Bluegrassrivals

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2823573

ATLANTA -- Billy Donovan has a busy two weeks ahead, but one thing that's not on the agenda is a planned meeting with Kentucky.
That doesn't mean Donovan is definitely staying at Florida, but there was little indication late Monday night and into Tuesday morning that Donovan is leaving for Kentucky. All indications are that he is staying at Florida for a 12th year.
No one associated with Florida's administration or staff late Monday night and early Tuesday morning felt like he was leaving.
"Right now, the biggest thing I have to do is enjoy this moment, we have to enjoy this moment," Donovan said in a one-on-one interview with ESPN after winning the national championship for a second consecutive year.
"This doesn't happen too often," Donovan said. "The important thing to me right now is to share this with my players, my family. I don't have a timetable or anything like that."
Donovan will spend Tuesday receiving the Siemens national trophy and then flying home to Gainesville with the team in the afternoon. He said he has a speaking engagement at Marshall University, where he was once the coach, on Wednesday; he said he made the commitment a year ago to speak there. Huntington, W.Va., is the hometown of Patrick Patterson, the top unsigned player in the class of 2007, and Patterson is considering Florida and Kentucky among other schools.
Florida then will hold its national championship celebration Friday night at the O'Connell Center. On Saturday, Donovan, his family and his in-laws will head to the Dominican Republic for a week to celebrate his father-in-law's 70th birthday.
Sometime before he leaves for the Dominican, Donovan said he will meet with Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley. Donovan, who has two years remaining on his contract, is expected to be offered an extension that would match any reported offer from Kentucky. In other words, close to or more than $3 million annually.
"I haven't talked to anybody," Donovan reiterated. "I want to enjoy this. I know Jeremy Foley and I are going to talk [this week]. But right now, it's about these kids and this program getting to this point."
The players gave no indication that Donovan would leave, either.
"Why go to Kentucky?" junior Corey Brewer said. "When's the last time they won a national title?"
The answer: 1998. Florida has played in three national title games since then and Monday became the first team since Duke in 1992 to repeat.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

He will decide this week. He may not be in a hurry but UK needs a decision soon.

IMO, he has already made a decision, he just hasn't announced it yet. I don't care how much he sat around saying he hasn't thought about it, I think he has already made up his mind and will tell everyone before the week is over.

come home Billy and bring John Pelphery with you.

All Roads lead back to Florida for Billy D.

I'm sure he could swing by Lexington when he goes to Marshall and that wouldn't hurt his schedule in the least. Doesn't have to worry that much about getting players since I feel pretty good on Patterson and Lucas if he comes and the PG that had already committed to Florida would also possibly come. So he could still go on his vacation and text away. LOL

rallo316 Wrote:come home Billy and bring John Pelphery with you.

Again, he's not from Lexington.

And also, Pelphry is not going to leave being a head coach to be an assistant. That would be ignorant.

Im getting tired of waiting, hopefully he doesnt wait any longer.

Screw Corey Brewer...lol. Florida will never compare to Kentucky in wins, national championships, fans, NOTHING.

No one is saying he's from Lexington. He got his first coaching position with Kentucky and I believe that is why everyone is telling him to come home. If he comes great, I would love to see it. If he doesn't, I'm sure all of Kentucky will be a little upset and some will be ready to jump off a bridge, but UK will not get sub-par replacement.

98 Wrote:Again, he's not from Lexington.

And also, Pelphry is not going to leave being a head coach to be an assistant. That would be ignorant.

Leaving a lower school to become a top assistant at one of the top schools in the nation would be ignorant? I'm not saying that he is coming nor that he has been asked to come, but I think that making a move like that for anyone would be a great opportunity. Puts a man in a great position to move up to head coach of a larger school.

Beef Wrote:Leaving a lower school to become a top assistant at one of the top schools in the nation would be ignorant? I'm not saying that he is coming nor that he has been asked to come, but I think that making a move like that for anyone would be a great opportunity. Puts a man in a great position to move up to head coach of a larger school.

No coach in his position would EVER make that move. Never. Asistants at top programs like UK leave to take jobs like the one he has, he's far beyond that right now.

Yes, it absolutely would be very ignorant.

If his ultimate goal is to be UK's head coach it still in his best interest to stay and be a HEAD coach somewhere else, the job will open up again soon, ESPECIALLY if its Billy, and then he will have the track record to be qualified.

