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Posts: 430
Apr 12 10 12:02 PM
I think the biggest question is why would you leave a rising program that you built for a mediocre major program who is in rebuilding mode. The last major WCC coach to make that move was Dan Monson. He took GU to the Elite 8 and Sweet 16 and then proceeded to take his show to Minnesota. And as we know, that worked out really well for him???? Im sure he loves LB State as opposed to Gonzaga. Bennett, as we listened to in his interviews, is very in tune with the WCC conference. Listening to him you can tell that he is comfortable in the WCC (here he grew up as coach) and understands not only the landscape, but also how to win here. Moreover, why leave with a team coming back that has the potential to make the tournament for the next 2-3 seasons minimum. You've got the best backcourt in the league returning (Delly and Mick), a former All WCC Player coming in (Rob Jones), the best senior in Oregon coming to town (Holt), and a trio of experienced underclass (Young, Page, and Beau). Add to that two raw but talented big men (Walker and Williams) and you've got a team that could compete in any league on the west coast, especially the Pac Ten. Also, as he has mentioned he loves the Bay Area. This is his program, one that HE built from the ground up. He could have taken the Oregon State job, as previously mentioned and he didn't. Moreover, we have to consider that this is different age for SMC athletics. We are in the post football age, where the concentration is clearly on Men's basketball. That means Bro. Ron and Mark Orr will do whatever it takes to retain Bennett. It's not a coincidence that enrollment and applications are up. There are just so many reasons the administration must retain Bennett, will make all efforts to do so, and most importantly there are too many reasons for Bennett to stay.
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