Bruce or Bust?

#26
#26
bigsteve13 said:
Those of us who have been around long enough know how this is going to end. If Tennessee doesn't get Pearl (and though we all want it, we know it's not happening) then Tennessee basketball is dead. We will be right back to the Buzz days and spend 100 years in mediocrity. What Pearl did here has never been done before and I'm apologize that I don't have the faith that some other hire could bring that level of success. It's not only about hiring a good coach. It's about that good coach being a good fit at the University of Tennessee. Bruce Pearl was not a good fit, he was a perfect fit. I can't see that being replaced. If Pearl aint coming back, might as well keep Martin cause Tennessee basketball is dead.
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Hear,hear.:)
 
#30
#30
vols 30 said:
Can't fire a coach if he makes the tourney.....IMO. You could, but what does that say about your program?
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There's been a few do it, it's just not all that common. I'm not saying it's what we should do, just asking if making the tourney all of a sudden changes the mindset of these donors?
 
#31
#31
bleedingTNorange said:
So if Martin makes the dance the power money donors don't want Pearl?
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I think if Martin makes the dance and the team is competitive, he's ok. But, that could just be delaying the inevitable, if the Vols take a huge step backwards next season with a losing record, it will be difficult for Martin to survive. IMHO
 
#32
#32
gunner said:
I think if Martin makes the dance and the team is competitive, he's ok. But, that could just be delaying the inevitable, if the Vols take a huge step backwards next season with a losing record, it will be difficult for Martin to survive. IMHO
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So if all these guys want Pearl like you're saying, wouldn't they push for that move this season? He'll likely be somewhere next season when we would be making a change.
 
#33
#33
bleedingTNorange said:
So if all these guys want Pearl like you're saying, wouldn't they push for that move this season? He'll likely be somewhere next season when we would be making a change.
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I don't ever want to see Pearl coaching at another SEC school, but that's just me.
 
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#36
#36
There are a lot of the same football issues with Cheek that are being worked on. Obviously progress is being made. But Cheek has done an excellent job as Chancellor overall. There were a lot of university issues that needed his attention and he's slowly made good changes and progress. He has a lot of support from the people that also make it happen on the AD side. He's doing his job well, so to fire him over basketball would make the university look bad in certain circles.

Hart is the one who has to make this work. He has to get the right people on board who can make Cheek get on board.

I want Bruce back as do most people. You don't fire Cuonzo after this year unless you are hiring Pearl. And if you are going to hire Pearl then does it really matter what this team does? So, outside of a win or two in the Tournament or winning the SEC Tourney, which I think are all unlikely, I'd let Martin go and BBB. If its not Bruce, then you keep Martin at least one more season. He's not been good with this team, but it could be worse. Cuonzo is a young coach and great individual, he deserves the chance to learn and grow in the job if you aren't bringing back Pearl. I know what Bruce would do with a core of Davis, Thompson, and Hubbs, but if he doesn't get the chance, let's see what Martin can do with these guys, who, IMO, are as talented as anyone Bruce ever recruited.
 
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#37
#37
The more I think about it, the more I like the possibility of having the Dynamic Duo of Butch and Bruce at UT. They're both charismatic, highly energetic personalities who would feed off each others energy. That sort of thing catches the attention of recruits across the country.
 
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#38
#38
bjsvols1 said:
There are a lot of the same football issues with Cheek that are being worked on. Obviously progress is being made. But Cheek has done an excellent job as Chancellor overall. There were a lot of university issues that needed his attention and he's slowly made good changes and progress. He has a lot of support from the people that also make it happen on the AD side. He's doing his job well, so to fire him over basketball would make the university look bad in certain circles.

Hart is the one who has to make this work. He has to get the right people on board who can make Cheek get on board.

I want Bruce back as do most people. You don't fire Cuonzo after this year unless you are hiring Pearl. And if you are going to hire Pearl then does it really matter what this team does? So, outside of a win or two in the Tournament or winning the SEC Tourney, which I think are all unlikely, I'd let Martin go and BBB. If its not Bruce, then you keep Martin at least one more season. He's not been good with this team, but it could be worse. Cuonzo is a young coach and great individual, he deserves the chance to learn and grow in the job if you aren't bringing back Pearl. I know what Bruce would do with a core of Davis, Thompson, and Hubbs, but if he doesn't get the chance, let's see what Martin can do with these guys, who, IMO, are as talented as anyone Bruce ever recruited.
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BTO, there's your answer. We will see what happens.
 
