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Bruce Pearl: The journey from Rocky Top to The Plain

Started by jbcarol, February 13, 2014, 12:58:21 pm

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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  17 hours ago
For those talking about postgame handshake: Just saw Bruce Pearl and Anthony Grant shake hands and chat briefly in hallway.
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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  49 minutes ago

Bruce Pearl's Iron Bowl goal: Make Alabama-Auburn basketball relevant nationally http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2015/01/bruce_pearls_iron_bowl_goal_ma.html ...

QuoteAuburn rarely experiences success on the basketball court in Tuscaloosa.

The record is not pretty: eight wins and 47 losses. A 57-55 setback at Alabama in the final seconds Saturday didn't set well with first-year coach Bruce Pearl. Progress, however, appears to have been made in Pearl's first few months on the job.

The next step? Making this intrastate rivalry, which is at its apex in the football season, relevant on the national level during the basketball season.

"I've got to get our program up to a point where this game is worthy of being on ESPN and College GameDay is here," Pearl said Saturday. "It was great to have the SEC Network here and it was great to have those guys on the call, but I know coach (Anthony) Grant and I are working real hard to have that be a reality some day. I know I've got work to do to get there."

Auburn has plenty of work to do...
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jbcarol

Alex Byington @AUBlog  ·  3 minutes ago
Auburn's Malcolm Canada just walked away from the Tigers' bench after being pulled from the game & exchanging words with Bruce Pearl.


A&M 48,  Auburn 39  12:00 2nd in Auburn Arena
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jbcarol

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  2 hours ago

Bruce Pearl, family ready for emotional return to Tennessee http://ow.ly/IdNeI

QuoteThe Auburn coach returns to Knoxville for what should prove to be an emotional reunion with Tennessee fans less than four years after administrators fired him following an NCAA investigation. Tipoff Saturday between the Tigers and Volunteers is set for 11 a.m.

"I don't know that I'm Dick Vermeil but I've got a little Dick Vermeil in me and I just can't help it," Pearl said, referring to the former NFL coach's penchant for the dramatic. "I'm sure before the game it'll be hard."

Thompson-Boling Arena is where Pearl rebuilt the Volunteers into a national contender with six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including the school's first and only trip to the Elite Eight. It's also where he raised more than $1 million for charities, coached his son Steven, watched his children graduate high school and college, and spent countless hours preparing for and coaching games. In those six years Pearl produced a 145-61 record, three Sweet 16 appearances and an SEC title.

"Coaching, particularly for me, I am not very talented," Pearl said. "I've got to make up for that with work ethic and with a lot of hours. You're in Auburn Arena a lot, you're in Thompson-Boling Arena a lot and you're in the building at times when nobody else is in the building."
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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  2 hours ago

Former Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton "did everything to save me," says Bruce Pearl. Hamilton opens up on BP: http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2015/01/bruce_pearl_family_ready_for_e.html ...

Bruce Pearl: "People also ask the question: did you want to go back to Tennessee?"
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jbcarol

Chris Low @ClowESPN  ·  10 hours ago
Bruce Pearl returns Saturday to Thompson-Boling Arena, a place he once thought would be his home forever. My column: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/12247978/with-auburn-tigers-bruce-pearl-makes-return-tennessee ...

Quote"It was a special time and a very rare run," Pearl told ESPN.com this week. "Tremendous things happened in that building for me and my family, from Chris Lofton hitting that 3-pointer from the hash mark over Kevin Durant when we beat Texas, to my children's high school graduations and college graduations, to me and [wife] Brandy hosting "An Evening in Orange" and raising $1 million for the Cancer Institute at UT Medical Center."

That fundraiser, by the way, was held a month after Pearl was fired, further proof that he left a little piece of himself on Rocky Top. In fact, he and Brandy are scheduled to help with another charity event Friday night in Knoxville to benefit children with multiple handicaps.

"Just because you leave doesn't mean you forget," Pearl said. "We still have a lot of family and friends in Knoxville, a lot of people who supported us, and we still stay in touch. But I live in Auburn now, have a home in Auburn, and Auburn is home.

