Whoa Bruce...

[GOMU1104]

What is it with UT coaches making stupid comments in front of boosters?


"Pearl apologizes for off-the-cuff joke"
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/...tory?id=4502768


"I've got a tough job. I've got to put these guys from different worlds together, right?' Pearl said. "I've got guys from Chicago, Detroit ... I'm talking about the 'hood! And I've got guys from Grainger County, where they wear the hood.''

[MR.HAYWARD]

wow get over it folks.  If Al said it it would be in the media guide.  he is right, if some rednecks from Grainger county take offense they need to ask themselves if he is right.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Let me guess, Hayward probably thinks it's just fine.  In the end, it's just a joke, but for all the upstanding people in Grainger county, the 99.999999999% that don't wear the hood, it's a slap in the face at those people.

[4everwarriors]

I get it. I understand Bruce. He makes a very valid point. Here's this East Coast Jewish dude coaching and winning in the Bible Belt. And, the folks love him. He's their hero putting 21,000 in for every game singing "Rocky Top." There's a lot of truth to what he said and a history lesson besides.
Problem is, you just can't say the truth anymore.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I get it. I understand Bruce. He makes a very valid point. Here's this East Coast Jewish dude coaching and winning in the Bible Belt. And, the folks love him. He's their hero putting 21,000 in for every game singing "Rocky Top." There's a lot of truth to what he said and a history lesson besides.
Problem is, you just can't say the truth anymore.

There's also a lot of hyperbole as well on his part.  He chose to go to UT, he's in their backyard.  The region has been stained by actions of people but that doesn't make all people or even most people there to be representative of his comments. 

To your point, there is some truth to it, but it is way to broad based and paints everyone which is not correct.

[muhoosier260]

Agreed, nothing like this should be said by a college coach in public, or anywhere really. But that was pretty clever by pearl

[MR.HAYWARD]

get over yourselves...people need to get off their politcally correct high horses and pull the colective sticks out of ther asses.  good to see that some level headed common man americans think that it is no big deal....

  But Doug McBee, a Grainger County resident and the father of Tennessee freshman guard Skylar McBee, said Pearl should not be misunderstood, according to The Tennessean of Nashville.

"There's no hard feelings at all,'' Doug McBee said, according to The Tennessean. "We are country up here, but we're not prejudice. It was a joke, and that's how I took it.''

[GOMU1104]

Its just a dumb thing to say. Get a clue.

[mugrad99]

In the grand scheme of things, no reason to get panties up in a bunch, but pretty obvious not the forum to be saying it.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

As usual, people look for excuses to feign being offended.

[jmayer1]

As usual, people look for excuses to feign being offended.

Give me a break, you're still pissed at Crean for a lot of things much less offensive than associating an entire county with the KKK.  But let me guess, it's ok for Pearl to do it because that's just how he is, while Crean was being phony.

[Pakuni]

I confess ... I chuckled. Nearly even guffawed.
If the fine people of Grainger County can't take a joke, f--- 'em.

[PJDunn]

I have a new found respect for o'l Bruce.  I kind of the old C-USA days where making fun of the hillbillies was as daily occurence. 

[MR.HAYWARD]

Give me a break, you're still pissed at Crean for a lot of things much less offensive than associating an entire county with the KKK.  But let me guess, it's ok for Pearl to do it because that's just how he is, while Crean was being phony.

i missed where pearl said everyone in the county wore hats.  I think the down to earth people of that county like the young man's father would chuckle and say yeah we did have/had some of them.  Hard to be too offended by the truth. 

i guess the high and mighty get offended....PRN hit the nail sqyaure on the head.

meybe this will start a movement to ban Larry the cable guy and Jeff foxworthy becuase of their unsympathetic and downright shameful discrimination of the good folks south of the mason-dixon. 

I sure as heck am glad i dont associate with the pompous asses that are outraged by something as harmless as this....those would be the policially correct pinkos...someof whome have already identified themselves above.  Dont you people have better things to do with your lifes then to spend them as such losers. 

I guarantee the room was laughing and not a sigal person had a problem with it until some pink from the liberal left in NYC or from the faculty got wind of it.  I also guarantee not a singla player or parent had an issue with it...seeing how it is true  and some times irony is actually funny. 

pathetic   

[Skatastrophy]

meybe this will start a movement to ban Larry the cable guy and Jeff foxworthy becuase of their unsympathetic and downright shameful discrimination of the good folks south of the mason-dixon. 

