Bruce Pearl Thinks He Will Get Another Job
July 6, 2011 - 9:35 pm by Ryan Phillips
In his first interview since being fired by the University of Tennessee, Bruce Pearl told Atlanta radio station 790 The Zone that he thinks he’ll get another chance at coaching in college basketball again. Pearl was fired on March 21 for committing multiple NCAA violations. Despite that, he thinks he will coach again.
“I do think that I’m going to have the opportunity to coach again. I’ve got to wait and see what the Committee on Infractions, what they say, probably coming up sometime in the middle of August and how quickly they will allow me to come back into coaching. That’s going to go a long way towards whether or not I do coach again.”
At the time of his firing, Pearl was under investigation for inappropriate contact with recruits and providing false information to the NCAA during the investigation. In the interview today Pearl claimed he was asked roughly 150 questions and answered 148 of them honestly. He says that if he had answered those other two questions honestly he’d probably still have his job.
Uh, yeah, probably Bruce. Think that fact stings a little?
Pearl continued:
“Do you want me to write the book about how do you lose $10 million jobs? I can write the book. How can you be so dumb and careless? It’s not so much about what we did, it’s how we handled it.”
Yep.
The thing about Pearl is that we don’t think he’s a bad guy, he just did some really dumb stuff, then lied about it. Then committed another recruiting violation a few days later and failed to report it. Yeah, that’s bad, but certainly not the worst thing we’ve ever seen.
This wasn’t like Jim Tressel at Ohio State, where there was rampant, institutional rule breaking happening on a staggering level. Pearl was trying to skirt around some rules and gain advantages where he could. It was wrong and he got caught. The problem for Pearl came when he lied to the NCAA and tried to cover it up. While he’s always seemed like a nice guy with a great personality, we don’t feel bad for him.
Here’s the lesson kids: don’t lie to the NCAA when they come calling.
5 Responses to “Bruce Pearl Thinks He Will Get Another Job”
I’m sure he’ll get a job again someday. The NCAA hasn’t levied him with a show clause or anything, have they? Unlike Assholeface, it seems like Pearl learned from his mistakes. I’m sure another small or mid-major school will take a look at him in a year or two.
By MJenks on Jul 7, 2011
Yeah I agree MJ. And the NCAA hasn’t ruled on his status yet. I think he’ll probably get a show cause for like two years. Which would basically be a slap on the wrist considering no one will hire him in that time anyway. I see him popping up in the Horizon League or something some day. He’s only 51 and was wildly successful at Tennessee (145-61).
By Ryan Phillips on Jul 7, 2011
The police once asked me 150 questions. I answered 148 correct. I only lied when they asked me if I murdered the person and where did I put the body.
By john on Jul 8, 2011
Bruce Pearl is an idiot! Had the world by the @&*D - but he could not resist the temptation to cheat and lie. He had to do better, so he went back to his old ways.
Remember he had been almost banished because he tried to throw another coach under the bus for cheating ! But the NCAA investigated and found Bruce had was not accurate in his statements. Supporters say he was black balled because he ratted on a fellow coach, but the fact is he LIED!
The UT fans say that Pearl was a nice guy , he helped collect a fortune for cancer research, but hell Al Capone support the opera in Chicago.
He may be back, and that would be a shame, because until the institutions stop rehiring these crooks we will never clean the NCAA up.
By Tiger Nation on Jul 8, 2011
I understand the frustration you must battle daily if you are a UT grad. But, I think there’s another way to approach the situations.
You say “because until the institutions stop rehiring these crooks we will never clean the NCAA up”. Well, I am of the persuasion that the filth and garbage you see oozing out of college sports rests solely with the NC Double A.
They threatened to close down a regional game in the RBC because Bob Holliday was in the arena prior to the start of the game drinking a soda pop from a cup that did not have the NC Double A imprinted on it.
They also do not wish to be referred to as the NC Double A; rather demanding you call them the NC Two A!
Well, please come back. I’ll supply my address and phone number. Call yourself what you wish. It’s “ok” with me. But when you begin insisting I refer to you a certain name, that’s not going to fly.
You are a pure disgrace and for once in my life, I agree wholeheartedly with John Calipari…just secceed.
By Dookie see Dokie do on Jul 12, 2011