logo
#

Latest news with #BrucePearl

Auburn's Bruce Pearl needles Obama over statement on Gaza
Auburn's Bruce Pearl needles Obama over statement on Gaza

Fox News

timea day ago

  • Politics
  • Fox News

Auburn's Bruce Pearl needles Obama over statement on Gaza

Auburn Tigers men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl criticized President Barack Obama over the statement he made on the hunger situation in Gaza. Obama suggested aid must flow to Palestinians regardless of whether Israel can secure a hostage deal. Pearl, who is the chair of the U.S. Israel Education Association, criticized the former president on Monday for failing to demand that Hamas return the hostages it has held since the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks. "You gave billions to Iran and Hamas creating this mess and not one word from you calling for THEM to release the hostages, surrender and end the War! Tell Hamas to 1) Quit stealing and reselling aid 2) Stop attacking GHF workers who are feeding Gazans. 3) Leave and end suffering," Pearl wrote on X. Obama made the statement on social media on Sunday in reference to reporting from the New York Times stating that "Gazans are dying of starvation." Israel, which blocked aid to Gaza earlier this year, has recently begun to airdrop aid resources into the region, and its leaders argue reports of starvation are a false campaign promoted by Hamas. Reporting from Fox News' Trey Yingst has indicated that hunger is indeed spreading across the region, however. "While a lasting resolution to the crisis in Gaza must involve a return of all hostages and a cessation of Israel's military operations, these articles underscore the immediate need for action to be taken to prevent the travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation," Obama wrote on X, providing a link to the Times. "Aid must be permitted to reach people in Gaza. There is no justification for keeping food and water away from civilian families," he added. President Donald Trump touted U.S. efforts to provide aid to Gaza when asked about the situation on Sunday. While meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the time, he stated that Europe has not provided aid to Gaza. He also said that Hamas is stealing much of the aid being sent to Palestinians, a claim Israel has put forward repeatedly. "When I see the children and when I see, especially over the last couple of weeks people are stealing the food, they're stealing the money, they're stealing the money for the food. They're stealing weapons, they're stealing everything," Trump told reporters. "It's a mess, that whole place is a mess. The Gaza Strip, you know it was given many years ago so they could have peace. That didn't work out too well," he added. Pearl, who is Jewish, has been more outspoken against Hamas terrorists and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East since the terror attacks. He explained on the "Being Jewish Podcast" in June about why he speaks out. "Here's the deal. One of the reasons why I do it, it's really simple. What is your Middle Eastern studies course teaching you in high school? Oh, you don't have one? Oh, so then let's go on social media and let's read the lies and the propaganda," Pearl explained. "In the back of their minds it's, 'Maybe they are right. Maybe the Jews did steal the land. Maybe they did run them out of their home. I don't know.' Well, that's because you've never been taught. So you're listening to the loudest voices, [which is] a very, very loud minority."

Bruce Pearl Reacts to Unfortunate News About Star Auburn Player on Saturday.
Bruce Pearl Reacts to Unfortunate News About Star Auburn Player on Saturday.

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Bruce Pearl Reacts to Unfortunate News About Star Auburn Player on Saturday.

Bruce Pearl Reacts to Unfortunate News About Star Auburn Player on Saturday. originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Unfortunate news hit the Auburn Tigers basketball program on Saturday, just months after the team wrapped up an impressive 2024–25 season with an SEC regular season title and a Final Four appearance. Star guard and key returner Tahaad Pettiford was arrested early Saturday morning on a DUI charge in Lee County, Alabama, according to jail records. Pettiford was later released, but the arrest is concerning—particularly as he is just 19 years old. Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl addressed the situation briefly, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter. 'We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family,' Pearl said in a statement to ESPN. 'We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.' Just a few weeks ago, Tahaad Pettiford announced his decision to withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to Auburn, where he's widely considered a serious contender for SEC Player of the Year. With Johni Broome now in the NBA, Pettiford is expected to take over as the catalyst for the Tigers' roster. "I was happy to go through the process and get feedback from NBA teams," Pettiford said after deciding to return. "Going back to Auburn is a better situation for me. I see myself being a higher pick next year. It wasn't 100% this year, so I didn't want to take that chance." Last season, Pettiford averaged 11.6 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 36.6% from three-point range. During Auburn's five-game NCAA Tournament run, he elevated his play, averaging 15.2 points per story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.

Auburn's Bruce Pearl pumps brakes on US Senate rumors
Auburn's Bruce Pearl pumps brakes on US Senate rumors

Fox News

time17-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Fox News

Auburn's Bruce Pearl pumps brakes on US Senate rumors

Bruce Pearl's name was floated as a possible candidate to replace Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., in his U.S. Senate seat as the lawmaker announced his intention to run for Alabama governor. The Auburn Tigers men's basketball head coach even received the support of Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, despite Pearl's fervent support for President Donald Trump. Pearl addressed the possibility on the "Scott Jennings Show," wondering whether he could make as big of an impact on the world as the head coach at Auburn. "Can I also have an impact as a basketball coach?" Pearl said. "I'm graduating kids. I'm teaching kids. … I don't know that I have to be a Senator in order (make an impact), there are so many things about Washington that are so dysfunctional that I don't even know that I could make a difference there." Auburn Athletic Director John Cohen told that he expected Pearl to be the head coach of the team for the 2025-26 season. "I absolutely expect him to be the head coach at Auburn," Cohen said. "But I, I also expect all the policies of NIL Go and, and you know, our new governing body to be upheld. But things can change. We've seen that." Pearl, who is Jewish, has expressed his fervent support for Israel in the face of rising antisemitism in the U.S. since the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel. He's been a supporter of how Trump has handled the conflicts in the Middle East as well. Pearl was also tapped to be the chairman of the U.S. Israel Education Association. Pearl is 246-125 as the Tigers' head coach. He has led Auburn to two Final Four appearances, including last season. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Auburn basketball star guard arrested for DUI
Auburn basketball star guard arrested for DUI

