Tennessee men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl is honored to have the Vols selected Monday to repeat as SEC champions, but he knows there is plenty of work to be done if that prediction is to come true.
The Vols were tabbed No.1 in a poll of SEC media that included two media members for each of the league’s 12 teams and six additional writers selected by the SEC office. The voters also tabbed Tennessee’s Tyler Smith as player of the year. He was the only Vol selected on either the first or second team.
“We have worked hard to put ourselves in this position,” Pearl said. “I see this and that fact that we had 16,600 season tickets sold, and games already sold out, and players like Tyler Smith and (Wayne) Chism deciding to come back — that’s where we want to be.”
But, he’s far from ready to hand his team the title.
“I see this race as being a lot closer than last year,” he said. “Florida has had back-to-back great recruiting years. Vandy has the best big man in the league. Alabama and LSU are returning so many good players. I don’t see a dominant team.
“As far as Tennessee, we have a chance to be a real good team, but we have as much to work on right now as any team I’ve coached.”
When asked about Smith being picked to be player of the year, Pearl responded: “They got that one right.”
He pointed out, however, that three Vols — Smith, JaJuan Smith and Chris Lofton — were named to these teams last year, which brings up a matter of his concern.
“When are we going to see J.P. Prince on that list or Chism?” he said. “When are these new players going to surface; they will need to surface. We’ll need to see who steps up.”
PRESEASON ALL-SEC
First team
Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
Tyler Smith, Tennessee
Nick Calathes, Florida
Devan Downey, South Carolina
A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt
Second team
Marcus Thornton, LSU
Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State
Ronald Steele, Alabama
Tasmin Mitchell, LSU
Chris Warren, Ole Miss
Alonzo Gee, Alabama
PREDICTED TEAM FINISH
SEC East
Tennessee (23 first place votes), 172 (points)
Florida (5), 143
Kentucky (2), 130
Vanderbilt, 88
South Carolina, 56
Georgia, 41
SEC West
Alabama (11) 151
LSU (11) 147
Ole Miss (8), 136
Mississippi State, 91
Auburn, 54
Arkansas, 51
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Vanderbilt 65, Tennessee 47, Jan. 24…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 52
robot22 writes:
1st. Its what the Vols are going to place in the SEC and in the country. Get Some!
blitzshoot writes:
Should be another great year of SEC basketball. Go Vols!
Stay healthy.
givehim6 writes:
Get'm fired up Pearl just like last year theres a lot of broken hearted Vols out there that need some TLC, and something to look forward too. GO Pearl! GO VOLS!
Alabaster_Jones writes:
Ronald Steele is still in college? Man I think that guy played against Allan Houston.
Are they not allowed to vote for freshman? I figurd Hopson would be a no brainer, I mean he is the best recruit to hit the SEC since Doug Roth!
Moaninglikeheck writes:
Oh boy, when I first saw the headline on the front page, I thought WTF, this isn't April 1st. LOL
Then I realized it was a round ball article.
utvolz#637682 writes:
Certainly looking forward to the HoopsterVols after this debacle of a football season. Get em' ready coach!
Expectations are high and I think we'll be ready to measure up once this very young team has time to gel together as a TEAM!
I expect Tyler Smith to be a man amoung boys this season too!
Frank (broadcasting live from Manchester, TN!)
rckymtngator writes:
It looks like UT is now a basketball school, what a shame. Maybe someday soon, they will be a football and basketball school like Florida. At the end of the year, Florida will be SEC Mens Basketball Champions. We will give you the ladies championship.
PennVol writes:
Bruce needs to manage the talent and get the right chemistry on the floor. Should be a great season!
fedupvol writes:
I agree with poster...after disgrace of a football season...wonder if Pearl and Pat could double up and coach football?? fball team would be disciplined and ready to play even if they didn't know the schemes, etc. that have not worked all year anyway!
wjr2b2 writes:
Consistent point guard play will be the key to this team's success.
yeavols#228407 writes:
We can count on Pearl for sure...well at least for now. GO VOLS!! Except I wished we weren't tabbed to be 1st. It always produces unwanted attention, hate, and there is a huge target on your back. Anyway..GO basketball VOLS and make it come true. MARCH MADNESS here we come!
jmbigorange#280428 writes:
Pearl is da man!!!
mdvol writes:
Hell has officially frozen over!
