Reasons Pearl will come/ not come to Iowa

No I'm saying the SEC produces better elite teams. Teams capable of winning titles. You don't win a title in the SEC... you win a title playing in the NCAA Tournament against all teams.

The SEC has better athletes, better scorers, and thus has won 600% more NCAA Titles over the last 20 years than the Big 10.

Im still not convinced. I just don't see it. ;)
 
I think its been noted that Tom Davis and Gary Barta are friends. And obviously living in Iowa City who do you think Tom Davis hangs out with? The students? Probably not he most likely runs in the same circles as most of the higher ups in the University. Its a pretty small town. Sorry I don't have any sources on that. Ill just cite my own powers of reasonable deduction as my source on that.

Higher ups in University administrations move around quite a bit. I would be suprised if many of them from the good doctor's tenure at Iowa are still around, at least in important positions. That being said, Tom is a rich guy, and I bet he hangs out with the other rich guys in town. Those rich guys are probably in the university.

If Barta and Mr. Davis are friends, I would really hope Mr. Davis has his ear in selecting a replacement. However, I do not want Mr. Davis having the final say.

Pearl's loyalty was always to Davis, not to Iowa. Pearl followed Davis from BC to Stanford to Iowa. I am sure if anyone could talk him into coming up, it would be Mr. Davis.

That would be reason #1 in the pro column.
 
I assume that you can get players in the SEC that can't even get into Iowa. Bruce would know what he's up against.
 
No I'm saying the SEC produces better elite teams. Teams capable of winning titles. You don't win a title in the SEC... you win a title playing in the NCAA Tournament against all teams.

The SEC has better athletes, better scorers, and thus has won 600% more NCAA Titles over the last 20 years than the Big 10.

So you're agreeing with me that the Big Ten is ripe for the picking?
 
When I have trouble making a tough decision, I like to make pro/con list. Pretend we are Bruce Pearl, and we have an offer to coach Iowa. I wll make the cons, since I don't think he will come.

Reason why Pealr won't come to Iowa:

1. Steven Pearl, his son, plays for UT. The first reason anyoen gives why Kirk Ferentz won't go anywhere else is because his son plays for Iowa. Why don't people assume Pearl's loyalty are to his son?

2. I beieive he has three other children who live in Knoxville as well.

3. For all of the talk about a new practice facility to be built at Iowa, UT has a one year old, state of the art facility, as well as a newly remodeled arena.

4, Bruce Pearl may be a God in Iowa City should he come, but he is already a God in Knoxville. For all of the talk about him being third banana in the UT heirarchy, that is just not the case.

5. Iowa is a rebuilding project, and UT is a powerhouse.

6. Will he abandon his top ten recruiting class?

7. He last coached at Iowa 18 years ago. It is not like he has always been around. He coached here for 6 years, and he has coached at UT for 5. I would assume his loyalty is to the Vols, not to Iowa.


I would like to conclude this list by stating that I have been spectacularly wrong in many of my predictions the last few days, and I would be fairly pleased to be proved wrong again.

Now, what are the pros? Why would he come here?


While I follow your line of reasoning, you cant possibly know what Pearl's list of pros and cons could be. They could be completely different than anything you or I could imagine. Like:

"I saw the way Lane Kiffin was treated."
"I wont have to drive past Alimony on my way to work every day."
"I wont have to go to sleep with banjo music in my head, every night."
"I wont have to look at gap-toothed smiles every time I turn around."
" Is that banjo music I'm hearing????? WTF!"
"I never could spell Tenisee right. Iowa is much easier"
"Pat Summit casts a shadow long enough for me, Hayden Fry and Kirk Ferentz to stand in."
" Shut that f***ing banjo music off!!!"
 
While I follow your line of reasoning, you cant possibly know what Pearl's list of pros and cons could be. They could be completely different than anything you or I could imagine. Like:

"I saw the way Lane Kiffin was treated."
"I wont have to drive past Alimony on my way to work every day."
"I wont have to go to sleep with banjo music in my head, every night."
"I wont have to look at gap-toothed smiles every time I turn around."
" Is that banjo music I'm hearing????? WTF!"
"I never could spell Tenisee right. Iowa is much easier"
"Pat Summit casts a shadow long enough for me, Hayden Fry and Kirk Ferentz to stand in."
" Shut that f***ing banjo music off!!!"


Kiffen was treated like a God before he left town in the middle of the night. If he is worried about how a fan base treats a coach, then that would be in the con column for Iowa.
 
