According to The Daily Progress’ longtime sports reporter Jerry Ratcliffe, UVA has hired Tony Bennett as men’s basketball coach, replacing Dave Leitao.
Bennett (no relation to the crooner) just finished his third year as head coach at Washington State University. Relatively young at the age of 39, he isn’t exactly the “home run” hire that many Cavalier fans have been looking for.
Wahoo fanatics plugged into TheSabre.com have been driven nearly delirious by rumors and gossip about the coaching hire. One poster on the basketball message board linked to the flight pattern of a private jet on the way to St. Paul from New Jersey with its next leg destined for Charlottesville. For 45 minutes, speculation ran rampart that UVA’s supposed chief target, Tubby Smith of Minnesota, would board that plane for a press conference at the John Paul Jones Arena—until the flight no longer showed the Charlottesville connection.
Judging by the reaction on TheSabre.com to the Bennett news, Athletic Director Craig Littlepage will need to work hard to hype up the hire.
“If this is true I am seriously thinking about getting rid of my season tickets,” wrote TheGreatHooFan.
“Face it, we will always be bush league,” lamented Kenny Saw.