It's true
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:16 PM PDT
in Cougar Basketball
79 comments
Per Grippi:
Just finished talking with some of the players and it’s true. Tony Bennett is leaving Washington State University to become the head basketball coach at the University of Virginia. The players are shocked, the administration is shocked, the assistant coaches are shocked. We will have more soon.
Um, count us among the shocked. I can't even begin to wrap my brain around this, but it's really happening.
All that stuff about Tony loving Pullman and wanting to build something special? About asking the administration for seven years? Apparently, it was all a bunch of shit.
Pardon my language, but sometimes a situation calls for coarse language. If there ever was one, this is it. People wonder why we Cougs are such a paranoid bunch? It's garbage like this.
Thanks Tony. Thanks for getting our hopes up just enough to kick us in the nuts. I hope you lose every game you ever coach at Virginia. I probably don't really mean that, but you'll have to excuse me for feeling that way at this particular moment.
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Ok...
So we heard earlier this season Sanchez and Ben Johnson were taking over a lot of the recruiting. Should we have read more into this? Are one of these guys going to replace TB?
by MLips on Mar 30, 2009 3:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I'd be surprised if it wasn't Johnson
But I’m not done being mad at Tony yet, so I don’t even want to think about that. I’m so sick and tired of having this happen to me as a Coug fan. Right now, in my emotional state, I feel like this negates everything positive that happened over the past three years. I never, ever want to see him set foot in Pullman again.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I feel used
I had a man crush on Tony for his character, principles, and honesty. I’m still grateful, and I wish him sucess, but I no longer look at him through tinted glasses. He is just another good college basketball coach.
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 3:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Exactly
We all thought Tony was different. We all defended him — loudly.
And now we all look stupid.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If my husky freinds call me out for being delusional
I will say they were right.
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 3:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
We'll have no choice
This is how people become cynics.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
At this point I'd boo him if he coached a team against the Cougs
Maybe with time that will pass. Maybe we will see him as the Dan Monson, bailed early on a growing program to watch an assistant flourish while he burns out in a program of higher status.
by 02Coug on Mar 30, 2009 3:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I just wrote this yesterday
Let’s not get too comfortable
I really want to believe that Coach Tony will stay in Pullman forever, but I also thought Coach Price was going to stay forever. I was never so sure of Price’s permanence in Pullman than the week before the announcement that he was going to Alabama. I was telling my brother-in-law how Price was WSU, that he was respected, valued and trusted, despite many years of futility.
We can never get comfortable. We always need to worry, to some degree. It might be that he leaves when we least expect it.
by HitKing69 on Mar 29, 2009 1:05 PM PDT reply reply actions actions 0 recs
by HitKing69 on Mar 30, 2009 3:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, and I wrote this in response
I don’t have any illusions that he’s going to stay forever
But he also has made it clear that he wants to invest the time to build something special before he even thinks about going anywhere. I believe him. Because of that, I think we have nothing to worry about for at least two more seasons. Honestly.
I feel like such an idiot.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
the difference between price and bennett
was price left an air of sustainability. he left a blueprint on how to win in pullman….which doba promptly turned to garbage.
bennett has left us with 12 freshmen and sophomores….who are suited to play bennett-ball. so the next coach won’t have any flexibility for 3 years.
i wrote my feelings on my blog, but i’ll have to link the front page, as there are several f-bombs in the title.
by BigWood on Mar 30, 2009 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You pretty much encapsulated all my thoughts in your post
I’ll have my own version without the four-letter words, but it’ll be remarkably similar.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Okay. That’s lame.
It’s spelled "S-H-U-x-x-x-x-x"
by JShufelt on Mar 30, 2009 3:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I was wearing my ZZU CRU shirt when I heard the news
now I have to take it off. I need a good reason for this. There has got to be something more to this. Virginia has placed above 7th in the ACC only once since 2001. Its a small school in a pretty small town, i guess that is good to him. But really? Virginia?
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 3:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
i'm trying to find my wife's "Our coach is hotter than your coach" shirt
it’s going in the fireplace.
by BigWood on Mar 30, 2009 3:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
also
does anyone who bought one of those “Tony stayed tied to the Cougars” shirts get their money back?
by BigWood on Mar 30, 2009 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think they all need to be placed into a large bonfire.