Maybe Bruce will be relegated to the respect level of some white-trash comics instead of the level of respect and responsibility garnered by the head coach of a major state university.

Foxworthy and Larry the cable guy have made a living off of saying stupid crap that poor hicks from the south find marginally funny.  As the public face of his institution Bruce has to be a little more careful with his off the cuff remarks.  I doubt that anyone is terribly pissed about his "hood" comments, but if it becomes a recurring phenomenon he may end up back at UWM for a stint... or maybe he'll end up on late-night Comedy Central, who knows.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

You know you're a redneck when you mow your lawn...and you find YOUR CAR!!

Sorry about the racist joke.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Give me a break, you're still pissed at Crean for a lot of things much less offensive than associating an entire county with the KKK.  But let me guess, it's ok for Pearl to do it because that's just how he is, while Crean was being phony.

If Crean had even an whisper of a sense of humor, he might be marginably likable, although that's debatable. Instead, he chooses to create his entire personality from self-help books, despite not having a fraction of the charisma, personality or leadership qualities or of the people who wrote them.

Here's an rule of thumb, jmayer, if you're not personally offended, it's probably not something worthy of getting your panties in a bunch.

People who speak for others on the subject of what's offensive...now THAT'S offensive! 

[GGGG]

i missed where pearl said everyone in the county wore hats.  I think the down to earth people of that county like the young man's father would chuckle and say yeah we did have/had some of them.  Hard to be too offended by the truth. 

i guess the high and mighty get offended....PRN hit the nail sqyaure on the head.

meybe this will start a movement to ban Larry the cable guy and Jeff foxworthy becuase of their unsympathetic and downright shameful discrimination of the good folks south of the mason-dixon. 

I don't have any problem with what Pearl said, but if the outrage takes out Larry the Cable Guy in the process, I'm OK with that.

[Pakuni]

I don't have any problem with what Pearl said, but if the outrage takes out Larry the Cable Guy in the process, I'm OK with that.

Git r done.

I'm ashamed of myself for knowing that.

[ChicosBailBonds]

If I remember my Indiana history right...the KKK started there or was one of the birthplaces.  I'll bet Plymouth, IN was close to the epicenter.

The hood comment must strike homen eh Hayward?


See how those broad brushed comments about race are off base?  Jokes are great, but racial ones like Bruce's are stupid. 

Maybe he can take a limo to a funeral to make amends.

[77ncaachamps]

I wonder how his players and recruits feel about Pearl joking openly about it.

[MR.HAYWARD]

If Crean had even an whisper of a sense of humor, he might be marginably likable, although that's debatable. Instead, he chooses to create his entire personality from self-help books, despite not having a fraction of the charisma, personality or leadership qualities or of the people who wrote them.

Here's an rule of thumb, jmayer, if you're not personally offended, it's probably not something worthy of getting your panties in a bunch.

People who speak for others on the subject of what's offensive...now THAT'S offensive! 

+1 GOOGLE

[MR.HAYWARD]

I wonder how his players and recruits feel about Pearl joking openly about it.

they probably laughed about it and then wondered what was wrong with his staement that he had to apologize. 

[MR.HAYWARD]

If I remember my Indiana history right...the KKK started there or was one of the birthplaces.  I'll bet Plymouth, IN was close to the epicenter.

The hood comment must strike homen eh Hayward?


See how those broad brushed comments about race are off base?  Jokes are great, but racial ones like Bruce's are stupid. 

Maybe he can take a limo to a funeral to make amends.

yeah you can tell how much offense i take to it.  sort of like when Bobby knight brought a bull whip to his NCAA tournament press conference and made one joke after another about how his "boys" were really playing well be cause he was using some new training tactics, etc etc.  Oh yeah some people went crazy about that...i am sure chicos did too.  the more grounded majority of the population thought it was funny as did his players.  pull the stick out....

As usual, people look for excuses to feign being offended. - PRN

[Lennys Tap]

If Crean had even an whisper of a sense of humor, he might be marginably likable, although that's debatable. Instead, he chooses to create his entire personality from self-help books, despite not having a fraction of the charisma, personality or leadership qualities or of the people who wrote them.

Here's an rule of thumb, jmayer, if you're not personally offended, it's probably not something worthy of getting your panties in a bunch.

People who speak for others on the subject of what's offensive...now THAT'S offensive! 

+1000. There is far too much feigned outrage today. Those with a sense of humor understand that someone or some group is the butt of every joke and we all take turns. Unfortunately people looking to be offended or angry will usually find an excuse.