Will Tyler Smith go to UT now?

[moose3542]

I think Bruce Pearl is an excellent choice. His record over 13 years is 317-84. I think he was the best man for the job (except I wish they had given Bob Huggins a chance but with his DUI and low graduation rate they said no thanks when he called). As for the UAB coach, I am not impressed.He won a few games in the tourney beating Kentucky last year (so did Kevin O'Neill, and we know where he took the program). UAB had not beaten a team with an RPI rating higher than 50 all year until the tourney. They had also lost I believe 4 games to teams with an RPI lower than 100. He will win a few games but overall I don't think he would be a good fit. And this program needs players regardless of the coach. They have Lofton and Watson is ok. Wingate showed flashes of being an SEC player but everyone else is awful. Hendrix is on of the worst players I have ever seen along with Dane Bradshaw. Tyler will certainly help and Jamont(if he comes) will definetely contribute as well. Good luck to Bruce, I think you will be good.

[HTV]

Go back and look at my post again before you post such nonsense.  I stated that TN did not learn anything from the Buzz Peterson experience.  Buzz too was an awesome coach at a lower level, but he was a complete flop at UTK.  My question is...Why did UAB's coach withdraw his name?  You know the money was more than he was making now and it was the chance of a lifetime to coach at an athletic minded school.  UTK will be at the low end of the SEC for years to come.  Look at the recruiting class that KY, MS State, & Georgia has coming in next year...TN has Tyler Smith & the big kid from Hickman County.  TN better have a coach that can take an average bunch of guys and make them play team ball.  It looked as though Pearl was able to do that in the NCAA tourney.  Only time will tell if he can make it happen...if not, then there will be another coach in UTK.

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Why did Mike Anderson withdraw his name? Because it became apparent that UT's number one target was Pearl, and not he. Just like Dana Altman, he withdrew because he knew he wasn't going to be offered the job.

 

They both pulled out to save face.

Edited March 29, 2005 by HTV

[PTSportsWriter]

Pearl's long time reputation is great...

He's learned from Dr. Tom Davis

He's a lot of things Buzz isn't. Good charisma, tougher coach. Says his teams will not get outcoached or outworked.

 

It may be a flop, but who hasn't here.

 

But I'll say, I've been very impressed by his talk the first day - lets see if he can walk now

 

As for Mike Anderson (and Dana Altman) it was probably a professional courtesy thing from Hamilton. Pearl was in town on Saturday and Sunday, and those two pulled out on Saturday night.

 

Its likely, in courtesy, Hamilton called those two, informed them that he was hiring Pearl, and allowed them to pull out to 1) Save face, 2) Say they were loyal to their school - which would help in getting a raise.....I don't think they pulled out because they didnt want the job - fwiw.

[Svebakken]

He's learned from Dr. Tom Davis

 

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Bruce Pearl definitely had a great mentor. It was good'ol Dr.Tom that got him into coaching in the first place. They met up at Boston College, and he spent 14 years as his assistant. He left there and went with Dr.Tom to Stanford to bring an end to their 20 season losing streak. Then, when their work was through there, they moved on to Iowa(where I am originally from) and in their first 6 seasons there, they led the Hawkeyes to 5 NCAA tourney appearances, 2 sweet 16's and one elite 8 appearance. After that, Bruce Pearl was regarded as one of the top assistant coaches in D1. He still credits Dr.Tom for 75% of what he knows. He for some odd reason went to D2 to coach, I believe he said that he thought the high D2 teams were better than low D1 teams at the time, but later changed his mind on that. For those that are still doubting on him as a head coach. Some interesting facts for you, he is the fastest coach in any level of college basketball to win 200 games at one school. He won 231 games in 9 seasons, that is amazing. This was his first head coaching job, then in his first year with UWM he won 16 games. Which was the most they had won in a season in like 10 years. It was also the most wins in a season by a first year coach in the school's 108 year history. I am not a big Tennessee fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I do believe they found a good coach who can turn the program around. He has a good history of being a part of turning programs around.

[sportsradiotn]

Another great move for the future of UTK basketball...NOT!!!  What a joke.  The guy takes his team to the Sweet 16 one day and TN is hiring him to bring their basketball program back from the grave.  Pearl will not be any better than Peterson.  TN should have learned that because a coach can lead a Mid-Major D1 school to the NCAA tourney doesn't mean that they can take a High Major school to the same tourney...look at the competition.  If I was Tyler Smith I would be working on the paperwork to go somewhere else.  TN will be at the bottome of the SEC next year and in the years to come.

