Tony Bennett explains his sudden retirement from Virginia basketball | Press Conference

[@skepticalsmurf]

as a UNC alum/fan,you will be missed,many thanks for the competition over the years 😊

[@jasonallred244]

Agree! He was a coach in the ACC that no one disliked. He was very respected.

[@Jweezyization]

Seems like a true and genuine man. Sadly, the sport had made him want to leave.

[@chrisoakley5830]

Modern sports is making the fans want to leave also.

[@margaretoconnor874]

God Bless you! So glad i saw this as a UVA grandparent!

[@mitch1674]

I would sit and listen to Tony and Jay Wright talk any day. Always have a great perspectives.

[@melissaobrien1464]

Two of my favorite NCAA coaches!

[@staceysmith5587]

And my all time fav…Coach K

[@BigMack392]

Coach Jay Wright, another treasure who has departed this sport.

[@rebeccaguttery710]

As a basketball coach’s wife for 20+ years, I am a student and fan of coaches moreso than even the sport or the teams. And Coach Bennet has long been a favorite for his authenticity, faithfulness, and simultaneous pursuit of excellence and integrity. His conclusion that he is no longer properly equipped for the job means the job has tragically fallen and become something lesser. College sports would be wise to heed this warning; long hard strategic plans are needed to protect what remains of what has historically been one of the most effective places for boys and girls to become mature and rooted men and women. I fear we will all be mourning what used to be and no longer is right alongside Coach Bennett.

[@BigMack392]

Very well said. Many fans I am sure feel exactly as you do in this regard.

[@phillipcotton833]

Translation...." This N.I.L. era ain't for me" Respect 🤜!!

[@ajwysopal]

Way to screw your team coach.... Bail a week before you start your season....... Class act.... Then complains about he doesn't like the new things in ncaa sports... Andy that hes old school.... Sorry man but a man with old school values doesn't quit right before the season starts. Can't defend this act.

[@nautygoesdeep]

@@ajwysopal Coming from a UVA fan, who lives and breathes UVA, your opinion about Coach Bennett is irrelevant.

[@JeffCirillo]

​@@ajwysopalYeah, it would have been so much better if he half-assed it to collect 4 million dollars. That would have been the classier thing to do for his players.

[@brucecampbell4528]

You are still the best. Tony you will be missed! You are UVa basketball.

[@johnwhite2576]

Tony Bennett is hands down one of the two best college coaches since John wooden . The two greatest coaching performances ever were wooden first natty and Tony’s first . Nobody won a natty with as little talent or balance as these two teams . Coach k always had talent Larry brown had Danny manning jimmy v had some very talented players at all positions

[@jeffjoyce4509]

Coach thanks for the natty! Class act and great human being

[@franklilley633]

I am so sorry to see him l leave. He is such a good man and coach. God Bless you on your new adventures.

[@georgemarischen8717]

Tony Bennett was an outstanding Coach, a classy individual, and a winner. Not a Virginia fan, but I certainly respected Coach Bennett and college basketball as a game was better with him as a part of it. Good luck Coach!

[@James_Jay-L]

Man this one hurts❤ God bless you and your family coach🙏🏾

[@ScottSturm-b2n]

It’s not that he’s not the right guy. It’s that the right guys don’t wanna continue to do things the wrong way. Sad state of college athletics these days.

[@adub1510]

What a stud to the end, quoting missionary Jim Elliott. Thank you Coach!

[@dcsports7658]

Gonna miss him so much man

[@EvanMiller-q8j]

I saw Tony play in Green Bay both in high school and college. He is a true gentleman and I admired his professional demeanor on the court.

[@cathleanjohnson675]

Handsome from day 1and still so, I am misty eyed watching this, what he did at UVA, what Holland, Jones, Guillen didn't do was finally got UVA that National Championship will be remembered for decades, God Speed Coach Bennett..

[@smokingtarheel3003]

Lots of respect for this guy.

[@chrispaul7849]

Such a sad day bc we all know who really know, this is one of the last class acts (Non cheaters) left in big time college hoops. Met him once when he was recruiting one of our players--just a genuine, nice guy. All my best, Coach B!

[@ajwysopal]

Arizona wildcats fans wish him well. Coach if you ever wanna come be an assistant here at Arizona we welcome you. We already have a great staff but im sure you could fit in perfectly. And you wouldn't have to worry about all the nil stuff. Just show up to practice and teach players.

[@jvmccracken]

WSU Cougars: Thank you both coach Bennett’s for investing in our student athletes and Cougar Basketball!

[@tikoakinney6644]

Great man and coach his unique coaching style worked for them

[@mark11967AD]

With somebody else I might be pissed at the timing as others have said but not with this guy. He must have had some real BS happen to him to break the camel’s back and bow out now. College football and basketball isn’t really that anymore. It’s just a minor league where players are in it to transfer and make money not to have a commitment to a school or a team. Granted coaches should never have started all this BS by school hopping and abandoning their players for more money leaving them in the lurch. It’s greed pure and simple. And for the people who say why shouldn’t players get a lot more of the money my response is there wouldn’t be all this money if more companies competed and broadcast or streamed these games and folks at home were charged a hell of a lot less for their cable and streaming services.

