“We would love to win a national championship, but we’re not obsessed with it because we’re obsessed with these guys trying to live their NBA dream. What’s happened to Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge, T.J. Ford — I’d give up a national title for all of our guys to be able to live their dream.”

Rick Barnes, Head basketball coach at Texas, actually said this out loud.

Early defections to the NBA have destroyed college basketball. Fact. No Debate.

Where would the UCLA Bruins be today if Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Jrue Holiday were still Bruins and not raking in NBA millions? What would this year's NCAA Tourney be like with these guys playing, plus the likes of Hasheem Thabeet at Connecticut, Tyreke Evans at Memphis, Gerald Henderson at Duke, Jeff Teague at Wake Forest, DaJuan Summers at Geogetown, etc., etc., etc.?

And Barnes has the audacity to say he cares not about success for his Texas team, so long as the one-and-out prima donnas get their asses into the NBA? Does he maybe collect a share of their contracts? How else can he insult not only his team and his school, but ALL OF COLLEGE SPORTS and expect to get away with it?

The lure of professional sports glamour and riches is poisoning not only college sports as a whole, but doing a horrible disservice to the student-athlete. How many of these young guys have given up a free education to follow little more than a dream into the NBA (and for some the NFL), only to see that dream burst with their future destroyed? Far more then the handful who succeed.

People like Barnes, the head coach at a major university, are feeding this disease, to the detriment of the NCAA, the fan, and primarily to the student-athlete.

Barnes is not fit to coach in a softball beer league.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA

Speaking of New Orleans,...

Darren Collison stayed at UCLA for the full four years, and completed a career as one of the top point guards in a Bruin history already replete with names like Walt Hazzard, Michael Warren, Baron Davis, Ty Edney, Pooh Richardson, and an almost endless list of others. When his college career came to an end, he was still a solid draft pick and was rewarded with a million dollar NBA contract. The bad news was that he was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets who already had a guy named Chris Paul at the point, and it appeared that Collison would be little more than a caddy for quite a while.

But, Paul has not been healthy, and a few days ago went out for one to two months with knee surgery. In steps Darren Collison, and in five games since taking over as the starter, he has compiled a 16.6 points-per-game average and has passed off for more than ten assists per game.

He's got a great chance to excel now, and show the rest of the league that he has the talent to be an NBA starter a point guard.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA

Since the debacle of January 16, the Bruins have been a different team. I guess the embarrassment of the 21-point loss to the brain surgeons scared them straight. That, and the outstanding play of senior Michael Roll, the improved play of senior Nikola Dragovic, and the fabulous, continual development of super-talented freshmen Tyler Honeycutt and Reeves Nelson, have pulled the Bruins into a first place tie in the Pac-12, uh, excuse me Mario, Pac-10.

Of course, a big part of the turnaround has been the zone defense instituted by Coach Howland, though tonight the stellar defense during a key 9-0 run was with Howland's preferred (and the Bruin traditional) man-to-man.

Don't get me wrong, this is not a final four team, and maybe still not even a tournament team, but stellar defense which was so lacking for much of the season, improved free-throw shooting, and reduced turnovers could mean that this season that looked so ominous and started so horribly, may not turn out so bad after all.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |sc brain surgeons

I've laid off Mario Solis for a while. Well, actually I've avoided listening to him for awhile.

Unfortunately, I saw his broadcast tonight, and I'm glad I did.

Otherwise, how would I have known that the major west-coast college sports conference has added two additional schools. Yep, according to Mario, UCLA, the brain surgeons, and the others now play in the PAC-12!

Thanks for the info, Mario.

theHoundDawg

Tags: Sports Announcers |Mario Solis |UCLA |sc brain surgeons

Well, according to the late Mike Garrett (about two monhts to go, at most), OJ Mayo has joined the NFL's second-biggest scumwad r bush in their failure to cooperate with investigations into their illegal activities while enjoying the cardinal and gold glamour and classroom experience (thought I'd throw in a good laugh).

It is well known that bush took his Heisman and ran to the NFL where he had to take a pay cut, and refused to talk to NCAA investigators and others looking into his $1/2 million in ill-gotten riches while in the employ of petey and MG. Mayo followed in those footsteps to the NBA and as ESPN and the Daily News reported, refused to discuss the matter, as sc self-imposed all those darling little penalties.

While sc fully deserves what it is getting for employing criminal elements like petey, timmy, bush and mayo, the likes of bush and mayo should have had the decency to try to help out the school that paved the way for their future careers.

