Roundball Chatter
• With the coaching carousel flying fast already, I can tell you one thing. The cash register is going ding-a-ling-ling, baby! The bar is being raised as salaries keep going higher and higher. I firmly believe a coach is entitled to make as much as a school is willing to offer. Why didn't that happen when I was on the sidelines? I was just happy to get a free pair of Converse when I was coaching!
• Alabama hired a talented young coach in VCU's Anthony Grant. He did a phenomenal job with the Rams, and he was an outstanding assistant at Florida under Billy Donovan. It is a super hire and they will spend some money on their program.
• Then VCU went out and hired Shaka Smart away from Donovan's staff. Smart for Grant, seems like the Gators are a pipeline to the Rams! Donovan also lost Donnie Jones to Marshall in recent years.
• Virginia made a good decision hiring Tony Bennett as head coach. He did a solid job at Washington State, and his style of play may drive ACC opponents crazy. Bennett is a good leader who should bring his competitive spirit to Cavalier country.
• I don't see Rick Pitino going to Arizona. I know he should be number one on the Wildcats list and he would be numero uno on a lot of people's lists. I cannot see him leaving Louisville at this point. I recently saw pictures of the plans for the new arena being built for the Cardinals and it is absolutely sensational. Jim Host, the chairman of the committee responsible for it does a phenomenal job. It is incredible how beautiful it will be. I have been wrong before, but I don't think Pitino will head west. I will be shocked if he leaves; he has a great recruiting class coming in. We are honoring Pitino and Billy Donovan at our gala May 15 at the beautiful Sarasota Ritz-Carlton; anyone interested in attending can call 1-800-4-JIMMY V for more details.
• This is the time where a number of players announce their intention to go to the NBA. This week Nick Calathes of Florida said he will test the waters but will leave his options open by not hiring an agent. DeJuan Summers of Georgetown said he will go into the draft too. We will have to see how many kids throw their name into the hat. I just think back to last year, when Jamont Gordon of Mississippi State declared, with delusions of grandeur feeling he would go in the first round. Those who don't go among the top 30 lose out on that guaranteed contract. Gordon went through the process undrafted and became a basketball vagabond. He could have gone back to Starkville and been one of the premier players in the SEC. That's why I feel some young men have to be careful about their decision-making.
