SB Nation User Blog: gbruin

UCLA Basketball's Brave New World

gbruin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:04:53 -0000

Bumped. GO BRUINS. - N

AP Photo

We keep contrasting the approach and attitude of a player like Drew Gordon to the attitude of players like AA, PAA, DC, LRMAM, LMR, etc. The differences are easy to see. I am discouraged with Gordon leaving our team, but mostly, I am regretful that a player with Gordon’s talent doesn’t have AA’s or LMR’s work ethic and team-first approach. That would have been an awesome combination and a great asset for our team.

So we can ask why Gordon didn’t have the same attitude as our former BB Warriors. To me, though, a bigger question is why we ended up with an attitude like Gordon’s in our program, and why is appears so hard right now to get some of our younger players or new recruits to buy into CBH’s system.

My answer is that the the dynamic of UCLA basketball has changed, that we are attracting a different type of player, and CBH has become a victim of his own success. I will expand on this point after the jump.

It is key to realize the differences in UCLA basketball when CBH took over and where it is now. When CBH came in, we were wallowing in the ashes from the arson job CHP did on us. Aside from tradition, there was nothing particularly distinctive about coming to UCLA at that time. Tradition meant a lot to fans and alums, but not so much to 17 year old basketball prodigies. Ask Bill Walton. As such, the first players CBH got were ones who were willing to put their necks out and try something daring. Obviously they had skill to play D-1 BBall, but they also had something in their makeup that made them want to come to UCLA despite all the uncertainty if offered at the time: a new coach, a new system, a rebuilding program. But it also had potential. I liken it to Brian Price’s attitude when picking UCLA FB over $c* and its limos and titles. As a result, we got pioneers with team-first attitudes and work ethics like JF and AA and LMR and RW and JS and others. Granted, all good players, but some of them could have gone to nearby higher profile programs like Furd or the Standard, or national programs like Duke, MSU, NC, etc. Something in them made them buy-in to CBH and UCLA. Still, with the exception of KL (and we know why he was different), the biggest name recruits in the country, the ones who saw college as a mere stepping stone to the NBA, the ME-first guys, didn’t come to UCLA those first formative years of CBH’s reign. They still wanted the biggest flashiest stage that would showcase themselves first. But those guys who did come, their attitude, and CBH’s system produced results that speak for themselves.

Jump forward a few years, UCLA is now a marquis program. UCLA goes to 3 straight Final 4’s. UCLA sends multiple players, some previously unheralded (LRMAM, RW), to the NBA lottery and draft each year. UCLA gets its players lots of press and pub and TV time. UCLA is no longer just a place to learn basetball and grow a program, it is now an opportunity. Those big time HS stars who saw NBA first, and team and personal development second (and education somewhere after), now looked at UCLA differently. Guys like Holliday and Gordon, who would never have given UCLA a thought in CBH’s first year or two, now saw UCLA in a new light. UCLA could be their own personal stepping stone to the NBA, even to the degree where they believed CBH's system would change to showcase them, and not vice-versa. I guess I can’t blame the players for looking at UCLA that way, same as I can’t blame CBH for bringing them in. On the surface, they seemed like great kids and their BBall talent was something any coach would have killed for. As it turns out, they were the wrong fit for our program. In retrospect, the differences between the priorities and work ethic of an Afflalo and Collison and the Prince, compared to many of the new guys, is having a crippling effect on UCLA basketball.

It is important for UCLA and CBH to recognize this culture shift around our program and learn from it. Because CBH and his philosophy are here to stay, it will be critical to separate the Hollidays and Gordons from the true BB Warriors who rebuilt this program a few years ago. While I think CBH could stand a touch more flexibility, the main thing going forward is finding guys with heart like LMR and PAA, and hidden talent like LRMAM and RW, and upside like DC and AA, and devotion to a program and its history like KL. We can’t be blinded by talent alone. The combination of those players and CBH’s system is what returned us to prominence, and that is what is lacking in our current slip. It remains to be seen how all of our new players fit. Guys like RN and ML seem to have the right makeup. Where will Bobo and JA and TH and MM and the others fit? Are these players and our incoming recruits coming to UCLA for the team, or simply for themselves?