Seriously what a liar does Tony look like now. All that stuff about loving Pullman, building the program, not wanting to be a flash in the pan. His moral values are just like many of the holier than thow croud, crap.
by selahcoug on Mar 30, 2009 3:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn't go so far as to question his moral values
But I would say he does look a bit like a liar today.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is why we don't get nice stuff
Being a Cougar – in a nutshell – means that once you get something that looks nice, that feels good, that you can be proud of, it leaves. It just disappears.
I feel exactly the same way now as I did 8 years ago.
AHHHH!!!!!!! I can’t find words!!!
by HitKing69 on Mar 30, 2009 3:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
the wife is in control
its a know fact among cougar insiders how much tony’s wife hated and openly bitched about being at WSU. he spent 2 days thinking about this? my guess is after passing on LSU last year she made his life a living hell and he took the first job that came up after that. don’t be suprised in t.b. gets monsoned (roy or don) out in VA
by donkeyjon12 on Mar 30, 2009 3:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I have a hard time believing that to be true
And I’d really feel better if we stick to complaining about what we do know, rather than throwing a person who isn’t the coach under the bus.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have that feeling in my gut
like my dog just died. That is about the closest thing I can think of to how this kick to the nuts feels.
by selahcoug on Mar 30, 2009 3:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Out with the old...
…in with the new. Hire Mark Few.
by TrueCoug on Mar 30, 2009 3:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
OH GOD NO
I don’t want that guy anywhere near my program.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Provided we don't get to him first.
Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Dear Joevan, Develop motor skills. Love, ATQ.
by qrsouther on Mar 30, 2009 5:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can have him
If you thought Ernie Kent was a bad game tactician …
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 6:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll be glad
if we get a coach we’ve actually heard of.
by TrueCoug on Mar 30, 2009 3:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Don't count on it
With the budget issues at the state universities, we’ll probably be back to going on the cheap. Which probably means Ben Johnson. Not that he can’t do the job — he may well be the best guy for the job — but I wouldn’t count on a big splash hire.
We are what we thought we were before the Bennett’s arrived. No matter what we thought, nothing’s really changed.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
With the amount of underclassmen
familiar with Ben Johnson and the system he will likely keep, It makes sence to give him a couple years to try to continue it. After that, if he doesn’t work out, then you can bring a new coach in who can recruit his type of players.
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
keep
i’d much rather keep a guy who knows the players and system. who knows, in 3 years TB may be on his way out at VA and we may be playing in the sweet sixteen.
by donkeyjon12 on Mar 30, 2009 3:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
future coaches
How about Ken Bone (portland state), Randy Bennett (St Mary’s), Bill Grier (San Diego), Ken McDonald (Western Kentucky)? Also if there is a coach on the staff that we have to pick I think its Matt Woodley. It seemed he was Tony’s right hand man. Just some names to discuss.
by cougdave1 on Mar 30, 2009 3:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I love Bone as a coach
But I’m not sure he could coach his way at WSU. He’s a run-and-gun guy, and I’m not sure we can ever get the athletes to play that way consistently.
We’ll talk more about the candidates very soon. Trust us.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 3:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t think we should be looking at outside coaches yet. Give Johnson some time to work with what we have right now. We are set up for slow, bennett ball style basketball, and it wouldn’t make much sense to bring in a coach who doesn’t know how to run our system.
by displacedcoug on Mar 30, 2009 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
it's going to HAVE to be an assistant
you’re not going to get a quality head coach to come here. the next coach won’t have his own recruiting class until 2012. who’s going to accept that offer?
by BigWood on Mar 30, 2009 4:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Who cares!
It doesn’t matter who our next coach is because he will just leave us, too. Raveling did it, Harshman did it, Sampson did it, Bennett did it …. why even hope for success, all it means is losing our coach.
by HitKing69 on Mar 30, 2009 4:00 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Have the incoming players
signed their letters of intent yet? I’m having a memory lapse. And if not…. uh oh.
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 4:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Yes.
