Move understood

In your interview with Tony Bennett, he never did really say why he left, but that’s OK.

I think I understand. He is young, he has his whole coaching career before him. He is stuck in a little rural town with maybe 20,000 loyal supporters in the area and not that much money among them. Nothing like the huge population base he has back East. WSU will never draw the big bucks it takes to support a really big program.

Nothing wrong with the program or the school, it just doesn’t have the horsepower. It will never have a 15,000-seat arena. His job would be uphill every year if he stayed. Sure, he could occasionally field a great team, but not on a continuing basis. He would struggle every year to recruit top players from a limited base. While he will be under more pressure to win at Virginia, the resources he needs to win will relieve much of that pressure.

I’m convinced he is telling the truth when he says he would love to stay here, but there just aren’t the resources to really put together a first-class program in southeast Washington.

Mark Few, on the other hand, is in a different situation. He has been able to put together a great program. He has a good, if not great, financial base. He has a larger drawing area. He is making a good salary, not what he could get at many other places, but very adequate and without the tremendous pressure that is inherent with those super programs. And most of all, he loves the town, the town loves him and he isn’t under the constant strain Bennett will be under. He can relax and enjoy his friends, family and golf.

When Bennett brings Virginia to the NCAA championship, I, for one, will be proud to say, “He got his start right here at Wazzu.”

Jack Meredith

Post Falls