past. Where was the junior shooting guard? Where were the carryover players? Sure, Brewer, Noah and Horford left a year early. But Lee Humphrey was a senior. There should have been a guard that could have stepped in to give the Gators a consistent outside threat AND veteran leadership. Walter Hodge was not that guy. Next year’s incoming freshman class ranks among the top in the nation, but Florida will still boast a young team next season. And the SEC is bound to back from a down year. Can Florida compete?
Recommendations: Both Lucas and Hodge can’t start at the 1-2 next season. Defenses will continue to exploit that mismatch. Lucas must emerge as the point guard of this team and that doesn’t mean only dribbling the basketball. He must also put the biscuit in the basket. In the words of Dave Chappelle as Prince "Shoot the J! Shoot it!" When last year’s team needed a bucket, Taurean Green was good for it. Lucas must develop that confidence. Calathes should probably start at the two-guard spot, which doesn’t exclude him from playing the point or even small forward at times. Parsons should bulk up, as should the entire team, and settle into the small forward position. Adding a post-game to his repertoire would certainly help open things up offensively. Assuming Speights returns, he should clearly be the focal point of the offense with Werner and the incoming size serving as satellites and rotating at the power forward positions.
We have complete faith in you, Coach. Good luck. You’re gonna need it.
Joakim Noah is not walking through that door any time soon. And if he were, he’d be the only one allowed to wear orange and blue.
Disappointed by his team’s recent sub-par performance, Coach Billy Donovan has taken drastic measures. Picture it now. Wet behind the ear freshmen, clad in Gator gear, probably still not realizing how irate their coach is with them, arrive to practice somewhat gleefully to their multi-million dollar practice facility, a place where the previous two national championship teams once reigned, only to find the doors padlocked shut.
Since the Gators, losers of their last four and seven of their last eleven, now find themselves NIT-bound for the first time in over a decade, Coach Billy has punished them harshly, yet deservedly. Not only has Donovan stated openly that he doesn’t look forward to coaching this team next season, this week he went a step further to illustrate his point. The upstart Gators have been banned from their practice facility until he deems them worthy. Furthermore, Coach has disallowed any of his players to don anything that bears the school name. This move mimics what his colleague Urban Meyer did several years ago when the Florida football team failed to meet the standards set by the coaching staff. It worked for Coach Meyer as they won a national championship shortly thereafter. Only time will tell whether it will work for Donovan’s freshman class.
Towards the end of the season, the Gators had several chances to earn an NCAA tournament bid. One can only assume the committee would have looked favorably upon the two-time defending champions had they been able to beat either Mississippi State, Tennessee, Kentucky or Alabama in any of their final games. Yet the team fell drastically short. The Gators were defeated by MSU by nine in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicates. They got off to a torrid, shooting start against #2 seed Tennessee only to see that lead dwindle into a debilitating loss. Kentucky was finally able to end a seven-game losing streak against Florida. And the loss to Alabama in the first round of the SEC tournament was so embarrassing, Florida at one point in the contest was actually down 41-14, the same score in which they defeated Ohio State’s football team in the national championship game two years ago.
One need not look far to find flaws with Florida’s freshmen. On the season, Florida finished 10th in the conference in field goal defense, 10th in 3-point field goal defense, and 9th in defensive rebounding. Often these statistics were emblematic of the effort put forth on the floor. While it may be unfair to compare this young team to the two that preceded it, such comparisons are ultimately inevitable, despite the fact that these teams could not be any farther apart, in record or in mindset.
Many have criticized Donovan’s techniques as too harsh, that his young kids might not respond favorably. In the opening round conference game, starting center Marreese Speights saw as much bench time as he did playing time in the second half because of Donovan’s displeasure with his effort. Only time will tell if Donvan's punishment will generate the desired response. Jim Rome recently joked that if he could, Donovan would have his team ‘suit up’ in a shirts vs. skins match-up in their opening round NIT game against San Diego State, coached by former Michigan head coach Steve Fisher.
Either way, Florida’s newbies definitely have some soul-searching to do. If they lose their fifth straight, they might want to stay away from the coach, which shouldn’t be all that difficult since they still won’t be allowed in the building.
