SPLASH! AUBURN HIRES BRUCE PEARL AS BASKETBALL COACH

[marsbold 67]

Alex Byington ‏@AUBlog 7m

Auburn, Bruce Pearl agree to 6-year, $13.2 million deal that will pay Pearl $2.2 million per season, via @Szvetitz (http://www.oanow.com...0.html …)

http://www.oanow.com...17a43b2370.html

That's strong. Per this link http://www.usatoday....es/ncaab/coach/ BP looks like he'll be the 14th highest paid coach in the country and 2nd in the SEC. While football will always be king at AU, this makes a strong statement for what JJ and others want the basketball program to be.

[aucanucktiger 1,794]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/bruce-pearl-is-back-and-he-ll-make-auburn-relevant-192559755.html

I found this a great perspective piece for folks like me that have mixed feelings about this hire. War Eagle Coach Pearl, Voltown will seem like junior varsity compared to the Plains.

[Ouchyfish 67]

Wonderful news! I have been out of pocket the last few days and was not even aware Barbee was gone!! =o

[CalgaryTiger 0]

I heard an interview with Bruce Pearl today and I noted two things.

• The AU roster is significantly challenged
  
• He is grateful to AU for hiring him, and therefore he intends to build his legacy at AU and not jump to other jobs after a couple of years.
  

This is obviously a paraphrase. Take it for what it is worth. We need to give him some time to get it going based on comment #1. If we are patient, he may stay for a while based on #2

War Eagle

[InfernoOrangeSS 321]

Wonderful news! I have been out of pocket the last few days and was not even aware Barbee was gone!! =o

Dude,

We just hired a rock star who should rescue AU BB!

[lionheartkc 6,150]

I heard an interview with Bruce Pearl today and I noted two things.

• The AU roster is significantly challenged
  
• He is grateful to AU for hiring him, and therefore he intends to build his legacy at AU and not jump to other jobs after a couple of years.
  

This is obviously a paraphrase. Take it for what it is worth. We need to give him some time to get it going based on comment #1. If we are patient, he may stay for a while based on #2

War Eagle

He'll stay for a while because his contract pretty much locks him in for at least 3 years or he actually owes the university money for being their coach. After the 3rd year, he would be able to pocket a few million, but if he leaves before 6, he's leaving A LOT of money on the table.

[cooltigger21 0]

I heard an interview with Bruce Pearl today and I noted two things.

• The AU roster is significantly challenged
  
• He is grateful to AU for hiring him, and therefore he intends to build his legacy at AU and not jump to other jobs after a couple of years.
  

This is obviously a paraphrase. Take it for what it is worth. We need to give him some time to get it going based on comment #1. If we are patient, he may stay for a while based on #2

War Eagle

I think most people understand the roster situation. Because CTB could not retain players this is what we are faced with.

[RunInRed 16,426]

Pearl on leaving after a few successful years at #Auburn: "No way. Not happening. I still have a chance to create a legacy."

@JHokanson

[WarEagle84 0]

I heard an interview with Bruce Pearl today and I noted two things.

• The AU roster is significantly challenged
  
• He is grateful to AU for hiring him, and therefore he intends to build his legacy at AU and not jump to other jobs after a couple of years.
  

This is obviously a paraphrase. Take it for what it is worth. We need to give him some time to get it going based on comment #1. If we are patient, he may stay for a while based on #2

War Eagle

He'll stay for a while because his contract pretty much locks him in for at least 3 years or he actually owes the university money for being their coach. After the 3rd year, he would be able to pocket a few million, but if he leaves before 6, he's leaving A LOT of money on the table.

If he leaves, whoever hires him away from us will pay the buyout.

I don't see him leaving for any of the big bball schools that would be willing to pay that kind of money, since he has talked about wanting to build something out of nothing. When asked why he would want to come to a school that hasn't been to the dance in 10 years and is coming off their worst 4-year stretch in history, he said BECAUSE we hadn't been to the dance in 10 years and are coming off our worst 4-year stretch in history.

[Skyler97 14]

[DKW 86 7,426]

I never really thought about it, but they are right. In the SEC, we have UK, UF, and everybody else is just varying stages of mediocrity.

Pearl could easily put us in the bottom of the NCAA Tourney next year with just a few ball bounces.

I am more fired up about this hire than i can state. I loved basketball when i was at Auburn. Sir Charles and Chuck Person and relevance.

Other than a short run in 1999 and 2003, we have sucked so long at Auburn i lost my love of basketball.

Bruce Pearl has got me excited enough to drive 3 hours for a basketball game.

[gravejd 3,270]

Everything in Pearl's resume seems to indicate he doesn't jump around a lot and enjoys building programs. No one can tell the future but Pearl leaving in the next 3 years would not be a big concern of mine. Unless there are some really good juco guys that he can get to come in, I'll expect us to struggle next year. So it may take a bit to start having major success at AU.

