The Bruce Pearl Thread

[volbeast33]

Did the players handle the firing of the coach on the way to the first round game of Pearl's final year well?

Did the players handle the firing of Fulmer in the lead up to Wyoming well?

Salary gives the fans a right to what exactly, poison trees, place your genitals on some passed out person, blab all kinds of non sense in front of your kids who in turn take it to school, and blab it in ear shot of the coach's kid?

I did not cite one message board example in any of my previous posts.

They quit on the season....it happens in sports.....they didn't die from it and came back playing hard the very next yr wherever they went to play.......my daughter plays travel ball and I teach her to be tougher than what u describe.....kids have to be tough to have someone in the public eye as their dad.

 

[InVOLuntary]

LMAO, it is not me you will have to surprise sir. lol:

You're the one criticizing anyone that questions Cuonzo's coaching ability. The media are now publicly scratching their heads.

 

[Weezer]

I ask you again.... who wants Martin fired now? Most people with their heads not up Martin's backside realize the wheels are coming off. There is absolutely nothing wrong with discussing that on a message board. If these message board discussions bother coach Martin he should stay off message boards and in all honesty should probably change professions.

Edit: as to Craft, that was simply Pearl being classy. He didn't have to run his mouth but he did. I could understand if Pearl was offering him money or making unethical offers but it was a freak in' BBQ. What possible motive would he have for ratting? Is he sleeping better now because he lifted the burden of him attending a BBQ off his chest? Was his feeling of guilt so overwhelming? He ratted Bruce out because he simply wanted to get UT/Bruce in trouble. Craft a victim? Lol.

That's right, "it was a freakin' BBQ", yet somehow Bruce felt bad enough to lie about it. If a grown man(that you admire) felt guilty enough to lie about it, then how can you question how Craft felt? Unless you know the young man personally, you have no idea his motives, and you have no leg to stand on given Pearl's own reaction.

 

[GAVol]

I totally disagree. If CCM should be retained, then CBP should definitely be in the discussion.

Nobody said he can't be in the discussion. I'm just pointing out that it's wrong to assume that anyone that doesn't want Pearl back must automatically be Cuonzo Martin lover. It's very easy to not want either on of them in the job.

 

[volbeast33]

That's right, "it was a freakin' BBQ", yet somehow Bruce felt bad enough to lie about it. If a grown man(that you admire) felt guilty enough to lie about it, then how can you question how Craft felt? Unless you know the young man personally, you have no idea his motives, and you have no leg to stand on given Pearl's own reaction.

That's the problem with the world today, too many people have too many d&mn feelings

 

[1985Vols]

My opinion is that it's ridiculous to rehitch the wagon to a guy that got is in hot water with the NCAA by lying about something stupid. It's as simple as that.

I don't care if he's the second coming of Coach K or the reincarnation of Wade Houston.

He lied about a freaking BBQ! He wasn't paying players. As I stated earlier, Frank Haith receive a menial 5 game suspension for much worse. The NCAA was out to get Pearl because of what happened 20 years ago at Illinois. The UT Administration didn't support or help him one bit and he was hung out to dry. Can we just agree that his transgression was not what the media and. NCAA has blown it up to be?

 

[Weezer]

I can agree with that, though I think that team would have played better if it weren't for the cloud over the program at the time.

What many seem to forget is who put that stormcloud over the program. Bruce did that. Making the excuse of "distractions" is pointless when the coach created the distraction. He could have been upfront and self-reported a secondary violation. He chose instead to willingly commit a major infraction.

Why is personal accountability ignored? Pearl was responsible for his own demise.

 

[InVOLuntary]

That's right, "it was a freakin' BBQ", yet somehow Bruce felt bad enough to lie about it. If a grown man(that you admire) felt guilty enough to lie about it, then how can you question how Craft felt? Unless you know the young man personally, you have no idea his motives, and you have no leg to stand on given Pearl's own reaction.

Please read my post again. Pearl lied, I've offered no excuse for his behavior or excuse it in any way. You give me another plausible reason Craft would have ratted Pearl out other than just trying to be vindictive, and I'll rethink my position. Portraying Craft as a victim is completely laughable. The naïveté on this board amazes me at times.

 

[Ned Ray McWorkher]

Especially when it comes to bringing back Pearl.

 

[Weezer]

Please read my post again. Pearl lied, I've offered no excuse for his behavior or excuse it in any way. You give me another plausible reason Craft would have ratted Pearl out other than just trying to be vindictive, and I'll rethink my position. Portraying Craft as a victim is completely laughable. The naïveté on this board amazes me at times.

Yet it's perfectly acceptable to paint Bruce, the grown man in the equation, as a victim? That's what many seem to be doing. What was Pearl's plausible reasoning for a lie being better than taking a slap on the wrist?