Youth. Oh, to be young again. It is through our numerous life experiences that we grow, mature and learn. Well, this young Florida Gator basketball team has LOTS of learning to do. In a must-win home game, their final one of the season, the Gators led by as many as 16 points against the #4 ranked Tennessee Volunteers, only to end up losing by three and likely watch their tournament hopes evaporate into the thin, Gainesville air.
The Gators, led initially by the hot-shooting Walter Hodge jumped out to a torrid 9-for-9 start. The O’Connell Center came alive and the Gators looked as if they came to play. They led by thirteen at the half and were shooting over 60% from the floor. Their defensive efforts, however, remained questionable.
Enter JaJuan Smith and Chris Lofton, the odds-on favorite to win SEC player of the year. Smith finished with 23 points and Lofton added 21 as they both hit late jump shots to seal Gator fate and very possibly keep the defending national champions out of the tournament for the first time in ten years. With the victory, Tennessee (27-3) clinched the SEC title outright, as well as a likely number one seed in the NCAA tournament.
Despite the game’s many ebbs and flows (both teams had double-digit leads), a key Florida gaffe came late, when on a missed free throw, Dan Werner failed to box out Tyler Smith who grabbed the rebound, then scored to give the Vols the eventual victory. Nick Calathes, who had previously tied the game with a deep three-pointer, missed an off-balance attempt to send the game into overtime. The Gators, now 21-9 and 8-7 in conference, may very well have had their bubble burst. With only one quality victory on the season, no quality road wins and an unimpressive strength of schedule, even a victory in their lone remaining, regular season game against Kentucky might not be enough to impress the voters. The way Florida has been playing lately, a victory at Rupp is also unlikely, considering the Wildcats, who been playing well of late, have lost seven straight to Florida and have been eagerly awaiting their return.
Although the season is not over (the Southeastern Conference tournament is next weekend) Billy Donovan has some questions to answer entering next season. Neither of his starting guards is over six-feet tall. In the SEC, teams simply cannot afford to be that small on the perimeter. As seen last night, guards like Chris Lofton can create space and just shoot right over the top of the defender. Nor is freshman point guard Jai Lucas any sort of offensive threat. Florida essentially has two players opponents have to guard: Nick Calathes and Marreese Speights. Jai Lucas was 1-4 from the floor last night. Perhaps this is an unfair comparison, but at least Taurean Green kept you honest. It’s not enough to be simply a passer. The highly recruited Lucas, who averaged 20+ points in high school, MUST become more aggressive on the offensive end in his sophomore season.
The Gators do have size coming in next year to help Speights out on the blocks, but the guard situation will have to be addressed. I can easily see Donovan moving Calathes, who currently starts at the small forward position, to two-guard since Calathes already does the bulk of the ball-handling in the half-court set anyway. Calathes, however, will have to shore up his defense. The kid can fill up a stat sheet, and may be on his way to winning SEC freshman of the year, but was taken off the dribble consistently last night.
After the loss, someone reminded me that the previous two Gator basketball teams were tough, both physically and mentally. Noah, Horford and Brewer backed down to no challenges. This young Gator team will have to develop that same attitude if they want to come close to emerging from the shadow of those that preceded them.
The following article will be published in the April issue of Campus Talk, a magazine local to Tampa, Orlando, Gainesville and Tallahassee. If you're a local, pick one up and increase their circulation. They also have lots of pictures of pretty girls for extra motivation.
Most sports fans recognize March as the most entertaining time of the year. The NBA is in full swing, baseball is about to begin, most of us are still talking about the Super Bowl, and the NFL draft is right around the corner. But more importantly, March brings what can be argued as the purest form of competition today: the NCAA tournament!!! No BCS, just a single-elimination, gut-wrenching basketball tournament, buzzer-beaters and heartbreakers, first to six games wins. All others go home with only promises of next year.
Tens of millions of Americans enter basketball pools annually with the hopes of accurately predicting the most games. However, you are more likely to win the lottery than you are to guess every winner. That doesn’t mean that you can’t effectively run a pool and have tons of fun in the meantime.
What follows is how to run a successful basketball pool (this assumes you can’t fly to Las Vegas for the first weekend and parlay as many underdogs moneyline as possible):
1) Abandon all responsibility for three weeks. Running a pool with even 20-30 entries requires time and effort. If you have classes, blow them off, particularly on the first Thursday and Friday of the tournament. It is on these two days where most of the games are played. Nobody in their right mind can be expected to work under these conditions. You will be glued to your television set and all other obligations should understand that. Ensure you have enough food and beverage for that first weekend. There will be limited time for anything other than analyzing basketball match-ups and kicking yourself for not picking that first-round 4-13 upset.
