http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080325/SPT01/803250366/1062/SPT

 

UT coach Bruce Pearl said it's unfair for fans to blame Smith and Pitino for not securing Lofton. Kentucky, for example, offered scholarships to Joe Crawford and Rajon Rondo, who were five-star recruits, according to Rivals.com. Ramel Bradley, a three-star recruit, also accepted a scholarship from Kentucky.

 

But Lofton, a three-star recruit as well, wasn't as polished as Bradley, Pearl said.

 

"Louisville and Kentucky have both taken hits for not recruiting Chris Lofton," Pearl said. "Coming out of high school, the guys that they got instead of Chris were better than Chris. That's not a knock on Chris, and it should not be a knock on Tubby or coach Pitino."

 

Recruiting, after all, is more art than science, Pearl said, and Louisville and Kentucky couldn't have anticipated the player Lofton would ultimately become.

 

"Why should they be criticized because Chris Lofton made himself into an All-American?" Pearl asked. "It wasn't UT or coach Pearl or Buzz Peterson. It was Chris Lofton that did it. He's one of the hardest-working guys in college basketball and is a self-made player."

I guess he might be trying to get Chris fired up?

 

Then at the same time he is bragging on him..so I dont know..

I guess he might be trying to get Chris fired up?

 

Then at the same time he is bragging on him..so I dont know..

 

Here is a novel idea. Maybe he is telling the truth.:sssh:

Here is a novel idea. Maybe he is telling the truth.:sssh:

 

:thumb:

Yep, he's just telling it like it is.

Maybe Pearl is bragging on himself.:sssh:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080325/SPT01/803250366/1062/SPT

 

UT coach Bruce Pearl said it's unfair for fans to blame Smith and Pitino for not securing Lofton. Kentucky, for example, offered scholarships to Joe Crawford and Rajon Rondo, who were five-star recruits, according to Rivals.com. Ramel Bradley, a three-star recruit, also accepted a scholarship from Kentucky.

 

But Lofton, a three-star recruit as well, wasn't as polished as Bradley, Pearl said.

 

"Louisville and Kentucky have both taken hits for not recruiting Chris Lofton," Pearl said. "Coming out of high school, the guys that they got instead of Chris were better than Chris. That's not a knock on Chris, and it should not be a knock on Tubby or coach Pitino."

 

Recruiting, after all, is more art than science, Pearl said, and Louisville and Kentucky couldn't have anticipated the player Lofton would ultimately become.

 

"Why should they be criticized because Chris Lofton made himself into an All-American?" Pearl asked. "It wasn't UT or coach Pearl or Buzz Peterson. It was Chris Lofton that did it. He's one of the hardest-working guys in college basketball and is a self-made player."

 

Maybe Pearl is bragging on himself.:sssh:

 

You must have missed the part of the quote that I have now bolded.

I think most fans of Chris Loftons and UK fans can probably live with Mr. Arrogant Coach Pearls statements, but it still doesn't explain how you can recruit J.P. Blevins, Carrier, and the likes to UK and not Chris Lofton. You ought to know what kind of worker, player and person your getting when recruiting that player, and Chris Lofton has made himself a better player and if your locked in recruiting a kid, then you would know what your getting. I can't stand Bruce Pearl.....he is not Tennessee, and he wouldn't be crap without the likes of his players namely Lofton. Pearl can't stand it that Lofton is a bigger name in Knoxville than the name Pearl is!

I think most fans of Chris Loftons and UK fans can probably live with Mr. Arrogant Coach Pearls statements, but it still doesn't explain how you can recruit J.P. Blevins, Carrier, and the likes to UK and not Chris Lofton. You ought to know what kind of worker, player and person your getting when recruiting that player, and Chris Lofton has made himself a better player and if your locked in recruiting a kid, then you would know what your getting. I can't stand Bruce Pearl.....he is not Tennessee, and he wouldn't be crap without the likes of his players namely Lofton. Pearl can't stand it that Lofton is a bigger name in Knoxville than the name Pearl is!

 

I didn't realize that those players were seniors this past year and in the same class as Lofton.

 

As Pearl points out, the choice did NOT come down to Carrier and Lofton. Lofton and Blevins.

 

But rather Crawford and Lofton. Bradley and Lofton. Rondo and Lofton.

I didn't realize that those players were seniors this past year and in the same class as Lofton.

 

As Pearl points out, the choice did NOT come down to Carrier and Lofton. Lofton and Blevins.

 

But rather Crawford and Lofton. Bradley and Lofton. Rondo and Lofton.

 

I was simply including those names as an example of bad choices from the past. I also wasn't quoting anything you said, just simply stating my thoughts. We are allowed to do that on here. I know who the names came down to with regards to Lofton.

I was simply including those names as an example of bad choices from the past, /B]. I also was quoting anything you said, just simply stating my thoughts. We are allowed to do that on here. I know who the names came down to with regards to Lofton.

 

Someone seems to have awoken on the wrong side of the bed this morning.:sssh:

 

I agree that Carrier and Blevins were bad choices. Your comments implied if you are going to sign them then you need to sign Lofton. And if the choice came down to those 3, than you are 100% correct.

 

But as the article showed with UL and Lofton, Lofton wanted to delay the decision to UL and Pitino chose another. Same thing at UK. The decision came down to as Lofton's own coach says, better players at that time than Lofton or Lofton and UK went with the better players.

 

And REMEMBER these 5-star recruits were the exact same type of recruits that UK fans had been clamoring for.

I am sure that Chris Lofton was a very hard worker before college (Mason people can vouch for that). Was Bradley or Crawford? (I have no idea)

 

I am not blaming Tubby or anything, but I am just throwing that out there. People don't want to recruit Hopson because he is lazy apparently. A coach should obviously look at a player's work ethic.

 

ONCE AGAIN, I AM NOT BLAMING ANYONE, JUST THROWING THE IDEA OUT THERE

Press, the one thing that those names did was maybe sour Tubby on the KY product. He was burnt by recruiting two KY boys and it may have led to him looking at Lofton with an overyly critical eye since those two and Stockton had failed so miserably at UK.

Bruce Pearl can't take it that his name is not bigger in Tennessee than Loftons! That is the bottom line in him making those statements!

Bruce Pearl can't take it that his name is not bigger in Tennessee than Loftons! That is the bottom line in him making those statements!

 

I don't follow that reasoning as he GIVES ALL THE CREDIT to Lofton and deflects any for himself. Would that not increase the Lofton name?