UWM’s Pearl to TENN (ESPN)
This is funny, because I’m pretty sure Bruce Pearl was the same guy on PTI last week who talked about not being like other coaches and wanting to move around a lot for other jobs. But it’s a coach, so what do you expect.
This was the year to leave, too. They were an older team at the end of their cycle and were very unlikely to be as good next year, in the Horizon League alone. And you’re only the new Breakthrough Coach for so long – if you’re going to take advantage of it, you ought to do it quick.
Greatest Thing Ever: No Collins/Pearl stories twice (or five times) a year! Hope you stay in the SEC a long time.
I will say I was quite disapointed to see Pearl leave so fast after YEARS of him saying he doesn’t like to hop around. I swear I’ve heard that comment out of him at least 5 times now and he bolted for the money faster than you can say Kevin O’Neil.
Speaking of the former Marquette coach I think Pearl will flop badly in Tennessee. O’Neil who was a better recruiter, coached at a bigger school, and was on par with X’s and O’s didn’t fair so well down there. I see Pearl having the same issues. Which is too bad because he is a genuinely likeable guy (in that fan to team sense) that you don’t want to see fail.
If UWM doesn’t hire Jack Bennet (Dick Bennet’s brother and I may have his first name wrong) they are not very bright. In Wisconsin guys who have success in DIII or DII do quite well when brought to the DI schools just because they know the state and have a system in which they can win with state kids. It really is a no brainer for a hire.
I couldn’t agree with you more about not having to listen to those stupid Pearle/Collins stories. Hey maybe we will get to play Illinois now in the non conference schedule!