Tonight, Bruce Pearl starts his fifth basketball season at Tennessee. That's a basic statement UT hasn't been able to make about a coach since Wade Houston tipped off the 1993-94 season.
I'll go out on a limb and predict 2009-10 turns out better than that one did.
When Pearl arrived at Tennessee in March 2005, men's basketball had no identity.
Pat Summitt had made the Lady Vols into a national brand. Phillip Fulmer was the solid, familiar face of football.
Men's hoops?
In 2005 there were surely college basketball fans in a gym in Baltimore or a tavern in Cincinnati who could not name the man Pearl was replacing.
Even if they'd heard of Buzz Peterson, they couldn't tell you what Tennessee basketball was about. What was it about, anyway?
It was hard to say, what with careening from one coaching extreme to another ever since Don DeVoe's exit in 1989. From Houston, to Kevin O'Neill to Jerry Green to Peterson, only occasionally did UT's men dent the national hoops consciousness.
That is no longer the case.
Thanks to Pearl's body of work the past four seasons, Tennessee has an identity in men's basketball. You know what it's about.
It's about excitement. It's about fast-paced offense and in-your-face defensive pressure. It's about big crowds in a terrific arena.
It's about winning and competing for championships. It sticks around a while in March when the party really starts rolling.
It's about a passionate coach who pumps up his fans and sweats through his suits and shows up with a funny quip on every national sports radio and TV show.
That coach is now fifth on the SEC longevity chart, trailing only Billy Donovan, Kevin Stallings, Rick Stansbury and Jeff Lebo.
That coach has the highest career winning percentage in the SEC at .774. Only newcomer (and arch-rival?) John Calipari, at 445 career wins, can top Pearl's 415.
That coach has brought four consecutive NCAA tournament bids to UT, two Sweet 16 appearances, a No. 1 ranking, an average of 24.5 wins per season, three SEC East titles and the first outright conference championship in 41 years.
He's won SEC and national coach of the year honors in two of his four seasons. He has inspired facility renovations and increased attendance by an average of 8,258 fannies per game over the last four years.
His fifth team opens the season ranked No. 10 and might well be his best yet.
Bruce Pearl is no longer the cage-rattling upstart. He's not the underdog. But if you think he might be tempted to rest on his well-compensated laurels as he starts his fifth season at UT, you don't know Bruce Pearl.
"You don't want to let success change you,'' he said this week.
"This is very much about what you've done lately. I have a terrific fear of failure.''
Failures done lately, in fact, sit heavily on Pearl's mind.
He'll defend the Vols' accomplishments last season against any bashers, but the loss to Mississippi State in the SEC tournament championship game, followed by the NCAA tournament loss to Oklahoma State, left a bad taste with a man who fears failure.
Mississippi State, he calls, "probably the most disappointing loss in my career.''
Oklahoma State was the first time his Vols had lost in the opening round. "A step back,'' he said.
So Pearl begins a new season tonight with the same mix of passion and anxiety that has driven him every previous opening night.
Despite the trophies and numbers and cheering crowds, he doesn't see himself as Goliath. David has always been a better fit.
"I still feel young,'' he said. "I still feel new. I still feel like I'm just coming into the league trying to gain credibility.
"I still feel like Tennessee basketball, we're trying to hold up our end. The formula is working. If it's not broke, don't fix it.''
Too often over the past 20 years, Tennessee basketball was broken. No more. And while fear of failure nags at Pearl, there is another force at play: the desire to reward the program that gave him his big break back in 2005.
"I really do care about history,'' Pearl said. "I want this to be known as the best time in Tennessee's basketball history.
"I've got more work to do to get there.''
Mike Strange may be reached at strangem@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6276.
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Comments » 14
flatoutvol writes:
He is building his legacy with our University. I think he will be here until he is tired of winning championships, or at least until he is tired of beating Florida repeatedly. I'm looking for a Final Four appearance sooner than later.
Woof_Man_Jack writes:
"That coach is now fourth on the SEC longevity chart, trailing only Billy Donovan (14 years), Kevin Stallings (11) and Jeff Lebo (six)."
