Bruce Pearl article in Chicago Sun Times this AM

[axaguy]

Just a note. I know Pearl brought you guys your best moments in basketball but he has, again, proven to lack in the integrity area despite his "on court" brilliance. He certainly can coach but his recruitment efforts and personal integrity have come under scrutiny several times and several places.

Today an article in the Chicago Sun Times indicates that he is refusing to cooperate with an internal investigation at Auburn University regarding his recently fired assistant coach and circumstances with the federal investigation and allegations that the coach was a significant "player" in the steering, control and illegal financial inducements of athletes to get them to attend specific schools. His refusal to cooperate could result in his almost immediate dismissal.

Funny how Pearl has run into trouble almost everywhere he's been..... Improper recruit contact to hiring and employing an assistant who blatantly, allegedly, has been a player in the seemy side of big time college basketball. I can't believe Pearl, or any D1 coach, is/was not aware of the influence games played by the shoe companies, AAU coaches and private associates and families of top level basketball kids. Play for hire.

He certainly had issues with Jimmy Collins of UIC, while at Iowa, but Pearl's continued violations and flirting with integrity, at the least, further confirms that he himself thinks he is above the law and blatantly violates any forms of decency in the name of winning..... Not that he is alone, by the way by any means, but trouble seems to find him more often...... Maybe a bigger target. I think ANY college coach at ANY intercollegiate level is VERY aware of the BS that goes on. They may or may not participate themselves but saying they are unaware of the seemy stuff that goes on is an unmitigated lie. My two cents. Don't even mention North Carolina here. Coach Williams was "unaware" of phony classes.... Yea right, and I have some great real estate for sale cheap. Has a great view of the ocean.... and for you a "special' price..... yea, right.

[nickpanther]

its not a surprise. heck of a coach. VERY loose with following the rules. won't surprise me if Auburn cans him.

[Pantherholic]

Nov 9, 2017 22:23:26 GMT -6 axaguy said:

Just a note. I know Pearl brought you guys your best moments in basketball but he has, again, proven to lack in the integrity area despite his "on court" brilliance. He certainly can coach but his recruitment efforts and personal integrity have come under scrutiny several times and several places.

Few people would’ve argued he’s a saint, it was really more of a discussion of how much does one care if he’s a saint or not. People have wanted a guy like him back here but I’m willing to bet it’s more based on his energy, enthusiasm, style of play, etc.

While I have almost no hope the NCAA will give Louisville the death penalty, I’m hoping they send a different message that’s as unprecedented as this scandal. I’d love to see lifetime bans for those arrested, Pitino, Pearl and anyone else who we don’t know about yet. The NCAA has shown before they are willing to try punishments for unprecedented situations like Penn State football and this sends a stronger message ultimately IMO.

[PantherU]

Link: Auburn reportedly tells Bruce Pearl to cooperate with investigation or risk being fired

Wanted to get that up here so people didn't have to dig.

The NCAA has been shown plenty of times to be culpable or at least in-the-know about major violations and even law-breaking. They've been utterly toothless in most instances - good God, North Carolina - so I'm expecting they'll probably let the FBI carry the weight.

Pearl really should be an NBA coach anyway.

[theDarkHawkReturns]

Not to sound like a BP fanboy (I am not), but I have had some candid conversations with the parents of a former Panther who was heavily recruited by some very high profile programs while still in High School. This family was very faith centered and I have no reason to doubt anything they told me.

Long story short, the ENTIRE high D1 system is a corrupt mess. Pearl is merely not good enough at disguising it. EVERY program (probably WI and MU included) is dirty to one degree or another. They have to be just to compete. There is SO much money handed out, offered, counter offered, etc. you would not believe it. We are talking 10's of thousands of dollars for even a marginal High D1 recruit.

If you want to tell if a program is clean? Look at the ones in power conferences that never seem to compete. They probably are not having boosters pay recruits, so they don't get recruits. That means they rarely win, except in magic seasons where they gel and have a senior led class playing better than they were expected to coming in.

I am told the same thing happens in football. Don't kid yourself. The NCAA knows full well what is going on, and really could care less, unless the acts are so blatant they cannot ignore/deny them. The BILLIONS the NCAA makes (pretty good for a "non profit organization", huh?) are at stake, and they will not let ANYTHING disrupt that product.

Oh, and for what it's worth, that kid I was talking to chose Milwaukee/Jeter because they were the only staff who DIDN'T cheat and make such offers...they were impressed by that and it conformed to their personal beliefs. They just were not the type to do something unethical.

