This may be old news to some, or I may sound like a "tin-foil" hat guy - but I have become convinced of something and would like input from those who know more than I do. I am not huge sport talk radio guy, but I do listen from time to time. With this rehiring Bruce Pearl thing, I have become convinced that the university is sending out talking points and many of the local sport talk radio guys just regurgitate their talking points. Many of the Sport Talk Radio Guys (STRG) are tied in to UT by working on the various broadcast, thus having a direct link to UT. The rest, I am sure, fear of their access being cut off IF they step out of line.
What has made this scenario so obvious is the same talking points coming out of so many different mouths on the radio. It's like a tape recording - over and over again everytime someone mentions the possibility of Pearl being rehired. For example, I have heard the following phrases a hundred times:
1. "Unprecedented" - as in "it's unprecedented that a University would hire a coach it let go. I am so sick of hearing that! SO WHAT!!! I'll tell you what's REALLY unprecedented: UT going to an elite Eight and to the NCAA 6years in a row - THAT is unprecedented.
2. "Many of the administrators that were there when Bruce Pearl was let go are still there" -
3. Bruce did more than just lie about a bbq (they then rehash - Brian Williams bad back/drug test and Ticketgate)- I am putting my tin foil hat on again - BUT I believe these were bogus or at least inflated situations that the university used to their advantage to justify their firing of Pearl in the first place when, after they had voiced their support. Reason they used these in that way, is because AFTER they voiced support - they got scared of the show-cause from the NCAA and were looking for an out that would make them look like "oh well, we tried". I could be wrong about that - but I felt that way from the time they first came out.
4. "It's not going to happen, I don't care how many petitions, how many fans lobby - it isn't going to happen" -
I have heard these 4 things said over and over again in the small amount of time I listen to Sport Talk radio. It sounds for the life of me like UT talking points handed down to radio personalities to stymie the fan base's desire for Pearl and justify UT's passing on rehiring him. National sports personalities are calling it a "no-brainer" for UT to rehire Pearl, while local talk radio is pooh-poohing the idea continually.
Well...I am a member of the tin-foil hat brigade???