college hoops power brokers...

When Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton decided to hire a new men's basketball coach this spring, one of his first calls was to Dana Pump, a red-haired hoops junkie from the San Fernando Valley whose career peaked as a 5-foot-10 high school forward.

Along with his twin brother and partner, David — together they are known simply as the Pumps — Dana Pump has become an unlikely power broker in college athletics.

Two weeks after hiring the Pumps' new firm, Champ Search, for $25,000, Tennessee made its choice: Bruce Pearl, the coveted coach of the moment after leading unheralded Wisconsin Milwaukee into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

A Wisconsin Milwaukee official soon placed a call to Champ Search — not to complain, but to hire the firm to help find a replacement. Loyola Marymount and New Mexico State also consulted the brothers for smaller fees before hiring coaches this year.