Seth Davis on Mike and Mike

[Will Lavender]

Seth was asked this morning if he thought Donovan would come to UK. His answer:

"No, I don't think so. You can't deny the family angle here. And...and you have to look at Rick Pitino. Look, Pitino had a great relationship with Tubby Smith. But when Pitino talks about Donovan, he gets misty-eyed. Rick Pitino loves Billy Donovan like a son. And now, Pitino is disliked by...even if it's a small minority, there are a lot of Kentucky fans who dislike Pitino. He came back to Louisville wanting to...trying to help a program...and there's a lot of vitriol there. Donovan sees that, and I think that's what keeps him in Gainesville."

Interesting answer.

[UFWildcat]

Do you buy this Will?

[Littlemeyer]

You just know that Pitino is loving this. Whether it's true or not, the media is convinced that he's the most powerful force directing this coaching search.

[BigBlue75]

I'll be very generous here and simply say that Seth Davis is entitled to his opinion. :rolleyes:

[Craig the Blueheart]

The thing that bothers me most about this is the fact that he is blinded. When he makes comments that UK fans' disdain toward Pitino is a factor in the decision, it annoys me. I don't know what team he calls his favorite, but I guarantee you if the coach of his team (if they were successful) left and went to his bitter rival, then there would be disdain from him as well.

I cannot remember many situations similar to the Pitino and UK drama, but I guarantee you we would not be the only fan base that is mad about their once-successful coach going to their bitter rival.

[UFWildcat]

Craig the Blueheart wrote: The thing that bothers me most about this is the fact that he is blinded. When he makes comments that UK fans' disdain toward Pitino is a factor in the decision, it annoys me. I don't know what team he calls his favorite, but I guarantee you if the coach of his team (if they were successful) left and went to his bitter rival, then there would be disdain from him as well.

I cannot remember many situations similar to the Pitino and UK drama, but I guarantee you we would not be the only fan base that is mad about their once-successful coach going to their bitter rival.

Steve Spurrier :thumbup

Disdain? Putting it mildly. And USC isn't a bitter rivalry. (Yet)

I was at the game against USC this year. Pure jubilation.

[Kentucky Jim]

If BD takes the job, I want to see Seth Davis and Andy Katz front and center trying to explain how they both were wrong about this. As far as I can tell, all signs are pointing to Donovan taking the job, I will be surprised if he doesn't. I figure on Wed or Thur?

[Craig the Blueheart]

UFWildcat wrote: Craig the Blueheart wrote: The thing that bothers me most about this is the fact that he is blinded. When he makes comments that UK fans' disdain toward Pitino is a factor in the decision, it annoys me. I don't know what team he calls his favorite, but I guarantee you if the coach of his team (if they were successful) left and went to his bitter rival, then there would be disdain from him as well.

I cannot remember many situations similar to the Pitino and UK drama, but I guarantee you we would not be the only fan base that is mad about their once-successful coach going to their bitter rival.

Steve Spurrier :thumbup

Disdain? Putting it mildly. And USC isn't a bitter rivalry. (Yet)

I was at the game against USC this year. Pure jubilation.

I am sure that there is gnashing of teeth each time he comes to Florida. I just don't understand their unwillingness to understand the problem. The coach that brought us from the lowly depths of probation left the team, only to come back to the school that most of us like least. It is not that hard to connect the dots here. :shrug:

[BamaCat86]

Urban Meyer winning the national championship has helped easethe pain of losing Spurrier for Florida football fans. The situation is different from that of Tubby winning after Rick left since Zook was there in between Spurrier and Myer.

[BlueHeart]

Kentucky Jim wrote: If BD takes the job, I want to see Seth Davis and Andy Katz front and center trying to explain how they both were wrong about this. As far as I can tell, all signs are pointing to Donovan taking the job, I will be surprised if he doesn't. I figure on Wed or Thur?



Let's throw in Vitale and Wilbon while we're at it.

[DenCat]

What would these guys say if Coach K left Duke, then a few years later ended up the coach of UNC? My guess is it would not be pretty. The Duke fans would be peeved for sure.

[Buck_Naked]

BlueHeart wrote: Kentucky Jim wrote: If BD takes the job, I want to see Seth Davis and Andy Katz front and center trying to explain how they both were wrong about this. As far as I can tell, all signs are pointing to Donovan taking the job, I will be surprised if he doesn't. I figure on Wed or Thur?



Let's throw in Vitale and Wilbon while we're at it.
I wouldn't read too much into their "analysis". After all, they don't know much more about it than you or I do, and they're relying on the media just like we are. But hey, they're paid to give their opinions so they have to come up with something.

Besides, people like Digger Phelps and Seth Davis are barely a step up from the likes of Jim "The Geraldo of Sports" Rome, as far as I'm concerned...

[KapitalCat]

Will Lavender wrote: Seth was asked this morning if he thought Donovan would come to UK. His answer:

"No, I don't think so. You can't deny the family angle here. And...and you have to look at Rick Pitino. Look, Pitino had a great relationship with Tubby Smith. But when Pitino talks about Donovan, he gets misty-eyed. Rick Pitino loves Billy Donovan like a son. And now, Pitino is disliked by...even if it's a small minority, there are a lot of Kentucky fans who dislike Pitino. He came back to Louisville wanting to...trying to help a program...and there's a lot of vitriol there. Donovan sees that, and I think that's what keeps him in Gainesville."