On another, equally sickening note, I really misspoke back on Dec. 24 when I though I saw a glimmer of hope in the Bruin basketball team. We all knew the team would not be very good this season, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect the team to be as bad as the brain surgeons figured to be. Alas, the brain surgeons, who had been playing reasonabley well most of the season, yesterday wiped the Wooden name off the hardwood with the horrible Bruin team. This was the most embarrassing exposition of Bruin bb in my memory, and I've been atttending Bruin games for five decades (Six, if I ever suck it up and go to a game this season - can't even watch them on TV right now).

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |sc brain surgeons |pete carroll |Timmy Floyd

After several games reminiscent of the play seen during stretches of the Larry Farmer and Walt Hazzard coaching years, not to mention Steve Lavin's last season, the Bruins almost resemble an actual basketball team over their last few games, despite wins only over the likes of New Mexico St. and Colorado St., to show for it.

But, the great improvement and now consistent play of a couple of young guys, Malcolm Lee and Reeves Nelson, and finally some good play and leadership from seniors Michael Roll and Nikola Dragovic, do give some small level of hope for the Pac-10 season that is about to start.

A couple of weeks ago, I would have expected UCLA to trudge through the Pac-10, winning maybe a half-dozen games. Now, .500 seems a possibility, with a finish near the middle of the Pac pack.

And, if we can see some increased playing time and similar contributions from probably the most talented player on the roster, Tyler Honeycutt, and from the likes of Bobo Morgan and Brendan Lane, by the end of the Pac-10 season, this may actually become a team.

At this point, though, a NCAA Tourney appearance is still little more than a dream.

theHoundDawg

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Tags: UCLA

The LA Times Sports department today devoted a substantial amount of newsprint and web space to the lament of crooked crybaby Tim Floyd. In the article, Floyd makes it sound as if he were the official scapegoat for the brain surgeon athletic department. Well, actually, that part is true, as I have written before. But, his assertions he is innocent of documented allegations that he dispensed cash for the benefit of former player OJ Simpson Mayo and that Mayo lived in abject poverty while attending brain surgeon u, are preposterous. Do a little reading, Timmy, and you'll see all that stuff about Mayo's dorm room full of high-priced electronics, not to mentioned the statements, under oath, made to the FBI and other governmental agencies, not just to the NCAA, by the currier you charged with delivering the funds.

It's all hilarious, except for the fact that the brain surgeon criminal enterprise is still running scott free, YEARS after some of the most egregious violations of NCAA rules ever described, not to mention possible violations of criminal statutes, and for that one bit of truth from Timmy's lips - that he and the basketball program have been set up to take the fall for petey and his band of money-churning reprobates in the football program.

Another note about Timmy. Professional reprobate, and so unfortunately a current Laker, Ron Artest has rocked the pro basketball world with his assertions that while a member of the Chicago Bulls, he regularly had a sip or two, or three, or .... of Cognac during halftime of games. A quick perusal of the record books shows that he was with the Bulls from 1999 to 2002. Guess who was Coach of the the Bulls during those years? Why, yes, none other than Timmy himself.

Yep, he's a great coach, an honest person, and he should still be in charge of a major program, or THE guy at his new location in New Orleans. Yea, right.

theHoundDawg Have a drink with Ron, only $44.99

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Tags: sc brain surgeons |Lakers |ron artest |Timmy Floyd |pete carroll

The self-appointed guru of college sports, Jeff Sagarin, has come out with his list of the all-time college basketball programs, and it's the biggest pile of crap since both my dogs had diarrhea on the same day.

Quierie - Which program has won, by far, the most NCAA Champtionships? UCLA of course. Where does he rank UCLA? Why number 2. Why? Becasue they were not a top program in the 1940s! The 1940s?

Who, you ask, is number one? Why Kentucky of course, the same Kentucky that has won 60% as many titles as the Bruins, and which has not sniffed the title in this milleniium.

He also rankes teams by decades, and in the current decade, he ranks Duke and Kansas as one and two, with Florida, winner of two straight titles number four, behind North Carolina, who has also won two titles in this decade, while UCLA, Final Four participants three straight years, getting knocked out by Florida in their two championship years, is ranked TWENTIETH!

Having totally screwed up the top rankings, he has some other schools ranked in places that are so totally absurd, it would appear he formulated his rankings by picking the schools out of a hat. He actually has the dysfunctional brain surgeons, who have never won a title, and who had only a few really top seasons (all decades ago under Bob Boyd) without violating NCAA rules, at number 25! Absolute lunacy. Even worse than perrennial loser Northwestern ranked number 77.

