Tag Archives: Tennessee Volunteers

Doin Elite Lines

I know, last week's half naked Will Ferrell aka Jackie Moon picture was a disappointment, so this week I give you, body paint!

I did about as bad as I could have on my picks for the Sweet 16, but you just like Jesse James I’ll have to dust myself off and move on. Maybe I underestimated Tennessee, and I definitely gave the double digit seeds a little more credit than I should have. I thought they’d be close enough to cover a spread or two, but that wasn’t the case. I guess the last two days truly were separation days. The Cinderella’s went down, and the true contenders are headed to the Elite 8 with the Championship in sight. There was one thing I pondered while watching Duke tonight, did anyone get screwed more by the making of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy than Scheyer? He must hear so much hobbit trash talk on the court every game I wish we could hear him mic’d up. I know I’d be getting my punches in… Anyways, here’s my picks for the weekend games, and who will be making the final four.

Kentucky (-3.5) Over West Virginia

This is a tough one for me. I will be pulling hard for West Virginia, and huggy bear. But as much as I want them to win, I know they won’t. They need to pick up the defense, and if they can somehow stop/slow down Kentucky from running up and down the court, they have a shot. I just think Kentucky looks too good to be beat. This will be the first truly good team they’ve faced, and we should be able to tell if they are going to be able to walk their way to a Championship after this game. I thought Cornell would put up a little fight, but I was completely wrong. I think I’ve now forced myself to not pick against Kentucky again in fear of being eaten by Demarcus Cousins. Is it just me or is anyone else curious how much bigger he is going to get  when he hits the pros? Christ, he already looks as big as Al Jefferson out there. Ok, ok, maybe that was an exaggeration, but agianst Cornell’s twiggy center, and most other players he’s come across he looks like a man amongst boys. The guy is going to be huge after he hits the weights for a couple years.

Butler (-3) Over Kansas State

I’d really like to see Pullen have some more cracks at game winners, the guy is nails when it matters most. My biggest question for this game is, how much does K-State have in the tank after that double OT marathon. I’m impressed with how many minutes those guys have played, and maybe Gus Johnson made them seem a little longer, but it has to catch up to you somewhere along the line. Maybe they are just young and can shake off the soreness or are in that good of condition. I think adrenaline could get them through this game, but Butler is playing out of their minds right now. Never bet against the team with the longest winning streak even if you really want to win the bet. This should be a good game. I’m REALLY looking forward to this one! Continue reading


Coaches Gone Wild, Part IV : Charity Receives “Pearl of Wisdom”

I can't do KKK jokes? But I have so many!!

I can't do KKK jokes? But I have so many!!

09-24-09 – In the final installment of “Coaches Gone Wild”, we’re treated to a true ‘Pearl of Wisdom”.  If Bruce Pearl thought his job was tough before throwing around race jokes at charity events, the next few months should prove to be several times worse.  Pearl, the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee, was one of the featured speakers at a kickoff for charity fundraiser among Tennessee Valley Authority employees.  He took questions from the crowd, and one person asked him about his three new players this year. Part of his response was as follows:

“I’ve got a tough job. I’ve got to put these guys from different worlds together, right? I’ve got guys from Chicago, Detroit. I’m talking about the hood! And I’ve got guys from Grainger County, where they wear the hood!” Pearl said. After a pause, he added, “That wasn’t part of the script.”

  

Bruce Pearl: The V is for Volatile

Bruce Pearl: The V is for Volatile

The Apology:

“This morning while speaking at a private kick-off event for a great organization that benefits many local charities, I made a statement in jest to describe the diverse group our staff recruits year-in and year-out.

“Unfortunately while I was trying to excite the crowd and encourage employees to give, I made an inappropriate joke. I certainly did not intend to offend anyone and I apologize to everyone, especially the people of Grainger County.

“In no way am I trying to justify what I said, but I’m disappointed that the focus has been placed on me rather than the charities I was there to help. My only hope is that the visibility of this mistake will encourage those who can to give to those in need during these difficult times.”

Can you tell which one had to where a costume to look like a dog?

Can you tell which one had to where a costume to look like a dog?

The man is charismatic, there’s no denying that, as evidenced in the photo where he painted a “V” on his chest in support of the Lady Vols.  He’s a great motivator and speaker, apparently knowing his audience there in Tennessee to a fault.  Even the folks from the county to which Pearl refers, Grainger, didn’t have a problem with the comment and laughed it off, saying they understood it to be a joke.  That’s fine, I guess, but what about the kids he referred to from “the hood”?  So far we haven’t heard from them, and I doubt we will, but I’m curious to know what they think.

After further review, Bruce Pearl seems to be getting a free pass and that really worries me.  It shouldn’t be ok for a coach to slip up and draw race cards to excite the crowd.  The fact that the crowd enabled the joke to succeed, at a charity event, is pretty scary as well… but that’s a different story for a different day.  I just hope Bruce Pearl can think of better ways in the future of getting his audience to donate to charity.