For pregame speech inspiration, where did UVA’s Tony Bennett turn? Friday Night Lights
Sometimes Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett connects with his movie references. Other times, they just go right over the heads of his Cavaliers players.
Before their game on Friday, a game on the national level fraught with memories of the historic upset, he went to a tried-and-true if slightly cliché source.
Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose.
“I love quoting movie lines,” Bennett said.
The rallying cry from the television show “Friday Night Lights” was one he chose to drop just before his team took the court to take on Gardner-Webb. The Cavs’ 71-56 win pushed them to the second round matchup with Oklahoma on Sunday.
The line was a slight change from a speech in the film “Friday Night Lights” and was oft-repeated in the five-season show. It took on a bit of a life of its own, going on all manner of shirts and being quoted by a Presidential hopeful.
And of course quoted by all manner of coaches.
Bennett didn’t have much message behind it, wanting the phrase to speak for itself.
“It was just if you clearly understand who you are as a team, your identity, what you hang your hat on either as an individual player and a team, and then you have a full heart in your pursuit of it, you can’t lose,” Bennett said. “Maybe someone will beat you, but you can’t lose.”
A few of the players said they’d heard the quote, but might not be fans of the show itself. One, Jay Huff, said the coach made sure to explain the reference the first time he used it.
“I don’t know if the guys got it or not,” Bennett said, later adding “Most of them knew that quote. … Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”
He joked it sometimes dates him, especially when reaching back for a Ralph Macchio reference and getting some confused faces.
“I can remember quoting a line from the ‘Karate Kid,’” Bennett said. “I’m looking at our guys, and they’re looking at me sort of blank. I’m thinking of the original.
“They’re thinking of the one after that. Sometimes my age shows up.”