[BBFran]

Colleges play dirty because their fans allow it. Let's be honest: plenty of Milwaukee fans would be happy to look the other way to have a coach like Pearl here again, God forbid. Just like the fans on Wells Street pretended that everything was kosher as long as Crean and Williams were delivering tournament bids.

Conversely, too few Milwaukee fans gave Rob Jeter any credit at all for running a clean program. Hell, neither did a succession of ADs.

[davedome]

Nov 13, 2017 8:39:53 GMT -6 theDarkHawkReturns said:

Not to sound like a BP fanboy (I am not), but I have had some candid conversations with the parents of a former Panther who was heavily recruited by some very high profile programs while still in High School. This family was very faith centered and I have no reason to doubt anything they told me.

Long story short, the ENTIRE high D1 system is a corrupt mess. Pearl is merely not good enough at disguising it. EVERY program (probably WI and MU included) is dirty to one degree or another. They have to be just to compete. There is SO much money handed out, offered, counter offered, etc. you would not believe it. We are talking 10's of thousands of dollars for even a marginal High D1 recruit.

If you want to tell if a program is clean? Look at the ones in power conferences that never seem to compete. They probably are not having boosters pay recruits, so they don't get recruits. That means they rarely win, except in magic seasons where they gel and have a senior led class playing better than they were expected to coming in.

I am told the same thing happens in football. Don't kid yourself. The NCAA knows full well what is going on, and really could care less, unless the acts are so blatant they cannot ignore/deny them. The BILLIONS the NCAA makes (pretty good for a "non profit organization", huh?) are at stake, and they will not let ANYTHING disrupt that product.

Oh, and for what it's worth, that kid I was talking to chose Milwaukee/Jeter because they were the only staff who DIDN'T cheat and make such offers...they were impressed by that and it conformed to their personal beliefs. They just were not the type to do something unethical.

[davedome]

What high profile D1 recruit did we get again? Who was that?

As for Bruce, he’s trying to protect Chuck Person, who was a good coach, all-time leading scorer and has his number retired at Auburn. He was the basketball program and won’t be hung out to dry by anyone there; guilty or not. Also, don’t tell me Auburn cheats more than Duke or Kentucky.

Yes, I would take Bruce back.......in a second. He brought excitement to the program and could cover up many blemishes in the school/department.

[ghostofdylan]

Nov 13, 2017 19:18:13 GMT -6 davedome said:

What high profile D1 recruit did we get again? Who was that?

As for Bruce, he’s trying to protect Chuck Person, who was a good coach, all-time leading scorer and has his number retired at Auburn. He was the basketball program and won’t be hung out to dry by anyone there; guilty or not. Also, don’t tell me Auburn cheats more than Duke or Kentucky.

Yes, I would take Bruce back.......in a second. He brought excitement to the program and could cover up many blemishes in the school/department.

No midmajor administrator would touch BP with a 10-foot pole. Let's give PB a chance to show what he can do.

[davedome]

Oh I'm happy with PB and he has my support. I'm just saying that BP isn't as bad as portrayed (par for the course).

[theDarkHawkReturns]

My point was exactly that, DaveDome.

Everyone at the top levels is dirty...some more than others. BP is not unique or special, except in that he is a bit less subtle about it. If your program is consistently in the top 25, you get at large bids (above an 8 seed) regularly, and are on ESPN/CBS/ABC/NBC/FS1 all the time....you are dirty. Period.

The default assumption for fans should be a program is dirty and paying a lot of people until it is proven they are not. BP is just the sacrificial lamb for the NCAA (again). Every single Major Conference coach knows what REALLY happens, and they all play along and do not upset the multi-billion dollar apple cart, because they are all getting theirs.

Do you really think these programs are paying coaches multiple millions a year, and are NOT willing to cheat their asses off to win? Give me a break.

[Pantherholic]

Nov 13, 2017 19:18:13 GMT -6 davedome said:

As for Bruce, he’s trying to protect Chuck Person, who was a good coach, all-time leading scorer and has his number retired at Auburn. He was the basketball program and won’t be hung out to dry by anyone there; guilty or not. Also, don’t tell me Auburn cheats more than Duke or Kentucky.

Protect Person from what exactly? He's been arrested and charged for federal crimes by the FBI! What's Auburn going to do that's worse?

[steveisback]

So Greg Gard is dirty?

[parkerj]

Nov 14, 2017 10:28:58 GMT -6 steveisback said:

So Greg Gard is dirty?

Right? Like...the only recruit I could see Bo having cheated for is Butch. Pretty much everyone else either committed early or came from the land of misfit toys.

[Super King]

Every top program is dirty. Pearl is dirtier than 70% of them.