Happy 99th birthday to John Wooden.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |sc brain surgeons

The Sporting News pretty much stays out of the news these days, but they did raise some controversy this week when they released their poll of the 50 greatest coaches of all time. I absolutely agree with their choice of John Wooden as the greatest coach in any sport. As should be the case, the vote was not even close, with the Wizard receiving 57 first place votes, from the TSN panel of 118 "experts". Unfortunately, many of their last 49 choices miss the mark.

The list includes only six additional college basketball coaches and five NBA coaches, and none of them, incredibly, is Larry Brown. His omission is the most glaring misstep on the list. The list contains ten NFL coaches, and eighth among them, and number 20 overall, is Bill Belichick, who should be the second-ranked pro football coach, following the list's number two, Vince Lombardi. Also as to NFL coaches, the bottom two, Bill Walsh and Bill Parcells, at numbers 26 and 33 overall respectively, should be above the higher-ranked Paul Brown, George Halas, Joe Gibbs, and Tom Landry.

Their ranking of college football coaches is not too badly composed, but I would elevate Bud Wilkinson, number 29 overall, from the seventh spot among college football coaches, to the third spot, behind only Bear Bryant and Knute Rockne, and I'd make Rockne number one, not Bryant.

As to the five NHL coaches that made the list, perhaps Scotty Bowman deserves to be higher overall than number seven, and there are dozens of coaches from other sports who deserve the last spot, over Herb Brooks. He's listed as an NHL coach, and that does not merit him a spot on the list. Call him an Olympic Hockey coach, and there is at least a sentimental and patriotic basis for his selection.

The list includes ten MLB managers, with the over-hyped, over-indluged, and over-rated Casey Stengel on top, at number nine overall. Give him Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, and the like, and he can win pennants. He managed three other teams, before and after the scumstripes, and to call his performances mediocre would be overly generous. He still owns, at least until the Washington National's current season comes to a close, the worst single-season record in major league history, with the 1962 Mets. For my money, in following MLB as close as I have for more than 50 years, and in reading and studying much of early baseball history, the four best managers I have seen, are Walter Alston, Tony La Russa, Sparky Anderson, and Joe Torre. Their listings at numbers 35, 41, 38, and 32, respectively, are absurd. The four should all be in the list's top 20 overall.

Finally, how could the panel waste valuable, limited positions on the list with the inclusion of not one, but two, woman's basketball coaches?

theHoundDawg

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Tags: UCLA |Dodgers |sc brain surgeons |scumstripes

Illegal recruiting, payoffs to student-athletes, and the flaunting of assorted additional NCAA rules all suffered a severe blow, when mike garrett on behalf of the criminal enterprise that calls itself the sc brain surgeon athletic department accepted the resignation of basketball cappo Tim Floyd.

Floyd, who bought and paid for the best basketball team sc has had in years, saw former confidants turn stoolie as outlined here, and with the NCAA, not to mention the FBI, IRS and other assorted governmental agencies, closing in, with his top talent from last year all running away as fast as they can, and with his top three recruits all bailing, decided that maybe summer back in Hattiesburg may not be such a bad idea. (Does Iowa have extradition to the US?)

With the likelihood of serious sanctions being imposed on the basketball program, which is already now in shambles, the fear that the basketball team will be the scapegoat is even more certain. floyd and his program are the Red Cross, March of Dimes, and United Way all rolled together when compared to the outrageous conduct of the football program run by the senior cappo, petey boy.

NCAA: Garrett is throwing floyd and basketball to the wolves to save football. Don't let that happen. The outrageous activities of the carroll years cannot be covered up any longer, and the lengthy investigation we hope and pray is continuing, must result in appropriate sanctions.

theHoundDawg

Tags: sc brain surgeons |Crime |pete carroll |Timmy Floyd

Well, after years of rumors, a massive Pauley Pavalion renovation plan is official, to the tune of $185 Million in improvements, upgrades, and innovations. The anticipated result is a lavish palace befitting the NCAA's greatest basketball dynasty, and substantial additional costs to ticket holders. Years of anticipation, however, will now be followed by years of construction, as completion is now projected for Fall, 2012, and will require Bruiin road games only, for at least one season. They are not, of course, calling them road games, but what else would you consider UCLA games played in the Honda Ponda of Anaheim, Staples Center, the formerly Fabulous Forum, and who knows what other Socal venue that may be called into service to house the Bruins. All of the gritty details, and lots and lots of

glitz, can be seen on a website built to promote fundraising, Campaign of Champions. How better to greet potential donors, than a home page video featuring John Wooden? All of the details, and plenty of graphics, are there to peruse.

