When a recruit takes an official visit to UCLA, such as J'Mison Morgan last weekend for men's basketball, there are typically no interviews with the target by Bruin beat writers such as yourself. Is this due to the school not making the prospect available for such because conducting an interview and publishing an article would violate the NCAA rule proscribing the university from publicizing recruiting visits? Or is there another reason?
That is the biggest reason, but from working in other markets I know there is a way around that. Some schools don’t mind reporters talking to recruits during a visit, but UCLA doesn’t like it at all. In fact, when kids take unofficial visits to football practice, the media is asked not to talk to them on Spaulding Field.

It has been widely speculated that UCLA men's hoops may not recruit Fairfax High School junior Renardo Sidney. If so, one of the best Division I programs in the country will have shunned an incredible talent from its own backyard who is perhaps the top national prospect in the 2009 class. This is a pretty compelling and interesting story, but it tends to involve some of the more controversial aspects of recruiting. Do you expect to pursue this story? Do you think any of your colleagues in the print, radio, television, or on-line media will pursue it? Or is this facet of recruiting just too hot for the media to handle?
I will not pursue it because of things I know going on with the recruitment of Sidney. I cannot speak for all of the media – only for just myself. I do not need to expose some of the things going on with a 17-, 18-year-old kid and have all the dirty laundry aired. It is not my style. I didn’t do it with Brian Price, and I will not do it with Sidney.

We all know Olson was recruited for his legendary high school talent. Due to many possibly excusable reasons, he hasn't lived up to the expectations... How long would you guess KD will keep him as his primary QB assuming Olson continues to disappoint?
I am running a story tomorrow about Olson that includes some very interesting comparisons to a few prominent college quarterbacks of a few years back. I think it is rather surprising. I don’t know how long Dorrell would stay with Olson because, as my story will point out, I’m not sure disappointment is the best way to categorize Olson’s career to this point.

Last time I saw Russell Westbrook, he looked taller than his listed 6'3". How tall is he now?
I don’t know. They usually don’t get measured until practices start. I saw him Wednesday, though, and he looked about 6-3 to me.

Today Jill Painter cited KD as being "quite indignant to a group of beat writers". If you were there at the time, would you agree with her characterization? If you were not there, have you noticed any difference in KD's attitude towards sportswriters post-Utah, or possibly towards any specific writers? Also, do you have any guess as to what may have caused the change if there is one?
Yes, I was there, and I agree with her characterization. My guess on what changed in his attitude is the 44-6 loss to Utah, in which he began feeling more heat than he had in the past.

Looking WAY ahead into the future, if the football team somehow has to play in the Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22 as the men cagers are in Michigan to play the Wolverines, which game do you cover? How will the coverage be divided between you and Jill once hoops goes into full swing in November?
Who the heck knows. Can I get to Corvallis and back this weekend? As for November, I don’t know that either. I’ll worry about that when it gets closer, but I would imagine Jill will do some early basketball games.

Is Horton's health OK? He seems a step slower than last year. How does Lockett's coverage skill compare to the current starting safety pair?
I’ve been wondering if he’s lacked explosion since he battled a hamstring problem in training camp. I’m told he’s fine, but that’s not always believable these days at UCLA. Lockett still needs to be more sound in his assignments.