OT: (Wiretap) Indiana wants Tony Bennett

Post #1 » by **Wade-A-Holic** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:30 am

Am I the only one that would be upset if he took that job, even though he'd probably be crazy not to? I grew up learning to appreciate the style of play that Dick Bennett and now Tony Bennett employed and root for him like crazy at Washington State. I just wouldn't be able to stomach him coaching a Big Ten rival, especially knowing how scary good they'd be with his suffocating defense and the talent he'd be able to recruit simply by virtue of being at Indiana.

Post #2 » by **ReasonablySober** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:33 am

I actually think this would benefit the Badgers and other Big 10 schools. No chance he's able to recruit studs like Eric Gordon if it means they'll play a style the likes of which Bennett coaches. No chance in hell. Not even at IU.

bigkurty · Post #3 » by **bigkurty** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:40 am

DrugBust wrote:I actually think this would benefit the Badgers and other Big 10 schools. No chance he's able to recruit studs like Eric Gordon if it means they'll play a style the likes of which Bennett coaches. No chance in hell. Not even at IU.

I agree he couldn't recruit the stars but you do not need stars to win with that style which is scary too. On Dick Bennett's final four team we had,
Kowske
Kelley
Vershaw
Bryant
Boone
Wills
Duany
Linton
Davis
Penney
Faust
Smith
Swartz
None of those guys are NBA material and they were still very dangerous.

DH34Phan · Post #4 » by **DH34Phan** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:41 am

Tony Bennett is one of the best young coaches in the game. What he did at Washington State is amazing.

Would be a great hire for Indiana.

Epicurus · Post #5 » by **Epicurus** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:42 am

I think not recruiting one year then fly players is what most of the IU community wants. They want 4 year players, even if some skill level is different, and a coach of that type of player. Hence the attracition of Bennett.

JoeHova · Post #6 » by **JoeHova** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:22 am

Bennett can't pass up Indiana, I wouldn't think. It's probably the 4th best job in the country (despite the pants) behind UCLA, Duke, and UNC.

And I think Bennett will still get great recruits because he will open up his style more than his father would have. Plenty of defensive-minded coaches still get good recruits.

Indiana being good again wwill help the Badgers anyway because the more good teams in a conference, the better the rep of a conference will be. It's a shame that people have regarded the Big 10 as a joke the past couple years. With Bennett at IU and Ryan, Izzo, Matta, Painter, Tubby, Lickliter, and Beilein still around, I think the Big 10 can become one of the premier leagues in the country again. The other guys will have to step uo their recruiting and styles of play if they want to contend with a great young coach at IU.

Post #7 » by **Wade-A-Holic** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:40 am

DrugBust wrote:I actually think this would benefit the Badgers and other Big 10 schools. No chance he's able to recruit studs like Eric Gordon if it means they'll play a style the likes of which Bennett coaches. No chance in hell. Not even at IU.

He doesn't need Eric Gordon to be successful. I'm saying that just by virtue of being at Indiana, he'll automatically get better talent than Bo Ryan at Wisconsin can attract. With his style, he'll be equipped to be a perennial Big Ten champion.

bigkurty · Post #8 » by **bigkurty** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:19 am

Wade-A-Holic wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
He doesn't need Eric Gordon to be successful. I'm saying that just by virtue of being at Indiana, he'll automatically get better talent than Bo Ryan at Wisconsin can attract. With his style, he'll be equipped to be a perennial Big Ten champion.

IDK, I still think Bo would have something to say about that. In Bo's six years at Wisconsin he has finished t-1st, 1st, t-2nd (and won the big ten tournament), 3rd, t-4th, 2nd, and 1st (won the big ten tournament). However Bo has never advanced past the elite 8 in the tournament at Wisconsin for some reason but there is no question he is one of the elite coaches in the country. Bo also has a 77% winning percentage at Wisconsin. Tony has finished 2nd (did win 3 coach of the year awards though) and 3rd in the PAC ten by comparison and got to the sweet 16 at best by this point. Tony has a 75% winning percentage at Washington state. Either way it would make for some interesting competition since they both stress defense a lot. I can only imagine the final scores of their games. I am imagining a lot of 100 total point games between the two of their teams.

