It’s no secret that the NIT is in need of a hero.
It has its faithful soldiers, bloggers with approximately 154 Twitter followers and a whole lot of heart.
It has its coalition, investors funding shadowy resistance groups in this time of NCAA occupation.
It even has its priest, the mystical man who wants nothing more than to call every NIT game with his friend Dave Pasch, begging ESPN on-air at times for the opportunity.
But it does not yet have its hero.
Unless it does.
Tony Bennett, as you may remember, was much maligned over the earlier part of his career for making a basketball team good through the use of defense, work ethic, and stunning good looks. He was torn apart by fans and journalists alike, NCAA stooges trying to make college basketball “pretty” in a time of ongoing conflict. Last spring, he conquered them. And now, he might be turning to a broader mission. One of less personal consequence, but more historic importance.
Tony Bennett could very well be trying to convert a nation to the NIT.
Look at the facts:
- UVA started the year off well, holding seven straight teams under 60 points, six of them under 50, three under 40, and one—on a beautiful Wednesday in November—under 30. Consider this the “establishing credibility” portion of the campaign.
- Braxton Key went down with a mysterious “injury.” Meanwhile, Bennett, with a wink and a nod, said he didn’t know when the forward would return. Consider this the “red herring” effort.
- Virginia started losing games. Purdue. South Carolina. They appeared wounded, physically and talent-wise. Nobody expects a wounded coalition to change history. Consider this the “feign weakness” moment.
- With doubt rising, Bennett gathered the troops to stomp Virginia Tech in Charlottesville. Consider this “operation big brother.”
- Finally, with no doubt and only a mild quizzical look directed their way by the occupying force, Coach Bennett turned on the jets, propelling his team past the enemy defenses by recently losing three times in decreasing order of embarrassing-ness. Consider this the “full-court press.”
We’ll see where it goes from here, but Virginia’s in contention for an NITitle. They’re in contention to enter the most important part of March a number one seed, with all eyes on them as they roll through the most prestigious of competitions, teaching those viewers that not only is the Pack Line Defense a beautiful brand of basketball, even if not “pretty,” but that the NIT is the best place to play it, because the NIT is the best place to play anything worth playing.
It’s too early to tell, but that striking figure on the sideline in Charlottesville may be making his most important move. Not of his career, necessarily, unless history is written by those who know the truth, but certainly of our personal lives. We don’t know yet. But we can hope.
