A Sea of Blue Rips Bruce Pearl

[Will Lavender]

My dad sent me over some interesting blogging today at A Sea of Blue (http://www.aseaofblue.com/story/2007/7/17/9252/83188).

I at first read Pearl's comments as if they were praise, but it's true: they seem to be flecked with something much more ominous.

Like the blogger, I don't like Pearl (although I think he gets his teams to play hard, and I think last year's UT team was pretty good). The guy's crazy as a darn loon. These aren't the first shots he's taken at Gillispie; the last time he commented on the new UK coach, he was talking about how slow Gillispie's tempo was.

On my SEC hurt list, Kevin Stallings is #1. Bruce Pearl is just slightly behind at #2.

[DCWildcat]

What'd Stallings do?

[matt colvin]

Like one of the comments says below the blog entry, expect things to get ugly in the next couple of years. Gillispie's immediate success is both threatening and worrying for opposing coaches. They'll do their best to knock him down a few notches.

However, in 2-3 years, they will be more worried about him on the court.

[Mark Blueblood]

I've often wondered. Does Tennessee go out of their way to purposely hire morons for coaches, or does it just turn out that way??

[DCWildcat]

I've often wondered. Does Tennessee go out of their way to purposely hire morons for coaches, or does it just turn out that way??

The school's athletic department has some sort of weird hatred of UK. It's no coincidence that Thompson-Boling just happened be be built to a capacity slightly larger than Rupp's, while they knew there was no way in hell it'd ever get consistently filled.

[Will Lavender]

I wonder:

Might there be something between Pearl and Gillispie because of Gillispie's Illinois ties and Pearl's past with Illinois?

[matt colvin]

I wonder:

Might there be something between Pearl and Gillispie because of Gillispie's Illinois ties and Pearl's past with Illinois?


Maybe Pearl thinks Gillispie is a little too redneck :icon_rolleyes:.

[bleedbluelady]

What'd Stallings do?

I'm not sure if this is what got to Will...but, if I remember correctly Stallings absolutely slammed Tubby/UK over the Morris thing.

[Will Lavender]

I'm not sure if this is what got to Will...but, if I remember correctly Stallings absolutely slammed Tubby/UK over the Morris thing.

That...and I think he's smug.

Plus, there's admittedly a little sour grapes on my part. I want to beat the guy.

[Littlemeyer]

Gillispie v. Donovan will be a rivalry right away, for myriad reasons. However, in a couple of years I fully expect Gillispie v. Pearl to be the rivalry in SEC hoops.

Should be fun. :thumbup:

[TrueblueCATfan]

I just loved what Odem said..............me thinks he needs to worry about what is going on at South Carolina

[KYISSUPREME]

The school's athletic department has some sort of weird hatred of UK. It's no coincidence that Thompson-Boling just happened be be built to a capacity slightly larger than Rupp's, while they knew there was no way in hell it'd ever get consistently filled.

Have they ever, even once, filled Thompson-Boling? Not counting Women's ball, of course! :shock::icon_mrgreen:

[sethman0102]

I just loved what Odem said..............me thinks he needs to worry about what is going on at South Carolina
Odom doesn't have a lot of fans in Columbia. In fact, there are several radio hosts who openly rip him every chance they get. That is significant considering the average Gamecock fan doesn't even pay attention to basketball. The average caller will take a shot at Odom before turning the conversation to football, even in January and February.

[lribookend]

Have they ever, even once, filled Thompson-Boling? Not counting Women's ball, of course! :shock::icon_mrgreen:

Of course....but of course, they were playing UK, who brought in many of the fans to help fill it, LOL

[lribookend]

I'm not sure why there is so much animosity towards the SEC coaches. I think the SEC has upgraded the coaching quality in the past couple years. That will help the SEC in the eyes of the nation, and will create some great rivalries. Tenn has had some incredibly boring coaches in the past. Pearl has done some great things for them, and the Tenn/KY rivalry will once again be an electric game, as it has been many times in the past. Ky/Florida will be a premier matchup for at least the next year or two. (I'm not sure Florida can stay in the elite ranks forever...their past would argue against it). Ky/Ark could be interesting. And Georgia and Vandy have given us all we wanted the last couple years. It doesn't bother me if their coaches speak out. They know that UK is going to be a formidable foe in the future, so let them get their shots in now. I expect we will do our talking on the court.

[Will Lavender]

I'm not sure why there is so much animosity towards the SEC coaches.

I'm not sure why there's so much love of SEC coaches.

My feeling is that these guys are competitors. I certainly don't hate any opposing coach or player; it's not that. But I'm always baffled when someone says they're a fan of another guy or another team or someone else's player. (There are exceptions, of course; I'll be a fan of Pelphrey, of Chris Lofton, etc.)

