Bruce Pearl would have been terrible here.

Captain Coy

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Bruce Pearl had a great run at Auburn and I agree that he was a really good coach. The problem is that in order to get Bruce Pearl here it would have cost UK a ton, on top of that I always looked at Pearl as Calipari-lite. In fact Pearl was one of the only coaches Calipari consistently out coached. So getting rid of Calipari for a lesser form of Calipari would have only solidified ourselves into mediocrity and would have been a lot tougher situation because we would have had a lot harder time getting rid of him. At least if Pope fails there is an option to get rid of him, move on and reset. The noose of the contract with Pearl would have been impossible to wiggle out of, and would have inhibited our ability to change and move on.
 
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JonathanW2

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Aug 6, 2025
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Pearl falls into that "used-car-salesman" charisma type that was also Calipari and Pitino. That appeals to some, maybe many. Personally, I just ignore the charisma part, and focus on results.
Interestingly, Santa Clara's coach Herb Sendek, that is why he eventually was pushed out at NC St, he did not have that charisma that his mentor Pitino had, "he was boring" to listen to.
 

Captain Coy

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How many UK fans would have been okay with a 7 year/$50M contract while being 1-6 versus Arkansas and 2-5 against UL? Did anyone here watch the NCAA tournament this year? The biggest downgrade in the NCAA tournament history was going from Jay Wright to Bruce Pearl.
 
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Kats meow

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Bruce Pearl had a great run at Auburn and I agree that he was a really good coach. The problem is that in order to get Bruce Pearl here it would have costed UK a ton, on top of that I always looked at Pearl as Calipari-lite. In fact Pearl was one of the only coaches Calipari consistently out coached. So getting rid of Calipari for a lesser form of Calipari would have only solidified ourselves into mediocrity and would have been a lot tougher situation because we would have had a lot harder time getting rid of him. At least if Pope fails there is an option to get rid of him, move on and reset. The noose of the contract with Pearl would have been impossible to wiggle out of, and would have inhibited our ability to change and move on.
You lost me at “costed”.
 

LexCats859

Junior
Jan 14, 2026
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How many UK fans would have been okay with a 7 year/$50M contract while being 1-6 versus Arkansas and 2-5 against UL? Did anyone here watch the NCAA tournament this year? The biggest downgrade in the NCAA tournament history was going from Jay Wright to Bruce Pearl.
He is very overrated from a charisma standpoint. He was super awkward on TV this year.
 

LexCats859

Junior
Jan 14, 2026
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If Pearl stayed 5 years he would win #9. I have zero doubt. He would absolutely kill it here
Why? He is already in his 60s and while it was at Auburn, he had some of the most talented teams in the country (if not the most) and couldn't win it.
 
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Mar 13, 2026
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Bruce Pearl had a great run at Auburn and I agree that he was a really good coach. The problem is that in order to get Bruce Pearl here it would have costed UK a ton, on top of that I always looked at Pearl as Calipari-lite. In fact Pearl was one of the only coaches Calipari consistently out coached. So getting rid of Calipari for a lesser form of Calipari would have only solidified ourselves into mediocrity and would have been a lot tougher situation because we would have had a lot harder time getting rid of him. At least if Pope fails there is an option to get rid of him, move on and reset. The noose of the contract with Pearl would have been impossible to wiggle out of, and would have inhibited our ability to change and move on.
Mark pope is terrible here! He will leave Kentucky being hated! Not hiring pearl let to pope being the most hated player of all time at Kentucky. He’s definitely the worst coach Kentucky has ever had. That’s actually sad!
 
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Captain Coy

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If Pearl stayed 5 years he would win #9. I have zero doubt. He would absolutely kill it here
Go drink some more kool-aid dude. The era of college basketball that Calipari and Pearl thrived in is over. It is all about advanced analytics and running tons of pro actions. Look at Duke? They are running the same 1 on 1 actions that they were running with coach K there. It works until you play against a team that is a lot closer to your talent level. UConn didn't have half the talent of Duke. The game has changed and getting an old has-been is the opposite of what UK should have done.
 

Captain Coy

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Mark pope is terrible here! He will leave Kentucky being hated! Not hiring pearl let to pope being the most hated player of all time at Kentucky. He’s definitely the worst coach Kentucky has ever had. That’s actually sad!
Irrelevant. Pope can be terrible but hiring Pearl would have been worse.
 

AJG-15

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Apr 8, 2024
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Hmm… I will start by saying that I like Cal and it was a mistake HOW he left and also is even bigger mistake how Mark Pope is been treating Cal legacy, especially when Cal was more than generous in his departure.


with that been said, I am sure OP remember the game vs Auburn in the ncaa tournament when Auburn was missing their best player. Cal had consistently superior talent compared to what Bruce could bring at Auburn. With all that when coaching matters the most , Cal showed his limits more than Bruce.

Bruce and his staff could develop and motivate players at good level but I don’t trust himAnd he is retired.

There are other coaches that I would go after , before Bruce.
 

Captain Coy

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Hmm… I will start by saying that I like Cal and it was a mistake HOW he left and also is even bigger mistake how Mark Pope is been treating Cal legacy, especially when Cal was more than generous in his departure.


with that been said, I am sure OP remember the game vs Auburn in the ncaa tournament when Auburn was missing their best player. Cal had consistently superior talent compared to what Bruce could bring at Auburn. With all that when coaching matters the most , Cal showed his limits more than Bruce.

Bruce and his staff could develop and motivate players at good level but I don’t trust himAnd he is retired.

