Andy Burcham sat down with Jason Caldwell of Inside the Auburn Tigers for a six-part interview. The two discuss Bruce Pearl’s success and remember the late Rod Bramblett.
What “it” factor does Burcham see in Pearl?
Burcham says,
“For one thing it’s authentic. His enthusiasm, his love for his players, his love for Tennessee when he was there, southern Indiana you know when he won a national championship there, and his love for Auburn is unique and authentic”
https://twitter.com/JoshVitale/status/1185022261423759360?s=20
Burcham also describes Pearl as being a tough coach who gains the respect of his players. Coach Pearl has made his mission statement at Auburn known and his players understand the biggest goal is to get better.
“His love for them is not just as basketball players at Auburn.”
Burcham uses Anfernee McLemore as an example. McLemore’s fiancee gave birth to his son right after the South Alabama game. Pearl helped arrange for McLemore to fly back to Auburn with AD Allen Greene so that he could get back quicker.
Anfernee McLemore brought his son, Maverick, into the press room. pic.twitter.com/snjVTCYItK
— Nathan King (@byNathanKing) January 11, 2020
In the last three years, Pearl has taken Auburn basketball to three consecutive 25-win seasons, a regular season SEC championship, an SEC Tournament championship and a Final Four appearance. Auburn basketball was a complete mess when Bruce Pearl arrived. Burcham describes the transformation as “one of the more remarkable stories in Auburn athletic history.”
Remembering Rod Bramblett:
Bramblett passed away right before Auburn baseball played Georgia Tech in the NCAA Regionals. Burcham was not in the broadcast booth. When the Tigers punched their ticket to their first Super Regional since 1999, Burcham knew he had to go. This was history.
Down 5-3.
2 outs.
Bottom of the 9th.Enter @AuburnBaseball’s Steven Williams. #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/Sqk7KfkdjF
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) June 2, 2019
They would face off against North Carolina, a team who had never lost in a Super Regional.
The Tigers forced the Tar Heels to a three game series. In the final game Auburn scored 13 runs in the first inning. Burcham remembers thinking, “don’t let this team be the team that blows a 13 run lead.”
Auburn held on and advanced to the College World Series for the first time since 1997. As the last pitch was thrown Burcham remained seated in the broadcast booth. Usually at this moment he’d be down on the field for post game coverage while Rod stayed in the booth to begin the post game show.
Auburn baseball HC Butch Thompson addressing the team before the regionals are announced. “I know Rod loved you. He believed in you.” #WarEagle @wsfa12news pic.twitter.com/W3UsbgBwfQ
— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) May 27, 2019
Baseball was what bonded the two together. Rod was all he could think about in that moment. In the two minutes between the last pitch and the post game show Burcham recalls, “I got really emotional. I had time to get emotional and gather my senses and then send it down to Paul.”
And when the Tigers finally made it to Omaha Burcham recalls telling Kirk Sampson, “Rod would love this.”
He sure would have.