We never offered Donovan the UK HC position

Timmy2Dads

Freshman
Jul 26, 2021
15
70
13
Donovan admitted as much. Yet another reason to dislike MB. BCG was the target all along, like my friend said all those years ago.

View attachment 1248648
Tbf that quote says he never had “official contact.” So I suspect there were conversations but they were either under the table, through his agent, didn’t get to the point involving paperwork, or some combination of the some, all, or more than what I listed.

Not defending MB or his hiring decisions. But I do get suspicious when high profile people use the word “official” when denying things.
 

Kyfan96

Sophomore
Feb 24, 2016
52
100
18
Donovan admitted as much. Yet another reason to dislike MB. BCG was the target all along, like my friend said all those years ago.

View attachment 1248648
We only took BCG because he said he would take the job. Timeline is too coincidental. He was quoted on the 6:00pm Sports Center saying he'd accept the Kentucky job if offered. Next day he was announced as the new coach. Then found out he had been flown in late the night before to meet with Mitch and Capiluoto.
So basically Mitch saw Sports Center that night and flew him in, just because he knew he'd say yes.
 

kfwa

Senior
Oct 12, 2014
453
839
93
I remember KSR saying Rick Barnes was on the short list and was MB's choice,

I also don't believe that Donovan didn't have communication with UK about the job. You have to remember Donovan's state of mind back then. He accepted the Magic job, held a press conference and then told them he changed his mind and wanted to stay at Florida.

He wanted to be wanted but wasn't ready to commit.
 
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Son_Of_Saul

Heisman
Dec 7, 2007
45,221
98,469
113
My favorite type of UK fan (in a clownish way) is the type who diminishes Kentucky by claiming a bunch of coaches simply don't want to be here. That was the narrative with Donovan after Tubby left. It's the narrative now regarding head coaches.

These fans claim that the pressure at Kentucky just isn't worth it.

They forget that the extra $3 million/year UK can pay a coach can drown out a lot of voices. Kentucky fans are always wonderful to head coaches when they see them in public. That was even the case for BCG, who was treated l like a celebrity in public even at the end of his tenure here.

I think the "pressure" aspect is overplayed by our fans who ask the question if they could handle the job. The elite coaches are used to pressure. They don't think like normal "ah shucks" UK fans. You people think Lexington is any more pressure than what Donovan is facing in Chicago with its media and how they absolutely crucify the Bulls on radio here (I live near Chicago)? The media in Lexington is tame compared to what the Chicago media is capable of.

The "pressure" has always been something of a mythical monster for simpleton UK fans who don't see the world beyond the bluegrass state. Pressure is everywhere if you choose to pay attention to it.
 

Ash Williams

Heisman
Aug 3, 2022
8,153
26,260
113
Tbf that quote says he never had “official contact.” So I suspect there were conversations but they were either under the table, through his agent, didn’t get to the point involving paperwork, or some combination of the some, all, or more than what I listed.

Not defending MB or his hiring decisions. But I do get suspicious when high profile people use the word “official” when denying things.
Mitch sent Donovan a triangular folded note with “Do you like me?” And two boxes to check labeled “yes” and “no.”
 

notFromhere

Heisman
Sep 7, 2016
22,647
67,569
113
We only took BCG because he said he would take the job. Timeline is too coincidental. He was quoted on the 6:00pm Sports Center saying he'd accept the Kentucky job if offered. Next day he was announced as the new coach. Then found out he had been flown in late the night before to meet with Mitch and Capiluoto.
So basically Mitch saw Sports Center that night and flew him in, just because he knew he'd say yes.

Lol. That's funny

Accept my buddy was told about BCG being THE CHOICE if Tubby left, while Coach Smith was still coach. Posted about it back then. I didn't believe him. Was majorly PSSDOFF when it turned out to be true (BCG hired), but everyone swore he was FOS, when he also said BD wasn't offered the job.

This tells you he wasn't.
 
Jul 6, 2025
2,179
6,510
113
If he approached him and was told we had to wait till the end of their playoff run, that's just another dead giveaway he's going to string us along again.

It isn't like Billy d was unfamiliar with the program, campus, etc. He had every bit of info he needed to make a decision. Not making a decision, was a decision.