"I'm an Auburn man. There's no confusion there."
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jbcarol

Ben Frederickson @Ben_Fred  ·  14 hours ago

Bruce Pearl today: "I don't know how the reception will be. Some will be booing and some will be Broo-ing."
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jbcarol

Ben Frederickson @Ben_Fred  ·  1 hour ago
Just like any other old game, right?



After his ESPN interview, Pearl gives high fives to the UT student section on his way off the court.

oVolsXtra @GoVolsXtra  ·  14 minutes ago
Bruce Pearl returns to Thompson-Boling Arena - #Photo Gallery http://ow.ly/IgCet 

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jbcarol

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  39 minutes ago
Auburn's Trayvon Reed ejected after flagrant foul at Tennessee http://ow.ly/IgPDe
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jbcarol

Ben Frederickson @Ben_Fred  ·  37 minutes ago
Tyndall: "Our fans love Coach Pearl. I get that. I'm not insecure about that at all."

Ben Frederickson @Ben_Fred  ·  46 minutes ago
Pearl said he didn't want to beat Tennessee more than any other team. Said he only routes for 2 league teams: Auburn and Tennessee.

Pearl manages to take credit for landing Jarnell Stokes in his presser. Out in California, Cuonzo Martin rolls his eyes.

Pearl a little teary eyed talking about the post game hug with his son and Tony Jones. Said the families went through a lot.

This is Bruce Pearl's first 4 game losing streak as a head coach.
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jbcarol

Alex Byington @AUBlog  ·  6 hours ago
Auburn's Bruce Pearl says confidence has been an issue during its 4-game losing streak, late game struggles. Been around since his hiring.
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jbcarol

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  7 hours ago

Auburn improving, will have to 'wait longer' for more success, says Bruce Pearl http://ow.ly/IoguP

QuoteBruce Pearl needs more time.

The first-year Auburn coach is accustomed to quick turnarounds and success in his 20 years in the business, but it's proven to be a tad more difficult on the Plains.

Auburn (10-11, 2-6 SEC) fell below .500 with a 71-63 loss at Tennessee on Saturday. The Tigers sit in a tie for 11th place in the SEC, a full three spots below where the media picked the Tigers in a preseason poll.

"I'm trying to build a foundation," Pearl said Saturday. "We're doing the best we can with what we have. Our kids had a chance to win on the road. That's the second time we've been on the road in the SEC where we had a chance to win. We've got to make progress. We've made progress."

It's a season of firsts for Pearl, who took over a program that hasn't advanced to the NCAA Tournament since 2003. Auburn is 0-7 on the road under Pearl, who is also experiencing the first four-game losing streak of his career. He never suffered through such a stretch at Tennessee, where he led the Volunteers to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances before he was fired amid an NCAA investigation in March 2011. Pearl has also never experienced a losing season in his previous 19 years as a college coach.

Tennessee's roster, of course, was much stronger in Pearl's first season. The likes of Chris Lofton, a future consensus All-American, led a team filled with future pros. Auburn is improving, Pearl said, but more players are needed. A top-15 recruiting class is on the way and should help in 2016 and beyond...
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jbcarol

Bruce Pearl @coachbrucepearl  ·  23 hours ago

So happy for legend Bill Raftery & @realgranthill33 selected as TV analysts for 2015 Final Four on @CBSSports & @TurnerSportsPR #onions


Standing in for former UNLV star Greg Anthony
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jbcarol

Auburn looks to break 4-game slide at LSU

QuoteAuburn has lost four straight games, which is the longest losing streak of Bruce Pearl's career. The Tigers are in danger of extending the streak to five games, as the Tigers enter this hostile environment and have yet to win a road games this season.

LSU was riding a four-game winning streak until it was snapped against Mississippi State. With just two wins in conference play, Auburn can make a big statement with a win against LSU, but it doesn't seem likely.
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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  47 seconds ago
Auburn 81, LSU 77 (FINAL) | Auburn wins its first road game of the Bruce Pearl era. Big win. http://s.al.com/evgZqoL
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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  34 minutes ago
Auburn was a 10.5-point underdog at LSU. Auburn finally rewarded for hard-fought performances on road of late. Possible breakthrough.
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jbcarol

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  17 minutes ago
Cheat sheet: Can #Auburn derail streaking #OleMiss at home? http://ow.ly/IFuEH

QuoteOle Miss men's basketball (15-7, 6-3 SEC) at Auburn (11-11, 3-6)

WHEN Tonight at 5:30 p.m. CT

WHERE Auburn Arena

TV SEC Network

Auburn snapped a four-game losing streak with the win over LSU Thursday night and now aims to win back-to-back SEC games for the first time this year. A sold-out crowd figures to play a factor as the Tigers are 9-3 at Auburn Arena this season.