And the WSU athletic department would have to release them. If they want out, you kind of have to let them go, because all they do is cause problems — just look at Arizona this year.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Except for
that UW womens player who was not allowed to leave after Daugherty left there. But yeah, I would not be surprised if some of them backed out but looking at their profiles on SCOUT, none of them had any comparative offers from decent teams. Maybe they won’t.
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 4:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
daughtery didn't leave
she was fired.
by BigWood on Mar 30, 2009 6:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I just went from Absolutly Shocked to Pissed off to on the verge of tears.
I had no idea that this was even an option for Bennett. I had heard of other coaches getting offers from Virgina, but I thought Tony would stay. I though he was different from those other coaches that used WSU as a stepping stone… But he’s not. I want to take everything good I ever said about him being a great guy back. Yes, he was a great coach two years ago, but made some strange choices this year that I couldn’t see why he did them. I am VERY angry at the world right now.
On other news, whats the over/under on players/recruits that we lose because of this. I’m thinking 2.5. And I’m going over.
by GoCougs on Mar 30, 2009 4:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
As I mentioned above,
none had better offers. Its not like we got guys that also had offers from Oregon, Gonzaga or even Nevada. They were all mid-major schools.
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Where we go from here
First on Tony…This is a horrible decision. In UVA’s best years after he rebuilds that program they are going to be about the 4th best team in the ACC. It is a bad job. You enter a conference with about 8 teams with more Basketball tradition than Virgina, and uhhhh Carolina and Duke? Good Luck with all that Tony. Thanks for all you did for us but I fear you will be fired in about 3 years after Virginia continues to be the doormat of the ACC.
For us going forward. We have the AD fund for basketball excellence plus the money from Tony’s buyout…we MUST make the right hire. First call should be to Mark Few. Gonzaga has reached the peak of what they will ever do…make the sweet 16 when they are lucky enough to get a 13 seed in the second round.
Other Candidates with NW ties:
Ray Jacoletti (spelling?) Asst at GU took Utah to the Sweet 16 and was successful at Eastern Washington before that.
Bill Grier former GU asst and current San Diego head coach…took them to the Sweet 16 last year.
Ken Bone Portland St…been to the dance 2 years in a row, beat UW this year and has recruited some good talent to PSU.
Dan Monson…has won before in the Inland Empire. Currently head man at Long Beach St.
John Lamanna…been an asst at UC Davis and Loyola Marymont, Wazzu grad, who was a student asst under Dick and Tony while attending WSU. Has always said WSU is his Dream Job. Young and motivated.
Craig Robinson…Bring the Obama family magic to Pullman.
Guys we can dream about:
Tubby Smith—would be easier to win in Pac-10 than Big 10. Has you know, won a national championship
Bobby Knight—will get back into coaching for one last shot. Hates big media markets, likes to hunt and fish???
Kelvin Sampson—would have to win his appeal with the NCAA first.
by Ike Fontaine on Mar 30, 2009 4:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
my vote: bring in the GENERAL
Bob Knight
by CleenCoug on Mar 30, 2009 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
i almost smiled
through the tears
Tony Bennett for Heisman!
by johnnycougar on Mar 30, 2009 4:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
F*ck
now i’m changing my tagline
Tony Bennett for Heisman!
by johnnycougar on Mar 30, 2009 4:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
YEP
please do
This is where per game statistics go to die.
CougCenter
by Dancing Football on Mar 30, 2009 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I say
Leon Rice assistant at Gonzaga. And its not just because I know him personally. OK, it is. Lets get real, folks. There is a 75% chance it will be an inside hire.
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't think so
Tony’s assistants will be going to UVA…one was his college roommate
by Ike Fontaine on Mar 30, 2009 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn't even think about that
but do you really think one would pass up a head coaching gig at a pac-10 school that does not have expectations until his 3rd year when the young team should peak? Especially when they helped build it?
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ken Bone Portland St…been to the dance 2 years in a row, beat UW
Beat Gonzaga, lost to UW
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
by thecassino on Mar 30, 2009 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
UW has beaten PSU 3 straight years, I think he confused Portland State with Portland
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
by thecassino on Mar 30, 2009 4:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think it was Portland that beat UW this year.