[DKW 86 7,426]

I love that the football coaching staff showed up for the pc.

[WarEagle84 0]

I love that the football coaching staff showed up for the pc.

Likewise. I expect to see a lot of cross-promotion between the two sports this fall.

[InfernoOrangeSS 321]

I love that the football coaching staff showed up for the pc.

Likewise. I expect to see a lot of cross-promotion between the two sports this fall.

I do too. It is great that Coach Malzahn sees the benefits of having someone like Coach Pearl in the Athletic Dept. Both of them can feed off of each other. (Football recruits going to meaningful BB games, and BB recruits going to great football games, etc.) I like that our football coach is secure enough in his own mind that he doesn't have to worry about being "upstaged", etc.

Gus Bus and the Bruce Caboose are going to ravage the SEC!!

War Eagle!!!

[mustache eagle 2,406]

Everything in Pearl's resume seems to indicate he doesn't jump around a lot and enjoys building programs. No one can tell the future but Pearl leaving in the next 3 years would not be a big concern of mine. Unless there are some really good juco guys that he can get to come in, I'll expect us to struggle next year. So it may take a bit to start having major success at AU.

the next time a coach leaves auburn to take a better job will be in a very small minority. Other than swimming's marsh and someone mentioned one other coach, there have not been any modern era coaches to leave auburn in a positive note. So if pearl leaves for a "better" job it will mean auburn has been doing well. Good position to get the next guy. I can handle that. Pearl will either be here for a while or will do right by us. I predict he is well regarded by AU when his time is done.

[NoALtiger 3,865]

Bruce on Mike and Mike now.

[InfernoOrangeSS 321]

You gotta love it!!

[telling tiger 156]

Too darn funny.

[cooltigger21 0]

I love that the football coaching staff showed up for the pc.

Likewise. I expect to see a lot of cross-promotion between the two sports this fall.

Have some big weekends with both teams having a big game. Not sure if it would work this season but in future years you might want to. Big bball games in January make for a great atmosphere for recruiting weekends.

[AU64 10,122]

I love that the football coaching staff showed up for the pc.

Likewise. I expect to see a lot of cross-promotion between the two sports this fall.

Have some big weekends with both teams having a big game. Not sure if it would work this season but in future years you might want to. Big bball games in January make for a great atmosphere for recruiting weekends.

I've always been uneasy about doing the ODK trophy award at a basketball game. I think it's done to attract a crowd for the basketball game...but IMO, it makes the basketball game look second-tier. Maybe this is the time to consider doing the award at the A-Day football games from here forward.

Otherwise, using big football or basketball games as part of the weekend events when recruiting for any sport is a good thing IMO. No matter whether a swimmer or baseball player.....seeing what student life is like outside of their own sport has got to be a good selling point.

[homersapien 11,385]

Everything in Pearl's resume seems to indicate he doesn't jump around a lot and enjoys building programs. No one can tell the future but Pearl leaving in the next 3 years would not be a big concern of mine. Unless there are some really good juco guys that he can get to come in, I'll expect us to struggle next year. So it may take a bit to start having major success at AU.

I am sure you mean the "possibility of him" leaving in the next 3 years.

But I agree. Unless this guy is nothing but a big blow-hard phony - and I don't think he his - there's no reason not to take as his word. He certainly exudes enthusiasm and genuineness.

JJ may being remembered for hiring the two best coaches in AU history.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,366]

This guy has huge energy. I love the enthusiasm he's bringing to the table already.

[mustache eagle 2,406]

I've always been uneasy about doing the ODK trophy award at a basketball game. I think it's done to attract a crowd for the basketball game...but IMO, it makes the basketball game look second-tier. Maybe this is the time to consider doing the award at the A-Day football games from here forward.

Otherwise, using big football or basketball games as part of the weekend events when recruiting for any sport is a good thing IMO. No matter whether a swimmer or baseball player.....seeing what student life is like outside of their own sport has got to be a good selling point.

i don't see it as second tier.

It just happens to be the next large event that the school can show off a win over them. Also, there are lots of awards given during the football games which obviously doesn't make the football team appear 2nd tier.

[InfernoOrangeSS 321]

I've always been uneasy about doing the ODK trophy award at a basketball game. I think it's done to attract a crowd for the basketball game...but IMO, it makes the basketball game look second-tier. Maybe this is the time to consider doing the award at the A-Day football games from here forward.

Otherwise, using big football or basketball games as part of the weekend events when recruiting for any sport is a good thing IMO. No matter whether a swimmer or baseball player.....seeing what student life is like outside of their own sport has got to be a good selling point.

i don't see it as second tier.

It just happens to be the next large event that the school can show off a win over them. Also, there are lots of awards given during the football games which obviously doesn't make the football team appear 2nd tier.

You are very right in your response, but I would still like to see the trophy handed off at the game itself. Most of the rivalries that have a trophy do it at the game itself.