Ole Miss is making its case for an NCAA Tournament berth. The Rebels are riding high after knocking off Texas A&M, one of the hottest teams in the SEC, and have four straight wins. Auburn owns a 73-55 edge in the all-time series with Ole Miss, but has lost the last five.
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jbcarol

randon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  1 minute ago
Auburn unable to knock off hot-shooting Ole Miss, loses 86-79 http://ow.ly/IFYcf
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jbcarol

Hugh Kellenberger @HKellenbergerCL  ·  14 hours ago

Bruce Pearl: "One of the things that makes Ole Miss a contender is that they don't drop off when they go to the bench."
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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  15 hours ago

Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy on Auburn crowd: "Obviously Bruce has them energized at an all-time level."

Game story updated with reaction from Bruce Pearl, Andy Kennedy and Antoine Mason: http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2015/02/auburn_unable_to_knock_off_hot.html ...
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jbcarol

Auburn Basketball @AuburnMBB  ·  3 hours ago
Coach Pearl met the media on Monday to discuss Tuesday's game vs Arkansas (8 pm/ESPNU). Tix still available

http://youtu.be/igBvxi5oKjw



Pearl on Arkansas' defense: "They turn you over more than anyone in the league. ... (&) I think they're so long it's hard to shoot over them."

Pearl on Ark.: "Our point guard play is going to be key, Tahj (Shamsid-Deen), KC (Ross-Miller), Malcolm (Canada), ... going to be crucial."
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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  24 hours ago

Bruce Pearl: "With the exception of Kentucky, there's not a team on our schedule we can't beat."
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jbcarol

Alex Byington @AUBlog  ·  18 hours ago

Auburn basketball seeking complete-game effort against No. 24 Arkansas http://www.oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/basketball/men/article_447a6934-b0c1-11e4-8a5e-97914041c5eb.html ...

Quote"LSU was a great win, (but) it took career highs (from Antoine Mason and KT Harrell) and Cinmeon (Bowers)'s double-double," Pearl said Friday following Thursday's 81-77 win at LSU. "It took Tahj (Shamsid-Deen) not having any turnovers. It took an incredible effort (to get that win).

"There is a fine line there. We don't have to be perfect to win, but we don't have a large margin for error," Pearl said Monday morning. "I think the thing our fans are seeing in Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and what they will see in Arkansas, is waves of players coming off the bench. That's what it takes. You have to have that kind of depth. You understand that in football ... you have to have that kind of depth to play in the SEC.

"You have to take it possession by possession. At the start of the second half (against Ole Miss), we did not have energy. That is something we can control. ... Heavy minutes are a factor, but not an excuse," Pearl said. "The second thing would be getting more contribution from the other guys. Can K.C. (Ross-Miller) give us more? Can TJ Lang give us more? Can Jordon (Granger) give us more?"
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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  1 hour ago
Late tip affecting attendance. Student section not full. Section behind basket is as bare as it has been. http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2015/02/live_updates_auburn_hosts_nati.html ...
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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  15 hours ago

Pearl on chippy game/technicals: "I'm not a big fan of it, but at the same time I'm not going to get pushed around." http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2015/02/arkansas_blasts_auburn_101-87.html ...

Arkansas blasts Auburn 101-87 in marathon game plagued by fouls
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jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Marc Weiszer @marcweiszer  ·  3 minutes ago
Final: Auburn 69, Georgia 68. Bulldogs fall to 16-8, 7-5 SEC. Gaines 18. A dent in postseason resume for now.
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jbcarol

Bruce Pearl: Iron Bowl of the hardwood a 'must-win'

Quote"Right now (the win at Georgia) makes this next game a must-win situation," Pearl said. "It is a rival game for us, but now it gets us to .500. It keeps us in the loop for post season as far as being above .500. ... If we beat Alabama, we are at .500. You have to look at the rest of the games and say can we somehow win half of these games?

