Tipping the Cap to Bruce Pearl
Not long ago, I presented the idea that University of Tennessee basketball fans may want to constrain their gushing and sometimes idolizing praise of head coach Bruce Pearl.
The reasons behind my hesitance in joining this cult-like obsession of the head coach were the aura of self love the coach seems to exude in front of the cameras and microphones and Pearl’s checkered past in relationship to his recorded conversation incident while an assistant coach at Iowa. While I continue to observe this marriage between the long-suffering UT basketball program and its animated head coach with eyes wide open, recent events have caused me to pause and give Pearl a tip of the cap.
I almost drove my truck off of the Clinton/Norris I-75 ramp when I first heard the report that Chris Lofton not only played mere months after undergoing testicular cancer treatments, but he and Pearl were able to keep the secret throughout the season and amidst Lofton’s horrific shooting slump. In the age of instant information, the rule seems to be that Lofton’s story would have leaked to the media within hours. However, this situation turned out to be the exception.
No doubt the bulk of the praise must be directed to #5, but well done Coach Pearl for respecting your star player’s wishes and refraining from throwing Lofton under the bus during the difficult beginning of the basketball season.
The warm fuzzy feeling soon faded from Volunteer basketball fans with the news of the dismissals of Duke Crews and Ramar Smith. Two key contributors to the Vols’ success in the past two seasons, both were dismissed due to the combination of repeatedly failing university administered drug tests and poor performance in the classroom.
Initial reports seemed to suggest both Crews and Smith had failed the maximum four drug tests allowed by the university before dismissal, but later reports have indicated Pearl’s hand was not forced by the administration. If this is true, Pearl should be commended for his attempts at running a disciplined program (something that a certain other high profile coach at Tennessee has failed to do at times).
I am not one to jump on bandwagons, and I will not begin now. I applaud Pearl’s actions this past week, and I hope he remains consistent with these values. If so, many Volunteer basketball fans will have a team they can be proud of on and off of hardwood.
Heisman
May 9th, 2008 at 11:24 am
seems to me the crews and smith dismissal would have never happend if pearl wasn’t getting maze!!! Maze’s juco coach coached with pearl at uwm, so i have a hunch that bruce knew maze was goin to be coming to rocky top before the dismissal of the two players. I hope he was doing the right thing, for the right reasons, but have a feeling he did not. so my cap stays on for now, but a nod of the head is worthy for the lofton situation
May 10th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Bruce Pearl has a great relationship with his players.
He’s going to do what’s best for them, while thinking of the program. (after all he’s got a kid on the team) I think that has been a key to his success on the court and with recruits because they can trust him as a person and a coach.
Sports Fans last blog post..Weekend Links
May 15th, 2008 at 8:58 am
I had not heard about Lofton. That is impressive. And I am with you about Pearl’s decision to dismiss his two players. It is refreshing in this day and age to have someone stand firm on their beliefs and ideals.
Thanks for sharing.
L.S.
Just another soul in Big Orange Country
May 21st, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Thanks for acknowledging your rush to judgements and how easily swayed you are by media excerpts taken out of context.
I’ll try to remember just how wishy-washy you are, should I again encounter one of your diatribes.