Tennessee Vols: Bruce Pearl's Shine Wears Off Amidst NCAA Investigation

When news broke late Thursday that Tennessee's basketball program was under the all-enveloping microscope of the ever-powerful NCAA, many fans and supporters were taken aback. The American sports version of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea doesn't snoop around without cause.

The NCAA has been no stranger in Knoxville lately, either. During Lane Kiffin's brief tenure as the Vols head football coach, it might as well have had a branch office near Neyland Stadium. Still, Vols fans knew every potentially fraudulent move the Kiffin regime made. Toward the end of the young coach's short time at UT, secondary violations were darn-near expected out of Kiffin and Co. The stench of that short-lived, failed venture still lives on in the form of a continued investigation into the football program.

But no one, and I mean no one, could have ever expected Bruce Pearl to be involved in a potential scandal. After all, it was Pearl, who as an assistant coach at Iowa in the late 80's, turned in Illinois for multiple violations over the recruitment of Deon Thomas, which led to Illinois getting the infamous, "Lack of Institutional Control" penalty.

It was Pearl who stood proudly as a beacon of hope for Vols fans during the trials and tribulations of the recent off-field/court issues. As the football program declined, Pearl and his basketball program became the lone hope for orange-clad Volniacs. That is, unless you love Big Orange golf and tennis.

At issue, for the Baller Vols and the NCAA, is illegal phone contact with some recruits. When the news became even clearer at a Friday press conference that not only had Pearl and his staff committed potential violations, he had also misled NCAA investigators during their investigation, you could have knocked die hard Big Orange fans over with a feather.

Pearl was contrite. He cried throughout his remarks and showed much remorse.

As well he should since athletic director, Mike Hamilton laid down the law and took $2 million off of that brand spanking new contract that Pearl received after taking the vols to their first Elite Eight in March.

Hamilton, the embattled AD who fired Phillip Fulmer and hired Lane Kiffin, has come under much scrutiny for his handling of the athletic department lately. The Fulmer firing, the Kiffin debacle, the numerous off-the-field legal issues with student-athletes, and the investigations and potential sanctions have placed Hamilton squarely on the proverbial hotseat.

This writer has been openly critical and I've even called for his firing on multiple occasions. But the actions taken by Hamilton today must be applauded.

To Pearl's credit, he realized the error of his ways and admitted to Hamilton that he lied, before the NCAA found out on their own—a gesture that likely kept Pearl and Hamilton's job secure for the time being. But Hamilton had to react swiftly in this case. Thankfully, he did just that.

As part of Tennessee's internal punishment, Pearl and his assistants will receive a 25-percent reduction in pay. Pearl will not be able to recruit off-campus until September of 2011. Phone calls to recruits have been reduced 33-percent, and there will be no official visits allowed at football games the rest of this month, beginning next week.

Mike Hamilton's swift and sharp actions have given the AD a reprieve for the moment. For Pearl, however, a legacy is tarnished and his job of taking the Vols to higher heights just got a bit tougher. And that's before the NCAA rules on a punishment for the program.

Yes, it could get worse—much worse.

Will the NCAA be happy with this self-imposed punishment? Are these sanctions enough to appease Dear Leader?

The Vols athletic department should have an answer to both of those questions later this year as the investigation has all but concluded.

Unfortunately, for supporters of the program and lovers of the Big Orange, the damage has been done to a previously pristine legacy. Bruce Pearl will now be labeled as a cheater.

For fans who have taken pride in having a "clean coach" in the midst of a dirty climate in college sports, that fact is difficult to swallow.