"We need to build that foundation, make a mark and change the culture," Pearl said. "At the end of the season we can look back and say we did that a few times, but this is not the end of the season. You have to beat Alabama if you are going to be able to build that foundation.

"You have to be able to beat your rival."

Auburn vs. Alabama

WHEN: 8 p.m. today

WHERE: Auburn Arena, Auburn

RECORDS: Auburn (12-13, 4-8 SEC), Alabama (15-10, 5-7)

ON THE AIR: TV — ESPNU; Radio — WMSP-AM 740, WLWI-FM 92.3, WXFX-FM 95.1, WDXX-FM 100.1, WTLS-FM 10.6.5, WTLS-AM 1300

AUBURN LINEUP: G K.C. Ross-Miller (6-0, GS) 6.7 ppg.; G Antoine Mason (6-1, GS) 14.4 ppg.; G K.T. Harrell (6-4, Sr.) 17.8 ppg.; F Jordon Granger (6-5, Jr.) 4.7 ppg.; F Cinmeon Bowers (6-7, Jr.) 13.0 ppg., 10.8 rpg.

ALABAMA LINEUP: G Justin Coleman (5-10, Fr.) 4.8 ppg.; G Rodney Cooper (6-6, Sr.) 10.1 ppg.; G Levi Randolph (6-5, Sr.0 14.8 ppg., 5.0 rpg., F Jimmie Taylor (6-10, So.) 4.6 ppg..; F Shannon Hale (6-8, So.) 8.4 ppg..

NOTEWORTHY: After opening the year 9-1 at home, Auburn has lost four straight at Auburn Arena. The Tigers are coming off a 69-68 win at Georgia, their second straight road win, and the best road win for the program since 1999-2000...
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jbcarol

Alex Byington @AUBlog  ·  11 hours ago

FINAL: Alabama 79, Auburn 68. Crimson Tide sweep the season series in Bruce Pearl's first year on the Plains.

Pearl: "It's about as bad a game as we've played all season." Pearl takes credit for the loss, says it's on him for not having team ready.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Auburn falls to Alabama, Crimson Tide sweeps season series http://www.oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/basketball/men/article_5f72ecc6-b737-11e4-aabe-5b6c652fb171.html ...
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jbcarol

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  10 hours ago

Sorry, Bruce Pearl, but it's still Anthony Grant's and Alabama's state. http://ow.ly/Jeyrh

QuoteScarblog: No Auburn basketball coach had beaten Alabama in his first year with the Tigers since Bill Lynn during the 1963-64 season. Lynn got it done on Feb. 29, 1964.

How long ago was that? Charles Barkley had just celebrated his first birthday nine days before...

Unless the Tide and Tigers meet again in the SEC Tournament, which seems as unlikely as either making the NCAA Tournament, Bruce Pearl won't end that streak...

Grant is now 3-1 against Pearl, including Pearl's time at Tennessee.
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jbcarol

SportsWorld: 'If you win, there's always another job'
Bruce Pearl should be in coaching purgatory for NCAA transgressions. So how is he on Auburn's sideline?


QuoteHis brilliance isn't defined by turning a moribund Tennessee program into the nation's No. 1 team... It goes beyond that he took the Vols to the cusp of the Final Four; or that he got Milwaukee into the Sweet 16; or that he made Southern Indiana into a Division II powerhouse.

All you need to know about Bruce Pearl is that, in 2015, he is coaching. And not as a superfluous assistant or at a remote program.

He's at Auburn, an SEC school. He was the most significant hire of last year's coaching carousel, one that included heavy-hitters like Buzz Williams, Cuonzo Martin and Steve Wojciechowski.

And it all happened despite the fact that Bruce Pearl has committed two coaching Cardinal sins and was hired while still serving the NCAA's version of a jail time...

On June 14, 2010, Pearl and each of his three assistants — Shay, Steve Forbes and Tony Jones — were asked about the picture [of then high school junior Aaron Craft with Pearl and the wife of an assistant at Pearl's house] during an interview with Joyce Thompson [The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game], one of the NCAA's lead investigators.

