Answers, Part I

In the paper, you quoted Western Kentucky’s coach as saying UCLA “is recognized as one of the five or six best programs in the country in college basketball traditionally”. Where specifically do *you* rank UCLA ‘in college basketball traditionally’?
It’s very difficult and subjective when trying to rank teams. UCLA won 11 national titles, but 10 came in such a dominating and short span that, in my opinion, means I cannot overlook the rest of the time UCLA won one national title. Looking strictly at consistency of a program from start to finish, Kentucky and Kansas come to mind.
That said, I think UCLA belongs in the top three or four, not five or six.

Has Coach Howland indicated why Keefe has passed Aboya on the depth chart? I like the minutes Keefe has put in but Aboya has played a key role on two Final Four teams including the Championship game two years ago. Does he feel Keefe is more capable of producing offensively?
It is because Keefe was practicing better, and performing better in games. Even before his performance against Western Kentucky, Keefe was playing more aggressive, rebounding better and not committing as many fouls. Quite simply, Keefe is playing better in all facets.

Occasionally there are basketball recruits who don't seem to deliver as much as had been expected when their time comes. Do you have any explanation for this as a systemic/recurring problem at UCLA? As an example, would you say the players are overly restricted to certain roles and limited from stepping outside those roles by the coaching staff?
UCLA coach Ben Howland has an idea of how he wants to use a player, and that is how he is going to use him. If he believes a player is capable of doing something that is not being showcased in a game, he will attempt to make the adjustment to make that happen. I wouldn’t say players are “overly restricted’’ because I believe Howland will do anything he can to make his team win. But I do think the players are “restricted’’ to what Howland believes each player does well.

In your Q&A answers, you mentioned Duke's lack of inside presence as a problem. How close to the UCLA teams of the past two years were they in that aspect? Before they exited the tourney, had you considered Duke to be weaker than those two Bruin teams?
Duke did not play defense the way UCLA did in the last two years, on the perimeter or inside. Two years ago UCLA had Ryan Hollins as a shot-blocking threat, and last year Lorenzo Mata-Real and Alfred Aboya were inside knocking opponents around. Plus, Duke didn’t have the type of perimeter defenders UCLA had the last two years. And, as far as Duke this season, if the school wasn’t named Duke, I think it would have been a No. 4 or No. 5 seed. Duke was markedly weaker than the last two UCLA teams, and I never thought the Blue Devils would get to the Sweet 16.

I know your focus is on this year now, but have you had any discussions with Howland about next year's squad? Since we most likely will lose Love do you think we will see 4 guard lineups (like he used at N. Arizona) with Shipp playing power forward? If Love, Collison and Westbrook all declare, who do you see as the starters next year (I know it's hard to project the freshmen)?
I’ve talked to him a little bit about it, but not in depth. I think he will play three guards (if you consider Josh Shipp a guard) with Luc Richard Mbah a Moute playing power forward and Drew Gordon and Alfred Aboya sharing time at center. The backcourt will be Russell Westbrook and Jrud Holiday. And I don’t see Westbrook leaving, especially after his last two shooting performances.

Do you think the Hilltoppers' mascot is the evil twin brother of Grimace?
Oh, man, poor Grimace. Love that dude. Reminds me of being a kid and eating cookies for dessert from Mickey D’s. Frankly, though, I like T.J. Simers’ line of calling the mascot a pregnant Elmo.