[Cider Jim]

Billy Donovan turned down Kentucky for an even "better" offer: he's going to be coaching the Orlando Magic, according to ESPN.

The Associated Press said the deal is a five-year, $27.5 million contract.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2888555

[Sly Fox]

He'll never have more bargaining power than right now so I don't blame him for striking while th eiron is hot.

Expect his amazing signing class to crumble in the next day or so.

[Cider Jim]

Billy will be the second current NBA head coach who coached or played for Marshall's Thundering Herd.

[Fumblerooskies]

...joining the Suns' coach, Mike D'Antoni.

[sitemdown77]

Don't be suprised if in the next couple of days you see former UF assistant and now VCU head coach Anthony Grant in the news about the possibility of being Donovan's assistant at Orlando.

[Fumblerooskies]

Breaking news from Sitemdown!

BTW...how's MB? Good luck tomorrow.

[jcmanson]

Being in Richmond, I don't think AG will go to Orland as an assistant. He likes it here in Richmond, the fans, community, and players have embraced him. I think there is a better chance of him going to UF than Orlando. Just my .02.

[TDDance234]

I agree. I think Anthony to UF is as good as done.

[Cider Jim]

...joining the Suns' coach, Mike D'Antoni.

Correct (again), Fumble.

[LU'sbestmanager]

yup, i think he will get that UF job too

[HenryGale]

Being in Richmond, I don't think AG will go to Orland as an assistant.

Ahhh...the true reason AG has been absent from the boards!

[Fumblerooskies]

yup, i think he will get that UF job too

Andy Katz was just on Mike and Mike and speculated the same thing. Kuselias thinks UF should go for a proven name...like Calipari. I agree.

[HenryGale]

RD does not have a coaching gig yet, right

[olldflame]

There is no doubt that right now UF is a better job than Memphis, but that is because Donovan made it that way. If I'm Calapari, I would think long and hard before leaving Memphis. He is practically worshipped there, is able to recruit top notch talent, plays in front of huge crowds in a state of the art arena, and has virtually a free ride to the dance every year. At UF, he would always be a distant second to Urban Meyer. I'm not sure what his salary at Memphis is, but I'm sure it's lucrative, and I doubt if UF is going to offer another coach the deal they gave Donovan.

[Sly Fox]

Calapari's agent has had his name in the hat for nearly every high profile college job the past two years. I'm not sur eof the exact compensation package, but I get the feeling it can't be great if he is sniffing around.

[LU'sbestmanager]

Being in Richmond, I don't think AG will go to Orland as an assistant. He likes it here in Richmond, the fans, community, and players have embraced him. I think there is a better chance of him going to UF than Orlando. Just my .02.

same for Donavan.... right?

[jcmanson]

Being in Richmond, I don't think AG will go to Orland as an assistant. He likes it here in Richmond, the fans, community, and players have embraced him. I think there is a better chance of him going to UF than Orlando. Just my .02.

same for Donavan.... right?

I don't know exactly what you're alluding to, but if you are trying to say that Billy left even though he had the same thing as Grant does, in terms of the fans, community, and players embracing him, that is not comparable. I could see Grant going to another head coaching job (i.e. Florida), but not leaving what he has to go to a new staff as an assistant. I just don't see it.

[sitemdown77]

Expect a possible press conference on Monday from UF. I'd say Grant.......

[LU'sbestmanager]

yes that is what i was saying. he was happy there too and everyone loved him

[jcmanson]

That's comparing apples and oranges. Florida and VCU are exact opposites. Billy was at the top of the game, he couldn't go anybigger except for the NBA. Plus you're talking about going from one head gig to another, rather than a head gig to being 2nd fiddle again. I don't see that happening. Especially with as good as it's going at VCU.

[sitemdown77]

The Grant rumors are starting to fly on ESPN now. Just listening to a few people who know some things. They think this is why he came to VCU. Not necessarily that it would happen this year, but he couldn't just stay at UF, and then get the job without them heading out and finding a big name. He had to leave and prove himself as a head coach before Donovan left. That was the idea all along basically.

[Sly Fox]

I talked to their top point guard signee yesterday and he told me that everyone on campus is telling the current players that Grant is coming.

[LU'sbestmanager]

do you mean, coming back to VCU?

[thepostman]

no, he is as good as gone from VCU, from all the reports from the florida media its just working out the details....should be done next week

[LU'sbestmanager]

that's what i thought