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Pearl's Panthers did something that Peterson's Vols did not do this season - beat Alabama! WMU went to the Sweet 16 - beating Bama and Boston College. Any basketball person will tell you that a team doesn't get that far without a good quality coach.

Yes, Peterson led Appalachian State to the NCAA once...but didn't get past the first round.

Pearl was recommended to the brass at UT by Ernie Grunfeld - a guy who knows a thing or two about talent - coaches and players. The last person Grunfeld recommended to UT was Jay Wright. They passed and went with Peterson. Wright is the head coach at Villanova and they had a pretty good year - Sweet 16 and lost to North Carolina by 1!

If Tyler Smith wants to get plenty of playing time early in his career and learn from a top notch coach - he needs to stay with his pick of UT. I'm not a Vol fan either as you can see below.

[therickbol]

Anybody that does any research and knows anything about basketball will realize that Pearl is a great hire. He is an amazing coach. He did ALOT of things Peterson did not do. To compare them is ridiculous. Peterson made the NCAA tourney once (lost in the first round) and won the NIT. Pearl has coached for 15 seasons, 14 of them were 20+ win seasons. He won a national championship (and lost in championship on year) in division II. He made the Sweet 16. And, for you to say UTK mens basketball will be at the bottom of the SEC for years to come you must not know much about the players UTK has a good chance of getting. And, I believe Pearl can get them. Lofton was thinking about transfering and as soon as he talked to Pearl he immediately said he was staying. Next season UTK's roster could include the following players. And, if it does then they be at the top of the SEC, not the bottom.

 

 

PG Willie Kemp

SG Chris Lofton, Jamar Gordon

SF Tyler Smith

PF Pierre Niles

C Willie Chism, Major Wingate

[sportsradiotn]

Anybody that does any research and knows anything about basketball will realize that Pearl is a great hire. He is an amazing coach. He did ALOT of things Peterson did not do. To compare them is ridiculous. Peterson made the NCAA tourney once (lost in the first round) and won the NIT. Pearl has coached for 15 seasons, 14 of them were 20+ win seasons. He won a national championship (and lost in championship on year) in division II. He made the Sweet 16. And, for you to say UTK mens basketball will be at the bottom of the SEC for years to come you must not know much about the players UTK has a good chance of getting. And, I believe Pearl can get them. Lofton was thinking about transfering and as soon as he talked to Pearl he immediately said he was staying. Next season UTK's roster could include the following players. And, if it does then they be at the top of the SEC, not the bottom.

PG  Willie Kemp

SG Chris Lofton, Jamar Gordon

SF  Tyler Smith

PF  Pierre Niles

C  Willie Chism, Major Wingate

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Chism and Kemp are juniors this season...so, they won't be at UT next season.

[afan1222]

Anybody that does any research and knows anything about basketball will realize that Pearl is a great hire. He is an amazing coach. He did ALOT of things Peterson did not do. To compare them is ridiculous. Peterson made the NCAA tourney once (lost in the first round) and won the NIT. Pearl has coached for 15 seasons, 14 of them were 20+ win seasons. He won a national championship (and lost in championship on year) in division II. He made the Sweet 16. And, for you to say UTK mens basketball will be at the bottom of the SEC for years to come you must not know much about the players UTK has a good chance of getting. And, I believe Pearl can get them. Lofton was thinking about transfering and as soon as he talked to Pearl he immediately said he was staying. Next season UTK's roster could include the following players. And, if it does then they be at the top of the SEC, not the bottom.

PG  Willie Kemp

SG Chris Lofton, Jamar Gordon

SF  Tyler Smith

PF  Pierre Niles

C  Willie Chism, Major Wingate

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Yes Kemp and Chism are juniors and they wont be here next year and more than likely willie will be at UK not UT. chism's name is Wayne not willie, and i maybe wrong but i also thouht pierre niles was also a jr.

[Hawse40]

Wisconsin has made Tyler an offer that will be hard to refuse.

[123kid]

Tyler is pretty much stuck at Tennessee if he wants to play next year. Pearl is a good fit at UTK so i think Smith will stay there. After watching the McDonald's Slam Dunk contest i think Smith could of finished around second.

[mnewballer21]

Wisconsin has made Tyler an offer that will be hard to refuse.

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i dont really think tyler's game fits into the style of play at wisconsin, i dont think he'd be doing himself too well to go there

[sportsradiotn]

If Wisconsin has made an offer to a player that has signed and committed to another school that would be a serious violation of NCAA rules.