Dearest Coach Tony Bennett,
It may seem weird to you that college students are addressing you, obsessed with you, and talk about you more than any other person in Charlottesville. You are, after all, a normal family man from Wisconsin with a talent for coaching defensive basketball. You see, when you decided to come to UVA in 2009, to follow in the wake of Coach David Leitao, you had no idea what was going to happen when you got here. Yes, you knew you would try to create something special, a program based on pillars of character and defense that was unprecedented. But you couldn't have known the wave you would create coming here, the lasting impact you would leave on our school.
Coach TB, you have made Charlottesville revere you. You run our program with confidence and calmness. Your consistently classy attitude towards referees and other coaches stands even in the toughest of tests. Your suits are always perfectly colored and just so darn classy. There is just no other word for what you are. You are a classy, classy man. As put by Seth Davis of ESPN, "[Tony Bennett] just oozes class." You have inspired UVA basketball fans to support your team, you have inspired confidence in your players, and you have even inspired a hilarious twitter parody account (shout out to Phony Bennett).
We UVA fans also love when you lose it. It happens so rarely, since your composure is nearly perfect in any stressful situation. It's an interesting contrast to the former coach of UVA basketball, Coach Leitao, who once kicked down the scoring table in frustration, earning himself a technical and also an ejection. We sort of think it's awesome when you lose your cool. See below: when Jamie Luckie screwed up the final call of the Maryland game. We feel you.
You make the players at UVA better men, too. The players constantly praise your work ethic, coaching style, and pleasant attitude. You make the team run like a well-oiled machine. Tony, we aren't even surprised you are the defending back-to-back ACC Coach of the Year. Other coaches in the ACC, whom you constantly defeat in close battles, continue to praise you as a coach and as a man. Rick Pitino, head coach of Louisville, said, "[He's] not sure there’s a better coach in college basketball than Tony Bennett at Virginia."
Well, Coach Tony Bennett, we would have to agree. We know you have the opportunity to coach at Wisconsin, and we know you will most likely get an offer (because you are incredible and everyone covets you). However, we implore you to stay, and to continue the legacy of class you have established here at UVA.
Much love,
Wahoo Nation.
