Bruce Pearl...WOW

[seniorsooner]

Pearl apologizes for off-the-cuff joke

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ESPN.com news services

Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl has apologized for an off-the-cuff joke he made about a rural area of the state at a charity fundraiser Thursday, calling it "inappropriate."

Pearl, speaking without notes, was addressing Tennessee Valley Authority employees about the challenges he and his staff face in getting players from diverse backgrounds to play as a team.


"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.''

Later Thursday, Pearl issued an apology for the remark, which came in front of television cameras and was aired by WBIR-TV of Knoxville.

"This morning while speaking at a private kick-off event for a great organization that benefits many local charities, I made a statement in jest to describe the diverse group our staff recruits year-in and year-out, " Pearl said.

"Unfortunately while I was trying to excite the crowd and encourage employees to give, I made an inappropriate joke. I certainly did not intend to offend anyone and I apologize to everyone, especially the people of Grainger County.

"In no way am I trying to justify what I said, but I'm disappointed that the focus has been placed on me rather than the charities I was there to help. My only hope is that the visibility of this mistake will encourage those who can to give to those in need during these difficult times.''

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.''

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau Web site, the population of Grainger County, which is northeast of Knoxville in Eastern Tennessee, is 98 percent white. The county's population is 22,333, according to recent census estimates.

Tennessee announced in April that it had renegotiated a six-year contract with Pearl.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

am I the only one that doesn't get it? i feel stupid

 

[DFWHoopster]

am I the only one that doesn't get it? i feel stupid

Wearing the hood was a reference to KKK.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Wearing the hood was a reference to KKK.

wow! I wasn't even thinking down that route. Pretty stupid thing to say.

 

[JDM Sooner]

Count me in as someone who finds this hilarious. Bad taste no doubt, but funny

 

[Cheno]

The media blowing it up again. Not that big a deal. He didn't make a racist comment or anything. He said something that is true and something people in the South where he is at, unfortunately, still have to deal with.

 

[OU918]

"There's no hard feelings at all,'' Doug McBee said, according to The Tennessean. "We are country up here, but we're not prejudice."

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Pearl should have joked instead about the tenuous grasp of the English language that the county's residents seem to possess.

 

[sys]

"There's no hard feelings at all,'' Doug McBee said, according to The Tennessean. "We are country up here, but we're not prejudice."

_______________________________________________________________


Pearl should have joked instead about the tenuous grasp of the English language that the county's residents seem to possess.

unless mcbee issued a written statement, the fault lies with the reporter quoting him, and not mcbee.

 

[OU918]

Either way it's still Tennessee...

 

[coolm]

to heck with those people - it was darn funny and probably accurate.

 

[campbest]

Media hyping nothing again.

If you want to coach Division I ball anymore, it's illegal to have a personality.

 

[coolm]

If you want to coach Division I ball anymore, it's illegal to have a personality.

agreed 1000%

 

[red recluse]

the only apology he needs to make is letting eaton get to the basket. other than that, he should make a few appearances on amateur night at the laugh factory in nashville.

 

[campbest]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTJiNDdHA1s[/ame]

 

[Cheno]

Seriously, is it just me or did that video not look like a standup comedy routine? LOL

 

[coolm]

Seriously, is it just me or did that video not look like a standup comedy routine? LOL

same thing I thought. Looked like he was doing a Nite at the Improv.

 

[seniorsooner]

But I mean seriously, what's the deal with airline food?

 

[shytnik]

I have no problem with what he said. He's probably right that there is a contingent of that in the area. Who cares really. I think we continue to be a society that is looking for a reason to be offended. As a non-sheet wearing white boy, I found it hilarious.
:dancinwillie

 

[Cheno]

I agree I don't see anything wrong with it. He was stating a fact.

 

[okienole3]

It is just a sign of our times where everyone has to be "PC". Its a bunch of BS.