Can we now say Billy D got lucky?

[AGVOL]

Billy D had one of the best teams in recent memory. 2 Nat'l Championships and several future NBA players. The only way he was lucky was when those guys decided to come back another year. Give him credit the man can coach, but he hasn't had the talent the last few years to do very much. He has had pretty good starters but not a very good bench. Any man that has been a coach in the Nat'l Championship game 3 times and won 2 of them is not lucky, he knows how to win and how to do things the right way. I hate Florida as much as anyone but i respect his coaching abilities. His only problem is that he can't beat us! Go Vols!

[BasketVolKid]

granted he hasn't had very many good players the last 3 years but his team has played no defense for 3 years and their offense is pure chaos.

[livefaith]

Originally Posted by OrangeNYC

The funniest part is reading on the ESPN convo how CBP outcoaches him every time, according to Gator fans... They wonder why Billy won't install that inbounds D, and why their press never works like ours does against them.. It made me think of hat and his dennis miller laugh track clonies. Apparently this blog is the only place in the universe where people think CBP is anything but a great coach.

Familiarity breeds contempt.

[VolsRule]

Looks like a 3rd straight NIT for donovan---UF fans will be getting tired of this pretty soon.

[lawgator1]

Originally Posted by VolsRule

Looks like a 3rd straight NIT for donovan---UF fans will be getting tired of this pretty soon.

I think you are jumping the gun a little. Its possible, but with 4, maybe 5, more SEC wins, they are probably in.

[lawgator1]

IMO, the problem with Donovan has always been that he does not effectively recruit size.

Speaking to a friend of mine about this the other day, I have maintained that Donovan does not try hard enough to get the big men. He recruits too much in his own image, which is guard play. You would think that after the 2 NCAA titles he would realize what wins that tournament, which is front court play. We end up year after year living and dying by the 3. Can't stop anybody. Don't even really try.

My friend says Donovan does recruit them, they are just too rare a commodity and the best end up going to Big East and ACC schools.

I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Donovan does well with what he has. I mean, look at this team and the lack of athleticism and size. Still, they took you down to the wire this year, despite your superior size and overall talent. A single point on the road to a Top 25 team is not a bad thing.

[UT IE 95]

Billy boy will look back on leaving the Magic at the alter as the biggest mistake of his life.

[volinbham]

The biggest surprise to me is the lack of talent he's recruiting. His teams prior to the NCs were loaded with talent - talent that underachieved. Looks like recruiting is a problem.

Regarding BD vs BP - I think it's one of those things were one guy has the other guy's number. In a battle of styles, something about the BP style works against the BD style.

[BasketvolsFan]

No one is lucky enough to win back to back National Championships. His recruiting has fallen off, but he will be back.

[BigPapaVol]

Originally Posted by volinbham

The biggest surprise to me is the lack of talent he's recruiting. His teams prior to the NCs were loaded with talent - talent that underachieved. Looks like recruiting is a problem.

Regarding BD vs BP - I think it's one of those things were one guy has the other guy's number. In a battle of styles, something about the BP style works against the BD style.

Billy D lives and dies by the 3, save that period where he had an incredible combo of players that dictated a consistent winning style. Just so happens that his title teams also had some serious individual toughness that overcame the typical BD softness. UF is one of the few teams that BPs teams can essentially out-tough.

BD is never going to be accused of winning more with less.

[lawgator1]

Originally Posted by BigPapaVol

Billy D lives and dies by the 3, save that period where he had an incredible combo of players that dictated a consistent winning style. Just so happens that his title teams also had some serious individual toughness that overcame the typical BD softness. UF is one of the few teams that BPs teams can essentially out-tough.

BD is never going to be accused of winning more with less.

Post about 2004, I agree. Prior to that, however, some of his teams did overachieve in the tourney, IMO.

[BigPapaVol]

Originally Posted by lawgator1

Post about 2004, I agree. Prior to that, however, some of his teams did overachieve in the tourney, IMO.

presumably you mean ONE team achieved in the tourney, thanks to a last second prayer by Mike Miller to avoid another underachievement.

[lawgator1]

Originally Posted by BigPapaVol

presumably you mean ONE team achieved in the tourney, thanks to a last second prayer by Mike Miller to avoid another underachievement.

You could say that of a lot of teams that have made a deep run way over their heads.

[BigOrangeFever]

The guy has won TWO national championships. That is not luck.

[kidbourbon]

Originally Posted by OrangeNYC

The funniest part is reading on the ESPN convo how CBP outcoaches him every time, according to Gator fans... They wonder why Billy won't install that inbounds D, and why their press never works like ours does against them.. It made me think of hat and his dennis miller laugh track clonies. Apparently this blog is the only place in the universe where people think CBP is anything but a great coach.

Well that's ridiculous. And so I'm gonna have to call you on it.

Here is a recent Chad Millman article from ESPN.com where he discusses some upcoming hoops games with Vegas wiseguy Alan Boston.

Here is the quote:
Florida Gators at Tennessee Volunteers -- Sunday
"This is the battle of the two worst coaches in the SEC. Bruce Pearl is just terrible, Donovan not much better.

And here is a link to the article: College Basketball - Alan Boston: In CBB betting, only one injury matters - Chad Millman - ESPN