Weekly Answers, Pt. 3
Check out the first batch of new answers after the jump...
1) Hey gold, I think that recruits came to ucla basketball early in howland's tenure and were attracted b/c howland came from pitt and seemed to be building a good program. But, don't you think that the act has now worn off and recruits just don't want to play in an offense with no innovation and for a guy with no charisma? secondly, do you think howland is really going to be the long-term solution? thanks in advance - DisgruntledI think anyone who is jumping to conclusions based on one season is an absolute joke. This season has been the perfect storm of bad luck, and in some cases, bad foresight. If Tyler Honeycutt isn't injured all summer and then to start the season, this team has a few less losses. If Jerime Anderson develops the way he should have and was projected to, this is a different team. If Howland is pulling in the No. 3 or No. 4 center and the no. 8-10 shooting guard, all of a sudden guys don't want to play for him?
2) To build on the previous question, if rick neuheisal doesn't win more than 7 games this year and 9 games, as you've predicted, in 2011, will the same thing happen to him that seems to be happening to howland? in other words, will recruits and the fan base put the heat on him if he keeps promising great things but just displays complete mediocrity? - BruinjeffyAll I know is UCLA fans will put heat on anybody. Howland could've won three straight final fours and they would be calling for his head this season. And I still don't understand how nine wins isn't enough in 2011.
3) Who is a better writer, you or Wolf? - AnonymousDifferent.
4) Why does the media when talking about recruiting in the Pac-10 only mention teams such as Cal,Sc,Oregon and Stanford and no mention of Ucla? The last time I checked we have out recruited everyone but Sc. - Anonymous
I'm a little confused: UCLA was lauded as one of the biggest surprises of signing day and had a consensus top-10 class? What more do you want?
5) What is your take (and be honest now) on how Howland got out-coached and his team got out-played against USC? To lose BOTH games and the City Championship to a team that lost its three best players, plus its heralded group of incoming recruits, is just plain embarrassing. Both schools lost players off last year's team to the NBA, yet Howland hasn't seemed to make the proper adjustments regarding use of his personnel this year. Shouldn't Dan Guerrero be worried? The difference in speed, agility and ability was obvious out there Sunday night. - Just WonderingI'm not going to sugarcoat it - the loss to USC was a big one, considering the dire need for a win. I wouldn't go as far as saying Howland was out-coached, but his guard rotation at times was puzzling, and while I've been a season-long defender of Jerime Anderson, I think it's pretty clear he's in over his head right now. I would not have put him in at the end of the game.
A 2011 quarterback prospect from North Carolina, 6-4 and 220-pound Marquise Williams, says he's open to going anywhere in the country, and he talks about how UCLA has been recruiting him and intends to visit Westwood...
Jon,
I'm frustrated with the inspid questions to which you're responding i the Q&A. Rather than answering idiotic questions (like the first one in Q&A part 3, today), just ignore them. at this point in the season, we've seen this question innumerable times. Just ignore it in favor of responding to the more thoughtful questions. For one thing, it's a waste of your readers' time -- if the question is not worthy, use your editorial judgment and ignore it. Second, filtering out the bad questions will raise the bar. Readers will be less likely to think that sending in some half-baked version of a question will merit publication. You'll actually start to get better questions -- or do I hold your readership in too high esteem?
following up on Andrew's suggestion, I think it has merit and is worthy of consideration - also combine/condense legit questions that are basically the same
Jon, you like most Bruin faithfull are blinded by the 3 final four appearances and continue to overlook the obvious. You are going to tell me that even without Honeycutt(a true freshman) we should have losses to CSUF,LBSU,Portland,Butler(basically a home game) and a buzzer beater over CONCORDIA! I'm sorry I just see coaches doing a lot more with a lot less, And all I hear from you and is that Howland is a good coach despite the bad decisions in recruiting, lack of player development, puzzling substitutions at pivotal times in games, and a history of being unable or slow to change his game plan to fit his teams strenths and weaknesses.
Furthermore, the inability or unwillingness to recruit players outside of CA confuses me. yeah I understand we had Love, and we have Bobo and Smith coming in. But I think Love wanted UCLA as much as they wanted him and Bobo only chose UCLA after the coaching change at LSU. UCLA should be recruiting the top players in the country not just the top players in CA. Don't get me wrong we need to control our backyard but unless your going to get every single elite player from CA, like PC in FB @ $c for a couple of years then you need to not only recruit but have success recruiting nationwide.
