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News: Ray Davis to play in Gator Bowl

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From Around the World and Around the Blogosphere ...

By Glenn Logan

comes speculation about UK, Florida, the NBA draft, and lots of other stuff.

Let's begin with NCAA Hoops Today.  In his latest post, he gives Larry Shyatt credit for Florida's tough "D", reminds us that Donovan had to be bludgeoned "convinced" to hire him, and tells us Pearl is pulling for Donovan to go to UK so he doesn't have to worry about Florida AND Kentucky.

Lots more interesting non-Kentucky stuff in there, also.

Mike DeCourcy asks the question, "Who was better - Florida of '06'07 or the early '90's Dookies?"

I say, "Who cares?"  As far as I am concerned, they are both the enemy.

Andy Katz at ESPN reports that Donovan hasn't talked to Kentucky's people yet:

"I'm not being coy or moving around questions," Donovan said as reporters from the Bluegrass State dogged him on the Kentucky question. "I haven't spoken to anybody and my intentions are to speak to the University of Florida. I'm happy there. I like the school and the athletic department has been very supportive."

Sounds like another non-denial to me.  Donovan could end all the speculation any time he wants.  He apparently just doesn't want.

Meanwhile, Billy's wife Christine adds another log to the fire:

"I don't know," said his wife, Christine, as she stood on the court, making eye contact with her husband on the podium.

"We haven't discussed it at all," she said. "We know the tradition at Kentucky. It's the pinnacle of college basketball. It's something of interest. But we're very happy where we are, with the administration and where we are today."


Your thinking is correct, Christine.  Kentucky should be of interest, because it is one of the crown jewel jobs in all of college sports.

John Clay is reading the tea leaves, and he cuts through all the crap:

In one way, Donovan is being a bit disingenuous. Of course, he's thought about the Kentucky job. He has thought about it since the first day he was in Lexington, under Rick Pitino as an assistant. Two, three years ago, Donovan signs on as Wildcats coach and never looks back. It's the one job he's always wanted. The tradition. The attention. The state's passion for the game. He doesn't give Florida a second thought.

Now he does. Donovan admitted this morning that Kentucky holds a special place in his heart because that's where he got his start in coaching. "But that was 13 years ago," said the coach. "A lot has changed since then."


Has it really?  The glitter of the Kentucky job hasn't changed, two national championships still don't equal seven, nor do the Florida basketball fans belong in the same league with those at Kentucky.

Seems to me, the only important thing that has changed is the availability of the head coaching spot in Lexington.

Finally, late-breaking news about Patrick Patterson.  Pat was supposed to narrow his list down to three schools by now, but Jodie Demling reports that the UK vacancy has impacted his decision-making process:

The 6-foot-8 Huntington (W. Va.) standout said last week when he was in Louisville for the McDonald's All-American game that he would sit down with his family when he returned home and narrow his list from six to three schools.

But that has never happened.

And now Patterson's mother, Tywanna, told The Courier-Journal in an e-mail today that her son is going to now play the waiting game.

"With all the coaching changes....we are just waiting," the mother said.


Each day Patterson waits is good for Kentucky's chances.

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