While Skip Bertman made the statement that Florida had not contacted him regarding Pokey Chatman, perhaps an A.D. who hasn't even had the gull to make a phone call to his outward-going head women's basketball coach isn't always in the know. Consider he just made the statement regarding a replacement search, "Typically you have a list of names in your right-hand desk drawer for when this type of thing happens, but I don't have such a list for THIS sport." Basically, Bertman admitted he doesn't spend much time thinking about women's basketball. Not surprising since he was a highly successful baseball coach at LSU and likely spends most of his days fawning over his football program.
With that said, it might not be surprising that the Florida rumors are heating up and a source with the AP reports that a coach within the industry made the statement that Pokey did, in fact, visit Gainesville. Also, it has been reported that Jeremy Foley, Florida's A.D., is willing to spend whatever to bring in a coach who can make the Lady Gators into a household name. Reports are swirling that a package anywhere between $600-800K has been offered. Even for an alumnus of LSU and someone who has lived and breathed LSU for two decades, Chatman might have been hard pressed to turn down a package that would likely double what she made at LSU. It is, after all, a business, and Chatman is young and perhaps wanted a new challenge.
In the meantime, Kim Mulkey has been bombarded by the media with questions of her interest in any of the SEC jobs, which Mulkey didn't deny, but danced around. This is going to be an interesting off-season and NCAA tournament filled with gossip, speculation and drama.
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