Tony Bennett is so overrated

[NKR1978]

Analysis/Opinion:

UVA seemed to play with no urgency because they are not a running/transition team in the classic Big East sense of the term. UVA is a well disciplined team that can work the ball technically very well around a defense until the defense makes a mistake, whereupon UVA capitalizes on the mistake and scores. The individual skills are enhance through technical capability and discipline, but in a horse race with Syracuse (UNC, Duke, and several other teams) Bennett and Co. understand they will lose. UVA basically had no answer for the Orange when our guys were on a fast break nor when our guys hustled back on D, they simply re-established their half court game. This system is good for more wins and building a program but usually will fail when faced with superior talent, especially in the Tourney where the competition only gets stiffer the deeper you go. I fully expect that as UVA gets more recognition that they will get the players to become serious contenders more often than not.

Your last paragraph sums up what many on here really think with the clincher; "...I think Bennett is a great coach, he just isn't a great tournament coach yet. He'll get there though." Emphasis on YET and He'll get there.

Isn't adapting to game conditions part of coaching?

I'm glad he had no clue what to do. That was awesome. But it's rare to see a coach look legitimately clueless as to how to stop the onslaught. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do, but I don't think that was the case in his situation. For example, with the press, they broke it easy and could have taken the air out of the ball for 10-15 seconds. Instead they played into our hands by rushing bad shots. They also could have switched to a zone to stop the easy drives we were getting late.

But I fully expect he'll get there. He is a great coach and he's starting to capitalize on his regular season success by bringing in great recruits. That's something Dixon failed miserably at.

 

[HtownOrange]

Isn't adapting to game conditions part of coaching?

I'm glad he had no clue what to do. That was awesome. But it's rare to see a coach look legitimately clueless as to how to stop the onslaught. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do, but I don't think that was the case in his situation. For example, with the press, they broke it easy and could have taken the air out of the ball for 10-15 seconds. Instead they played into our hands by rushing bad shots. They also could have switched to a zone to stop the easy drives we were getting late.

But I fully expect he'll get there. He is a great coach and he's starting to capitalize on his regular season success by bringing in great recruits. That's something Dixon failed miserably at.

Adapting is a part of the game. I believe Bennett knew what to do. I believe he knew his team and knew he did not have the players (talent level) to get into a full running game with Syracuse. Sometimes knowing one's limitations is more important than knowing what to do if one had the right cards to play with. Had the Cavs tried to run with Syracuse, who are trained and have the top level talent to run and execute a transition game, we would have possibly seen a blow out in Syracuse favor. The UVA players are well suited for Bennet's current game, well disciplined, but I did not see any significant UVA defense against our Orange when we caused a turn over. Nor did I see any ability to defeat our transition defense, though I saw kids that knew what to do when they had a fast break, they simply could not beat our top level talent. I think it changes once Bennett recruits higher ranked kids. (One benefit to Bennett being at UVA is that UVA enforces attendance and progress towards a degree (unlike a certain opponent) so Bennett will have to recruit from kids that are serious about school as well as hoops.)

Note: You may be right, I am only expressing my view. Your views are your own, and are generally respected by me because they are based on good observation or reason, even though I may differ. Differing opinions sharpen my viewing skills, you force me to watch closer. Ultimately, what really matters in this discussion is that we both (like most on here) believe that Bennett will become a force in the ACC.

 

[longislandcuse]

And his recruiting has picked up. Kyle Guy is going to torment us for years.

I hate that when you say "years" you're probably right. I don't know if it's exposure or style or what but if Guy was coming here, I'd expect him to go to the NBA by end of his sophomore year max.

Heard an interesting piece about how Roy Williams is taking the anti-one and done stance and building his program with talented recruits who might need a few years to develop. This allows him to have talented teams with upper class leadership. He also apparently hates the AAU circuit and everything that comes along with building connections within it. How he keeps guys like Paige and Johnson 4 years, I don't know, but it was an interesting piece. Devil's Advocate, it could also explain how Duke took the conference back from them until this year.

That being said, one of the main gripes I've heard from UVA fans is that the way the program is built is nice and all but now, if they want to take the next step, they need some one and done's. Specifically, they said, they need a Malachi Richardson.

 

[NKR1978]

I hate that when you say "years" you're probably right. I don't know if it's exposure or style or what but if Guy was coming here, I'd expect him to go to the NBA by end of his sophomore year max.

Heard an interesting piece about how Roy Williams is taking the anti-one and done stance and building his program with talented recruits who might need a few years to develop. This allows him to have talented teams with upper class leadership. He also apparently hates the AAU circuit and everything that comes along with building connections within it. How he keeps guys like Paige and Johnson 4 years, I don't know, but it was an interesting piece. Devil's Advocate, it could also explain how Duke took the conference back from them until this year.

That being said, one of the main gripes I've heard from UVA fans is that the way the program is built is nice and all but now, if they want to take the next step, they need some one and done's. Specifically, they said, they need a Malachi Richardson.

It's funny, I actually considered whether to put "years" for Guy. Then I assumed that he'll be a four year player and because of this run we're going to lose Richardson and Lydon, because that's what happens to us.

 

[Newhouser]

Yeah, ok.

2014
1st team: Brodgon
2nd team: Harris
H.M. : Mitchell

2015
1st team: Brogdon
2nd team: Anderson
3rd team: Gill
H.M.: Perrantes

2016:
1st team: Brogdon
3rd team: Hill
H.M.: Perrrantes

Wins often translate to player post-season honors. Team results may have helped the players listed.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

He is a good coach but he basically uses the Pitt plan. There is a reason why Pitt has had a ton of regular season success and little NCAAT success. UVA is the ACC's version of Big East Pitt.

