Billy Donovan is just the latest figure to flip flop

The sports world has been going through withdrawal these past seven days -- of demands, opinions, and of job acceptances. Billy Donovan's Orlando two-step is the most prominent flip-flop, but not the only one. In L.A., Kobe Bryant declared last week he wanted out of L.A., only to say three hours later that L.A. was his lady. In Washington, D.C., earlier this week Clinton Portis told the assembled media that, after further study, he reversed his earlier remarks and did have some objection to people having their dogs attack each other for entertainment.

At least one of those, to my mind, is an all-time classic. Here's my top 10 withdrawals, from the sports world and beyond.

10. Dan Marino. In 2004 he accepted a job as senior vice president of the Miami Dolphins, and quit three weeks later, declaring that working a job more demanding than his television work was bad for "my family situation and me and my lifestyle." Now that he mentions it, a full-time job crimps my lifestyle also. At least he knows how the rest of us feel.

9. Nick Saban. Essentially a Billy Donovan move in reverse. After telling people for weeks he wasn't going to leave the Dolphins -- "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach," he said, sounding quite definitive -- he went ahead and became the Alabama coach. This would be higher on the list, except for the likelihood Saban was just flat-out lying, and this wasn't really a flip-flop.

8. Jack Woltz. This was the movie producer from The Godfather. One day he's declaring, "Johnny Fontaine never gets that movie!" The next day, after he wakes up with Khartoum's head in his bed, Johnny Fontaine gets the movie. Maybe someone made Billy Donovan an offer he couldn't refuse.

7. Roger Clemens. First he retired from the Yankees. Then he came back with Houston -- because it was close to home. Now he's back with the Yankees. He gets the crown for rescinded retirement, beating out Michael Jordan and every boxer in history.

6. Al Gore. First he calls George Bush to concede the 2000 presidential election. Then he calls back a little while later to rescind the concession -- and reportedly tells an angry Bush, "You don't have to get snippy!" This would be higher on the list if Gore hadn't ended up losing the election anyway.