Bennett's quotes read as well as any coaches I've ever read. They aren't very impressive in person as he tends to stammer and wander from the topic (not judging, that's how I tend to be in my press conferences), but they look great on paper. When I read this quote I got chills...
"We get a chance to finish a job we've put our heart and souls into. I could never live with myself with first and goal twice at Rice and not winning that game, but I will hunt another day," Bennett said. "I think we have an awesome commitment right now to the football program. That means a lot to me. I think it's a commitment that mediocrity is not accepted… and the fact that he [Orsini] believes I'm the guy that can take this to the next level… I told him, I want to be a part of his team."
I know why we lost and I make no bones that I blame Bennett and his staff for not converting on those goal-to-go situations. But damn if I'm not proud to hear his enthusiasm for the program.
I thought Bennett should have been let go, and I'm not going to backtrack now that he has been retained. He's had five years and we seem to be spinning our wheels. However, I've never disliked Bennett and it is quotes like that, that make me proud he's our coach. Maybe it points to his salesmanship/charisma that a quote can bring me immense anger because of the man's futility yet at the same time make me proud of the man...can't explain it.
Bottom line, I wouldn't mind if 20 years from now we are playing on the Phil Bennett Field at Ford Stadium. He'll have to make it to a bowl in 2007 for that to even be a possibility, so I'll be rooting for him as usual.
