Monday Evening Speculation
SFN continues to monitor the rampant speculation, but as we’ve mentioned previously, we have no reason to buy into the credibility of any of it, and as a result, there’s nothing new of value to report this evening.
The only thing we’ve really confirmed today is that Jeff Goodman is a “Heisman”-caliber idiot. Here’s a few of his Tweets about our coaching search (link):
N.C. State’s Debbie Yow being given the Heisman by several candidates thus far. She may be waiting now to win the presser with Shaka Smart.
The question, though, is whether Shaka Smart would even take the N.C. State job. I’m told it wouldn’t be a no-brainer for him.
N.C. State fans are delusional if they think it’s been only Rick Barnes and Sean Miller that have given Debbie Yow the Heisman.
Sources told me that a coach in the A-10, Conference-USA and another one in the Big 12 have said “thanks, but no thanks” to NC State.
The coaching search game doesn’t work as with official offers. It’s a search firm guy throwing out a number and seeing if there’s interest.
In at least three occasions in addition to Barnes and Miller, coaches said they weren’t interested and didn’t move forward.
I still don’t understand why it matters whether people turn jobs down. Perfect example: Sean Miller. He was way down line of options at AZ.
Obviously, since there’s no info coming from Yow’s office, Goodman’s sources are probably all coaches, or more precisely, their agents. Coaches are notoriously egomaniacs, and it’s not only strategic but also feels good for them to publicly express their disinterest in a job they haven’t been offered, and it makes Goodman feel good to use Twitter to let us all know how little he thinks of the N.C. State job.
But, it’s no secret that the chatter surrounding Billy Donovan has seemed to pick up some momentum today, and perhaps Donovan is the “knockout hire” Tim Brando mentioned yesterday. It’s easy for Yow to keep her own folks under wraps, but once you begin negotiating with another coach, you have no control over how well that program contains leaks. So, if this is truly happening, the nerve-racking silence is probably because Florida wants it contained as much as Yow so that they can quickly move on their top target (perhaps even Shaka Smart, who was an assistant under Donovan before he went to VCU).
We found this interesting “March Stipulation” included in Donovan’s contract (Orlando Sentinel link):
If Donovan leaves the school without cause, he must pay the school $500,000. If the school fires Donovan without cause, he receives $2.5 million for every year left on his contract. This is big time — and it could have caused the 16-month holdup. If the Gators were to fire Donovan in two years, he’d receive around $7.5 million. This shows the Gators are serious about Donovan’s stability. However, there’s a window from March 1 to April 1 of any year when both parties can walk away clean, no monetary issues. Interesting.
So…if we have made an offer to Donovan, then we should know by Thursday afternoon, right? After that, we can be fairly certain that Shaka Smart is our main focus.
In the meantime, speculate away on the SFN Forums.
103 Responses to “Monday Evening Speculation”
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Good, then no worries, “it will all be over by Friday…”
I have to be honest, from the beginning I was not buying into the “big name” hype many fans have had. Figured it was mainly gelusional talk….like last time. But you know, I’m starting to buy into some of the talk.
I wonder if Goodman’s next article will let us know if he likes the taste of Billy Donovan’s ****.
Is BD a realistic target? It would just seem too good to be true. I mean, he has 2 national championships at UF, and it doesn’t seem like they have no interest in basketball. The only reason for him to leave is to go to a basketball school. And are we even that anymore? As an engineer, I always look for potential issues with situations, and there seems to be too much of a downside to this thought to get my hopes up. I just hope we land someone that can revive the program.
Let’s just hope the 2011 football season goes better than this basketball season.
Also lost in all this is tonight the time runs out on the obligatory State of NC posting. If a coach has been tapped, it could be made known in the next couple days. If not, all those on the forum that were saying “there is a done deal” are full of it.
please, not BD. he’s a “slick”.
i would accept any other mentioned
coach. but not him. not even if
his contract has a morality clause.
My guess is we’ll be going after Shaka…
John of sparta please let that be sarcasm!!!
^Find a single instance of Billy Donovan demonstrating a lack of character.
I love how this jackass rattles off 6 tweets about us getting “Heisman”‘d then ends with “I don’t see why it matters”. Well if it doesn’t matter, shut the F up and wait like the rest of us. It’s killing him to have to wait in line behind DeCourcy and others in the college writing game.
Billy Donovan would be a grand slam. Shaka Smart would be a roll of the dice.
Wow, we may hire an unproven coach from the CAA. Our program is finished if we are forced to hire Shaka Smart.
hmmm
Where is BJD to give me confidence tonight that we are not going to hire Shaka Smart? Tell me we have other options…..anyone else….please.
And the bad thing is, if we move on to Smart, we HAVE to get him. We’ll have to pay whatever it takes, because after him, the options like Marshall and Mick Cronin would create zero excitement in the fan base.
I don’t have a very good feeling about how all this is going to turn out, but perhaps that’s just a product of State fandom.
Please not Shaka.
I too believe the four horsemen will ride and fire will rain from the heavens if we were to hire a Final-Four coach.
I know we’re State fans, and I know this is SFN, but still, let’s not be hyperbolically pessimistic. Sure, he’s a gamble, but there’s no direction our program can go BUT up, so he’s an upgrade regardless.
I’m so confused about how Billy D is even mentioned.. Why would he come to State and not to the NBA? Why would he leave Florida for NC State? He has two titles, several Final Fours and has become the face of that program. It just seems ridic that this is a thought. I can see Miller or Barnes, but Donovan? I don’t get it..
Let me get right – you wouldn’t be happy w/ Smart???
The guy has an unbelievable records in tournaments and you think we can do better??
Huh?
Look – is Smart the perfect candidate? No. Is he a strong candidate. Hell yes. Is he a candidate you should interview if you can? Yes.
As I stated time and time again – I’m sure the gestures have been made to the “A” level candidates like Barnes, Miller, Dixon and Donovan. However, at least one of those 4 took over a team that had done well when he got there and hasn’t had to build a program. Another has only gone as far in the NCAAs as Shaka has gone in 2 years.
Is he a bit of a gamble? Of course he is. But if our “A” level guys haven’t been receptive, I’d be thrilled to get a coach like Shaka Smart who has a pretty damn incredible upside.
Billy would be a grand slam, Shaka, a double. I will take both.
Are we even willing to match the 3.4 million that BD is suposed to make in the 12-13 season. I can’t see him leaving for less pay regardless of other factors.
^Maybe we’ll offer well above that? Maybe he’ll still say no. But it doesn’t hurt to try.
After Donovan and Miller, Shaka Smart is the best available hire we can make to elevate our program to national prominence. After this March, there’s no shame in “settling” on Smart. He’s proven as much as anyone else out there we could hire, and the kid is a rock star right now, which could prove to be the momentum we need to turn this thing around.
Right LRM – and besides Donovan or Miller – is there anyone who would strike more fear on the heart of the Heels and Devils w/ their aging coaches?
you folks who would balk at Shaka are kind of foolish IMO. I really don’t think he’s done anyway. He wins one or god forbid 2 more times (holy crap!)….we’ll be damn lucky to get him and he would get us rolling and into the National discussion Quick!
I like Smart and he has done a good job. He has lots of assistant coach experience but only 2 years as a head coach at a CAA school? That is an very risky hire for even LF much less DY.
I am not saying he would be a bad hire but I really hope we can land a little more experience, especially in the recruiting and X/O area. Its a tough call cause I like what he is doing but it is still a risky move.