Is It Just Me, or is Bruce Pearl Daring the NCAA to Lay the Hammer Down?

ESPN's Andy Katz has a story up where embattled Tennessee Head Coach Bruce Pearl believes the Volunteers basketball program will not be punished further by the NCAA. The University of Tennessee's Athletic Director Mike Hamilton memorialized the infractions in a September letter to Pearl, which include recruiting violations, misleading NCAA investigators, and asking recruits and their parents not to mention the event he hosted at his house because he knew it was a violation. Pearl, citing "unprecedented action taken by the school and SEC," that includes approximately a 1.5 million dollar fine, and an 8-game conference suspension to start the year, believes the NCAA won't act further. Perhaps, but doesn't Pearl's saying: "I'll be calling all the plays, preparing the game plans, getting everything set" make the punishment look less than severe? If Coach Pearl wants the NCAA to leave well enough alone, does it make a lot of sense to talk about how he expects to finalize a new contract after the committee on infractions hands down their decision?