Tony Bennett As Virginia's Basketball Coach: Will It Work?

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The big man is deadly from outside and his numbers could go way up in this system.

Bennett may be a risk, but every coach is ultimately a risk. 

I think Virginia fans can be pleasantly surprised with this man because he will do what matters most--win.

BAD COP

I want to say this as politely as I can, because I do not blame Tony Bennett.

Tony Bennett is a very good man who is young and talented. 

He very well could be a great coach, we could build monuments to him and we will call him "Tony the Tiger."

However, if you are Craig Littlepage, you need to have your bags packed today because your complete disrespect towards the fans and alumni at Virginia has come shining through again.

Littlepage fired Leitao so abruptly, he needed to have a plan.

Leitao's season was horrible certainly, but his team had shown some progress and he deserved one more year to show that the 2007 ACC Coach of the Year and regular season ACC title was no joke.

By firing him, Littlepage was sending a message that he was raising the stakes for Virginia basketball.

He let these rumors of Tubby Smith and Jeff Capel go along for two weeks with no word.

He never even hinted at Tony Bennett until it was official.

Bennett would have been fine if Virginia fans had been given some kind of warning. 

Without warning though, it's like thinking you're going to meet Tiger Woods and get Geoff Ogilvy instead.

Both men are fine golfers and major winners but come on, it's Tiger Woods!

This hire was supposed to change the image of Virginia basketball nationally.  It was supposed to open up checkbooks and fill up seats in the John Paul Jones Arena.

Certainly if Bennett wins, that will take care of itself.

However, his name alone won't do it unless people think he is giving a concert instead of coaching a basketball team.

Craig Littlepage has put Bennett in a horribly awkward position and he has put himself in a seat about as hot as the sun.

Now we must worry about the fallout of this decision.  Coach transitions inevitably lead to players leaving or de-committing.

Will Landesberg stay knowing that a slower offense will most likely results in his numbers lowering his sophomore year?

I never thought he would go before because he had failed to fully prove he could hit the medium to long-range shots but it could happen.

Will Virginia lose out on Tristan Spurlock, a quality big man now being courted by Georgetown after previously committing to the Cavaliers?

Even if Bennett is able to keep them to stay, he still has a big problem at point guard.

His blocker mover offense is reliant on low turnovers.  He values possessions and Virginia for the most part, has not.

Virginia was 9th in the ACC when it came to turnovers committed and 10th in assist to turnover ratio.

Virginia's lead point guard Sammy Zeglinski had 84 assists to 70 turnovers.

That could spell disaster in Bennett's system.

Calvin Baker has played point but he is a shooting guard whose ball-handling skills are not up to par with most in the ACC.

This discrepancy was best exemplified in Virginia's first game against UNC this year.

Zeglinski shot 1-of-8 with one assist and four turnovers.

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