The Bruce Pearl -to- Indiana rumors are officially on.
Over the weekend, Inside the Hall reported that the rumors that Indiana wants to talk to Pearl, the Tennessee coach, were swirling at the NCAA Tournament East Region games in Birmingham, Alabama. And today those rumors hit the big time when they were the subject of a discussion on Pardon the Interruption.
So what to make of the rumors? Obviously, Indiana would love to have a coach as accomplished as Pearl to build the program back up after what is expected to be a low point when the NCAA hands down sanctions for former coach Kelvin Sampson's recruiting violations. But would Pearl really leave?
He would at least consider it -- Indiana is too storied a program, and Pearl has too many ties to the Big Ten and the state of Indiana, not to consider it. But my best guess is that Tennessee will offer him a raise to stay, and that's what he'll do. Pearl has a good thing going in Tennessee, and the situation at Indiana is anything but a good thing right now.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-26-2008 @ 6:03PM
fez said...
He said on Bryant Gumbel's show that he expects Indiana to come calling but has no intention of leaving Tennessee.
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3-26-2008 @ 6:09PM
Rob said...
If this happened, all Illinois fans' heads would simultaneously explode. The only person they (may) hate more then Kelvin Sampson is Bruce Pearl.
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3-26-2008 @ 7:21PM
§ said...
Rumors are just that, but the fact that PTI and MDS are discussing it means IU is still Elite.
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3-26-2008 @ 10:00PM
bigcobra79 said...
Roy Williams also said that he was never leaving Kansas, that worked ouu didnt.
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3-27-2008 @ 1:04PM
robbledonnert said...
jerry wainwright of depaul is on indiana's short list because of his ties to former hoosier glen grunwald. wainwright would prefer to stay at depaul and finish his career there. a lack of respect and commitment by depaul officials would force him to strongly consider the indiana job. the wake forest job was his for the taking. he turned it down because of his loyalty to depaul.wainwright's recommendation that skip prosser's assistant get the job sealed that deal.
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3-28-2008 @ 2:06PM
A Realist said...
Pearl will ALWAYS be #3 at TN...UT Football and Women's Basketball will always be the draw....You know what they say....if you aren't #1 your view never changes...Pearl would be CRAZY not to come to IU where he will be the #1 draw.
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