Bruce Pearl & Candace Parker

[SpaceCoastVol]

He got fired with cause and they still gave him a million dollar buyout on the way out. I’d love us too. Seriously though, he loves Tennessee, nobody doubts that. He did a good job last night. He wasn’t going to take shots, not that he would anyway. I’m just not going to get all emotional over him. Good run, it’s over, hasn’t been our coach in over a decade. Was here 6 mostly good seasons and now coaches another SEC team, which makes it impossible for me to be a fan of his. Just as I do t like Beard, Oats, Cal, didn’t like Stack, etc etc etc . You’re with us or you’re not.

Not everything is about money.

 

[RavinDave]

People that hate Bruce Pearl just suck as people and life would be happier if you removed such people from your life. Haters always hate no matter what.

But haters who just hate Bama or the Gata’s ain’t such bad people, eh?

 

[EZE]

He lied about a cookout. And later admitted he lied publicly. Have you ever lied about anything or to your boss? If so I hate you and hope you get fired from your job.

No need for any hate. But, yes, I think society in general could use more forgiving attitudes.

As I posted above, Bruce served his punishment and it’s time to let it go and move on. Plus, it’s not like the UT basketball program is in some terrible place.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

He got fired for having a picnic. He still loves Tennessee. I don't care what anybody says, when Rick retires, I'd be okay with him coming back. He's a great coach.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[OrangeInKy]

He lied about a cookout. And later admitted he lied publicly. Have you ever lied about anything or to your boss? If so I hate you and hope you get fired from your job.

Haha, right.
I don’t hate the guy, I’m sick of Vol fans drooling over him the last 13 years, especially in light of the consistent success the current coach has had. I’m sick of him still talking about how UT could have stood by him and not fired him, even though they’d get a show cause. To answer your question, thiugh, no. I have never lied to my boss nor made my subordinates lie. I also didn’t call a high school kid and his parents and ask them to lie. I didn’t get shown a picture of me in my own home and lie about it. No.

 

[DonDiego]

I love Candace, I like Bruce....I hate his tie--it's hideous.

 

[OrangeInKy]

Not everything is about money.

It’s a joke, hence the “seriously though” I followed it with

 

[EasternVol]

He got fired for having a picnic. He still loves Tennessee. I don't care what anybody says, when Rick retires, I'd be okay with him coming back. He's a great coach.

Wow this is the first time I've seen this discussed on this board!

 

[EasternVol]

He was actually tearing up while she talked. I think he would jump at the chance to come back.

He'll never have the chance, fortunately.

 

[WillisWG]

What did you expect Pearl to say on National Television.

Sure, we know he sometimes has a problem with the truth but he ain't saying what he really thinks

 

[luthervol]

He'll never have the chance, fortunately.

Probably not, but I would be okay if he did.

 

[WillisWG]

He got fired for having a picnic. He still loves Tennessee. I don't care what anybody says, when Rick retires, I'd be okay with him coming back. He's a great coach.

He got fired because he asked a recruit and his dad to lie for him about a picnic....accept it.

 

[gregmaynard2]

Some of yall live miserable lives.

 

[Volumnus 2011]

People that hate Bruce Pearl just suck as people and life would be happier if you removed such people from your life. Haters always hate no matter what.

Bruce is a scumbag. What Candace said is also 100% accurate and I'll forever be grateful for what he started here. Hell of a coach. All of this can be true at the same time.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

He got fired because he asked a recruit and his dad to lie for him about a picnic....accept it.

Yes and I'm sure he would take all that back and admit the truth up front if he could. But once something comes out of your mouth you can't put it back in.

IMO this is not a reason to hate the guy forever. He made a mistake. If you have never made a mistake you regretted cast the first stone.

 

[utvolpj]

Yes and I'm sure he would take all that back and admit the truth up front if he could. But once something comes out of your mouth you can't put it back in.

IMO this is not a reason to hate the guy forever. He made a mistake. If you have never made a mistake you regretted cast the first stone.

It was his second time with the same offense. His chance to take it back was at UT

 

[JoeMiltonsAgent]

Gotta love the never ending p*$$ING contests over Pearl in what should be a happy moment for all Vol fans.

Vols are in the Elite 8 and a former coach and player praised them for it in the post game.

 

[Sudden Impact]

There’s hardly any grace around here. I hope everyone that doesn’t show it is perfect.