Interesting answer.



If BD does not take the job, it will be for a lot of reasons, mostly family related..but this issue can't be discounted. BD loves Pitino and we (rightfully so) treated him like gargabe after he took the UofL job.

[Scratch]

I guess I am in the minority but I have nothing against Pitino, never have. He did great things for UK and UK did great things for him.

[cnice11]

I personally still dont have anything against Ricky P. He had the opportunity of a lifetime when he left UK to go to the Celtics. What coachwouldnt want full control of the Boston Celtics? For him it was the chance of a lifetime, he could control what players he wanted, draft who he wanted, etc. I know his experience turned out to be a disaster, but wouldnt anyone else on here that has ever coached bball at any level-littleleague, hs, middle school, whatever jump at that opportunity too? Plus from what I heard, just rumors though, his wife didnt like it here she was a northeaster. But Ricky p is still saying it now, that the worst mistake he ever made was leaving UK. I think that satisfies me. Like i said earlier, its just my opinion.

[Will Lavender]

cnice11 wrote: I personally still dont have anything against Ricky P. He had the opportunity of a lifetime when he left UK to go to the Celtics. What coachwouldnt want full control of the Boston Celtics? For him it was the chance of a lifetime, he could control what players he wanted, draft who he wanted, etc. I know his experience turned out to be a disaster, but wouldnt anyone else on here that has ever coached bball at any level-littleleague, hs, middle school, whatever jump at that opportunity too? Plus from what I heard, just rumors though, his wife didnt like it here she was a northeaster. But Ricky p is still saying it now, that the worst mistake he ever made was leaving UK. I think that satisfies me. Like i said earlier, its just my opinion.
Missing the point.

Who cares that he went to the Celtics? Leaving UK was inevitable. I, personally, was a fan of Pitino when he was in the NBA.

It's what happened AFTER that ruined Pitino for me. IMO, you don't coach your archrival. You just don't.

And Pitino himself took digs at UofL when he was at Kentucky. Some of them were downright crude. Read his book Full-Court Pressure with Hoops Weiss. There's a whole chapter devoted to UK fans' dislike of UofL. It details Bill Keightley's (Keightley apparently is an avid UofL basher), and also Rick Pitino's, vehement dogging of UofL in the mid-90s.

Interesting read.

[Clam]

UFWildcat wrote: Steve Spurrier :thumbup

Disdain? Putting it mildly. And USC isn't a bitter rivalry. (Yet)

I was at the game against USC this year. Pure jubilation.


As graduate of UK and USC, and understand your duel sympathies. As a graduate of USC, I can tell you to savor the feeling of beating the Gamecocks: you won't get that too often in the future! :D

[UFWildcat]

Clam wrote: UFWildcat wrote: Steve Spurrier :thumbup

Disdain? Putting it mildly. And USC isn't a bitter rivalry. (Yet)

I was at the game against USC this year. Pure jubilation.

I can tell you to savor the feeling of beating the Gamecocks: you won't get that too often in the future! :D

I take issue with that part of your post! :>

On a serious note. That game last year was the greatest game I have ever been too. It beat out the Vandy 3 overtime thriller 2 years ago.

[Nashville Kat]

Littlemeyer wrote: You just know that Pitino is loving this. Whether it's true or not, the media is convinced that he's the most powerful force directing this coaching search.

No kidding. And I can't believe it's true. What...does Donovan have strings attached to his arms, legs and head with ***** Ritino on the other end dancing him around like a marionette?

WhetherBD comes or not, I get the feeling the dude is his own man and won't make such an important decision based on whether or not fans like Pitino. I think Donovanunderstands why so many don't like Pitino...THE GUY COACHES LULVUL!

[justford]

Will Lavender wrote: cnice11 wrote: I personally still dont have anything against Ricky P. He had the opportunity of a lifetime when he left UK to go to the Celtics. What coachwouldnt want full control of the Boston Celtics? For him it was the chance of a lifetime, he could control what players he wanted, draft who he wanted, etc. I know his experience turned out to be a disaster, but wouldnt anyone else on here that has ever coached bball at any level-littleleague, hs, middle school, whatever jump at that opportunity too? Plus from what I heard, just rumors though, his wife didnt like it here she was a northeaster. But Ricky p is still saying it now, that the worst mistake he ever made was leaving UK. I think that satisfies me. Like i said earlier, its just my opinion.
Missing the point.

Who cares that he went to the Celtics? Leaving UK was inevitable. I, personally, was a fan of Pitino when he was in the NBA.

It's what happened AFTER that ruined Pitino for me. IMO, you don't coach your archrival. You just don't.

And Pitino himself took digs at UofL when he was at Kentucky. Some of them were downright crude. Read his book Full-Court Pressure with Hoops Weiss. There's a whole chapter devoted to UK fans' dislike of UofL. It details Bill Keightley's (Keightley apparently is an avid UofL basher), and also Rick Pitino's, vehement dogging of UofL in the mid-90s.

Interesting read.
He took the best College job available and at the time it happened to be UL. If UL had no problem with what RP said about them while at UK, so be it. RP brought UK back from the dead and I will always cheer for him and Louisville as long as they are not playing UK.:shrug:

[Mr. T]

Well.... that does it then.... we all know Seth Davis is always right on the money..... err, I mean....