Yahoo

time15-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Auburn basketball star guard arrested for DUI

The post Auburn basketball star guard arrested for DUI appeared first on ClutchPoints. Auburn basketball standout Tahaad Pettiford, who made the All-SEC Freshman Team and helped the Tigers advance to their second Final Four in program history, was arrested early Saturday morning on a DUI charge in Lee County, Alabama, per ESPN's Myron Medcalf. Advertisement Because Pettiford is just 19 years old, his blood alcohol level would only have to be 0.02 percent to be considered illegal in Alabama. His bail is set at $1,000. Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl issued a statement following the arrest. 'We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family,' the four-time SEC Coach of the Year said. 'We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.' The Tigers community will wait to see how the team decides to handle this situation. Pettiford scored 11.6 points on 42.1 percent shooting from the field and 36.6 percent shooting from 3-point range last season. He also led Auburn with 3.0 assists despite averaging just 22.9 minutes per contest. The 2024 McDonald's All-American did not command the national attention that SEC Player of the Year Johni Broome did, but he was arguably the X-factor of Pearl's squad. Tahaad Pettiford scored at least 20 points in back-to-back NCAA Tournament games, catching the eye of scouts. He declared for the NBA Draft and participated in the Combine but ultimately withdrew his name from consideration in May. The Jersey City, New Jersey native is returning to Auburn basketball and is expected to be one of the top guards in the country during the 2025-26 campaign. Advertisement There is always a possibility he faces disciplinary action, though. Pearl and the rest of the program will likely try to glean more information from Pettiford's arrest before deciding how to proceed. The Tigers officially begin practice for next season this September. Related: Dusty May defends Juwan Howard's 'misfortune' with Michigan basketball Related: Jon Scheyer has 'never seen anything like' Cedric Coward's NBA Draft rise

Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford, 19, arrested on DUI charge after 'getting $2m NIL deal to drop out of NBA Draft'
Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford, 19, arrested on DUI charge after 'getting $2m NIL deal to drop out of NBA Draft'

Daily Mail​

time12-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Daily Mail​

Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford, 19, arrested on DUI charge after 'getting $2m NIL deal to drop out of NBA Draft'

Auburn basketball star Tahaad Pettiford has been arrested on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to Lee, County Alabama police records. The 19-year-old's blood-alcohol level has not been revealed publicly, but anything above 0.02 is considered illegal in Alabama because he is underage. He has since posted a $1,000 bond and been released. 'We are aware of the situation, and we will handle internally with Tahaad and his family,' Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement Saturday morning, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. 'We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.' The star sixth man for the Tigers ' Final Four team last season, Pettiford is considered an SEC Player of the Year candidate after averaging 11.6 points, 3.0 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 22.9 minutes in 38 games as a freshman. He then averaged 15.2 points over five NCAA Tournament games, but was held to just 1-of-6 shooting in Auburn's Final Four loss to conference rival, Florida, the eventual champion. Pettiford did test the NBA waters by going through the draft combine before deciding to return to Auburn in 2025-26 for what CBS Sports has reported to be a $2 million NIL deal. His arrest comes at an awkward time for Pearl, who has been mentioned as a potential 2026 U.S. senate candidate in Alabama when former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville is expected to leave his seat on Capitol Hill to run for governor. Auburn alum and former Republican Charles Barkley would support Pearl's U.S. Senatorial campaign if the outspoken supporter of Donald Trump and Israel ever ran for the office in Alabama . 'I respect and trust him,' the basketball legend and Inside the NBA co-host told . 'I just told him to do what he wants to do.' Pearl recently made waves by publicly supporting Trump's decision to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities amid ongoing tensions between that country and Israel. 'Obviously, he's made Auburn basketball relevant, which makes me happy,' Barkley said. 'I said, 'Hey, man, as much as I love you being the head basketball coach at Auburn, you taking Auburn to two Final Fours, something I never thought would happen, but I do understand.' 'If he wants to run, I'm gonna support him 100 percent.' Barkley also voiced his support for Pearl as a coach by mentioning Auburn's graduation rate. 'One thing I know about Bruce, he cares about his players,' Barkley said. 'He's graduated 100 percent of the players who stayed in school for four years, and he's proud of that. 'That was the first conversation we had when he first got the job. I said, 'Hey, man, I want Auburn to be great in basketball. I really do. But my number one priority is these young black kids getting their education. You're gonna have a couple guys who go pro, but most of these guys are gonna have to go out and be grown men. So, I know he cares about people and players.'' Pearl has not indicated any specific plans to run for Senate , but did staunchly support Trump's decision to bomb Iran. The 65-year-old Massachusetts native even went so far as to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize because of that military action in Iran. Although he is a former Republican, himself, Barkley does not support Trump. However, as he told that doesn't disqualify Pearl from receiving his support.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store