I cannot stand this crap. We have an excellent coach. He has led us to how many...4 20 win seasons? 4 straight tournaments, been at the top of the SEC every year basically, and we want him gone? Ya'll are ridiculous. The man knows how to coach. Even Coach K and Calipari and Pitino and Bobby Knight, and anyone else have their years where they don't budge the first round. It happens. Bruce Pearl put us up in a tough schedule, and we had our bumps and bruises and our losses and our wins, and we got screwed over by the selection committee, but we lost to a good clutch OK State team. They played well, and we were one foul away from fouling out their best player. But someone has got to lose, but I don't think that it was BP's fault. I will stand behind this man, because I still remember when Tennessee basketball was completely irrevelant. Ya'll need to suck it up, we've got a great coach, and some great players, and we need to be appreciative to even be in the tournament as a at large bid, seeing as only 3 teams from the SEC even made it, and one only because it won the tournament. Had Tennessee or LSU won the tourney, I'm convinced probably only those two would have made it. Get over your whining, get behind our coach, and support him. We would be hard pressed to find another guy who can raise the excitement, enthusiasm, and national reputation of UT basketball like he did.
In four years, Bruce Pearl has produced 4 20-win seasons, 4 NCAA Tournament Appearances, 2 Sweet-Sixteens, 46 SEC Games (which is more than anyone over the past 4 years), Achieved the school's first EVER #1 ranking, made the Vols attendance rank Top 5, and will probably produce several NBA Draft picks. Not to mention, has brought some of the top teams onto the schedule and not been afraid to play them. He has made Tennessee one of the toughest, most competitive, fun to watch teams in the country. He has a knowledge of the game, and a unique style of play that has produced wins.
Congrats Bruce Pearl and guys on another 20 win season, and I hope Tyler and Wayne stay around another year and we just add on to the experience we got this year. As to you Vol Fans....or "fans." Stick by your coach. We have a great team, and a great coach.