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re: Gator basketball history question?
Posted on 3/7/17 at 8:37 am to SpartyGator
Posted on 3/7/17 at 8:37 am to SpartyGator
Older folks? You young whipper snapper! I can probably give you an answer from the senior perspective. Although thru the years UF had some successful teams and some great players, until Billy D arrive they were not consistent year after year. Norm Sloan and Lon Kruger both were good coaches, recruited some good players like Vernon Maxwell, Andrew DeClercq and Dwayne Schintzius. Until the arrival of Billy D. Neal Walk was probably the best player in UF history.
Billy Donovan brought the program to a national level and for the only time in school history raised the sport to the level of football. Had he not come to UF the sport would have remained a sleeping giant and continued with years of mediocrity. With his departure and the hiring of Mike White, I think the future of Gator basketball is in good hands but would not be possible without the Donovan success. Go Gators.
Billy Donovan brought the program to a national level and for the only time in school history raised the sport to the level of football. Had he not come to UF the sport would have remained a sleeping giant and continued with years of mediocrity. With his departure and the hiring of Mike White, I think the future of Gator basketball is in good hands but would not be possible without the Donovan success. Go Gators.
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Posted on 3/8/17 at 8:48 pm to UFMatt
Norm Sloan related a recruiting story once on a TV interview that had my sides hurting....this was back min the old days and it was wild wild west. Coaches could treat recruits and their families to great meals out on the town back then.
Sloan related that a few times he would show up at recruits home who was living in obvious poverty and house would be completely dark and no one around...at the appointed time for dinner the "family" showed up in mass....like 20 of them and just in time for dinner reservation...eat like royalty and then everyone would disappear again.
Maxwell would not be able to attend a power school nowadays...he was borderline academically and was in trouble a lot...lots of talent, but not exactly in school to achieve anything but NBA. Had problems galore.
I went to school with a kid out of Tampa who was 6'5 or so and back then that was tall (mid 1960s), good kid and he went to UF...and everyone knew he was going there from his junior year on.
Donovan indeed made UF a basketball school that matched the success of the football program.
Sloan related that a few times he would show up at recruits home who was living in obvious poverty and house would be completely dark and no one around...at the appointed time for dinner the "family" showed up in mass....like 20 of them and just in time for dinner reservation...eat like royalty and then everyone would disappear again.
Maxwell would not be able to attend a power school nowadays...he was borderline academically and was in trouble a lot...lots of talent, but not exactly in school to achieve anything but NBA. Had problems galore.
I went to school with a kid out of Tampa who was 6'5 or so and back then that was tall (mid 1960s), good kid and he went to UF...and everyone knew he was going there from his junior year on.
Donovan indeed made UF a basketball school that matched the success of the football program.
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