Actually, the situations aren't really all that different. And I don't think either qualify as "rule breaking villains." A lot of much-ado-about-nothing. Looking the other way on an SAT score, taking a few pictures with a recruit at your home . . . sure, these things are rule violations and make for nice media, but it's not like Pearl or Calipari have really crossed over the line of flat out paying players (or threatening deportation!) for recruiting purposes. Regardless of whether Pearl has kids over to his home, he's built enough of a reputation as a great coach that UT will continue to field excellent teams. Same for Calipari -- why would him looking the other way on D. Rose's SAT score have ANY bearing on his ability to recruit kids to play in the trendiest style of BB around (Dribble Drive)?
The reason you are seeing a higher level of recruiting in Lexington vs. Knoxville is pretty simple....Calipari has more to offer kids who want to go to the NBA than Pearl. I'M NOT SAYING CAL IS A BETTER COACH. I don't think there's any better game day coach than Pearl. But, Calipari has LOTS of ties to the NBA -- whether it be because of his stint with the Nets or because he shared the same facility with Jerry West and the Griz for 8 years. Calipari's style of play is the college football version of the spread offense -- it's sexy and showcases big talent -- did you root for the Lakers or Celtics? Now that Cal is at the Notre Dame of college basketball, he also gets to leverage that history, which is about the only thing he didn't have at Memphis (let's face it, there's no reason a kid would rather go to Lexington than Memphis -- they are both miserable). UT men's basically has no basketball history other than what Pearl has created, and the Ern and Bern show.
Oh, right, and the big difference about why the situations are different -- Bruce Pearl holds a teary-eyed national press conference to confess his sins. Calipari admits nothing, takes a new job, and continues on with business as usual.
