Bruce Pearl's Transition From Coach To Super Fan Is Nearly Complete
You can leave coaching, but coaching never leaves you.
The Auburn Tigers' basketball team dropped a heartbreaker earlier today to last year's national runner-up and current number one overall team, the Houston Cougars.
Although Auburn couldn't get the W, there was plenty to be encouraged about, given what the Tigers lost from their Final Four squad in the offseason.
One such loss was their head coach, Bruce Pearl, who decided to retire from the game of basketball to pursue a new career in broadcasting.
Now, I've had my issues with Auburn basketball in the past, but I can't deny the impact that coach Pearl has had on the program, so his absence represents some huge shoes to fill by his son, Steven.
Bruce hasn't gone too far though, as he was spotted in the stands at Auburn's game today, and he was as animated as ever as he watched his former team go toe-to-toe with the Cougars.
That right there is an Auburn super fan if I've ever seen one.
Let's break down Pearl's form.
The man is full-throated, screaming at what I would assume is the ref for a terrible call, and he's also got the "what is this" arm at full extension.
He even takes a few steps down towards the court, presumably to make sure the refs heard whatever criticisms he had for him.
It's nice to see that, even in retirement, Bruce Pearl still has that fire and passion for the game of basketball.
You can leave coaching, but coaching never leaves you.
It's also cool to see him being such a supportive dad, too.
You can tell he's beaming with pride watching Steven follow in his footsteps.
While Pearl isn't roaming the sidelines anymore, the fans are still letting him have it in the comments section.
Pearl hasn't lost his passion, and it looks like the fans haven't either.
Old rivalries die hard, and Pearl certainly made a lot of enemies while at Auburn and Tennessee.
And I'm sure he wouldn't have it any other way. It meant he was doing something right.