2) Brackets are announced on Sunday evening. Games begin at noon that following Thursday. Immediately surf the internet for a clean bracket to print and distribute. This will be your template. Remember, you’ll want to choose one with pertinent information only, i.e., school names, team records & venues. Graphics that clutter the form are unnecessary.
3) Establish rules and point values, being careful not to put in writing any reference to prize money. Sure, it’s March but there’s no reason to be sent to prison. Award points geometrically per round or allot more for picking an upset. Ultimately, it’s up to you.
4) Clear off a wall in your living room and design a life-size bracket for all to see. Those in the pool need to know you’re serious about your commitment. After all, your home will become bracket central for three weeks. Your wife or girlfriend might not appreciate this, but college roommates should understand. If not, it’s time to find new ones.
5) Ensure all entries are collected by tip-off Thursday.
6) Participants will likely have made a copy of their own selections. A successful pool manager should distribute pool-wide picks, then update them throughout the tourney. This makes it much more fun for those participating. Just be sure you’ve done so accurately. The last thing you want is for someone to find flaws in your masterpiece.
7) Prize money should be distributed according to pool size. If you’re hardcore, you can establish a winner-take-all payout, but it’s more enjoyable if most participants think they have a shot to finish in the money. It’s tradition for the last place finisher to receive his money back, then be publicly ridiculed.
8) Remember, this is all in fun. You are about to dedicate the next three weeks of your life watching college athletes give their all for the chance to be etched in history. Enjoy it. Gainesville certainly has the past two years.
The once proud University of Kentucky basketball program (7-9) is now mired in mediocrity. While traditional powerhouses such as UCLA, North Carolina and Duke still manage to field national-championship contenders, for some reason, Kentucky has failed to keep up with the joneses. And nowhere is this frustration more evident than their current seven-game losing streak to the Florida Gators.
Last night, Kentucky, after tying the game on a last-second three-pointer by Ramel Bradley, allowed Florida to score 20 points in overtime to keep Kentucky’s dubious losing streak alive. Only one other school, Notre Dame, can match a seven-game winning streak against the Wildcats. UF will have a chance to make it eight in a row in Lexington on March 9.
After attending last night’s game in person, one thing is clear. Despite being considerably younger (the Gators boast ten freshmen and sophomores on their roster), the Gators are once again the better team. Despite doing nearly everything possible to give the game away (Florida was up by twelve points late in the second half), the Gators still managed to eke out a victory, going 10-for-10 from the free throw line in overtime, after missing seven of nine late in the second half.
Far be it from be to pretend to know UK basketball like the rabid Kentucky natives, however, I can present an outsider’s perspective. Neutral observers still feel Tubby Smith got a raw deal and was never truly appreciated for what he brought to the program, which included a national championship, several conference titles, ten 20-win seasons, an NCAA tournament appearance every year and an undefeated conference schedule in 2002-03. Tubby is currently 12-4 at the University of Minnesota, while his successor is under .500.
It remains to be seen whether Billy Gillispie is the answer Lexington is looking for. It will also be interesting to see how long a leash they give him. Wildcat fans still must salivate with Billy-envy when they see Coach Donovan patrolling the sidelines of the two-time national champion Florida Gators.
Back in the late 1980s and ‘90s, it was not uncommon to see Gainesville’s O’Connell Center awash with rambunctious, blue-clad Wildcat fans heckling a program once lesser than theirs. Kentucky fans have been known to travel like no other fans. Last night, however, the Wildcats, while still present, we’re not quite as boisterous or numerous as in years past. Perhaps the horrible weather kept ‘Cats away from the not-so-friendly confines of the O’Dome. Maybe the free blue Gator t-shirts left for all fans washed out the Big Blue fans, but I think it’s safe to say, Kentucky fans, while still among the most proud fans in the nation, aren’t nearly as confident about the state of their program as they have been in years past.
Others that are better versed in the current Kentucky program can surely tell you about the state of high school basketball and the level of talent about to come out in the next few years. Lexington, after all, did steal away Patrick Patterson from Florida last year, and trust me… Patterson heard it from the Florida fans last night every time he touched the ball.