It's not that he lied which he did, admit it and he doesn't get fired. It is that he tried to cover it up by encouraging the staff to do the same. Furthermore, the NCAA told him to not make contact with recruits and he bumped into them knowing he had been giving a warning not to do so. In today's world of recruiting he did nothing wrong, but then it was a deadly sin.

At Auburn, there were several NCAA investigations in his first 4 years (regarding Tennis Shoes & Recruits) Some were of the staff was fired.

He snitched out a program for a recruiting violation as and he was a marked man. His history came back to haunt him at Tennessee & initially Auburn.

He has turned it around because Auburn kept a better thumb on him than Tennessee. If you want to blame anybody for Pearl's issues then blame Pearl and Hamilton. Hamilton was here only to raise money not to do the AD's job. Fund Raiser vs AD.

And face it, he is a Vol Fan with a loud audience. Unfortunately, the only homecoming Pearl will get in the future is when he brings his team in here to play against the Vols.

 

[pimo1]

People that hate Bruce Pearl just suck as people and life would be happier if you removed such people from your life. Haters always hate no matter what.

Agreed. I was always a critic of Pearls player development or lack thereof. I thought he brought good players and coached them well but they never got 'better'. He got 4 and 5 stars and they played like 4 and 5 stars, that is its own set of skills. But I'm gonna be honest I never watched UT men's basketball on the regular before him because it was sort of depressing. I watched the women up till then. He is easily the best UT basketball coach we have had in my lifetime outside of Barnes. Hating on the man for breaking a dumb rule is kinda lame. I do not have anything bad to say about Bruce and given what we know and his actions as the coach here and afterward, no one should.

Barnes has taken the base that was left by Pearl and to a lesser extent Martin and took it to the next level. In my lifetime as an active fan Green, Pearl and Martin were the only coaches that had sustained success. Then came Barnes. This run cements that. If we get 3-4 more years out of him he will likely finally get his due nationally. One thing I like most about Barnes, he is not like a lot of the 'Name' coaches that fans outside your conference will know. But, all the coaches know who he is and that's what matters. The announcers know who he is. I think the Grant Williams story about Barnes sums it up he is old school, tough love. Enjoy it while you can because he is a dying breed in sports.

 

[Vol737]

He got fired for repeatedly lying to the NCAA and UT.

It’s a shame, too. Just admit he had a recruit there and it likely changes the entire outcome. Always own it and it will go much better for you. Still like Pearl, regardless.

 

[sami]

People that hate Bruce Pearl just suck as people and life would be happier if you removed such people from your life. Haters always hate no matter what.

I'll never get the Pearl hate around here, but then I'll never get people that can hate VFL's like JJJ and SV either. Along with Barnes, Ray Mears, and Don DeVoe, Bruce Pearl is among the greatest coaches in UT history, and as Candace Parker pointed out, brought UT back into the national spotlight and gave us the last great years we had before Barnes was hired.

The guy still clearly loves UT and relishes his time here, and was a tireless promoter of all things UT. Yeah, he can be a blowhard and is rough around the edges, and yeah, his stint here didn't have the greatest ending, but to 'hate' a guy who brought Vol hoops back from the dead and clearly loved his time here is nothing short of asinine.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

Bruce is a scumbag. What Candace said is also 100% accurate and I'll forever be grateful for what he started here. Hell of a coach. All of this can be true at the same time.

'Scumbag' is over the top harsh. He did a dumb thing.... and he paid the price.

Even felons now get to vote once they have been released.

 

[JohnWardForever]

But haters who just hate Bama or the Gata’s ain’t such bad people, eh?

But haters who just hate Bama or the Gata’s ain’t such bad people, eh?

I don't see the dis-connection , Kingfish.

 

[overseasorange2]

He lied about a cookout. And later admitted he lied publicly. Have you ever lied about anything or to your boss? If so I hate you and hope you get fired from your job.

That’s a lie. He got fired for lying to the NCAA and his bosses and having his staff lie. How do you all keep saying that? It’s an absolute lie. He got fired for lying and covering up his lie.

Like someone once said, " Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone".

Sorry Jaxon, I did not mean to include you in my comment!

 

[OrangeInKy]

Like someone once said, " Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone".

Who is casting stones? Gonna take scripture out of context on Easter weekend? Who is condemning anyone to eternal death here? What a ridiculous response. It’s a statement of fact. There was wrongdoing, there were consequences for those actions. I’m glad you feel like you got the slam dunk though.