If there would be anybody to understand why Tony Bennett decided to walk away from UVA Basketball, it would be a guy like Tony Elliott.
It’s hard to feel sorry for people who get paid millions a year, but the reality is, it’s not an easy job.
You only think about them when the season starts, when their lives are 24/7 their sports for six months, and you don’t even necessarily think that, because your focus is on the gamedays.
It’s 24/7 in-season, and the other six months, they’re in airports, on planes, in cars and hotels, recruiting.
Even in-season, they’re touching base with recruits on their rare off-days and bye weeks.
I’ve had a touch of what their lives are like from years of reporting on college sports.
Me, personally, I wouldn’t want their jobs for any amount of money.
“Yeah, man, Big T, man, happy for him,” Elliott told reporters at his weekly presser on Tuesday. “Hate to see obviously him step away from the game because I think it goes without saying the type of coach he is. He’s an unbelievable basketball coach and even better human being. He’s been very, very supportive, inspirational, and available for me. I appreciate that. He’s going to go down as one of the best to ever do it. He’s a legendary-type guy.”
ICYMI: Tony Bennett retirement
- UVA Basketball: Tony Bennett, with humility, decides, it’s finally time
- UVA Basketball: The next challenge for Tony Bennett is fixing college athletics
- UVA Basketball: Tony Bennett passes the torch to right-hand man Ron Sanchez
- UVA Basketball: Ron Sanchez addresses media for first time as interim head coach
I was impressed that Elliott made it a point to be there in person at the John Paul Jones Arena for Bennett’s retirement press conference last week.
The Bennett presser was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. ET on Friday. The kickoff for Virginia-Clemson down in Death Valley was just after 12 noon ET on Saturday.
“Regardless of what we had going on, I was going to make sure that I had a chance to support him,” Elliott said. “He does it the right way, and got a tremendous amount of respect for kind of him taking a stand. Like, you’re not going to find many people, right, especially in the business of college athletics, that are going to step up and take a stand for what they believe.
“You may not agree with it, but the fact that he’ll stand for what he believes, and the humility and the transparency and honesty to say, hey, it’s time for me to step away because I don’t feel like I can give everything that I have, man, that’s powerful. I’ll never forget that. I’ll always respect that,” Elliott said.
If you’re thinking with me on this, you have Tony Bennett as a future AD at Virginia, so, who knows, maybe Tony Elliott was just paying respects to the guy who is going to be his boss in a year or two.
I’m continuing to plant that seed, you see.
“He said he might come out to the football practice now. Never been to a football practice. I welcome that, because I believe he’s going to stay here locally. He’s is entrenched in the community and in the institution,” Elliott said at his Tuesday presser.
“He’s one of the best human beings I’ve ever had a chance to interact with,” Elliott said. “He’s inspired me. I want to do what little I could to show my respect on a tough day, but also a special day for him. He’s going to go spend time with his parents that are 81. He’s going to go focus on the relationships with his wife and children. That’s to be respected and commended. You can easily get caught up in and lose sight of what’s most important. I’m proud and happy for him he’s going to be able to do that.”
Share
Chris Graham
