Marshall University Athletics
Big Green Dinner
4/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
April 16, 2007
By Sam Stanley
Billy Donovan, coach of Florida's two-time NCAA basketball champions, made public a special prayer for the Marshall University basketball program when he spoke at the 29th annual Big Green Scholarship Foundation dinner on April 4.
Days before his chief assistant Donnie Jones was named the new Thundering Herd coach, Donovan gave this message to the more than 400 people at the Pepsi-sponsored Henderson Center event.
"Regardless of who your next coach is, my prayer is that this place will be packed every single night. Embrace the next coach like you embraced me and some unbelievable things can be accomplished. You can make it the most difficult place to play in the United States."
For this, Donovan, who coached the Herd for two seasons before moving on to Florida in 1996, got a standing ovation.
Donovan also had some good things to say about Jones, telling the MU faithful that he wanted his guy to be the Herd's guy.
"One of the smartest things I ever did at Marshall was to keep him on my staff. I still want to keep him, but more I want him to be your next coach."
Throughout his talk, Donovan touched on his love for Marshall and how the school, the community and so many friends here had such a big influence on his life.
He also praised the Big Green. "You are the Big Green," he told the audience. "You shape the lives of kids to help them grow and develop into better people who will give back to society."
He also thanked MU athletic director Bob Marcum. "We, because I consider myself a part of Marshall, have a tremendous athletic director. I want to thank Bob for all his professionalism in his search for a coach...for not wanting to disrupt or detract our focus in the NCAA tournament."
In a key part of his speech, Donovan zeroed in on five things that are important to him.
"First," he said, "is forgiveness," saying we all make mistakes.
Two is "Peace in your heart...to be at peace where you are."
He said three is joy, to be happy, and next was hope that you can become what you want to be, And most important, he said, "is what is in this room tonight-a lot of love. That's why I came here tonight because I have a lot of love for Marshall University."
Big Green executive director RJ Gimble expressed thanks for all who came to the banquet, especially Pepsi and Mark George the title sponsor.
"This will be the seventh straight year Pepsi has been our title sponsor," said Gimbl. "We can't say and thank Mark enough for all the support Pepsi provides for our student athletes."
The 37 sponsored tables were the most for the Big Green banquet in recent history, Gimbl reported.
Other corporate sponsors were Appalachian Power; AEP-Amos Plant; Dr. Joe Assaley/Tom Miller/David Miller; BB&T, Benjy's Enterprises, Inc.; Tri-State Building & Construction Trades Council; Brickstreet Mutual Insurance Company; Cabell Huntington Hospital; Cingular Wireless (now the new at&t); ESPN; Fifth Third Bank; First Sentry Bank;
Green, Ketchum, Bailey, Walker, Farrell & Tweel; Guaranty Bank & Trust; Guyan International; David Haden/Jim Gibson; Hillard Lyons/West Virginia Cleaners; Huntington Banks; Insurance Systems; International Industries;
Jackson Kelly, PLLC; Kanawha River Terminal; Kindred Communications; McJunkin Appalachian Oil Field Supply Company; Merrill Lynch; Chad & Robin Pennington;
Dr. Jose Ricard; Sodexho Sports and Leisure Services; Solutions Technology; Stationer's, Inc.; Superior Chrysler Dodge Jeep; The C.I. Thornburg Co., Inc; and WSAZ-TV3.
