Brad Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Admin Topic Count: 12,937 Content Count: 92,100 Reputation: 8,494 Days Won: 398 Joined: 05/19/2000 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Commentary | USF's Orlando Antigua could be new Billy Donovan By ALAN DELL adell@bradenton.com April 6, 2014 The USF men's basketball program can be a success. The proof is Billy Donovan. "Bill The Kid" was a 30-year-old unknown when he took over Florida in 1996. Gators athletic director Jeremy Foley took heat for the hire, but it was mild because the basketball program was irrelevant. He saw an energy in Donovan that was unparalleled. Donovan lived up to that hype when he gained national attention walking the halls of Miami High in pursuit of his first big-time recruit, Udonis Haslem. Donovan looked young enough to fit in with the students and was ridiculed for using an amateurish approach. He got Haslem in '98, and the Gators made four straight NCAA Tournaments, including the championship game in his sophomore year. Donovan won back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007 and is in this weekend's Final Four. New USF men's basketball coach Orlando Antigua was at best the school's third choice. It doesn't matter. He could be the best fit. Antigua looks like the new "Billy The Kid." The 41-year-old has similar Kentucky ties and is connected to its head coach, John Calipari, the way Donovan was to Rick Pitino when he coached the Wildcats. This cannot be taken lightly. Not every elite player can go to Kentucky, and why wouldn't Calipari send some to Antigua, whom he considers a son? Calipari called USF a sleeping giant, which makes longtime Bulls fans shudder. Seth Greenberg said the same thing when he took over the program in '96. Two coaches later, it is still in deep slumber despite a few wake-up calls from recently fired Stan Heath. This could be the second time USF has benefited from getting a coach it didn't necessarily want. USF women's basketball coach Jose Fernandez is the other. The school was mired in its biggest sports scandal in 2000 amid racial discrimination allegations. The ugly scenario resulted in the firing of women's head coach Jerry Ann Winters and subsequent resignation of athletic director Paul Griffin. Fernandez was a 27-year-old unknown assistant whose only head coaching experience was in high school. He was hired as an interim coach to defuse a volatile situation. But Fernandez is still there, and the program is flourishing. He transformed USF women's basketball into a postseason regular, advancing 10 of the past 11 seasons, including two NCAA Tournament berths and a WNIT title. Antigua shows a lot of the characteristics that make Donovan successful. You want hungry, desperate type guys to coach your program. He fits that mold. Antigua was homeless during stretches of his youth. He was shot in the head at 16 and carried the bullet for six years. Rest of story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apis Bull Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Member Topic Count: 1,586 Content Count: 23,185 Reputation: 2,332 Days Won: 65 Joined: 09/05/2002 Share Posted April 7, 2014 If Coach O has at least half the success of Billy Donovan, I think we'd all be thrilled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fold FB Invest in BB Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Member Topic Count: 76 Content Count: 6,697 Reputation: 1,120 Days Won: 17 Joined: 09/07/2009 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Half of Donovan's success is still a lofty goal. I'd be happy with seeing the post season every other year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DELdaBull Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Member Topic Count: 86 Content Count: 17,039 Reputation: 1,422 Days Won: 19 Joined: 09/15/2005 Share Posted April 7, 2014 1st goal for USF Men's basketball should be post season 2 years in a row Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabull80 Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Member Topic Count: 96 Content Count: 4,497 Reputation: 93 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/25/2001 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Nice read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apis Bull Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Member Topic Count: 1,586 Content Count: 23,185 Reputation: 2,332 Days Won: 65 Joined: 09/05/2002 Share Posted April 7, 2014 1st goal for USF Men's basketball should be post season 2 years in a row 1st goal at this time should be, post season. After that, we can worry about two years in a row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yosoybullsfan Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Member Topic Count: 56 Content Count: 687 Reputation: 28 Days Won: 3 Joined: 01/02/2002 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Dell and this paper have really been supportive lately Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DELdaBull Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Member Topic Count: 86 Content Count: 17,039 Reputation: 1,422 Days Won: 19 Joined: 09/15/2005 Share Posted April 7, 2014 1st goal for USF Men's basketball should be post season 2 years in a row 1st goal at this time should be, post season. After that, we can worry about two years in a row. USF Men's basketball has made the post season recently. When was the last time we made it 2 years in a row? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Admin Topic Count: 12,937 Content Count: 92,100 Reputation: 8,494 Days Won: 398 Joined: 05/19/2000 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple B Posted April 7, 2014 Group: Moderator Topic Count: 1,559 Content Count: 70,163 Reputation: 8,811 Days Won: 391 Joined: 11/25/2005 Share Posted April 7, 2014 1st goal for USF Men's basketball should be post season 2 years in a row 1st goal at this time should be, post season. After that, we can worry about two years in a row. USF Men's basketball has made the post season recently. When was the last time we made it 2 years in a row? 1990-1992 ... actually 3 years in a row and it was the one and only time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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