At least have the decency to stab us in the front
by Grady Clapp on Mar 30, 2009 4:56 PM PDT
Email
PrintWow.
Turns out the Tony Bennett in my head wasn't the Tony Bennett in real life.
Humility. Thankfulness. Passion. Unity. Servanthood.
It's laughable to think Tony Bennett will try to sell those five tenets to recruits in the future.
If it had been last year, we all would've seen it coming, and that would've been the end of it. We could've moved on and rebuilt much like the team itself did.
Now, Tony has left us in the worst possible position. Sure, our 2009 recruiting class is signed to their LOIs. But I believe in taking the high road here: we shouldn't force them to honor those. They shouldn't be held to playing for a coach they didn't commit too.
Now, we pray Klay Thompson and our freshmen don't transfer. We hope we retain at least some of our recruiting class for next year. We hope that either a) Ben Johnson/Matt Woodley takes the reigns or b) that Ken Bone or whomever else takes charge can keep this ship together.
Two things really make me angry about this:
1. It is completely out of the blue. No rumors, no mentions, no nothing. Just poof and he's gone. And if you think its just us fans, you're wrong. I know, for example, that I found out about Tony's departure before Assistant Coach Mike Heideman's own wife found out.
2. He didn't bother to leave this program in the best position to better itself in the future. If anything, I always thought Tony would've given us that. Instead, he's become every other scumbag coach from every other small money school. If he had left last year, at least we'd have some momentum to pass on to the next coach.
This is ridiculous.
I don't care that we were a stepping stone. I care that we were stepped on when we least expected it.
14 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
How long do we give until UW starts poaching our players?
Shall we take bets??? Or does Romar have more class than Sark.
If they're released of their scholarships they won't be allowed to go elsewhere in the Pac-10
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
I figured out why Tony left!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the snow storm we just had. He is sick and tired of snow in April.
I know it's stupid
But that was the first thought I had too.
It’s why I’m leaving Pullman in a couple months too.
Oh and graduating I guess.
by johnnycougar on Mar 30, 2009 5:34 PM PDT up reply actions
A few random comments...
I haven’t read most of the comments on this board about Tony leaving, but I am just stunned and extremely disappointed by this news to say the least. Yes, I’m even angry.
I just posted yesterday that with the son of one of his friends coming in (Chadwick), wouldn’t Tony likely stay at least a few more years? I guess not….and, of course, Chadwick could go to another school easily enough now.
This makes so little sense to me about Tony leaving now, but here are some things to consider (excuse me if this has already been posted by others)…
1. Tony was planning all along to leave after this season. He would have grabbed the Indiana opportunity had it not been for TR giving up his scholarship last year.
2. Tony has perhaps gotten crossways with WSU’s leadership (Sterk?). That could be a reason for the decision.
3. Tony doesn’t want to live in Pullman any longer. Too challenging to recruit due to remoteness and lack of tradition.
4. Tony is super competitive and realizes that it is very unlikely he’ll ever see a Final Four opportunity while at WSU.
5. Tony could rationalize his move in his mind (despite his statements in the past) because he believes it will give Ben Johnson or Matt Woodley a chance to step into his position.
6. Does Tony have any contacts at Virginia in the athletic department that go back with maybe even his Dad?
7. Virginia is a very prestigious school…great recruiting area all along the East Coast/South…brand new very impressive basketball arena (really nice)…the right coach could be very successful there I’m sure.
8. I would not advocate that we hire any of his assistants. Hiring assistants almost never works out well…and I understand Matt Woodley hates it in Pullman. Not sure about Ben Johnson, but again…hiring assistants is usually a very bad plan.
9. I thought that next season looked even rougher for us in the Pac-10 prior to this announcement. Maybe Tony realized this as well and jumped at this opportunity partially because of that.
I feel sick…sort of like someone punching me in the gut unexpectedly.
I’m now very cynical about WSU sports…and have considered seriously getting totally away from supporting it again after this. The pain/disappointment is too great. Tony seemed like a guy who would help bring us some more great moments…but now we are left with this situation. Sigh.
by westsidecougar1 on Mar 30, 2009 5:18 PM PDT reply actions
Very interesting what you said about Rochestie
is it remotely possible that Bennett was sizing up his coaching options last year, but then got blindsided by the news of Rochestie giving up his scholarship. He then thought he had to stay another year.
Jon Oliver
From Virginia’s athletic directory:
—————————————-
Jon Oliver is in his eighth year at Virginia. His primary responsibility is oversight of the day-to-day operations of the athletics department. Oliver is the administrative liaison for football and men’s basketball and was the athletics department point person for the John Paul Jones Arena project.
Before coming to UVa, Oliver spent the previous six years involved in various aspects of athletic administration at Washington State University. Oliver ended his tenure at WSU as the associate athletics director for external affairs and prior to that served as the associate athletics director for finance and facilities development, the assistant athletics director for business and compliance, and the director of compliance.
Oliver earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Boise State in 1994 and his law degree from the Idaho School of Law in 1997.
Before pursuing an administrative career in intercollegiate athletics, Oliver owned and operated several businesses in his hometown of Boise, Idaho, where he was also head boys’ basketball coach for the AAU Idaho Select Team.
Oliver is a member of the Idaho Law School Advisory Board and served on the NCAA’s Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee. He is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the Black Coaches Association. He is a past president of the Idaho Sports Law Association and a former member of the Collegiate Athletic Business Managers Association.
He and his wife, November, have a son, Dante and a daughter, Ariana.
—————————-
He’s actually seemed like a really nice guy when I talked to him during my days at WSU. I’m guessing that he has paid close attention over the years to WSU and would quickly throw-in a few words in favor of Bennett. From what I remember he left right after Sterk came in so you never know what animosity (if any) might be included in the incentive to snag a WSU coach.
by LeaveItToWeaver on Mar 30, 2009 7:40 PM PDT up reply actions
UVA fans
Cavilier fans are not that happy about the hire, thinking they could have got Tubby Smith or Capel from Oklahoma, instead of this “small school loser” as some have named him..wow, that fact a majority of their fan base is not happy about the hire, hurts worse…
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Community Guidelines
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
