Auburn Basketball 2016-2017

[Snaggletiger]

Here's my armchair QB/Point Guard suggestion.  Pearl needs to do exactly what we think or hope Malzahn is going to do.  He needs to be the face, the energy, the recruiter supreme etc. of the program.  Then he needs to hire someone to run his offense (An actual offense) and someone better to run his defense.  I made the proposal earlier and I wasn't just funnin' around neither.  Hire Sonny Smith back simply to teach this bunch how to rebound and play D.  Most don't remember Sonny's style but that's 2 things his teams could always do, regardless of size.

[AUJarhead]

If we shut the program down, can we start a Hockey team?

[GH2001]

I truly believe that we should simply leave Pearl alone. Give him carte Blanche. He's the  best chance we have at ever having a decent program again. If he doesn't turn it around, then just don't worry about it.

[Buzz Killington]

If we shut the program down, can we start a Hockey team?

We already have a hockey team.  They have uniforms and everything.

[jmar]

Get a bench coach to run practices that lives and breathes defense.
 

[Snaggletiger]

We already have a hockey team.  They have uniforms and everything.

[AUChizad]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if we can't win at basketball with Bruce fuckin' Pearl, we can't win at basketball. So it shall always be.

It truly baffles the mind. He's kicking complete ass at recruiting. As has been said he's A++ at being the "Face" of the team and promoting the brand, whether that be on campus or with ESPN talking heads. Every program in the nation but maybe 2 or 3 would have killed to win the Bruce Pearl lottery when we ended up getting him.

Even if we continue to roll around in this mire for the next decade, I'll take it as "Welp. That's the best we can do. We will never make it to a tournament again." Silly to believe we can ever do better than Pearl. Something else is not right. Not sure what.

[Godfather]

I love Pearl. I really do. But I'll be damned if I didn't think he was a better coach than this. Honestly, I should have seen the writing on the wall like you did...but holy shit his teams have played awful at Auburn. I don't get it. I don't get why. This dude was a legit coach coming in and now we settle to launch a bullshit 3 80% of the trips down court? I don't get it at all...

I don't like the excuse especially not when it comes to our poor showing on Defense. But I'm gonna go ahead and say we are really young and I know all freshman teams have won the damn ship, but we aren't those teams so shuddddup.  I'm still fully aboard the Orange Pearl. I thought this year was a good chance at an NIT but was unrealistic for NCAA.

I think next year is no excuse (except maybe injuries) NCAA or bust.  I don't know that I would still get rid of Pearl if we didn't make the NCAA next year but he would be on 20' seas (and I would still probably give the man a lifetime contract).  I still believe he knows what he is doing, and this is how he has always coached.  That said, last night's game was pretty abysmal. 

[Godfather]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if we can't win at basketball with Bruce fuckin' Pearl, we can't win at basketball. So it shall always be.

It truly baffles the mind. He's kicking complete ass at recruiting. As has been said he's A++ at being the "Face" of the team and promoting the brand, whether that be on campus or with ESPN talking heads. Every program in the nation but maybe 2 or 3 would have killed to win the Bruce Pearl lottery when we ended up getting him.

Even if we continue to roll around in this mire for the next decade, I'll take it as "Welp. That's the best we can do. We will never make it to a tournament again." Silly to believe we can ever do better than Pearl. Something else is not right. Not sure what.

This is 100% accurate and I have said the same thing, we don't do better than Pearl IMO.  We have never recruited like this.  If he can't turn it around I think you dump the fucking program. Give the money to women's softball and equestrian. 

[Snaggletiger]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if we can't win at basketball with Bruce fuckin' Pearl, we can't win at basketball. So it shall always be.

It truly baffles the mind. He's kicking complete ass at recruiting. As has been said he's A++ at being the "Face" of the team and promoting the brand, whether that be on campus or with ESPN talking heads. Every program in the nation but maybe 2 or 3 would have killed to win the Bruce Pearl lottery when we ended up getting him.

Even if we continue to roll around in this mire for the next decade, I'll take it as "Welp. That's the best we can do. We will never make it to a tournament again." Silly to believe we can ever do better than Pearl. Something else is not right. Not sure what.

At this point, I really think it's a matter of what I said earlier.  Let him keep bringing in more and better talent every year until his teams can out-athlete most other clubs.  I don't put much stock in the "we're so young" argument.  Not at this point in the season when you've played over 30 games that include Perdue, Oklahoma, UConn, Kentucky, Florida etc.  But these guys will be back and more mature and hopefully a good bit better next year.  Add 2-3 big time recruits and maybe it will just get to the point where every game we win is 97-94. 

