CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Former University of Virginia men's basketball coach Tony Bennett answered questions Friday following his sudden retirement announcement.
Below is a transcript of the question and answer session with reporters following the announcement. An AI software program transcripted the press conference and the CBS 6 Newsroom is in the process of editing for clarity.
We'll take questions for Coach Bennett. Please raise your hand and announce your name and affiliation and the questions reminder are just for Coach Bennett at this time.
Q: Tony, when you were introduced in this room 15 and a half years ago, you said you wanted to build a program that lasts and had sustained success. Knowing that you did that, does that make this decision any easier for you?
Tony Bennett
It does. There's a peace in it.
I think I quoted it when we hung the national championship banner. It's a proverb that says a desire accomplished is sweet to the soul.
And how we did it, and who we did it with, and that's the beauty of it, and what we went through and how we handled adversity.
My father always taught me: recruit young men, hire a staff that you can lose with first before you win, because you're going to have to go through true adversity that happens, and the fact that even how it all played out, yes, so there's no question.
I don't think I had any gray hair at that time. I know there's a lot of things I remember, but it was a day of celebration at the press conference, but it was about what was to come in the relationship, and how many years.
Q: You mentioned your father. He stepped away from Wisconsin a few games into the season, that was a little different circumstance. What was his advice to you during this time and his counsel?
Tony Bennett
We talked. This is more Laurel and I, but I told him what I was thinking, and he said, you have to do what's in your heart.
He said, I love watching you coach.
I said, Really, you never watch us. How does that work? You're never there.
I wouldn't be in this spot without him.
He and my mom, like I said, they've been a rock for me, and I'm blessed to have parents like them.
But he always says, honor the pillars the way you coach and if you can't coach with your whole heart, and you can't honor what it's about and do the best job for your staff and these young men, he said, you have to look at that.
He said, you have special people around you and don't ever take that for granted. And I know that.
Q: When we talked to you a week ago at ACC Tip Off, it seemed like the enthusiasm was there. Can you take us through the last week? Was that when you talked to the players or had they known before?
Tony Bennett
No, again, I was feeling some things, but I was hopeful.
And then Fall Break, you know, you don't get a chance in this profession to really reflect and step back.
I hope that the NCAA will change the calendar when the season's done.
And Fall Break, Laurel and I went away to a beautiful place we found, I think it was the Tides Inn on the Rappahannock, and it's beautiful.
And just sat and talked.
I was honest with myself and started feeling some of those things again.
I even shared it, I think, at ACC media day, my concerns for where the game is.
There's still great things about the game, but there needs to be change in it for it to go forward.
I'm worried about the opportunities that aren't going to be present for a lot of the Olympic sports.
There's so many wonderful things about college athletics, and I know it has to change, but I hope it will change and it will get back to some regulations and guardrails so it can be what it's supposed to be about and adapt to the new model, because it is a billion dollar industry, I understand that, but there's things that need to change.
Q: Have you and Laurel had the opportunity in this brief period to process what might be next? What might be your next chapter?
Tony Bennett
Well, first, as I said, to do those things, I opened the press conference with and [Virginia Athletic Director] Carla [Williams] and I have been talking.
If there's a way that I can assist here, part-time, with long vacation time, but if I can serve this university, and help out in any way, I care so much about this.
It's not like I'm just leaving, so there'll be that.
But I know there's something for both Laurel and I to make an impact and be who we're meant to be in a new chapter and encourage in ways.
I think my former players and these guys, when I'm around, will be like, I like Coach Bennett a lot better not being a coach and that'll be the reality.
But, no, I don't have any specific thing I'm walking into that way.
Q: You're a pretty religious-based person. What role did that play, your faith, in coming to this conclusion?
Tony Bennett
My faith in the Lord is everything.
I've always tried to be respectful about it, but it is the hope that I have, and it's the peace that gives me perspective and guidance.
I don't do anything without going to the Lord in prayer and seeking Him.
Again, when you feel something impressed upon your heart and in your spirit and you're faithful about it, I think that's a significant part.
But, I want to make an impact in that area after this in many ways, and that did definitely play, it is the role.
It's the hope that I have, for sure.
