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Can Coach Pearl create the Duke of the SEC?


creed

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I'm just imagining there are specific aspects of the Auburn basketball framework that are ripe to create a basketball behemoth of the SEC.

1) Coach Pearl has a clean slate to work with.

2) He as the personality and the energy.

3) We have the facilities.

4) Only a couple (Kentucky & Florida) of true contenders for talent.

What do you think?

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If your asking if AU can be a national power in basketball then I would say yes. We are located close to Atlanta which produces a lot of good ball players. It would take probably 5+ years to get there so the trick is hoping Pearl is in for the long haul here.

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It will take a while but ...

We are 2-1 in his first year against 3 lower level tourny teams ...

Borderline top 10 recruiting class on the heels of a positive recruiting class.

The 2 or 3 alabama players of the year highly interested in auburn.

High morale by the fan base (relatively speaking)

Very good facilities

2 hours away from one of the largest metros in the country

A tried and proven coach

Exciting brand of ball

A very charismatic and energetic coach

I don't know how long away we are from being good then great ... But we are 3 games closer and the Barbee disaster is behind us.

If nothing else ... The future is bright and optimistic. Greatness is a hopeful possibility.

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The problem Auburn will have is keeping Pearl after he has several successful seasons.

I don't know about that...he was successful at UTK and didn't leave there..of course until the BBQ stuff. I think if he is happy and his family is happy he can build something and leave a mark...Who knows he may want to be successful to have the arena named Pearl Arena...
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The problem Auburn will have is keeping Pearl after he has several successful seasons.

Not according to Pearl himself. He said at his introductory press conference that he wanted to be the winingest coach in Auburn basketball. That's not going to happen in a few years.

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I honestly think what he wants most is to cement a legacy here. Be our Adolph Rupp, so to speak. He talked about that numerous times when he was at UT. I think that's what he wants at AU. As said earlier, I'm sure he would love to have the arena named after him one day.

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Yeah, yeah. You guys know good and well talk is cheap. Somewhere down the road, if he is successful here, a big time BB school will trail it's skirts in front of him.

With big bucks.

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Yeah, yeah. You guys know good and well talk is cheap. Somewhere down the road, if he is successful here, a big time BB school will trail it's skirts in front of him.

With big bucks.

Could very well happen. I won't say that you're wrong in your opinion. I just think he feels building something lasting is more important than a bigger paycheck.

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Yeah, yeah. You guys know good and well talk is cheap. Somewhere down the road, if he is successful here, a big time BB school will trail it's skirts in front of him.

With big bucks.

Could very well happen. I won't say that you're wrong in your opinion. I just think he feels building something lasting is more important than a bigger paycheck.

I think it'd take a Carolina/Duke/Kansas/UCLA/Kentucky type offer for him to leave.

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If he leaves because we have done well ... That will be the first time a coach left because things were going well.

Could actually be a positive ... Well at least as compared to all of the recent major sports coaching turnovers.

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I may be naive, but I honestly do believe that he is focused and more interested in a legacy than a paycheck. I think he trusts that if he builds what he wants and what we want, he will be compensated. We don't shy away from big deals (esp not with JJ) - heck look at what we did to get him in the first place! I don't know why, but I do think his bigger interest is the legacy than the $$.

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Barring another run in with the NCAA or some other freak incident, he will be staying at AU the rest of his career, and I can say that pretty confidently.

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Re our proximity to Atlanta....I don't see that as the key to becoming a national power. The national powers recruit nationally and make a habit of picking up the top player in each state which means that it's likely that UK, Duke, UNC-Ch pick their players the rest of the Div 1 schools fight over the leftovers.

Guess I'm hoping we get some good solid players and then keep them for 4 years...like Florida. JMO but I just can't see us as a serious alternative for most / any of the 5* one and done type players.

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Yeah, yeah. You guys know good and well talk is cheap. Somewhere down the road, if he is successful here, a big time BB school will trail it's skirts in front of him.

With big bucks.

There comes a point when a person is making "enough" and a few hundred thousand more dollars is immaterial. Most successful head football and basketball coaches at major schools have passed that point. There are things more important to them than a pay raise.

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Yeah, yeah. You guys know good and well talk is cheap. Somewhere down the road, if he is successful here, a big time BB school will trail it's skirts in front of him.

With big bucks.

There comes a point when a person is making "enough" and a few hundred thousand more dollars is immaterial. Most successful head football and basketball coaches at major schools have passed that point. There are things more important to them than a pay raise.

He may not be attracted by additional money. But the lure of a coaching at a Kansas, UCLA, Duke could be enough for him to move on. It is more likely he will not end his coaching career at Auburn than he he will.

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Auburn can afford to pay him big time money. He won't be lacking for that. If he can turn Auburn into a national contender on a regular basis, that will be a heck of a legacy. I don't know what he will or won't do.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Seems a little early to think about becoming a perennial contender like Duke.

After the last decade of hopelessness on the court, I'm just hoping this is not the place where quality coaches come to see their careers ended.

I'm just hoping for a win in the next game.

Then, hoping for a positive season.

Maybe in the next couple of years we'll make the NCAA's.

If we still have a competitive program in 5 years, I'll be thrilled.

But a dynasty like Duke?

Hope springs eternal.

Would love to see it.

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I think we'll see him around for some time. Here's his HC coaching history:

9 years at Southern Indiana

4 years at Milwaukee

6 yeas at UT

He's 54 yoa and has one D2 Tourney NC to his name. EVERYONE knows he is a GREAT coach, but he hasn't had an opportunity to put down his roots somewhere. I think he had that in mind at UT and was on his way to building a great program there, until...he just made a really bad decision. I think, pure speculation of course, he'll be at AU for at least a decade or more to truly establish his coaching legacy.

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Guest jojo1515

Duke of the SEC....you mean can we be Kentucky? Seems the SEC already has a team better than Duke.... But just maybe we can be to Kentucky what UNC is to Duke....which I guess would be pretty much the same thing....

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You're talking Duke......I don't think people are understanding how big Duke is as far as basketball....can someone emulate Coach K's career? No

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You're talking Duke......I don't think people are understanding how big Duke is as far as basketball....can someone emulate Coach K's career? No

I agree.

I want Coach Pearl to have us emulate what UF has.

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