Bruce Pearl Comes To Town Saturday

What a difference a few years make. The Tennessee basketball team will take on Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers this Saturday at Thompson Boling Arena. The Vols have a funny relationship with Thompson Boling so far in the SEC. They are perfect on the road with a 3-0 road record. However they are 1-2 at home having lost to a talented Texas A&M Team on Saturday 67-61. Tennessee couldn’t throw it in the ocean, and they paid for it.

Bruce Pearl was one of the most beloved coaches in Tennessee history. I would say only Ray Mears was more revered by Vol fans when compared to Pearl. I will tell you this much though; it is a close race. In time Pearl would possibly have surpassed Mears and his circus act coaching style. But that time was cut short.

Pearl came to Tennessee in 2005 after firing head coach Buzz Peterson. I can remember shaking my head when I heard about this hire. He was coaching at Wisconsin-Green Bay. Although he had a great record there, my thinking was who is Wisconsin-Green Bay and why would that qualify anyone to coach an SEC team. I was wrong, again.

All Pearl and his staff did was take Tennessee to 6 straight NCAA tournaments. It brought back the days of Ernie and Bernie to Knoxville.

There are three compliments that I can give Coach Pearl. The first one is that he made Tennessee basketball matter in Knoxville. Tennessee is a football school like most SEC schools. But Tennessee is an underrated basketball school. Tennessee has more wins against Kentucky than any other school in the nation at 67. This is not exactly chopped liver. But Vol fans became disenchanted with basketball after the Don Devoe era.

Bruce made basketball fun again. Prior to Bruce the curtains were drawn at top of Thompson Boling so it looked a little more “full”. During Bruce’s tenure he increased attendance by almost 7,500 people per game. He averaged a little over 19,500 in a gymnasium that held 21,758.

Live Feed

FanSided

The second compliment is that he was great with the students. He had fun. I had a son and a daughter that attended Tennessee while Pearl was there. I can remember the photos and texts that I would receive from them saying that Bruce was up on a table in the University Center waving t shirts and asking them to come to the game to support the team. He spoke at orientation for the Freshmen. He was on campus and he was involved. He generated excitement with the students, and he became a true Volunteer. He liked them, and they liked him.

The third complement is that Bruce was a great Ambassador for the University of Tennessee. It had been a long time since Tennessee had a personality. Bruce sold the University of Tennessee to the fans, to the students, to the players, and most importantly to the nation. Bruce became an icon. You loved him if you were a Vol fan, and you hated him if you weren’t. If you didn’t like him, you secretly wanted him as your coach. Simple as that. Bruce truly loved the University of Tennessee, and I truly appreciated the way he made me feel about my the University that I attended and loved. Tennessee was important to him.

Then it all came crashing down in 2011. Without going through all of the details, Bruce didn’t exactly tell the truth to NCAA investigators that were looking into a back yard bbq that was held at Bruce’s house. Photos of a recruit that was not supposed to be at his house surfaced, and Bruce denied he was there. The fact that the kid was there was a minor offense, and would have had a slap on the wrist as punishment. The fact that he did not tell the truth was the major violation. He was dismissed from Tennessee in 2011 and suspended from NCAA basketball as coach until late 2014. Vol fans were not happy with the decision to let him go, but it didn’t look like Tennessee had much choice.

Cuonzo Marting took over and did a good job at Tennessee. He had big shoes to fill, and he never did. He was seldom seen around campus. He was not the advocate for the University that Pearl was. His style of basketball was unlike that of Pearls. Effective yes, but boring. Pearl was full court pressure, fast breaks and directing traffic like a New York traffic cop. Sweat poured from the Orange blazer during the game. Martin sat on the bench for the most part. He looked stoic most of the times, bordering on almost bored. He had a really good half court offense when he had future NBA players Tobias Harris and Jarnell Stokes. His 2014 team went to the sweet 16 after barely getting in the tournament. It was his first.

The team underachieved with a level of talent that the Vols had not had in a while. Fans became restless, and eventually circulated a petition to fire Cuonzo. That was done mainly because Bruce Pearl’s suspension was expiring, and Vol faithful dreamed of seeing him back on the court at Tennessee. I know I did. I still do. Cuonzo had a great run in the tourney and fans started slapping him on the back again. However, the damage was done. Cuonzo bolted to California leaving Vol fans standing at the altar. He said it wasn’t the fans. That may be one that was more untrue than what Bruce said to the NCAA.

Before it all went down with Cuonzo, Auburn reached in and scooped up our guy. They made a very good decision. He started immediately, and now the Auburn fans are loving them some Bruce. In two years he will have the best team in the SEC West. Just watch.

We hired Donnie Tyndall. He is kind of a Bruce in a way. But not all of the way Bruce. He has an awkward style of play that is fun.  His matchup zone defense is killer.He is intense. He too is very active on the court. He is a very good basketball coach. He, like Pearl, has also been to the UC asking students for support. I know this because I have another son that attends the University of Tennessee now.

Tyndall sounds like Butch Jones when he talks, only with maybe a little more northeastern Michigan twang to it. He is getting everything he can out of a very inexperienced team. They are playing like a Bruce Pearl team. They overachieve. This guy is great. He can be a great Tennessee coach. The difference between the two though is real. Bruce had the swagger and style of a guy that knew he was going to beat you. He smiled at you and then beat you like a drum. He knew he was better than them. Tennessee had not had this type of coach. He is a front runner.

Tyndall is the opposite. He seems to be the guy that you give no chance of winning. He is the underdog as soon as he hits the floor. It doesn’t matter what floor it is. If Bruce is a Ferrari, Donnie is a Chevy Pick up truck. Donnie will outwork you though. He knows what he wants, and he outworks you to get it. Just look at his wife if you don’t believe me. I laughed when he acknowledged her as proof of how good of a recruiter he is. Tyndall is a basketball guy, and he is a guy the kids play hard for. We are lucky to have Donnie Tyndall right now. I really believe that.

However he is in a little trouble himself. Investigators have found that some improprieties occurred on Donnie’s watch at Southern Miss. Something about prop 48 players getting money. Who knows, but it is serious. It can not affect Tennessee as the Vol Athletic Department hired Tyndall under a clean bill of health through the NCAA. This had not come out.

So the Vols will have to make a decision if Tyndall was too involved in the problems at Southern Miss. I hope it goes away. It didn’t when Pearl was here. We just aren’t that lucky.

So Pearl will come in on Saturday leading the Auburn Tigers. His orange blazer will be changed for a Navy blue one, and the orange on his tie will be a different shade. I personally believe he will get a standing ovation when he is announced. I also believe he will have a tear in his eye when it happens. I am convinced he loves Tennessee, and wishes he was still there.

In the mean time we have Tyndall. A poor mans’ Bruce? I think not. He is Donnie, and he is earning his respect of the Tennessee fans.  He can be Donnie Knoxville if he keeps it up, or better yet, if he doesn’t get fired over the USM stuff.

It is funny that these two guys will meet Saturday at Thompson Boling. I loved Pearl, and I really am extremely impressed with Donnie so far. I think they are both good guys, and both want the best for their teams. I hate to even think this, but it has to be said in good humor at this point. Maybe they should play a game of horse prior the game for charity. Instead of “horse” it could be “cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.” That’s what Ray Mears what have done.