The ongoing FBI investigation of bribery and corruption in college basketball that led to the indictment and subsequent firings of four assistant coaches - Chuck Person of Auburn, USC's Tony Bland, Lamont Evans of Oklahoma State and Arizona's Emanuel Richardson - as well as Louisville's Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino and former staff member Jordan Fair for giving the university another black eye of scandal, has not served as a deterrent to signing a coach with a history of lying to NCAA investigators while employed at Tennessee to a contract extension.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl and his Tigers shared the conference title with the Volunteers last season. For their efforts, he was rewarded with the extension that runs through the 2022-23 campaign.
Pearl, who originally inked a six-year deal worth $14.7 million in 2014, was signed by former athletic director Jay Jacobs. He has a 70-62 record in 4 seasons on the job but had a breakout year that saw the 2017-18 squad finish 26-8. "It was a historic season for Auburn basketball and one that was matched by excellence in the classroom as well" said current AD Allen Greene. Greene has yet to respond to messages left by the Montgomery Advertiser requesting comments on the agreement and its terms. Greene went on to state "Coach Pearl shares my commitment to ensuring the holistic development of our student-athletes and adhering to the mission of Auburn University as an institution of higher learning." Hmmm. That had to be a typo. Surely he meant "an institution of higher earning." Here's a Pearl of Wisdom - money trumps morality, even in the Bible Belt. Hallelujah!
Even in the SEC where football is king, basketball, with its recent influx of talent, has made its way to the payday podium - postseason hoops, turning a once-fledgling league that could only boast of stalwarts and regular NCAA Tournament participants Kentucky and Florida, into one brimming with 5-star rated, future NBA players from top to bottom.
Eight teams were invited to "The Dance" in 2018 which earned SEC participants a hefty payout. What else would have led Auburn to extend Pearl's stay in Auburn, Alabama? He's winning now and winning translates to dollars. His program, following its success on the court this year, is viewed as a cash cow that can supplement the athletic department's earnings. If he were losing, the folk in the Bible Belt would have turned up their noses, played the morality card that pointed to the scripture that noted "all liars shall partake in the fiery lake" and run Pearl out of town on the first plane, bus, train or uber smoking.
This had to be the outcome Auburn had hoped for when Jacobs hired him in spite of his show-cause rap that followed him from Tennessee. Pearl didn't cooperate with NCAA investigators in Knoxville and was outwardly reluctant to do the same amid Auburn's internal investigation. When the FBI came sniffing around, he stiff-armed them and the NCAA, maintaining his innocence while losing the services of a couple of key recruits and a returning standout's eligibility as a direct result of the probe. Now, Pearl has more years.
Jacobs, on the other hand, had to resign. Pearl has more money. Person is out of a job and is damaged goods for life for his role in this mess. Even though it's been noted by CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish that it's not "unreasonable to believe Pearl really might not have known what Person was allegedly doing" and therefore didn't gain by Person's actions in comparison to Arizona head coach Sean Miller who allegedly had a recorded phone conversation implicating his direct involvement, Pearl is the CEO of the basketball program, hired Person and should have known what was going on.
His plausible deniability stance and refusal to cooperate should have gotten him canned. But, winning is the tonic, the cure-all and having a top-10 team returning for 2018-19 certainly helped Pearl gain more job and financial security. How could a guy, in the throes of a federal investigation that had him on the verge of getting fired, escape and actually come out better for it? It's a revolting development for the coaches who run a "clean" program as well as the governing bodies trying to level the playing field. Pearl is set for life, having gotten off scott free. Now, if only ESPN would bring him aboard as one of its college basketball analysts.......wait, they already did, following his ouster at Tennessee! Hey, I believe in second chances, but Auburn's decision to extend Pearl's contract clearly sends the wrong message - liars and cheaters DO prosper. And the two other take-aways we learned, class? The FBI's investigation hasn't proven to be a deterrent to cheating and money trumps morality.
Just ask the Bible Belt folk.