Pearl's Past Will Never Die

#1

rexvol

The Minister of Defense
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Apr 29, 2006
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#1
Few opportunities


The road back for those viewed as snitches is neither well-worn nor easy to navigate. Bruce Pearl today is the fun-loving, orange-chested personality who has turned Tennessee into a powerhouse. Under Pearl's guidance this season, the Vols handed Memphis its lone regular-season loss, earned the program's first No. 1 ranking and rolled into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. He is considered one of the best in his profession.
O'Neil on Baylor's resurgence

oneil_dana_m.jpg
It's been five years since a crippling scandal almost destroyed Baylor's basketball program. Now, with a new coach and a clean slate, Baylor is starting to reassert itself in the Big 12 ranks. Dana O'Neil


Nine years ago he wore the same scarlet letter that Rouse now carries. As an assistant at Iowa, he turned in Illinois in 1989, tape recording and taking notes of conversations with recruit Deon Thomas, during which Thomas said the Illini offered him money and a car to sign with them. The Illini were found guilty of major infractions by the NCAA.
With that decision went Pearl's reputation. Though considered a top-flight assistant, he spent more than a dozen years on the Division II level before scrapping his way back to the D-I heights.
Rouse is well-versed in Pearl's story. He calls the Tennessee coach "an inspiration" and hopes that Pearl is not the exception to the rule, that someone will take a chance on Rouse just as Southern Indiana did on Pearl by hiring him in 1992.
Pearl, though, had a foundation at the Division I level and a Rolodex stuffed with relevant names and phone numbers to network in a profession in which who you know can be far more important than what you know. With just three months on the job at Baylor, Rouse didn't have enough contacts to call on.
ESPN - Rouse in oblivion five years after Baylor scandal - Men's College Basketball
 
#4
#4
Rouse seems like a good principled man.

I have a great deal of respect for Coach K, but I think he was out of line with what he had to say. Tape recording conversations is one thing. Tape recording evidence that a coach is going to posthumously defame a helpless victim is quite another.

Dave Bliss is lower than pig crap and is a huge reason why I believe the NCAA needs to actively start banning coaches.
 
#8
#8
I may get shot down for this, but depending on his actual coaching abilities, I wouldn't mind seeing a guy like that on the same sideline as Bruce here at Tennessee.
 
#10
#10
DeVoe turns in Georgia, Fulmer turns in Bama, Pearl turns in Illinois, Summitt turns in UConn-maybe we are a bunch of tattle-tales. But I would rather be the one telling than the one cheating.

Everybody cheats. Some are good at not getting caught.

Pearl did his time in Evansville. I don't have a problem with it.
 
#11
#11
I may get shot down for this, but depending on his actual coaching abilities, I wouldn't mind seeing a guy like that on the same sideline as Bruce here at Tennessee.
Hatvol will be arriving to flame you and your opinion shortly... :p
 
#12
#12
I do believe that most universities violate the rules to some degree. However, I never cease to be amazed at the amount of anger directed toward the school/individual that turns a school in as compared to the anger directed to the school that actually got caught. This is a clear example of "shooting the messenger."

If you break the rules and you get caught, take your medicine and shut up. You have only yourself to blame.
 
#14
#14
I do believe that most universities violate the rules to some degree. However, I never cease to be amazed at the amount of anger directed toward the school/individual that turns a school in as compared to the anger directed to the school that actually got caught. This is a clear example of "shooting the messenger."

If you break the rules and you get caught, take your medicine and shut up. You have only yourself to blame.
:good!:
 
#15
#15
I can see why the coaching fraternity would get mad for someone tattling about recruiting violations etc, because that is seemingly done by almost everyone out there. Rouse, on the other hand, stopped a coach from tearing apart the name of a young man who had recently just died. Little bit of a difference.
 
#16
#16
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that the criticism of Pearl in his situation wasn't so much the fact that he complained about a rival coach's recruiting tactics as it was that he secretly (illegally?) tape recorded conversations with the kid in an effort to prove it. The irony may well be that people somehow think that the kid needed to be protected from that, i.e. that he was just a kid and recording him was kind of skulking around and taking advantage of his naiivete. Something along those lines.

I'm not saying that the kid was in any way a victim. Indeed, it would appear he was complicit in violations. But, there's still something ... distasteful? ... about using the kid as a pawn in the effort to prove a rival coach did something wrong.
 
#17
#17
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that the criticism of Pearl in his situation wasn't so much the fact that he complained about a rival coach's recruiting tactics as it was that he secretly (illegally?) tape recorded conversations with the kid in an effort to prove it. The irony may well be that people somehow think that the kid needed to be protected from that, i.e. that he was just a kid and recording him was kind of skulking around and taking advantage of his naiivete. Something along those lines.

I'm not saying that the kid was in any way a victim. Indeed, it would appear he was complicit in violations. But, there's still something ... distasteful? ... about using the kid as a pawn in the effort to prove a rival coach did something wrong.

That is the only criticism I have of the situation. If you are not doing anything illegal you have nothing to worry about. Unfortunately many coaches do not share my opinion.
 
#18
#18
That is the only criticism I have of the situation. If you are not doing anything illegal you have nothing to worry about. Unfortunately many coaches do not share my opinion.


I agree with you. I don't think its morally wrong to turn in a coach (rival or not) who is cheating. It may be politically bad for you within the coaching community itself, but its not wrong.

As I said, though, my impression of the criticism of Pearl was less that he turned in the coach, and more the way he went about trying to prove it.
 
#20
#20
I find it truly disturbing that I find myself so often agreeing with a self-professed florida fan. But once again... I do.


Find something to hate even if you agree with the point. I recommend finding flaws with his typing or the font used. Every time I feel bad about agreeing with his post's I just look at his avatar and feel better.
 
#21
#21
the snitching that pearl did wasn't near as bad as losing a scholarship for not graduating players and the pictures of him groping and throwing himself over coeds while he was married and at the helm of UT basketball. he talks about his players needing to hold up a certain image. how can they when pearl is running around on his wife and i wonder whats in these cups you see in his hand. if pearl keeps these extracurricular activities going he will continue to embarrass this university and ultimately get fired
 
#22
#22
the snitching that pearl did wasn't near as bad as losing a scholarship for not graduating players and the pictures of him groping and throwing himself over coeds while he was married and at the helm of UT basketball. he talks about his players needing to hold up a certain image. how can they when pearl is running around on his wife and i wonder whats in these cups you see in his hand. if pearl keeps these extracurricular activities going he will continue to embarrass this university and ultimately get fired

May I see these pictures of him groping co-eds?
 
#24
#24
Yes, please, and with pictures of my face cut out and pasted on top of Pearl's, if you don't mind.

The problem is they don't exist. We could post your face on pictures of him posing with his daughter's friends on his boat though if you want!
 
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