They lied, despite knowing almost a week prior to sitting down with the NCAA that the picture existed.

"Have you, and I apologize, this is a grainy photo that we received in our office, and I received this through e-mail just to let you know," Thompson asked Pearl, according to the NCAA's Notice of Allegations sent to the university and obtained by the Knoxville News-Sentinel. "But, um, we received this picture and it purports to be you with Aaron Craft. Do you have any recollection of that incident or maybe where this picture was maybe taken from and ..."

"That's Aaron," Pearl said. "That's me. I don't really know where that's taken."

"OK," Thompson said. "Any place on campus but you don't know?"

"Do you recognize the woman that's in the picture?" Mike Glazier, Tennessee's lead attorney, asked Pearl, referring specifically to Shay's wife.

"No, I really don't," Pearl said.

"Coach," Glazier asked, "Is that in your home any place?"

"No," Pearl said.

After bowing out of the 2011 NCAA tournament with a 30-point loss to Michigan in the opening round, Tennessee fired Pearl.
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jbcarol

Bruce Pearl made quite an impression in his Rupp Arena debut in 2006. As a first-year Tennessee coach, he guided the Vols to a 75-67 victory over Kentucky, then celebrated by ripping off his shirt (think Incredible Hulk, only orange) and letting his happy players douse him with a cooler of sports drink.

Recalling the winning locker room moment, Pearl said he saw what was coming, carefully set aside his signature orange sports coat and then fumbled trying to remove his shirt and tie.

"I couldn't get it unbuttoned," he said Thursday. "Finally, I just ripped it off. Buttons flying everywhere."

After a pause, Pearl added, "You don't get a chance to win at Rupp very often. So when you do, you better celebrate."


QuoteIt was only Tennessee's second victory at Kentucky since 1979. There have been none since.

When asked if he again would rip off his shirt for another dousing should his first Auburn team defeat Kentucky on Saturday, Pearl chuckled for 10 seconds. Then he simply said, "Yeah."

Auburn hasn't beaten Kentucky at Kentucky since John Caylor (remember him?) hit a buzzer-beater in 1988. The Tigers haven't had a winning record in Southeastern Conference play since 2009, and there was only that one since 2000. Given that Auburn and Pearl are in the first year of a formidable rebuilding process, snapping No. 1 Kentucky's 26-game winning streak this season seems even more unlikely than a Jewish man from Boston becoming an athletic celebrity in the Bible Belt South. Twice.

Pearl, whose most famous moment as Tennessee coach came when he sat bare-chested in the student section for a Lady Vols' game, does not embrace the persona of master promoter. Marketing was his major at Boston College, but twice he deflected questions about why he chose that field of study.

"I just don't like when it's billed as some kind of P.T. Barnum thing," he said. "It's not. ... Everybody thinks it's about marketing or showmanship. It's about commitment."

Like UK Coach John Calipari (another marketing major), Pearl actively supports charities. A golf outing last year raised $250,000 — $200,000 more than the previous year — for Children's Harbor in Birmingham.

Pearl also spoke at Camp War Eagle, a multiday orientation for freshmen at Auburn. "I coached them up," he said. "I challenged them to take advantage of Auburn."

But the tag of marketer/promoter/showman sticks. Mike Strange, a columnist for the Knoxville News-Sentinel, noted that Pearl worked as a mascot as a student at Boston College. "It just comes natural to him," Strange said.

Bob Kessling, the radio play-by-play man for Tennessee, recalled Pearl's introductory news conference as UT's coach. When the questions and responses ended, Pearl went to Kessling and asked, "When do we go out and start selling? Don't we have to go out and sell advertising?"

Kessling, who covered the news conference live for the Vol Network, said, "He was ready to go out that day and sell advertising."

Pearl famously got up on chairs at UT cafeterias to urge students to support the team. He made former stars such as Bernard King and Allan Houston feel welcome again. He saluted another coach who won and made winning fun at Tennessee, Ray Mears...
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jbcarol

It's good to have Bruce Pearl back

QuoteWelcome back, Bruce Pearl. We missed you, you big orange guy you.

The former Tennessee coach returns to Rupp Arena on Saturday might when his Auburn Tigers take on No.1-ranked Kentucky, a stiff challenge Pearl himself admits his first-year team is probably not ready to tackle.