 

[BuffOrange]

Carries a lot of weight. He's talked highly of players but I've never heard him say any other coach is the best in the game. He may be exaggerating but that's high praise that he doesn't use.

Interesting I'm just catching up on this thread now. Gary Parrish made a special point on the latest CBS podcast to say that JB is genuine about that and has said as much privately.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Of course you have t0 knock JB to build up Bennett.

Bennett is a great coach, but JB coached circles around him Sunday night. He and his team panicked at the first sign of trouble and he sat there like a deer in headlights watching his season slip by. The shot of him on one knee with a blank expression on his face when we took the 6 point lead sums up his performance.

That was no knock on JB. JB was only used for comparison since the OP is going to be most familiar with him and his recruits, as we all are. You don't have to imagine a JB knock from me. When i mean to do it, it'll be evident. Youre actually implying I think JB isn't so good because he gets better recruits. Yeah, no.

JB didn't coach circles around anyone. Leave it to a homer to credit him with genius for FINALLY changing things up after getting smacked around for three years by them. And, the change in offense came only in the second half — as if he expected our losing-to-VA trend to be abated by the same strategy. If JB was going to out coach someone, he maybe should have prepared to do so before the game. Two obvious adjustments and Malachi going Rogue Superman do not genius make. So, there's my 'knock.' Credit JB for those adjustments and especially the timing on the press. THAT alone was pretty special. A desperate move, but it could not have been better-timed.

As asked above, what was Bennett supposed to do? Vet, solid leadership on his team — encountering something that had never happened to them. You're completely ridiculous , with the "shot of him one one knee" thing as being representative of "his performance." Seriously? A snapshot is the summary of a man? Then please explain/defend the NUMEROUS snapshots of JB with a finger up his nose. Those were NOT scratches.

 

[NKR1978]

As asked above, what was Bennett supposed to do? Vet, solid leadership on his team — encountering something that had never happened to them. You're completely ridiculous , with the "shot of him one one knee" thing as being representative of "his performance." Seriously? A snapshot is the summary of a man? Then please explain/defend the NUMEROUS snapshots of JB with a finger up his nose. Those were NOT scratches.

Let's see - they broke the press fairly easily and had a lot of open court in front of them on a couple possessions. Instead of pulling back, they played into our hands by continuing to rush the possession after the press was broken.

There's a whole thread about Bennett sitting there dumbfounded on the sideline. As was said in that other thread, he looked like he s*** his pants. We've had images capture important moments since the invention of the camera. Bennett dumbfounded and helpless on the sideline isn't even a meme. It's just a lasting impression of the game.

As a Syracuse fan, I'll gladly take Sunday's win for another 3 regular season losses to Virginia. I imagine JB feels the same way and I guarantee Virginia fans would trade those virtually meaningless regular season wins to have their coach not be caught with a blank expression on his face when his blows their best chance to get to the Final Four in 30+ years.

I respect the Seinfeld reference, and agree...most of those are not scratches.

 

[pearl31]

eh don't really get all the hot-and-bothered replies to this thread - it's as if OP was saying it about JB himself. I still think OP's main point is valid - that Bennett hasn't truly proven himself yet to be considered amongst the upper echelon. Right now he's essentially a slightly younger (and much easier to like) Jamie Dixon. Is that guy in the upper echelon? Yeah, I thought so.
Until he gets them to a f4 (he11 that could be next year, who knows) I don't think he's eligible for joining the "elite" club

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Let's see - they broke the press fairly easily and had a lot of open court in front of them on a couple possessions. Instead of pulling back, they played into our hands by continuing to rush the possession after the press was broken.

There's a whole thread about Bennett sitting there dumbfounded on the sideline. As was said in that other thread, he looked like he s*** his pants. We've had images capture important moments since the invention of the camera. Bennett dumbfounded and helpless on the sideline isn't even a meme. It's just a lasting impression of the game.

As a Syracuse fan, I'll gladly take Sunday's win for another 3 regular season losses to Virginia. I imagine JB feels the same way and I guarantee Virginia fans would trade those virtually meaningless regular season wins to have their coach not be caught with a blank expression on his face when his blows their best chance to get to the Final Four in 30+ years.

I respect the Seinfeld reference, and agree...most of those are not scratches.

I'm not concerned with bennett's 'dumfounded' expression. Kinda moot. There is no coach that can't be caught looking like a moron at 1/125th of a second. More important, though, is what happened in the game. We started pressing at, what, like 7 minutes? As you say, they broke it pretty easily most of the time. I don't see how they can be faulted for continuing to try to score when they had 'easy opportunities.' The issue, now, though, is that we're judging the RESULTS and not the strategy as it was unfolding. In our own game threads, we go apoplectic when JB starts pulling the reigns and milking the clock when we have a much smaller lead, with 3-4 minutes to play.

And, as someone mentioned somewhere, didn't UVA have something like a 100% winning percentage when up 10 with x number of minutes remaining? It's not as if this was a trend, or something anyone could have foreseen. Just happened to be the perfect storm, and some Malware got into the system. No one — NO ONE — could or should have predicted that our freshman would challenge the senior defensive player of the year in an isolation move. Nutty things just happen. Like The Shoeless Shot Heard Round the World. Freaky stuff. Personally, i don't think you stall with 7 minutes to play, especially not with a low-scoring game, especially not when you have such steady leadership on the floor, and especially if you've never lost a lead like that before.*


*"That reversal of fortune ruined Bennett's perfect record with a halftime lead of 10 or more points, which was 68-0 over his seven years with the Cavaliers entering Sunday."
http://www.sbnation.com/college-bas...urnament-bracket-syracuse-virginia-final-four