With Billy Donovan negotiating to return to Gainesville to coach the Univ. of Florida after backing out of his commitment to coach the Magic, some bloggers think his decision could change the way NBA teams deal with college coaches in the future.
SportsBurn
Posted By: Sports Dude |
| “I think that something has to be done to prevent people from having a ‘change of heart’ and not honoring their contract. Remember, the media kills players when they want to renegotiate or ask to be traded. I just hope that this is a lesson to those coaches who don’t want to honor that signed document that we call a contract.” |
From Aj’s Skybox
Posted By: aj3166 |
| “He has not only destroyed any chance of going to the NBA himself, but has made it difficult for any college coach to make the jump to the pros. Do you think any NBA team is ever again going to consider hiring a college coach, knowing in the back of their minds that whoever they hire could pull a ‘Donovan’?” |
| Sports Manor |
| “I think that Billy Donovan going back to Florida is a good decision. I watched the press conference he held with Orlando and to me, he looked scared, like a deer caught in the headlights. It just looked to me like he was going through the motions; like it hadn’t really sunk in yet what he was doing.” |
Kentucky Wildcat Basketball
Posted By: UK1BIGBLUE |
| “I think Billy Donovan has spoiled his chances of returning to the NBA in such a good position. Note that doesn’t mean I don’t think eventually he will go - I still think the NBA calls to him. I just think that his chances of landing as good of a job as the Orlando Magic will escape him.” |
Get a lodha this
Posted By: K.L. |
| “Could Donovan have handled this situation any worse? He’s definitely alienated the Magic, he’s probably alienated most of his players at Florida, and here’s betting that most NBA teams will now be quite unwilling to give him a shot.” |
Duke Basketball Report
Posted By: DBR |
| “Everyone understands that contracts in this business mean nothing, but everyone also knows that if both your bosses and your recruits get whiplash trying to keep up with your career shuffle, your credibility necessarily declines.” |
BUILDING THE BUZZ: Sports Media Challenge's Sports Blog Index analyzed the buzz surrounding Donovan’s expected return to Florida. There was mixed reaction among bloggers. Click here for more analysis.Visit www.SportsBusinessDaily.com for more analysis.
- The topic measured 10 of 10 on The Buzz, which indicates an extremely high level of interest.
- Most of the positive exposure is drawn from Florida bloggers who support the return of Donovan, or bloggers who feel it is in Donovan’s best interest to avoid previous college-to-NBA coaching failures.
- Negative exposure is drawn from critics of the “flip-flopping” behavior on Donovan’s part. Surprisingly, this sentiment is even felt by some Florida fans.
- Fans feel that a ban for Donovan to return to the NBA is fair, and some bloggers have called for that ban to be longer, if not permanent.
