Pearl to talk to Tennessee

[BasketBallJones]

sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2021706

[Zoofan]

I really just can't see Bruce leaving us...I think he worked really hard to build a good strong team, and now he has it. I don't think that a guy with true heart, like I believe Bruce has, would leave a team just days after breaking all the rules....we were not supposed to make it to the sweet sixteen, and yet we did. I don't honestly think that money is a number one factor with him....I think he tuly does have loyalty to us...at least for now. Not to say that in the future he may not go somewhere else, but I think our team for next season is way too strong to leave behind!!! I am really hoping that my high thoughts of Bruce are correct!!

[PANTHERfan]

just heard some chatter on 1510 AM The Game... they were talking to a reporter from The Tennesseen. he seems to feel that BP and Creighton's coach will be the leading 2 candidates. i guess it doesn't mean much now but still, i'm not liking the things i'm hearing. i really hate to think about losing Pearl...

[Rambler63]

Last year I worked in Arkansas producing the University of Arkansas women's basketball broadcasts. From what I know of the SEC, Pearl would be nuts not to go hard after the Tennessee job. Look at the pros and cons:

PROS:
1. He would double his base salary with the stroke of a pen.
2. He would make as much in endorsements as he does in base salary-- there is little competition from pro sports in SEC country.
3. He would be the top dog in the state in basketball-- unlike being behind Bo Ryan and Tom Crean.
4. Tremendous facilities.
5. Built in rabid fan base.
6. His biggest competition would be the Tennessee women's team and the football team. Vanderbilt is hampered by being the only private school in the league.
7. You can have a rebuilding year and still make the tournament in the SEC because your RPI is always spiked by Florida and Kentucky.
8. Great media markets by SEC standards-- Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville.
9. Men's basketball expectations are pretty low at Tennessee right now.
10. Your recruiting budget is enormous.

CONS:
1. You have to live in the South.
2. Warmer weather leads to more "bad hair days."
3. Bruce Pearl will stick out as having the highest energy of anyone in the entire state.
4. Will probably have to hire an additional accountant.
5. He will sweat like Nixon in a sauna on those hot Tennessee nights.

[UICJason]

Con:

Order of importance at his own school:
1. Football
2. Women's Basketball
3. Men's Basketball

[pantherband1]

Con:

-Have to grow a mullet and lose a few teeth to fit in.
-Send his children to hillbilly land to finish school.

[Big D]

Pearl would simply use Tennessee as a stepping stone. They've had a garbage team for the paxt X years....if he brings them any success and attention at all in the next couple years (which would not be that hard, considering their past), he will land a high major job....

[coacheinerson]

A stepping stone? Why would you step to a lower stone than where you are? Third fiddle at UT or Milwaukee's Best? Where would you rather be?

[sauby]

Why would he go somewhere and play on a court named after the Womens Coach??

[ironpeddler]

Tennessee has said they will pay up to $1.5 million a year for a good coach. Pearl can not turn down that type of money when he makes close to $400,000 a year now. Schools that have successful football programs just have more money.

[uwmfan04]

In today's JS article about the Panthers, it says that Bruce already met with officials from UT in Chicago on Friday. You can't fault him one bit for testing the waters, but I would still be surprised if he makes the jump at this time with his most recent statements. But then again, $1.5 mill is a lot and Tennessee isn't as bad of a place as some make it out to be.

But then again, I would expect another big boost in his salary by UWM. If it didn't come from the university due to financial issues, then I would imagine a big boost from private donors. Mark Few of Gonzaga made $528,321 in 2003 and Bruce is getting to that level of achievement and is relatively close in terms of salary. I think he will be at or above that level if we can keep him!

By the way, when seaching for coaches' salaries I found an intersting table (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/luke_winn/01/18/inside.bkc/) which has the coaches who make the most as a percentage of the president's (or highest paid) salary at private colleges. Tom Crean topped the list, making 222.2% more than the top person at Marquette.

[CreamCity]

But -- re MU, the actual dollar figures are more telling, as that sort of comparison may not be useful for Catholic campuses. The religious (i.e., the Jevvie president of MU) often only take subsistence pay (plus free housing -- but then, UWM's chancellor has that, and at a much tonier address on Lake Drive in Shorewood:-).

[nohopspanther]

I was shocked to see how much Dana Altman was paid, not to mention the fact that Creighton had $35MM more in revenues than Marquette.

[Rambler63]

You guys are totally deluded. I defy any of you to say that you would turn down a chance to work at one of the best companies in your field for more than three times as much... You'd be an idiot to say no, especially when your salary is more or less locked in by state law. Pearl lived a few miles from Kentucky for nine years before going to UWM, and Knoxville is like Paris compared to Jacksonville, Indiana.

[UICJason]

It's not a step down...under any circumstances.

ANY.

You can love your success all you want, but UW has tons of fans, and MU still has TONS of fans. Your third fiddle in reality. Maybe that's going up, but it's not there yet. I'm not being stupid, just realistic.

Also, UT is in the SEC, let's remember...a real conference. It's a step up. Big step up.