BP took the $$$ and ran....

[witness1002]

this sounds vaguely familiar...




Pearl ready to put down roots in Tennessee
By DUNCAN MANSFIELD, Associated Press Writer
March 29, 2005

After leading 12th-seeded Wisconsin-Milwaukee on a surprising run through the NCAA tournament, Pearl was introduced as the Volunteers' sixth basketball coach in 16 years.

"The one thing about coaching that is the most challenging is that it is nomadic in nature,'' Pearl said Monday. "If you win, they are worried you are going to leave. And if you lose, they are packing your bags. There just doesn't seem to be anything in between.''

Pearl has done some moving around. The 45-year-old coach won a national championship during nine seasons at Division II Southern Indiana before moving to Wisconsin-Milwaukee four years ago.

"This is my dream to be able to run a program like this,'' he said. "And because I am built that way, I am digging in.''

University president John Petersen appreciated the sentiment.

He gave Pearl a Tennessee jersey with the No. 14, marking his 14th season as a coach, and expressed hope that he would be presenting Pearl with another one -- a No. 24 -- in 10 years as Petersen retires.

Pearl took Wisconsin-Milwaukee to the round of 16 this year for the first time, beating Alabama and Boston College before falling to top-seeded Illinois. The Vols haven't been in the tournament since 2001 and missed it in all four years under the fired Buzz Peterson.

He was fired March 13 after a 14-17 season.

"I have complete confidence that he will take our program to the next level,'' university president John Petersen said of Pearl, whose career record is 317-84.

Tennessee doubled Pearl's package with a five-year deal paying $800,000 a year, plus bonuses, and agreed to buy out his Wisconsin-Milwaukee contract for $194,000.

Wisconsin-Milwaukee athletic director Bud Haidet was disappointed Pearl was leaving, but said the departure didn't come as a total surprise.

"Success is always a double-edged sword in our business,'' he said.

Pearl told the UWM players Sunday night about his decision.

"To be honest, I guess I'm a little surprised that he went to Tennessee as far as it being his first offer,'' guard Mark Pancratz said.

"It's time for us to hold our end up,'' Pearl said, with football coach Phillip Fulmer looking on.

Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt, whose name often comes up as a candidate to be the men's coach, said she has heard "great things'' about Pearl.

Pearl huddled with Tennessee players Monday before the official announcement. Players said they liked what they heard.

"I feel a lot better that we have a coach and he wants to play the style of play that I like to play,'' junior guard C.J. Watson said.

Freshman guard Chris Lofton, a former Kentucky Mr. Basketball considered the most likely player to transfer because of the coaching change, said he's staying.

"I just thought I didn't want to leave the Vols,'' he said. "

[uwm6thman]

Sauby
do all of us a favor and stop coming to games if you ever have, stop posting on the board and go follow Bruce around and tell him how much you hate him. This is really getting sick, the man is gone, he moved on, he bettered himself and his family wish him well and get over it.

[sauby]

Who are you to question my loyality to this team??? You dont even know me! I am a huge UWM fan, I just said what Pearl did was deceitful...I am not mad he is gone, he just did it very poorly

[pnthr30]

I get the feeling that the only way you wouldn't be pissed with BP is if he stayed....... He didn't do anything "deceitful"........did he answer every probe/question/etc. 100% PC? Probably not, but there is not a person alive who could have........he handled things just fine, and made a decision that was in his, and his family's, best interest - can't blame him for that.

[sauby]

Then why did they even bothering having that last TV show?? Do you also know that he is no longer talking to Milwaukee media in radio and TV?

[Hack]

sauby said:

Do you also know that he is no longer talking to Milwaukee media in radio and TV?

And what do you base this on? Have you talked to Bill Johnson? Will BP immediately hang up if he calls him to be on The Game for a segment?

Look at today's Journal Sentinel ... look at the quotes:

"It was very emotional for me and for the players, but it was something I had to do," Pearl said. "There were tears and there was laughter. There were some very strong feelings.

"I told them I would always be a part of their lives. I just won't be their basketball coach anymore."

Note that none of that was taken from yesterday's press conference ... so looks like BP is still talking to Milwaukee media.

[pnthr97]

Personally, I admire the way Bruce handled the situation. His team was on a fantastic run in the tourney and AT NO POINT did he say ANYTHING to take away from that. He never brought attention to himself. Rather, he continued to credit his players and coaches and promote the university. He handled the situation as well as anyone could've asked.

Sauby, you're living in dream land. With all due respect, I don't believe you understand the logistics of college basketball and being a mid-major program.

[nighthawk]

Hey Hack, lay off.

You have a lot of nerve to tell people how they should react to this whole situation. Some of us are upset and feel lied to. Some of us are still in a bit of shock, some of us have gotten over it, and apparently you still want to have Bruce's baby.

I think we, individually and collectivly, are allowed a little latitude here. Some of us are able to seperate hisdecision from the handling of the situation. We can seperate the success he brought from the way he went out.

I guess a simple thank you UWM would have been nice. Insted we were referred to by our full formal University of Wisconsin Milwaukee in a distant manner. That may be the first time I've ever heard him refer to the school in that manner.

[sauby]

Did you know that Tennessee had Pearl on there radar since January?? You think that wasnt playing tricks in the back of his mind?? Hey left for one reason, money, I thought he wasnt they type of person to uproot his family, he said it himself, he doesnt like to do that....I just feel lead on.....time will heal this wound

[Hack]

Did I tell anyone how to react? No.

Last time I check this was a message board for opinion. I'm expressing mine, lay off.

[pnthr97]

Pearl in no way left simply for money. That's simply not true.

[Hack]

pnthr97 said:

Pearl in no way left simply for money. That's simply not true.

Exactly. Because from what I've heard UWM put together a hefty $$$ package.

The man wants to win a national title ... he wants to build a major program. Whether we like it or not, it's HIGHLY unlikely that can happen here.

[nighthawk]

HackPanther said:

Sorry you feel that way.

Can I have your season tickets? You obviously don't want them.

We'll pull over so you can get off the bandwagon.

Unless I misunderstand what you said here, I guess only your opinion is acceptable. any other line of thought means you are bandwaggoner, and not a "real" fan.

I know Sauby. He's been on board with UWM for years. So have I. I went to games the first time the played in the Cell. If Sauby's opinion, or mine for that matter, makes us bandwagon jumpers, then so be it.

But I'll be damned if I'm going to get lectured by someone on how I should handle this type of a loss.

I bet your a real treat to have around when someone dies.

"Get over already. God, what's the big deal?"

[PantherLou]

I'm wondering how you feel "lied to" Nighthawk? Have you ever had any personal, one-on-one communication with Bruce? Did he tell you something we should know about?

The way I see it, he could probably lay claim that you "lied" to him. You wrote a very nice, apparantly heartfelt letter to Bruce. I personally saw to it that Bruce got that letter. He told me that it meant a lot to him. As I see it, it seems maybe you wrote that letter as some sort of emotial manipulation to get him to stay here. Maybe all you wanted was to keep him here, to make YOU happy. If so, that's awful selfish.

See, I know Bruce Pearl. I have talked to him about his potential leaving before. I will talk to him again soon. He never "lied" to me. He sure as hell didn't lie to you either. He never made it a secret that he wanted a "bigger and better" position. He never made it a secret that he wanted to take care of his family.

Just because you feel like he should have made the choice that YOU would have made, you feel hurt. That's very one-sided of you.

You never met the man, and you don't know him. Please don't go explaining his motives to me.

[jvaldon]

AMEN Lou....AMEN


by they way lou, im kickin some ass in our pool.