 

[Weezer]

He lied about a freaking BBQ! He wasn't paying players. As I stated earlier, Frank Haith receive a menial 5 game suspension for much worse. The NCAA was out to get Pearl because of what happened 20 years ago at Illinois. The UT Administration didn't support or help him one bit and he was hung out to dry. Can we just agree that his transgression was not what the media and. NCAA has blown it up to be?

The old "the NCAA was out to get him" arguement. Even if that were true, Pearl provided the rope they used to hang him. He knew lying to the NCAA was a major violation. Every coach knows that. He made the choice that led to the end of his tenure. Pearl's biggest transgression was being stupid. I have no other word than "stupid" to explain the choice he made.

 

[vol66]

You're the one criticizing anyone that questions Cuonzo's coaching ability.

I've done no such thing.

I've questioned expectations as it relates to preseason versus the roster that we actually had.

I've questioned expectations as it relates to our head coach versus the coaches he's got to face.

You don't see me in the postgame thread arguing about time outs, rotation, screens. I don't do that.

I've questioned the senior leadership, as this is a senior and upper class laden team and whether or not Maymon, McRae and Barton deserve to shoulder some of the burden with the coach, i.e. all of them.

I have not ever argued situational basketball with you or anyone else. Nor, do I mind that kind of discussion, in fact it's interesting at times.

Take your time.

 

[InVOLuntary]

Yet it's perfectly acceptable to paint Bruce, the grown man in the equation, as a victim? That's what many seem to be doing. What was Pearl's plausible reasoning for a lie being better than taking a slap on the wrist?

Quote one post where I paint Pearl as a victim. My comments were directed at Craft. Again I ask you what possible motive would he have for turning Bruce in for his attendance at at BBQ? Do you honestly think it was tearing him up on the inside? Pearl took a minor situation and magnified it ten fold by his actions. Do you think if Craft had of signed with TN would his massive guilt complex caused him to report the BBQ then?

 

[GAVol]

He lied about a freaking BBQ!

Exactly my point though. . . He put his 7 figure salary and the program in jeopardy over a lie about a secondary violation after being presented with photographic evidence from his own house. How completely stupid is that?

 

[InVOLuntary]

I've done no such thing.

I've questioned expectations as it relates to preseason versus the roster that we actually had.

I've questioned expectations as it relates to our head coach versus the coaches he's got to face.

You don't see me in the postgame thread arguing about time outs, rotation, screens. I don't do that.

I've questioned the senior leadership, as this is a senior and upper class laden team and whether or not Maymon, McRae and Barton deserve to shoulder some of the burden with the coach, i.e. all of them.

I have not ever argued situational basketball with you or anyone else. Nor, do I mind that kind of discussion, in fact it's interesting at times.

Take your time.

Again it's obvious this is going nowhere. I understand your position that you'd rather have an underachieving, mediocre coach that keeps his players out of trouble at the expense of wins. That's fine. I've tried to keep this civil despite your jabs so I'm done.

And I guess the quote about people on here need to apply for the coaching job is not criticizing there knowledge of the game?

 

[Weezer]

Quote one post where I paint Pearl as a victim. My comments were directed at Craft. Again I ask you what possible motive would he have for turning Bruce in for his attendance at at BBQ? Do you honestly think it was tearing him up on the inside? Pearl took a minor situation and magnified it ten fold by his actions. Do you think if Craft had of signed with TN would his massive guilt complex caused him to report the BBQ then?

I don't know Craft so I can't speak to his reasoning. Normally, to truly understand one's train of thought, you have to know them. Do you know Aaron Craft, or are you just making generalizations about his character?

You want to paint Craft as the perpetrator, when in fact, Pearl committed the crime. Was Craft an innocent? Doubtful, but Pearl was most definately the instigator.

You continue to attack Craft's character while defending Bruce's? How did Bruce show any greater amount of character than Craft? Even if Craft turned over the photo for some spiteful reason(which I doubt), how does that defend Bruce's character when it comes to lying about something so inane?

Honestly, you seem so tied up in what Bruce did here as a coach, that you're willing to put aside his questionable actions, yet you continue to rail on about Craft. Even if you assume both are guilty, Bruce carries the burden of more guilt as he was the grown man, not the young man fresh out of high school.

 

[vol66]

Again it's obvious this is going nowhere. I understand your position that you'd rather have an underachieving, mediocre coach that keeps his players out of trouble at the expense of wins. That's fine. I've tried to keep this civil despite your jabs so I'm done.

What Jabs?

Let me be clear. I do not want a program that underachieves year after year.

I don't want a coach that can't win but keeps the kids out of trouble NOR do I want a coach that wins a lot and CAN't keep the kids out of trouble.



The requirement for a college coach is not the same as an NBA coach which is simply win.

What we have here is a good person, trying to run a clean program, who, in his third year is not meeting the expectations of the fans and some of the media, which picked us for 3rd in the SEC for the most part, with 7 games to go.

