Bruce Pearl on Dan Patrick's Show

Pearl had some interesting comments on the Dan Patrick Show today.

On his name being mentioned for the Iowa job:

“I’m staying. I love it there. It’s been a great situation”

“We’ve got to get a handle on this. Guys are getting fired all over the country. Stan Heath goes to two straight NCAA tournaments but it’s not quite enough. Utah in 3 years, wins 29 games his first year. After the next two he’s gone. 17 wins at colorado state is not enough. All over the country every mid major program wants to have a Wisconsin-Milwaukee story. So when you get an opportunity as a coach to then maybe demonstrate some loyalty, you do so. In the hopes that maybe in a few years at Tennessee, when I don’t have a Sweet 16 season, the fans aren’t calling for my job and we can build some continuity there.”

Asked about coaches being mentioned for other jobs then getting their contracts extended:

“In the situation with Iowa I did not take the opportunity to change my contract. I’ve got a contract, it’s got some built in incentives. We’ll resign it every year. One of the things I did, and I don’t mind sharing this with you, when Mike Hamilton asked me after my first year, because when I came in, I came in about the 8th or 9th highest paid coach in the SEC. And we had a good year. We won the East and Mike said to me, Bruce where do you want to get paid? And i asked him, Mike, where do you expect Tennessee to finish? He said, I think we should finish in the top 4. I said then pay me that, that’s all. He’s not going to pay me the top 2 or 3 because that’s just not in the cards baby.”

Asked about having to pay Pat Summitt whatever they pay him:

“I dont think so. After my first year, it’s very difficult to compare Pat, who had been there 31 years and 6 national championships, to me. So I think there was some sensitivity to that. But I think the market will take care of itself. And you know what? If I dont get anything else because i went to the sweet 16 this year, more than just another year on my contract, I’ll be ok with that. Because I’ve got a contract and it’s a good contract and it’s fair. So I want to demonstrate some fairness on my end and hopefully when the time comes Tennesee will demonstrate some fairness on their end.”

Asked about what it feels like to win a national championship on the D-2 level:

“There’s no feeling like it. When you know how difficult it is to achieve something like that. And you know all the great coaches and players who have gone before you and don’t have a national championship to their name, it makes you certainly appreciate it. When you get this far, you know it as a player, don’t you feel like you are on a ride? You are on a magic carpet ride and that’s what all these four teams are doing here in Atlanta. “