Tony Bennett and Jamie Dixon

[NKR1978]

Did Bennett out-Dixon Dixon, or has Bennett reached a heretofore unknown level of Tournament suckitude that even Dixon can reach?

Seriously, I've never seen a team panic like his do when they're down in the Tournament. He was a deer in headlights against us in 2016. He looked lost tonight when they showed the game on the big screen in Detroit.

He has a great program, but at some point the criticism has to start.

 

[dasher]

Did Bennett out-Dixon Dixon, or has Bennett reached a heretofore unknown level of Tournament suckitude that even Dixon can reach?

Seriously, I've never seen a team panic like his do when they're down in the Tournament. He was a deer in headlights against us in 2016. He looked lost tonight when they showed the game on the big screen in Detroit.

He has a great program, but at some point the criticism has to start.

I think tonight is the start. This game leaves a mark

 

[PoppyHart]

The start was 3-4 years ago. But everyone is so enamored with his "class" and charm.

 

[NKR1978]

I think tonight is the start. This game leaves a mark

The bloom is off.

He has time to get better. JB has become a bit of a Tournament master and he had a bad reputation. But Bennett seems immune to the criticism.

 

[Arangeman]

The bloom is off? They were the #1 overall seed. They lost their best player. Absolutely they still should have won. There are maybe 5-6 programs in the country that wouldn't hire Bennett immediately if he left UVA.

 

[Waltdods]

Did Bennett out-Dixon Dixon, or has Bennett reached a heretofore unknown level of Tournament suckitude that even Dixon can reach?

Seriously, I've never seen a team panic like his do when they're down in the Tournament. He was a deer in headlights against us in 2016. He looked lost tonight when they showed the game on the big screen in Detroit.

He has a great program, but at some point the criticism has to start.

He’s going to take a lot of heat until he makes a run.

I’m not sure that makes it justified. People wanted to run jay Wright out of town in 2015 for continually choking in the big dance. Boeheim had the reputation as a choker before winning. Roy Williams too.

There is a lot of randomness in a single elimination tournament played by teenagers.

 

[NKR1978]

The bloom is off? They were the #1 overall seed. They lost their best player. Absolutely they still should have won. There are maybe 5-6 programs in the country that wouldn't hire Bennett immediately if he left UVA.

All that matters is the tournament.

We've lost important guys before the tournament and made it to the S16 and E8. A 20 point beat down is pathetic.

 

[Jasoncuse]

His face when his team is down more than 6 points is so hilarious. You can see the fear, bewilderment and confusion. Guy just doesn't have the chops to lead a program to the promised land. At least not yet.

 

[NKR1978]

His face when his team is down more than 6 points is so hilarious. You can see the fear, bewilderment and confusion. Guy just doesn't have the chops to lead a program to the promised land. At least not yet.

Seriously. There's no determination. No calm. Just shock and bewilderment and fear.

 

[SWC75]

Bennett:

Dixon:

There is a resemblance.

 

[Jake]

Style of play. It doesn't work in the tourney.

Did you guys see the panic set it when UVA got down by 10?

That's a month's worth of scoring for UVA and THE PLAYERS KNOW IT.

 

[cuseattle]

The bloom is off? They were the #1 overall seed. They lost their best player. Absolutely they still should have won. There are maybe 5-6 programs in the country that wouldn't hire Bennett immediately if he left UVA.

I feel for UVA. They lost their sixth man, and we're not talkin Dion.

 

[Cowtown]

I like Bennett, Dixon not so much. Actually not at all.

 

[smmCUSE]

I've been saying this all year, and of course I got a lot of flack for it. Best part of tonight - Dixon did it again... at our hands, and UVA's best run, still at our hands. I need to update my avatar.

 

[smmCUSE]

I like Bennett, Dixon not so much. Actually not at all.

I agree. Class coach all around. But likeabililty does not make you impervious to criticism, especially when it may be warranted.

 

[jdubs30]

Villanova has been a 1 or 2 seed 5 times since 2008 - 4 times they didn't get to the Sweet 16; 1 time they won the Championship.

Bennett is a terrific coach, but unless he figures out March he'll always have that mark on his resume. He's been there since 2009. He's been to 1 Elite 8 and 1 Sweet 16. He's been a 1 or 2 seed 4 times.

 

[Newhouser]

I think we are all throwing dirt on his grave early. They were not that talented this year. Why did they set an ACC record... consistency and toughness. Did nobody see them at Duke or at Loiisville? They win tough games and out execute teams every game. Every game. The experts saw the wins and losses and made them what they are not. Same media burying them today. As he said post game if you put yourselves in the arena sometimes it doesn't end well. He and they are going to be PIYAs for a long time.

 

[Chip]

The bloom is off? They were the #1 overall seed. They lost their best player. Absolutely they still should have won. There are maybe 5-6 programs in the country that wouldn't hire Bennett immediately if he left UVA.

Their 6th man is their best player? That’s probably the biggest strike against him.

His face doesn’t show well when they get down. Looks like he chugged a bottle of laxative and is desperately trying to hold it in.

 

[NKR1978]

I think we are all throwing dirt on his grave early. They were not that talented this year. Why did they set an ACC record... consistency and toughness. Did nobody see them at Duke or at Loiisville? They win tough games and out execute teams every game. Every game. The experts saw the wins and losses and made them what they are not. Same media burying them today. As he said post game if you put yourselves in the arena sometimes it doesn't end well. He and they are going to be PIYAs for a long time.

He lost to a 16 seed. There is no defense for that.

It never happened before and it probably won't happen again.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[CorduroyG]

Villanova has been a 1 or 2 seed 5 times since 2008 - 4 times they didn't get to the Sweet 16; 1 time they won the Championship.

Bennett is a terrific coach, but unless he figures out March he'll always have that mark on his resume. He's been there since 2009. He's been to 1 Elite 8 and 1 Sweet 16. He's been a 1 or 2 seed 4 times.

jay wright also got to the final 4 in 2009 (i think it was 09), just not as a 1 or 2 seed. bennett at least needs a f4 run soon or else its gonna be a huge monkey on his back

 

[Cowtown]

If Boeheim suddenly retired and Bennett took the job, I wouldn't be unhappy.

 

[sugrad68]

I like Bennett, Dixon not so much. Actually not at all.

I like Bennett too. He was a class act after the game. No excuses. Boeheim was the first coach of a 2 seed to lose to a 15 seed. He survived. So will Bennett.

 

[Nicknack]

I like Bennett too. He was a class act after the game. No excuses. Boeheim was the first coach of a 2 seed to lose to a 15 seed. He survived. So will Bennett.

Yes he will. However, think how long that hurt our reputation, particularly Boeheim's reputation. This one was big, really big. For years people will be saying... anything is possible, remember when UVA got spanked by a 16 seed?

 

[pfister1]

The start was 3-4 years ago. But everyone is so enamored with his "class" and charm.

Right because its better to be enamored with snake oil salesmen like Miller and Calipari.

We were the recipient of this kind of criticism for years. It was unwarranted when aimed at JB and SU and it is unwarranted aimed at Bennett and UVA.

And the SU games isn't an example of them panicing when they get down. If I recall they had a relatively large lead against us, didn't adjust to our change in style and then coughed up that lead. Each game is different. Last night they got steamrolled.

Was JB a crap coach when his players didn't show up against Navy in '86, Richmond in '91 or Vermont in '04? No!

Look getting upset in the tournament is clearly a chink in the armor. It showed neither coach was perfect, but they are both still great coaches. I have no doubt that Bennett, like JB, will get past these bumps and hang some important Ws because he keeps putting his teams in position to do so.