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Billy D: It's Not To Be

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 27, 2009

TAMPA - I got my e-mail at 4:46 Friday afternoon.

What time did you get yours?

Billy Donovan, according to Billy Donovan, is instantly not a candidate for the cavernous opening in the University of Kentucky basketball program.

"In response to the rumors circulating about my interest in other jobs, I wanted to address this as quickly as possible," Donovan said in a statement e-mailed by the school he works for in Gainesville. "I am committed to the University of Florida and look forward to continuing to build our program here."

As quickly as possible?

Does Usain Bolt ring a bell?

We checked the wind. It was legal.

Billy G is out.

And Billy D isn't leaving.

Billy Gillispie, NIT loser, has been fired by Big Blue. The news conference began at 4:30. Donovan's e-mail was out 16 minutes later. Bet they'd been polishing that one for weeks.

Remember the good old days, when Billy let Kentucky rumors roll around a while? Where's the fun anymore?

Now Donovan has ended, right quick, tall tales that were flying back and forth across the Bluegrass as if they rode on Secretariat's back: That Billy D had already interviewed. That he was on his way to Lexington. That Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley was on his way to interview VCU coach Anthony Grant, who was going to be Florida coach the last time, when Billy left for the NBA's Orlando Magic for nearly 234 minutes.

Poor Kentucky basketball is so desperate it clings to that tired vision that Donovan, Baby Pitino, will finally see the light. Yes, Billy has hit a rough patch, missing two NCAA Tournaments after those two NCAA titles. It still beats what's going on at UK. Donovan doesn't need Kentucky.

His perfect chance to leave for Lexington was two years ago. He'd already won his titles. Big Blue panted for him. Billy wanted the NBA instead.

I always cut him slack for his Magic Waffle. He never lied, not to my way of thinking. He really did want to go to Orlando. And then he really did want to stay in G-ville.

Meanwhile, Kentucky came to worship a golden calf in the decidedly dizzy Gillispie, who didn't play well with pathological Kentucky fans and was apparently a party boy, too. Even worse, he lost.

Party's over.

The Billy D party is over, too.

Give it up, Kentucky fans. He's not your man.

Why not try Memphis coach John Calipari? He wins and wins. He's a beast at recruiting, if not free-throw coaching. He's slick, good on TV and never sent 1,500 text messages to former UConn player Nate Miles. Yeah, I'd say Jim Calhoun is out of the running for the Kentucky job.

Billy Donovan doesn't need Kentucky. Maybe he'll coach somewhere else eventually. Maybe he'll leave Gainesville, retire at 50, then get the itch and join the New York Knicks. At least that's a Knicks fan's prayer. Everybody gets the Billy D bug now and again. Those Wildcats in Lexington need to get over theirs.

Mind you, Kentucky basketball can be saved. After all, it's not Notre Dame football, which is truly a lost cause, at least until Urban Meyer rids the world of Lane Kiffin, then leaves Florida for South Bend.

Hey, check your e-mail.

I think Urban just sent you one.

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