What is more important, though, is the impact of the renovation, and the cost thereof, on long-time season ticket holders, such as theHoundDawg, and ticket-seekers in general. It is a fact to deal with, that big donors will be rewarded with the best seat locations, pushing the rest of us further back. And, in order to keep even those seats, not only will ticket prices rise, as they have done yearly anyway, but we will also be required to fork over substantial payments - personal seat licenses or what ever they may be called - for the right to spend thousands of dollars for the actual tickets.

Antiquated Pauley needs a renovation, but the powers that be need to realize that the average fans, primarily Bruin alumni, are the backbone of Bruin support, and if they price us out of the new Pauley, support of and interest in Bruin basketball could be irrevocably damaged.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA

As reported by Yahoo Sports late this afternoon, the sc brain surgeon's jig is about up, with evidence that head basketball coach Tim Floyd made a direct cash payment of $1,000 to Rodney Guillory, the "runner" who allegedly lavished former brain surgeon guard OJ Mayo with all those fancy accoutrements that decorated his dorm room.

Former Mayo confident Louis Johnson has told FBI, IRS. U.S. Attorney, and NCAA investigators, all about the payment, a small part of the $30,000 or so in illegal benefits paid to Mayo during his short trojan tenure.

Again, local media, protecting sc at all costs, has failed miserably, and it's Yahoo Sports that is reporting what scant info there has been about the now three-year-old investigations of sc basketball and football violations. Their report comes only a few days after Johnson gave his account to the NCAA, but almost a full year since he spilled his guts to the federal investigators.

One bad thought, however, permeates the "flow" of information about the sc basketball program: Are things being set up for the basketball program to take the fall, with the outrageous criminal enterprise that is the sc football program, getting off with a slap on the wrist?

And Floyd had believed that losing Renardo Sidney, whom he thought he had bought and paid for, was the low point of the off-season.

theHoundDawg

Tags: sc brain surgeons |Crime |Timmy Floyd

The LA Times reported this morning that finally there is some activity in their investigations of the shameful culture of the flaunting of NCAA rules throughout the sc athletic department. The article states that the two major investigations - those of the bush football crimes and of the mayo basketball evils - have been combined into a single investigation.

This bodes well, as, first, it does show that the investigations are not lying dormant, but that there is activity on-going, and second, that the investigation involves the athletic department's lack of oversight as a whole, not just the failures of two sports programs.

For those with a short memory, you can find many of the details of the flagrant rule-breaking in the bush and mayo cases in some of my older "Crime" posts, especially that of Dec. 14, 2008, which can all be found here.

Get this wrapped up, NCAA, so that bush's ill-gotten Heisman is taken away, so that sc's equally ill-gotten football championship is stripped, and give this evil, evil group of miscreants, who pay for a golden image as well as athletic success, their well-deserved sports death penalty.

theHoundDawg

Tags: sc brain surgeons |Crime

Well, I guess we will still have t floyd to kick around.

Hope he and his band of thugs continue to enjoy their plasma tvs on south Fig.

theHoundDawg

Tags: sc brain surgeons

On this great day in SoCal for college sports, we celebrate the run across the California-Arizona border by the brain surgeon's slimeball t floyd. May he continue his questionable recruiting, blind-eye to supporter and agent payoffs, and on-court thug mentality in SoAz.

I'm sure Arizona students, alumni, and supporters are just itching to see who will be the Wildcat's version of Leonard Washington, assaulting opposing players on the court with reckless abandon, and who will furnish his dorm with the best and biggest entertainment center agents' money can buy, besting even the pro complex oj mayo flaunted in front of the sc coaching staff. Oh, and will floyd's hooks carry along Renardo Sidney, or will he just find some other 300 pound pay-me-and-my-family NOW rent-a-stud in time for his first season in the desert?

So many questions to answer before next fall.

One other question: Does his getting out of town perhaps signal that the NCAA is finally getting something done on their multiple brain surgeons investigations?

theHoundDawg

Tags: sc brain surgeons

It isn't exactly Duke, Oklahoma, Missouri and Louisville (March 17 post), but a Final Four of Michigan St., Villanova, North Carolina and Connecticut still isn't four number ones, or three and a number two as the "experts" picked.

The Bruin loss to Villanova doesn't look quite so bad a week later, and combine that with seeing daily NBA box scores with the names Love, Westbrook and Mbah a Moute all pro starters as rookies, this should have been the year.