[@hayesdt1]

This is sad. He's been a great coach and representative for college basketball. We wish him well.

[@danielgoss6367]

Always seemed like an upstanding individual you’re definitely gonna be missed. College sports has become nothing but greed. No loyalty whatsoever just greed.

[@darrelhoyt4205]

College basketball has changed so much in the last 5 years I can't even fathom it.

[@darrelhoyt4205]

Being a pack 8:10 12 person from the 70s I can't believe there's no more pacific League here on the West Coast as I write this I'm watching

[@darrelhoyt4205]

Continue I'm watching Rutgers play UCLA on the East Coast. Which makes no sense. All the leagues are now a complete mess

[@darrelhoyt4205]

Virginia has lost an awesome coach I pray that he'll be directed to the place that God wants them to go

[@phillip4buckeyes4life]

I think it's okay to be frustrated with the timing but good to appreciate what was and the fact that he built his staff in a way that there's good leadership in place. The NIL conversation is loaded though and we'll see what happens next.

[@REGGIO-l7g]

🎙️ He left his ❤️‍🩹 🚒❤️‍🔥

[@jasonallred244]

He will be joining sports networks as commentator

[@johnls1camaro]

I get it and he sounds like a great guy. However he had a commitment to these guys specially this new roster. He should have at least finished the season . Sucks for the kids that came to be coached by him. They can’t bail out like he did.

[@biancarose5180]

His timing is perfect so his great coaching staff can stay on. He knew what could have happened. I applaud him!

[@BigMack392]

Watching the Virginia teams play over the years vs. my alma mater, the quality of this coach was always evident. The way he worked with his team, how he treated them and their remarkable positive response to him was always so evident. Virginia loses a great coach and human being. May God's richest blessings follow you and your family, Coach, all the coming days of your life.

[@timothyflanigan1777]

i have been a huge Carolina fan since the very early 80's .i always had a great deal of respect for Coach Bennett. he averaged 25 wins a year at Virginia. he was not getting the recruits that Duke and North Carolina were getting.his teams are hard nosed, relentless on defense and so well coached. never looked forward to playing UVA. unfortunately this is the land scape of college sports. some of the issues i agree with, but some of the issues i totally disagree with.

[@Kream180]

I’m sure older coaches really miss the old ways of college basketball , where you actually get to keep ur guys and watch them develop over the years and not have people leaving every year for money or hit portal bcuz of not enough playing time

[@richardhess2217]

We realized you were not the man to lead the Cavaliers years ago! It will be nice to see offense once again!

[@otherworld11]

RICK CARLISLE - we need you back in C-ville!

[@otherworld11]

When God closes a door, he opens another one somewhere else.

[@DaFadeRunna]

Can no longer exploit kids for his financial gain. Bye

[@lcchill]

Bingo

[@Banjoman-p7t]

So as long as the coaches, networks and schools were making money hand over fist and the players were getting used as free labor everything was fine! Weak to blame NIL. Coaches have been jumping school to school for bigger and bigger paydays for 70 years. The players are just now getting a chance to make a buck and demand fair treatment.

[@jrock5730]

Did you even listen to him? Clearly not.

[@lordjael]

Many older coaches can't handle this new era of NIL deals. They were good when they were the only ones getting paid. It's simply different now regarding managing egos and temperaments.

[@jimmeade2489]

Lost all respect for him years ago when his team won the championship and he pushed his own politics on his players, denying them a once in a lifetime tradition to go to the White House and celebrate. What a selfish a hole.

[@RandolphBlake]

💰 has ruined college sports!..NO kid should be getting paid playing in SCHOOL!

[@matthewcrump7255]

To see him leave his players right before the season is dirty.

[@PilotDaveLI]

NIL + DEI = bye bye

[@susanmoss7938]

If I was a UVA fan, I would be pissed about the timing

[@chrisoakley5830]

Maybe he's pissed about what has happened to the sport he loves. It's no longer about team and competition, but about money only. If they would ever admit it, it's also the reason Coach K and Roy Williams left to.

[@danielgoss6367]

Dean did the same thing in 1997

[@BobC59]

If you were a UVA fan, you would be grateful to have had such an outstanding individual to be proud of all these years and wish him nothing but the blessings in life he deserves - UVA fan since 1969

[@BobC59]

@@chrisoakley5830You’re right, except that Coach K was clearly looking older and even frail at times and undoubtedly did not have the energy to keep going. Bennett is of sound body and mind. He simply cannot work in the current environment. Translation: He has always found young players who exhibit qualities he felt he could mold to fit well on his team and help them grow into that player. He would invest his and the school’s time and energy into developing these players. Now, schools just invest money in players much like professional teams. Players aren’t young men he can help to exploit their talents to the fullest any more. They are commodities to be bargained for, and that is an environment he admits he cannot thrive in. He cannot put his full heart into that and would be unfair to his team and school to stay on and “fake it”, and he knows he could not be successful if his heart was not fully in it. The man is 100% genuine, the real deal, no nonsense and no pretense and deserves respect and admiration for that.

[@joeymiddleton5821]

haha