How Long Has It Been?

16 seasons removed from its last championship, UCLA fans can only reminisce on the "Glory Days."

 

In Pauley Pavilion, they don't hang final four banners, but only those of the teams that triumph over all competitors and win national championships.  In the late 1960's and early 1970's, UCLA Basketball set the standard for the rest of the nation to follow.  Led by a supreme coach and a few hall of famers, the Bruins won like no other collegiate team in history.  However, nearly 50 years since their first title, the Bruins are trying desperately to rebuild a true contender in college hoops. 

When Ben Howland led UCLA to three straight final fours from 2006-2008, it seemed as if a new era of UCLA basketball had been ushered in.  However, since then, UCLA has not advanced past the second round, and is yet to have a team that can truly contend for a title amongst college basketball's elite.  So, why is a team with such a talented coach struggling out get out of mediocrity?  Maybe players don't want to play out west, not enough exposure?  Could it be that there may be more competition in the Big East, Big Ten, ACC, etc.?  To be honest with you, I don't know the answer to that question.  One thing that has me scratching my head, however, is UCLA's struggle to gather at least a somewhat solid recruiting class.  And, without a talented team, UCLA fans will only be able to have memories of the "good ol' days'".

Front Page Funnies

"LeBron's cell phone only vibrares because he doesn't have any rings." "Why didn't LeBron James go to college? Because he didn't want to show up for the finals." "I asked LeBron can I borrow a dollar and he gave me 75 cents. I asked where the other 25 cents were and he said 'Sorry, I don't have a fourth quarter.'" In the eyes of the general population, LeBron James is the enemy. To the outside world, he may come off as an underachieving and overrated "superstar". Can you blame people for feelings this way, though? I mean, here's a guy who has all of the physical abilities any man could ever wish for. A 6'8" Small Forward who can get to the basket like Jordan, run like a gazelle, has a crossover like Iverson, can pass like Magic, and has the defensive prowess of a Dennis Rodman. So, why is this two-time MVP award winner so often criticized? Part of the blame is deserved, but a decent amount of it is unnecessary as well.




 LeBron James' fourth quarter stats are comical. Plain and simple. My three pound chihuahua has more of a killer instinct that "King James". If you're the MVP, you have to be exactly that, valuable to your team. I understand that Derrick Rose was the Most Valuable Player this year, but LeBron by no means had an off year. For goodness sakes, the guy averaged 26.7 points and 7 assists, along with having the highest PER (Player Efficiency Rating) in the NBA. If you put up numbers like that, you can't suddenly vanish in the fourth quarter. You have to be the player that everyone looks to, and has faith in to make the big time shots. If it wasn't for LeBron, however, Miami doesn't go to the finals. They don't completely dominate the top seeded Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. While "The Decision" and the Three Kings of Miami Parade may have been a bit much, LeBron is also one of the most poised players in the league, along with being one of the more mature. Before this year, can you ever remember LeBron James having an outburst during a press conference? Has he ever swore on camera? Even this year, he never said anything that was out of line. Even if you watch his interviews during his high school days at SVSM, he was always very professional. I personally Believe that type of attitude is admirable and demands respect. It sets an example for how high school athletes are supposed to act. In 2009, when the Cavaliers visited the Lakers, Cleveland dominated from start to finish. So, when the Los Angeles fans starting cursing and throwing foam fingers onto the Staples Center floor, LeBron didn't egg them on or respond. He was the consumate professional, gathered his team, and settled the players' moods down. Whoever says LeBron isn't a leader is fooling themselves. The intensity he brings and example that he sets pushes other players to levels they may not have ever known they were capable of reaching. I think LeBron frustrates the media because he won't give in, if anything. Maybe that's why they try to put a spin on everything he says and magnify it by three thousand. Although his fourth quater struggles are evident, his value to a team is unmatched, and he doesn't deserve this "overrated" tag because he is the best player in the world, bottomline.

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