“Tony Bennett, the renowned University of Virginia men’s basketball coach, announced his retirement on October 18, 2024, after 15 incredible seasons. During his emotional farewell press conference, Bennett candidly shared the reasons behind his decision, citing the changing landscape of college athletics, particularly with the introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and the transfer portal.

“I looked at myself and realized I’m no longer the best coach to lead this program in this current environment,” Bennett said, his voice filled with emotion. “If you’re gonna do it, you’ve gotta be all-in. If you do it half-hearted, it’s not fair to the university and those young men.” He expressed concerns about the health of college athletics, feeling that the game is not in a healthy spot.” (Courtesy Meta A1)

I’ll tell you a secret that some of my friends don’t even know. I’m no great coach like Coach Bennett, but my record as a basketball coach is 24-5. I coached a fourth grade team to their Saturday morning League Championship and I coached my church team to a park commission League Championship .

I’ve always loved basketball.

Basketball once was not a game of individuals. It was a team sport. You won and lost as a team.

No matter how good a shooter you might have on your team, sooner or later, they’re going to have a bad night.

If the only talent you had on your team was that one guy, you were out of luck. Even the great Michael Jordan came to realize that he needed supporting players beside him.

I guess I became such a big basketball fan because my student coach in 9th grade was the late great Larry Finch of Memphis State University, who went to the final game of the NCAA tournament against the great Bill Walton and the UCLA Bruins. Larry was a wonderful guy who became my friend that year. Later on, after graduating from the University of Memphis, while working at the local cable company, I was walking through the front lobby when I heard someone call my name. It was Coach Finch. He wanted to know everything I had been up to. He was a great man.

I’ve always been a college basketball fan because loyalty means a great deal to me.

I think that is what made college sports so great.

Collegiate athletes were loyal to their universities, not to whoever would pay them to play for them.

However, as the AAU got to be more commercial with sports agents hitting up on the guys and the coaches to wear certain shoes and giving them promises of a great future ahead, the college game also became more and more corrupt until now it is just a minor league for the NBA.

This is not what James Naismith meant for it to be when he put up that peach basket.

It’s funny how things become corrupt over time if those who are in charge don’t have a strong backbone. Or, they have a strong faith that compels them to do what is right.

I guess what is happening in college sports is a symptom of what has happened to our American culture and society as a whole.

There have been Americans who have moved away from what is good, just, and true.

Things such as a good work ethic, respect, loyalty, and patriotism are not considered strong character traits anymore by those who consider themselves arbiters of what is best in American society.

There needs to be a return to these values in America. Otherwise, we will be tossed in  the dustbin of history.

Kudos to Coach Bennett for what he said.

I wish there were more like him.

Until He Comes,

KJ