Billy praying people don’t make fun of him or his muscles

What was Billy Donovan’s actual reason for running back to Florida? Did he really love Gainesville that much? Did he love the fans THAT much? Maybe he just really hates Disneyland? Or did the soul beneath him quiver at the thought of leaving Gator nation only to fail miserably in the NBA and never retain the haven he once resided in?

Uhhh….yea. Definitely the last one.

Except I would just say the NBA scared the shit out of him. And leave it at that.

Now for some reason, I usually would not automatically reach that assumption. For the most part, I would completely understand if a coach preferred to remain coaching college level basketball than jumping to the NBA. I mean it must suck to go from actually teaching young athletes who, for the most part, are willing to learn to acclimating oneself with athletes that will be pocketing five times the money you are. I understand that the season is longer. And I realize the NBA requires more traveling. Not to mention, the pressure to win.

So why is my opinion on Donovan different? Three reasons.

1) Everybody left.

All five starters on the 2007 NCAA championship team have packed up their bong and left town for the NBA. Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Taurean Green, and Corey Brewer were all juniors. So Billy, four out of the five starters are actually getting the hell away from you a year before they have to. It’s not like they are coming back to you for a three-peat. So why stay? It seems like a perfect time to go.

2) Orlando has the best-young big man in the NBA

Dwight Howard is 21 years old. He averaged 17 and 12 last year, not to mention 15 and 14 in the first round against Detroit. He has decent players around him, and the team is only going to get better barring some ugly move by management. So why not be part of an NBA’s team rise back to prominence? Not to mention, you will be coaching in the Eastern Conference and a player like Dwight Howard is good enough to contend for conference championships because the conference is so poor.

3) What does he really have to prove at Florida?

He has won two straight national championships at a school known for football. Florida has mentally and physically dominated everyone and everything in basketball for two years. Why would he not want to challenge himself? Does he really not want to prove himself as a coach against the best in the world? Isn’t he a competitor? And if he is. Isn’t that what competitors want?

I think he is scared. I mean he has it made in Gainesville. Fucking made.

He has bought himself about 8-10 years in light of his two national championships. Not to mention three appearances in the big game in seven years.

Now I don’t live there so I don’t know, but I’d bet good money that he doesn’t have to pay for anything other than the toilet paper he wipes his ass with at night. It’s just the way it is. His car, his house, dinners, drinks, you name it. It’s paid for.

But don’t get me wrong, most of that might be true in the NBA as well. But to get what he gets at Florida, he’ll have to earn at Orlando.

And I don’t think he was up to the challenge. I think he singed the contract then went home and cried in his pillow thinking about the first meeting with the Magic players. Realizing that half of them are going to be wearing headphones and the other half playing Madden on their personal PS3s in their lockers.

It’s not the same. It’s harder. A lot harder.

In college, you go on recruiting trips. These trips involve convincing naive, clueless, innocent, and gullible high school senior athletes to play basketball and get a college education (for the parents) at the University of Florida, for free. Tough sell. Not to mention you get to give the kid a key to a Lexus parked around back just as long as he kept it to himself. Just make sure you get that signature first. Right coach.

In the NBA, you have the draft. Decisions that will shape the outlook of your franchise for years to come. Free agency, which can define your whole career. See Isiah Thomas.

So, yea, it was a tough decision. You have to be tough to coach in the NBA. You’ve got to have resolution and determination.

And it just seems as though Billy Donovan just had tranquility in his sanctuary that is The Rowdy Reptiles.

Which is fine I guess. If you’re a pussy.