Mitch sucks but im glad he refused to let billy d string us along again.
 

Tim0808

All-Conference
Apr 4, 2013
776
1,230
93
We only took BCG because he said he would take the job. Timeline is too coincidental. He was quoted on the 6:00pm Sports Center saying he'd accept the Kentucky job if offered. Next day he was announced as the new coach. Then found out he had been flown in late the night before to meet with Mitch and Capiluoto.
So basically Mitch saw Sports Center that night and flew him in, just because he knew he'd say yes.
But he was having second thoughts. He postponed signing the contract for a few days.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,917
61,034
113
It's a long shot..

But it does seem that Donovan maybe had at least a little interest in taking the UNC job this go around. Couple that with this tidbit that we never offered (and therefore never was turned down), and the fact that next year will be another rebuilding year for the Bulls... Hell, shoot your shot next year Kentucky. What once felt like a 0% chance.. who knows, maybe a 15% chance of him coming now lol.

All that said, I still don't know if Billy D has the ability or the desire to coach in this NIL era. I'm really not sure he's the homerun hire everyone thinks he's going to be, just because he won b2b titles with the same team the 2nd year..
 

MegaBlue05

Heisman
Mar 8, 2014
10,832
21,388
66
We only took BCG because he said he would take the job. Timeline is too coincidental. He was quoted on the 6:00pm Sports Center saying he'd accept the Kentucky job if offered. Next day he was announced as the new coach. Then found out he had been flown in late the night before to meet with Mitch and Capiluoto.
So basically Mitch saw Sports Center that night and flew him in, just because he knew he'd say yes.

One slight correction. Lee Todd was UK president in 2007. Eli didn’t come until Cal had been here a while.
 
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Ash Williams

Heisman
Aug 3, 2022
8,153
26,260
113
View attachment 1248730

Looks like two cats that just swallowed the canary. These two have been stealing money from the school for far too long and are continuing to do so. They should both be thrown in jail and the key thrown away for ruining the top basketball program.
I think nobody knows the depth and gravity, to which these two have been stealing money.
 
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Ukbrassowtipin

Heisman
Aug 12, 2011
82,233
90,160
113
My favorite type of UK fan (in a clownish way) is the type who diminishes Kentucky by claiming a bunch of coaches simply don't want to be here. That was the narrative with Donovan after Tubby left. It's the narrative now regarding head coaches.

These fans claim that the pressure at Kentucky just isn't worth it.

They forget that the extra $3 million/year UK can pay a coach can drown out a lot of voices. Kentucky fans are always wonderful to head coaches when they see them in public. That was even the case for BCG, who was treated l like a celebrity in public even at the end of his tenure here.

I think the "pressure" aspect is overplayed by our fans who ask the question if they could handle the job. The elite coaches are used to pressure. They don't think like normal "ah shucks" UK fans. You people think Lexington is any more pressure than what Donovan is facing in Chicago with its media and how they absolutely crucify the Bulls on radio here (I live near Chicago)? The media in Lexington is tame compared to what the Chicago media is capable of.

The "pressure" has always been something of a mythical monster for simpleton UK fans who don't see the world beyond the bluegrass state. Pressure is everywhere if you choose to pay attention to it.
Why didnt he take the unc job?

Also, 2nd time around:
 

Johnfarrel

All-American
Oct 9, 2001
5,352
5,396
113
Tbf that quote says he never had “official contact.” So I suspect there were conversations but they were either under the table, through his agent, didn’t get to the point involving paperwork, or some combination of the some, all, or more than what I listed.

Not defending MB or his hiring decisions. But I do get suspicious when high profile people use the word “official” when denying things.
There may have been feedback that indicated that he might not have wanted the job or his price was too high. You don't offer a job if the target is not interested or his price is too high. That is not good policy.
 

wkycatfan7

All-Conference
Oct 16, 2002
9,011
3,131
113
I don't think we could have afforded to wait on him and put all our chips in that basket without some kind of agreement.
 

SlowWalkerSTL

Freshman
Jun 12, 2023
73
92
18
Was there anyone who thought differently? We didn’t offer a single coach not named Mark Pope. We overpaid and didn’t even try to get anyone else.