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It is interesting ones take depending on where one is from. 
If you are from South Dakota . . .
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...38/1002/SPORTS
Donovan, Johnston's decisions were admirable
By Matt Zimmer
mzimmer@argusleader.com
Published: June 6, 2007
I'm sure that most of us in this region immediately thought of the South Dakota State women's basketball team and head coach Aaron Johnston when Orlando Magic coach-for-a-day Billy Donovan announced he'd had a change of heart, and would be returning to the University of Florida, a school that he had guided to consecutive national championships.
As someone who observes SDSU athletics somewhat from a distance, I remember being initially conflicted on AJ's 180 involving the Jacks and Wisconsin-Green Bay.
On the one hand, some will interpret the change of heart as some sort of sign that the coach in question is afraid of a hotter spotlight, afraid of a greater challenge, afraid of change; choosing to stay in comfortable surroundings.
But the more I thought about it then, and the more I think about it now, the decisions of Johnston and Donovan, not to mention similar ones made by Dana Altman, Bobby Cremins and Billy Beane, are admirable.
I don't want to get too preachy here, but when did we get to the point when money, fame and prestige supercede happiness? A lot of these hires have the feeling of being forced. Like the coaches in question are taking jobs because they feel like they have to, just because it's part of some media-driven coaching roadmap.
Yes, Aaron Johnston would've been moving to a more established program in Green Bay, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year. The Magic were making Donovan one of the highest-paid coaches on Earth. Billy Beane would've been leaving the 'small-market' Oakland A's to take over the Gorilla of a franchise that is the Boston Red Sox.
But would that make them happier? Would more money and face time be able to replace the relationships they had built? Would it be worth moving their families, leaving friends? They realized, apparently, that the answer to those questions is no. Good for them. . . . (read more)
or if you are from Wisconsin . . .
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbc...1892/APCsports
Dan Kohn column: Donovan's waffle hurts his future, other coaches
So what is a coach's word worth these days? If you look at Florida coach Billy Donovan, it isn't worth much.
Donovan, who signed a five-year, $27.5 million deal to coach the Orlando Magic only to try to back out of the contract three days later, continues an alarming trend of coaches backing away from jobs they had earlier agreed to take.
If you remember earlier this spring, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay suffered a similar embarrassment when South Dakota State coach Aaron Johnston had a change of heart and returned to that school one day after accepting the women's basketball coaching position.
As of Tuesday, Donovan's lawyers were working hard to void the deal so he could go back to coaching the Gators. . . . (read more)
As for me I am glad that Aaron is still our coach!
Go State!
If you are from South Dakota . . .http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...38/1002/SPORTS
Donovan, Johnston's decisions were admirable
By Matt Zimmer
mzimmer@argusleader.com
Published: June 6, 2007
I'm sure that most of us in this region immediately thought of the South Dakota State women's basketball team and head coach Aaron Johnston when Orlando Magic coach-for-a-day Billy Donovan announced he'd had a change of heart, and would be returning to the University of Florida, a school that he had guided to consecutive national championships.
As someone who observes SDSU athletics somewhat from a distance, I remember being initially conflicted on AJ's 180 involving the Jacks and Wisconsin-Green Bay.
On the one hand, some will interpret the change of heart as some sort of sign that the coach in question is afraid of a hotter spotlight, afraid of a greater challenge, afraid of change; choosing to stay in comfortable surroundings.
But the more I thought about it then, and the more I think about it now, the decisions of Johnston and Donovan, not to mention similar ones made by Dana Altman, Bobby Cremins and Billy Beane, are admirable.
I don't want to get too preachy here, but when did we get to the point when money, fame and prestige supercede happiness? A lot of these hires have the feeling of being forced. Like the coaches in question are taking jobs because they feel like they have to, just because it's part of some media-driven coaching roadmap.
Yes, Aaron Johnston would've been moving to a more established program in Green Bay, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year. The Magic were making Donovan one of the highest-paid coaches on Earth. Billy Beane would've been leaving the 'small-market' Oakland A's to take over the Gorilla of a franchise that is the Boston Red Sox.
But would that make them happier? Would more money and face time be able to replace the relationships they had built? Would it be worth moving their families, leaving friends? They realized, apparently, that the answer to those questions is no. Good for them. . . . (read more)
or if you are from Wisconsin . . .
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbc...1892/APCsports
Dan Kohn column: Donovan's waffle hurts his future, other coaches
So what is a coach's word worth these days? If you look at Florida coach Billy Donovan, it isn't worth much.
Donovan, who signed a five-year, $27.5 million deal to coach the Orlando Magic only to try to back out of the contract three days later, continues an alarming trend of coaches backing away from jobs they had earlier agreed to take.
If you remember earlier this spring, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay suffered a similar embarrassment when South Dakota State coach Aaron Johnston had a change of heart and returned to that school one day after accepting the women's basketball coaching position.
As of Tuesday, Donovan's lawyers were working hard to void the deal so he could go back to coaching the Gators. . . . (read more)
As for me I am glad that Aaron is still our coach!
Go State!
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