Underachieving Virginia makes a smart choice
Mar 31, 2009
The University of Virginia has nailed the hire of its new basketball coach, but you wouldn’t know that from the reaction of some Cavalier fans.
“I am totally underwhelmed,” sighed one poster on the website of the Charlottesville Daily Progress on new coach Tony Bennett.
“This appears to be a hasty hiring,” groaned another, who probably hoped Virginia would reel in a name coach like Tubby Smith.
What Virginia has landed, instead, is one of college basketball’s rising stars, and this hire could have a real impact on the ACC.
Right now, the two most underachieving programs in the ACC are Virginia and N.C. State. State has the benefit of a great tradition, loyal fan base and superb arena. It also has a strong academic school in a booming market. There’s no excuse for N.C. State, with its resources, to miss the NCAA Tournament three straight seasons.
Virginia resided in the upper tier of the ACC under former coach Terry Holland and moved into swank new John Paul Jones Arena in 2006. Virginia should win – it’s an elite academic school, has a spectacular campus and now has a first-rate arena.
But since John Paul Jones opened, the Cavaliers have not begun to put up a fight. Virginia finished an embarrassing 10-18 this year, proving once again that great coaches and motivated players are more important than facilities.
Dave Leitao was a failure., and pushing him out was the right thing to do. Virginia fans were intrigued when the first names to surface as possible replacements were Smith and Jeff Capel at Oklahoma.
Many UVa fans gasped when they learned Virginia would hire Bennett. My reaction, from having known Bennett from years ago, was: Wow.
Bennett was the Charlotte Hornets’ second-round pick in 1992 out of Wisconsin-Green Bay. He played three seasons, a backup point guard who was a good shooter but lacked NBA quickness. But he was smart, tough, and made the most of his ability.
And he had the genes of a coach.
His father, Dick, was considered a bit of a guru at Wisconsin-Green Bay for his “Blocker Mover” offense. Essentially, three players are “Blockers,” and their jobs are to set screens for the “Movers,” who are cutting and looking for chances to score. Dick Bennett’s teams played rugged defense, disciplined offense – and won. The University of Wisconsin hired him away, and he won there as well before retiring three games into the 2000-01 season because he “was simply drained.”
Dick Bennett later coached Washington State for three years – going 36-49 - before turning it over to his son.
Tony Bennett has produced a 69-33 record in three seasons, and two NCAA appearances. To put that in perspective, the only other times the Cougars had reached the NCAA Tournament came in 1941, 1980, 1983 and 1994.
Bennett is only 39 years old, and he’ll grow into the Virginia job. He knows how to coach, and his teams will play defense.
Still, some Cavalier fans aren’t impressed.
“Unbelievable,” wrote one poster to the Daily Progress boards.
“Holy stink! You have got to be kidding,” wrote another. “… I’ve had enough. I’ve decided to move on and become a UNC fan.”
They’ll learn. This is a great hire - for Virginia, and for the ACC.
