Official Billy Donovan watch thread...

Are you saying it's going to take more or less than three years to get back to the Final Four?

Ain't happening next year. Or the year after that. And if they do it in year three, it's going to mean they're winning it with freshmen and sophomores. Very unlikely.

 

Apparently, Barnes contacted UK and is interested in the job.

Gillispie asked for extra time before he signed the extension.

 

I'll just be happy when all this is over...

I'm tired of friends and family calling me asking me for the scoop. I work for a GD newspaper. Does that automatically mean I have all the scoop? Hell no.

 

Three years is overly optimistic in my opinion. It'll be four, maybe five before they're ready for a Final Four run.

There are fewer stud hoops players than ever in Kentucky -- and next year's Mr. Basketball has already committed to Indiana. And UK is quickly becoming irrelevant in the national scene -- that's why this coaching search is so critical for the school. Get this wrong and they're looking at a decade of mediocrity.

 

Hack,

Not to hijack, but have you seen Bud Mackey play? He's going to be Indiana's Chris Lofton--the one that makes UK and UofL wonder how they let a kid like that get out of state.

 

Agreed. Mitch Barnhart's job is riding on this one.

 

I've seen Mackey play twice and was impressed. He's more athletic than I thought. Much more of an athlete than Lofton, but not as good a shooter. Then again, besides Lee Humphrey, who is?

 

What the hell? Starman's ship (the movie character, not erstwhile SJ poster) visited Gainesville?

 

Haven't seen him play, but I've heard he's pretty good.

It used to be that UK could raid Indiana for a few good players (see James Blackmon and Kyle Macy), but I can't remember ever in my 32 years of existence of a Kentucky prepper going to IU. I just can't.

That in and of itself has to be a crippling blow for UK boosters.

 

dignan, I didn't mean to imply he was going to translate as well to the college game as Lofton has. Hell, I don't know if you could have found someone OUTSIDE of Mason County that could have predicted Lofton would blow up like he did. Remember, he was much less regarded out of HS than Rondo, Bradley and Crawford (UK).

But Mackey is a very athletic kid and he seems like a natural scorer. I don't know how exactly he'll fit into Samson's system, but UK and UofL fans will be wishing they had him.

And FH, I'm younger than you, but I can't think of a prep star from KY that headed to IU. Not one.

 

And Lofton is the much better all-around player. If Lofton and Humphrey traded places, Tennessee would have won one NCAA tournament game, and Florida would have cruised even more than it did. They'd be one of the best college teams ever.

 

They already are. Humphrey is only the greatest three-point shooter in NCAA tournament history.