I have said countless times now that there are games we should have won that we did not this season.

If he doesn't make the tourney, he's fair game. But the BBB stuff is so unfair, some of the radio stuff has been so disgusting...

I just don't see, others have used "cloud", what good does it do to go all bat$*** crazy now?

 

[Weezer]

Exactly my point though. . . He put his 7 figure salary and the program in jeopardy over a lie about a secondary violation after being presented with photographic evidence from his own house. How completely stupid is that?

How this continues to fly over the heads of so many Bruce apologists amazes me.

 

[BigZiti09]

How this continues to fly over the heads of so many Bruce apologists amazes me.

It isn't flying over the heads of anyone. They just don't care. That is somehow flying over your head I guess.

 

[InVOLuntary]

I don't know Craft so I can't speak to his reasoning. Normally, to truly understand one's train of thought, you have to know them. Do you know Aaron Craft, or are you just making generalizations about his character?

You want to paint Craft as the perpetrator, when in fact, Pearl committed the crime. Was Craft an innocent? Doubtful, but Pearl was most definately the instigator.

You continue to attack Craft's character while defending Bruce's? How did Bruce show any greater amount of character than Craft? Even if Craft turned over the photo for some spiteful reason(which I doubt), how does that defend Bruce's character when it comes to lying about something so inane?

Honestly, you seem so tied up in what Bruce did here as a coach, that you're willing to put aside his questionable actions, yet you continue to rail on about Craft. Even if you assume both are guilty, Bruce carries the burden of more guilt as he was the grown man, not the young man fresh out of high school.

Again I don't know how clearer I can be.... I have never defended Pearl's actions in any shape or for nor have I tried to minimize them. You really need to read the post several times to make sure you're getting it all. My point was to another poster that was portraying Craft as poor little bo sheep victim as the Crafts hold no grudges. My point was simply why would they have grudges? They were right in the middle of it. They were the one's that reported the incident in the first place. Most would have forgotten it but they chose to report it for the sole reason to get Bruce/UT in trouble with no possible negative ramifications to themselves. Again, I'm a reasonable guy. Give me an alternate reason they would have spilled the beans.

Edit: no I don't know Craft but you must know Bruce since you know what was going through his head.

 

[InVOLuntary]

What Jabs?

Let me be clear. I do not want a program that underachieves year after year.

I don't want a coach that can't win but keeps the kids out of trouble NOR do I want a coach that wins a lot and CAN't keep the kids out of trouble.



The requirement for a college coach is not the same as an NBA coach which is simply win.

What we have here is a good person, trying to run a clean program, who, in his third year is not meeting the expectations of the fans and some of the media, which picked us for 3rd in the SEC for the most part, with 7 games to go.

I have said countless times now that there are games we should have won that we did not this season.

If he doesn't make the tourney, he's fair game. But the BBB stuff is so unfair, some of the radio stuff has been so disgusting...

I just don't see, others have used "cloud", what good does it do to go all bat$*** crazy now?

What do you think he should get? 10, 12 years? He can't make the tournament with his most talented team. Next year he loses 3/5 of the talent (2 of which he didn't recruit). After a possible bubble NIT team next year should he be retained? His recruiting is average at best. If he doesn't get fired this year Hart will have to extend him making it harder to get rid of him next year.

Let me then your little jab back at you your such the great AD what do you do? ROFL as you like to put it.

 

[vol66]

And I guess the quote about people on here need to apply for the coaching job is not criticizing there knowledge of the game?

Missed that part as it was an edit.

I'm sure your salary insulates you from whatever a fan like me might criticize you about.

It's all good, been fun.

 

[Weezer]

Again I don't know how clearer I can be.... I have never defended Pearl's actions in any shape or for nor have I tried to minimize them. You really need to read the post several times to make sure you're getting it all. My point was to another poster that was portraying Craft as poor little bo sheep victim as the Crafts hold no grudges. My point was simply why would they have grudges? They were right in the middle of it. They were the one's that reported the incident in the first place. Most would have forgotten it but they chose to report it for the sole reason to get Bruce/UT in trouble with no possible negative ramifications to themselves. Again, I'm a reasonable guy. Give me an alternate reason they would have spilled the beans.

They were easily manipulated by Thad Matta? Maybe they did nothing maliciously and were simply taken advantage of by another school's coach?

 

[InVOLuntary]

They were easily manipulated by Thad Matta? Maybe they did nothing maliciously and were simply taken advantage of by another school's coach?

If you feel comfortable with that I guess.

 

[Weezer]

It isn't flying over the heads of anyone. They just don't care. That is somehow flying over your head I guess.

Not the case with many of the posts I read, as they keep deflecting Bruce's role in it all, but I assume you just don't care. So would you care if Bruce were re-hired and 3 years down the road UT basketball was hit with major sanctions?