I really don't know what he is gonna do at this point. The past two days I've been reading on CatsPause.com's Forums, and many people claim to have great sources, and say that its already a done deal, and that John Pelphrey is coming to become an assistant. Then theres rumors that Florida's AD (Foley) is retiring. I don't know if I belive any of this or not. But I'm getting tired of waiting on him. Its gonna be another two weeks before we find out if he is coming or not, if he plans on going to the Dominacan Republic for a week. but he may say somthing about the UK job, after or before being a guest speaker at Marshall.

98 Wrote:And also, Pelphry is not going to leave being a head coach to be an assistant. That would be ignorant.

Don't be so sure.
A head assistant at UK looks alot better on a resume than a head coach at an entry level D1.

We wont get him.....

I have a bad feeling about it now

Don't give up...don't ever give up...

agree Fox but it worries me that if we do not get him things could end up bad in the bluegrass

Nah, there are still a couple of options.
I just think this one is not finished yet.

What if he was a "co-coach" of sorts? Anyone ever heard of such a thing? I haven't yet, but I had heard the rumor that, that's kinda of what the title would be. It sounds silly to me.

Again Billy was asked today about the UK job and even he said "It's not that I'm trying to avoid the question, it's just that I want to celebrate our championship." Not a direct quote but somewhere in those lines reported by Andy Katz. Another opportunity to clear the air, and once again, he avoids the question. Kinda weird to me if he has no intentions of coming to UK. He did say he loved Florida again, but take that as a grain of salt.

Co-Coach won't get it, I've heard Associate Head Coach would be the correct title.

BCF4L Wrote:Again Billy was asked today about the UK job and even he said "It's not that I'm trying to avoid the question, it's just that I want to celebrate our championship."

And that is why I believe that he is coming to UK. Of course Donovan doesn't want to look like a d-bag and say he's leaving during the tournament...or the day after. UK fans would be happy to see Donovan announce during the post-game last night that he's coming to UK, but, honestly, who would do that?

I think if Donovan announces it, it will be this Friday or Saturday.

The trophy presentation at Florida is this Friday, then a few days after that Donovan is going overseas to celebrate "his Dad's birthday."

Would this not be the most opportune time to announce that he's leaving?

Right before he leaves the country and doesn't have to get crap about it from Florida fans. I think......well, hope so.

FOX SPORTS Wrote:Co-Coach won't get it, I've heard Associate Head Coach would be the correct title.

explain this concept to me

15thRegionSlamaBamma Wrote:explain this concept to me

It's basically a top assistant title and role with greater responsiblity.
There have been instances in other programs that this has been the case...specifics escape me at the moment.

Beef Wrote:Leaving a lower school to become a top assistant at one of the top schools in the nation would be ignorant? I'm not saying that he is coming nor that he has been asked to come, but I think that making a move like that for anyone would be a great opportunity. Puts a man in a great position to move up to head coach of a larger school.

Pelphrey is alread in a head coach. He is ready to move up to a better basketball conference. He's not going to go anywhere as an assistant. It just don't work that way, you move up not down.

kyrifle Wrote:Pelphrey is alread in a head coach. He is ready to move up to a better basketball conference. He's not going to go anywhere as an assistant. It just don't work that way, you move up not down.

Don't get to ahead of urself considering the fact that it came from his mouth that if everything worked out right he may come...

FOX SPORTS Wrote:It's basically a top assistant title and role with greater responsiblity.
There have been instances in other programs that this has been the case...specifics escape me at the moment.

thanks fox that cleared alot up for me

kyrifle Wrote:Pelphrey is alread in a head coach. He is ready to move up to a better basketball conference. He's not going to go anywhere as an assistant. It just don't work that way, you move up not down.

Panther Thunder Wrote:Don't get to ahead of urself considering the fact that it came from his mouth that if everything worked out right he may come...

i am going to have to agree with you Panther Thunder. I also do not belive it would be a step down for Pelphrey as of now I do not see him landing a power house job some where such as a Flordia, Uk or any where else. I belive that if he joins Billy D if he comes then it will look better on a resume to say hey I helped build the UK program back up from a sub par national consideration team to a team that is now competiting yet again with the best. Which is what he has done where he is right now but not as an assistant I understand this. Pelphrey as of now is not ready to take over a head job and a big time school but working under a Billy D will be exactly what he needs to move up to where he needs to be. Just like Billy D when he coached under Pitino, that is what had lead him to where he is today.

He'll announce before he goes on vacation.

FOX SPORTS Wrote:Co-Coach won't get it, I've heard Associate Head Coach would be the correct title.

I knew it was something like that, thanks for the correct wording Fox Sports.