Rick Stansbury has been at Mississippi State for 11 years.
gwtvol85 writes:
As a hoops fan and student at UT in the early 80s, I can truly say this is the most exciting time in UT basketball history since that time period that stretched from the mid 70s of the Ernie and Bernie Show to my time on campus with Dale Ellis dominating the court at Stokley. Coach Pearl as brought back the buzz, showmanship, and ability to recruit of Coach Mears mixed with the Xs and Os and emphasis on solid defense of Coach DeVoe. The Vols have an identity now of a CONSISTENT winning PROGRAM. Coach Pearl is relentless in pursuing quality talent from all over the country as much as he is demanding of getting the most out of his team. He expects nothing less than their best and gives nothing less than his. We are truly blessed to have him as a representative of our school.
vols_fan_n_tx writes:
CBP is the face of TN basketball! UT Men's Basketball was dead when he arrived. There were no winning teams, NCAA tournament appearances, Sports Illustrated articles, or appearances on PTI or HBO. He has elevated TN basketball to a point that rivals Coach Mears' teams of the 70s. Success spoils us and it's easy to get frustrated when we don't advance in March as far as we would like, but it's still light years ahead of where we were before CBP. Thanks Coach for all you do and have done for TN basketball. I look forward to you retiring in 20 years as the winningnest men's basketball coach in UT history (with a national championship or two under your belt also).
RockyTopRenegade writes:
As a lifetime Vol Ball fan, staying up late to hear John Ward call Coach Mears games, watching with hope then dispair Devoe thru Patterson, I can only say this has been the best 4 years ever. Looking so forward to the continued success with even more relish as we spank Coach Cal 2 or 3 times a year now as well as build a real NCAA Tournament resume. Thanks Coach Pearl, your teams are a blast to watch.
Skullz_VOL writes:
I am looking so forward to this season. This may finally be the year. In Bruce I trust!! Go Vols!!
Bigger_Al writes:
Bruuuuucccee!!
dathcha30 writes:
Ok mister all knowing "a voice of reason" backup your statement. What facts do you have to support this? just curious.
dqnapier#225584 writes:
I predicted midway through BP's first year that TN would make a Final Four in the next 5 years. I was just so impressed with his intensity, his teams work-ethic and unselfishness, and BP's demand for excellence. I love how he, and Kiffin for that matter, are never satisfied with success. They will always strive for perfection, and even if they miss they'll still get excellence.
Don't know if my prediction will come to fruition this year, but Strange is correct that BP has Vols' basketball headed in the right direction.
tdvol1989 writes:
I have no idea what is in your kool-aid, but I can only guess you are suggesting that Pearl won with Peterson's recruits. "Battle won with Dickey's Recruits!!!" Well, that is true, but Battle did not have Top 10 Recruiting Classes. Pearl is on his way.
Or maybe you do not like the wide open pace and think it looks out of control. I live in Arkansas and remember when Nolan Richardson was recalling the beating he was taking in the Arkansas press after installing his system. By the way, I heard this at a luncheon 4 months after he won the National Champtionship. Yes, he went mental after that.
Or maybe you think Calipari will be the harbinger of UT Basketball death. I will take UT hustle over the pre-NBA Wildcat Divas any day. And, IF you are a KY fan, just think of those rules violations that will cause you to VACATE wins. Hey, a leopard doesn't change his spots.
And if it is none of the above, just remember, this is a site for fans. And, of course, many of us fans are critical at times, but we are playing sloppy right now and we are beating a solid team by 20. Oh yeah, we are in a tailspin.
Whatever...
VOLMAN40 writes:
You have no, nada, zilch credibility unless you back up what you say with facts. We are listening..................
brokebackvol writes:
I'm calling "BS" today, right now. 430pm EST Nov 14th. Put up or shut up with your "facts" fool.
BigOrangeGhostHunter writes:
I love how you constantly post blindly on this site. You truly are worse than a troll, but I enjoy posting, so I'm going to refrain from telling you what you are and where you can go! You post but back up nothing, hinting at things you have no proof of. Based on what you've said, I perceive you to believe that there are violations that will catch up to the Vols, but you have no proof, so what I will say is what you insinuate on here, and take your asinine opinions elsewhere, you toad!
caverunner writes:
The article said 5th, and also mentioned RS at Mississippi Sate. You should read the article and PAY ATTENTION before you post! GO VOLS!!!
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