Perhaps I missed the ceremony or I actually missed the news but when exactly did Bruce Peal become a saint or a martyr? Apparently it has happened in the last couple of weeks since Josh Selby de-committed from the University of Tennessee because now basically the whole, entire universe of sports writers feel sorry for the Volunteer coach.
Jeff Goodman of Fox sports started the canonization process for Pearl when he wrote the following in his blog:
Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl truly does have some self-control. The Vols coach was sitting in the same gym as Memphis coach John Calipari after a lengthy flight to Las Vegas from Israel and didn’t say a word despite the fact that he and the Vols believe that Calipari and his friend, William Wesley (aka Worldwide Wes) had something to do with elite point guard Josh Selby de-committing from Tennessee.
Yea, I can’t bash too much the whole Calipari is still the Memphis coach thing because after editting my last post 2-3 times. I still got the backcourt and frontcourt mixed up. So moving on from that. This whole throwing a pity party for Bruce Pearl thing is getting really old by now. And it is a tad but hypocritical. Where was the outrage when Bruce Pearl signed formed Mississippi State recruit Scotty Hopson and the fact that Bruce Pearl was still calling UK recruit Jon Hood AFTER he had committed to Kentucky? And what about Pearl and American Jewish basketball team running up the score on Mexico 112-13? Not outrage there?
And where was the sympathy after Jeremy Tyler de-committed from UL and Pitino? And for Coach K when Eliot Williams left? Or even for Billy Donovan when all his players have left for the NBA or his recruits de-committed? Or even with the case of Austin Rivers, a Florida commit who will take visits to Duke and UNC? No venom for Roy or Coach K about this? Is it because all of those coaches, Calipari included, have had their time on the big stage? And that Pearl, despite having the talented teams that always seem to underperform, is still seen as the “lovable loser” or the clown that paints himself in orange and hob nobs with the students? Sure, the fans love him, but has he really cracked the glass ceiling of top notch coaches? Hell his team is overshadowed by both football and the women’s program, so does that make Pearl the eternal underdog?
And what is with Goodman’s article? What was Pearl going to do? Challenge Calipari to a fist fight? Shove him? Scream obscenities? Pearl is paid a great deal of money to show decorum, so why is he being praised for doing so?
And finally … did Goodman actually TALK to Pearl and his Tennessee staff to see if they ACTUALLY think that Calipari and “his friend” WWW were responsible? Speaking of which, where was the outrage when “WWW kid” Will Barton committed to Memphis?”
Unfortunately the them for this season is going to be “EMBRACE THE HATE“. And all the outrage, deservedly or not, will be directed at Cal and the Cats. Better get used to it.
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