Bruce Pearl jokes he will 'slap the rotten right out' of his kids in response to Tahaad Pettiford question

Bruce Pearl has a way to make sure his kids and players behave properly by “slapping the rotten right out” of them.

Of course, Pearl said it in a joking manner, we think. In response to how one of his players, Tahaad Pettiford, has handled coming off the bench all year, he said he was a model citizen.

That’s when he made the comparison to his own kids, who Pearl admitted to spoiling of course.

“I mean, Tahaad Pettiford has not started a game and has not said one word to any of his coaches, his family has not said a single word, because he was raised right,” Pearl said postgame. “And look, guys, there are still great stories about kids that want to be coached, they want to be held accountable, and kids that aren’t. You know, I spoil my children, and I will slap the rotten right out of them. We all spoil our kids, don’t we? That’s why I want to coach, and that’s why I want my kids to feel they’re loved. 

“But when they do behave selfishly, or they do behave in such a way that either God’s not going to bless it, or it’s going to bring the team down, we call it out, we call it out.” 

Sounds like any loving father doesn’t it? That’s the way Pearl feels about his own kids and his players. Pettiford’s been a shining example of trusting the program and process set out by Pearl.

“Tahaad’s been great and he’s got great courage,” Pearl said. “You know, as a freshman, the seniors (have) done a great job kind of embracing him and to play the entire game and have Butler guarding him sometimes, and not have a turnover, is incredible.”

Pearl saw it on display Saturday as Auburn beat Kentucky 94-78 on the road, winning inside Rupp Arena for the first time since 1988.

Pettiford played 33 minutes against the Wildcats, but did not start. It didn’t matter as he put up 21 points, two rebounds and four assists.

“I think one of the things about putting the roster together, sometimes less is more. I have 12 guys on scholarship, not 13, because I can’t keep 13 guys happy. And I have one player that’s on scholarship knowing that he was going to be in practice all year, which gets us down to 11. The risk you run is injury, but taking that risk, my guys are almost always playing,” Pearl said.

“I told Johni Broome, Dylan Cardwell and Chaney Johnson, I’m empowering you guys. We’re going to make this big lineup work. They were all seniors, they had all paid their dues, they had all earned the right for me to not bring a big-time player over their head. That was when the chemistry was built and guess what? Those guys appreciated it and trusted us.”