Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl goes out of the way to accommodate the media, perhaps more than anyone on the Vols' athletic staff.

But enough was enough for Pearl on Sunday night when he was hit up for an interview with television reporter Rob Petrone of WLMT-CW30/WPTY-ABC24 in Memphis.

Pearl's exchange with Petrone, which took place at a synagogue where he was attending an Israeli emergency campaign, ended with Pearl slipping in an on-camera expletive criticizing the line of questioning.

The link to the clip has drawn numerous responses on Tennessee Internet fan boards, most all supportive.

Pearl said he was just speaking his mind.

"At first, I thought to myself I should have just kept my cool,'' Pearl said. "But then I watched it, and the guy tried to smash it down my throat, four or five times. I tried to answer it as politically correct as I could for a long while.''

Petrone said he didn't have an agenda.

"I asked what I thought was a legitimate question," Petrone said. "He kept coming back with rhetorical questions. He kept throwing it back at me.

"The initial question was off the cuff, and he kind of accused me of editorializing. I was just stating Memphis was a better team and what do you have to do to pass them up."

Pearl said he received a phone call from Memphis basketball coach John Calipari, who had just happened to be watching the report live.

"Coach Cal called and laughed about it,'' Pearl said. "He said, 'Hey, that was pretty cool.' "

Petrone started the interview with the premise that Memphis is the No. 1 basketball program in the state, and then followed by asking Pearl if his goal was to make Tennessee the No. 1 program in the state.

Pearl's response?

"I didn't know there was a ranking that ranked Memphis No. 1,'' he said. "I didn't see that.''

Petrone re-stated Memphis was No. 1 in the state on the strength of their Elite 8 appearance in the NCAA tournament.

"That would be your opinion, certainly, if you think Memphis is the No. 1 program in the state, then you are entitled to that opinion,'' Pearl said. "I didn't see any polls.''

Pearl was then pressed for his opinion on which team is No. 1 in the state.

"I know Memphis beat us, that's clear, they beat us last year,'' Pearl said. "But to say they're No. 1 program in the state are they in our league?

"Is there a No. 1 program in the state?'' Petrone asked.

"I think the University of Tennessee is a great institution and we don't take a backseat to anyone,'' Pearl said.

The reporter continued to hammer at the question.

"So are you saying that the University of Tennessee is the No. 1 basketball program in the state?''

Pearl, visibly growing more frustrated with the interview, shot back: "I'm not saying that; I think it's a horse (expletive) question, to tell you the truth. That's what I think.''

Pearl said he knew what Petrone was fishing for, and he didn't want to give it to him.

"I'm not going to say we're No. 2,'' Pearl said. "I'm not going to concede that.''

Rick Russo, sports director at WVLT in Knoxville who has covered the Vols for 21 years, said he was surprised by the exchange.

"It's obvious the guy was badgering him and trying to illicit a response,'' Russo said. "I might have followed the first question with a follow-up, but I personally would not have asked that question that way that many times.

"In that situation, because of our working relationship with Bruce, I wouldn't have run that on the air.''

Russo said he hasn't had any negative dealings with Pearl.

"Bruce Pearl is out there pumping up this university as best as he can, and he's a terrific ambassador,'' Russo said. "He is a very easygoing guy.''

Petrone said he's glad to hear people in Knoxville are talking about this story.

"Memphis fans will look at it and say Bruce Pearl is stupid, and Tennessee fans will rally around it," Petrone said. "Everybody wins. I can't blame him for sticking up for his program."