Perhaps Florida should thank Kentucky. After all, as probably our biggest conference basketball rival (now succeeded by Tennessee??), for decades, many orange and blue faithful learned about college basketball tradition from watching how much Kentucky cared about their program. And we do boast a former coach of theirs as our leader, along with having former UK standout John Pelphrey assisting Billy the Kid way back in the day.
One thing remains clear, however, Florida basketball, despite losing so much talent to the NBA last year, remains strong. And the fans remain rowdy. With players like Nick Calathes, Marreese Speights, Chandler Parsons, Adam Allen, Jai Lucas and Alex Tyus, the future looks bright. And unless Coach Gillispie can get his players to match the passion, connectivity, determination, and confidence showed by the youthful Gators, the streak may very well continue until next season.
I mean, tell me this isn’t a screenplay in the making. A young man who began coaching high school football in small town, Ohio (do all college coaches come from Ohio?) climbs his way to the big time to be scorned by one big time college football program, only to have the last laugh.
Bob Marley once sang “We forward in this generation triumphantly. Wont you help to sing these songs of freedom? ‘Cause all I ever have: Redemption songs.”
This song should echo loudly in the Illini locker room tonight.
Yes, in 2007, the year of the upset, Ron Zook, master motivator and head coach of the University of Illinois, led his team to an unprecedented upset over the Ohio State Buckeyes, IN COLUMBUS, all but ending any scarlet and gray hopes at a repeat visit to the national championship game. First Meyer, then Zook? Do you think the Bucks have had enough of Coach Zook’s recruits?
A reminder to all those who don’t know. Ron Zook was run out of Gainesville after three ‘unsuccessful’ seasons at the University of Florida. Think they’re happy to have him in Champaign?
Late in the game, up by seven and deep in their own territory, Coach Zook, after receiving confirmation from his sophomore quarterback, Juice Williams, that he would get the first down, believed in his player and elected to go for it on fourth and inches. After a decision that’s destined to live on in Illini folklore, the Illini got that yardage and never looked back. Congratulations to the Zooker all the way from Gainesville.
We’ll never know if Zook could have led the Gators to last year’s national championship, just as we’ll never know if Tony Dungy would have led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their Super Bowl victory after John Gruden took over. One thing, however, is for sure. The University of Illinois is officially a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten Conference. And apparently they’re led by a pretty good coach.
Charles Dickens penned “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times” in his 1859 novel “A Tale of Two Cities.” These words ring ever so true today in Gainesville, Florida as head basketball coach and two-time national champion, Billy Donovan, has announced he is leaving Gator Nation for the Magic Kingdom. There had been consistent speculation about his departure over the past few months, first with the University of Kentucky vacancy, then shortly thereafter with the Memphis Grizzlies. Donovan finally encountered an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Rich Devos, owner of the Magic, and Magic General Manager Otis Smith courted Billy Donovan with a five-year, $27.5 million deal. The lucrative offer, the bright future of Orlando’s young and talented roster, and the intrigue of coaching in the NBA all provide Donovan with a new challenge and opportunity.
Donovan’s resume at Florida speaks for itself: Back-to-back national championships; nine consecutive 20-win seasons; a .717 winning percentage; 261 wins in eleven seasons; Florida’s first ever conference tournament championships; three Final Four appearances, countless recruits drafted into the NBA, including three potential lottery picks in the upcoming draft.
Donovan was at a crossroads and much to Florida fans’ dismay, he has now left the O’Connell Center for the O’Dome. Gator Nation needs to be mature (I’m trying… I’m trying very hard) about this and wish Coach Donovan the best. He brought our program to unprecedented heights, a place we could never have imagined. He leaves us in fine shape. There should be no bitterness or resentment at all, just a touch of sadness as the man who we thought would continue to build his legacy in Gainesville has opted to coach elsewhere.
This is a different situation than when Steve Spurrier left years ago, although the news is just as shocking. By the time the Ol’ Ball Coach left Gainesville, he had also led Florida to several conference championships and one national championship. But Spurrier had lost his desire and competitive edge. Donovan leaves on top.
I won’t lie. When I heard Chris Myers break the news on Fox Sports Radio yesterday afternoon at 3:54 pm, it was like a punch to the gut. Ironically, I was driving right past the O’Connell Center, the place where Donovan had such heralded success, when I first heard the news. It was a difficult day and a whiskey-filled night, distracted only by a miraculous playoff performance by LeBron James.
