Shirtless Bruce Pearl endears himself to Auburn students by getting in a dunk tank
New Auburn coach Bruce Pearl found a way to make a splash before he even won his first game or landed his first recruit.
Pearl volunteered for a stint in the Pi Kappa Phi dunk tank on Wednesday afternoon to raise money for PUSH America, the fraternity's non-profit organization that helps people with disabilities. Students paid $2 apiece for the chance to throw balls at a target to dunk Pearl.
Pearl told the Auburn Plainsman he agreed to participate because it was for a good cause and because he's hopeful stuff like this will lead to more student involvement in the basketball program in return. Plus, it surely didn't hurt that the weather was in the high 70s.
"We’re going to ask students to come out and support us, maybe even travel to our games," Pearl told the newspaper. "I can’t ask them to engage in our program if I’m not willing to engage in their programs."
This of course is not Pearl's first time making headlines for shedding his shirt. He appeared shirtless and covered in orange body paint in the student section for a 2007 Tennessee women's basketball game early in his tenure as Vols head coach.
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