Here it is, lucky No. 13:
Any status update on Lester White and the JC recruits? When can the public watch spring practice?
Not really. I will try to check early next week and see what is going on with all of them. As for public viewing, every practice is open the public, so you can be there with me on Thursday.
Brian – Your colleague (SW) mentioned that Larry Scott was the fourth choice for the Commissioners job. Do you have any idea who the first three choices were? If so, who were they (by name)?
Fourth? Is that it? I know Sandy Alderson was involved, and long ago so was Condoleeza Rice. I know of a few others who were asked, but decided they didn’t want to even be involved with the job. One of them is a certain athletic director who works in the Morgan Center.
Why does it seem that only Yahoo! Sports (and ESPN with the O.J. Mayo story) investigates the shady side of college athletics? Where are the local papers in all this?
I don’t know. I’m too busy keeping up with UCLA and seeing my family to care what everyone else is doing. Ask those writers.
With your insight to player personalities, who do you see as the next leaders on the BBall team? Why?
Jrue Holiday because of his talent, and he will be a leader whether he wants to be or not. That is, if he comes back. I think Jerime Anderson will be a leader, and Drew Gordon can lead with his hard work and his ability to say what needs to be said.
What ever happened to Ben Bruneau from SO ND? Is he on the UCLA football team?
No. I believe he was told his services were not needed as a walk-on. He was not with the team in 2008.
With 1 yr under their belt, CBH says that players grow a lot between their 1st and 2nd year? Who do you see as making the most improvement in their play? Why? Would these same players become effective team leaders as well?
I don’t know who will make the most improvement because I don’t know who is working the hardest. If J’mison Morgan works hard, he can make the biggest improvement because he has so far to go. What does Drew Gordon do to get stronger? All the stuff is subjective, and I don’t have enough information to make a statement about it.
What insight can you give us regarding what players learn their 1st yr in terms of growth in attitude and strength developement to move from highschool play to college level? Do they practice harder and hit the weight rooms individually, or does it take team effort to improve play?
It is across the boards because everything players do in high school, it is intensified in college. Most players get to college having never done much with weight training, having not gotten the best coaching and not understanding the commitment needed to be successful in college. Some work out on their own, but everything is managed so well these days, kids don’t need to hits the weights by themselves. Much of that is structured.
HOw much do incoming freshmen in both FB and BB keep updated with news and team developements? Do these incoming players watch and read the bloggs like we do to be aware of team issues?
It varies on the player. I know some kids say they read this blog three or four times a day, and some have no idea this blog exists. I find the parents check in much more regularly and follow things because I get (and welcome) email from the parents.