We don't care about all that. We're just glad to have Hypeactive Bruce back in the good ol' SEC, back where he's a passionate voice for the sport of basketball, where he knows how to sell a program, where he can entice fans at a football school to be interested in basketball.

Look at SEC basketball in Alabama. At Alabama you have Anthony Grant, who may be a good basketball coach, but he has not personality has never shown a willingness to sell the program. His media dealings are almost painful. It's not that Grant is obstinate, it's just that he has no interest in the back-and-forth with the media that helps build a following.

Pearl is the exact opposite. He calls questioners by name. He tries to answer the question. Sometimes, he even gives more than he's asked to give. Some may think that's calculating, or fake, but when you're trying to sell a product at place where the product has not been all that popular, you have to put yourself out there. Pearl has never been afraid to put himself out there.

It's good to have him back here, back in the league, back at Rupp.
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choppedporkextrasauce

what a suck up story for a sleazebag coach. The SEC is diminished by having this thing back in coaching.

jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  8 minutes ago
Bruce Pearl reaction after 110-75 loss at No. 1 Kentucky: http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2015/02/no_1_kentucky_demolishes_aubur.html ...

Quote"We did not defend, we did not compete," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said on the postgame radio show. "Disappointed in that.

"My gosh they just smashed us," said Pearl, "and they had 62 points in the paint."
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jbcarol

Alex Byington @AUBlog  ·  24 hours ago

Auburn's Bruce Pearl: "I don't think I relish the spoiler's role ... I'd like to see (the SEC) get 5-6 teams in (to the NCAA tournament)."
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jbcarol

Alex Byington @AUBlog  ·  59 minutes ago
FINAL: LSU 84, Auburn 61. Auburn loses 6th straight at home by getting manhandled in the lane, LSU outscoring AU 52-18 on pts in the paint.

Bruce Pearl: "It's frustrating and disappointing. ... I thought the effort was better than against Kentucky, but the performance wasn't."
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jbcarol

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  31 minutes ago
Pearl on 6-gm losing streak at home: "If these teams are on our schedule earlier this season, we would've lost them" http://www.al.com/auburnbasketball/index.ssf/2015/02/lsu_blasts_auburn_84-61_auburn.html ...
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jbcarol

Bruce Pearl @coachbrucepearl  ·  Feb 23

I'm headed to Momma G's for lunch today, @AUJungle you're invited and your meal is on me! See you there at 12pm.


This is the kind of thing that will endear the students to the head coach.
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jbcarol

Quote from: sickboy on February 28, 2015, 08:22:59 am
Only 48 years old. Far too young. His era in the NBA was part of the prime of my youth with basketball.

http://m.espn.go.com/nba/story?storyId=12397807

His son had a big game for Auburn against Kentucky last week.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  6 minutes ago
Auburn's Antoine Mason leaves team as father, Anthony, dies at 48 http://s.al.com/a31r9Wb

QuoteAntoine Mason left the Auburn basketball team on Thursday to return to his father's side, according to a team spokesman. The Tigers play at Texas A&M at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

Anthony Mason had been in a New York hospital trying to recover from multiple surgeries stemming from a heart attack suffered in early February.

The change in Mason's condition came suddenly. Earlier this week, Antoine Mason had been told his father was getting better in frequent phone calls home, although Anthony has been unable to speak since suffering the heart attack.

The elder Mason had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure earlier this month, according to ESPN.

Antoine Mason, who scored 29 points in Auburn's loss to Kentucky last Saturday, was the Tigers' second-leading scorer at 15.1 points per game. When his father suffered the initial heart attack in the days surrounding Auburn's loss to Arkansas on Feb. 10, Antoine left the team to be by his father's side for several days, returning in time to score nine points against Georgia three days later.

