Here is the 12th installment:
Why do you think Gaddy ultimately chose Washington over UCLA?
As his dad told me, after being burned by the Arizona situation, the chance to stay close to home became much more appealing.
Why do you use Roman numerals to label your answer postings?
It’s like my weekly Super Bowl.
Stipulating that Olson and Cowan are still hurt, would this year’s record be better, the same, or worse if Dorrel was still the coach?
Worse. I think UCLA would be a 1- or 2-win team right now.
With Coach Rick being a former QB, and Chow being known as a developer of QBs, do you think UCLA will become a top choice for five-star QB recruits?
If UCLA starts to have offensive success it will be. Otherwise, no, I don’t.
If CRN had to choose how UCLA is defined year after year, would he prefer to be a defensive stalwart (like an SEC team) or an offensive juggernaut (like a Big 12 team)? Why?
I think he would want to be a running team with a fun offense and a superb defense. In other words, coaches don’t want to be known as one or the other. They want their teams to be awesome in every aspect. I don’t think Mike Leach is sitting there saying, ‘Heck, with defense. Let’s score 60 points a game and not worry about defense.’
Are Howland and Guerrero satisfied with the size of the crowds (about 6,000-8,000) at the non-conference games against second tier teams?
They must be because the schedule remains the same. And even though the crowds are small, as UCLA often points out to me, most of the tickets are sold. Folks just decide not to use them.
Do you enjoy watching sports from a fan’s perspective (provided UCLA isn’t playing, of course!)? What are some of your favorite leisure time pursuits?
I try to watch it from a fan’s perspective, but it is very difficult (my wife will vouch for that) because I’ve spent so much time critiquing what goes on in a game. Leisure time pursuits? Who has time for that with a couple of young kids and a job that takes at least 60 hours a week.
Who from this year’s freshmen class besides Holiday could develop into a national star and first round NBA pick?
All of them.
Given that several NBA players work out at UCLA over the summer, and the UCLA guys can play with them, do you see that as a major recruiting factor?
No, not really. I don’t think a kid is going to decide to go to UCLA because once a summer he can go the men’s gym and play with NBA guys. Plus, guys from other schools often show up at the men’s gym and play there, so it is not an exclusive right for UCLA players, but rather just looks good because it is on UCLA’s campus.