04 June 2007

Orlando Sentinel: Donovan Will Be Let Out

Updating an earlier ESPN.com report, the Orlando Sentinel posted early this morning that the Magic will let Billy Donovan out of his contract so he can return to the University of Florida:

"It's over," said a source close to the situation.
[....]
Unless Donovan wakes up today and changes his mind, the Magic will let him go, the source said.
There's still no word as to what financial obligations, if any, Donovan will owe the Magic as part of voiding his contract.

I'll be extremely brief here: Billy Donovan just gave the City of Orlando a swift kick to the balls. It's one thing to express a desire to coach somewhere, only to have second thoughts later; it's quite another to sign a contract with a team and enthusiastically discuss its future, only to jilt it just days later.

My sadness outweighs my anger.

7 comments:

Nathaniel Jones said...

I feel for you; you can't have a press conference expressing your excitement and change your mind. What I don't get is how could you possibly make this big a decision without thinking it through carefully beforehand? There couldn't have been any new development between when he signed the contract and now that he shouldn't have foreseen. Lame.

Anonymous said...

Maybe signing Van Gundy just wasn't exciting enough. So, they cooked up this scheme to make the Van Gundy deal more exciting and instead of having 200 season ticket holders drop - they pick up 200 suckers.

Ben Q. Rock said...

I agree with you, Carter. You don't care too much about the Kings, do you? Because I don't want you to be upset if we end up stealing -- rescuing? -- Stan Van Gundy from them.

Anonymous, we may never know about that. Maybe Billy D was on the grassy knoll with Fidel and the Mob.

Anonymous said...

"Maybe Billy D was on the grassy knoll with Fidel and the Mob." He's not old enough, is he?

Joe said...

Wow I wish I could share your inclination towards sadness, because right now I am filled with pure rage. You should check out the update I wrote on Four Free Throws... it's not nearly as nice as yours.

I hope the Magic move to Kansas City soon so we can all get on with our lives. At times like these I miss the Solar Bears

Ben Q. Rock said...

Anon 12:47, I doubt Donovan was even alive when President Kennedy was shot. I was trying to make a joke.

Joseph, your words wound me. This news is devastating, yes, but I don't think it cripples the franchise to the point of needing to relocate. If anything, it makes me realize how badly we need the Magic in Orlando. It makes me appreciate the successes we've had in the past, and the good this team can do for the city.

Nathaniel Jones said...

I could care less about the Kings. I'll only be bummed if the shuffle of Van Gundy going to Orlando means Sacramento takes Rambis from L.A. But from what I'm hearing Terry Porter from Detroit is the likeliest candidate at this point.