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Post by BearClause on May 26, 2009 13:06:24 GMT -5
facts are facts. And the fact is, Wooden was at UCLA for 15 years, from 1948-63, without winning an NCAA championship. And then from 1964-76 he won 10 titles in 12 years. What changed? Sam Gilbert's involvement changed. Gilbert, a UCLA alum and wealthy contractor, opened his home and apparently his wallet to the Bruins, from Lew Alcindor to Lucius Allen to Bill Walton. When the best Bruins left school, Gilbert represented them as an agent, which is one of the most brazen unpunished NCAA violations in college sports history: Rich booster spoils the best players on campus, then becomes their agent. And the coach doesn't stop it. Doesn't even know about it. Maybe Wooden didn't know. But his attention to detail was legendary. Wooden literally monitored how his players tied their shoes and how they wore their socks ... but he didn't know Gilbert -- the players called him "Papa Sam" -- was giving them cash and clothes and cars before becoming their agent? Maybe. More likely, Wooden didn't want to know. That's how he slept at night, and that's how he won 10 national titles. Everyone loves a winnerrivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=dw-uclalegacy040206Basically the NCAA wanted no part in taking down UCLA basketball then. It's much like the NCAA's current hesitance to take down USC football. They're not going to make any serious efforts to take down the marquee programs (as well as their big moneymakers).
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Post by OverAndUnder on May 26, 2009 14:25:51 GMT -5
He went to Long Beach, didn't he? Sam Gilbert actually dropped out of UCLA. For a while I though he was a Cal grad, but that was Edwin Pauley I was thinking of. His name is on some building on the UCLA campus. ;D
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Post by OverAndUnder on May 26, 2009 14:30:06 GMT -5
Is it me or does that last post sound like sour grapes? Is it me or does that post sound like someone with their fingers in their ears singing "Row Row Row Your Boat" at top volume?
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Post by BigTenVball on May 26, 2009 15:02:48 GMT -5
Yea yea, all this and that. If you want to talk about true coaching greatness, Dan Gable Head Wrestling Coach at Iowa 15 National Titles, including of streak of 9 Consecutive National Titles! 25 straight Big Ten Titles. Now that is coaching dominance. You may return to "basketball" now.
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Post by Keystonekid on May 26, 2009 15:03:12 GMT -5
It isnt sour grapes, but rather an attemp to paint the full picture. Woodens success is fact, and I think it is remarkable. But, to say he just sat around and outcoached everyone isn't accurate. You don't go from good basketball coach for 15 years, all of sudden demand each player practice tying their shoes, and go on to win 10 straight titles. At best Wooden can say I wasnt aware, but as the article said, he was an absolute control freak. I don't see anyway that this went on with out him at least being aware. It very well may be a case of that being the norm, so no big deal. but....
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Post by lovaza on May 26, 2009 16:54:32 GMT -5
Is it me or does that last post sound like sour grapes? Is it me or does that post sound like someone with their fingers in their ears singing "Row Row Row Your Boat" at top volume? It's you. (gently down the stream...)
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Post by BearClause on May 26, 2009 17:17:42 GMT -5
One booster in particular, who was ultimately banned from the school, the basketball team, and just about everything associated with UCLA.....no matter how great a coach you are, you can't win without talent! Wooden had a phenomenal advantage in that area! However, Wooden's first championship team had no one taller than 6'5" (very small even for the old days) and Gilbert was not involved with UCLA until years later. In fact, Alcindor (who was a bit taller than 6'5") arrivied several years before Gilbert. The dates in the following article may be off, but there's no doubt that Gilbert was heavily involved with providing goods to Lew Alcindor. He's talked about it in on the record intervies. Part of the reason UCLA was able to maintain a dynasty was the continued help of Sam Gilbert. Here's an article that goes all the way back to 1974: A Patron Called Papa Samwww.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,879296,00.html
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