Anyone who knows me, knows I am not a huge sports fan. However, most people that know me, do know I went to the University of Kentucky for undergrad. And anyone that knows anything about sports knows that the University of Kentucky is the most premiere school in the country for college basketball. Used to be anyway. Poised to be again? I think it might be up to this guy:
Billy Donovan. That's right, the current coach of the two-time National Championship University of Florida Gators. Why would he come to Kentucky? Hmmm, well he has history there, he assistant coached with Rick Pitino and current coach Tubby Smith (who is leaving for Minnesota). And they are prepared to offer him as much as 35.5 million over 7 years to coach at Kentucky. He would become the highest paid college coach in the country. Though I'm sure Florida would try and outbid Kentucky, Kentucky's alumni and pockets run a lot deeper. Hell, Ashley Judd herself would pay Donovan's salary just to get him here.
It's weird to me that everyone, including myself, is getting into Donovan Hype. Florida, as of recently, has been Kentucky's nemesis, yet here we are rooting for their coach. I have to admit, its got me excited. I went to Kentucky in their last glory years, I had two years of Pitino and a national championship and a runner-up, and then two years of Tubby and another national championship. Not too shabby. It was exciting. I remember looting the streets of Lexington when I was a freshman, we looted TWICE that year...once when we beat UMASS in the semis, and then again when we won the championship. And then again the next year, and the year after that...it was nuts. It would be nice to have that again...that feeling of being a national powerhouse again. I think Donovan can do it.
A word on Tubby...great coach...probably one of the greatest coaching today, and the True Blue faithful are going to see that when we see Minnesota as a legitimate force in the Big Ten in a few years. Tubby never had a chance at Kentucky...following in Pitino's footsteps? First black men's coach at a school where the legendary coach (Adolf...Adolf for christ's sake...Rupp) was a noted racist? At a school that still has the separate colored water fountain (to show off history)? No way. His family was constantly barraged with hate, if he didn't win crosses were burnt and his resignation was asked for...he could never win. Plus he's battling the Kentucky faithful recruiting clas with Mr. Pitino down the road. Play for the legend or play for the constantly stressed black guy? No dice. He needed to leave and give everyone in Kentucky the finger. I am happy for him and Minnesota might be my new team to root for.
Whoever Kentucky hires its going to be massive and set off a chain reaction. This hiring is as important as the Notre Dame football job that snared Charlie Weiss. There is no more coveted basketball job, other than maybe Duke, and Coach K is preserved in wax for the next 40 years. This will set off a hiring chain reaction that will be felt everywhere, much like when Roy Williams left for North Carolina. If Donovan doesn't take this job a.) he is retarded and b.) please offer it to Mark Few.
That is all.
Touchdown.