Until his health deteriorated, Anthony Mason was a fixture at Auburn games, standing in the tunnel entrance to watch his son play...
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Bruce Pearl @coachbrucepearl  ·  4 hours ago
Prayers going out to our brother @Antoine_Mason and his family during this very difficult time You made your Dad proud. #Mase @AuburnMBB
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jbcarol

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  8 minutes ago
Bruce Pearl: Texas A&M 'first class' for helping Auburn honor Anthony Mason http://ow.ly/JMcJE
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jbcarol

Joel A. Erickson @JoelAEricksonAU  ·  Feb 28

Bruce Pearl targeting Birmingham for neutral-site games, pairing up Auburn and Alabama for event http://s.al.com/sieroWJ

QuoteBruce Pearl wants to make Auburn basketball a statewide product.

And he's not afraid to take the show on the road to do it.

Pearl is actively trying to schedule more games in Birmingham, not only a revival of the Auburn-UAB series of the 80's and 90's, but also as a potential landing place for neutral-site games aimed at fans in the Birmingham area and Auburn fans in north Alabama.

"We have a fan base that would come to Birmingham that is in Birmingham that will not come to Auburn and those in north Alabama," Pearl said Friday in a chat about scheduling. "We have Florence and Huntsville. Fans in the northern part of the state that would really support a trip to Birmingham."

An unabashed fan of neutral-site games, Pearl has actively ramped up Auburn's scheduling in only one season with the Tigers, and he's still looking for another marquee non-conference game for next season.

Bigger picture, though, and down the road, Pearl wants to have a presence in the city of Birmingham. Unlike his predecessor, Pearl spent most of his May last spring following Gus Malzahn around on Tiger Trek tours, and the experience convinced him that he could make Auburn basketball a statewide commodity.

"You have seen those "State of Auburn" shirts, we are everywhere," Pearl said, referencing shirts worn by the football team.  "We have got to be able to recruit Huntsville, we have got to be able to recruit Birmingham, we have got to be able to recruit Montgomery and Mobile, and we have to be able to recruit this state. I think it is important to take the show on the road."

One other possibility? Partnering with Alabama for a neutral-site doubleheader in Birmingham against a pair of schools from another state like Michigan, North Carolina, California or others...
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jbcarol

Dave Matter @Dave_Matter  ·  26 minutes ago
Final: Missouri 63, Auburn 61.

Auburn's TJ Lang says Auburn had trouble hearing the play calls because of the crowd noise. Haven't really heard that at Mizzou Arena lately

Pearl says he thought Harrell was fouled twice on Auburn's final possession

Pearl: "Our kids haven't quit. Kim's team hasn't quit."
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Wesley Sinor @WesleySinor  ·  9 hours ago

"We played hard, but the things that have been getting us all season long got us at the end." -- #Auburn's Bruce Pearl

Bruce Pearl: "I apologize to our fans about the record.. These guys are playing hard & haven't quit. There's something to be said for that."

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  12 hours ago

Watch Auburn players react to Bruce Pearl's fro on Throwback Thursday http://ow.ly/JZCvC

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jbcarol

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  5 minutes ago

Auburn has to be basketball fan base of the year in support of Bruce Pearl and his struggling Tigers. http://ow.ly/K0XvP

QuoteScarblog: How about fan base of the year?

Georgia fans would be eliminated from consideration because they needed a cheat sheet of rules on how to cheer when No. 1 Kentucky rolled into town Tuesday. That stunt reinforced the negative stereotype that, outside the Bluegrass, SEC fans don't know what to do with themselves between the bowl games and spring games.

This season's college basketball fan base of the year: Auburn.

Supporters of the Tigers have been vocal and loyal. They've showed up and turned down ... for what?

For a team that's 13th in the 14-team SEC at 12-18 and 4-13. For a team that's 2-6 at home in the SEC, has lost its last six conference home games and hasn't won a home game in the conference since Jan. 17.

"Even some of the games they've lost, it's been a much better product to watch than it's been the last few years," Charles Barkley said. "We've got to get some better players, and I have great faith in Bruce, but I will tell you this: This team is a lot better to watch. They hadn't been a lot of fun to watch the last few years. I really have enjoyed watching them."
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Joel A. Erickson @JoelAEricksonAU  ·  5 minutes ago
Auburn comes up short in 64-61 loss to Georgia in home finale http://s.al.com/GDG9Qse

Auburn Basketball @AuburnMBB  ·  35 minutes ago
Thank you to the 9,121 fans for filling #Auburn Arena this afternoon - our fourth sellout of the season! #WarEagle
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net