Obviously there are some overlaps in the timeline with the players who did come in (Ariza, Stanback) or ones we avoided (Sidney), and the case isn’t black and white. It’s the large gray area that makes this hard. But when you throw a great party, pretty much everyone wants to come. We have to be more careful who we invite. It’s clear that UCLA’s place in the college basketball landscape has changed. CBH needs to make sure that the attitude and ethic and goals that our incoming recruits bring with them have not.

Arron Afflalo radio interview in Denver

gbruin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:10:05 -0000

Arron Afflalo radio interview in Denver

Back-to-back 15 point games. PT in crunch time. Combines with Ty Lawson to give team a crazy fast and in-your-face tempo. Fans and media here are loving AA. After the interview, co-host Scott Hastings (NBA champ with the Pistons) who does color for Nuggets TV was raving about AA's work ethic and role on the team.

AA: Mr. Court Marshall

gbruin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:42:50 -0000

AA: Mr. Court Marshall

Great article in the Denver Post today on AA. You gotta read the compliments the Nugget players and brass have for Afflalo - not that that surprises any of us., of course.

It's California dreamin' for [WR Josh] Smith

gbruin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:38:46 -0000

It's California dreamin' for [WR Josh] Smith

Nice article in the Denver Post article on the WR who is sitting out this year after transfering from CU. It's nice to see a kid picking a school for professional (non-NFL) reasons.

AA interview in Denver 7/15

gbruin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:35:02 -0000

AA interview in Denver 7/15

Arron Afflalo is interviewed by sports talk show hosts Scott Hastings (former NBA center and champ with Detroit Pistons) and Al Wilson (Butkus Award winner, Super Bowl Champ with Denver Broncos) on 104.3 The Fan, about his recent trade to the Denver Nuggets.

u$c* hires some guy as coach

gbruin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:47:37 -0000

u$c* hires some guy as coach

Kevin O'Neill, an assistant coach from the Memphis Grizzlies, will be the next coach to fail to close the gap.

Coach Bartow diagnosed with cancer

gbruin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:42:12 -0000

Coach Bartow diagnosed with cancer

Coach Gene Bartow followed John Wooden as head coach of the men's basketball program in 1976, and led UCLA for 2 years before moving on to Alabama-Birmingham. Our thoughts go out to Coach Bartow and his family. We're hoping for a complete recovery.

Direct support for Coach Ben Howland

gbruin — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:46:38 -0000

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

The haters bother me.

I know they shouldn't, but when the idiotic media says things that might hurt our program, it just bothers me. It's not fair to our players or the coach.

I was tempted to write to the trOJan Times in response to its stupid trolling letter section, but smarter folks point out the fallacy of responding. That's getting hooked, and I'm not supposed to stoop to that. Don't debate with a drunk or a 5 year old.

But I hate thinking CBH or the players read those things and take them seriously. I want CBH and the team to know that they have supporters out here, and we are proud and grateful for their accomplishments this year.

A while back, in response to another unwarranted hit-job, Nestor suggested hitting the buzz-up button for certain posts, to get our opinions here more widely viewed, and to make sure that the internet readership gets a better appreciation of how true Bruin fans view their team. And I've done that a couple times. But I don't know if that messsage gets to the ones for whom it's intended.

I want to make sure the message gets to CBH, and the team, and the AD. So I wrote them a note:

Dear Coach Howland,

As a Bruin alum and an ongoing supporter of all things UCLA, I want to thank you and this year's basketball team for another great season. I was happy with the team's accomplishments this year, and was especially impressed by how this year's seniors conducted themselves on and off the court. Your basketball program, in the great tradition of Coach Wooden, has reached a level of consistent success and class, for which all Bruin fans are very proud.