Kiffen was treated like a God before he left town in the middle of the night. If he is worried about how a fan base treats a coach, then that would be in the con column for Iowa.

It would be in the con column for Tennessee too, they ran Fulmer out of town and he won a national title for them.
 
I really feel like the biggest reason is this...to restore Mr. Davis's legacy at Iowa. To me this means more to this story then anything else. He has very strong feelings for the good Dr.
 
Here's the main reasons I've seen about why Pearl won't come and my best arguments against them:

1. The recruiting scandal - I'm 30 and I barely know what this is even about except for what I've heard secondhand. I don't think most fans would really care as long as the guy wins here. I don't think Barta cares, and I don't think Barta would care even if Jim Delaney cares. Plus, it's not like he betrayed Iowa.

2. Money - The last I've seen, the Tenn athletic department makes more money than Iowa, but I think that was as of the end of 2008. I'm guessing as the BTN has picked up steam, Iowa has caught or surpassed them. Plus, Tenn is probably sick of giving this guy raises. I'm guessing Iowa has the ability to give him more than Tenn is willing to.

3. He said "No" last time - So what? Iowa was in a much different situation then . I'm guessing Barta gave him a courtesy call then, but at the time, it seemed like Iowa's program was on pretty decent ground and we were the ones disposing of a coach we didn't want. As I recall, it seemed pretty reasonable that if we could find a good coach, give him an opportunity to utilize better recruits, and get him for a financial steal, we couldn't lose. The "offer" to Pearl was just a way for Barta to appease the fans while trying to find a deal on the discount rack.

4. His kids, including his son on UT's team - I have no argument for this. It might just sink our ship.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but last time around, Pearl was just a name on the list. This time, every single thread on the topic goes back to his name. Sure there are plenty of mid-major coaches or assistant coaches that probably could rescue this program, but we've up our ability to try to get a deal. In my opinion, this time, we need a proven head coach at a major conference. I know it will be tough financially, but we're at the point we need to shell out to make it happen.
 
Pros:

Not a one that I can see

Cons:
--The way Tom Davis was "handled"
--The fact we hired a ********* from a rival conference school to replace Tom Davis
--The way said ********* handled a rapist with tacit--hell, overt--support from the school
--Too many ********* fans who treated Lickliter like crap from Day One. Okay, maybe not until Day Two.
--The talent we have, plus the talent on the way, is hardly worth leaving a decent program
 
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but last time around, Pearl was just a name on the list. This time, every single thread on the topic goes back to his name. Sure there are plenty of mid-major coaches or assistant coaches that probably could rescue this program, but we've up our ability to try to get a deal. In my opinion, this time, we need a proven head coach at a major conference. I know it will be tough financially, but we're at the point we need to shell out to make it happen.

Just because the fans want him doesn't make it a pro for Pearl. The fans at UT want Pearl as much as we do.
 
Just because the fans want him doesn't make it a pro for Pearl.

You're absolutely correct. I just think the hire has to do more than be good at coaching basketball. He has to unite the fanbase. He has to get butts in the seats. He has to be (nearly) universally accepted. No one knows who will be the best at the first one, but Pearl seems to be the best option for the other three.
 
You're absolutely correct. I just think the hire has to do more than be good at coaching basketball. He has to unite the fanbase. He has to get butts in the seats. He has to be (nearly) universally accepted. No one knows who will be the best at the first one, but Pearl seems to be the best option for the other three.

This is my fear.

I don't think Pearl is coming. I think there is no chance. However, so many people have their hearts set on him, that whoever we do hire will be a disapointment. That will just lead to a further fractured fanbase.
 
Ghost, I get what you're saying and Pearl is my #1 choice but I'll support the "new" coach they bring in even if it isn't Pearl.
 
This is my fear.

I don't think Pearl is coming. I think there is no chance. However, so many people have their hearts set on him, that whoever we do hire will be a disapointment. That will just lead to a further fractured fanbase.

I don't think the new coach has to do much in the way of repairing/reuniting the fan base because there isn't much division. I don't see much outcry regarding the decision today. It's not like when we let Tom go. Almost everyone is in agrement that this must be done, or at the very least almost everyone understands why it is being done.

I don't think you will see ten thousand people giving Lick a standing ovation when on Licklighter day in Carver in a few years. There very well may be people chanting "Fire Barta" but it won't be because he fired Lick. There isn't really any division around Alfraud either, thats ancient past.
 

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