That sight will take a while to fade. If you were watching college basketball on ESPN last night or Sportscenter, it was hard to miss the shot of Tennessee Volunteers basketball coach Bruce Pearl showing up at the Lady Vols game -- in orange body paint with a big "V" on his chest. The appearance so startled the Lady Vols that they fell behind 19-0 early in the game, before rallying to a 74-70 loss. Can't say I blame them. Really, more impressed that they recovered at all.
I have to agree with Zach of the Big Picture (and also the Fanhouse) I imagined Bruce Pearl to have a lot more body hair. Given the way Pearl has sweated through some suits, I wonder how much the body paint was running by the end of the game.
The biggest problem I have with this stunt, I started considering what certain basketball coaches would look like shirtless and covered in body paint. Mike Krzyzewski in blue paint with the Cameron Crazies. Ernie Kent bouncing in day-glow yellow with Oregon students. Lute Olson? Try and imagine Bob Knight going -- okay, I can't even form that one.
Upon further disturbing reflection, at least most of the college basketball coaches are not grotesquely huge. The most terrifying prospect would be the trend staying on the Tennessee campus and spreading to the coaches of other teams. I don't think the world could handle Phil Fulmer showing up shirtless. If the game was televised, surely the FCC would have to be involved.