Not PSU
by GoCougs on Mar 30, 2009 4:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You are correct, sir
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
by thecassino on Mar 30, 2009 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Eastern Washington Has a Basketball Team Right?
Why don’t we follow the successfully football approach and get their basketball coach as well.
by JohnnyIdaho on Mar 30, 2009 4:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The fact is the Pac-10 is wide open right now
UCLA is down, ASU is a powerhouse, It’s wide open. The ACC will never be open with Duke and UNC.
by GoCougs on Mar 30, 2009 4:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
And really, "down" is a relative thing, cuz they're still pretty darn good.
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
by thecassino on Mar 30, 2009 4:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Quote from Jim Sterk:
“Dick and Tony Bennett have elevated the men’s basketball program at Washington State to an unprecedented level of success,” Sterk said. “We will begin a national search for a coach immediately with the goal of finding someone with the integrity, experience, and values that Dick and Tony brought to the program.”
“National search”? I hope it’s better than the “National search” that we did to find the football coach 2 hours away from a DII program.
by GoCougs on Mar 30, 2009 4:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
bill gillispie?
i might have missedit but has a team hired him yet?
by CleenCoug on Mar 30, 2009 4:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
yeah i feel like he got a raw deal at kentucky and i liked the the teams he had at Texas A&M
by CleenCoug on Mar 30, 2009 4:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
I was reading an article about him today and thought, “if tony bennett were to leave” but of course I laughed at that idea. (punches self in face)
This is where per game statistics go to die.
CougCenter
by Dancing Football on Mar 30, 2009 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He keeps avoiding to sign the Kentucky contract
which was one of the sticking point in Bill not able to get along with the Kentucky AD
by ximiankernel on Mar 30, 2009 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm really hoping for Bennett
Randy Bennett that is, from St. Mary’s. What he was able to do with St. Patty Mills’… Ahem, St. Mary’s was great.
by GoCougs on Mar 30, 2009 4:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I need to take a cold shower
I don’t know whether to be angry or heartbroken or what. In many ways it would have been easier if he’d ditched us for Indiana, although at least this way we still have Klay and DeAngelo.
I’m pretty sure Chadwick will go, Motum probably stays (I thought Johnson did more of the Australia recruiting), hoping the other guys stay though who knows?
And just the other day we were talking about naming a court after the Bennett’s…
by johnnycougar on Mar 30, 2009 4:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't know who advocated for that!
self esteem goes down…
by peaty411s on Mar 30, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know the family is originally from Wisconsin
But I can’t help feeling that the snow over the weekend had a part to play!
I’m not sure if I’m being sarcastic. If his wife is from Louisiana then she probably wanted to move down south where at least it’s warm most of the year.
I also wonder if Tony feels that this is the best timing for US, not just for him. Assuming that all the incoming recruits stay, we’ll have probably the best freshman + sophomore class Wazzu has ever had, and also since the players are young they probably can more easily adapt to a new coaching style. I dunno, reaching for straws here, I just can’t believe he would completely abandon us. Also at least it’s early enough in the offseason that there are still good coaches out there on the hiring block…
by johnnycougar on Mar 30, 2009 4:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
There is no possible way this is good for WSU
There could be recruits who want out of their LOIs, and we had so many true freshmen play, they could transfer, sit out a year, and still have three to play. I hope there isn’t a mass exodus, but wouldn’t be shocked if there was one.
After today, nothing at all will shock me ever again. And I’m not exaggerating.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, not GOOD, just not as bad as possible
What if he left after two more years, when we’d have all sophomores and juniors and just reaching our greatest potential? Then any new coach coming in would have had a good team but not one adapted to his style, possibly wrecking the whole thing. I don’t know, just hoping that this all works out I guess.
by johnnycougar on Mar 30, 2009 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
One more year would have made a huge difference
The guys who are in the program are invested at that point. Now? I’ll bet we see at least three of those freshmen leave.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 30, 2009 5:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
okay
the more I’m reading the more I see your points. I want to scream.
by johnnycougar on Mar 30, 2009 5:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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