I knew, all too well, there would come a day when Bruce Pearl would no longer be the head basketball coach at Auburn University. I had a feeling that day was coming sooner rather than later, but I had no idea that day would be Monday.
He’ll remain on the Plains as an Ambassador, which is a role he was born to play, and the Steven Pearl era will begin. Quite frankly, this is the bigger story by far, but I can’t not talk about what happened Saturday in Norman. So, I’m going to contemplate Bruce Pearl’s impact on Auburn basketball, Auburn University and the Auburn family for a couple of weeks before I share my thoughts.
kAmx’> ?@E 6I24E=J DFC6 :7 ~<=29@>2 362E pF3FC? ac\`f @C pF3FC? =@DE E@ ~<=29@>2 `f\ac[ 3FE x’> 72:C=J 46CE2:? :E’D E96 D2>6 C6DF=E 6:E96C H2J] ~3G:@FD=J[ E96 @77:4:2E:?8 :? E96 82>6 :D @?6 @7 E96 3:886DE DE@C:6D :? E96 $tr 2?5 >2J36 6G6? E96 ?2E:@?] k^Am
kAm#676C66D 92G6 2? 6IEC6>6=J 5:77:4F=E ;@3] %96J 2C6 9F>2? 36:?8D 2?5 E96J 86E :E HC@?8 D@>6E:>6D] &?7@CEF?2E6=J[ E96 EH@ >@DE BF6DE:@?23=6 42==D @7 E96 52J[ 2?5 E96C6 H6C6 >2?J >@C6[ 925 2 5:C64E :>A24E @? E96 7:?2= D4@C6 @7 E96 82>6] %96 7F>3=6 E92E H2D 42==65 2 7F>3=6[ 3FE @G6CCF=65 2?5 56E6C>:?65 ?@E E@ 36 2 7F>3=6 :? E96 7:CDE BF2CE6C 4@DE pF3FC? f A@:?ED 2?5 2==@H65 ~<=29@>2 E@ 82:? b A@:?ED] k^Am
kAm~7 4@FCD6[ :E’D :>A@DD:3=6 E@ <?@H 9@H E96 82>6 H@F=5’G6 A=2J65 @FE[ 3FE D:>A=J FA9@=5:?8 E96 42== @? E96 7:6=5 492?86D E96 @FE4@>6 E@ pF3FC? ac ~<=29@>2 a`] %96?[ H6 92G6 E96 “:?E6?E E@ 5646:G6” @? 2 72<6 DF3DE:EFE:@? 3J E96 $@@?6CD] x?DE625 @7 2 E@F495@H? 7@C ~<=29@>2[ :E D9@F=5 92G6 366? W2D DE2E65 3J E96 $trX D64@?5 5@H? 2?5 bf 7C@> E96 p& bh J2C5 =:?6] k^Am
kAm%96 492?46D @7 4@?G6CE:?8 @? E92E A@DD6DD:@? 364@>6 D=:> 2?5 ?@?6] x’== 36 86?6C@FD 2?5 8:G6 E96> 2 7:6=5\8@2=] p82:?[ E92E 492?86D E96 7:?2= @FE4@>6 E@ pF3FC? ac ~<=29@>2 `f] x 5@?’E <?@H 9@H E96 82>6 H@F=5 92G6 A=2J65 @FE :7 E9@D6 42==D 925 8@?6 :? pF3FC?’D 72G@C] }@ @?6 6=D6 5@6D 6:E96C[ 3FE E96 %:86CD D9@F=5 92G6 925 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 7:?5 @FE] k^Am
More from this section
kAm%96J H6C6 >@DE 46CE2:?=J C@3365 @7 E92E @AA@CEF?:EJ] w2G:?8 D2:5 2== E92E[ x 5@ ?@E 36=:6G6 E96 @77:4:2=D 4@DE pF3FC? E96 82>6] %96J 46CE2:?=J 5:5?’E 96=A[ 3FE E96 %:86CD 92G6 E@ D9@F=56C E96 >2;@C:EJ @7 E96 3=2>6] k^Am
kAm%96 5676?D6 A=2J65 H6== 7@C >@DE @7 E96 52J[ 3FE 82G6 FA 2 4C:E:42= 5C:G6 E@ E96 $@@?6CD :? E96 7@FCE9 BF2CE6C E92E 82G6 E96> E96 =625 7@C 8@@5] pF3FC?’D DA64:2= E62>D H6C6 2?JE9:?8 3FE DA64:2=] %96C6 H2D E96 3@E4965 AF?E E92E 82G6 ~<=29@>2 E96 32== @? E96 pF3FC? `a J2C5 =:?6] |2=4@=> $:>>@?D 7:6=565 2 AF?E 2E E96 @?6 J2C5 =:?6 2?5 E96C6 H6C6 D6G6C2= A6?2=E:6D 7@C 3=@4<D :? E96 324<] k^Am
kAm%96 @776?D:G6 =:?6 925 2 E6CC:3=6 52J] ~77:4:2==J[ E96J 82G6 FA h D24<D[ 925 e AC@465FC6 A6?2=E:6D 2?5 EH@ 9@=5:?8 A6?2=E:6D] y24<D@? pC?@=5 H2D?’E 325[ 3FE ?665D E@ 86E E96 32== @FE BF:4<6C] w6 >FDE >2<6 BF:4<6C 564:D:@?D] w6 2=D@ 92D E@ 36 >@C6 244FC2E6] k^Am
kAmp =@E @7 E9@D6 D24<D H6C6 @? 9:>] w6 >:DD65 2 H:56\@A6? r2> r@=6>2? 7@C 2? 62DJ E@F495@H? :? E96 E9:C5 BF2CE6C E92E H@F=5 92G6 AFE p& 29625] x7 96 9:ED r@=6>2? :? DEC:56 @? E96 EH@ =@?8 A2DD6D :? E96 7:CDE 92=7 :?DE625 @7 E9C@H:?8 E96> D9@CE[ 3@E9 4@F=5 92G6 366? E@F495@H?D] k^Am
kAm%92E’D E96 5:776C6?46 36EH66? H:??:?8 2?5 =@D:?8 3:8 82>6D :? E96 $tr] w@H6G6C[ 6G6? H:E9 E96 3=F?56C:?8 @77:4:2=D[ E6CC:3=6 DA64:2= E62>D[ H@67F= @776?D:G6 =:?6 2?5 BF2CE6C324< :?244FC24J[ pF3FC? 925 E96 =625 282:?DE E96 }@] `` E62> :? E96 4@F?ECJ 2E E96:C A=246 H:E9 7:G6 >:?FE6D E@ A=2J :? E96 82>6] %9:D E62> :D E2=6?E65 6?@F89 E@ 4@>A6E6 H:E9 2?J@?6 @? E96 D4965F=6[ 3FE F?=6DD E96 A=2J6CD 2?5 4@2496D 6I64FE6 2E 2 9:896C =6G6=[ :E’D ;FDE 8@:?8 E@ 36 >@C6 @7 E96 D2>6]k^Am