As far as UCLA fans "putting heat on BH", I think he put the heat on himself. With 3 sr's and a host of 2nd yr players and a the #9 ranked recruiting class coming in I don't think fans expected the team to struggle as much as it has, especially considering how weak the conference is this year.
Also don't discount the liklihood that many of these "questions" are insincere and posted by those with alterior motives. I'd seriously question the validity of any of the above questions.
To answer my own question from a few weeks ago which did not receive the courtesy of a reply: Yes. It is fair to say Howland has lost this team. The team is unfocused and makes an inordinate amount of mental errors. The latest example of this is the recent loss to sc.
North Carolina is worse this year .... What about Florida? Do those Coaches suck too if their programs are not up to par this year
It's like I always say, we're never out of the fight.
Say what you will about the player's skill level or self-motivation, my opinion is that Howland has been getting out-coached.
Not something I intended to bring up myself but since the subject's been broached here's my two cents: I read the blog less often because I just don't have any interest in having my chain pulled by some sophomoric troll, Trojan or otherwise. The background static these goof balls create on the site is a big turn off. You're sharp enough to filter these guys out. It would improve the blog and encourage more participation. How many different ways can you say a nine win 2011 would be a substantial step in the right direction and one shitty season does not make Ben Howland any less of a coach?
ARE you F N kidding me people!BEN HOWLAND is a damn gOOD coach we will be very sorry if we let him go!One bad season and not that bad considering all we have lost and everyone panics? You idiots would be singing a diffrent tune had we won on sunday!No one hates losing to SC more than me but it like our 13-9 win against them means SHIT!I do however think that Ben better start recruiting hard as of NOW!Relax people it isnt Howland it is how UCLA sales itself we need to start with Pauley and Media and i agree the fans need to get more involved!GET OFF HOWLANDS BACK !
Anon 1:15
Between North Carolina and Florida they have won 4 of the last 5 NCAA Championships!!!
Let's see smart guy..North Carolina has won 4 National Championships since 1980...Florida, traditionally a Football powerhouse has won 2!!! UCLA has 1 and that was 15 years ago.
Quit worrying about other programs and what they do, and focus on UCLA!
uclanation is 100% correct...where are all the real fans!!!!
"MichaelRyerson"
I'll refund your two cents back!
Maybe your comprehension of the blog is what causes you read the blog less often. The question in Q&A #2 asked if CRN won LESS than 7 games this year and LESS than 9 games in 2011 would he face the same heat that Howland is receiving this year?
Also if you read most post regarding Howland, no one thinks any less of BH because of one 'shitty' season.
If Jon were to filter anyone it should be holes like you and Frisco proud Andrew who just complain. If you would like to improve the quality of the questions then here is an idea worth two cents, ask questions!
It's fans like you who revel in mediocre results and chant "we'll get em next year" after evey year without a championship who enable the university to accept less than what dedicated Bruin fans deserve!
BigDbruin newsflash: the world does not revolve around you. And my two cents remain on the table for the endless iterations of 'Howland has lost his touch' and/or '9 wins in 2011 is no great shakes'. I wasn't responding to your post as it seemed vaguely reasonable. Part of reading comprehension (which you so artlessly suggested I learn) has to do with being able to appreciate when a point is being made that does not necessarily have anything to do with you.
BigDbruin needs a hug.
The sun will continue to shine,the teams will get better and we have really good coaches.Do you appreciate the education that you received at UCLA or do you consider yourself an expert on sports? I would guess that most of the "know it alls" never played sports beyond grade school.Jon,it would help to clean up some of the profanity being posted.
BigDBruin,
You seriously are a complete moron. "Blinded by 3 Final Four appearances..." Seriously? Blinded? How about respectful of an accomplishment that whoever you think is a great coach didn't achieve. Coach Howland got further with less talent than any team in the country. Don't think so? How did we match up talent wise with Florida? Uh, not so well. How about against Memphis? Uh, not so well. Coach Howland is the best coach we have had since the legend himself. you, however, are a moron.
Honestly, the whole "you're blinded by three straight final four appearances" argument is overused and often completely inaccurate. It appears to me that most of the people who try to make this point are, in fact, blinded by one bad season and are overlooking the body of work Howland has put together.
Howland needs to go.