For those of you who like to plan ahead, the Final Four is in Detroit at the new Ford Field, April 4-6.
ncvol writes:
Trust me when I say...We are still a football school and are becoming a men's basketball school. Now...as far as you giving us the Ladies championship ...well, I am sure we have earned everyone of them. Nobody has given Pat Summitt and the Lady Vols anything.
Go Vols !
ncvol writes:
Navalorange, I responded to the other post before I finished reading all the posts. I see we are thinking the same things.
Go Vols !
murrayvol writes:
Let's review the numbers. Pearl is 5-1 against Billy D. and his troops. I see no reason for that trend to change in 08-09.
Get back to us if it does.
bugola19 writes:
LOL ALABASTER!!! THATS SO FUNNY!!! IT DOES SEEMS LIKE HE'S BEEN THERE ALONG TIME..WHAT GEE..HE'S BEEN THERE SINCE RON SLAY ERA!!!
gavol2572 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
rkastens writes:
With the football team struggling I think we're all pumped about UT Basketball. However, it doesn't mean a whole lot. Win the SEC East. Win the SEC tournament. Make it to the Elite Eight. Then hand out the awards.
I'll be cheering for them to continue their recent success and I certainly think they can do it, but a lot will be determined by the play of the point guard.
Go VOLS!
threehundredbowler writes:
With all that was lost from last years team,some one has gone out on a limb with this prediction.I know the Vols will be good early and very good by tournament time but to win the conference championship this year may be a bit much even for Pearl.I know,workinglikeheck says Pearl is a God, book it.I see Florida and Tennessee fighting it out for the regular season championship with Florida winning it this year.Tennessee will have problems early but will more than likely come together late and win the tournament championship and the automatic NCAA birth that comes with it.Prove me wrong Vols.
ULTIMATEVOLUNTEER writes:
Open your eyes son. Bruce OWNS the Gators and little Ricky!
dvols writes:
all i want is a banner for the guys!
hotrodvol writes:
It'll be interesting to see who steps out to shoot the 3's.
Lofton and Smith will be missed, but it will be fun to see what Coach Pearl does, with a taller more athletic team...
GO VOLS!!!
Irwin_Linker writes:
Results 1 - 10 of about 291,000 for florida gators.... Results 1 - 10 of about 516,000 for tennessee vols. (0.13 seconds taken from google...crazy
budrhon writes:
Roth comparison to Hopson is just wrong dude. They are like day and night.
DandyVol writes:
That is really cool. I can't think of a better souveineer (sp) to have and to be signed by the coach. I have a sweat shirt which Bruce signed for me at the Xavier game and I know how I treasure it. I know we'll have some good games with Florida as they are always challenging (sp).
oldorange writes:
Just recieved my tickets to the "Old Spice Classic". I look forward to watching the b-bal Vols play in Orlando.
Steve
jimr07 writes:
it is going to be interesting to see if Pearl gets the same treatment as Fulmer if expectations are not met. Hate Florida by the way.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Looks like Pearl needs a talk from Mikey the H. Certainly spending too much time on recruiting and coaching.
He needs to be told in no uncertain terms how important "mentoring" is. It is the Siwash way.
b_neas writes:
2 things - 1st - How friggin long has Downey been at SC seems like he has played for 6 years!!
2nd - Catscratch will come make a post about how these people are idiots. After he puts on his blue glasses and drinks his blue kool aid his daily newspaper says KY is the unamimous pick to finish 1st. Then he will make a comment about headbands or ugly uniforms. This is a basketball site, if you wanna talk fashion go to the fashion/design site. You probably fit in better with that crowd anyway.
Singaporehillbilly writes:
Yes, I am looking forward to basketball season. I just hope that the wishy-washy fan base does not go to pieces and call for Pearl's job if we do not win the National Title.
NO_DIGGITY writes:
I checked some of the 3,150,000 of the Gators post. Most were books authored by Galen Hall and Charlie Pell on how to succeed in SEC Football the old fashioned way, Cheating. There were also appx. 233,000 sites with Eddie Munster look alikes.
askUncleMaze writes:
HEllo........
You forgot about B.Maze, somebody has to get them the Ball...
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Careful with TDTN, you may be opening a door that's hard to close.
volguy41nlouisiana writes:
UMMMMMmmm isnt that the only kind of expectations to set there azzz clown?
vol88 writes:
"next to all the girlie stuff"...have to admit that was pretty dang funny. Now run along wildkitten, and take gatorzz with you!
