Pearl votes for Barnes as SEC COY

[livefaith]

I think if someone asked him what the best years of his life were he'd say when he was in Knoxville.

I don't know. Maybe professionally.

He did go through a divorce here. After 20+yrs of marriage, those don't fall apart over night. While he was winning more and more here, my timeline would say things were worsening and miserable with the wife.

Those who I know who have gone through it, often say it's like death. Just piecing things together.

 

[cncchris33]

In reality... Bruce really got snubbed. What he accomplished this year is really incredible. Rick had an outstanding and deserving year but wasn't anything with what all Bruce had to coach through..
- Asst. coach arrested and fired for trying to get kids to leave the program and go Pro.
- Two BEST players ineligible for entire season.
- Two other asst/analyst suspended by the school
- Lose SEC shot blocker for the season with 5 games left.
- Lose leading scorer Bryce Brown for two games with a shoulder and ankle injury in the last 5 games.
- Jared Harper had to play on a sprained ankle last 4 games.
- Roster played end of season with 7 scholarship players
Bruce Pearl did one helluva an awesome coaching job to hang a banner at Auburn. Rick Barnes led us to an incredible year but had no distractions like Bruce did.

A lot of that is self-inflicted. He hired Person. Accountability starts with the coach. He recruited Wiley and Purifoy. Again, accountability starts with the coach. Injuries happen. Brown injury was minor. Harper and McLemore injuries coincided with a 2-3 finish. I wouldn't call that overcoming injury. More like succumbed to injury.

Barnes was fortunate on the injury side this year, but he also did a better job of getting his assistants and recruiting players with no baggage. To use your logic, Barnes should get credit for overcoming a respective lack of talent. Doesn't that sound silly?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I don't know. Maybe professionally.

He did go through a divorce here. After 20+yrs of marriage, those don't fall apart over night. While he was winning more and more here, my timeline would say things were worsening and miserable with the wife.

Those who I know who have gone through it, often say it's like death. Just piecing things together.

He appears to be handling it pretty well despite all of his suffering.

 

[supersmo18]

Let’s not forget differences in RPI and SOS. UT was way ahead of AU.

 

[cncchris33]

Let’s not forget differences in RPI and SOS. UT was way ahead of AU.

Auburn actually has the higher overall RPI, just barely. They are 8, we are 9, but Tennessee has the better overall SOS, and the non-conference SOS is grossly in Tennessee's favor.

 

[VolGee4]

Come on man, Pearl was no implicated in any of that. Not one bit of it. Auburn was picked to finish 9th or 10th with Purifoy and Wiley. Without those two they would've been picked dead last. Give the man his props.... heck he beat us by 10 in Knoxville.

I really like Bruce, but you can't use the FBI investigation as a reason for him getting COY. That doesn't make sense.

Additionally, Herron was a 5 star, and Harper, Okeke, and Spencer were all 4 stars. While I understand that recruiting is part of coaching, Bruce recruited more talented players, and the expectations should be higher. UT has one 4 star on its roster.

 

[keckjm]

Bruce is a very loveable guy, but is he a trustable guy without a leash? I don’t know the answer. All I know is, I’ve seen Bruce on multiple occasions partying outside TBA with people half his age before football games. The man is likeable, I love the guy, but he stretches boundaries, specifically ethical boundaries depending on your views.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl reveals he voted for Tennessee's Rick Barnes for SEC Coach of the Year

I don't think many will vote for themselves.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I don't think many will vote for themselves.

This. I'm going to bet Barnes probably voted for Pearl.

 

[ckilla27]

I don't think many will vote for themselves.

You can't vote for yourself and coaches can't vote for there own players

 

[The Crimson Cried]

He did upgrade his wife while here. He had one daughter singing the National Anthem and he was allowed to put his son on the court ahead of far better players. In Auburn he might get to emcee some cow bingo festivals.

Oh lawt ! Now that's funny.

 

[CAVPUT]

Good for Bruce. Too bad he's a few weeks from being unemployed and unemployable.

 

[FleeceItOut]

Good for Bruce. Too bad he's a few weeks from being unemployed and unemployable.

I doubt it

 

[Manning Up]

Good for Bruce. Too bad he's a few weeks from being unemployed and unemployable.

Wrong.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Good for Bruce. Too bad he's a few weeks from being unemployed and unemployable.

I'm starting to doubt it but the guy on Finebaum a few weeks and Finebaum himself seemed pretty adament he was gone. But then again, the media changes its tune all the time.

 

[TnRiverRat]

He appears to be handling it pretty well despite all of his suffering.

I wanna see the girl bent over in the red string bikini :crazy:

 

[IBACKBUTCH]

I vote PEARL as Lady Vols new head coach. Pearl would give Geno and his UCONN girls a fit.:rock:

 

[vols 30]

Good for Bruce. Too bad he's a few weeks from being unemployed and unemployable.

LoL

 

[RedstoneVol]

Good for Bruce. Too bad he's a few weeks from being unemployed and unemployable.

I don’t think Auburn will fire him, even if they go on probation over it. There is no was they will ever get a coach of his caliber again. He fell into their laps at the right time. The would have to be forced by the FBI or NCAA to get rid of him.

 

[Volle]

Bruce is a great motivator, but he flunked Ethics 101... this little FBI thingy won’t end well for him... Barnes is a better coach, and I would rather have him any day of the week...

 

[TNnative]

I think if someone asked him what the best years of his life were he'd say when he was in Knoxville.

For most fans nowadays, the best years were when Pearl was here. But Barnes seems to be on the cusp of changing that.

 

[Dougie_D]

I would imagine Barnes voted for Pearl as well, since coaches cannot vote for themselves. Both deserved the honors, to bad both cannot win.

Nah, Barnes probably voted for Fox from Georgia. After that game he kept praising how good of a coach he was.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I can't tell if he's delusional and thinks that he could actually coach here again some day or if he just truly appreciates UT.

It's psychological warfare. He's trying to kill with kindness.

 

[jamescoburn]

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl reveals he voted for Tennessee's Rick Barnes for SEC Coach of the Year

I love and miss Bruce...he made basketball fun and unlike all other Tennessee coaches, in all other sports remained loyal and supportive of the school and the community.

 

[cncchris33]

I love and miss Bruce...he made basketball fun and unlike all other Tennessee coaches, in all other sports remained loyal and supportive of the school and the community.

You should check out Rick Barnes and the 17-18 Vols. They're pretty good.