There are other coaches that I would go after , before Bruce.
Yeah the one notable time Bruce Pearl beat Cal was when we had already beaten them 3 times prior that season. Eventually the players took some pride and UK had a let down. Both coaches known for crapping the bed, fighting to see who could crap the bed less.
 

UKCowboys

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Oct 14, 2019
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Go drink some more kool-aid dude. The era of college basketball that Calipari and Pearl thrived in is over. It is all about advanced analytics and running tons of pro actions. Look at Duke? They are running the same 1 on 1 actions that they were running with coach K there. It works until you play against a team that is a lot closer to your talent level. UConn didn't have half the talent of Duke. The game has changed and getting an old has-been is the opposite of what UK should have done.
What does what Duke runs have to do with anything in Lexington other than your obvious allegiance to the Blue Devils
 

Captain Coy

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What does what Duke runs have to do with anything in Lexington other than your obvious allegiance to the Blue Devils
I hate Duke, I'm glad they haven't adjusted yet. I'm making an analogy that by doing the same thing over and over again expected a different result is the very definition of insanity. Asking for another Calipari, i.e. Bruce Pearl would have been a disaster.
 

UKCowboys

All-American
Oct 14, 2019
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Why? He is already in his 60s and while it was at Auburn, he had some of the most talented teams in the country (if not the most) and couldn't win it.
One, Pitino is what, 7 years older than Pearl, and Pitino is an 80 year old 70 year old. Pearl is a 50 year old mid 60s. And Pitino seemed just fine last season.
Two, Auburn isn't Kentucky fella. If Pearl can put together teams like that at Auburn, he would put even better teams on the court here.
Three.. Pearl can flat out Coach his *** off. He would easily be our best coach since a young Pitino
 

Captain Coy

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Couldn't keep up? Auburn was 32-6, and reached the Final Four his last season.

Try harder next time.
Yeah, I agree he had good years, and he had one of the best teams in the country that year. Still lost to Nate Oats, Rick Barnes, John Scheyer, and Todd Golden. Do UK fans want to win a championship or do we just want to be just good enough? Pearl lost so many big games over and over and over again that it should have been and always a nonstarter.
 

Anon668007

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Mar 31, 2026
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Well maybe, but if UK hired Pearl, Matt Jones head would have exploded. That may have been worth it to do....
 

TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
6,191
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Bruce Pearl had a great run at Auburn and I agree that he was a really good coach. The problem is that in order to get Bruce Pearl here it would have cost UK a ton, on top of that I always looked at Pearl as Calipari-lite. In fact Pearl was one of the only coaches Calipari consistently out coached. So getting rid of Calipari for a lesser form of Calipari would have only solidified ourselves into mediocrity and would have been a lot tougher situation because we would have had a lot harder time getting rid of him. At least if Pope fails there is an option to get rid of him, move on and reset. The noose of the contract with Pearl would have been impossible to wiggle out of, and would have inhibited our ability to change and move on.
Now, do Billy Donovan👍🏼
 

Captain Coy

All-Conference
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Now, do Billy Donovan👍🏼
I like Billy D. The only criticism I have with Billy D is that he has been out of the college basketball world so long that he needed a staff in place that was really connected to help him assimilate back into the landscape.
 
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Damage_inc

Senior
Oct 4, 2019
516
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Bruce Pearl had a great run at Auburn and I agree that he was a really good coach. The problem is that in order to get Bruce Pearl here it would have cost UK a ton, on top of that I always looked at Pearl as Calipari-lite. In fact Pearl was one of the only coaches Calipari consistently out coached. So getting rid of Calipari for a lesser form of Calipari would have only solidified ourselves into mediocrity and would have been a lot tougher situation because we would have had a lot harder time getting rid of him. At least if Pope fails there is an option to get rid of him, move on and reset. The noose of the contract with Pearl would have been impossible to wiggle out of, and would have inhibited our ability to change and move on.
Pearl would have absolutely killed it here. Killed it. I have no idea what you're talking about, but you seem to be doing mental gymnastics to convince yourself that Pear would not have slayed here.
 

LexCats859

Junior
Jan 14, 2026
215
304
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One, Pitino is what, 7 years older than Pearl, and Pitino is an 80 year old 70 year old. Pearl is a 50 year old mid 60s. And Pitino seemed just fine last season.
Two, Auburn isn't Kentucky fella. If Pearl can put together teams like that at Auburn, he would put even better teams on the court here.
Three.. Pearl can flat out Coach his *** off. He would easily be our best coach since a young Pitino
Brands don't matter anymore. So long as you have money being at a blueblood doesn't matter. The odds of him compiling a team as talented as his last Auburn team are probably not high.

As for the Pitino thing, he is still a good coach but St Johns (despite being loaded with $) isn't exactly competing for championships. Also, the idea that Bruce is as good as peak Cal is false.
 

Monday Nitro

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Jul 3, 2025
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Facts laugh at your post.

Overall career winning percentage of .73
You forgot the facts that he snitched and tried to ruin a kids life and has never gotten a SNIFF from kentucky because he’s a lowlife.

Greaf thread, though. Pearl’s stain will never be on UK.
 

UKCowboys

All-American
Oct 14, 2019
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Brands don't matter anymore. So long as you have money being at a blueblood doesn't matter. The odds of him compiling a team as talented as his last Auburn team are probably not high.

As for the Pitino thing, he is still a good coach but St Johns (despite being loaded with $) isn't exactly competing for championships. Also, the idea that Bruce is as good as peak Cal is false.
As a coach??? You are crazy as Hell. Pearl is so much better than Cal as a bench coach it isn't even funny