There isn't a great team anywhere out there, and the "I want it NOW" attitude of 19 year old millionaire wanna-bes, driven by corrupt agents and fueled by NBA money, has made the Tournament a CBS and ESPN media extravaganza, rather than a competition of great amateur basketball. As Dave Letterman has said about Stupid Human Tricks, "It's an exhibition, not a competition, no wagering, please."

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |Crime

Well, the First Round is history and overall I'm a totally unimpressive 33-15, but the brain surgeons lost their game two, and all of my Final Four picks are alive and well, as we await the Sweet Sixteen.

My concerns now are Missouri having enough to survive Memphis, and Oklahoma beating Syracuse. The Duke-Villanova game will be my major interest, however, as it will be very interesting to see my pick to win it all, Duke, against a team that so out-muscled and so overpowered the Bruins. Can Villanova really be that good, or have Ben Howland's Bruins fallen that far back?

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |sc brain surgeons

My overall numbers are only so-so after Thursday and Friday games, and the disappointment of BC's falling apart against the brain surgeons, is staggering. Other teams that failed theHoundDawg and themselves, include upset losers West Virginia, California and Clemson, and lower seeds Utah St. and Tennessee that I thought would win their openers.

It will be nasty in Philadelphia this morning if the Bruins again shoot 37% from inside the arc and if Darren Collison and others again get in foul trouble. As Eric Maynor did his best trying to lead VCU over the Bruins with Collison on the bench, today could be a repeat against Villanova and Scottie Reynolds, but given Nova's overall talent, the result is likely to be different.

It will be hard for today's games to match the excitement yesterday with those two late overtime finishes.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |sc brain surgeons

While I have been down on UCLA, especially of late, they should get by VCU, and looking at the match-ups, give Villanova a tough game. As good as 'Nova is, they do not out-size the Bruin frontcourt, and Aboya should have some measure of success guarding the slightly shorter Wildcat top scorer, Dante Cunningham. Scottie Reynolds is a very similar player to Collison, but despite both being seniors, you can't discount Collison's three final fours of experience. The winner of this game will likely have little chance again a Duke team that has peaked just as the tournament begins. I think Duke will defeat Pittsburgh for a Final Four berth.

In the West, I'm picking Missouri to upset Memphis and then Connecticut, and get to the Final Four, and to beat Louisville in the Final Four semi.

To me, the South bracket was the toughest to complete, with tough second-game match-ups between Western Kentucky and Gonzaga, and Arizona St. and Syracuse. I think a great player will carry a "surprise" team pretty far this year, the way Stephon Curry did with Davidson last year, and that player is Blake Griffin who will get Oklahoma to a Final Four match-up, and loss, to Duke.

Less surprises in the Midwest, where Louisville will defeat West Virginia in the regional final.

So, in a year where every commentator says the Big East is the greatest conference ever, my Final Four has one Big East team, Louisville, and they will lose to Missouri. Duke will take Oklahoma, and defeat Missouri for the title.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA

A lot of good to excellent teams are limping into the NCAA tournament, having suffered unexpected defeats in their conference tournaments. In a major upset in the ACC, Florida State today defeated Number One North Carolina, in the Big-10, Michigan St., hoping for a number one tourney seed, lost to Ohio State, and in the SEC, No. 20 LSU lost to Mississippi State.

Yesterday, No. 25 BYU lost to bubble team San Diego St., Baylor defeated Texas, and Arizona State reached today's ill-fated Pac-10 final game by outplaying Pac-10 regular season champion Washington.

The Pacific-10 has been a total disaster, with the top four teams, Washington, UCLA, Arizona State, and California, all going down, and to clearly inferior, but over-achieving, teams.

A couple of teams winning tough, close games leading up to the tournament, may be poised to do better than expected a few weeks ago, These include Duke, who goes into the ACC final game with hard-fought wins over BC and Maryland, the aforementioned Ohio State, and up-and-down Tennessee, who will be playing for the SEC Tourney title against Mississippi State.

After more reflection, UCLA will most likely win no more than one Tournament game; maybe two.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA

In 2006, UCLA lost the NCAA Tournament final by 24 points, and in 2007 they lost the semi-final by 10, both times to great, great Florida teams. Last year, they lost the semi-final to an excellent Memphis Tiger team. Embarrassing losses all, but nothing as out right disgusting as losing tonight's Pac-10 tourney semifinal to a horrible group of brain surgeons, who should not have been allowed on the same court as the Bruins.

Coached by a deceitful, rule-breaking jerk, somehow this band of criminals ran away with a game UCLA should have breezed through.