So again, Gator Nation. Our future is still bright. Anthony Grant of VCU is the leading candidate to succeed Donovan. He knows the program and was an integral part of building it into the powerhouse it’s become today. It’s difficult to accept that our basketball program may never again be what it was, but the fact is, that may not have been the case had Donovan stayed.
So let me say from the bottom of my heart, I understand Coach’s decision. He will always be a part of Gator nation. He brought us to the mountaintop and for that we will be forever grateful. It will be different seeing him on the sidelines of my favorite professional basketball team. We all will need an adjustment period. But his future is bright.
Collectively, Gainesville now waves goodbye as the man they call Billy the Kid rides off into the sunset.
My…how the tide has turned in Lexington, Kentucky.
A close friend of mine who attended the last regular season game between Florida and Kentucky game relayed to me an interesting story. He told me you haven’t lived as a Gator basketball fan until you look into the eyes of a Kentucky Wildcat after beating them six consecutive times, only to have them stare back at you, then look dejectedly down at the floor in defeat.
Steeped in tradition, the University of Kentucky, once a powerhouse in college basketball, has in recent years been relegated to the middle of the pack in the Southeastern Conference, which is still a respectable position, just not by Kentucky's standards. Despite what most Wildcat fans will tell you, this is NOT for lack of quality coaching.
Last week, in a surprise announcement, former head coach Tubby Smith announced he was resigning his position at Kentucky to take on the University of Minnesota job. I don’t pretend to know what went on behind closed doors or Coach Smith’s reasons for leaving. Suffice it to say, Coach Smith did not get a fair shake after taking over for Rick Pitino. Even the national championship that Tubby won in 1998 came with an bluegrassterisk* since he won it “with Pitino’s players.” In departure, Coach Smith took the high road and showed class by not discussing or disclosing his personal reasons for leaving Lexington.
With their newest coaching vacancy in high visibility, UK has reportedly gone after Coach Bruce Pearl, who’s happily staying at Tennessee and John Calipari, who Memphis recently locked up until 2012. Coach Pitino has also denied any interest in returning. However, Kentucky’s prized possession is the young Billy Donovan, a former assistant at Kentucky, who has successfully led the Florida Gators to last year’s title and yet another Final Four this year… his third in eight seasons.
According to the Lexington Courier Journal, a recent blog posted on The Cat’s Pause, a website that covers UK sports, reported a rumor that Kentucky was close to signing a ‘blockbuster deal’ with Donovan. Now anyone with any sense (I guess that excludes Kentucky fans) realizes that Coach Donovan is locked away in the O’Connell Center with his assistant coaches breaking down game film of his future opponents. The only blue on his mind is the light blue uniforms of the UCLA Bruins.
As Gator fans, we would obviously be devastated to see Coach Donovan leave. University president Bernie Machen has openly stated that nobody is going to steal Coach Donovan from Gainesville. For those who still think Gainesville is first and foremost a football town, keep in mind, with another national title this year, the basketball program will have as many championships historically as their pigskin counterparts, all with the same coach. While Norm Sloan may have brought the Florida program into national prominence and Lon Kruger carried it to its first Final Four berth, it was Donovan, now the all-time coaching leader at Florida that perfected it.
To you, Kentucky fan, I say hands off until the coaching season is over. Wish all you want. Keep your framed picture of Coach Donovan under your pillow, dream sweet dreams and get that checkbook open. After the way your fans, media and alumni treated Coach Smith, Donovan’s close personal friend, it’s unlikely that you stand as good a chance of landing Billy as you think you do.
If Coach Donovan does decide to leave, we wish him the best and thank him for the prominence and class he’s brought to our program. And Kentucky fans, if he departs for the Bluegrass State, make sure you don’t run him out of town like you did your last coach.
Here’s a little story that didn’t get much publicity outside of South Carolina… but it’s juicy. The Ol’ Ball Coach is up to his old tricks again, bantering with Coach Bowden. But this time, it’s a different Bowden.
The University of South Carolina recently rewarded their head football coach with a $500,000 raise after two years on the job. In his first year as USC head coach, Spurrier beat his alma mater, the University of Florida, a feat which had
