1/7/10 Jeff White Mailbag

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Q. When I was a student at Washington State, we didn’t have smoke or fire or lasers or videos or anything cool before men’s basketball games at Friel Court. UVa has all of that and more. How does your new coach, Tony Bennett, like the pregame routine at John Paul Jones Arena?

Thanks,
R. Wideman, Washougal, Wash.

A. Coach Bennett responds: “Mr. (or Ms.) Wideman, I was a little skeptical when Todd Goodale first told me what he had in mind, but call me a convert! It’s fair to say, in fact, that if not for the inspiration our players drew from the fire-belching machines during introductions, they wouldn’t have been able to summon the reserves of energy needed to complete the stirring comeback against UAB last week.

“And you know what the best part is? You ain’t seen nothing yet. Todd and I are already talking about next season, and just wait till you see what we have planned. Think trapeze artists, 3D glasses, Dave Matthews Band, stripper poles and sky divers!”

“Until then, thanks for your interest in UVa basketball. Go Hoos!”

Got a question for a coach, a student-athlete or an athletics administrator at UVa? Send it to Jeff White at jwhite@virginia.edu, and he’ll do his best to get it answered.