BigOrangeBlood wrote: but in the process wrecked UT basketball and practically "undid" all he achieved.  His lack of integrity and stupidity has caused UT much harm.  I think a 3 year show cause penalty for Pearl and no further penalties for UT is the right thing.  UT has suffered enough and Pearl and his staff are fully responsbile for the suffering inflicted.  Pearl is an outstanding coach with lack of integrity.  I don't wish him ill, but I also don't sweep under the rug his failings.  As successful and exciting a run it was under Pearl, in his aftermath he has left the program (competitive/talent-wise) back to the level it was when O'Neil inherited the program from Houston.

Or maybe this?

Or possibly even this?

I certainly don't feel all that much optimism about our program at the moment (certainly subject to change if Cuonzo can secure a commitment from a stud or two). I also believe that the caliber of players Martin has got coming here thus far appear to be on the level of those that go to LSU, Auburn and South Carolina, programs that don't make too many postseason tournaments.

Anyway, for whatever perverse reason a phrase popped into my mind this morning and struck me as quite humorous, and I found something that we might want to consider posting above the entrances to Thompson Boling if our program sinks too low:

Certainly the game is rigged. Don't let that stop you; if you don't bet, you can't win....Robert A. Heinlein

though I really don't believe that our hoops program is going to literally crash and burn to a very fine, dust-like ashe. But just suppose for a moment that in the near future our program did sink so incredibly low that people fondly remembered Wade Houston's teams, than we might consider posting plaques like the one below at the entrances to Thompson Boling....

Certainly the game is rigged. Don't let that stop you; if you don't bet, you can't win....Robert A. Heinlein