As I've posted countless times:

I want Kentucky to win and I really could give a flying flit about everybody else in college basketball, man or team.

[bleedblue79]

I've often wondered. Does Tennessee go out of their way to purposely hire morons for coaches, or does it just turn out that way??

I never really thought about it before, but they do seem to have had more than their share, especially in basketball. It always seems to be a circus down there. Pearl was made for them.

GO BIG BLUE!!!

[lribookend]

I'm not sure why there's so much love of SEC coaches.

My feeling is that these guys are competitors. I certainly don't hate any opposing coach or player; it's not that. But I'm always baffled when someone says they're a fan of another guy or another team or someone else's player. (There are exceptions, of course; I'll be a fan of Pelphrey, of Chris Lofton, etc.)

As I've posted countless times:

I want Kentucky to win and I really could give a flying flit about everybody else in college basketball, man or team.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well, since basketball involves teams playing against each other, and coaches coaching against each other, it only makes sense that true fans would have an appreciation of the sport that goes beyond the narrow confines of their own team and coach.
Of course, I guess you could limit yourself to watching them practice against themselves, but that would somewhat defeat the purpose of being a fan of a team sport.
I find the differences in coaching philosophy, style of play, personalities, etc, exactly what makes the sport interesting. I can almost guarantee that most coaches are very interested in what other coaches and teams are doing. To wear blinders will often mean conceding defeat to those who innovate, not to mention any names here.
You don't have to "love" them to appreciate their skills and what they bring to the game.

[Will Lavender]

Of course, I guess you could limit yourself to watching them practice against themselves, but that would somewhat defeat the purpose of being a fan of a team sport.

I do limit myself. Gladly.

And I'm not a fan of the team sport. I'm a fan of the Kentucky Wildcats, who happen to play that sport.

I don't mean to come off harshly. I certainly respect your opinion, and if anybody is in the minority in this discussion it's me. But I think we're moving into an ESPN age where people are becoming fans of multiple teams, or even individuals, and it's sort of becoming old-fashioned to follow just one team.

I just don't understand that. I root for UK and really can't bring myself to care much if everybody else loses miserably.

[Will Lavender]

I will add:

I watch a ton of college basketball. It's really the only thing I watch consistently. In the winter my life revolves around basketball and family, and I don't think I'm overstating it when I say that.

But when I watch, I watch the game and not the teams unless UK is playing. I often don't root for anybody, I just watch.

Again, that's weird, I realize. But I personally can't get behind many people who don't wear blue and white in anything more than an impassive way, and so I often lean toward disliking them (coaches, mostly, and sometimes players) if I feel any emotion at all.

Petty? You bet.

[jdeasy]

I got to know Pearl quite well when he was at USI. He is a really nice guy. I've been to many of his practices and he is a terrific coach. One of my best friends was D-II POY under Pearl. He absolutely loves the guy, as did all the players.

I have another good friend that played for Iowa when Pearl was an assistant there. He says Pearl was the only coach that stayed in touch with him no matter where he was coaching at the time.

I know the Evansville community misses Pearl being there. College basketball is better with Pearl in it

[Will Lavender]

College basketball is better with Pearl in it

This is true. I'm glad Pearl is at UT, and I'm really glad Donovan stayed in Gainesville. I think Gillispie will hold his own against both of them.

[SamKat]

I'm not sure why there's so much love of SEC coaches.

My feeling is that these guys are competitors. I certainly don't hate any opposing coach or player; it's not that. But I'm always baffled when someone says they're a fan of another guy or another team or someone else's player. (There are exceptions, of course; I'll be a fan of Pelphrey, of Chris Lofton, etc.)

As I've posted countless times:

I want Kentucky to win and I really could give a flying flit about everybody else in college basketball, man or team.


Those are my feelings and very well said, Will!

[KYISSUPREME]

I will add:

I watch a ton of college basketball. It's really the only thing I watch consistently. In the winter my life revolves around basketball and family, and I don't think I'm overstating it when I say that.

But when I watch, I watch the game and not the teams unless UK is playing. I often don't root for anybody, I just watch.

Again, that's weird, I realize. But I personally can't get behind many people who don't wear blue and white in anything more than an impassive way, and so I often lean toward disliking them (coaches, mostly, and sometimes players) if I feel any emotion at all.

Petty? You bet.

Not that wierd, Will. I am much like that myself. I am a bball junkie. I usually root for someone's opponent, like whoever is playing Loserville, Duke, etc. I only follow UK. The others I don't really care about. Actually, my favorite games (other than UK) are the small conference tournament games. I don't know either team, or care to. I just like watching them leave it all out there on the court, trying to keep thier seasons alive.