This was Ben Howland's worst game ever as UCLA coach, letting his talented, previously defense-oriented squad self-destruct, throwing any semblance of coaching out the window, while firing up misguided shot after shot, with no teamwork, no "plays", no conscience. They shot an unbelievable 27% (19 of 70)! The brain surgeons did not win this game - UCLA gave it away.

My thoughts the past few weeks were that the Bruins might get to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament. With miserable play like this, they will be lucky to escape that first weekend and get to the Sweet Sixteen, especially as their seeding took a major nosedive tonight.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |sc brain surgeons

In watching the UCLA/Oregon State game this evening, I was appalled by the announcing.

I've come to expect that while action is going on on the court, the FOX Sports West Prime Ticket Blah Blah Blah Regional Sports Network Cable System Blah Blah cameras will be showing close-ups of players on the bench, coaches, and fans, instead of focusing on the court. But maybe even worse, during the first half of tonight's game, there were stretches of play, including one that had to go on for a good five minutes, where announcers Bill Macdonald and Don MacLean went on and on about the Oregon State team, coach Robinson, their new offense, their recent success, and more, TOTALLY IGNORING WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE COURT.

There was also a long segment of hype for the UCLA woman's gymnastic team, all the while the game was being played, with absolutely no mention of what was happening by anyone supposedly hired to ANNOUNCE the game to the viewers.

When the announcers actually returned to the GAME, there was virtually no recap of what was missed.

Let me add that this all occurred before UCLA took their commanding lead, and while the score was close.

Why bother to employ announcers when they cannot be bothered to actually pay attention to, and describe, THE GAME?

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |Sports Announcers

It's been more than a week since the brain surgeons snatched Renardo Sidney from the Bruins, and the brilliant investigative reporters of the Los Angeles media have yet to utter a word as to what really happened. Within a day or so, his "commitment' to UCLA was vanquished, and he orally announced his intentions to attend that other school. Something major happened, most likely something below-board, with rumors being rampant in the air, not not in the media.

When will local sports reporters step up and investigate and report on these types of stories?

The local media has totally ignored the NCAA investigations of the brain surgeons football and basketball programs, and were it not for Yahoo Sports and the likes of Charles Robinson, Jason Cole, and Josh Peter, we would never have known about all of the rules violations and illegal activity involving reggie bush, not to mention the pay-off in the civil lawsuit stemming from the hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal benefits he and his family received while at sc, and also the outrageous conduct of oj mayo under the noses of sc's basketball staff.

Yet another story is going unnoticed by the local sports media, and apparently by both sc basketball fans, as the brain surgeons have removed their basketball games from television coverage. Their Cal game Thursday, today's game at Stanford, and also both of next weeks final Pac-10 regular season games have been taken off their TV schedule. Why? Rumors fly, even including the one that has sc knowing they are facing significant NCAA sanctions and are trying to appease the gods and retroactively ban themselves from TV exposure.

Why are not any LA Times sports reporters, anyone at the Daily News, or any local TV or radio reporters reporting on these stories?

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |sc brain surgeons |Crime

In 1980, UCLA recruited two highly sought after centers, Stuart Gray, and Brad Wright, who both came to UCLA in 1981, playing for coach Larry Farmer. Stuart Gray won the starting center spot for the 1981-2 season, and kept it for three years, underachieving all along the way. He then decided to leave after his Junior season, and Wright stepped in as the starter for the 1984-5 season, under new coach Walt Hazard. Wright not only played significantly better than he ever had in his three seasons as a back-up, but oh so much better than Gray ever did. Wright averaged 10.5 points per game, and brought down 8.7 boards per game that senior season. Gray's best efforts were 9.9 points per game, and 7.9 boards. The Bruins missed all the tournaments in Gray's junior season, and thought they also missed the NCAA tourney in Wright's one season as the starter, they did win the NIT.

For three years, Alfred Aboya played behind Lorenzo Mata and Kevin Love, and in the shadow of fellow countryman and front-liner, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. Well, Mata graduated and Love was one and out, and Luc Richard left early as well, and Aboya is the starting center, and playing lights out - solid defense, stellar rebounding, and providing offense that most who watched him the last three years never imagined, much like the situation with Wright was almost 25 years ago.

The similarities are striking, and maybe there will be a tournament title - and not that "other" tournament - in the offing this season as well.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA

Since losing two of three games in late January, including an embarrassing meltdown against Washington, the Bruins have played with an intensity they had not shown this season, and fueled by the best play ever from Alfred Aboya and Nikola Dragovic, and the most consistent all-around play of the season from Darren Collison and Jrue Holiday, the Bruins are on a role, winning the last four by an average margin of 22.7 points.

