Auburn men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl is no stranger to the intersection of politics and sports. One look at his X/Twitter feed and it’s easy to see that he’s actually an unabashed supporter of not sticking to sports.
And based on the content he fills his feed with, he’s an ardent conservative and supporter of the former president.
On Monday, Pearl reiterated his stance with “anti-woke” proponents by reposting and commenting on a post by Arkansas U.S. Senator, Tom Cotton.
Cotton is not afraid to spread untruths and stand behind ridiculous points of view.
His latest post attacked Vice President Kamala Harris for being “so extreme” in regards to private health insurance. He also added “illegal aliens,” which is a scare tactic conservatives love to employ.
“Kamala Harris is so extreme she wants to kick you off the health insurance you get through your job,” wrote Cotton. “Like a true San Francisco radical, she wants everyone—even illegal aliens—on a government plan.”
For those too lazy to do their research, which most MAGA lovers are, he’s referencing an NBC News story from January 29th, 2019 written by Benjy Sarlin.
Besides calling Harris a “true San Francisco radical” when she’s from Oakland, Cotton fearmongered his followers by using an extremely abbreviated Cliffnotes summary of the story.
Despite that clickbait headline, the story was about Harris supporting a single-payer healthcare system for all.
“The idea is that everyone gets access to medical care, and you don’t have to go through the process of going through an insurance company, having them give you approval, going through the paperwork, all of the delay that may require,” said Harris at a CNN townhall in Iowa at the time.
It was part of her belief in expanded healthcare and Medicare for all, something Republicans have fought tirelessly to restrict, especially after Obamacare was passed. Mind you, not once did the article mention “illegal aliens.”
And Cotton’s silly and purposely agitational take was fully endorsed by Pearl.
“Thank you for pointing this out Senator Cotton, except my guess is that like many of her socialist, woke progressive beliefs she’s now changing them or hiding them to get elected! We won’t get fooled again!” wrote Pearl.
Pearl made sure to include inflammatory words “socialist,” “woke” and “progressive” to rile up the base even more.
Bruce Pearl’s politics are clear, and he has no remorse or hesitation in commenting or reposting content that appeals to Republicans, conservatives, MAGA or the far-right.
And this is why Black athletes must pay more attention to who recruits them and who they’re playing for.
Pearl is blatantly aligned with a party, organizations and individuals who want to restrict freedoms, spread lies and deny people equal rights.
How can any Black athlete, or any athlete with morals, a conscience, or common sense agree to play for a coach who thinks and talks like Pearl?
How can you play for a coach who marvels over the vertical leap of Auburn’s Jahki Howard in one post but then sandwiches the video between lies about Kamala Harris and posts about hypocrite and new supporter of the former president, RFK Jr.?
Black athletes need to recognize their true power and influence. Not just on the basketball court, but in the direction of college sports. Not just with NIL, but in the shaping of programs.
NIL has dramatically changed the recruiting process, and athletes are now looking at compensation over tradition.
But Black athletes can have as much influence over compensation as they do in who they’re helping to win games.
Black athletes must not be fooled into thinking that athletics will shield them from the realities of the world, especially the reality of what Republicans under the influence of the former president are doing and planning to do.
Pearl is playing the role of Harvey Dent and Two-Face, just like former Auburn Football head coach, Tommy Tuberville.
Tuberville went from being a successful college football coach to a US Senator who held up almost 650 rightful military appointments over abortion rights. He insulted teachers in inner-city schools, yet his high school ranked #115 in the entire state of Arkansas!
He tried to enflame a crowd at a 2022 rally by claiming that crime was running rampant when it was actually declining. He coached hundreds of Black players, yet in trying to scare constituents about “crime-riddled cities,” he never mentioned that hate crimes rose in 2022 and the largest target was African Americans.
But as we wrote last year, “racial politics conveniently shift Black people from victims to perpetrators.”
Tommy Tuberville was a warning to Black athletes and their families that they have the right, and need, to research the coaches they might play for just as much as the coaches research them.
That includes understanding their politics, for why would you want to play for someone who spreads lies?
Bruce Pearl, who has not shied away from politics despite being a coach, along with Tuberville, happily coaches Black athletes while playing racial politics. He manifests the American divide exploited and used by the former president which has made politics so polarized and vicious, and has ended friendships and strained family relations.
Black athletes, it’s time for you to take your own political stand and refuse to play for coaches of Pearl’s ilk.
Auburn isn’t the only program in the nation. Your talents can be utilized at another school. Plus, in his 10 years at Auburn, the Tigers have only been to the Final Four once, so it’s not like you’re missing out on a championship program.
So if you’re thinking about heading to Auburn, check out Pearl’s X feed and then decide whether you can honestly stomach playing for someone who reposts Ben Shapiro, Charlie Kirk and other groups and individuals that want nothing to do with you outside of your vote.
