Billy Donovan, the Florida way, and the era that doesn't end
March 27, 1996 will go down as one of the greatest moments in Florida Gators history. It was the beginning of the Billy Donovan era.
The championship banners that hang inside the O'Connell Center will echo Donovan yelling at his players on the court and maintain the charisma he used to light up the arena.
On Thursday, Donovan signed a five-year deal to coach the Oklahoma City Thunder, ending his 19-year career at Florida.
If this were any other coach in the SEC, or the NCAA for that matter, this might have a different tone to it. But the fact that it's Donovan really hits home, even if home isn't Gainesville.
In a conference dominated by John Calipari's Kentucky squad, Florida holds a sense of nostalgia, simply because Donovan was on the bench. They're not a one-and-done school - they build, develop, teach and plant the seeds of leaders for wherever his players go next.
His name is synonymous with the Florida way; he is the Florida way.
The loss of Donovan's excellence at one of the most storied programs in the nation isn't just a loss for the school, it's a loss for the conference.
As it stands, the SEC is the Wildcats against everyone else. But if memory serves, one of the teams that nearly upset the 2014-15 38-1 edition of Kentucky was Florida on Feb. 7.
Donovan didn't talk about the loss like a coach of a team that was just another feather in Kentucky's cap. Instead, he spoke about his players, showing his faith in the Gators and what they've been able to accomplish in his 19-year legacy. He said it all after one loss.
"Did we maybe make a step? Was it because of how poorly we played at Vandy? Was it because it was Kentucky?" Donovan said. "I think we'll find out as we move forward as a team. This is the first time in 23 games I felt like our team played to win the game instead of being wrapped up and consumed with themselves."
Donovan doesn't call out his players, nor does he make excuses. His attitude as a coach is embodied by his players, because, frankly, they played for him - they always did - which is something that can't be taught.
After Donovan was hired back in '96, Florida fans came to realize it was a unique start to an era, because over time they understood that his era doesn't end.
It just carries on to the next coach who takes the helm. And the next time Donovan watches his Gators, it'll be from the bleachers of the O'Connell Center, with his championship banners draped above him.