Luc's lie
As it turns out, UCLA coach Ben Howland didn't start power forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who did not play in the blowout win against Mississippi Valley State.
James Keefe said he was told before the Bruins left campus Wednesday that he would start in place of Mbah a Moute, and Keefe added that Howland announced to the team the plan was to try and rest Mbah a Moute and his sprained ankle in the first round.
A few hours after that took place, Howland told the media he planned to start Mbah a Moute.
I don't see the point in these string of posts. Is it to try to point out discrepancies in what Howland has said? If so, I find that extremely petty. People may say things at one point, but they reserve the right to do or say something else if new information is available, or if they simply change their mind. Why point out these string of comments that really do nothing but try to undermine Howland in some subtle, and othertimes, not so subtle ways. I'd much rather enjoy reading something that concerns basketball (13 blocks ties a record, 29 points is a record low since 1949 when there was no shot clock, etc.) rather than these inane comments that I find clearly designed to undermine Howland and the players. This is inappropriate journalism, if you ask me, and in the end, really petty. While I find the majority of other posts to be interesting and basketball worthy, there definitely these posts that show a distinct vitriolic dislike and a mission to discredit Howland. It's distasteful and clearly has an patina of vindictiveness.
Brian,
Today's Los Angeles Times quotes LRM as saying he didn't know he wouldn't start until Thursday morning. From Pucin's column:
Mbah a Moute said the final decision not to start was made for him Thursday morning."This morning we decided I'd dress but not play," Mbah a Moute said. "If the game started getting close somehow, he was going to throw me in there. Because we won and we won by a lot I didn't have to play."
Since its unlikely he wasn't at this team meeting where it was supposedly announced, have you thought maybe Keefe just misunderstood Howland? Perhaps Howland told him to be ready to play?
Do you think it more likely that Howland was so concerned about MVSU that he thought he would lie to fake them out in their preperations, or that Keefe misunderstood what Howland said?
What standard of evidence do you need when sullying someone's good name and accusing them of lying?
If I were the UCLA athletic department, I would revoke your press credential until you provide proof that Howland is a liar, or you apologize.