I take it as a compliment that all these fans of other schools come in here and flame the Vols! What does that tell you? What's next, an Ole Miss softball fan coming here to slam Monica Abbott?
rockytop4ever writes:
Im ready Bruce. Give me something to cheer about. Go Vols!
longtimefan writes:
All we have been missing is a point guard. Now we have one.
Volgrad777 writes:
Yeah Gatorzzz: 1.5 million of those google results are about Tebow wearing Jorts or drinking wine coolers. Im not even going to count the ones about Teddy Dupay being a wife beater hahahahahaha
THE_VOL writes:
Looks like the bandwagon will be overflowing again this year with uninformed, only-come-around-when-things-are-good morons. I highly suggest that some of you folks put down the kool-aid, dial down some of those ridiculous expectations, and take a reality pill.
This team will be good, will COMPETE for the SEC title, and should get to the Sweet 16 again. ANYTHING beyond that is a bonus! FAR too many uncontrollable factors to EXPECT anything else. Understand there is a reason Tyler is the only Vol on these pre-season teams - he's the ONLY CONSISTENT, PROVEN guy we've got! Here's hoping for the greatest season ever but realizing it could just as easily be a not-so-good-one too. REMEMBER - last year the Vols were 11-1 in games decided by 5 pts or less, and 15-2 in games decided by 7 pts or less with a MUCH MORE EXPERIENCED TEAM!!!!!! To EXPECT this group with SEVEN GUYS who've either NEVER played a college game or have NEVER played major critical minutes to come even close to that record is pure fan and media hype. So most of this non-sensical rah-rah hoopla is just amateur bulls*!t from fools who'll be beatching at the first and slightest sign of imperfection. Just let the season play itself out and let this team develop and be measured on PEARL'S schedule rather than the EXPECTATIONS of the jock-sniffing, wannabe crowd.
thesavageorange writes:
There is no doubt abot that, but let him do it anyway.
beavbullvol writes:
What a line up we potentially have:
PG- Prince
SG- Tabb
SF- Woolridge
PF- Negedu
C- Williams
Wait, that's the second wave!!! Come on basketball season, I can't wait. At least in bball, our freshmen and sophomores get to play!!!
NO_DIGGITY writes:
Odd thing, I just Googled Yokaim Noah and Pictures of that Ugly Chick from the Bill Cosby show kept popping up. I think her name is Lisa Bonet.
mempuss writes:
And this is relevant why?
stormblast writes:
I can't wait until it's time for the Pearl lay waste to the SEC and bring home more glory.
Everytime I watch the UT-Gators game, it makes me think of "The Empire Strikes Back." You know, the part during the light-saber fight where Pearl, I mean, Darth Vader tells Donovan, I mean, Luke - "I am your father." It's the best part.
Can't wait.
we3vols#281863 writes:
Doesn't the Gators have a "Loyal Coach" that could not decide where to coach. Yea, Hell yea. Pearls Vols Fear the Gators. His record against them proves that. Gators on this site is "Proof Positive" that even the Gators don't like each others company. Welcome Gator. This is where good basketball is noticed. Come to watch all of the Vols Basketball (Men AND Women). Watch how champions are coached and how Champions win. OR...Return to the Gator site and Dream about the Hill.
sameolvolalum writes:
Hey, guys. We need to ignore these rocky mountain turds and cat scratch trash types. They just need attention and you're giving it to them.
sameolvolalum writes:
Big Scottie. They'll beam you up to all SEC by season's end. 'How'se about you Wayne, J.P. and the Woolman? Who's going to join your bro's as big-timer's come the final four?
db11_cn writes:
What's the latest on Daniel West?
johnlg00#206211 writes:
A timely dose of reality, TV! I am as excited as anyone about the POTENTIAL of this team, but "potential" just means you haven't done it yet. It is a tribute to 1) CBP's stature as a coach; 2) respect for the talent he has assembled; and 3) lack of any other PROVEN powerhouse in the conference this year that we are picked #1 in PRE-SEASON polls. We still have to do it consistently on the court this year. "There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip," as the poet said. I have great hope and I expect we will have an exciting team, but let's wait until the end of the season before we talk about how great they actually ARE.
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