Although the controversy-mongering news media may print critical articles or letters, they do not represent the feelings of real UCLA fans. I want you and your players to know that true Bruins are grateful for what this team accomplished, we are excited for what our basketball program has become, and we remain steadfastly supportive of you and the future.

Enjoy the off-season, if you get one. Go Bruins!

(signature)

I didn't want to highlight what the stupid paper published, but I do want CBH to know that the media crap isn't representative and counter it specifically. This way, I don't have to deal with the stupid paper, but I can still let my voice be heard.

I'd encourage anyone on BN simply to send a note to CBH that real Bruin fans are behind him, and that the ulterior motives of the LAT and certain others in the MSM are not how we, his real constituents, see things.

bhowland@athletics.ucla.edu

dguerrero@athletics.ucla.edu

Coach Howland on Jim Rome show today, 3/17

gbruin — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:35:49 -0000

Coach Howland on Jim Rome show today, 3/17

Scheduled btwn 11-12 PDT. See here for a list of local affiliates who carry the show. Good time to get some karma! Go Bruins!

An Imperfect Storm

gbruin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 18:48:40 -0000

Bumped. GO BRUINS. -N

As always, this has already been better expressed by the well-written thoughts by Class of 66, but here's my addition...

I stayed out of the game thread last night (it had been good karma lately) and then I went to bed right after the game, knowing that the post-game thread was gonna look like someone just kicked over an anthill. But I watched the whole game and was very disappointed in the team’s execution and intensity and the result. But it ended there.

This is where it’s gut-check time for the Bruins. And I’m referring to the fans, and not the team. CBH and DC, JS, PAA, and the team have enough maturity and basketball acumen to see what happened and to figure out what changes and improvement are needed. What kills me is seeing “loyal fans” rain down hatred on our team.

Last night was the perfect storm. It’s post season time, so tension and hopes and stakes, and interest from the bandwagoners, is at its highest. We played our hated rivals – where nothing beats winning and nothing hurts like losing. We played very poorly, some in part to the laudable intensity and effort from $cjc, and much from our own lack of intensity and lack of execution. All this together spins up the frustration and anger and pain from the fans. And this engenders all sorts of emotions…

When I read Nestor’s comments this morning, I see a Bruin fan who, in the aftermath of last night’s game, is hurt and disappointed by his team’s performance. We all were. I think calling them “heartless” is too strong, but I do not question N’s loyalty to these guys, and I expect that he will back in the game tomorrow. What makes me scream are comments that attack our players, attack our coach, wish that freshmen with unrealistic expectations heaped upon them not return for us, and quit on these guys before the NCAA brackets have even been assigned.

We’ve been over and over this a million times this year (no links - just do a search) how this team has some serious holes compared to the last couple years. Replacing LRMAM with ND has been a liability on defense – our team’s biggest strength. Replacing RW with JH has been a step down. Replacing KL with PAA has left us a little less secure in the middle. Replacing vocal and inspirational leaders with this team’s leaders-by-example may have hurt the intensity the team brings night to night. But I don’t question the intentions of ND and JH and PAA or anyone on the team – they are doing their best. The results may not always be there because they cannot always play up to the level of their predecessors.

Despite these and other losses from last year, there are many who seem to think that we are entitiled to the same success as last year. News flash, Bruin fans – last year’s team didn’t win a banner, and I don’t think this year’s team will either. But I'll still be rooting for them. Of course we all want another banner. But for true UCLA fans, the banner is not the goal. The goal is to have the best team with the best individuals with talent showing the best character and giving their best effort on the floor. That’s what Coach taught, and that is what I believe CBH practices as well. When all of that comes together just right, the banners will take care of themselves.

There are fans of success and fans of UCLA. You guys need to figure out which team you are on, because you cannot be on both.