Auburn students got a pregame thank-you from Auburn coach Bruce Pearl Saturday. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Any time I mentioned that I like Auburn coach Bruce Pearl because of his coaching ability I get lambasted by a lot of folks — and that’s okay because everyone is entitled to an opinion. However, surely anyone has to appreciate what Pearl did Saturday before his team played Kentucky.
Long before the game started, Pearl went out to thank the Auburn students for their support. Many had camped out in cold weather Friday to make sure they got tickets for the SEC showdown.
“Let me tell you something, this is The Jungle and that’s Jungle City,” Pearl said about the campground according to On3’s Justin Hokanson. “It’s about you guys. This is about you guys.
“It’s about my players in that locker room. My players came to Auburn because they wanted to be the best, you came to Auburn because you want to be the best – so today, we’ve got to be the best!”
He wasn’t finished.
“It’s January in college basketball season, this game matters. This game’s important. March matters, March matters! You guys are gonna give us the courage, and we’re grateful. I’ve got to tell you, you guys have created the best student cheering section in the country. We love you. We appreciate every single one of you.”
Not saying John Calipari should do that at Kentucky, but then again, why not? Let fans know they are appreciated, especially students if you want them to create a rowdy Rupp Arena appearance.
It was just a small gesture but one that sure resonated with Auburn students and my guess is that it would do the same with UK students and fans.
8 Responses
Cal would rather call us “ basketball bennies”
I do wish Cal had the passion that Pearl has for winning games at the university he coaches for.
Hopefully Cal gets back to that!
He has a team this season that can help him get there.
uk1996 beat me to it.
Calipari dismisses the fans.
As far as a passion or winning games for Kentucky, there is no "getting back" to that because he never has had it.
I know, I’m just kidding myself.
It’s the players on this team seem to care more about winning than any we’ve had in a while. Especially Oscar! He gives you everything he has.
I agree UK1996champs
With his background Bruce Pearl is a perfect fit at a "football school." Can’t see him at a traditional hoops power. I recall seeing him in the student section at a Auburn women’s game shirtless. Ugh !
you remember right Ripper
First, let me say I cannot stand Pearl, didn’t like him at UT, and I still do not like him.
Cal has gone out to where the students camped out at Rupp but they have not been able to camp out since Covid.
I wish the University would put our students on the side not endzone where only a low % of students get in. We are probably one of a few Universities that make the students pay for tickets. I would say by forking out $30,000.00 a year would be enough money to buy students football and basketball tickets. If coaches want the students to support them as other universities let them in free. Move the people that do not want to stand up and yell for the CATS to the upper deck. Our students need to be opposite the benches in the lower part of Rupp. Talk about a hard place to play, Rupp would be that place because it’s so much larger than other Arenas that when we pack that side with students, not a team in their right mind would want to play at Rupp. Yes I know the students get in all other sporting events free but seems like the University is worried more about the money that is donated instead of having Rupp and Krogers Field as the hardest places to play for other teams.
I thought the atmosphere at Texas A&M was better than Auburn. Plus A&M looked like they had a lot of tradition that the students were involved with.
Very seldom does Rupp also put t-shirts on the seats to where everyone is wearing the same color and when they do a lot of those people setting on the sides will not even wear the shirt because it will be too cheap looking. Forget about money for a while and focus on winning ballgames and making Rupp a hard place to play.
That is why at away games or tournaments you have more fans standing and yelling because those are the people that are die-hard fans.
I wish Rupp would do more to enhance the atmosphere also