[LU'sbestmanager]

Billy D is having second thoughts and wants to go back to UF

[thepostman]

This is ridiculous, I am a Magic fan, I have been since 1989 when they first started play in Orlando where i lived for 6 years...and I swear since Shaq left nothing good seems to happen....

This is different then the Marshall thing, at least he didn't sign a contract...Billy signed a freaking contract....I Don't know if this is true, I guess more will be known tomorrow morning...but if he ends up going back to UF then he loses all credibility and respect from a lot of people

[LU'sbestmanager]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/index

"Billy Donovan may not be ready to leave the University of Florida. Sources told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Sunday night that the coach is trying to get out of his deal with the NBA's Orlando Magic."

im guessing that they will let him out, because no one wants a coach that doesn't want to be there..... well except coastal of course. lol

[thepostman]

word down in Florida is that there is more involved in this then Billy...such as boosters and stuff meeting at Billy's house to talk him out of it....who knows...I think he is as good as gone...Its completely classless...I have always hated UF...this will just throw fuel on the fire

[Sly Fox]

im guessing that they will let him out, because no one wants a coach that doesn't want to be there..... well except coastal of course. lol

Easily the funniest line you've ever had on the board, manger.

[TDDance234]

I hope they tell him no and then when the Gators hire a new coach, fire him.

[Fumblerooskies]

Billy D is having second thoughts and wants to go back to UF

Pulling a Marshall...
...What? Did the GM (AD) of the Magic come back from vacation and throw a fit over the hire..."Him or me?"

[HenryGale]

Billy D is having second thoughts and wants to go back to UF

Pulling a Marshall...
...What? Did the GM (AD) of the Heat come back from vacation and throw a fit over the hire..."Him or me?"

Or the Magic...

[jcmanson]

I saw this this morning on Sportscenter. Billy is crazy. I was thinking when I saw this, that I hope Florida doesn't let him back. You know they will though.

[LU'sbestmanager]

UF said that they will not continue to go after Grant until everything is situated with Donovan

[thepostman]

This is completely classless and I think Billy D has lost a lot of credibility because of all of this. You do not sign of freaking contract unless you know without a doubt that you want to make the switch. I hope he and the Gators ends up having to pay the Magic millions....

[Libertine]

I hope he and the Gators ends up having to pay the Magic millions....

For what?

[JDUB]

breaking a signed contract

[LUconn]

did he even sign it? I thought they came to an "agreement". Plus many states have a 3 day period where either party can void a contract.

[LU'sbestmanager]

no, it was signed

[Libertine]

That would be extremely unusual if Donovan signed an actual contract at this point. It's apparently not well-known that most coaching hires only sign "agreements" initially -- coach will work X amount of time for X amount of money -- so that they can start work for their new employers while the final details of the contract are still being hammered out. That process can take days, weeks or even months (see Mike Price). The agreement is different from the contract in that it's not very involved beyond the basics and is, generally, not considered legally binding.

[LUconn]

I figured that, but ESPN's article does say he signed a contract. This article is a bit more in depth http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2892334.

By the way, has anybody noticed Katz totally ripped off foxsports.com? His article came a full hour after theirs. Oh but his info came "sources". Yeah I guess fox could be a source.

[Libertine]

ESPN is calling it a "contract" but every article about it on their site was written by Andy Katz who, as LUConn just pointed out, ain't exactly Edward R. Murrow.

[thepostman]

It was a signed contract. He faxed it over to the Magic Friday night according to the Orlando Sentinal. So if this is the case and he is breaking the contract then he owes the Magic something and if he doesn't do that then you can expect legal action to take place, but I doubt the lawyers let it get to that point...

Donovan is an idiot, I don't know why anybody would defend him....oh yeah, you guys hate the nba

[Libertine]

It was a signed contract. He faxed it over to the Magic Friday night according to the Orlando Sentinal. So if this is the case and he is breaking the contract then he owes the Magic something and if he doesn't do that then you can expect legal action to take place, but I doubt the lawyers let it get to that point...

Donovan is an idiot, I don't know why anybody would defend him....oh yeah, you guys hate the nba

You seem mighty wound up about this, Post Toastie. Let me ask you, assuming that there was a signed contract, what all would he owe the Magic? All the money they gave him? He hasn't had enough time to fill out a W-4 let alone draw a paycheck from them.
Now, I would expect that, in the contract, there's probably an opt-out penalty clause which, in theory, the Magic could try to enforce but those clauses are usually there in case the coach wants to leave for another job mid-contract. But, at only two days in, suing over that would be seen by the courts as just malicious litigation -- which it would be -- and the case would probably get tossed.
On top of that, if Donovan ends up back at Florida, where he is wildly popular -- or, at least, was --, it does the Magic no good to go to war with a successful college program that also represents probably a good chunk of their fan base.

Donovan does owe the Magic an apology, I think, as well as one to UF but this is a no-win situation for either party at this point. The best idea is to call it a wash and let Orlando go get someone who really wants to be there.

[SuperJon]

Mike and Mike were saying this morning that the way it'll end up is both teams will shake hands, say good game, and Donovan will be back at Florida with neither team owing each other anything.

[Libertine]

Exactly. This is no different than the Gregg Marshall, Dana Altman or Bobby Cremins freakouts. They took a hit on their reputations but that was it.

[LU'sbestmanager]

but isn't it differnt because those guys didn't sign a contract?

[SuperJon]

What good does it do for Orlando to force a guy who doesn't want to be there to coach?

They haven't paid him anything yet so it's not like they're losing money or anything.

[Libertine]

but isn't it differnt because those guys didn't sign a contract?

Didn't they? Or maybe Donovan didn't and the media just doesn't know the difference between an agreement and a contract.