#39
#39
bjsvols1 said:
Cuonzo is a young coach and great individual, he deserves the chance to learn and grow in the job ....
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If Cuonzo hasn't learned the coaching fundamentals in all the years he's been a coach, and he hasn't, then he's never going to get any better. He's had more than enough time already to learn the basics. We gave Buzz a fourth year and look how that turned out. He didn't learn a thing from year 3 to year 4.
 
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#41
#41
Special Ed said:
The more I think about it, the more I like the possibility of having the Dynamic Duo of Butch and Bruce at UT. They're both charismatic, highly energetic personalities who would feed off each others energy. That sort of thing catches the attention of recruits across the country.
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That would rock! If Martin is let go.
 
#42
#42
Special Ed said:
If Cuonzo hasn't learned the coaching fundamentals in all the years he's been a coach, and he hasn't, then he's never going to get any better. He's had more than enough time already to learn the basics. We gave Buzz a fourth year and look how that turned out. He didn't learn a thing from year 3 to year 4.
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Except that he should have sold more popcorn!
 
#44
#44
Can you imagine opening night in the arena next season, Bruce being our coach.. wouldn't matter who we play, it would be sold out to the rafters, fans all in unison yelling "Bruuuuuuuuce!" Man I just got goosebumps!
 
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#45
#45
vols 30 said:
Can't fire a coach if he makes the tourney.....IMO. You could, but what does that say about your program?
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Don DeVoe and Jerry Green beg to differ.

National media types are going to frame it as a negative when it happens, but they have no idea about what's going on inside a program or how the administration and fans feel about the general trajectory of the program.
 
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#46
#46
bjsvols1 said:
This is excellent. Jimmy Cheek is good at every part of his job but athletics. Dave Hart needs to do everything possible to bring back Bruce regardless of Cheek. Simply put, the thought of Bruce coaching at a rival school is too much to stomach. Anything less than winning a game in the Tournament and Martin should be shown the door.

I'm not one to believe a Chancellor's job should depend on athletics, but in this case, someone with more power than Cheek needs to tell him to get on board or update his resume. My reasoning is Pearl andButch together would give the University so much good publicity year around they would pay for themselves easily. Then once they started winning it would be something few universities could match. It's not just about wins, but putting UT back on the map.
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Good points, well stated.
 
#48
#48
bjsvols1 said:
This is excellent. Jimmy Cheek is good at every part of his job but athletics. Dave Hart needs to do everything possible to bring back Bruce regardless of Cheek. Simply put, the thought of Bruce coaching at a rival school is too much to stomach. Anything less than winning a game in the Tournament and Martin should be shown the door.

I'm not one to believe a Chancellor's job should depend on athletics, but in this case, someone with more power than Cheek needs to tell him to get on board or update his resume. My reasoning is Pearl andButch together would give the University so much good publicity year around they would pay for themselves easily. Then once they started winning it would be something few universities could match. It's not just about wins, but putting UT back on the map.
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I could be wrong, but I thought that is what happened this past year, Dave Hart brought back the type of management that separated Cheek from the AD? I thought that with the new policies, Hart has all the say in AD decisions and Cheek is an observer. I thought this was the grounds for bringing back the athletes academic support and taking away the hold that Cheek had instilled on athletics. Again, I could be wrong.
 
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#49
#49
terrypedigo said:
If we get a new coach we will go out and get a mid major coach we are TENNESSE, and hope for the best when we got PEARL look where he was at we it the jackpot.
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Yeah we are Tennessee. How many coaches were beating the door down wanting to come here after Pearl. So we settled for Martin. :no:
 
#50
#50
gunner said:
The worse thing that I can think of after reading this is Tennessee playing Bama next season in TBA with Pearl coaching the red team, Martin still coaching the Vols. A Pearl vs Martin matchup is a bad scenario for the Vols!
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Funny things is that Sean Sinclair on Basilio's show was saying the Pearl to Bama thing weeks ago - and I posted it somewhere on VolNation (maybe in the CBP thread). I like Hooker however not many original thoughts in that article.
 
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