Q: Matt Norlander with CBS Sports, Tony, you're the latest championship winning...
Tony Bennett
Matt, before you ask that question, Matt is one of the biggest Dave Matthews fans I know.
How many, how many concerts have you been to?
Matt Norlander
Thanks for injecting this into your retirement press conference, Tony, appreciate that.
Hall of Fame induction is tomorrow in Cleveland, by the way, for DMB
If you need me to publicly disclose this number, I think I'm at 104.
Tony Bennett
So I want to tell you the story, actually, as I see you, because I knew that, 104 that's amazing, when I first got the job here in the first week, I'll never forget this.
You know, you're working crazy hours, and I'm walking to the back of this hallway, and Dave Matthews had a concert.
I kind of pulled back [the curtain], the security probably didn't know who I was, but I pulled back and looked inside, and this place was packed and I remember thinking, man, someday if we can build this program, it's going to look like this for basketball games, because it didn't look like that at first.
It didn't look like that those first couple of years.
But I remember I got the vision, and I thought of Dave Matthews, and obviously, know what he's meant to this community, but that, that is what reminded me, and I know, and you're a big fan.
Sorry. Proceed.
Matt Norlander
No. It's okay. I actually made contact with the DMB camp yesterday, and your news has made reverberations there as well.
Q: Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim, Mike Krzyzewski, Jay Wright, all these championship-level winning coaches have made decisions that obviously sent shockwaves through the college basketball world.
You are younger than all of them.
I know you said you're a big man of faith and making this decision, do you have 100% assurance on this, or are you going on some level of faith?
Obviously, the timeline is highly unusual and has become sort of accelerated, so I'm wondering, get the feeling where you are spiritually but mentally and kind of making this so close up against the season is big news.
Tony Bennett
As I said, I didn't have a lot of time to process. There are some things that I went through, and I am at peace.
And as I said, when you know in your heart It's time, it's time.
Will I miss the game? Do I love the game? Absolutely, but I don't think I'm equipped in this new way to coach and it's a disservice if you keep doing that.
I'm very sure that this is the right step and I wish I could have gone longer, I really do, but it was time, and I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think we had the right group of young men and the right staff to lead them forward in this way.
And then that was the one thing President Ryan and Carla and Laurel and I talked a lot about, you don't want to have regrets.
You don't want to have regrets.
Think through this, sit on this, and I think I'd have more regrets staying longer and not being able to be all in and not sure and giving everything to these guys, then stepping away with maybe a little more energy in the tank, but giving it in the right place, that would be the bigger regret I'd have.
And again, there's things that I'm so looking forward to. So thank you.
Q: You alluded to this a little bit, but how much of the fact that you're leaving the program, in what you feel is a good spot influence your decision, give you some freedom?
Tony Bennett
No, that came into it, but this was not premeditated.
It was just, I was hoping to get through.
You know, you always evaluate after each year, but because of what was brought in, the young men and they have to gel together and go through stuff, but because of the staff and because of these young men, I'm so hopeful for them, and I shared that message with them that was hard to share to them and the staff, who I care so much for.
I feel it's in a strong spot, and I feel like the support and how it wants to go forward that's aligned with the mission and what this staff believes, and what these players are about, give it the best chance.
But you know, quite honestly, you just don't know, in college basketball what rosters are, what teams have.
One of the reasons I stepped away the staff, was the one that... they pulled me along. They would handle the talks with the agents. They would, they would handle things. And I realized, if I got to do this, I have to be involved in everything. And they, they made it easy for me. And because of how they reacted and their forward-thinking, they all are, and they have, I think, the right way.
I'm a square peg in a round hole. That's what it is. And maybe that's, that's the hard part to admit, but it's okay, because when you tell the truth, there's freedom in that, and that's, that's the reality of it.
But I think it's in a good place, for sure.
I love these coaches, and I love this group.
Q: When you knew Ron [Sanchez] was coming back, is this something that you eventually envisioned for him, and also just what was yesterday, like talking to the staff, talking to the players?
Tony Bennett
No, I always hoped that when my time was done that you know whether it was Ron [Sanchez] or Jason [Williford], the two Associate Head Coaches, that someone would take this over, because it means it's in a good place, and because, if you like what you've seen and how we've done it, they'll have their own twist, this staff will on what they'll do and I think there's such a group that's going to be together for two years.