Since that awful second half in Seattle, the Bruins have played with more maturity than at anytime this season, not an easy thing from a team so young. Plus they have received solid play from a dozen different players, and as a result, they are playing like the team that so many experts picked to continue the run of the past three years, despite the critical personnel losses following last year's tournament and resultant dependence on so many freshmen.

UCLA has basically played 40 minutes of solid defense in virtually every game this season, but in these last four games, their offensive play has matched the defense in both intensity and results, averaging 85 points per game in that stretch, leading to consistent and totally dominant results.

I never thought this young team could make it four straight final fours, like some believed, until watching them the past few games. Now it looks like they could do it.

With newfound life, due to the return from the injury list of so many key players, the Clippers also continue to play their best ball of the season, scoring over 120 points for the second straight game, producing consecutive 20+ point victories.

This is the team that looked so good for a brief period following the trade for Zach Randolph, and now again really looks like a legitimate, quality team. Too bad they could not have gotten it together earlier in the season, but like I alluded to yesterday, the future for the Clippers actually looks brighter than it has in a long, long time.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |Clippers

Houston guard Aubrey Coleman "apologized" to Chase Budinger of the Arizona Wildcats, saying that he "never meant to step on him".

The video from Saturday night's game says otherwise:



Time for Arizona, the Pac-10, and the NCAA to take action and suspend Coleman for a substantial period.

Even if he's telling the truth, Coleman was more than careless in walking "over" Budinger, with reckless disregard for Budinger, lying prone on the hardwood.

theHoundDawg

Tags: Crime

The Bruins had an impressive victory over the Oregon Ducks yesterday. Exactly one month earlier, on Dec. 4, the Bruins lost to Texas, and the commentators were delighted over the "great senior leadership" of Longhorn guard A.J. Abrams. I wondered, where was the "great senior leadership" of the Bruin upperclassmen, especially point guard Darren Collison, who disappeared in the final minutes, just as Abrams took his game up a notch to pull Texas in front for good.

Statistically, Collison is having a great season, and his current foul-shooing streak is more than impressive. But, for the first time since last season, in a meaningful game, Collison stepped up when it counted, played like an All American, and led the Bruins to a win. In addition, Josh Shipp finally found his shot, and had his best game in memory.

The freshman-laden Bruins cannot rely on the youngsters for leadership if they are to win the Pac 10 and get anywhere in the NCAA tournament. Collison and Shipp and the other veterans need to be consistent, clutch when needed, and did I say consistent. The play of Michael Roll of late also has been outstanding - the perpetually-hyped three-point shooter (and as I have long though, underrated overall player) has been playing the best BB of his injury-plagued career, and he too needs to keep it going.

Congrats are also in order for First Brother-In-Law Craig Robinson and his Beavers, for taking it to the brain surgeons, for the first Oregon State Pac-10 win in what seems like decades, but is actually only about a season-and-a-half.

Also of note was Stanford losing decisively to Arizona State after building up an impressive 10-0 record, against a bunch of stiffs.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |sc brain surgeons

We've just unveiled our Bruins in the NBA section, thought it's not quite complete yet, just as further news of the knee injury suffered by Laker guard and former Bruin Jordan Farmar is released. It seems he has a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, and surgery is likely. This type of injury normally sidelines the player one to two months, so the Lakers likely will looking to pick up a point guard to fill in while Farmar recovers. Derek Fisher could play some extended minutes for awhile, but that would likely take a toll over the long season, and he needs to be energized at playoff time.

The Lakers play New Orleans and Boston in the next two days, and will be facing the likes of Chris Paul, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo, so the lack of depth at guard could be a significant factor in how the Lakers match up. Maybe they'll have a new body in uniform by Thursday's Boston game.

But, Mitch, this is a short-term problem, and there is no need to go overboard and give up too much to fill this regular season hole. Farmar will be back, and retain his key minutes during the regular season.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA |Lakers

The bull-pucky love-fest for Pete Carroll on 60 Minutes tonight was a disgrace.

He is the highest ranking piece in the chess game of the University of Spoiled Children, running the biggest scam in college sports, flouting the rules of the impotent NCAA, and committing the most flagrant rules violations of any school in the country. sc influence and payoffs have kept them from the highest levels of NCAA sanctions despite the single biggest scam in NCAA football annals - Reggie Bush and his family receiving more than 1/2 million dollars in illegal benefits (free rent for more than a year in a luxury home, debt payoffs, all-expense paid trips and luxury hotels) have been well documented, and the subject of civil lawsuits, but no NCAA sanctions. Any other program and Bush would have had his Heisman taken away, sc stripped of its national championship (they only won ONE under Carroll, not two as they claim).