Unless Pearl hires different assistants and turns the schemes on offense and defense over to them, it's going to be skreet ball 101.  If we're high flying and scoring 90+ a game, then I can live with that as Auburn basketball. 

[War Eagle!!!]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if we can't win at basketball with Bruce fuckin' Pearl, we can't win at basketball. So it shall always be.

It truly baffles the mind. He's kicking complete ass at recruiting. As has been said he's A++ at being the "Face" of the team and promoting the brand, whether that be on campus or with ESPN talking heads. Every program in the nation but maybe 2 or 3 would have killed to win the Bruce Pearl lottery when we ended up getting him.

Even if we continue to roll around in this mire for the next decade, I'll take it as "Welp. That's the best we can do. We will never make it to a tournament again." Silly to believe we can ever do better than Pearl. Something else is not right. Not sure what.

100% agree. I am still ok with giving him a lifetime contract. I just thought he was a better coach. Maybe he is, but his offense and defense look like shit. If Pearl can't win at Auburn, I don't know who can. So if he can't win, at least he is a damn fine person to promote the program and at least give us some false hope. Before their was no hope.

[Townhallsavoy]

Why can Wichita State, Butler, and Davidson put together good basketball programs but Auburn can't?

I honestly believe it has something to do with wanting to recruit the athletic studs from the AAU circuit.

Auburn will never be the kind of program that will win a national championship. It's just not going to happen, and we need to stop striving to be that kind of program. We could and should have a team of solid basketball players who make smart decisions, pass the ball, go for the layup, and avoid costly turnovers. Looking for those NBA-caliber kids to come save us with a hotshot coach like Pearl isn't going to work.

Maybe old fashioned basketball is boring to some people, but I guarantee fans would have fun if we were winning 25 games a year.

[wesfau2]

Why can Wichita State, Butler, and Davidson put together good basketball programs but Auburn can't?

I honestly believe it has something to do with wanting to recruit the athletic studs from the AAU circuit.

Auburn will never be the kind of program that will win a national championship. It's just not going to happen, and we need to stop striving to be that kind of program. We could and should have a team of solid basketball players who make smart decisions, pass the ball, go for the layup, and avoid costly turnovers. Looking for those NBA-caliber kids to come save us with a hotshot coach like Pearl isn't going to work.

Maybe old fashioned basketball is boring to some people, but I guarantee fans would have fun if we were winning 25 games a year.

Resource allocation.  See also, football teams.

[chityeah]

Coach Pearl presser at 1. Rut-roh shaggy.

[GH2001]

Coach Pearl presser at 1. Rut-roh shaggy.

@WarBlogle: Bruce Pearl pretty much says it’s NIT or nothing, and that he doesn’t expect NIT. #auburn

[Buzz Killington]

@WarBlogle: Bruce Pearl pretty much says it’s NIT or nothing, and that he doesn’t expect NIT. #auburn

Whew!  I thought maybe he was leaving for Georgia State.

[Snaggletiger]

Whew!  I thought maybe he was leaving for Georgia State.

Dodged a bullet.

[Snaggletiger]

Why can Wichita State, Butler, and Davidson put together good basketball programs but Auburn can't?

I honestly believe it has something to do with wanting to recruit the athletic studs from the AAU circuit.

Auburn will never be the kind of program that will win a national championship. It's just not going to happen, and we need to stop striving to be that kind of program. We could and should have a team of solid basketball players who make smart decisions, pass the ball, go for the layup, and avoid costly turnovers. Looking for those NBA-caliber kids to come save us with a hotshot coach like Pearl isn't going to work.

Maybe old fashioned basketball is boring to some people, but I guarantee fans would have fun if we were winning 25 games a year.

So would Kansas fans and North Carolina fans and Duke fans Arizona fans....

[Townhallsavoy]

Resource allocation.  See also, football teams.

Do you need a ton of resources to recruit the same kind of basketball players that Butler's getting?

How about Wisconsin who beat arguably the greatest basketball team of all time a few years ago?

We need less three point shots, less turnovers, and a more efficient passing game. That seems to be the key to these teams that are getting into the NCAA tournament. You can find a few white kids to help out.

Pearl is the kind of recruiter that's going after the high star players. Auburn will never get enough of those recruits to actually make a run, so we might as well sit back and be a consistent middle tier program that plays consistent basketball.

[Townhallsavoy]

So would Kansas fans and North Carolina fans and Duke fans Arizona fans....

Those schools regularly post 30+ win seasons. 25 total wins with a round or two in the NCAA tournament would make Auburn a happy fanbase.