Coach Pearl in this week's SI

#76
#76
TennNC said:
And I would say that putting Michigan State women's program on the same level as Tennessee's (despite a final 4 victory 2 years ago) is an insult to the Lady Vols and puts Michigan State in a position to look awful by comparison.

If I'm assessing the combination of men's and women's programs over the past 5 years, no doubt Tennessee's not in the conversation. But right now (meaning last season and what I anticipate in 07-08), I think Bruce's claim is pretty accurate.
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Haven't Michigan St mens and womens teams both won championships in the past 8 or so years?

Just wikipediad it... Michigan St lost to Baylor in the women's tourney, but the men's team has been to the Final 4 4 times since 1999.
 
#77
#77
BruceAlmighty19 said:
I surprised, because many Illini fans would consider Bruce a snitch. You must not though.
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I'm not a huge fan of what Bruce did in that situation. However, Illinois started that whole mess in motion by accusing Pearl of wrongdoing. While I think it was reprehensible to tape a conversation with a 17 year old kid and give it to the 'AA, it was done in great part to blunt accusations Jimmy Collins had made regarding Bruce's conduct. If you remove that component, Bruce would, in fact, be a snitch and I would have no use for him.
 
#78
#78
hatvol96 said:
That comparison isn't nearly as bad as comparing the program of Jud Heatcote and Magic Johnson to the program of Wade Houston and LaMarcus Golden. I like Bruce. However, Cal gets killed on here for calling Memphis an elite program. News Flash: The Tiger resume dwarfs UT's. Bruce is getting ahead of himself in a big way.
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that's just his style. But I don't think he's that far off either...
 
#79
#79
If Memphis doesn't get the NC this year I think UT will get a NC in basketball before Memphis does (Assuming we both keep our coaches)
 
#80
#80
dickens821 said:
If Memphis doesn't get the NC this year I think UT will get a NC in basketball before Memphis does (Assuming we both keep our coaches)
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Have you seen the visitors' list for practice later today in Memphis? Cal will have more talent on his roster in two years than he does now. Also, wait til he brings the next Yao Ming to the Bluff City through this partnership he's setting up with the Chinese Basketball Federation. Their level of play isn't going to dip anytime in the near future.
 
#81
#81
hatvol96 said:
Have you seen the visitors' list for practice later today in Memphis? Cal will have more talent on his roster in two years than he does now. Also, wait til he brings the next Yao Ming to the Bluff City through this partnership he's setting up with the Chinese Basketball Federation. Their level of play isn't going to dip anytime in the near future.
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Haha. Yes, I've read it. I know their talent level isn't going to dip. I just have a feeling if he can't get it done with THIS amount of talent (it's obscene, really) I have a feeling BP will get it done first. I do think Memphis will get one in the near future though. The state of Tennessee has some incredibly good coaches. I'd like to see Memphis/Tennessee turn into a UNC/Duke type of rivalry.
 
#82
#82
dickens821 said:
If Memphis doesn't get the NC this year I think UT will get a NC in basketball before Memphis does (Assuming we both keep our coaches)
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I'd actually reverse that. If Tennessee doesn't get the NC this year I think Memphis will get one before Tennessee. And thats due to one player, Chris Lofton.
 
#83
#83
dickens821 said:
Haha. Yes, I've read it. I know their talent level isn't going to dip. I just have a feeling if he can't get it done with THIS amount of talent (it's obscene, really) I have a feeling BP will get it done first. I do think Memphis will get one in the near future though. The state of Tennessee has some incredibly good coaches. I'd like to see Memphis/Tennessee turn into a UNC/Duke type of rivalry.
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I would like to see them turn into a good rivalry to, but I dont see any team anywhere ever vying out the DUKE UNC rivalry as the games of the year...
 
#84
#84
There's no way that a Tennessee/Memphis rivalry can be close to reaching the position of a Duke/UNC Boston/NYY game. It would take numerous years of final 4s and consistency by both programs for it to reach that level. It would take a long time.
 
#85
#85
I doubt dickens meant it would be on that level (UNC/Duke). I do think it can be a good one though. There seems to be a lot of tension there and with future recruiting battles it could be a hostile rivalry, the likes of which UTMBB hasn't had.
 
#86
#86
VolfanMike said:
he tells us hes not perfect because he isnt perfect...nobody is...the guy is a great coach, and a fun one to watch...but he is not a God...
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Say, does anyone have that pic of Bruce after he hit the water, then got up and started walking on it?
 
#88
#88
I wish Tennessee could try to establish some sort of a schedule with USC. Floyd vs Pearl would be marketable.
 
#89
#89
TennesseeFan07 said:
I wish Tennessee could try to establish some sort of a schedule with USC. Floyd vs Pearl would be marketable.
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I think there's a home and home in the works for '08-'09 and '09-'10. It's tough to commit to anything longer than that because of the travel involved.
 
#90
#90
1.In terms of the whole men's-women's combo MSU/Duke/UNC comparison, again, if looking at the programs over their entire history, or the past 20 years, or even the past 5 years, of course the claim is ludicrous. I don't know if Pearl was (and certainly I wasn't) comparing the history of the two programs.

If you're looking at what's happened in the 3 years since
Bruce arrived, I think he's right - those are the 4 best combined men's/women's hoops programs in the last couple years or so.

2. In terms of rivlaries, I think we're going to have two good ones with Gillispie at UK and Donovan at UF - all 3 coaches are relatively young and energetic, competent, and very confident. No Wade Houston politeness or Buzz Peterson "aww, shucks." I think the media is going to want to cover those games and the rivalries behind them.

And UT-Memphis, with Cal vs. Pearl, could be a great one too. Not UNC-Duke, but you have to remember, that rivalry didn't hit the level it's at until Coach K came in the early 80s, even though the two teams were right down the road. Duke fans hated Smith, but now UNC fans could REALLY hate K. A lot of UNC fans would argue that NC State or Virginia were bigger rivalries before K's ascension.

Point being, a couple of entertaining coaches like Cal and Pearl, especially with the media overload we have now, can make it a high profile, albeit not necessarily storied, rivalry pretty quickly.

Finally, I'd love to schedule a series with "Sideline Jumping" Floyd and USC b/c I think they're the epitome of young, talented, up-and-coming programs, and b/c I think the coaches are entertaining too.
 
#92
#92
Correction to my earlier post. I confused Floyd with Ben Howland, who basically played defense from their bench in the tourney last year while jumping up and down and waving his arms. Floyd was the one who tossed his papers on the court near the end of the UNC game - if I remember, he had a right to be pissed - a couple of bad calls, but I think he may have been more frustrated with his team blowing a big lead.

USC still would be a great matchup if they can make it happen.
 
#95
#95
dickens821 said:
I meant as bitter of an instate rivalry...

Assuming we keep the series going, that is.
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i think we should all just look forward to it being a Memphis/Tennessee rivalry and not try to compare it to other rivalries because thats why the other rivalries are so good/great because they are unique
 
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