Orlando Sentinel: Donovan to Sign With Magic

I'll file this one under "C" for "Coaching Developments, Most Surprising"

According to a report on the Orlando Sentinel's website, Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan will sign to be the next head coach of the Orlando Magic.

I'm speechless. This hiring is going to be a hit with many Magic fans. I just hope Otis Smith made his decision based on what's good for the team, not for the franchise as a whole. By that, I mean I hope he made the move because he's sure that Donovan will legitimately improve the Magic, not because he wants to get a new arena built for the team.

Wow.

I have to wipe egg off my face now. I wrote this paragraph only yesterday:

I wouldn't get too excited about this news. Billy Donovan is no dummy; he knows that the more he talks to pro teams, the more money UF will have to throw at him. Shaquille did the same thing to us ten years ago. The second he became a free agent, he knew he was going to sign with the Lakers. He told them that he was still undecided, which caused them to raise their offer. Then he left us. And that was all she wrote.

Well, he did what Shaq did, all right. But, contrary to what I first thought, UF was being strung along, not us.