UCLA Bruins Basketball Fanatics

hi, just wanted to introduce myself. I'm local and actually live next door to UCLA in Brentwood. 
Woot woot, go Bruins!

Category: General

I know all u real bruin fans remember(member)the good ol days,now there just a little more far and inbetween just me personally i never give up on UCLA  in any sport,no front runner here. 

Category: NCAAB

The VCU game was an exact microcosm of UCLA's season. Long stretches of offensive ineptitude barely covered up by points off turnovers and great 1st half three point shooting. I fear the end is near. Villanova should end it, unless the Bruins scorch the nets from 3.

What's happened to Darren Collison? He's gone from first team All-America to should he have the ball at the end of the game? Clearly Jrue Holiday is the better one on one option. If UCLA's going to dribble the clock out and have one guy go solo, it should be Holiday.

Final thought on last night, if Holiday, who shows glipses of brilliance, made his layups off of outstanding drives to the hole, UCLA wins by 10. This is not our year.

 

Category: NCAAB

At the risk of sounding preachy and especially while referencing the principles of Wooden's Pyramid, I can't help but wonder if there is a place for the use of the principle - "success is the peace of mind which is a direct result of the self satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best that you are capable." John Wooden

Is it even possible for teams today to measure their success not by wins or losses, but rather by peace of mind?
My first reaction is that the way Wooden has phrased this maxim is too philosophical and needs to be simplified for today's readers.

By that formula then:

• If I make the effort to be the best that I am capable, then I should have self satisfaction,
• With self satisfaction, I then obtain peace of mind.
• Peace of mind is my measure of success.

There's an underlying message here about pure sportmanship and love of the game.  Often it is hidden behind what appear standard media phrases that smart players learn - saying they respect their opponent, that the opponent played better today, that the better team won, etc.   If they believe it and are being truthful, then perhaps they are describing their self satisfaction.  They know they did their best.  Can a player then, with the pressure from fans and media alike, find peace of mind?  Can we? 

And, how would we fans react to teams and players that followed this maxim and would state that Peace of Mind is the goal and winning or losing are secondary.

I don't know.  Thought I would write this down to see if I could convince myself that this could fit in today's college basketball.  There is something more here - I'll need to give more thought and perhaps come back with additional thought and better organised.  What comes to mind is given this principle, there could be a winning team that did not achieve success because they would know they did not do their best, were not satisfied, and were not at peace.   

Welcome any comments. 

 

Category: NCAAB

We didn't deserve much better after allowing SC into the field of 64, but it couldn't be much worse. VCU is talented and although I believe we'll win, it will be tight. Beating Villanova in Philly is perhaps more than this team is capable of doing. Truth be told,  with a strong record and recent tournament success, I thought the Bruins have make a legitimate claim to a #5 seed. Of all of those 4/5, 3/6 game potential scenarios, none is worse than against Villanova in Philadelphia.

Collison will have to do a lot of work to repair the damage done his draft stock. He continually struggles against big guards and will need a big tournament to be any factor in the NBA draft.

Jeremy Anderson, Malcolm Lee and if he stays, Jrue Holliday give the Bruins a solid look at next year. Two years from now should be a potential national title campaign if everything clicks, even without Jrue.

Who knows, although I think it unlikely, maybe Collison, Shipp and Aboya lead a run deep into the tourney. Getting to the second weekend would be quite an accomplishment for this group. Go Bruins!

 

Category: NCAAB