St.Nick · Post #9 » by **St.Nick** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:31 am

Not only is Tony Bennett a good coach, but his voice is sweeter than honey wine.

Diggr14 · Post #10 » by **Diggr14** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:20 pm

If Devin Harris had stayed in school....... we would have beaten UNC his senior year and destroyed Illinois in the regular and post season.

That would have been Bo Ryan's best team, instead Harris bolted. Anyone else but me think he somewhat regrets it despite the millions he is making. I see him back in Madison a lot... and I've always wanted to ask him that.

Post #11 » by **Wade-A-Holic** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:58 pm

bigkurty wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

IDK, I still think Bo would have something to say about that. In Bo's six years at Wisconsin he has finished t-1st, 1st, t-2nd (and won the big ten tournament), 3rd, t-4th, 2nd, and 1st (won the big ten tournament). However Bo has never advanced past the elite 8 in the tournament at Wisconsin for some reason but there is no question he is one of the elite coaches in the country. Bo also has a 77% winning percentage at Wisconsin. Tony has finished 2nd (did win 3 coach of the year awards though) and 3rd in the PAC ten by comparison and got to the sweet 16 at best by this point. Tony has a 75% winning percentage at Washington state. Either way it would make for some interesting competition since they both stress defense a lot. I can only imagine the final scores of their games. I am imagining a lot of 100 total point games between the two of their teams.

In any event, it would ensure that recruiting within the Big Ten is going to be absolutely cut throat for the foreseeable future. This conference is absolutely loaded with good coaches who are also good recruiters.

Actually, the more I think about it, the similarity in Bennett's system as well as Ryan's system is that they both like to recruit the kinds of players who are very good but who stay in school for four years. I can't imagine that Bennett would turn down the likes of an Eric Gordon, but I also can't see him heavily pursuing that type.

Post #12 » by **Wade-A-Holic** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:25 am

Well, Bennett turned it down. There have got to be a lot of Indiana fans that are upset that they drove Mike Davis, a solid coach and a good guy, out of town at this point.

Thunder Muscle · Post #13 » by **Thunder Muscle** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:49 am

Sounds like Bennett may be more interested in the LSU job as his wife is originally from Baton Rouge.

Indiana now looking at former Stanford and Golden State Warrior coach Mike Montgomery.

Epicurus · Post #14 » by **Epicurus** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:34 am

Wade-A-Holic wrote:Well, Bennett turned it down. There have got to be a lot of Indiana fans that are upset that they drove Mike Davis, a solid coach and a good guy, out of town at this point.

I had no problem with Davis, but I doubt ,adding me, that your statement would get more than 25 folks in agreement within 100 mile radius of Bloomington. Mike's departure is nearly universally unmourned here.

NotYoAvgNBAFan · Post #15 » by **NotYoAvgNBAFan** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:29 am

Yes, but Tony Bennett does not want them...reportedly.

Good for you Tony, good for you.

You will take over here at Wisconsin for Bo Ryan here when he is done...if not Rob Jeter. :clap:

Perhaps then you can get a McDonald's All American and beat teams the likes of 'Davidson.'

Even Marquette could have whupped Davidson... :roll:

trwi7 · Post #16 » by **trwi7** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:31 am

NotYoAvgNBAFan wrote:Even Marquette could have whupped Davidson...

Do you try to be this stupid or does it just come naturally?

Post #17 » by **Wade-A-Holic** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:45 am

NotYoAvgNBAFan wrote:Even Marquette could have whupped Davidson...

What would have done it for Marquette? The pathetic half court execution? The lack of an inside man to exploit Davidson inside? It doesn't take a basketball mastermind to understand that what Davidson accomplished in this tournament was no fluke. They earned everything they accomplished and were an extremely tough matchup for anybody.