Combine this with the OJ Mayo's flagrant violations in Tim Floyd's dirty little basketball program, and sc should long ago have received the NCAA death penalty. Yet, Floyd and his thugs like Leonard Washington are allowed to continue their cheap shot assault on other players, risking serious injury to unsuspecting players around the country.

CBS and 60 Minutes need to investigate the real sc sports department and not pull the wool over the eyes of the public. Take a look at the evidence, take a look at how sc has subverted the NCAA and curtailed any investigation of the NCAA violations and rampant criminal activity in the sc sports department.

Facts:

Bush:
The Reggie Bush Investigation: ESPN Ignores Potentially the Biggest Story in College Football History
Reggie Bush Investigation: Cash and Carry
Reggie Bush Investigation: : The Timeline
Reggie Bush and The NCAA: How will it all end?
Reggie Bush Investigation

Mayo:
NCAA investigating allegations involving USC’s Mayo
OTL probe: Mayo received money, perks from agent reps
The Mayo Investigation

and many more.

theHoundDawg

Tags: sc brain surgeons |Crime |pete carroll

First, brain surgeon Leonard Washington commits a flagrant assault on Oklahoma star Blake Griffin during their basketball game last evening, and then today, more than 13 years after the infamous double murder, all-time sc Poster Boy OJ Simpson was sentenced this morning on the 10 counts of kidnapping, robbery, conspiracy, etc., on which he was convicted, and will spend a minimum of 15 years in prison, though he is eligible for parole after 5 - but will any members of the Nevada Parole Board actually vote to release him early?

theHoundDawg

Tags: Crime |sc brain surgeons

I feel bad for my criticism of Lute Olson, now that it has been revealed that all of the actions and mystery were due to medical reasons. If you missed it, Olson's doctor held a press conference wherein he stated that Lute suffered a stroke a while back, and that the effects of the stroke became evident at the beginning of practice, preventing Lute from being able to properly handle the team, and that he, Dr. Steven Knope, advised Lute to retire.

I do feel that my statements were reasonable due to the lack of information and the manner in which things were handled.

In a related note, Lute's prize recruit, Abdul Gaddy, has apparently now chosen Washington over UCLA in his third attempt at finding a basketball home.

theHoundDawg

Lute Olson
Kevin O'Neill
Lute Olson
Mike Dunlap
Russ Pennell

3 weeks before their first game of 2008-9, and for the second time in a year, Lute Olson has left the Arizona Wildcats holding an empty bag. After 24 years actually coaching, and after a few downs and a whole lot of ups, including one NCAA title, Olson left the team in the lurch for a second time. The first time, he left the team in the capable hands of assistant Coach Kevin O'Neill. When Olson returned after the season, he chose, for whatever sinister reasons, to fire O'Neill and asistant Miles Simon, and form a new staff, featuring Mike Dunlap, Reggie Geary, and Russ Pennell.

In true Olson style, and characteristic of the way he has treated his career and the University in recent times, Olson apparently told recruits and media sources he was quitting, and Arizona AD Jim Livengood had to find out from news reports. Add to this Olson leaving a questionable staff, including Dunlap, who was offered the interim head coaching job and who turned it down, and the totally inexperienced (and long-time rival Arizona State Sun Devil assistant) Pennell, who is now head Coach. At least for now.

This brings back memories of when Lorenzo Romar, Brad Holland, and Tony Fuller all left UCLA, leaving Steve Lavin as the number one assistant, and in line to be the only possible replacement for the fired Jim Harrick, back in 1996.

As stated in a comment to another post, besides the rats leaving the sinking ship, the recruits are leaving, and hopefully UCLA will benefit, not only by the mess left in Arizona, but with talented recruits seeking nice, new basketball homes.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA

The UCLA Bruins have been to the last 3 Final Fours, but have failed to win a title since 1995.

They only got to the 1995 Final Four because of Tyus Edney's heroics versus Missouri, and the greatest 4.8 seconds in UCLA Basketball history:



Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and Lorenzo Mata are gone from last year's team, and Ben Howland faces a major rebuilding year. However, Coach Howland has recruited one of the major talents in the country in Jrue Holiday, and an overall outstanding freshman class to support returning upperclassmen Darren Collison, Josh Shipp, Alfred Aboya, James Keefe and Michael Roll, to hopefully keep the Bruins more than competitive. But a fourth straight Final Four?

A lot more about this in the following weeks.

theHoundDawg

Tags: UCLA