That's what's special. Most of them, with the exception of Jalen [Warley] and Taine [Murray] will be so important this year, and Taine will be getting his degree at the McIntyre School of Business at the end of this, but I think you always hope that when you're a coach and it's your time.
I didn't think it was going to be this soon, but for sure, there's no question about it.
And so I am grateful for that.
And I didn't mention Isaiah Wilkins and Kyle Guy and Chase Coleman.
Those guys are special.
They're stars in this coaching profession going forward, and they can make a difference as this thing changes, too.
Q: Tony, what are you going to miss the most? Can you just tell us what you love about Ron Sanchez?
What am I going to miss the most? Yeah, I don't even process that.
I know you get to a point sometimes, and when winning is a relief, more than a celebration, and losing sticks with you, and it's a pain, and that stuff has started to take a hold.
But I'll miss... the competition's awesome.
I love watching film.
I wish I had more time to have a smoothie with the guys and do that.
And I will now, and that's the part I'll enjoy doing.
I called Carla. I'm like, Did you see the three Sabrina hit to win the WNBA final? Like, if I could buy stock in the WNBA and the NBA? Sorry, Rick, but I would because that's amazing. But I enjoy just the game. There's fun, there's strategy, the way your mind thinks, but that'll still be there.
And Ron is, you know, he's been with me.
His wife, Tara, played for my sister Kathy at Indiana, and my sister said, if you ever become a head coach, she said, I got a guy for you. He's dating one of my players. He's special.
And so when my father took the Washington State job and Ron came, and that relationship was founded, and then Ron got to go away and get head coaching experience at UNC Charlotte.
He's as faithful and a servant-oriented man that I've seen, and I've seen him grow in his knowledge of the game. But what I like is he and J- Willie and the whole staff, they, they've carried me through this transition, and think it's been like three years. Is that when it started, and the way they think they're younger than me, not that much.
How they relate, how they are, the way their minds are in this landscape, is what's needed. I'm so grateful and I just I wanted to go so well for these guys, and I'll stop there, because I'll probably get choked up.
Q: Did you talk to any other any other head coaches? There was a comment about maybe talking to Jay Wright. Did you talk to other coaches? Have you talked to other coaches since the announcement, and did that guide you at all?
Tony Bennett
I've always you know, just when you see Coach Boeheim would do some of our games, talk to Coach Wright, you know, over the years and different coaches, and I got so many warm texts, I guess they have to be nice when you're going out of retirement, or most do so, but really from so many of the great coaches that have influenced me.
I remember Jay [Wright] saying, you know, he had fought so hard to build his program in his way, and I think he foresaw maybe the changes coming for him. And I think he maybe didn't want to change on those and that's that's valuable information, and we adjusted. I adjusted some, but, but you can't fight against yourself.
But all those coaches, a lot of them, say you won't miss it and then, but you'll miss the players, the people, and always seek the advice of others, but this was between Laurel and I and my family and the Lord.
Q: If you could give one quick message to the fans, what would you like to say?
Tony Bennett
I'm incredibly grateful for embracing me, for standing up when the shot clock violation were about to happen, and I know at times it was probably, you know, we weren't the prettiest to watch, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
They let us do it.
Carla and President [Jim] Ryan let me do it my way. And [former athletic director] Craig [Littlepage] you did, and [executive associate athletics director] Jon Oliver and President [Teresa] Sullivan, President [John] Casteen was here, I think one year, if I'm not mistaken.
But you guys let me do it my way.
Whatever you need. You do it your way, we'll support you.
That's rare, and sometimes you can get micromanaged, and you got to do it this way, that way.
And the fans embraced, most of them, you're always there's going to be critics when you're the man in the arena. we did that with our team, there's always going to be critics that as far but overwhelmingly, they liked what they saw in terms of, you can have it all at Virginia when you're here.
And we tried to build that, so they were an unbelievable fan base, and the faithful ones when we weren't great, and then the ones we picked up and the support that I've gotten, and I'm grateful and I always have it that special place in my heart.
Thank you everyone for coming.
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